Occidental grand

TERJOE · 09-24-2009, 08:13 PM

I have made a reservation at the occidental grand. I have upgraded to the royal club. Has anyone stayed there recently. I have been reading a lot of bad things lately and i am getting nervous. Thanks for any advice. Also what is the weather like in january?

Dean Martin · 09-25-2009, 08:45 AM

We've been looking at AI places for our 1st Aruba trip and all I can tell you is Trip Advisor reports seem to fairly consitantly rate the food/service as average and almost everyone seems to mention that there is an "issue" w/ getting clean towels at the beach, pool and your room. Looks like a nice place but I'm leary too.

Irish Mike · 09-28-2009, 12:23 PM

Hey my wife and I are going this weekend, we have heard the same thing about the towels, so we are bringing a couple of our own to use for reserving at pool/beach.
The majority of the few complaints I'ves seen involve people NOT in the Royal Club (which we are in) and people traveling with young kids. Food reviews are pretty subjective so unless they kill someone with the buffett I am not concerned.
We are not worried and neither should you, it's Aruba

macalh · 09-29-2009, 05:10 PM

I own 13weeks of timeshare at Occidental. I think its a great clean, friendly resort. If you are on the AI, I think the food in the buffet is just average. The Italian is very good. I can't say enough about the food in the private dining room for the Royal Club. Personally, I woudn't spend the extra money for the Royal Club unless you need top shelf liquor and eat in the private dining roome for every meal.

As for the towels, yes they have a hard time keeping up with clean towels on the beach. I own at many other resorts in Aruba, and Occidental is the only resort who does not question how many times you get your towels replaced in one day. So, people get them at night to save a spot on the beach in the AM, then go for a swim, change them again. Leave them on the lounge chairs, it rains and then they want to get new ones again. They never say no. Its hard to keep up with that kind of demand.

Mary Alice

TERJOE · 09-29-2009, 07:53 PM

Thanks for your replys. We are excited about our first trip to Auba. Hope we chose the right hotel. Has anyone upgraded to the Royal Club. Hope it was worth it.

feuji · 10-05-2009, 05:04 AM

We stayed here with our 3 year old son for 3 nights. We had great fun there and worth the money. This place really has all you need from your accommodation and I would have no hesitation in recommending this property.

Thanks,

Irish Mike · 10-12-2009, 12:38 PM

My wife and I just spent the best week at the Occidental Grand.
We were in the Royal Club and you couldn't ask for better service.
As soon as we walked into the lobby and mentioned RC, a bellhop brought us and our bags up on the elevator and brought us up to the 9th floor to the RC Concierge. Veronica was just the best, she took excellent care of usset our dinner reservations and even had a bottle of wine brought to our table for our Anniversary dinner.
Miguel who is a waiter in the RC is superb as was Elena. they both were excellent to deal with. The RC is worth the money and my wife and I look forward to many more trips.
I highly recommend the Occidental and the Royal Club. I will go on about how fab this place was later and dispel these negative reviews I keep hearing about.
4 thumbs up!

RK05 · 10-12-2009, 01:57 PM

Irish Mike,
We leave for our honeymoon this Sunday so anything you can tell us would be great!

Glad you had a great trip!

Irish Mike · 10-12-2009, 02:41 PM

RK did you upgrade to the royal club?
I am swamp today and prob tomorrow but if there is anything specific you'd like to know I would be happy to pass along the info.
Just shoot me an email.

Mike

TERJOE · 10-12-2009, 07:47 PM

Thanks for your reply. I feel much better about our trip now. We did upgrade to the Royal Club. I am glad to hear it was worth it. Looking forward to hearing more about the trip.
Glad you had a great trip.

09-24-2009, 08:13 PM	#1 (permalink)
TERJOE Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 5	Occidental grand I have made a reservation at the occidental grand. I have upgraded to the royal club. Has anyone stayed there recently. I have been reading a lot of bad things lately and i am getting nervous. Thanks for any advice. Also what is the weather like in january?

09-29-2009, 05:10 PM	#4 (permalink)
macalh Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 81	Occidental I own 13weeks of timeshare at Occidental. I think its a great clean, friendly resort. If you are on the AI, I think the food in the buffet is just average. The Italian is very good. I can't say enough about the food in the private dining room for the Royal Club. Personally, I woudn't spend the extra money for the Royal Club unless you need top shelf liquor and eat in the private dining roome for every meal. As for the towels, yes they have a hard time keeping up with clean towels on the beach. I own at many other resorts in Aruba, and Occidental is the only resort who does not question how many times you get your towels replaced in one day. So, people get them at night to save a spot on the beach in the AM, then go for a swim, change them again. Leave them on the lounge chairs, it rains and then they want to get new ones again. They never say no. Its hard to keep up with that kind of demand. Mary Alice

10-05-2009, 05:04 AM	#6 (permalink)
feuji Banned Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 3	Occidental We stayed here with our 3 year old son for 3 nights. We had great fun there and worth the money. This place really has all you need from your accommodation and I would have no hesitation in recommending this property. Thanks,

10-12-2009, 07:47 PM	#10 (permalink)
TERJOE Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 5	Occidental grand Thanks for your reply. I feel much better about our trip now. We did upgrade to the Royal Club. I am glad to hear it was worth it. Looking forward to hearing more about the trip. Glad you had a great trip.

09-25-2009, 08:45 AM	#2 (permalink)
Dean Martin Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Age: 55 Posts: 17	We've been looking at AI places for our 1st Aruba trip and all I can tell you is Trip Advisor reports seem to fairly consitantly rate the food/service as average and almost everyone seems to mention that there is an "issue" w/ getting clean towels at the beach, pool and your room. Looks like a nice place but I'm leary too.

09-28-2009, 12:23 PM	#3 (permalink)
Irish Mike Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 8	Hey my wife and I are going this weekend, we have heard the same thing about the towels, so we are bringing a couple of our own to use for reserving at pool/beach. The majority of the few complaints I'ves seen involve people NOT in the Royal Club (which we are in) and people traveling with young kids. Food reviews are pretty subjective so unless they kill someone with the buffett I am not concerned. We are not worried and neither should you, it's Aruba

09-29-2009, 07:53 PM	#5 (permalink)
TERJOE Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 5	Thanks for your replys. We are excited about our first trip to Auba. Hope we chose the right hotel. Has anyone upgraded to the Royal Club. Hope it was worth it.

10-12-2009, 12:38 PM	#7 (permalink)
Irish Mike Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 8	My wife and I just spent the best week at the Occidental Grand. We were in the Royal Club and you couldn't ask for better service. As soon as we walked into the lobby and mentioned RC, a bellhop brought us and our bags up on the elevator and brought us up to the 9th floor to the RC Concierge. Veronica was just the best, she took excellent care of usset our dinner reservations and even had a bottle of wine brought to our table for our Anniversary dinner. Miguel who is a waiter in the RC is superb as was Elena. they both were excellent to deal with. The RC is worth the money and my wife and I look forward to many more trips. I highly recommend the Occidental and the Royal Club. I will go on about how fab this place was later and dispel these negative reviews I keep hearing about. 4 thumbs up!

10-12-2009, 01:57 PM	#8 (permalink)
RK05 Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 55	Irish Mike, We leave for our honeymoon this Sunday so anything you can tell us would be great! Glad you had a great trip!

10-12-2009, 02:41 PM	#9 (permalink)
Irish Mike Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 8	RK did you upgrade to the royal club? I am swamp today and prob tomorrow but if there is anything specific you'd like to know I would be happy to pass along the info. Just shoot me an email. Mike