Discussion
Had a great memorable fortnight holiday there in 2001, partly because we were there at the time of 9/11.
Avoid the high rise hotels toward the northwest of the island: full of USA chain hotels and peeps from USA, very busy and noisy. Go to the low rise area in the middle west of the island which is the European area and much quieter. We stayed at the Bucuti Beach Resort which was fab. Lots of Dutch as you'd expect.
Worth hiring a car for a few days but make sure it's OK to use off road if you plan to go to the see the mid north east of the island which is very wild and rugged.
Madame Janette's was a fab restaurant when we were there. It's still there but don't know what it's like now, of course.
I think that you can now fly direct there from UK, but the only way there in 2001 was with KLM who had a refuelling stop at Aruba on their flight from Amsterdam to Lima, Peru. We went on a Jumbo 747 and a total of 8 people got off at Aruba!
R.
Avoid the high rise hotels toward the northwest of the island: full of USA chain hotels and peeps from USA, very busy and noisy. Go to the low rise area in the middle west of the island which is the European area and much quieter. We stayed at the Bucuti Beach Resort which was fab. Lots of Dutch as you'd expect.
Worth hiring a car for a few days but make sure it's OK to use off road if you plan to go to the see the mid north east of the island which is very wild and rugged.
Madame Janette's was a fab restaurant when we were there. It's still there but don't know what it's like now, of course.
I think that you can now fly direct there from UK, but the only way there in 2001 was with KLM who had a refuelling stop at Aruba on their flight from Amsterdam to Lima, Peru. We went on a Jumbo 747 and a total of 8 people got off at Aruba!
R.
Had a great memorable fortnight holiday there in 2001, partly because we were there at the time of 9/11.
Avoid the high rise hotels toward the northwest of the island: full of USA chain hotels and peeps from USA, very busy and noisy. Go to the low rise area in the middle west of the island which is the European area and much quieter. We stayed at the Bucuti Beach Resort which was fab. Lots of Dutch as you'd expect.
Worth hiring a car for a few days but make sure it's OK to use off road if you plan to go to the see the mid north east of the island which is very wild and rugged.
Madame Janette's was a fab restaurant when we were there. It's still there but don't know what it's like now, of course.
I think that you can now fly direct there from UK, but the only way there in 2001 was with KLM who had a refuelling stop at Aruba on their flight from Amsterdam to Lima, Peru. We went on a Jumbo 747 and a total of 8 people got off at Aruba!
R.
Avoid the high rise hotels toward the northwest of the island: full of USA chain hotels and peeps from USA, very busy and noisy. Go to the low rise area in the middle west of the island which is the European area and much quieter. We stayed at the Bucuti Beach Resort which was fab. Lots of Dutch as you'd expect.
Worth hiring a car for a few days but make sure it's OK to use off road if you plan to go to the see the mid north east of the island which is very wild and rugged.
Madame Janette's was a fab restaurant when we were there. It's still there but don't know what it's like now, of course.
I think that you can now fly direct there from UK, but the only way there in 2001 was with KLM who had a refuelling stop at Aruba on their flight from Amsterdam to Lima, Peru. We went on a Jumbo 747 and a total of 8 people got off at Aruba!
R.
Had a great memorable fortnight holiday there in 2001, partly because we were there at the time of 9/11.
Avoid the high rise hotels toward the northwest of the island: full of USA chain hotels and peeps from USA, very busy and noisy. Go to the low rise area in the middle west of the island which is the European area and much quieter. We stayed at the Bucuti Beach Resort which was fab. Lots of Dutch as you'd expect.
Worth hiring a car for a few days but make sure it's OK to use off road if you plan to go to the see the mid north east of the island which is very wild and rugged.
Madame Janette's was a fab restaurant when we were there. It's still there but don't know what it's like now, of course.
I think that you can now fly direct there from UK, but the only way there in 2001 was with KLM who had a refuelling stop at Aruba on their flight from Amsterdam to Lima, Peru. We went on a Jumbo 747 and a total of 8 people got off at Aruba!
R.
Avoid the high rise hotels toward the northwest of the island: full of USA chain hotels and peeps from USA, very busy and noisy. Go to the low rise area in the middle west of the island which is the European area and much quieter. We stayed at the Bucuti Beach Resort which was fab. Lots of Dutch as you'd expect.
Worth hiring a car for a few days but make sure it's OK to use off road if you plan to go to the see the mid north east of the island which is very wild and rugged.
Madame Janette's was a fab restaurant when we were there. It's still there but don't know what it's like now, of course.
I think that you can now fly direct there from UK, but the only way there in 2001 was with KLM who had a refuelling stop at Aruba on their flight from Amsterdam to Lima, Peru. We went on a Jumbo 747 and a total of 8 people got off at Aruba!
R.
Very friendly locals!
Seriously Aruba is a lovely place. We stayed at Rui Antilles in April 2016. Decent hotel but ‘tis a fairly typical all inclusive kinda place.
Beach’s are great but very windy - take pegs for your towels or take lots of towels.
Only place I’ve been on hols that the bus drivers actually wave you across a road when waiting and a local directed us to the bus we needed back to the hotels
Snorkelling is pretty good where we were & lots of fish to see. WW2 shipwreck just up the coast was a highlight.
Long flight there - we went direct with First Choice - but I would go back if there weren’t lots of other Caribbean islands to see.
We’re off to Aruba in late January ‘23, unfortunately with a lot of Americans, thinking of going over a few days early and staying somewhere else on the island before meeting up with everyone. Looking on Airbnb prices are very reasonable, any recommendations for any particular area/resort?
Also where else in the Caribbean would anyone recommend for an extra few days on the way home? We’ve been to St Lucia and Jamaica, though I would like to go back to Jamaica again. Any must sees?
Also where else in the Caribbean would anyone recommend for an extra few days on the way home? We’ve been to St Lucia and Jamaica, though I would like to go back to Jamaica again. Any must sees?
Stayed at the Hilton Resort and Casino for a week and really enjoyed it. The beach is nice but there's often a horrible blustery wind blowing offshore as you're on the downwind side of the island. I was there to kiteboard at the north end of the beach but it was the worst conditions I've ever seen anywhere. Not a problem if you're not doing anything like that.
Definitely hire a car and go and visit the small beaches at the South East end, Baby beach, etc. You can drive up the East coast but the big tourist attraction, the rock bridge, collapsed I believe.
We went to a chef's table type restaurant which was amazing, close to the Blue Residences if I remember correctly.
I don't remember Aruba being boisterous at all but we all have different tastes. The reason we went was because somebody at work described it as being like Vegas in the Caribbean, which attracted us. Wasn't like that in the slightest but it was very nice. No interest in gambling so didn't try the casinos.
Definitely hire a car and go and visit the small beaches at the South East end, Baby beach, etc. You can drive up the East coast but the big tourist attraction, the rock bridge, collapsed I believe.
We went to a chef's table type restaurant which was amazing, close to the Blue Residences if I remember correctly.
I don't remember Aruba being boisterous at all but we all have different tastes. The reason we went was because somebody at work described it as being like Vegas in the Caribbean, which attracted us. Wasn't like that in the slightest but it was very nice. No interest in gambling so didn't try the casinos.
Doggleg said:
The reason we went was because somebody at work described it as being like Vegas in the Caribbean, which attracted us. Wasn't like that in the slightest but it was very nice. No interest in gambling so didn't try the casinos.
I'm glad your friend was wrong, since I'm off there later in the year, and I can't imagine anything worse than "Vegas in the Caribbean"! Been here for a couple of days. Very friendly locals as above, they seem to hang out by the pool.
Haven’t really left the resort yet but saw the most beautiful sunset this evening, never saw the sun set so quickly but it really was amazing. Camera phone doesn’t do it justice so I won’t even try.
Haven’t really left the resort yet but saw the most beautiful sunset this evening, never saw the sun set so quickly but it really was amazing. Camera phone doesn’t do it justice so I won’t even try.
My overall verdict was that it was pleasant enough, but I'd be in no rush to return.
Partly down to all the restaurants being so expensive, but also it wasn't at all the lush green jungle interior I was expecting of a Caribbean island. Yes, the beaches were lovely white sand that didn't burn your feet, but it felt more like a Greek island with a much longer flight in the interior.
Partly down to all the restaurants being so expensive, but also it wasn't at all the lush green jungle interior I was expecting of a Caribbean island. Yes, the beaches were lovely white sand that didn't burn your feet, but it felt more like a Greek island with a much longer flight in the interior.
We are used to Dublin prices which are expensive, this is a whole new level of expensive. Got here on Tuesday evening after quite a long flight so we were pretty tired. Ordered two drinks to take up to the room. $63 
OK we’re staying at the Ritz Carlton but by any standards that’s expensive.
Luckily the wife’s company are paying for most things and they definitely aren’t shy when it comes to that side of things.
I’d only ever heard of Aruba in a beach boys song before this trip was announced, I don’t think I was missing anything. Typical resort that caters for wealthy Americans. It’s five star but classless.
OK we’re staying at the Ritz Carlton but by any standards that’s expensive.Luckily the wife’s company are paying for most things and they definitely aren’t shy when it comes to that side of things.
I’d only ever heard of Aruba in a beach boys song before this trip was announced, I don’t think I was missing anything. Typical resort that caters for wealthy Americans. It’s five star but classless.
Edited by P. ONeill on Thursday 26th January 11:18
I was there in late October early November, you soon worked out the bars and the happy hour times. Instead of 14$ for a cocktail it was 2 for 1.
Played golf at Divi and a pint of larger in the bar was I think about £13.
The bars in St Nicolas were cheaper and more locals had a couple of nights out down there.
Drinking and eating was expensive but it's been a few years since I was anywhere else in the Caribbean and then was AI.
Played golf at Divi and a pint of larger in the bar was I think about £13.
The bars in St Nicolas were cheaper and more locals had a couple of nights out down there.
Drinking and eating was expensive but it's been a few years since I was anywhere else in the Caribbean and then was AI.
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