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Aruba Trip Report - Allegro Beach Resort
December 2 - 9, 2000
Sent in by: Mark Corrigan
This trip was booked well in advance through Apple travel tours.
According to Apple, this hotel is all inclusive and you can't have it any other way. So we
went all inclusive. We later found out via the women at the information desk, at the
Allegro, that you don't have to go all inclusive. You can get a just breakfast deal, that
would have been nice, and other packages
to choose from. Way to go Apple - lie to us!
The flight from Philadelphia to Aruba went off without a hitch. I must
say that the airport in Aruba has improved a lot since last years trip and customs was
also improved. We took a taxi to the Allegro since we did the bus last year and didn't
feel like stopping at all the hotels before arriving at the Allegro.
When we (3 people) arrived at the Allegro, we were assigned rooms on the
third floor with a beautiful view of the tennis courts from our balconies. These rooms are
considered "supreme" rooms. We had the receipt from Apple that we paid for
"deluxe"accommodations which is a pool side view with two beds in a room. Who's
fault here? Apple's or the Allegro? I blame Apple for not supplying the hotel with the
correct information. So now we all move up to the
seventh floor with pool side views and so far everyone's happy. I'm in a room myself and
my sister and her husband are in another room. When you are single and want a deluxe room,
you pay more for that room. If you had a room mate, your cost would be cheaper. I can
understand that.
After two days of the air conditioner running in my room, it's starts to leak water and
the carpet on the floor starts getting soaked. I called the front desk to let them know;
they sent a man up in about ten minutes. He said he would have to get a ladder and he
left; he never came back. It started leaking really bad the next day and I called the
front desk again to let them know. They
offered me another room on the ninth floor pool side.I took it and moved to the ninth
floor. This is my third room in three days.
A shot from the 9th floor of the pool at the Allegro.
In my
opinion, the Allegro Hotel has lost some stars from last years trip. The hotel is showing
its age compared to the other newer hotels along side of them but it's cheaper to stay
there compared to the other hotels.
A shot from the 9th floor of the view of the Caribbean.
I
want to let you all know about the restaurants in the hotel.
The Topaz Restaurant - You get a very nice buffet breakfast; enough food to feed an army
and breakfast was always excellent. The waiters and waitresses there were very courteous
and friendly. Lunch there were also very good and lots of food to choose from. The same
goes for dinner. It was a real treat to eat that this restaurant; one of the best places
to eat. Outdoor dining.
Grand Ball Room - Dinner and a show. The food was very good and lots
to choose from since it's also a buffet. Waiters and waitresses were very courteous and
friendly. The shows were also very good with actors and actresses from around the world;
they were not known names but they
were very good. Another very good place to eat. This is inside the hotel.
Caruso's - First-class place to eat. There menu was a little different from last year;
leaving out some things I was looking forward to. You have to make reservations at this
restaurant. You can do that in the hotel lobby during the day; no problem. Your guaranteed
at least one dinner here via a coupon in your package. Waiters are very good, courteous
and friendly here. A very nice
place to eat. This restaurant is inside the hotel on the lower level.
Papaya's & Tradewinds - Outdoor dining. Never had breakfast there; no
buffet just continental style. Lunch was okay, nothing to write home about. Dinners were
okay. My dinner meals could have been hotter; dinners were warm like they did a quick
re-heat job. The waiters there were another story. Not friendly, not too courteous. It put
you in mind that you were bothering them just being there. This restaurant is located by
the pool towards the
beach. It's outdoor dining. I don't recommend anybody going there for any meal. I don't
know how/why the hotel puts up with the attitudes of the employees working there.
The hotel has a new fitness center there; which is okay if you plan a trip to exercise.
Not that much activity in that room. We did the DE PALM tour of the island; something we
didn't do last year. If you go to Aruba, take a tour. There is a lot to the island that
you don't see if you just go in town and hang at the hotel. Our tour started at the
lighthouse and we got to see the natural rock
formations, the pro golf course, bat caves, gold mining locations, the
natural bridge
A shot of the Natural Bridge.
and snorkeled
in Baby Beach.
The tour is scheduled for four hours but it took just a little over six. Well worth it.
The casino in the hotel now has a cash bar. Didn't have that last year!
Yes, if you go all inclusive, you have to pay for your drinks (alcohol) if you get them
from the bar. That sucks. The hotel said that they have nothing to do with the casino. You
have to go to another bar in the hotel if you want drinks for free. There really not free,
you paid for them in your all inclusive package.
My brother-in-law is a diver and enjoyed the dive at the WWII German sunken ship.
All-in-all, we had a good time. We will probably do another island in the caribbean next
time. The Allegro is okay if you compare the prices of the other hotels. If I were you and
your planing to go to Aruba, don't do the all inclusive thing and try out the many
restaurant on the island.
You do your U.S. Customs in Aruba on the return trip so you don't have
to go through Customs when re-entering the U.S. That makes things faster and nicer when
returning. If you have never been to Aruba, GO! Pick from the many hotels located there
and have a good time. Save money and book directly from the hotel. Travel agencies like
Apple cost more and you don't always get the truth from them. The non-stop flight from
Philadelphia to Aruba, via Air Allegro, was nice.
Regards,
Mark
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