My fiance and I are planning our honeymoon for the beginning of June. We aren't much of travelers (we have never left the US). So here are my questions.
1) Which hotel is better for honeymooners? I guess I have been hearing the most about the Radisson. We would like a hotel where there is more to do besides go to the beach.
2) If we do stay at one of the major hotels, like the radisson, is it necessary to leave the grounds to find things to do. How far is the downtown area from the hotels?
3) Is there much to do downtown?
4) Is it safe to drink the water?
I think that sums it up for now. Thanks

Elisa,
We are vacationing in Aruba in April and are staying at the Marriott. There is a website aruba-bb.com There is a wealth of information on ARuba at this website. Radisson, Hyatt and Marriott are your top hotels. There is a smaller resort call the Bacuti. It will probably be recommended by the group because it is a small, no kids, intimate kind of place. It is not a big plush resort. Next, the water is good that is one of the reasons why we chose ARuba(we are bringing the kids). Aruba also has a reputation for being a very safe island. There are watersports along the beach by all the hotels. There is horseback riding. There is also a bus called the Kanukoo koo bus that takes you bar hopping all night*(we will not be par-taking in this event this trip) There are casinos. It sounds like a fun place. I will post a trip report when I return. Good luck

Aruba is a great island, one of my favorite places. Radisson and Hyatt are probably the 2 top hotels, almost next to each other (one hotel in between them) on Palm Beach, the great strip o of beach were all the hotels are. The Radisson is very nice, great beach area, very comfortable beach chairs. Hyatt is also very nice, the common areas may be a bit nicer, and there are more restaurant choices. Last time, we stayed at Radisson but ended up eating lunch every day at Hyatt because lunch place is better. Hyatt is usually a bit more expensive. Can't go wrong with either one, or with the Marriott as the prior poster said.
As for things to do, all the water sports are available right on the beach outside the hotels, from jet skis, to tubing, catamaran rides. you can also rent floats and floating chairs for the day.
It's an easy cab ride from the hotels to downtown, and there are several very good restaurants in Aruba, all an easy cab ride.
As for other activities, we've gone horseback riding (they pick you up right at the hotel), we also went on the Atlantis submarine, which was also fun--it's right downtown.
None of the hotels have much to do other than the beach and water sports activities (other than casinos at night, which the Radisson, Hyatt and Marriott all have), but as I've said, activities are easily acceissible.
Good luck, and have fun. If you have more specific questions, just let me know.

There are a couple of dance clubs downtown that offer a later, livelier scene than the big hotels, and some people prefer the downtown casinos. It's a relatively safe island but you should be a bit careful downtown late at night.

The good restaurants are scattered - some by the big hotels, some downtown, some elsewhere.

We rented a car for 3 of 7 days and that was perfect - gave us an opportunity to explore the island a little.

Hyatt and Radisson have great reputations; Marriott maybe one small notch lower but a bit more private. Bucuti is the best small hotel but lacks the amenities of the big boys.

The water's safe and there's LOTS to do on Aruba. You needn't be bored.

Would anyone happen to know if mid-June is a really busy time in Aruba? We are looking at staying at the Marriott. Will we feel like a sardine at the pool/beach and need to get chairs at 7 a.m. at that time of year? Thanks!