One great week in Aruba

Horseback riding to the Natural Pool was definitely a blast! We swam in this amazingly calm and clear pool, while the sea crashed all around with incredible force. The Natural Bridge was also a beautiful site.

Quick Tips:

We were very disappointed with the drive to Baby Beach. The oil refineries take any beauty from the area.

Best Way To Get Around:

Rent a car - driving in Aruba is very similar to the US. But make sure you read a travel book before to understand what the signs mean.

Best Things Nearby:
The casino was the only place open when we arrived on Saturday evening at 11 pm. It was nice to relax in the air conditioning. The casino also had 3 card poker, which was enjoyable. The Alahambra shopping center was small and mostly closed, but had some good souvenirs.

Best Things About the Resort:
The resort was quiet and clean. The lizards and birds were intriguing - my friend's husband bonded with one of them by feeding it peanuts and it visited every day we were there.

Resort Experience:
We had a two bedroom suite with a balcony. Tne view was our timeshare was of a beautiful turquoise sea seen through the green and lush garden area.

There wasn't much for nightlife, but we were there during low season (between the US and Venezuelan high times). We spent every night, after dinner, enjoying the deck and the fresh air.

The beach was beautiful and in my opinion, the best on the island. The surf is strong and the water is murky, but certainly not the resort's fault. We didn't spend much time at the pool, which was nice, too, but were too busy with the beach.

The staff person that checked us in was new. She took 30 minutes to get us a room key and then forgot our pool cards. Checking out was almost as slow. The attitude of the whole staff was lackadaisical and uninterested. On the beach, the service was almost non-existent. Luckily, a restaurant/bar was located next door on the beach.

Of course, we were on vacation and were expecting a different pace from the US, so overall we were very pleased with our choice.

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
• Activities: Fair
• Amenities: Very Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Fair

Behind the Aruba Pheonix resort. We generally made reservations each night, even though it was the 'slow' season. This restuarant was so neat, because it was out on the water and had a another beautiful sunset. The prawns we had were the biggest shrimp I have ever seen. It was like eating a small lobster. They were grilled completely whole, with a house pesto (I think that's what it was) -- they were incredible!

Be careful not to drop anything, as the floor is a dock and you can see the fish swimming underneath it.

The last night of our stay, we made reservations at this restaurant based on a recommendation from a friend. The reservations were for 1/2 hour before sunset, to be seated outside. We were not disappointed! The sunset was beautiful, as was the view from this point on the island. The food and wine were excellent, definitely an Italian taste and look - everyone enjoyed the meal and experience.

If you read any of the travel books, it will tell you that all restaurants/bars add 15% gratuity to the bill automatically. Personally, I really enjoyed this, as it provided me extra comfort of not having to figure out a tip after a nice meal and a glass of wine!

Generally, the service was good - but I think all people in the service industry need to spend a week learning how to go the extra mile from the Las Vegas merchants.

Purchasing food in the grocery store was all in Aruban Florians, and in my opinion, expensive - especially meats and beverages.