nanajan

We are just making plans for a May, 2005, trip to Aruba. We will be staying at the Marriott because of a free hotel certificate. My question is for those who may have stayed there recently and can help us with a room choice. We can use upgrade certificates for an "ocean/Island view" room or a "deluxe ocean view" room. I have learned from the Marriott reps that the first description is for exterior rooms and the second is for the interior (overlooking the pool) rooms. Is it worth another certificate per night to stay in the deluxe ocean view??? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

wetravel2

We stayed there last year over New Year's for a week. We also used a reward certificate to stay for free. Our room overlooked the pool and part of the ocean. We were there with our kids, so we really didn't care about the view that much. Personally, I don't think any of the rooms have a "bad" view. I am not sure how many points it is to upgrade the room either. What is your marriott Elite status? I think they will upgrade your room if you are gold or platinum. My husband is gold, and although we didn't have a complete ocean view room, we did have a partial view. I wouldn't upgrade, but I guess it is a personal choice.

nanajan

Thanks for your response. We are only Silver Elite, but have been very lucky getting upgraded in most Marriotts. It takes 2 certificates for the ocean/island view and 3 for the deluxe ocean view. I think we'll just stick with what we have and hope for the best!

girlonthego

Hi We stayed last spring break at the Marriott on Points. It was high season and we are silver status. Our friends were also staying on pts with her husband being platinum. We checked in on a wed. and them on a thurs.We received a better room location. I guess wednesday's check in had more availability. We did not pay for an upgrade and were not dissappointed in our room. We faced the ocean club side. We looked out at the other building, but when we sat on the bed, we could see the ocean. When we sat on our balcony, we looked at the ocean. The building is shaped like a horseshoe and fans out at the ends. Every room pretty much has a decent ocean view. We were there with our kids, but we never wound up sitting on the balcony. We spent the whole day on the go and at 11pm we were all going to bed. I say save your pts and go back again. We loved the Marriott and Aruba. If you want more info on restaurants, activities, go to aruba-bb.com It is a bulletin board with posters who love and travel to Aruba all the time. Their info helped with everything from restaurants to where to rent a cell phone, etc... Have a great trip.

jlillberto

Hi,

I was there last month. My friend had a room that faced the pool but could still see the ocean. I was in the other wing facing the Ocean Club and sea. Rooms were identical and I like both locations. I don't think there's a bad room there. It was great!

Filter14

I'll share that there ARE bad rooms here at the Marriott. I type this from room 568 and also have 566 and 570 for my kids. 568 is the executive king that overlooks the ocean in the front and the...dumpsters on the other. Horrific odor is located outside all these rooms. Also the staircase leading up to them has it---might be mildew set in. It's in the north wing. 570 isn't a bad room for view but has a few problems. 566 is a joke if they think when I check out I'm paying for a dlx oceanview just like I am for 570. All it overlooks is the dumpsters/trash, beat up vehicles(this is not the side next to OC). I no longer have the time to write them lists(2x) or wait in the room(too many to count) to fix all these problems(like the toilet that still leaks in my room after 2 attempts at fixing it). Safe to say I'm not endorcing the Marriott in any shape or form since they are not responding to us. Forget trying to get anyone to answer the phone downstairs after 8pm and expect a wake up call when you didn't request one. Or how about the concierge not making the dinner reso's that were given 2 weeks in advance, then apologizing(to her credit) then only to say she'd take care of it and find out the times requested weren't the ones we got! Wouldn't be earth shattering had anyone told us prior to heading out for dinner! I told her that if there were any problems let me know. I found out the day afterwards when I found a note stuck in my door. Anyway, I could go on but I'm supposed to be on vacation I'm sure there are more happy guests than disgruntled but just be forwarned that there is a lost section in this hotel. And bring air fresheners and Febreeze like I've had to invest in.