New Members ...Please introduce yourselves!

[Hawkfan]

Welcome to new members...or members who have been lurkers, but not yet posters!

Give us a shout out, tell us when you will be in Aruba and where you'll be staying.

We are a judgment free zone.....we are civil and kind and love to assist others. (unlike other sites)

Our site is properly categorized and searching is easy (unlike others)

Again, we are kind and civil and this forum is heavily moderated with no drama, no name calling, no ugliness.....Snarkyness and being mean are not tolerated.

That being said....welcome!

Think I may have joined this forum previously? We had booked our 1st trip to Aruba several years ago and then Covid hit and we had to cancel. Now, several years later we're looking forward to our 25th anniversary and will spend it in Aruba. We've already paid for our air and made reservations at the Holiday Inn. I was skeptical but it receives great reviews and I'm a Platinum IHG member so hoping for upgrades. After 9 or 10 trips to Mexico and multiple cruises we're looking forward to spending some time in Aruba. We enjoy all inclusives most of the time but TripAdvisor says there are 73 restaurants within a third of the mile of the Holiday Inn so I can't thing of a better place to be. To date, my biggest concerns have been whether or not to rent a car, (pretty much decided not to?) and what the best cell phone service to use. Definitely would appreciate advice on those and any restaurants or excursions that are your favorites.

[Andrea J.]

welcome to the aruba.com community forum.
yes, covid messed up so many plans and affected so many lives

the Holiday Inn is a fine resort...great location, clean and comfortable.
I hope that you get an upgrade though, although you probably do not need one.

when will you be arriving?

what kind of dining do you like? hi end? casual? mid range?

I advise that you read some of the My Aruba Stories.
You will get some restaurant reviews and excursion recommendations there.

if you want to do a little exploring, I would advise renting a car for 24 hours.

Think I may have joined this forum previously? We had booked our 1st trip to Aruba several years ago and then Covid hit and we had to cancel. Now, several years later we're looking forward to our 25th anniversary and will spend it in Aruba. We've already paid for our air and made reservations at the Holiday Inn. I was skeptical but it receives great reviews and I'm a Platinum IHG member so hoping for upgrades. After 9 or 10 trips to Mexico and multiple cruises we're looking forward to spending some time in Aruba. We enjoy all inclusives most of the time but TripAdvisor says there are 73 restaurants within a third of the mile of the Holiday Inn so I can't thing of a better place to be. To date, my biggest concerns have been whether or not to rent a car, (pretty much decided not to?) and what the best cell phone service to use. Definitely would appreciate advice on those and any restaurants or excursions that are your favorites.

[cpjones]

Welcome to the forum.... I'm glad the trip is now becoming a reality! Taxi fares are very reasonable and easy to get a cab most times for those adventures away from the resort area. Don't forget some great beach time!

[Hawkfan]

Thanks for the welcome! We will be there mid August. We're not necessarily picky eaters but like to explore local favorites. Our anniversary is on the 14th so we'll probably be looking for somewhere special? We've been looking forward to this destination for quite awhile!!

[Andrea J.]

read the thread on Breakfasts! (Salt n Pepper is mentioned a lot)

Read the thread on Aziza..sounds perfect for a special occasion like an anniversary.

Local Casual.....Bavaria and Pikas Corner

Casual Seafood ..Wacky Wahoo

Italian...Patrizias!

Thanks for the welcome! We will be there mid August. We're not necessarily picky eaters but like to explore local favorites. Our anniversary is on the 14th so we'll probably be looking for somewhere special? We've been looking forward to this destination for quite awhile!!

[GETA62]

Thanks for the welcome! We will be there mid August. We're not necessarily picky eaters but like to explore local favorites. Our anniversary is on the 14th so we'll probably be looking for somewhere special? We've been looking forward to this destination for quite awhile!!

you May try seafood restaurant ‘Fisherman Hut’ just next to Holiday Inn.

Catch of the Day. Grouper for Two.
For your anniversary you may visit restaurant Anno 1877 in Downtown. Nice quiet, romantic, excellent service.

[WaltVB]

Think I may have joined this forum previously? We had booked our 1st trip to Aruba several years ago and then Covid hit and we had to cancel. Now, several years later we're looking forward to our 25th anniversary and will spend it in Aruba. We've already paid for our air and made reservations at the Holiday Inn. I was skeptical but it receives great reviews and I'm a Platinum IHG member so hoping for upgrades. After 9 or 10 trips to Mexico and multiple cruises we're looking forward to spending some time in Aruba. We enjoy all inclusives most of the time but TripAdvisor says there are 73 restaurants within a third of the mile of the Holiday Inn so I can't thing of a better place to be. To date, my biggest concerns have been whether or not to rent a car, (pretty much decided not to?) and what the best cell phone service to use. Definitely would appreciate advice on those and any restaurants or excursions that are your favorites.

Welcome! You shouldn't be skeptical of the Holiday Inn. I'm Diamond and we stay there frequently. When you check in at the priority lane for Platinum/Diamond members they will give you a towel card and a room charge card. As soon as you can, go to the main towel hut on the beach and reserve your palapa for your stay. This is the best amenity, I think. You can sleep in and as long as you're at your palapa by 10:00 or 10:30 you are good to go. I tip well the first day and one of the beach guys sets up the palapa with towels and chairs for you every morning. It will be waiting on you.

I don't know how many restaurants are within a third of a mile, but it's a lot and most are very good. We rent a car to explore the island. You can certainly get by without one, buses and taxis are plentiful and reasonably priced. We have T-Mobile here at home and our phones work in Aruba just fine. I know a lot of folks rely on Setar for a SIM card for their phones, but I'm not familiar with the procedure.

A search in the Culinary section will result in tons of restaurant reviews and recommendations. There is also a lot of good info in the My Aruba Story section. And of course you can ask us just about anything and we will be glad to provide answers.