2003 I stayed at the Allegro and loved it.

I was on the beach walking a few hotels down from where I stayed and saw the Holiday Inn. From standing on the beach it looked really nice. They had people eating outside and the wind wasn't so bad there. I was thinking about staying here in July.

My friend wants to stay at the Aruba Grand Beach Resort since we could get it at the same price and it has a higher rating. I believe this hotel is next to the Wyndham Hotel. I heard the wind is pretty gusty over there. If so... I might prefer the Holiday Inn.

Has anyone stayed at both? I also heard that the Holiday Inn went through some major renovations in 2004.

Thanks so much for your response.

Patty

The Holiday-Inn renovations consisted of painting and fixing up the Cauacao Tower. and putting in a new pool and two whirlpools. The pool complex is beautiful. The Holiday-Inn is much more active then the Aruba Grand. It also has more kids and is 30 years old. I have stayed there four times and have never been disappointed. The food except for the evening buffets is adequate. If you want specific information please email me at jeso@optonline.net. By the why the Wyndham area is very windy. Jerry

The beach by the Aruba Grand is so much nicer and more spacious than at the Holiday Inn. The Aruba Grand is much more civilized and elegant looking. They have a very large pool and have a Carribbean band playing by the pool in the afterneen.

The Holiday Inn beach is rather narrow and the hotel still looks rather tacky. There is a public beach next to the Holiday Inn and that area is not very clean. Yes, they have updated the pool, but it still looks like something out of the 60's and the resst of the hotel is vert "tired and dated".

It is for sure is more wind at the Wyndham, but that hotel is on a point. And, during the month of July, you will be thankful for the breeze!

I have a friend that works for Holiday Inn and even she won't stay there. She said it is still one of the worst hotels to stay on the island.

I do not agree with everything that Lynn said. I agree that the Grand is more ciilized and elegant looking. In fact it is so civilized that you can hear a pin drop in the evening. The Holiday Inn is not deep but the beach is much wider then the Grand. I am willing to bet that it has more beach area in total. All beaches are public in Aruba. The area that Lynn is talking about is between the Marriott and the Holiday-Inn. It actually incompasses more of the marriott area then the Holiday-Inn. I have never found that area, close to me when I was on the Holiday-Inn beach. In addition the Holiday-Inn and all of the hotels drag the beach every morning to get rid of seaweed and shells. I have found the beach by the Holiday-Inn as clean as the other hotels. As I said the Holiday-Inn is 30 years old and showing some age, but it is still cheaper then the other hotels and I think worth the money. What ever you decide have a great time.