We are thinking about the Marriott for our honeymoon in mid-September. Being the low season, is it still crowded? Are there lots of kids in Sept? If you don't reserve a palapa, is there still ample beach space to lay out?

We honeymooned there in October and it was perfect. We had to be in line at 6:30 am to reserve the palapa we wanted, even though the resort didn't seem to crowded. There are plenty of lounge chairs - but that sun gets hot so it's nice to have some shade available!

Heather,

Did you find that there were plenty of nice nice restaurants and nightlife within walking distance of the Marriott? Or did you end up taking the bus everywhere? Are all the high-rise resorts close enough that you can walk to all of them from the Marriott? We will definitely take the bus a couple times to go into Oranjestad for shopping, dining, etc., but for the most part we would like to be somewhere that has lots of options nearby. Thanks for your input!

My family just returned from Aruba. ALL of the beaches are public, so you can find many quiet areas away from the high-rise hotel strip. Whether you like the hotel life OR quiet getaways, Aruba has a lot to offer. You may want to rent a car to get to the beaches on the east end of the island, such as Baby Beach or Rodgers Beach. For the same cost as staying at one of the high rises, you could probably rent an apartment AND a car, and go to a different beach every day. There's plenty of free parking within a short walk of most beaches.