Another fabulous vacastion at our MARRIOTT Ocean club timeshare!

Sunny everyday, 86-90 not a drop of rain... Just sunshine, the rustling of the palms and Slippery Monkey's from the bar!

We tried a few new (to us) restaurants.

Texas de Brazil was great, just don't get sucked in to the cordials they offer at dessert time... My husband ordered a shot of Grand Marnier, "they walk around with the bottles and ask you to smell all the flavors",they don't tell you it's $25.00 a shot!!! For the 4 of us the bill wasn't bad, 42.99 per person all you can eat.. They serve great meats/salad bar, just don't get hooked in on the desserts, coffee's and shots of cordials.
The bill was $100.00 dollars more after dessert........ rip off

El Gaucho was fabulous as usual, "no gimmicks"

Driftwood, was just okay, nothing to write about.

Hyatt Sunday Champagne brunch was the best, we always go on Mothers Day, great selection, great quality and boasts a casually elegant ambiance. Service was A+

The beach was un-crowded with people but Palm beach in front of the Marriotts has WAY too many float tents, they should be moved to the back and not take up the whole front row of the beach area. That was disturbing, way way too many for that small area, looked too commercial on our gorgeous stretch of beach. I plan to contact Marriott corp to complain, it was very tacky looking, but the lady in the tent (sales girl) was a very friendly sweetheart of a woman, with a great sense of humor... She can stay but the carnival sized tents have to go, 1 or 2 is fine, but there had to be at least 6 in a row, all the front row huts are blocked...un-acceptable...

The week and the Marriott were great as usual, I will be dreaming of my week to come next year!

Car rental from hertz was good, a nissan sentra, 200 for the week, no hassel right in the OC lobby.

Arashi beach, north of the Marriott is the best snorkel beach on the island, 3 mins from Marriott and we go in right from the shore and We saved 200 bucks for the 4 of us by going over on our own, and no time limit, wes norkeled for hours right there, huts for shade too, small beach, big snorkel stop!!

AA flights were ontime and smooth to and from Boston, just wish AA would do non-stop again, its a hassel having to stop in Miami. May look at other options next year. I had a non-stop with AA but they changed it on me AGAIN, un-acceptable, don't sell me one thing and give me another!!!

Aruba Fast Phone, Charle's cell phone rental was A+ again in reception and service!! Hassel free pick up and drop off right at the airport!

Great trip, can't wait for next year to do the same things all over again!
Brought my brother and his wife for the first time, they loved it so much they bought a week at Marriott themselves!!!

See you next May
Sandra Boston, MA

As of June JetBlue is flying direct to Aruba. Try booking through them next year.

MikeM

Thank you for sharing your trip with us. I really enjoyed reading your report. I don't get to go again until next February, so when I read these trip reports they make me feel a little better about my long wait.

Holy smoke. Thanks for the head's up about TDB. Who wudda thunk it?

Aruba Trip Reports

Texas De Brazil was FABULOUS, food was awesome, it was only the $25.00 shots that freaked us out!!! Try it, it's really good.

What's a slippery Monkey? I'm leaving Saturday for the Marriott Aruba Surf Club, can't wait to get there.

Sandra
Thank you so much for the compliment.
be well
charles

Hi Sandra,
We were at the Ocean Club May11-18! I agree about all the venders on the beach and plan to make a complaint as well. Don't mind them being there, just does it have to be these large tents w/the huge inflateables taking up prime beach space. Maybe they'll move down to Riu once that opens. We already have half the Surf Club people sharing the beach in front of the Ocean club. I couldn't believe they were actually working on moving the seawall.Maybe they'll have it done by our trip next year.
Thanks for the tip also at Texas De Brazil. Sorry things weren't better at Driftwood. We went on the 17th and everything was very good as always. Our friends went and said service was poor. El Gaucho was very enjoyable too. Maybe we'll see you next May.

A slipper Monkey is 5 different liquors with Rum poured into the straw!
Banana, Kaluah, Ice-cream, Rum ??? I don't remember the ingredients, go to the ocean Club Swim Up Bar, they make them there!!! YUMMY

Returned last week and this place is great. You should sign up on the texasdebrazil website, select Aruba as your favorite restaurant, and within a couple of days a 25% off coupon will be in your e-mail. the coupon is only good for that month so plan properly when to sign up. Also, they ask for your birthday and if you put in your birthdate as one week or so before your trip you will get another e-mail with a buy one get one free coupon. We were a group of 4 so the 25% off or the buy one get one free (only one free) was the same. If two of you are traveling a buy one get one is basically 50% off.

Do be nice and tip based upon the full rate.