Radisson Aruba Resort And Casino: Trip Review

My wife and I love this island and we agreed that the Radisson Aruba it was an excellent place to stay. The staff was very friendly and the gardens are beautiful. The room was a little smaller than I expected, but it was very clean, comfortable, and well decorated. The Island itself is very expensive, and although Aruba has its own currency, everything is charged in US dollars inside and outside the hotel. Don’t bother with hotel transfers as taxis are readily available outside the airport for cheaper than the hotel shuttle. If you want to lounge on the beach under a palapa, you must get one before 7 am or after 4 pm, but the beach staff will help you find a comfortable spot if you want a shaded area and have missed the palapa. (The sunsets are beautiful!) We walked the beach and found that the Radisson had the best.

Everything was great at Radisson Aruba, especially the service. The two pools were very nice and the beach was just beautiful. The food was excellent at Gilligan’s, however, at the most expensive restaurant, “Sunset Grille”; the food was just above average, although the service was great. Food is generally very expensive, especially in hotels. The hotel room was very nice, however the bathroom was a bit small and the shower and tub were too small. The bathroom tub/shower ceiling was too low. Overall we had a very good experience at this hotel.

Although the hotel restaurants are great, they are expensive. If you want to save money, especially on breakfast or lunch, there is a strip of restaurants across the street (within walking distance). Try SALT and Peppers!!! Great inexpensive place with very friendly staff and good food. We waited until our third day and wish we had discovered this place right away!

Be sure to go downtown to the store and buy drinks to put in a cooler that you can request at the front desk. Drinks can be expensive, 1 can of Coke is $1 and fountain drinks are $3. Also, fountain drinks are not free refills at any restaurant. Another tip: Take the local bus into town, it’s only $2 round trip and runs every hour.

Rent a car to see the island. It is worth the money if you book online before the trip. Dude had the best prices. Don’t go all-inclusive if you like a variety of foods, but expect to pay an average of $40 per person per meal. Arubans speak 4 languages ​​(expect friendly treatment); if they speak 2 they are foreigners working on the island (we found their treatment not very pleasant). Don’t miss The Flying Fishbone restaurant if you value the dining experience but don’t care about prices (the snapper was amazing!).

More Aruba resort reviews and traveler tips here: Aruba All-Inclusive Resort Reviews by Travelers