Where to stay in ARUBA 🏝️
The most common question in all Aruba groups and social media is: “where should I stay when visiting the One Happy Island? All-inclusive? villa? or home rental?” And the answers do not help anyone because those are always 50% / 50% and usually generates long debates between island lovers.
Let’s start with the most important part: the place you choose for your Aruba vacations must fit with the type of travel you want to have. Are there many All-Inclusive? yes. Should I stay in Palm Beach? yes. Are options budget friendly? YES, but if you ever think about visiting this paradise island, let me tell you that Aruba is MUCH MORE than Palm Beach (the hotel’s beach) and the all inclusive’s offers, and that is the key-point I recommend you to think about
🌴 Experience an adventurous trip, a lot of paradise beaches and testing different food vs. all inclusive’s life
Vacation rentals, such as apartments and homes, offers you the best balance between the hotel and a home life in Aruba. With all the comforts like any hotel you will have an entire apartment instead of just a room, with a lot of independence to relax and stay in a comfortable place, explore the island, cook your meals or taste Caribbean food.
🐚 Aruba is a small island, really easy to drive in and full of different amazing beaches (the farthest is max 40 min away). Palm Beach is a beautiful beach, famous for all the high rise hotels so it is also the most crowded beach of all. Eagle Beach was ranked 3rd on @tripadvisor as one of the three most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean. Arashi Beach is just 15 min away, Malmok, Mangel Halto, Baby Beach, Boca Grandi… and more, all of them just a few minutes away from each other and with it’s own unique landscapes — All worthy.
If you stay in an “All” (all inclusive) as they are called, I am sure you will love Palm Beach, but the chances to explore the rest of the island are fewer. Of course, there are travelers that just wants to lay on the same beach for hours and eat with no limits, probably I will recommend them booking a hotel in Palm Beach.
This is the main point: What kind of trip would you like to make? The-same-day-same-beach-resort full of food vs. moving along the island and knowing different beaches with the “home away from home” feeling. Both have benefits, pros, and cons.
The culinary experience in Aruba is unique and everyone who visits the island has scheduled a table at Smokey Joe’s, Barefoot, and Wacky Wahoo. You should, I promise.
There is a common feeling in Aruba visitors who wants to be part of the island, even if they stay for only three days.. they enjoy going to the supermarket, exploring its supplies and cooking it’s own food. I am always surprise when my guests asked for “local” places to visit.
The last and BEST PRO I find in renting vacation rentals in Aruba relays in this worldwide situation we are going through. You won’t be in a crowded place and you will have much more space and independence, really valuable when vacay. With your own kitchen to prepare meals, a completely isolated solarium, your gym, and a lot of other amenities only for you.
I hope this post works to have a better idea on where to stay in Aruba or at least to have all the information to make decisions. Not all the destinations are similar or offers good opportunities to enjoy the vacation rentals to the fullest, Aruba has them so it’s worth it!
