we stayed at the renaissance hotel and casino for 6 days and 6 nights and could have stayed forever. hotel is beautiful-private island is beautiful-restaurants in all of aruba especially el gaucho and pagopago at the westin were outstanding----town of oranjestad is very pretty with great shopping----all the casinos on the island were very good----liked most about this hotel was the convenience----the staff at the hotel did their utmost to see to your needs----we would certainly recommend this hotel to our friends and we are going back again,and again. the boat ride to the private island was very nice---the island had two beaches and both were extraordinary--plenty of cabana chairs and it was very clean.

I did this trip last minute in February. Aruba is absolutely beautiful. The weather is fantastic. It was february and about 95 degrees each day. The sun is very strong, stronger then other islands I have been to. We picked this hotel because the price seemed fair. The only problem I had was the hotel is not directly on the beach. Its on rocks. You must take a ferry to their private island. I was upset when I learned this but once I got to the private island it didnt matter, it was so worth it. The ferry actually goes into the hotel which is pretty cool. This private island is so remarkable it made my trip. I have been to a few places and this island was unbelievable. The man made beach located outside the hotel is not attractive, its more like a bay with rocks. If that was the only beach I wouldve been mad cause the water seemed gross, but then you go to the private island and say okay this is why I came. The service was okay. My room was blah. Aruba is a very clean island from what I saw. The locals are very friendly and unlike other caribbean islands, its dutch. Nightlife seems good, lots of bars by the hotel and casinos. With the exception of a few guys trying to sell us weed, the location was flawless. There is a good italian restaurant right across the street on a marina, we ate there 3 nights in a row, it was delicious. I would try a different hotel if I went back, maybe one directly on q beach, but it was a nice experience.

We stayed at the Renaissance Aruba Resort and Casino for our honeymoon (March 29th thru April 3). When we arrived at the hotel, we were greeted by workmen and an extremely loud jack hammer in the lobby. We could barely even here the staff at the front desk. When we went up to our room, we discovered that our room not only faced the lobby but we also had a clear view of the workmen and the noisy jack hammer!!

After waiting almost an hour to speak with the hotel manager, we were able to get our room changed to a partial view of the ocean and city. The manager was very understanding since I am sure we were not the first to complain. Unfortunately when we got to the room, it was much smaller. But at the sametime, we were pleased that at least we didn't have to see or hear the jack hammer.

The hotel itself was pretty clean. The beds were made early and the turn down service was well done. We thuroughly enjoyed the buffet breakfast but then again, we are really breakfast people. There was happy hour at the "Blue" bar where they had buy one drink get another free, however that pertained to the same drink pnly- you could not mix and match. We were a little disappointed with the drinks since everything seemed very watered down.

In regards to this hotel being a honeymoon spot- I wouldn't recommend it. The other Marriot hotels on the opposite side of the island have nice beaches and you really get a tropical feel of vacation. The private island that is offered through the Renaissance was nice, however if you are looking for a beach where you can hear the waves and see boats on the horizon, it is anything but that. The place itself was nice- it had two large lagoons with plent of seating and hammocks. There were even flamingos walking around. However, the airport was right on the horizon and you could hear the plane rev it's engines and take off as well as land all day long.

All and all, if we had to stay at a Marriot in Aruba we would stay at the other hotels where there are beaches to walk on and more restaurants to enjoy.

Realizing that we all have different expectations and travel experiences, I will try to stick to the facts. Here are the negatives of this place: (1) Airport is very close to the airport. Planes can be heard from the guest rooms. The Renaissance private island is literally adjacent to the runway. Not only is the sound a problem, but you can actaully smell fuel burning while you are on the private island (2) Layout of the adult "Marina" hotel is terrible. Many rooms face the pool. The lounge music plays until midnight. After asking for a quieter room I was moved to the top floor, away from the pool. This room faced the city. At night the strong winds would literally set off car alarms. Also, a party bus rolls by and all sorts of chaos can be heard. (3) Musty smell throughout the common areas of the hotel. (4) Guest rooms are in okay/fair condition: the bathtub must have been repainted at some point and was beginning to peel. The bathroom door had rusted hinges and fingerprint marks on it. (5) The private island is mostly rock with 2 manmade lagoons to swim in. You don't really get the "ocean" feeling complete with waves or a stroll on the beach. Here are the positives: (1) Gym is absolutely stunning. New, sleek and modern. Cool lighting and very clean. (2) while the private island is missing the waves and beach....it is private. So, no vendors trying to rent you waverunners, parasialing etc. It's low key and restful. (3) Business Center is also new and very comfortable to work in. Many internet stations and a nice printer. Price is only $8 for an hour.No need to bring laptop. (4) Food at the hotel was fresh and there were many healthy choices. Food at private island was also very good. Salads were crsip and resfreshing. (5) The hotel is attached to a luxury shopping mall with stores like Gucci, Bvlgari, bcbg, Cartier, Ralph Lauren. (6) Movie theature is on the resort premises with current movies showing.