For those going to Aruba...
Hope this helps! (this is a review I wrote back in October for a girl who planned on going to Aruba for her honeymoon)
All the restaurants we hit while there:
http://www.restaurantsaruba.com/print_selected_restaurants.html
Their Sites:
Flying Fishbone (Probably the best dinner experience and most romantic there… or anywhere I’ve been to for that matter)
http://flyingfishbone.com
El Gaucho (good steakhouse.. I wouldn’t say it’s the best like people claim, but the steak IS good)
http://www.elgaucho-aruba.com/
Garufa (cigar bar across the street from El Gaucho. Nice atmosphere if you or your fiancé like cigars)
http://www.garufa-aruba.com/
Passions Restaurant and Mango’s. (Both run out of the same hotel, Passions was dinner ON the beach, Mango’s is a small romantic restaurant located in the resort… amazing food for both)
http://www.amsterdammanor.com/en/passions_restaurant.html
http://www.restaurantsaruba.com/view_review.html?REST_ID=150 (good site to review most of the restaurants in Aruba)
DePalm Tours (great tour group which we booked the ATV’s through)
http://www.depalm.com/
Intermezzo Spa has a great couple’s massage package on the beach as well. AND CASINOS EVERYWHERE!! (I’m addicted, I can admit that)
Definitely rent a car… and don’t worry about getting lost... there are basically two main roads. (Although we managed to get lost 30 seconds out of the airport… but that’s us) You either go with the wind or against the wind. There are a few extra side streets in Downtown but they’re short and all bring you back to the main road. We did a lot of walking in the hotel high-rise area where we stayed but having the car was a big plus when we wanted to get to the restaurants.
I wouldn’t suggest doing an all-inclusive. You would miss out on some great food… unless they offer you some kind of discount through the hotel to go to restaurants outside the resort. I overheard some couples mention something about that.
We stayed in the Holiday Inn which was great for what we wanted… affordable but good ratings. You spend most of your time out of the room anyway… or in the room, but that’s another discussion. We walked around the Hyatt which was beautiful; the Riu was AMAZING as well and has gotten great reviews. The Occidental was very nice too. These are all on the beach... if you don’t mind being away from the beach… there is the Renaissance in Downtown which has everything you need in it… plus a water taxi to take you to it’s private island for swimming and relaxing.
All the restaurants we hit while there:
http://www.restaurantsaruba.com/print_selected_restaurants.html
Their Sites:
Flying Fishbone (Probably the best dinner experience and most romantic there… or anywhere I’ve been to for that matter)
http://flyingfishbone.com
El Gaucho (good steakhouse.. I wouldn’t say it’s the best like people claim, but the steak IS good)
http://www.elgaucho-aruba.com/
Garufa (cigar bar across the street from El Gaucho. Nice atmosphere if you or your fiancé like cigars)
http://www.garufa-aruba.com/
Passions Restaurant and Mango’s. (Both run out of the same hotel, Passions was dinner ON the beach, Mango’s is a small romantic restaurant located in the resort… amazing food for both)
http://www.amsterdammanor.com/en/passions_restaurant.html
http://www.restaurantsaruba.com/view_review.html?REST_ID=150 (good site to review most of the restaurants in Aruba)
DePalm Tours (great tour group which we booked the ATV’s through)
http://www.depalm.com/
Intermezzo Spa has a great couple’s massage package on the beach as well. AND CASINOS EVERYWHERE!! (I’m addicted, I can admit that)
Definitely rent a car… and don’t worry about getting lost... there are basically two main roads. (Although we managed to get lost 30 seconds out of the airport… but that’s us) You either go with the wind or against the wind. There are a few extra side streets in Downtown but they’re short and all bring you back to the main road. We did a lot of walking in the hotel high-rise area where we stayed but having the car was a big plus when we wanted to get to the restaurants.
I wouldn’t suggest doing an all-inclusive. You would miss out on some great food… unless they offer you some kind of discount through the hotel to go to restaurants outside the resort. I overheard some couples mention something about that.
We stayed in the Holiday Inn which was great for what we wanted… affordable but good ratings. You spend most of your time out of the room anyway… or in the room, but that’s another discussion. We walked around the Hyatt which was beautiful; the Riu was AMAZING as well and has gotten great reviews. The Occidental was very nice too. These are all on the beach... if you don’t mind being away from the beach… there is the Renaissance in Downtown which has everything you need in it… plus a water taxi to take you to it’s private island for swimming and relaxing.
