Aruba

[KTink14]

We are thinking of venturing out of Disney World next year and taking a chance to use our points to go to an island and right now we are considering Aruba. I think DVC has 7 resorts there! Just wondering if anyone can give us info on that basically anything that can help us make a desicion. Thanks

 

[extraredstuff]

I have friends who go to Aruba for their anniversary each year and LOVE that island (Barbados is my fav, but I don't see that listed in my DVC blue book).... of the 6 I see listed, they really like Marriot's Aruba Ocean Club.

These are the others listed:

Aruba Beach Club
Caribbean Palm Village
Casa del Mar Beach Resort
Playa Linda Beach Resort
Royal Palm @ the Aruba Grand

The island itself lies outside the hurricane belt, so you can just about always count on good weather, generally in the 80's. It's also a great place for diving, they've brought home some great underwater pics.

The beaches are great, but the island itself is very deserty (not sure that's a word), but it's not as lush as many other islands in that area.

 

[DavidPJ]

Aruba's an excellent beach vacation. We've been there 3 times and we stayed at the Hyatt. The Hyatt is fabulous! Too bad it's not in the DVC Interval Exchange.

The tourist area of Aruba is very lush and tropical. The water is clear, gentle, and great for snorkeling. The beaches are supurb. Downtown is nice, clean, and we always felt safe wherever we were. Weather is perfect all year round. No bugs, too windy for the bugs to land and make new bugs.

However, as extraredstuff pointed out, Aruba is basically a desert. Venture outside of the mainstream tourist area and you quickly realize this. The jeep tours are probably the best way to see the island and desert features. It's a lot of fun be prepared to get very dirty and dried out from the sand in the air. Horseback riding was fun, but if you've never done it before it can be a little unnerving especially along the rocky coast.

The restaurants are superb but very expensive (even the fast food). Everything has to be brought on to the island.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Lasrnw]

Aruba is a Great Island....but....I want to warn you there is really nothing to see ( the Natural Bridge is a big attraction - it's a seawall with a hole in it) not a whole lot of shopping but you can hang out on the beach all day and relax, move to the casino at night and eat at some good restaurants. For us it was exactly what we needed - rest and relaxation. For friends of ours, they were so disappointed because he won't stay on the beach all day and she likes to shop!
The people are so friendly and happy that you are there and the government has taken many steps to make the island vacation friendly, for example all the taxis' charge the same fare from the hotel zone to downtown - so you don't get taken advantage of. Best part for high roller wanna B's....fifty cent chips in the casino....win $40.00 and you have piles!!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) We did enjoy Aruba, but once was enough for us
2) Advantages
. . . great beaches
. . . great for late Winter wind surfing
. . . very clear water (Jun-Dec) for diving
. . . seldom gets above 90º
3) Disadvantages
. . . very windy, year around
. . . desert-type environments once away from the hotel areas
. . . very little sightseeing, other than the Natural Bridge
. . . the island rides by Jeep are VERY bumpy (locals call it shake-and-bake)

 

[KTink14]

Thanks so much for all your responses. Looks like we mite have a tough descion. While my mother and brother like to lay on the beach all day my father and I tend to get bored. Does anyone know if the hotels have nice pool areas since i seem to spend my time in the pool water and not the ocean water!?!

 

[lovemickeyworld]

If not using club points, our favorite little patch of heaven is the Hyatt Regency in Aruba! We've been their twice and once on a cruise spent our day there as well. They have the most beautiful grounds there, black swans swimming in a river around an island restaurant, open air lobby with big comfy couches that just invite you to lounge around. Some very nice restaurants, and a handy Dunkin Donuts just across the street! Ha!

We have done the shake and bake jeep tour and at the end of the day all I wanted to do was go straight to the swimming pool. It was VERY hot and dry and dusty. The natural bridge is a beautiful wonder.

Oh, forgot, the hotel also has live tropical birds around (in very large cages). It is a beautiful place, however, it is only a hotel. When we were last there, they were building a Marriott Resort next to it.

 

[jellojatdisney]

We stayed at the Marriott Hotel Resort which is next to the Marriott timeshares (there are now 2). Each has its own pool. The newer timeshare building has a lazy river. We saw the plans when we were there 2 years ago and it looked great! We did the timeshare tour and found it to be very nice, but too expensive for us at the time.

We loved Aruba - you can rent rafts and just lay in the water for hours - so calm and blue. We went out on a snorkling trip (Jolly Pirate) that we enjoyed very much. The restaurants we went to were extremely good. All and all a very relaxing vacation.

 

[NJDVCFan]

We too have stayed at the Hyatt - twice - and both in the same year, 10 years ago - LOL!! Long story. Our initial stay was part of our Honeymoon. It is a beautiful place!! We just loved it there, but had to move to the hotel next door (and what a sad / bad stay that was - it then was called Americana Aruba - now it is some other name), as we waited too long to book and the last few days we had wanted were booked at the Hyatt.

Anyway - we have been considering a return to Aruba on our points, but haven't decided for sure yet. Not sure we would be happy at someplace other than the Hyatt. There is a wondeful pool there, with a slide (at least it was back then - LOL!). We ate at the restaurants there most of the time, including a table overlooking the pond with the black swans. Had some luck at the casino. And note - there are bugs, just not many when it is windy. On a rare occasion, the wind does die down (we were there as a hurricane was passing north of the island, and it became relatively calm - we were told that happens often when they pass nearby) - and they do come OUT!!

 

[Piper4132]

We go to Aruba every other year. We own a timeshare at the Marriott Surf Club and of course DVC (Beach Club). We flip flop each one every other year.
As others have posted it is a desert on one side but having said that we absolutely love Aruba. Beautiful Beaches, friendly people, great restaurants and great weather, very hot but there is a constant breeze. There are casino's at all of the major hotels. There is plenty to do day and night.

 

[Dean]

I have friends who go to Aruba for their anniversary each year and LOVE that island (Barbados is my fav, but I don't see that listed in my DVC blue book).... of the 6 I see listed, they really like Marriot's Aruba Ocean Club.

These are the others listed:

Aruba Beach Club
Caribbean Palm Village
Casa del Mar Beach Resort
Playa Linda Beach Resort
Royal Palm @ the Aruba Grand

The island itself lies outside the hurricane belt, so you can just about always count on good weather, generally in the 80's. It's also a great place for diving, they've brought home some great underwater pics.

The beaches are great, but the island itself is very deserty (not sure that's a word), but it's not as lush as many other islands in that area.

Barbados has few II timeshares at present.

Value and reasonableness would depend on when you go. I haven't been to Aruba but own a resort there and have extensive info on Aruba. I think you'll find that the Marriott's are the top choices and will be followed by the Costa Linda if they are added to the DVC list. Playa LInda is likely next. Time of year is important as some times of the year are easy to get and others very difficult. Unit size is also an issue, very few 2 BR units deposited as such (lockoff's). Put in your request then you could say yes or no when the time comes.