Aruba Marriott Ocean Club Trip Report

Old Jul 10th, 2003, 04:43 PM
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Aruba Marriott Ocean Club Trip Report

Hello everyone! My husband and I just returned from our first trip to Aruba. We are in our late twenties (I think it helps to know ages so that you can better understand one's perspective). We stayed at the Marriott Ocean Club on a pretty good deal - 7 nights for $900 plus $50 in gift certificates for various restaurants and attractions in Aruba. Of course, the catch was that we had to listen to a sales pitch for their new timeshare, the Surf Club, but I will get to that later.
On Tuesday, July 1st, we took a Delta Airlines 7:30 a.m. flight from Knoxville, TN to Atlanta and then on to Aruba. We arrived in Aruba at 2:00 p.m. Once we arrived, cleared customs, and collected our luggage, we headed over to Economy Car Rental to pick up our Suzuki Vitara automatic with no air. (We actually rented the car from 2 Plus Rent-A-Car, but they told us to pick up the car at Economy). We rented the Suzuki for the week just so we wouldn't have to deal with the hassles of buses and taxis. With the deal we got - $289 total for the week which included insurance - I figured we would break even anyway.
The guy at the car rental shop gave us directions to the Marriott and a map, so we were on our way! We weren't prepared for all the traffic in Oranjestad and we took a wrong turn somewhere, but eventually we found our way to the Marriott. We were placed on the fifth floor at the Marriott Ocean Club, and we directly overlooked the construction at the Surf Club. I thought about trying to change rooms, but we were so worn out, that I just let it go. I had read people's comments on various message boards that you can't hear the construction, so I figured it wouldn't be so bad.
I quickly unpacked and then we were off to find groceries since we had a condominium with a full kitchen and planned to eat breakfast and lunch in the room to save money. We headed to the new Ling and Sons grocery store. I wasn't prepared for how nice it would be. They have every brand of food that we use in the States - Kraft cheese, Oscar Mayer bacon, Lays chips, etc., etc. The only major difference in food was that the milk, while cow's milk, doesn't taste the same. The prices were comparable to what we pay at home, but everything was priced in florins, which threw us for a loop. A lady at the store gave us a conversion chart so we could figure out the prices in dollars. We spent $85 in groceries ($15 of it was beer), and the food lasted us for the entire week with a lot leftover. Ling and Sons takes credit cards, and the price charged came out in dollars rather than florins.
We headed back to the Marriott and walked on the beach and around the grounds for awhile. The Ocean Club has a little store that has various grocery items like milk, yogurt, eggs, etc., but the prices weren't as good as Ling and Sons, and it didn't have everything we would need for breakfast and lunch. There are various gift shops in both the Ocean Club and the Marriott hotel right next door. We were beat from our trip, so we just ate room service - a pizza for $20 total with tip.
Wednesday: I headed down to the towel hut around 10:00 a.m. to pick up our towels and get our palapa for the day. The palapa system was much easier than I expected. We were assigned a second row palapa. A man brought over two chairs to our palapa and arranged our towels on the chairs so that they wouldn't blow away. I tipped him $2. My husband and I hung out on the beach all day. I loved the palapa. I have very fair skin, and while I wore SPF 45, I was still concerned with getting burned. Between the sunscreen and the shade of the palapa, I didn't burn the entire week. Dinner that night was at Madame Jannette's. We had a 7:00 p.m. reservation, and I requested a table outside that was not under cover. The ambience, service, and food were all great. My husband and I both got the surf and turf (lobster tail, filet mignon, and shrimp). With the two entrees, one dessert, iced tea for him, water for me, and tip, the bill came to $71.
Thursday: My husband and I woke up to the LOUD sounds of construction about 8:00 a.m. My husband went in the kitchen, turned on the fan over the stove on low, and this managed to drown out the noise. We turned on the fan every night before we went to bed for the rest of the week, and it worked quite well. I headed down to the towel hut at 9:30 a.m. and ended up with a third row palapa. Again, we hung around on the beach and by the pool all day. There was much more wind than on the previous two days. It was so windy at times that the sand would sting my legs, and I had to close my eyes so that sand wouldn't get in my contacts. Dinner that night was snacks in the room followed by drinks and bar food at Moomba Bar in between the Marriott and the Holiday Inn. I liked the casual, relaxed atmosphere of Moomba, and it was reasonably priced. At 9:00 p.m., the Marriott had fireworks, and we had the perfect view from Moomba. We did a little gambling at the Marriott casino that night, and my husband won some money playing blackjack.
Friday: Same as Thursday - ended up with a third row palapa and lounged on the beach and by the pool. That afternoon, we drove up to the California Lighthouse and some of the beaches up near it. We decided it was time to check in with our families at home, so we drove to the Connexxions store behind the Certified Mall near the new Ling and Sons. We bought a $10 phone card which gave us 100 minutes. It had a local phone number to dial, so that we were only charged a $1 local call from the Marriott each time we used it. Connexxions also has a phone right outside their store where you can make as many calls as you want with no connection fee to use the card. That night, being the 4th of July, we decided to go out downtown. We ate in the room and then drove to Oranjestad around 9:00 p.m. We had no trouble finding parking and headed to Carlos and Charlies. It was a lot of fun, but extremely crowded - Carnival had a ship in port that night. There was a $5 cover charge per person to get in. After a couple of hours of dancing, we walked around downtown and then went back to the Marriott.
Saturday: Today we skipped the beach and went on our own tour of the island. We used a map that the car rental gave us and headed towards the Natural Bridge (we knew we would never make it to the Natural Pool). On the way, we came across the Casibari Rock Formation. We climbed to the top, which was a bit scary with all the wind, but it was a nice view. Then we went to the little store that was nearby and asked directions to the Natural Bridge. Good thing we did, because we would never have found it otherwise. As we drove to the Natural Bridge, I was amazed at how rough the water was along the coast as compared to the calm waters of Palm Beach. The Natural Bridge was really cool to see and we got some great pictures. We then headed back to the Marriott and lounged by the pool for the rest of the day. That night, my husband and I went to the Hyatt's Pampered in Paradise private dinner on the beach at 8:30 p.m. The concierge at the Marriott set this up for me as a surprise for my husband. It was pricey ($265 for dinner for two, set up charge, and tip), but well worth it.
Sunday: My husband and I drove to the Renaissance Hotel around noon. The concierge at the Marriott had booked us a couples massage at the Okeanos Spa on the Renaissance's private island for 2:00 p.m. We checked in with the Okeanos Spa at the Renaissance Hotel and paid for our couples massage - $250 for the couples massage, transfer to and use of the private island, and a drink, towel, and float per person (we used our $50 gift certificates from the Marriott towards the price, so we paid $200). We then took a ten-fifteen minute boat ride to the island. The boat was extremely smooth and enjoyable (I get seasick, so I was worried). We ate a quick lunch at their beach bar and then headed to the private cove on the island for our massages. The massages were so relaxing - it was great to hear the water so near us while we were getting our massages, and the breeze and covering we were under kept it from getting too hot. Following the massages, we got our floats and towels and headed to the adult beach. There were a handful of children on the adult beach, but they were very well behaved. A waiter came by and took our drink orders for our free drinks, and we were served very quickly. We stayed on the private island another two hours or so and then took the boat back to the Renaissance. We ate dinner in our condo and then headed out to the casinos at the Hyatt, LaCabana, and the Radisson.
Monday: Being our last full day, our timeshare presentation had been scheduled for 9:00 a.m. and was supposed to last 90 minutes. We knew going into it that we didn't want to buy a timeshare, though I must say the presentation was pretty persuasive. If my husband hadn't been there, I might have bought one. For a two bedroom, two bath condo at the new Marriott Surf Club, gardenview, low season week, the price was $16,000. Since we were firm with the sales agent that we didn't want to buy, our presentation lasted only an hour. It was not very high pressure, so for the great deal we got on our condo, I would say it was worth it to attend the presentation. Following the presentation, we headed to the beach for the day. This was the only day that it rained off and on most of the day. Between the rain and the wind, it got a bit chilly on the beach! We had dinner reservations that night for Flying Fishbone at 6:30 p.m. to catch the sunset, so we left the Marriott around 5:30 p.m., because I had heard how long it takes to get there. We were there by 6:00 p.m., and they seated us immediately. We had a table right on the water so that we could put our feet in. It was wonderful. As the sun went down, the waiters/waitresses were very nice about taking pictures of couples. With two appetizers, sharing one entree, dessert, coffee, tea, and tip, the bill came to $70.
Tuesday: This was our final day. The Marriott was nice enough to extend our checkout until 11:00 a.m. They will also hold your luggage in a room until you are ready to leave in case you want to spend some more time on the beach. You can take a shower in their health club. We decided to skip the beach, and we went on a short sightseeing trip to the Santa Anna Church. I was disappointed that the church wasn't open to see the wood-carved altar. The outside was nice, though, and the cemetery nearby was very interesting - it reminded me of the cemeteries in New Orleans. We then drove to Oranjestad where my husband dropped me off to do a little shopping and he went to fill the car up with gas (only $15 for the whole week). We got to the airport about 12:30 p.m., returned the car, went through customs, and left around 3:00 p.m.
Final impressions on the Marriott: We liked having the condo at the Ocean Club so that we could have a kitchen. The Marriott was very nice and suited our needs just fine; however, we were disappointed in its grounds. The Marriott can't begin to compare with the beautiful grounds of the Hyatt and the Radisson. We never spent time during the day on the Hyatt or the Radisson's beach, though. From what I understand, the Marriott is supposed to have a less populated beach because it is at the end of the strip of hotels.
Final impressions on Aruba: We felt very safe the entire time we were in Aruba. The people were so helpful and friendly. Parts of the island were beautiful like the natural bridge and the nearby coast with the water crashing on the rocks. There is something for everyone in Aruba - whether you like to parasail, dive, shop, or just lounge on the beach. The restaurants are phenomenal. I've never been anywhere that can accommodate requests like private dining on the beach or sitting at a table directly on the water. The wind (most of the time) was great, and it kept us from feeling unbearably hot. That being said, while we liked Aruba, we did not love it. The water is not anywhere near as clear as the water in St. John, USVI or Grand Cayman. There is too much seaweed, and once thigh deep, you can't see your feet. The water was also much colder than even the water in South Carolina. I'd never been to an arid island before, and I can now say that I prefer the beauty of a more lush island like St. John. Finally, it was a bit too commercialized for my tastes. (Before anyone says I should have done my research, I knew going into it that Aruba was commercialized, and after a quiet vacation last year in St. John, we wanted a change of pace). Regardless, it was a great vacation, and I'm glad we had the experience.
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Old Jul 11th, 2003, 11:11 AM
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Glad you enjoyed your trip to Aruba. Great details in your report--I especially appreciate your financial detail disclosures.
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Old Aug 23rd, 2003, 09:06 AM
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Hi Becca, I agree w/ your comparison of the two islands. We've been to both and St. Johns is much more beautiful. We are timeshare owners w/ Marriott and were thinking about trading on of units for the Aruba unit but I'm concerned about the "construction" next door. Isn't that also a Marriott timeshare resort (The Surf Club) and what's going on with it, if you know? Next time try Hawaii, if you like lush - it's like St. Johns multiplied by 10!
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Old Aug 23rd, 2003, 10:15 AM
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The Surf Club resort is a Marriott property. The timeshare presentation at the Marriott is to buy at the Surf Club. I can't remember when construction will be completely finished, but it will be several years. The construction noise wouldn't have been near as bad if we had been staying on the non-construction side of the property. While on the beach or at the pool, I could hear the construction, but I eventually tuned it out to where I didn't even notice it. My husband has been to Hawaii twice, but he prefers St. John. That suits me fine, because I don't want to make the plane ride from TN to Hawaii. Maybe one day I'll get there, but for now I have too many places to explore in the Caribbean.
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Old Aug 23rd, 2003, 11:50 AM
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That was an outstanding report, Becca. Thanks for posting it.
I agree with virtually every one of your impressions about Aruba.
It's safe, it's clean, it's easy.
But it's also commercial, not pretty (except the coast and dunes), and lacks personality.
Timeshares are such a poor investment.
If you ever get really tempted to buy one, please ask someone who knows the business to explain the facts to you as they pertain to value and investment return. There is a group of people who are perfect for timeshare ownership. People on a tight budget who don't mind the inconveniences of using timeshares instead of a la carte vacationing, and who don't need luxury options. I won't drone on except to say that timeshares are huge moneymakers for the development corporation and salespeople. And they don't provide good value for the majority of vacationers.
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Old Aug 23rd, 2003, 11:51 AM
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Becca:
Next spring we have booked a room at the Marriott in Aruba (the hotel part). We are using Marriott miles. Is the construction near the hotel? What were your impressions of the hotel? You mentioned the grounds not being as nice as the Hyatt and Radisson. We are locked in to the Marriott. We are traveling with another family.(both of us using miles). Thanks for your response. (I have never been to Aruba and I am the one who has chosen this destination for all of us.) Also, it sounds as if you recommended renting a car. Did you feel this was worth the expense? Also, would you recommend the day trip from the rennassaince for families? Thanks.
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Old Aug 23rd, 2003, 12:53 PM
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The Marriott hotel is further from the construction than the Marriott Ocean Club, so I don't think you will have any problem whatsoever with construction noise. If you are facing the Marriott complex from the beach, the hotel is on the left, the Ocean Club is in the middle, and the Surf Club construction is on the right. We walked through the Marriott hotel several times and spent some time in its casino. I thought the hotel lobby was very nice - nicer than the Ocean Club's lobby. As far as the grounds, they are fine. If I'd never seen the Hyatt's and Radisson's, I would have no reason for complaint. I was blown away by the Hyatt's and Radisson's grounds. You definitely should go down there just to look around. Regardless of the grounds, I preferred being up at the Marriott because it was at the end of Palm Beach and not as crowded. Concerning the car rental, my husband and I were very glad that we had the car for the week. To be honest, this is due, in part, to my problem with getting motion sickness - riding around in the backseat of a cab is not my idea of a good time. Other than that, though, we liked being able to just hop in the car and explore on our own. We felt like the money from renting the car for the week came out the same in the end as if we had taken cabs. The Renaissance private island was made up of both couples and families, so I think you would have a good time there. Once you get to Aruba, check on the price for an entire family to go over to the island - it could get pretty pricey. You might prefer just exploring different beaches on Aruba without paying money to go to the Renaissance's. Be sure to check out www.aruba-bb.com and www.visitaruba.com - both of these websites gave me some great information in planning our trip. Have a wonderful time!
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Old Aug 23rd, 2003, 02:36 PM
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Thanks Becca for the reassurance! Your trip report was very informative and I can not wait to go! We planned this one so far in advance, I wish I was going tommorow!
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