Based upon all the reviews I read, I had planned on staying here next year. I then spoke to a local travel agent and she said this was only a 3 star property and she discouraged me from staying hear. Any comments would be appreciated!

terrier, there are lots of folks on this board who love Bucuti. Do a search here for Bucuti and you'll find their trip reports. One poster in particular I can think of is alya, who loved Bucuty so much the first time that she and her husband returned again this past year.

It's best if you don't keep posting multiple times with the same question, by the way.

sorry about that; I am new to this and I think I first posted on the Caribbean board when I meant to post on the Aruba board. Thanks for your help!

I've stayed at the Manchebo Beach hotel right next to the Bucuti Beach a couple times, as well as the higher rated high rises on Palm Beach. Eagle Beach is huge and not crowded at all compared to Palm Beach. I liked both areas. The Machebo (which doesn't get as good reviews as Bucuti) was just fine. The rooms and grounds at the Marriott were nicer but a lot more crowded and a lot less laid back. Bucuti gets consistently great reviews, especially for couples. Has your travel agent actually seen it? Been to Aruba? I was a travel agent for years and some agencies really push to up-sell to more expensive properties and preferred suppliers that offer more commission. Did you look at the reviews at www.tripadvisor.com?

I did go to trip advisor; that's why I was taken aback when she suggested that I don't go there. I am sure there is some hidden agenda, i.e. better commisions at certain properties.

Terrier, one of the different aspects of Fodor's forums is that all posts go under a general geographic heading. In this case, the Caribbean. Selecting a specific island is really only applicable for doing searches.

It may well be true that the Bucuti is only 3 star. But that doesn't mean it's not a nice property . Lots of upscale places that are smaller, more intimate, only have 3 stars. In this case it just means that it has fewer ameneties than other properties on Aruba. If you need a dive shop, boutique, and three restaurants on site, choose a resort with more stars. But the Tara suites are really quite lovely and no doubt comparable in luxury to just about any other room on Aruba.

Hi ej and terrier

I really like Bucuti - but then we like smaller boutique hotels, the large impersonal hotels don't appeal to us in the slightest. It does depend what 'floats your boat'

We stay in the Tara suites and if your travel agent thinks they are 3 star then I'd be interested to know which other 3 star hotels of the same calibre as Bucuti he/she recommends.

The main draw for us is the fact that the hotel doesn't take children and the fact that it is a wonderful beach.

It would be easier to give you advice if we knew where you have stayed (and enjoyed) previously.

Alya
I usually stay at larger hi-rise type of hotels. In August I stayed at Las Casitas Village, part of the El Conquistador in Puerto Rico. It was too big, spread out, run down, and not worth the price. I am done with these types of resorts when travelling without the kids.

My travel agent said that another 3 star hotel in Aruba was the Holiday Inn. I can't imagine that these 2 properties are anything alike.

My wife and I love the beach and don't care that much about the pool although I believe it is undergoing renovations in a few months. Based upon all the positive reviews I will be booking Bucuti Beach within the next few days. I would like to thank everyone for their help and input!

terrier,

If you are traveling without your children then Bucuti is the place to stay - When I leave my 'darlings' at home the last thing I want to listen to are other peoples 'darlings'

Alya
I could not agree more. I booked it yesterday. Can't wait to get there!!

Your travel agent needs to do some serious homework about Aruba if she can't tell the difference between Bucuti & the Holiday Inn!

I don't think you'll regret booking at Bucuti. It's an oasis -- for my money the best place in Aruba to "get away from it all."

Unless things have changed over the last year, Bucuti is not "no children," just children discouraged. There were quiet children staying there both times we visited and lots of kids of all ages who were visible and audible as Manchebo is right next door.
That aside, it is overall a lovely quiet place with plenty of space on the soft sandy beach and clean comfortable rooms. We like a quiet,laid-back Caribbean experience and would avoid the busyiness of Aruba but we like what we have found to be reliable hot weather even in December. (Palm Beach hotels are more chain 4-star resort feeling, but we found the Palm Beach area to be wall to wall people. Over the holiday season, people had to put their loungers on grass as they ran out of room on the beach. It reminded me of the Jersey Shore on a summer weekend.)
Food is mediocre at the Pirate's Nest, but restaurants and grocery stores are in abundance and easy to get to.

allietoo,

things are changing at the Bucuti, a quote from their website (they have a 'limited inventory' of rooms suitable for children)

"Is Bucuti Beach Resort a good place to bring children/families?
No,
Bucuti does not have any facilities for children and we do not recommend our resort for families. Primarily our services are geared for couples on romantic getaways or those looking for peace and quiet. Because we are Aruba's smallest resort on the 14 acres of beach, our atmosphere is very peaceful and you can enjoy a good deal of private space. All resorts in Aruba except Bucuti have programs and facilities for children. Therefore we have maintained an adults only atmosphere in our Tara Beach Suites and we have restricted our Bucuti Wing guests to one child per reservation for accommodation in our double queen bedded rooms only (limited inventory) with a maximum of three persons per room. We understand that some of our repeat guests prefer our resort regardless of the fact that we have no children's facilities or benefits and we politely ask that all our guests with or without children observe of our desire to provide peace and serenity for all our guests who have chosen us for this atmosphere."

When we booked into the Tara Suites in 2004 that we were told that the sofa was actually a sofabed (in fact I remember seeing a picture of a family staying in the Tara suites)- within a year they had restricted the Tara building to one couple only per room - I wonder how long that 'limited inventory' will last

I have been to Aruba 3X and Holiday Inn would be one of my last choices as would Brickell Bay (I had to stay there one night waiting for my other hotel one year). Bucuti has very nice rooms. Amsterdam Manor - for the rate - also has some nice rooms (but you have to cross the street to the beach).

T