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Renaissance Hotels
£696
Fully refundable before Sun, 24 Mar
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Reviewed 17 February 2013

This is, overall, a good property. However, there are bad points.

Our room was clean and comfortable, with like-new furnishings, a mini-fridge, and ready wired Internet access (we bring our own WiFi router to use in the room). The bed was comfortable.

The bathroom was clean, but sorely used. The color layer was peeling from the tub in numerous places, making it look dirty, when in fact - and you have to look carefully to see - it was quite clean. The fixtures are likewise old, loose, and not in the best condition. The hotel's advertised $33M renovation clearly didn't apply to the more expensive, difficult-to-replace bathroom fixtures, which is a shame. The bathroom was otherwise in good condition and kept quite clean.

Aruba is windy; at almost all times in our room we could hear the wind whipping through the balcony rail (it's a "French" balcony - you can open the glass door but not really step out). We found the blowing wind relaxing; doubtless some would find it annoying.

The staff was friendly and efficient, and we found food and beverage prices to be about average for the island. That is, expect a cocktail to cost you around $8, except during happy hour when it's two-for-one at the hotel's bar.

This review is of the Marina tower, which is across the street from a marina and which does not have beach access. The tower has a very small pool - the entire deck and pool is around the size of a basketball court - behind the lobby bar. You do have access to the Ocean Suites pools and beach, which is across the street (~10min walk), and you have access to the private Renaissance Island. Children aren't permitted at the Marina bar or pool, making it quieter and giving it a South Beach-esque vibe. Renaissance Island is pleasant, with a small fitness center (mainly treadmills; a small rack of free weights and a bench are provided), a large bar/grill, and two beaches (one for adults only). Beach chairs are snapped up rapidly in the morning, especially ones in the shady spots (the adult beach features the fewest shady spots). Speedboats run about every 15 minutes from the Marina tower's lower level.

We stayed on Marriott points, and paid ~$20/nt for an upgrade - mainly guaranteeing the room type we wanted.

The "Naviagtor" (Renaissance's name for the lobby concierge) was helpful in securing restaurant reservations and activities.

This is not a "luxurious" hotel by most standards, although it is very nice. It is clearly an older property that was been well-maintained in general, although the guest room bathrooms show serious signs of age on the fixtures. The hotel offers an all-inclusive (AI) option, which we did not use; part of our goal for staying downtown was to explore the many local bars and restaurants. Be advised that the AI option does not include premium liquors, and that you have very limited on-site options for meals.

You're within a short walk of everything in Oranjestad, including funky bars, local restaurants, and numerous shops. Be aware that the town more or less shuts down on Sundays, unless a cruise ship is in port (which is rare on Sundays). Traffic down the main road can be abysmal at almost any time of day.

We will probably not stay at this hotel again, and will probably return to our usual Palm Beach haunts on our next trip. We've enjoyed the central location here, but tend to prefer a newer property that has been somewhat better maintained.

Room tip: Exterior rooms will have wind noise; lower floors will have traffic noise. Interior rooms look over the lobby.
Date of stay: February 2013
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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7  Thank jeepdon
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 16 February 2013

We were booked in this hotel by KLM as our flight had a delay. We arrived late in the evening had a couple of good cocktails at the impressive outside bar (excellent Maitai's a crisp Dry Martini & luscious Manhattan). The rooms were for once not ice cold as is usually the case in hotels that mainly cater for US guests - which we liked. The breakfast offered almost everything one could think of. The restaurant might have been a bit bigger as people were waiting a while to be seated.
The best is however the great view on the cruise ships in the harbour right from the (infinity) pool.

Date of stay: February 2013
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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1  Thank jvw1965
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 13 February 2013

Something good + something bad = 3 star review.

For starters: the Marina Hotel does NOT have beach access. You cannot step outside the hotel and be knee-deep in sparkling blue water within 20 feet.

People are being charitable about saying the bathrooms (and the rooms in general) need updating. Our first bathroom door did not close and the tub stopper was unattached from the drain. For starters. At $300 a night, I'm pretty sure those things should be included.

The front desk tried - really tried - to accommodate a room switch, but weather cancellations and Carnival made getting a different room impossible. When we did switch, our new room was arguably worse - no mattress pad, the shower curtain bar coming off the wall, the door handle coming off.

The good, because there's good: the private island is very nice. No problems getting a boat ride, even during peak hours. The pools at the Ocean Resort have a "lazy river" and a swim-up bar, and there's a (man made) beach head with a breaker, so you can still see fish in the deeper end.

No reliable wifi. Really?

Most of the staff is great. Desk staff, bartenders, many servers. There are truly friendly, hardworking people on the staff. And then there's the poor clueless lady working the adults-only side of the Island. Or the one in the Marina Hotel bar, for whom apparently getting a chicken quesadilla ordered takes 45 minutes.

Wouldn't recommend the Marina Hotel. I didn't see the Ocean Suites, but I can't believe they wouldn't be a significant upgrade over the Marina. If you have to stay Marriott or Renaissance, stay there.

Room tip: Don't stay low: outside room, you'll hear the street noise. Inside room, you'll hear the boat. (Marina Hotel.) Actually, skip the Marina Hotel entirely.
Date of stay: February 2013
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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3  Thank rockcreek_md
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 11 February 2013

My boyfriend and I went here in March of 2012. Needed a break from the cold winter in Toronto.
We read the reviews about this hotel which were very positive. We were not disappointed! It was amazing. The hotel is close to the airport, downtown on top of a shopping centre (expensive stores but fun to look around), has a casino, it's own private island to go swimming...the list goes on.
WE loved going to the beach everyday, either the private island or the beach in front of the hotel. You were waited on for lunch and drinks which I thought was awesome. The food was delicious and we totally got our money's worth doing the all inclusive. I highly recommend it!

our room was nice, bed was comfortable. Not fancy but who cares, we are there for the sun, beer, food and beach.

This was a unique hotel because they separate the adults only hotel and the family hotel. Our hotel, adults only, does not have it's own beach but the family one does and of course there is always the private island. I thought this would bother me but it didn't.

The beach and ocean are beautiful and the weather was amazing.
I'm looking forward to going back, except this time we will bring our baby :)

Room tip: Try to get a room that faces the outside of the hotel, some rooms face the inside of the hotel.
Date of stay: March 2012
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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2  Thank KaitlinF489
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 10 February 2013

I loved the fact that there was a private island. There were 2 pools 1 beach and 2 parts of a private island (adult exclusive and familly freindly), tons of drinks to choose from about 4 restaurants and some pretty nice rooms and an awsome location (2 steps away from most of the restaurants) .
I'd like to thank Andrey at L.G. Smith's steak and chop house for his great service

Room tip: 1st or 2nd floor are the best beacauseyou don't have to wait for the elevator 2 minutes you can just walk down the air condishond stairs
Date of stay: January 2013
  • Trip type: Travelled with family
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Thank Ethan_Glo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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