Family with teens in summer?

[suebee329]

Wow..all this is so helpful. I sound like a broken record, but your input has been awesome. Sometimes the internet is so overwhelming trying to sift through every website, etc. so knowing people have been there and experienced this is great! Ok, so 2 more questions..lol! The first one is about the All Inclusive thing...we did all inclusive in the Dominican and that was sort of a drag. We would have to make a reservation each day for dinner at night and only certain restaurants were open certain nights...is this the way it works in this Divi area or are there more options? Secondly, do you need to rent a car if you are in this area with all inclusive? When we went to Aruba on our honeymoon we stayed at the Golden Tulip...doesn't even exist anymore..that is how long it has been..lol. Anyway, it was in the high rise area and we didn't do inclusive so we needed a car to travel. Thanks again! I am hoping this trip happens...we are from NH and I am soooo ready for warm weather!

[Andrea J.]

if you rent a timeshare unit at divi dutch or divi village you will be able to sign up for the all inclusive or not. there are plenty of restaurants along the bus route, walking distance or you could take a taxi.

renting a car is an option too.

AI...being a drag? Could be an issue. Yes, the al'acarte restaurants on site do need advance reservations, but the buffet, not.

so i will go out on a limb and say
consider a DIVI timeshare, dutch, village, golf (and include the phoenix in your looking)
rent a car so you can explore and do your thing

and as far as crowds.............late june til mid aug is busy but not ridiculous busy.

Wow..all this is so helpful. I sound like a broken record, but your input has been awesome. Sometimes the internet is so overwhelming trying to sift through every website, etc. so knowing people have been there and experienced this is great! Ok, so 2 more questions..lol! The first one is about the All Inclusive thing...we did all inclusive in the Dominican and that was sort of a drag. We would have to make a reservation each day for dinner at night and only certain restaurants were open certain nights...is this the way it works in this Divi area or are there more options? Secondly, do you need to rent a car if you are in this area with all inclusive? When we went to Aruba on our honeymoon we stayed at the Golden Tulip...doesn't even exist anymore..that is how long it has been..lol. Anyway, it was in the high rise area and we didn't do inclusive so we needed a car to travel. Thanks again! I am hoping this trip happens...we are from NH and I am soooo ready for warm weather!

[suebee329]

I like the idea of all inclusive, but didn't like in the DR that only like one resturant was open each evening for dinner..that was a drag!

[Andrea J.]

oh heck, that is not the case at the DIVI AI or at Tamarijn.
each of those places which has a shared program numerous restaurant choices....

at the tamarijn we love the paparazzi restaurant and their buffet is pretty good and their pizza bar is great. at the divi ai, we love the red parrot.

as lisa said in a previous post.........tamarijn sell out

book sooner rather than later.

I like the idea of all inclusive, but didn't like in the DR that only like one resturant was open each evening for dinner..that was a drag!

[suebee329]

Ok...that is great info! So, can you tell me a bit more about the Divi Village or is that not the best of the 3 Divis that I am considering for my girls? It looks beautiful, but it isn't on the beach..how far away is it? Think I am definitely considering the Tam...how easy is it to get golf carts to get around the area and is there a charge every time you use them?

[Andrea J.]

divi village is not even moderately inconvenient to the beach.......it is a short walk by their pool, cross the street and you are on the beach.

divi golf timeshare units are more inconvenient to the beach, but there are frequent golf cart like tram shuttles AND there is no cost to them although tipping is appreciated.

[suebee329]

I think I am getting confused. Not including the Divi Golf Resort and the Divi Phoenix, are there 3 resorts or 2 that are in that area? I see the Tamarijn, the Divi, and the Divi Village...are 2 of those one in the same??

[Andrea J.]

In that DRUIF BEACH AREA
1. Divi all inclusive hotel
2. Tamarijn all inclusive hotel
3. Divi Dutch timeshare ON the Tamarijn campus
4. Divi Village is across the street from the Druif Beach and the Tamarijn all inclusive hotel.

5. Divi Golf village is about 150 yds back on a rd perpendicular to Druif Beach.
6. Divi Phoenix is about a mile to mile and half up the road directly on the beach.

[suebee329]

Ok....I was getting mixed up! That helps so much...thanks!

[Arubalisa]

I had written this for my blog:

I know it is extremely confusing...the only actual hotel resorts in the list below are the Divi All Inclusive and Tamarijn All Inclusive.

They are full hotels and not timeshares.

First I will list the Divi Resorts

Divi Phoenix- timeshare
Divi Village- timeshare
Divi Links- timeshare and condos
Divi Dutch Village- timeshare
Divi All Inclusive
Tamarijn All Inclusive

The Divi Phoenix is the only "Divi" on Palm Beach. It is a timeshare and does not offer an all inclusive.

Divi does sell above timeshares as vacation packages. For reservation purposes they include the Divi Village and Divi Links together as one property. The way to distinguish between the two is that at the Divi Links, the units are "golf villas". I do not believe the condos are yet completed and are still under construction. The Links are terrific for someone looking for a "pool vacation". The units are very far from the beach. The Divi Village is closer to the beach, you only need to cross over a small road to get to the beach.

Again, the Divi Village is the section closer to the beach. The "Links" are the units much further back from the beach and they refer to it as the "Divi Village All Inclusive Villas".
This map http://www.diviaruba.com/webmaps/index.html shows these as well as...

The Divi Dutch Village is located behind the Tamarijn and is not directly on the beach. There are pathways between each of the Tamarijn's buildings to gain beach access. Beach and shade palapas are shared with the guests of the Tamarijn All Inclusive.

http://www.arubabound.com/accommo/divi_map.htm Divi Map
http://www.arubabound.com/accommo/tamarijn_map.htm Tamarijn Map

Divi/Tamarijn sells the Dutch Village as "Tamarijn Aruba All Inclusive Garden Suites" on their websites.