Romantic Aruba Vacation

Baby Beach is located on the south eastern tip of Aruba by Seroe Colorado, and for good reason it is one of the local favorites. The beach has a breakwater surrounding the southern and eastern sides to break up the surf and as a result, this beach is calm and maybe up to six feet deep in the deepest spots. It looks like a HUGE beach pool and you can walk hundreds of yards into it without getting over your head. It is fantastic! The beach sand is powder white and the water is aqua blue. Gorgeous!

We make the road trip to Baby Beach from the western resort area a couple of days each time we visit because this beach is so inviting and relaxing. There are palapas along the beach that you can use, two snack bar / grills (including a new one called Big Mama's), and rental loungers are available as well. We recommend renting the loungers and sitting them in or near the water while you relax away your tensions.

We also really enjoy people watching on this beach because of the rich diversity of the people, extended Dutch / Aruban families, tourists from all over the world, even dogs. On one of the days we went to Baby Beach there was a school retreat at the beach with all the local children dressed in their uniforms playing on the beach and having a ball. It was quite a sight! We even met a young Dutch couple on their Honeymoon and enjoyed a nice conversation about home in Amsterdam, their future plans, and their desire to see California. We exchanged e-mail addresses, and who knows? Maybe we'll see them again in the near future if they come to California or we go to Amsterdam!

Snorkeling is one of the big draws at Baby Beach, but for my time money it is just floating around in the water being caressed and slowly swayed around by the light current. The days are warm, the beach sand in white powder, the water is aqua blue and cool, and the the place is big enough that you can wade out and be by yourself. What can be better than that?

To get there from the resort area we recommend renting a car and taking Highway 4, passing through Paradera. When you reach Highway 1, turn left and pass through Savaneta and St. Nicolas, past the Valero Refinery until you reach Seroe Colorado (signage is limited, but if you follow the your nose you'll find it). Follow the road through the little town and turn left past Roger's Beach until you reach the parking area. There is now a Baby Beach sign at the beach - so you'll know when you get there!

We stopped into the Rumba for a drink after a hot day shopping in Oranjestad. We were pleasantly surprised by the eclectic decor and the service! We ordered a Balashi for me, and my Wife ordered a Sangria. Both delicious on a hot day, but also a delight because Jonike (sp) our bar tenderess was very friendly, full of positive vibe, and just made us feel special. She also was a wealth of knowledge on which local shops provided the best variety and the best prices! After sipping our drinks awhile we decided to move on to see some of the nearby architecture, but within the hour we were back at the Rumba for lunch and more fun time spent with Jonike!

Lunch was really good (especially with another Balashi and another Sangria)! The sandwiches here are really fresh, tasty, and large. My wife had the Curried Chicken Salad Sandwich and I had the Ranch Sandwich, which Jonike recommended as one of their best sandwiches. She was right! The Ranch is made with chunks of beef tenderloin, onions, mushrooms, and bacon. Read the Ranch Sandwich as totally yummy!

The Rumba really impressed us and we would recommend it to anyone that wants a relaxing drink, and a good meal with friendly service. Don't forget the Sangria! The Rumba Bar and Grill is located across the street behind the Renaissance Hotel, near the plaza. A great place with great people!

Having stayed at a Palm Beach resort in the past, we opted for a less crowded, adult oriented, and romantic experience this time. We selected the Bucuti Beach Resort after a significant amount of research. This resort is heralded in numerous travel magazines as one of the most romantic resorts in the world, and the Bucuti will definitely stand out as one of the most romantic and relaxing resorts we have ever stayed at.

We stayed in a Tara Beach Suite on the bottom floor (Room 303). Our patio looked out over the beach, and from the patio we could stroll out to the Pirates Nest Restaurant, the Sand Bar, and the beach. The suites are well appointed and comfortable. There's a sitting area with a refrigerator and wet bar, and a sleeping area with pillow top king size bed that can be closed off from the seating area with sliding doors. The sleeping area looks out over the beach. There are also TVs in each of the areas - not that you'll use them much.

The beach is powder white and spotlessly clean. The resort has plenty of palapas that are spread out. You don't have to worry about not getting one or being on top of other guests like you do at the Palm Beach resorts. The Sand Bar services the beach by use of a red flag that they provide you. Guests just have to stick the flag in the sand by their palapa / lounger to get service - and the service is excellent!

The room rate includes a full breakfast at the Pirate's Nest each morning. You get quite a selection, from cooked to order eggs, omletes, french toast, etc., as well as fresh breads, cheeses, fruits, and a variety of coffees and juices. The best part is you eat breakfast overlooking the beach from the deck of the restaurant.

The resort is focused on adult clients. Only a limited number of children are allowed to stay in the resort (we never saw any children). I don't know what the ratio of employees to guests is, but we never wanted for anything and they went out of their way to cater to us. I don't think we ever had to wait for anything, the bar and beach service was excellent and fast, the room services were the same, the concierge was well staffed as well. These people know how to pamper their customers! I can't count how many times I was asked by the resort management staff how my stay was going and if I needed anything.

The resort itself was maintained to very high standards. The landscaping is well designed and flawlessly maintained, as are the buildings and rooms. Everything was conveniently located throughout the resort, including an full service Spa. There are a number of restaurants within walking distance of the resort, including the Pirate's Nest which is located in the resort. Right outside the resort there is; Pizza Bob's for pizza and beer on an outside patio, Ellioto's Italian Restaurant, the French Steak House at the Manchebo Resort, and a Subway and Dunkin Donuts by the Alhambra Casino (also in walking distance). There were also numerous restaurants within a 5 minutes of the resort by taxi. Oranjestad is also a quick taxi or bus ride away.

We completely enjoyed our stay at the Bucuti Beach Resort and would highly recommend it to anyone that wants to getaway for a romantic vacation and to be totally pampered. We will be back!

The Screaming Eagle Restaurant is located in Eagle Beach and came to our attention because it was established by the same people that own the Flying Fishbone Restaurant in Savaneta. This place is very stylish. The decor is upscale and modern flashy. You can have dinner in bed on all white sheets with white gauze curtains separating them, or standard tables located both inside the restaurant or on the patio. The bar is well stocked and decorated with a modern flare with intense red lighting. You feel a vibe when you walk into the place.

The menu is fairly diverse, including steaks, lamb, chiken, fish, lobster, and even vegetarian fair. They have something to offer everyone. The pricing for entrees range from $19 for Seafood Pasta to $48 for a Bone-in Ribeye. They have a good selection of appetizers and desserts as well. We had the Chef's Signature selections off the menu. My Wife ordered the Surf and Turf which was a service of beef tenderloin, rock lobster, and tiger shrimp with a bearnaise sauce.

I ordered the Carte Blanche which is the Chef's choice to serve as a 3 course surprise menu. On the day we went, the Carte Blanche was a appetizer of ahi tuna tartare and an alaskan snow crab meat claw. The entree was a perfectly grilled beef tenderloin placed atop mashed potatoes, then topped with a delicious veal sweetbreads. For dessert the chef served trilogy of chocolate mousse which is layers of dark, white and milk chocolate mousse with summer berries ice cream.

The food was excellent, expertly prepared, and served. We had their red wine Sangria which was light and refreshing. A wonderful evening with great food, great service, and great atmosphere. We recommend this this restaurant for a eveing of romance and great service/

We were looking for a new restaurant experience that the Locals frequented, and that served local fresh fish.When we asked the staff at the Bucuti Beach Resort Intermezzo Spa, they all said that the Old Fisherman was the place to go and that we would really enjoy it. The Old Fisherman is located across from the central bus station in Oranjestad, behind Iguana Joe's. It is a small restaurant with maybe 10 tables and bar. It was very clean, decorated in fishing themes (pictures, and fishing boat models), and the service was really friendly and prompt.

My Wife ordered a Grilled Red Snapper fillet and I ordered the Butter and Garlic Grouper. Both dishes were served with Coconut infused White Rice, a fried Plantain, and Potatoes. The fish was excellent, cooked to perfection, flaked apart with your fork, and was delicious. The Coconut infused Rice was a real surprise and I really enjoyed the favor and sweetness of the rice in combination with my Grouper. Of course, I also had to have a Balashi to sip as we ate.

As I said, the food and service were excellent, the staff was very friendly and helpful, and we will definitely eat here again.