Best Things Nearby:
The boardwalk along hotel and condo row. During happy hour, you can just walk along and see what each place has to offer.
Best Things About the Resort:
The resort amenities are great -- you do not have to leave the site to keep busy. The French market on site has everything you need; the wine and liquor priced lower than the other stores in town. $17.50 for a bottle of local rum, $12 for a bottle of California wine. Note: in town, the prices were up to $10 more a bottle. Try to bring duty-free with you.
The French Market has wonderful sandwiches that are freshly made for $5.95 to $8.95.
The poolside bar has great drinks and two for one happy hour. Two small pools and one Jacuzzi are on site.
The beach is great plenty of Huts and lounges, its your choice in the sun or shade the ocean is warm and clean.
A car is not needed the buss service is great, schedule is every 15 minutes at $4.00 round trip to the center of town.
Resort Experience:
We flew in from Boston with a stopover in Atlanta on Delta the connection was on time. Delta provided a nice light lunch.
When arriving in Aruba we used a local taxi for transportation from the airport it cost $23 without the tip. The return taxi was only $20; it is about a 15- to 25-minute drive from the airport to the Divi Phoenix depending on traffic.
The outdoor air quality on the island is poor; since a Texas company took over the Refinery at the end of the island they have increased production 265%. You could not get away from the sulfur smell from the emissions from the plant even on the 11th floor deck of our condo.
Upon entering the unit we were very happy with the exchange it was more than we expected. We were in a newly upgraded one-bedroom unit. The combination kitchen/dining/living room is large, all furnishing were new and tastefully selected. The living area has a large sleep sofa, coffee table end table and a large chair. A 27" flat screen TV was in an armoire along with a VCP. The kitchen area is adequate, plenty of counter space full size fridge, large convection microwave. No dishwasher.
The dining area has a large table for four. An oceanview balcony with slider access has four chairs and a table. A half bath is located off a corridor in the living area. This area has a small closet and lacks storage space for another couple.
Be prepared to bring dishwashing detergent and a sponge as none are supplied and all dishes must be cleaned and put away before you leave. Dishwashing detergent is available at the market on site for $6 a bottle; a roll of paper towels is $3. Daily maid service that includes a towel change and making the bed is included at no additional cost. Coin-operated washers and dryers and ice machine are available on the second floor. A well equipped health club is also located on the second floor.
The master bedroom has a king size bed, two end tables. The master bedroom has its own ocean view private balcony with four chairs and a table. The bathroom off the master bedroom is very small with one sink. The master bedroom has a 27" flat screen TV. A double wide closet is in the master bedroom. In order to use the master bathroom, you must go through the master bedroom. The half bath in the living room is a good feature (not all one-bedroom units have the half bath).
The manager’s cocktail party includes open bar and appetizers at the pool bar for two hours at no cost. The bar located at the pool has a two barbeque grilles and once a week the bar serves hot dogs, hamburgers, and cheeseburgers for $5, each with all the fixings, potato salad, and coleslaw. The burgers are great.
- Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
- Activities: Excellent
- Amenities: Excellent
- Unit Satisfaction: Very Good
- Family Friendliness: Very Good
- Service: Very Good