Aruba in December
 

We are going to Aruba in early December--staying at the Marriott (time share) I read good and bad on this site, but place is locked in. Comments on places to eat, sites we wouldn't want to miss, and shopping.<BR>How pricey is the food and shopping? Dress required for dining and casinos? All info will be greatly appreciated.

You will love the Marriott. It is a bit separate from the other hotels on Palm Beach so gives you a feeling of more seclusion. Have not stayed at timeshare but friends have and all feedback was VERY favorable. Some of my favorite restaurants: Tuscany (right at the Marriott), Flying Fishbones for a romantic dinner on the beach at sunset, El Gaucho for outstanding Argentinian beef, Driftwood for seafood and Madame Janettes to name a few.

check out visitaruba.com. There is tons of advise and info about the Marriott and what to do. I loved Aruba!

I loved Aruba too! There are tons of good restaurants that are resonably priced. Definitely try El Gaucho for steak - it's to die for. If you can, rent a car (or a jeep) and tour around the island that way. Baby Beach is really nice for snorkeling and the Natural Bridge is amazing to see. You can go casual throught out your trip. Nice shorts work everywhere at night. The restaurants weren't bargains (expect to pay around $15-$20 for a dinner entree), but the food was excellent so it was a trade-off.

Dorothy-<BR>I've been to Aruba several times. On our last visit, we discovered Tejas De Brazil. While I don't have the address, it is very near to the Marriott.<BR><BR>Tejas De Brazil grills on wood burning fires. Waiters take meat into the dining rooms on these large "sword-like" skewers. They visit each table and slice of as little or as much as you like of the particular meat (beef, lamb, sausage, and about every other kind of meat you can think of) and you continue to eat until satisfied. They also bring out chicken pieces.<BR><BR>If you prefer well done, you get the outside slices with rarer meat found near the center. Do not confuse this with the typical all-you-can-eat buffet. There is a small salad bar (one of the nicer ones I've seen in Aruba) but all other food is brought to you.<BR><BR>You are also provided with wooden "signals" at your table which look a lot like spools. You turn the <BR>spool up to green when you want more meat offered and to red when you don't want to be disturbed. This simple but ingenious system keeps you from being bombarded but subtly informs the waiters when you'd like more.<BR><BR>I believe the cost for this was about $35/pp US, and this is a fun time for a couple or for a gang of friends! Dining out can be a bit pricey in Aruba, depending on what you pay when you are home. We don't like to do all meals out, so we always shop for breakfast and lunch items at the area grocery stores and always dine out in the evening.<BR><BR>I've also read the mixed reports on the site about Marriott. I've stayed in the time share section and have friends who stayed in the hotel section. I never saw anything that displeased me. In my experiences, the hotel is what you'd expect of a Marriott property. The grounds, pool, beach, etc are all very nice. I think this is one of the top 3 resorts on the whole island!<BR><BR>Have fun!

Thanks to you all for input--very helpful info. More?

My husband and I are also going to Aruba in december. We've been told the snorkeling is great. I wonder about day trips to Venezuela. Anybody know?