JJ

My niece is getting married in November 2003, I am trying to help her plan her honeymoon trip but she is younger and I only like the quiet of Anguilla and St.Barts. Have not been to Aruba but hear it is beautiful...any suggestions???? Where to stay????

Cindy

Aruba is great if you want non-stop nightlife which may appeal especially to young people. Younger people would probably choose Aruba, Jamaica or Mexico. Anguilla and St. Barts are definitely quieter and just can't get much more romantic than St. Barts.

canadachick

Aruba has some of the most beautiful beaches I have seen and it almost never rains so you are guaranteed nice weather. THere is always a breeze too which makes it comfortable. There is lot of nightlife and its very safe. I have never felt unsafe there. We always stay at the Holiday inn which is not top end as we are not fussy that way. We just go because of the value and the great beaches and the people are so nice. So many people on this forum slag Aruba but we keep going back. If you want perfection stay at home!! A different culture and standards are what travel is all about!

kt

I stayed at playalinda.com This is more of a time share type place, but I like that. If I went back, I would go there or to the Hyatt. I was not a fan of Aruba. I prefer a green island.

ellen

Aruba is outside the hurricane belt (it's a desert island) which makes it perfect for a November (hurricane season in the Carribean) honeymoon. Restaurants galore, gambling, excellent shopping--and gorgeous beaches. The prices aren't bad, either. Consider the Sonesta--they have a private island with a free water shuttle every 20 minutes or so, and it's downtown so they can walk to restaurants & shopping.

jeanne

hi there, Aruba gets less hurricanes but they do get hurricanes why people let them get away with this statement is beyone me. Aruba is like being in a blue collar resort in the states - yes there is nightlife and the weather is great but there is no local culture and it is not as crime free as everyone thinks just look at the huge prison near baby beach!!!!

Brad

Oh come on now, jeanne.<BR>You're blowng things waaaay out of proportion here.<BR>Be realistic, please. <BR><BR>**Aruba has had 4 hurricanes in 100 years.<BR>Texas has more than that and you don't hear people use this as an argument to avoid vacationing there.<BR><BR>**A "blue collar resort"??<BR>What ever are you talking about? Aruba has several very nice resorts, and in fact the accommodations there are every bit as nice as what's available on Grand Cayman....people don't call GC a blue collar place and it's appearance is just like Aruba's.<BR><BR>**Compared to most Caribbean islands, Aruba is as safe as rural Iowa. Toursists don't go to the local communities in the southeast, just like tourists don't wander around in the bad parts of Orlando or any other tourist destination.<BR><BR>Your arguments are severaly flawed, my dear.

Ted

I'm with Brad -- "jeanne" doesn't know what she's talking about. <BR><BR>Hurricanes? Never. I'm surprised there's been 4 in the past 100 years. <BR><BR>Blue collar? Puh-lease! I think jeanne is confusing Aruba with Freeport. <BR><BR>Crime? Aruba is one of the safest islands in the Caribbean (perhaps because even a petty crime will land you in the prison). <BR><BR>I've been to over 20 destinations in the Caribbean, from Belize to BVI and everywhere in between, and Aruba will always be one of my favorites. <BR><BR>(It is not a lush jungle; it's very dry and arid. When means, obviously, that it rarely rains. But the natural scenery is beautiful nonetheless, as anyone who's been to Joshua Tree can understand.)

lars

My fiance and I just returned from a week in Aruba. We stayed at the former Sonesta Suites - now the Renaissance. The pool and beach right on the property were great but even better was the private island, only about a 5 minute boat ride away. Plus it is closer to "town" than the other resorts and we could walk almost everywhere. It was actually relatively quiet when we were there - we are not gamblers, but the casinos didn't bother us. Everything was clean and nice there. We plan to go back to the Renaissance again for some anniversary.

Marilyn

My husband and I celebrated our 25th Anniversary with a Second Honeymoon at the Wyndham last September. We are both in our mid-50s and we had a wonderful time. There were several honeymooners, as well as several newly married couples there during our stay. The Wyndham is a lot nicer than the Holiday Inn and it only costs a little more. I would not recommend the Holiday Inn for a honeymoon. The Allegro seems to attract the younger crowd, as well as a lot of honeymooners in their 20s-30s and it is an all-inclusive, which the younger crowd seems to like. If your niece wants quiet and romance, I either recommend the Wyndham (high-rise area) or Bucuti Beach Resort (low-rise area). Congratulations and good luck in whatever she chooses.