By D.L. Hughes
The 900-room Marriott Aruba Surf Club, located on Palm
beach, offers one-, two- and three-bedroom suites with full kitchens, dining and living rooms. Each unit includes free wired Internet access and the largest units have two connections. The only restaurants at the high-rise
resort are two outdoor cafes, but the adjacent Ocean Club and Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino offer a wide range of restaurant choices from sushi to steak. The resort has a large pool area, a lazy river and easy access to the beach that includes a cordoned-off swimming area for safety.
Wows and Woes
Wows:
Floating around the lazy river is a fantastic way to spend the afternoon, and the resort even has a free air station for your float.
There are planned activities for both kids and adults every day, but there is no pressure to participate. Join as many or as few as you want.
Woes:
Reserving a palapa is an ongoing problem. The reservation procedures change frequently and you must be at the beach hut by 7 a.m. to get a same-day reservation. If you want a lounger by the pool, show up by 7 a.m.
Insider Tips
Bring your own pool float from home. The resort does not rent them and they are expensive in the hotel market.
The swim-up pool bar features a 2-for-1 happy hour every afternoon. Children are allowed in the area and the bartenders enjoy making non-alcoholic frozen drinks for them. It's a relaxing and inexpensive way to end the day.
For an ocean view from your balcony, ask for a room above the fifth floor.
Author's Most Memorable Moment
After a long day of flying, rental car delays and a wrong turn on the way to hotel, we dumped our luggage in our room and headed for the pool. Since none of us brought a float, we formed a middle-aged human raft and floated down the lazy river. By the second circuit, our grumbling had turned to loud laughter. It was a perfect beginning to a fabulous vacation.
Bottom Line
This is a great resort worth the cost. There is so much to do that you could never leave the resort and still have a great vacation.
Resources
About the Author:
D.L. Hughes has been a freelance writer and reporter since 1990. Her experience includes work as a reporter at the "Tribune-Herald" in Texas and an editor at the "Star News" in California. Her specialties are travel and health writing. Hughes holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and a Master of Business Administration from Loyola College.
