MikeMargolis
Nov 16, 07, 2:21 pm
Well, I was there on business, but since there's been nothing recent, I thought I'd report.
The hotel is, well, tired. They're updating, but it's still tired. I waited in line almost a half an hour (in the Priority Club line, which was the shorter one) for check in at 4:00pm, my luck for my plane having arrived at "check in time."
I was there in November at $108/night. Wow, cheap for a resort in almost high season.
My room was spacious, but, like I said, tired. Old furniture, old drapes, old safe, old room. (I was in the middle building, the Bonaire.)
Every room has a balcony and water view, as far as I could tell.
The pool was very nice, and the hotel is on the beach. Water is Caribbean Blue, and nice and warm. Sand is smooth and rockless, nice for a New Englander. No waves to speak of, but the beach goes out quite a ways before getting over your head. They were dredging the seaweed out this morning, that was a nice touch. Plenty of water sports and snorkeling and fishing expeditions right from the hotel.
Food at the hotel was mediocre and best, there are 100 restaurants within walking distance across the street, movie theater, shopping, etc... I would avoid the all-inclusive option at this facility, as there is plenty of good and fair priced food practically on premises.
The hotel is located in the "high rise" district, away from the major shopping area. You can take a taxi ($10 to shopping or $20 to airport, fixed prices), or the local bus for $1.30 to shopping, not sure how much to the airport.
People are lovely, everyone speaks English, and most speak Spanish too.
Don't bother to exchange your US$ for the Aruba $, everybody takes dollars and most prices are quoted in dollars. I took 200 Guilders out at the ATM Machine at the airport, and then tried to pay my taxi with it when I got to the hotel. "Why did you exchange money, can you pay me in dollars?" So, I exchanged it back.
Anyway, a little old, but they're fixing it up, and the price sure was right.
The hotel is, well, tired. They're updating, but it's still tired. I waited in line almost a half an hour (in the Priority Club line, which was the shorter one) for check in at 4:00pm, my luck for my plane having arrived at "check in time."
I was there in November at $108/night. Wow, cheap for a resort in almost high season.
My room was spacious, but, like I said, tired. Old furniture, old drapes, old safe, old room. (I was in the middle building, the Bonaire.)
Every room has a balcony and water view, as far as I could tell.
The pool was very nice, and the hotel is on the beach. Water is Caribbean Blue, and nice and warm. Sand is smooth and rockless, nice for a New Englander. No waves to speak of, but the beach goes out quite a ways before getting over your head. They were dredging the seaweed out this morning, that was a nice touch. Plenty of water sports and snorkeling and fishing expeditions right from the hotel.
Food at the hotel was mediocre and best, there are 100 restaurants within walking distance across the street, movie theater, shopping, etc... I would avoid the all-inclusive option at this facility, as there is plenty of good and fair priced food practically on premises.
The hotel is located in the "high rise" district, away from the major shopping area. You can take a taxi ($10 to shopping or $20 to airport, fixed prices), or the local bus for $1.30 to shopping, not sure how much to the airport.
People are lovely, everyone speaks English, and most speak Spanish too.
Don't bother to exchange your US$ for the Aruba $, everybody takes dollars and most prices are quoted in dollars. I took 200 Guilders out at the ATM Machine at the airport, and then tried to pay my taxi with it when I got to the hotel. "Why did you exchange money, can you pay me in dollars?" So, I exchanged it back.
Anyway, a little old, but they're fixing it up, and the price sure was right.