for display only
Big Blue Interactive The Corner Forum  
Back to the Corner

Archived Thread

NFT: Aruba recommendations

Heisenberg : 5/22/2019 6:41 pm
Hello BBI,

Looking for some recommendations for a vacation resort for two in Aruba. Anyone got any tips? It's been a hell of a year for me and her and we need to get away. Would love to use BBI's knowledge to improve the much needed time on the beach that we are looking for. FYI, no judgement but our youngest is 15 so we would prefer less of a family resort. Thanks in advance BBI.
My Brother  
BocaGiants91 : 5/22/2019 6:52 pm : link
Had a trip there last month. He said he won’t be back. It was one overpriced tourist trap after another. Lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe came to about 95 bucks. If your into cigars, you should go to the Royal Plaza, they have La Casa Del Habano there, but be warned, the prices he told me were more then you could get from Europe, in some cases double.
RE: My Brother  
superspynyg : 5/22/2019 7:07 pm : link
In comment 14452754 BocaGiants91 said:
Quote:
Had a trip there last month. He said he won’t be back. It was one overpriced tourist trap after another. Lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe came to about 95 bucks. If your into cigars, you should go to the Royal Plaza, they have La Casa Del Habano there, but be warned, the prices he told me were more then you could get from Europe, in some cases double.


I loved Aruba. Is your brother cheap? It’s an island near SA of course it’s a little more.

The island was great. Water warm and people friendly. Dinner: madam Jeanette’s. Island tour do a private one. You can see the whole island in one day without all the bull crap of a whole group.

RE: RE: My Brother  
BocaGiants91 : 5/22/2019 7:10 pm : link
In comment 14452768 superspynyg said:
Quote:
In comment 14452754 BocaGiants91 said:


Quote:


Had a trip there last month. He said he won’t be back. It was one overpriced tourist trap after another. Lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe came to about 95 bucks. If your into cigars, you should go to the Royal Plaza, they have La Casa Del Habano there, but be warned, the prices he told me were more then you could get from Europe, in some cases double.



I loved Aruba. Is your brother cheap? It’s an island near SA of course it’s a little more.

The island was great. Water warm and people friendly. Dinner: madam Jeanette’s. Island tour do a private one. You can see the whole island in one day without all the bull crap of a whole group.


Cheapest man I know...other than myself.

He learned from me : )
Use plenty of sunscreen  
PEEJ : 5/22/2019 7:15 pm : link
!!!
10 Things NOT To Do in Aruba  
Mr. Bungle : 5/22/2019 7:15 pm : link
#8. Don't go to chain restaurants like the Hard Rock Cafe:

Link - ( New Window )
RE: My Brother  
ShocknAwe80 : 5/22/2019 8:16 pm : link
In comment 14452754 BocaGiants91 said:
Quote:
Had a trip there last month. He said he won’t be back. It was one overpriced tourist trap after another. Lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe came to about 95 bucks. If your into cigars, you should go to the Royal Plaza, they have La Casa Del Habano there, but be warned, the prices he told me were more then you could get from Europe, in some cases double.


who the hell goes to aruba to eat at the hard rock cafe???
I travel a lot...  
EricJ : 5/22/2019 8:19 pm : link
and I am not a fan of Aruba. I stayed at the Four Seasons when I was there so it is not as if I was going cheap. I doubt I would go back.
went for a wedding  
ShocknAwe80 : 5/22/2019 8:21 pm : link
stayed at the aruba marriot... It was phenomenal. walk onto beach and walk left and eventually you will hit a restaurant on the beach get the fried grouper sandwich. It's like 8 bucks and its amazing. Dinner on the water, literally, at passions. Barefoot another great dinner spot. You will pay around 80-90 per person for meals, but at least it won't be at the fucking hard rock!
RE: went for a wedding  
ShocknAwe80 : 5/22/2019 8:22 pm : link
In comment 14452865 ShocknAwe80 said:
Quote:
stayed at the aruba marriot... It was phenomenal. walk onto beach and walk left and eventually you will hit a restaurant on the beach get the fried grouper sandwich. It's like 8 bucks and its amazing. Dinner on the water, literally, at passions. Barefoot another great dinner spot. You will pay around 80-90 per person for meals, but at least it won't be at the fucking hard rock!


also the pirate ship day cruise thing is great. Very cheap, all beer and mixed drinks included as well as lunch, snorkeling, rope swing, it was a blast
RE: 10 Things NOT To Do in Aruba  
ShocknAwe80 : 5/22/2019 8:23 pm : link
In comment 14452779 Mr. Bungle said:
Quote:
#8. Don't go to chain restaurants like the Hard Rock Cafe: Link - ( New Window )


LMAO

bet he also goes to Olive GArden in Times Square
RE: I travel a lot...  
MetsAreBack : 5/22/2019 8:39 pm : link
In comment 14452861 EricJ said:
Quote:
and I am not a fan of Aruba. I stayed at the Four Seasons when I was there so it is not as if I was going cheap. I doubt I would go back.


There is no Four Seasons in Aruba
The wife and I went to Aruba last April  
NYerInMA : 5/22/2019 8:40 pm : link
We had a great time. We stayed at the Amsterdam Manor Beach Resort, which is right across the street from Eagle Beach. Went on a horseback ride at sunset, spent a couple days on Eagle Beach, and found some great food at Asi es mi Peru (walking distance from Amsterdam Manor), Yemanja Woodfired Grill in Oranjestad, and had dinner on the beach at Barefoot Restaurant.
As for dinner reservations  
MetsAreBack : 5/22/2019 8:42 pm : link
Madamme Jeannettes and Flyin Fishbone

El Gaucho used to be great, but i'm told new ownership has ruined it
Really strange comments so far  
bhill410 : 5/22/2019 8:48 pm : link
1 - there is no four seasons there so not sure you are thinking of same island

2 - Aruba is great in my opinion. It’s not the “prettiest” island foliage wise because it’s essentially a desert but the beaches are great, tons to do, and insanely safe.

3 - as I mentioned above very safe.

4 - You will likely stay in palm beach - or at least I would recommend doing so. Not sure your price range but the Hyatt and Marriott are both real nice hotels. There are two all inclusives up by Hyatt if that is your thing. The restaurants are all good in Aruba tho and since you can walk to them (see safe above) I would only recommend the all inclusive if you are really going to drink a lot.

5 - it’s a hike of a cab ride but flying fish is really worth it. I would make reservations now for the sand tables at sunset as they go fast.

6 - I would avoid the renaissance. It’s in the downtown and has it’s own island but imo the palm beach hotels are cooler.

7 - there are a ton of tiki bars on beach in palm beach and a couple of cool sports bars depending on when you are going.
Best place on Eagle Beach...  
Bradshaw's Decal : 5/22/2019 9:23 pm : link
Is definitely Manchebo Beach Resort... Went last year with my wife... It's awesome... Rooms are nothing special, but the beach, food and employees are what make it special. It's not crowded at all and reasonable priced. Tara and Bacuti is right next door... It's alot more money but would recommend it also. Check it out, you will love it. Only two to a room so not any kids,which is nice.
It is a short drive to Palm Beach which is more crowded but has more nightlife. Manchebo is only 72 rooms, so it's never crowded and your don't have to "put towels out"at 6am to get a palapas for the day... They serve you food and drink on the beach and have 2 for 1 happy hours every day with top shelf liquor ,not the battery acid they serve at the low end resorts... I promise you will not be disappointed!
Dont go all inclusive  
Mark from Jersey : 5/22/2019 9:24 pm : link
so many great places to eat.
How bad are the Orioles?  
section125 : 5/22/2019 9:29 pm : link
Gardner has two doubles on routine ground ball singles... I think a local HS baseball team CF could have held Gardy to a single.
RE: RE: I travel a lot...  
Mr. Bungle : 5/22/2019 9:30 pm : link
In comment 14452892 MetsAreBack said:
Quote:
In comment 14452861 EricJ said:


Quote:


and I am not a fan of Aruba. I stayed at the Four Seasons when I was there so it is not as if I was going cheap. I doubt I would go back.



There is no Four Seasons in Aruba

Lol. Killer advice on this thread so far.
Stayed at the Bucuti and Tara a few years back  
TD : 5/22/2019 9:48 pm : link
Great resort if you want peace and solitude with a nice beach during the day. It’s not in the touristy part, which is nice - only neg is it’s a little far from most other things too - so prepare to cab a bit.

Overall, I didn’t live Aruba like others do. But I would go back eventually. Just felt a little souless and while the beaches are nice, there are better ones in the Caribbean and elsewhere.
loved it  
pjcas18 : 5/22/2019 9:52 pm : link
stayed at the Hyatt. Casino was great, paid me twice in blackjack when I busted but the dealer busted too, I always thought that was a push.

I rented a jeep and drove around the island (whoever said sun screen +1.). I don't burn, but I burned that day driving around the island with the top off the jeep. with the breeze you don't feel the sun but I guess being closer to the equator the sun is much hotter and the breeze can be deceiving.

Went scuba diving. No cert required. I took a 30 minute lesson in the hotel pool (not sure that's the safest thing in the world, but it was fun, we dove around a wreck not far from the coast).

beach sand is coral (or something like that), not like most east coast beaches so the sand doesn't get hot.

Also went horeseback riding on the beach. it was fun.

Snorkeling wasn't great compared to Hawaii or other places we've snorkeled, but still fun.

I'd definitely go again (been twice) - once on a work "president's club" trip which was different because everything was paid for.
went on my honeymoon  
Dankbeerman : 5/22/2019 10:07 pm : link
7 years ago stayed at the marriot ocean club. lots of good eats near and along the peirs. would do a sunset dinner cruise for sure. some beach activities but mostly just relaxing. get a jeep cruise of the island its a fun day. Talk to the locals I cant remember names but found several reasturants outside the hotel areas. one of the best was just inside a house.

Been there twice  
Chocco : 5/23/2019 4:35 am : link
Once last year, would go back again.
The lowrise section with the Divi golf, manchebo etc is much more laid back and chill.

The highrise resort/casino section is a little busier with a much more active night life.

We did a lot of walking. Always felt safe and help to walk of our food.

I haven't had a bad meal yet in Aruba. Highlight of last year was Pure Ocean at the Divi Tamarin ( high rise section). Was not expecting much, just walked up sat outside on/near the beach with great food and amazing service.

Always very windy which usually is good because it is usually very warm.

Have Fun
I was just there a couple of months ago  
Gatorade Dunk : 5/23/2019 8:44 am : link
If you're staying in the high-rise area, make sure you hit Mykonos for breakfast while you're there - it's a little place on the beach between the Hyatt and Playa Linda. Their breakfast sandwiches are delicious and you can't beat a $3 ouzo shot to start your day.

I second the Madame Jeannette's reco above, and I'll add that if you like spice, they have it. Also, make sure you try the papaya hot sauce (again, if you like spicy food) - Mrs. Dunk and I actually ordered a liter of the papaya sauce after we got back to the US because the little bottle we bought in the airport only lasted us a couple of weeks.

Another tried and true traditional Aruba restaurant is Papiamento - it's one of those places that you almost have to hit, though I'd say that the wine list is more impressive than the food.

If you're into some more creative culinary takes, try White Modern Cuisine - it's got a little bit of a Wylie Dufresne vibe, the food is awesome, and the ambiance (though mostly empty when we went) was fantastic.
Thanks for all the tips!  
Heisenberg : 5/23/2019 9:04 am : link
Much appreciated!
RE: RE: I travel a lot...  
EricJ : 5/23/2019 10:08 am : link
In comment 14452892 MetsAreBack said:
Quote:
In comment 14452861 EricJ said:


Quote:


and I am not a fan of Aruba. I stayed at the Four Seasons when I was there so it is not as if I was going cheap. I doubt I would go back.



There is no Four Seasons in Aruba


I meant the Ritz. It is next door to the Marriott.
been there 3 times and you can't go wrong  
GMAN4LIFE : 5/23/2019 10:24 am : link
i have stayed at an all inclusive play there only because of the convenience for my young kids.

the restaurants outside of my resort are great. you cant go wrong with Aruba. for me, its just a guaranteed good time.
it's been 3 years for me  
GiantsFan84 : 5/23/2019 10:59 am : link
but when i went we loved el gaucho and madam jenettes. we ate at flying fishbone and while beautiful it was lacking in deliciousness

we stayed at the stellas marriott which was perfect
Not a fan of Aruba, but it has its positives.  
Crispino : 5/23/2019 11:32 am : link
People are very friendly, and the food was very good. Madame Jeanette’s is a must. Aruba has casinos if you like to gamble. Beyond that, I didn’t see the appeal. Beaches can be very windy, to the point for us to have to leave the beach because we were getting sand blasted. It’s not a very interesting or attractive island. The wind spoils golf too. Oranjestad can be seen in about 15 minutes and is a snooze. And there is no decent snorkeling or diving because the water around the island is too murky. I wouldn’t go back.
love aruba  
UConn4523 : 5/23/2019 11:36 am : link
stay at the Hyatt, its a bit more private than the other resorts but still in close to shops/restaurants. Aruba is meant for relaxing, so if you want to do just that then you can't go wrong really. Also, their food is excellent.
Divi Phoenix  
Giants86 : 5/23/2019 11:59 am : link
if they have anything available is very nice.

RE: love aruba  
Heisenberg : 5/23/2019 2:42 pm : link
In comment 14453483 UConn4523 said:
Quote:
stay at the Hyatt, its a bit more private than the other resorts but still in close to shops/restaurants. Aruba is meant for relaxing, so if you want to do just that then you can't go wrong really. Also, their food is excellent.


Relaxing is the plan. It's been an insanely stressful year and we are looking to hit the beach and basically shut it down. Thanks for the tip. It does seem like there are a lot of good options.
RE: RE: love aruba  
Mr. Bungle : 5/23/2019 3:59 pm : link
In comment 14453834 Heisenberg said:
Quote:
Relaxing is the plan. It's been an insanely stressful year and we are looking to hit the beach and basically shut it down. Thanks for the tip. It does seem like there are a lot of good options.

Very stressful year for us, too. We're going to Aruba (for the first time) in August. Staying in a studio at the Playa Linda.

We went to the Riviera Maya (Mexico) last June for 8 days and -- I shit you not -- it rained for the entire first 7 days. Absolutely miserable experience. We were just looking at pictures from the trip last night and were getting pissed off just thinking about it.

So after that travel debacle, and with the stressful year we've had so far, my wife said we're going somewhere it won't rain this time. And Aruba it is.
Bungle  
UConn4523 : 5/23/2019 4:09 pm : link
my sister got married there back in October 2015 and her entire wedding day it downpoured. It actually rained the majority of the week apparently (I only went down for 2 days).
RE: Bungle  
Mr. Bungle : 5/23/2019 4:16 pm : link
In comment 14454063 UConn4523 said:
Quote:
my sister got married there back in October 2015 and her entire wedding day it downpoured. It actually rained the majority of the week apparently (I only went down for 2 days).

So ridiculous. That sucks.

I would have been fine had it rained on and off, or if it rained for two or three days then turned nice. Hey, shit happens, it's summer on the coast. But 7 goddamned days and nights of non-stop rain when you spent all that money (and time off from work) for a nice vacation. Just sucked beyond belief.
Did the Hyatt Regency...  
UAGiant : 5/23/2019 4:24 pm : link
It was good and I'd have no issue staying there, but I really don't love the island of Aruba. The Hyatt is a big-box resort that is extremely nice and well-appointed, but...generic feeling.

My personal take on Aruba is its a desert island with a nice stretch of beach and some Dutch culture laid ontop of it. The beaches are pretty, but extremely windy and you just torch laying out in the sun. It is safe and there are good food options that permit you to leave your resort without thinking about it (unlike most other islands), but I never had anything there that really stuck with me.

Maybe this is just a personal preference, but I enjoyed a number of islands infinitely more. Coupled with the fact Aruba is not a cheap island, I would still look at what else is out there before you set anything in stone.

I realize this is not what was asked for, but do look at St Lucia and Antigua. Comparable price range and both gorgeous islands with a lot of unique geography, food and culture.

I kind of see Aruba as the defacto island if you have time off in peak hurricane season and want assurances of nothing going wrong. I'm obviously bias, but that's the only major appeal I see of it.
RE: Been there twice  
Chocco : 5/23/2019 7:51 pm : link
In comment 14453134 Chocco said:
Quote:


I haven't had a bad meal yet in Aruba. Highlight of last year was Pure Ocean at the Divi Tamarin ( high rise section).

Oops Pure Ocean was at the Divi Phoenix not Tamarin
We've gone a few times and will be back this year.  
Matt M. : 5/23/2019 10:22 pm : link
Initially, we went because traveling in August we wanted to be out of the hurricane belt, which Aruba is. We loved it. It is super relaxing and the food is excellent. We stay at the Hilton, formerly the Radisson. You definitely do not want to do an all inclusive or go to chains.

To the poster who said it sucks, I think you are confused, as there is no Four Seasons on Aruba.

Restaurants to hit:
Papiamento, Madame Jeanette, Screaming Eagle, Zuzuro (you must order the pasta made in a flaming wheel of parmesan), Azia.

Back to the Corner