The Aruba Beach Club's looks are deceiving from the Internet site. We had received the timeshare as a wedding gift and were pleasantly surprised when we arrived. Our suite was on the second floor overlooking the two pools, with beautifully manicured gardens and a hotel swim-up bar just below. Daily towel service was available, but there's never a cool towel in Aruba. Daily activities were available, even though we chose not to participate. The only activity we did splurge on was a couple's massage, for an extra but affordable fee at our resort's spa.

Taxi service is readily available at all times through the concierge. We chose not to rent a car/jeep because we felt it was not necessary.

We were able to buy groceries for breakfast and lunch and cook small meals in our full kitchen. Since everything is imported, the market near our resort was rather expensive ($5 for a half-gallon of milk-- but be sure to get the pasteurized American kind or you'll taste some strange milk with your cereal). We enjoyed drinks on our private patio. At lunchtime we came in from the beach to cool off in our fully A/C suite. For dinner we splurged and ate out at superb restaurants throughout the island. The resort's restaurant was not that great, surprisingly, but there are plenty of others within walking distance. You'll always find seafood on the menus and some exotic, spicy dishes!

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Good
• Amenities: Very Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Very Good
• Service: Very Good

The one bedroom was on the penthouse level but only four stories high so it was convenient to get from our unit to anyplace on the property! From our unit we were able to eat on the balcony which overlooked the pool area and the ocean. And of course we had several evenings of watching the sunset right from our room. The studio unit was of course smaller but the location of the unit (walk out of patio to pool) was fantastic.

One reason I love Aruba Beach club is because the location is excellent. The resort is right on the ocean so you don’t have to cross the street to get to the beach! In addition there is a moderate number of rooms so it is a quick walk to the beach from wherever your room is located. I personally like the location in the area known as the low-rise hotels since I find the beach area to be less crowded than the high-rise area. In addition, you actually could get along without a car if you wanted to. Within walking distance are at least ten great restaurants, one casino, tennis courts, pool, exercise room, spa, and of course the beach!

I also love the Aruba Beach Club since the rooms are so clean. Maid service is provided daily so it is like staying at a hotel. In addition the resort does frequent upgrading of facilities so the environment is always fresh and up to date!

The layout of the units are excellent – maximizes the square footage to the max. The one bedroom unit is a long rectangle broken up into the sections: the first section is the large bedroom where two of the walls are outer walls which ensures a lot of privacy. There is plenty of closet space and chest of drawers for your clothing. I also liked the fact that a light switch on the wall controlled a lamp so it was easy to turn off the lights. From the bedroom you walk down the hallway which has the main door on one side and the bathroom on the other side. The hallway then leads to the full kitchen, dining area, and living room. The living room is also spacious with a couch, chairs, TV, lamps, end tables, etc. And of course, off the living room was the balcony where we ate a lot of the meals on the table as we watched the sunsets.

Click here for Aruba Beach Club's official web site.
Click here for another site with information about Aruba.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Good
• Amenities: Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent

The staff was always friendly and very helpful.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Very Good
• Amenities: Very Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Very Good
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent

The resort is only two stories high, and each has a view of the pool or the ocean. If you are on the second floor, you'll have a balcony; if you are on the first floor, you'll have a little patio area with table and chairs.

The ABC pool is great--very large--and there is a kiddie pool. There is also a poolside bar and barbecue that serves lunch. They are talking about bringing back a full-service restaurant to the resort. There is one (The Seagull) at sister resort CDM.

There is a minimarket, and the fitness facility is shared with CDM. There are also a hair salon, beach store, and members' lounge.

The rooms are nicely furnished, and the resort is in the process of re-doing the decor. It's not as luxurious as the CDM, but it is a perfectly comfortable and acceptable timeshare accomodation.

The beach area in front of ABC is wider than at CDM, and there are plenty of huts on the beach with lounge chairs. The beach is absolutely gorgeous, and just walking it from end to end is a joy.

There are not water sports available right at the resort, but arrangements can be made at the desk. There is also a car-rental agency in the lobby.

• Unit Type: Studio
• Activities: Excellent
• Amenities: Very Good
• Unit Satisfaction: Very Good
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent