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Marriott Ocean Club Trip Report
August 26 - September 2, 2000
Sent in by: Dina
My trip report:
My husband and I left out of Newark Airport on Saturday, 8/26 for Aruba.
AIR ARUBA: We heard a lot of
awful things about this airline, but decided to take it anyway because it is a non-stop
flight. We only had a 45 minute delay going to Aruba, which wasn't bad. Staff seemed
pleasant, plane ride was smooth. We arrive at noon time in Aruba.
On the way home, Saturday 9/2, was a disaster. Our transfer insisted we leave 2 hours
before our flight to the airport. So we did with everyone else. We got there are already
our flight was delayed 1 hour. So instead of leaving at 4:00 PM, we should leave at 5:00.
Now it is only 1:45 at the airport, so everyone was kind of frustrated. They delayed us
another hour, then another. We didn't leave until 7:15 PM. Sitting at the Aruba airport
for that amount of time can drive someone crazy.
ARUBA AIRPORT is awful. There is no food, only ice cream and chips. There
is no bar, or a nice place to sit and eat. It was just really bad. Once we arrived on the
airplane to go home, the flight attendance were extremely irritated and took it out on all
of us. I simply asked for a pillow, and before I can even finish my sentence she said
"We don't have any more!". I said "Well what happen to them?". She
walked away and started talking in another language to another flight attendant. I found
them very unprofessional and were really nasty. Everyone on the flight was complaining. It
is too bad. But I will never fly Air Aruba again, that is for sure!
To top it off, my car service was going to pick us up from the airport and he tried
calling Air Aruba to see if our plane was on time. There was nothing but a short recording
saying business hours are over. There was no way for the car service to find out what time
we were landing. He told me he finds this problem all the time when people fly Air Aruba.
ARUBA CUSTOMS was a bad experience for us arriving in Aruba on a
Saturday. There must have been at least two flights that arrived in customs at the same
time and the lines were huge. It took us 1/2 hour to go through.
ARUBA MARRIOTT was delightful and most beautiful. The rooms are spacious
(walk in closet, couch, table, chair, desk and double sink in the bathroom). We had an
ocean front deluxe room. The Marriott is shaped like a "U" and we requested to
be inside the U so we can overlook the pool and ocean. It was wonderful. The beach is the
best, I think, out of all the hotels. I walk to most of the hotel to get a glimpse, but
didn't look at all of them. But from what I can see, the Marriott's beach is much less
crowded and nicer. The water is crystal clear, whereas near the Holiday Inn etc. there are
dark
patches in the water (with seaweed or coral). At the Marriott, there is a rope the goes
around the ocean to prevent you from going to the dark patches in the water. There are
servants that come to you on the beach that will give you food and drinks. The
beach huts are very popular. We had to wake up at 6:30 AM every morning to claim
a good one. By 8:00AM, they are all gone!
The POOL at the Marriott is great. There is a swim up bar and nice
waterfall that goes into the pool. Many lounge chairs and nicely set up - you don't feel
like you are on top of anyone.
The DRINKS are very expensive, but your on vacation. A frozen drink is
$6.50, at least. Take advantage of Happy Hour near the bar on the beach. At 4:00 - 6:00
they have "Buy one get one free drink".
On the beach, we noticed many stray dogs. We wanted to walk along the
beach at night to the other hotels, but the dogs were looking at us and following our
every move. So we couldn't walk. That was the only downside to our vacation.
We rented a car and drove to Baby Beach.
It is incredible. We did some snorkeling and it was very nice. We got lost going there but
we made it. The hotel said it is one road you can't get lost, but we did! There are many
turns on this one road but we finally made it. We also went shopping. There are plenty of
stores. We made an afternoon of it.
RESTAURANTS. Our favorite restaurant was Madame Janet's.
What a great, romantic place! Lots of food to choose from. I had the potato and leek soup,
then pork something or other. It was great. Very reasonable. Our next favorite was Valentino's.
Beautiful place, excellent food but a little pricey. We didn't care and enjoyed ourselves
very much. The staff was extremely professional and accommodating. We also ate at Hostaria
Da Vittorio which is across from the Hyatt. Very good Italian food, and pizza.
Pretty place, very reasonable. We didn't like Ole in the Hyatt and very
disappointed with the Lighthouse restaurant. The view and restaurant is very pretty but
the food is awful. I suggested just a drink at the bar, then leave to eat somewhere else. Tuscany
in the Marriott was also very good. Pricey. Nice piano music,
pretty place. El Gaucho
had excellent steak. There sangria was not very good -- way too sweet. Very loud place.
Across the street is a cocktail and cigar bar. We went there because my husband likes an
occasional cigar. I personally hate the smoke, but the smell wasn't bad. The filter the
room well.
WEATHER was nice, but
rained 5 out of the 7 days we were there. But the rains only lasted 5-10 minutes which was
nice to cool off a little. The sun is very strong. I stayed in the shade the last 3 days
of our vacation.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me: dina_m.iuliano@roche.com
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