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Aruba Phoenix Beach Resort - Trip Report
Traveldates not disclosed
Sent in by: kim
WARNING: If you want to read an Action Filled Trip Report, stop here! This is
strictly a relaxation report concerning the Aruba Phoenix!
Plane: Booked
through Travel Dimensions in North Reading, MA for the first
time. Would gladly use them again. Charter Flight, Non-Stop from Logan,
arrived in beautiful Aruba 4 hours and 10 minutes later.
Check-in: A little
frustrating, we got to the Aruba Phoenix at 1:00 in the
afternoon, but could not check-in until 4:00. Of course we didn't know this,
or we would have had our bathing suits in our Carry-on's!! We made the best
of it, had a great lunch at The Sunset Bistro (The Phoenix's Beach/Bar/Restaurant) then
went food shopping at Kong Hing for some groceries for our studio, by the time we got
back, they were serving a welcome punch to all the people waiting to check-in, after 2-3
of these delicious Rum and Fruit concoctions, waiting for the room really wasn't a
problem!!
The Room: Would
Sleep 4 comfortably (Queen Bed and one pull out double Sofa), Full size fridge,
Stove Top, Microwave/Convection oven, Coffee Maker,
Blender, Toaster, Saucepans, Frying Pan, Utensils, Cutlery and Place Settings for four.
*T.V. and VCR: Only
get approx 9 Channels including HBO, ESPN and local 4, 5 and 7 the news obviously comes
via Satellite, each day it was broadcast froma different state!
Bathroom: You don't
get the daily samples of Shampoo, Conditioner and Body Lotion that everyone steals...they
have dispensers on the wall instead, but there is a Hair Dryer!! I actually never used it,
a few minutes on our
Balcony in those beautiful Trade Winds did the trick!
The Downside: Our
room was on the 4th floor of the Tower. The Balconies had been partially scraped to be
repainted, looked pretty ugly in the photo's.
There is a god awful empty lot to the right of The Phoenix before The
Wyndham with Cargo Containers, very unattractive. The Ocean view was
partially obstructed on the left by the roof of the low rise rooms. I would
guess if you were on floors 6 or above, this wouldn't be an issue.
The Maid Service:
They Change the Beds, empty the Trash, and change towels. If you want them to Sweep the
floors, wash your dishes, or Fold up the Pull out Sofa, it is additional $$$ depending on
the size of your unit. For a
studio, I think it is $8.00 per day. Now I know why there was a broom and
dust pan included!!
Food Shopping: We
ate out every night, but did go to Hong King to get some necessary items. If you are going
to have a room with a Kitchenette, I would recommend Dish Detergent, Sponge, Paper Towel,
Paper Napkins. We also got Fruit, Cold Cuts, Bread, Cheese, Crackers, Orange Juice and
booze, the bill came to just around $45.00 US (at Kong Hing prices on shelves are in
Florins, not USD).
The Pool: Can't say
much on this subject, never used it (why would you with
the beautiful ocean). I did notice that there were two pools, very shallow,
definitely more for cooling off and socializing. This was the place to be for
activities. Every morning @ 11:00 Pool Aerobics, afternoon was Pool side
Bingo. I think there was also Pool Volleyball going on. Sunday was free
Mimosa's at 12:00, Monday was a Wine, Cheese and Cracker party, Wednesday Live
Entertainment, Thursday, can't remember and Friday a Farewell barbecue ($5.00 per person).
The Beach/The Ocean:
The Phoenix is the quietest resort I have stayed at on the Island, maybe because it is set
apart from the other Hi-Rises on Palm
Beach. You never had to get down early to reserve a hut. The Beach and Water were just
beautiful. Some Coral Underfoot, but I never felt the need to use WaterShoes on the sand
or in the water. Some patches of Seaweed, but you could easily avoid them. Water depth was
probably Chest High, very swimmable and warmer than Bath water. Spent approx 6 hours a day
in the ocean, maybe more. A Canoe, Paddle Boat and Rafts are all available at the Towel
Hut, not sure of the prices.
Food: I would say dinner each night for two (Entree, One Alcoholic drink
each, no Apps or Desserts) was approx $65.00 except for our last night, we
splurged.
Saturday: Tony Roma's next
to Holiday Inn. Good, casual, comfort food.
Sunday: Tired, stayed on
our property at The Sunset Bistro, romantic, table
on the beach, breathtaking sunset, delicious food.
Monday: The Bucanner: Good
Seafood in a great atmosphere. Each booth has it's own Fish Tank!! Bar built in the shape
of a ship. Great staff.
Tuesday: The Outback
located next to the Royal Cabana Casino near La Cabana Resort.Great Steak and even better
Wallabee Cocktails!!
Wednesday: Don Carlos
Italian on the Waterfront. Terrific Food, not huge
portions, but what a view! Watching all the Fisherman bringing in their rigs
and daily catch, along with the Mariachi band strolling down the pier.
Thursday: Well, there's
always got to be a bad one. We hadn't made any
reservations, so while at The Alhambra Casino tried Cleo's Sports Bar and
Grill located in the casino. Food was horrible, waiter, incompetent, no sports on T.V.,
lousy service. It was definitely an area just thrown together in an attempt to make extra
money.
Friday: El Gaucho.
What can I say, always a must on our last night.
Outstanding Argentinean Beef. Make Reservations as soon as you land on the Island, or by
Internet before you go, and confirm them when you get there. A gentleman next to us was
actually videotaping his meal, he couldn't get over the size of his Steak!! We splurged
and split a Shrimp Cocktail and two
drinks each. Bill was $83.00 before tip.
O.K., we weren't TOTAL Slugs. We did do a DePalm morning tour of The Island. I would
Highly suggest it if you can tear yourself away from the beach for 4 hours to take this
trip. This was my third trip to Aruba, and I saw so many things for the first time, and
Ernest our guide was very informative. Air
Conditioned Bus picks you up at your Hotel. For $25.00 pp, I think it was
well worth it. The only thing I would have enjoyed seeing was Baby Beach, but that is only
included on the longer tour.
Well, Ayo for now, I already have booked my next vacation for The Playa Linda in May of
2001!! If you have any questions on things I may not have covered, feel free to e-mail me.
Kim
kbutler596@aol.com
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