Julie

My husband and I are staying at the Hyatt this fall in Aruba. We like to stay at larger resorts and think that the Hyatt will meet our needs nicely. <BR>I want to be adventurous in Aruba and try a topless sunbathing day. We would like to go to the Bucuti beach area since I've read that topless sunbathing is accepted on that section of the beach. <BR>My question is: Is it possible to get a day pass to Bucuti to use their lounge chairs and get beach waiter service for one day only?

Stan

I have stayed at the Manchebo Beach resort next to the Bucuti--Twice. You don't need a pass per se because the beach is huge you can just walk through the hotel and onto the beach. The Bucuti is a bit stuffy about letting outsiders use their facility ( They would not let me use the gym even if I paid) But a tip to the chair attendent should fix you right up. They have a great beach bar. Ask for a Nightmare!

Niki

While the beaches may be open to the public the hotels own the chairs and huts and you cannot use them if you are not a guest. You will also find a smathering of topless on Palm Beach.

cdt

A "smathering"? Is that Papiamento?<BR><BR>We stayed at the Manchebo and the beach in that area is unbeatable. I agree that while the beaches themselves are open to all, the chairs and umbrellas are for paying guests only.<BR><BR>I don't know if either of these hotels has day passes. You might ask the question at aruba-bb.com or visitaruba.com, which have bulletin boards with many Aruba "experts."<BR>

Cindy

I guess it all depends on the size of your boobs and what you have to offer.

pamand

The chairs (and resort facilities) at the Bucuti are for paying guests only. Topless sunbathing is accepted, but not rampant, at the Bucuti.

Sally

The beach at the Bucuti Beach hotel is private - for hotel guests only.

carlos

The beach itself is public.<BR>Chairs and umbrellas are not.<BR>

Sally

Copied from the Bucuti Beach Website (FAQ): "Only our guests are permitted on our beach"....

putch

we've stayd at bucuti beach twice and loved it. if you are a guest, they treat you very well. why not just stay there.

carlos

OK, Sally, I might need an Aruban lawyer to get this exactly right, but here's how I understand it:<BR><BR>When the Bucuti refers to "our beach," it means the part that it actually owns: between the high tide line and the hotel. It absolutely has the right to restrict this area to guests only.<BR><BR>By law, the area between the water's edge and said high tide line is public. The only thing I'm not clear on is how they define "high tide line." When Hurricane Lenny passed well north of Aruba in late 1999, the water reached almost to the hotel.<BR><BR>One possible reason the Bucuti includes this statement in its brochure is to distinguish itself from the neighboring Manchebo Resort, which has an arrangement with at least one condo complex to allow people staying at the condos to use the Manchebo's beach, chairs, and "huts."<BR><BR><BR>

Sally

Carlos, it seems very likely to me that you're correct. Frankly, it's been ages since I've last been to the Bucuti. As I recall the beach there is HUGE, and I would assume that only the part in front of the hotel belongs to the Bucuti, and is restricted to its guests, and that the rest is public: Manchebo, Eagle Beach, Druif, etc. But as I said, the layout is a bit fuzzy in my mind; it's been a long time since I was there last. Planning to return this January (and staying at the Bucuti), that's why I'm taking an interest now.

Julie

We've returned from our Aruba trip. We went to Bucuti's beach, gave the attendant a tip and were able to use their beach chairs and even got a flag to use for drink service. They were very nice and we had no problems. We brought our own towels along from our hotel so we didn't need to ask for those. The beach was wide and was not very crowded.