Adventure in Aruba: Part 1

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When the process of selecting a vacation destination starts, what pops into your mind first? Relaxation? Tanning? Luxury? A retreat? Or just simply, paradise?

Welcome to the all encompassing vacation island of Aruba. I remember hearing about the island in that popular Beach Boys song “Kokomo” when I was growing up but I never would have imagined getting the chance to visit the location but, as luck would have it, I did thanks to the Aruba Marriott.

The Aruba Marriott is situated on Palm Beach and is currently the largest hotel with eight floors of guest rooms totaling 388 and features an exclusive club level called “Tradewinds.”

Upon arrival the hotel’s grand lobby instantly catches your eye. A few retail shops, a lounge area, a deli, sushi bar and casino are all located on the main level adjacent to the check-in area. I checked into the hotel fairly late around 9pm local time and though there was a line the check-in process was quick, easy, and staff was incredibly friendly. I headed up to my room and was impressed with its size. Each room offers a balcony which is roughly 100 square feet and because of the shape of the hotel, almost every room has an oceanview of some sort. The bathrooms are nothing short of amazing: dual sinks, a huge vanity area, a walk in closet, and around the corner your shower. When it comes time to relax each room has a huge flat screen TV with local New York City channels along with many pay-for cable channels. Awesome.

Once I settled into my room, the first thing I did was order room service. It took me 12 hours to travel to Aruba from Los Angeles and I just wanted to lounge around, eat and get to sleep. I ordered a BBQ chicken salad and a piece of New York Cheesecake. Hey, I needed a reward for my long day of traveling, right? (As if being in Aruba wasn’t reward enough!) The food arrived quickly and was amazing, they placed fried onions on top of the salad which, in my opinion, was the perfect touch. I noticed something in their menu which particularly caught my eye: the Aruba Marriott’s room service has a 45 minute guarantee. If your order doesn’t arrive in 45 minutes, it’s free. I’ve never seen another hotel offer that.

Aside from room service, the hotel features a couple of other restaurants to please any taste. Like I mentioned above, the lobby offers a Sushi bar with a wide selection of Japanese favorites. I enjoyed a miso soup with a California and spicy tuna roll, along with an “Aruba Arriba” cocktail. Okay, maybe it was more than just one cocktail..but can you blame me? They’re amazing!

La Vista is a casual Italian restaurant which offers indoor and outdoor seating. I ate at this location after an unsuccessful attempt at paddle boarding. While dining outside with the rest of my group a couple of iguana’s decided to join us which added to the tropical feel of the Island. They were a bit relentless and every time they’d scare away would come right back to join the party. One, kept giving me the eye almost as though he wanted to sit in my lap and enjoy my turkey sandwich with me.

Courtesy Diamond PR

As for other amenities the Aruba Marriott has an in-house casino named Stellaris. The casino offers guests the standard array of games but what sets them apart, once again, is the staff. The staff in the casino we’re amazingly gracious, helpful and fun. I’ve never played blackjack before and the casino Maganer jumped right in and taught us the in’s and out’s of the game. Where else will you find that? Also, inside the lobby you’ll find a room with a few of Marriott’s partners willing to help you book and plan a few activities for your stay such as car rentals and snorkeling adventures and if paddle boarding is something you want to try (hopefully you’re better than me!) right out on Palm Beach you’ll find an area to rent a few of those. Good luck!

To aid in relaxation and help you unwind, the hotel also has an onsite Spa, Mandara Spa, offering a menu of services from facials to massages, wraps to manicures. Additionally, the hotel has a huge pool located off the lobby which is within walking distance to the ocean and Palm Beach.

Aruba and the Aruba Marriott make vacation, coupled with some fun activities all within arms reach (from your lounge chair, of course.) Stay tuned for the second part of my Adventure in Aruba when I talk about all of the activities and events I got to attend while on vacation.

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