emaziarz

Hi everyone,

My fiance has left me in charge of planning our honeymoon next August. I have read that the "ABC islands" are the safest bet for visiting the Carribean during hurricane season, and Aruba looks like a good choice. We would like to find a nice, laid back, clean, beach-front resort in Aruba without the crowds. Does anyone have good suggestions? We're interested in relaxing on the beach, eating good food, and doing some snorkeling and sightseeing.

We would like to stay away from the "high-rise" type resort hotels, but would consider them if people give good recommendations.

The Bucuti Resort looks great (pretty much what we're looking for) but I've heard that their beach is a "topless" one. Is this true? I certainly wouldn't mind, but my fiance wouldn't go for that.

Thanks in advance,
Erik

shirleyk

Have you looked the Divi Aruba Beach? Or the TAMIRIJM? (SP?) Both are "low rise" properties directly on a quiet beach. The Tam rooms are all oceanfront. Downstairs walk right out to the beach, upstairs have balconies. The Divi Aruba Beach have "casitas" which open right on to the beach.

Carola22

We have been to the Bucuti 4 times or so (at widely spread intervals), and it definitely meers all your criteria! Very laid-back, very friendly, clean and a huge beach where there is so much space that even when the hotel is completely full, you'll feel totally private on 'your' spot of beach.
I wouldn't worry about the topless thing, I've never seen anybody topless there neither on the beach nor at the pool. I certainly wouldn't let concerns about possible toplessness (and again, I;ve never seen it!) keep you from staying at what is clearly the best choice of hotel for you.

HeatherAnne

Aruba is a great place for a honeymoon! We stayed at the Marriott for our honeymoon and went back for our 2nd Anniversary. Hope to return again next summer. It is a gorgeous resort - very romantic - tons to do. We absolutely loved it! The Hyatt is also a good choice. IMHO, do not stay at the Tamarijn. Not really a "honeymoon" resort - just my opinion (sorry guys. Stick with the high rises or Bucuti. Good luck and have fun. Email if you have any questions.
HeatherAnne

capri767

As someone who finds Aruba terribly overrated, I would suggest the Hyatt or the Bucuti(make sure to try the Tara Suites). I have stayed at the Bucuti and the topless issue wasnt one..in fact I was hoping to do a little topless tanning and felt uncomfortable about it.The Bucuti is cool , the people are nice, but it is VERY quiet. I would not consider any other low-rise hotel AT ALL.If I were to go back ,we would probably stay at the Hyatt.....we just like a little more action. The Bucuti , while quaint and super quiet, got to be a little too much so for us after a couple of days.

mxylplik2

Capri767,

What are you comparing Aruba to? I've been to Anguilla and St. Martin.

CRAIGdotWHITE

emaziarz,
La Cabana:

http://www.lacabana.com/resort/

http://www.rentalo.com/properties/la...al_weeks_.html

There is a site that the owners use to rent off their condos. Unfortunately that bookmark is on another computer, but I think you might be able to find it by googling around.

Bucuti is nice & so is Divi.

There is also a AGA (Aruba Gastronomic Association) for dining around the island. You might not be interested in getting gift certificates (which can be used at almost all of the restaurants on the island, even le dome), but perhaps a wedding present from someone with a few hints from you. About 100 US$ for 3 meals, some added cost for le dome.

Based on what you have said I would stay away from the high rises, except for a trip to the casino, to see the swans or have a nice meal.

Live, love, laugh and be happy,
Congratulations!

-Craig

capri767

mxy,
Vacations destinations in general.Caribbean wise, St.John,St. Thomas, Caymans, Jamaica,Bahamas,, Cozumel,Cancun,Playa del Carmen, etc.I mean, I like Aruba and everything(great dining options)but if Im going to do a long weekend or something Id rather be at the Ritz or JW in Cancun or Royal Hideaway in Playa. The water is bluer , the sand whiter, and its quicker to get there.Now, if I m going to do a real island trip for like a week,there is no comparison , to me anyway, between Aruba and St. John. St. John is breathtaking all around.Aruba's natural bridge is cool , as is the natural pool, but other than that...its far more industrial than I had anticipated and just not as "island -like". I would love to go to Anguilla..Cap is on my list.

travleis

FWIW I would second capri767's comments.
Aruba is a safe, predictable island with the best weather in the region. Nice beaches. Generally friendly and welcoming locals. But it feels a bit like a strip mall of an island to me. Not much island flavor, no real character. Yes, people point out the Oranjestad Dutch architecture, but that's hardly a pervasive and defining characteristic, and more than 90% of the island has no specific evident architectural style or anything which says 'Caribbean!'.
Compare to St. Bart's for style and character, or Bermuda. Compare to St. John for scenic beauty. Even Anguilla, which really doesn't have any specific character either, has the appeal of being small and undeveloped so that it feels like you're on a little unique island.
I will say that for a first or second visit to the Caribbean Aruba is a great choice. Conveninet, safe, etc. And a good choice for a honeymoon for many people.

kayde

My son & his bride stayed at Bucuti in Tara Suite (6/27-7/5) and have raved about the facility as well as the island!! They rented a jeep one day & rode all over the east side, even off-road. While there, Michael posted on some board about how wonderful Bucuti was -- someone on hotel staff read it & put a nice note & gift certificate in their room for giving the hotel such a good review!! Michael read alot of travel boards about Bucuti before he picked it. He said they were so glad they were NOT in high-rise area!

capri767

It's all so subjective....People like and appreciate different things..I guess thats why there is something for everyone!Did I like the Bucuti?Sure Did I enjoy Aruba?I mean, I guess so.Would I go back?Probably not.Like travleis said...it sort of reminded me of a mass-appeal type of strip mall..there is really nothing tropical or luxe about it..Both of which I value in a tropical vacation.

emaziarz

Thanks for the info everyone. I'm a little dissappointed to hear that Aruba isn't exactly "lush" or "tropical" (I would love to do some nature/rainforest hikes elsewhere), but I think the safety that Aruba offers during hurricance season (when we'll be traveling) makes it the most logical choice for us. Afterall, it will be our first trip to the Carribean, and we'll have more opportunities to try other islands in the future.

On that note, I do have one more question: is the snorkeling any good from the beach at Bucuti? Anything cool to see, or mostly just sand? Is the water very clear? Looks clear in the photos, but thought I'd ask anyway.

Thanks,
Erik

ejcrowe

Though I've never been there, I think Aruba in general and Bucuti specifically would be a great choice for Erik. It's a very safe weather bet, it offers plenty of good restaurants, and it's fairly easy to navigate there, even for first time visitors. You've got plenty of time ahead of you to try a more lush island on a future visit. After trying Aruba for a honeymoon, you may even want to try something on the opposite end of the spectrum, and island like Dominica. Lush, mountainous, rain forest, river swimming, hiking, and comparatively very little tourist infrastructure. One of the wonderful things about the Caribbean is that it does indeed offer something for everybody. Have a wonderful honeymoon!

travleis

Erik: first and foremost I am willing to bet that if you've never been to the Caribbean and you'll be on your honeymoon, you'll have a completely wonderful experience on Aruba. It was one of the first islands I visited and I remember how much I enjoyed the security and relaxed feeling that seems to be all around. The people are so nice there (the island's car license plates used to say "One Happy Island"...maybe they still do).
Everyone has different tastes and some people visit many of the different islands and feel Aruba is their favorite. Until you've visited several different types of islands, you won't know which suits you best. You'll need to go to Aruba eventually. Now's as good a time as any, right?
I hope you have a great time.

JeffRome

I went to Aruba with my wife on our honeymoon 8 years ago. Same reason--hurricane worries. I have been to several islands since. Aruba was wonderful. And as the last poster said--you're on your honeymoon. You'll love Aruba. Also, some wonderful restaurants.

capri767

In reference to your snorkeling question, um, no, I dont recall there being any snorkeling off the beach at the Bucuti...we did do a day sail snorkeling adventure which was very fun..lots of food, drinks, and fun people to hang out with.(the folks at the Bucuti can book this for you..they have all sorts of options) The snorkeling though,was not great and at the shipwreck site the water was much too rough ...but it was fun just being on the water.Whatever you do, AVOID THE JEEP TOUR at all costs.It was absolutely hell on earth... try another way to see the natural bridge and natural pool.If you choose the Bucuti, make sure you get a tara suite , they are nice and new.You will get a much more tropical feel at the Hyatt or Radisson because they have it landscaped that way(lighting, etc., more music and atmosphere..but also probably more kids cause school will still be out in August)Just a heads up but the food at the Bucuti was disappointing..but then there are so many fab places to eat on the island that it really doesnt matter..Feel free to ask as many questions as you need to.

capri767

Erik...to address your question about cool things at the beach and water clarity..not really except sand ..there are no water sports at this beach..its frowned upon at Eagle Beach ..all that stuff is over at Palm beach in the high-rise area...which is good or bad depending what you are looking for.In terms of water clarity, its just average...nothing like say the Virgins or Cancun/Playa del Carmen.For example, at Bucuti non one really was in the ocean that much or the pool because the pool , to be frank, sucks and is right beside the kitchen of the restaurant.In Playa, most eveyone was in the ocean and my fiance and I spent alot of our time in the water.It really ALL depends on what you are looking for. Sightseeing is limited.

Maureen

We stayed at the Bucuti this past February in a regular room and we had a wonderful time. It is a very quiet property but has an enormous beach with plenty of room between palapas. Also, we didn't have to get up early to reserve a palapa as is necessary sometimes at the hi-rises.
You can sign up for snorkeling, boat trips etc. at the activities desk. Being a small island it's not that far to other restaurants and activities. You can rent a car which is normally what we do, take a taxi or the bus.
Walking distance from the Bucuti is a bagel stand, subway sandwiches, Alhambra Casino, TCBY, Manchebo Resort (French Steakhouse) and Costa Linda.
Happy Hour is fun at both the Bucuti and the Manchebo. The staff are great.
I think you have made a wise decision being it is August. Aruba is still our favorite island and have returned many times over the years.
We have also stayed at the Radisson, Wyndham, Holiday Inn many years ago, and the Renaissance (formerly the Sonesta). For us, Palm Beach at the high rise section is now too crowded.

girlonthego

Don't worry about choosing Aruba! We went for the first time this past April and loved it! The water is that turquoise green. The sand is white and soft. The water out of the tap is clean and okay to drink. I felt very safe walking around at night. Okay...that is why we chose Aruba. It is not the lush tropical island you see in some photos, but most of the hotels have lush grounds. We stayed at the Marriott. It was lush and very nice. The Hyatt looked lovely and I hear the Radisson is beautiful. They are all on Palm Beach where there is a million places to hire for snorkeling, tubing, fishing, banana boating, etc... We brought the kids and they loved that! Bucuti is raved about on the aruba-bb.com It is a forum of Aruba lovers and experts. It is basically adult only hotel. The Tara suites wing is brand new this year. In Aruba, you can be anywhere in a few minutes cab ride. So, you can cab it to a casino, restaurant or night club. There are many fun things to do for honeymooners. There is a bus called the Kukukannko bus that takes you bar hopping all night. The restaurants all over town are fabulous. You will love it there. We have been to several islands in the caribbean and loved Aruba and look forward to returning again. It hardly ever rains there too....It rained for 5 minutes one morning in the 7days we were there. That sells me.

MeganandJ

We are headed to Aruba this week for our first Caribbean trip together. We picked Aruba for price, safety, it is out of the hurricane belt, reliably good weather, great restaraunt recommendations. We picked Bucuti because it is geared toward adults, on huge Eagle Beach, quiet, etc. Check out bucuti.com. We are staying in an oceanfront room, but if we decide to go back or were on a honeymoon we would probably chose a Tara Suite. From what I have read, Aruba may not have the most Caribbean flair but we think it is a good place to start our travels as a couple.