***Winner: TripAdvisor's Best Review with Photos Contest, week of July 14th, 2005***

I was in Aruba in late April/early May of this year for the first time. My husband and I were on our honeymoon. The Marriott came highly recommended to us, so we booked it - and we were glad we did. We visited many of the other hotels while in Aruba - and the Marriott was absolutely the right choice.

From the moment we walked in to the lobby, we were sold. It was beautiful - we were greeted with smiles from everyone and icy cold welcome drinks.

Our room wasn't ready - so we walked around the property and went to La Vista for lunch (loved this place, there's a salad on their menu that I still think about!). Very casual and the prices were good. We went here several times during the week. We walked around the casino and checked back and our room was ready for us.

WOW!

We had decided, prior to booking, that we were going to splurge for the Executive King Suite. We didn't regret a single dime of the splurge. This room was incredible. While we've noticed that most of the rooms (and the balconies) at this hotel were bigger in size (the size of the rooms and balconies - and having so many more ocean rooms are a few of the reasons we chose the Marriott over the Hyatt) - this room was HUGE. Probably the size of 2-3 standard rooms together. It has a wrap-around balcony with the 'glass walls' and the view was absolutely incredible. I would recommend getting the 4th floor or higher (we were on the 5th) or your magnificent views will be obstructed by palm trees. Ours were not. (I believe our room number was 526.)

If you’re there for an anniversary or HM, let them know: we had a bottle of champagne on ice waiting for us in our room with a sweet and thoughtful note congratulating us on our marriage, etc.

We ordered room service for breakfast our first and last mornings in Aruba and, while relatively pricey for breakfast - we LOVED it. A pleasant staff member knocked on our door and rolled breakfast right out on to the balcony for us and set it up. The food was always hot, and delivered within 30 minutes.

We spent the rest of our first day exploring the hotel, spending some time by the pool, and relaxing on our wonderful balcony and taking in the views.

Our first full day in Aruba - we went and spent some time with the concierge service making arrangements for dinner and excursions. El Gacho was the only reservation we'd made prior to arriving in Aruba (as I'm sure you've heard/read - the food is incredible - I highly recommend it if you love steak.)

We were finished with all of our plans in under 1/2 hour - it was effortless and pleasant.

During the course of our week, we were going to have dinner at Tuscany's, Simply Fish, El Gaucho. We were also going to do a two a two-hour horseback riding excursion - go snorkeling for 1/2 day on De Palm Island - and we were going to KuKu Kunuku (open air party bus).

Tuscany and Simply Fish are both restaurants at the Marriott Hotel.

We decided to save Simply Fish for our last night in Aruba. We made a sunset reservation (6:20) - had a table right next to the water with an amazing view of the sunset. The staff were attentive and pleasant - we were never rushed. The food was delicious. I had the best L'Orange Grey Goose Cosmopolitan in Aruba that evening. Having lobster and shrimp and cocktails with your toes in the sand just can't be beat - I'd highly recommend this restaurant. Very romantic!

Tuscany has no outdoor seating. The restaurant itself is quite lovely - and has good Italian food. We liked it a lot, but we didn't love it. Felt like we could have (should have) had that meal back in New York.

Other times, we just had a big breakfast or a late lunch, etc. Iguana Joe's (in town) was great. Icy cold drinks and the best quesidiallas I've ever had. Also had lunch at a small, casual place called Salt & Pepper. It was across from the Hyatt and surrounding hotels. The food was really great. I had a cold pasta salad with sliced steak in it. Loved it.

Back to the Marriott. We really enjoyed this hotel.

The casino was a blast. We stopped in every day and we won money! It was great, and saved us additional trips to the mac machine. Caribbean Poker is a lot different than Vegas/Atlantic City - but fun! (FYI, this is deemed to be the “largest” casino in Aruba.)

Next to the lobby bar is a small 'restaurant' where sushi is served. This was the freshest and most delicious sushi we've ever had. Definitely stop by for some sushi and a drink.

The pool area at the Marriott is amazing. Love - LOVE the swim-up bar and the waterfall. There are plenty of lounge chairs - drinks and snacks are served at the pool area every day.

Here's the trick - if you want to get a lounge at the pool under an umbrella - or if you want a hut down on the beach - you need to be up and on line early. This wasn't a problem for me and my husband, but some people weren't overjoyed about it. It's safe to stay that a line starts forming at around 6:30 - 7:00. You'll get a prime hut (closest to the water) (the #100’s) and great seats at the pool if you arrive at this time. Lots of times we even noticed that people kept towels from the day before and put them out on the lounge chairs by the pool by 6:00 a.m.!!!

The truth is - you're probably not going to be able to spend much time by the pool OR on the beach without the hut/umbrella. It's not as "heat-stroke HOT" as everyone writes that it is - but it's hot - and the sun is strong - and you definitely want some shade, especially 11:30-2:30.

(Which brings me to another tip - bring LOTS of sunscreen with you. You'll be paying $20.00 a bottle for it in Aruba if you don't.)

Back to the pool area - it's amazing. Lots of iguana friends hanging around every day chilling out on the rocks and minding their own business. Pretty intimidating at first - but I learned to love them by the end of the week. (They’re harmless>)

The beach...another WOW! People kept asking about the wind - and were we getting sand whipped up in our faces....No. The breeze was never anything more than refreshing.

And the water...the most beautiful - warm - calm - amazing...I loved it. I felt like I was in the biggest swimming pool in the world.

Water sport excursions can be found right there on the Marriott beach, which is also very convenient.

We weren't prepared as far as cell phones or calling cards went - but - have no fear, there were internet kiosks down in the lobby (near the second casino entrance/exit) and they were very inexpensive and a great way to get a quick message to everyone back home.

Oh - and did I mention the coffee/pastry/ice cream/snack kiosk that's also in the hotel lobby? You need to start out in a jog and work your way up to a full-blown run through the lobby and to your elevator as to not stop for German chocolate cake every night. Seriously though - this place is great. All kinds of cakes and pies and treats. Low fat yogurt and ice cream and toppings. Cappuccino and coffee and tea and sandwiches and bagels and muffins and Croissants, etc. This is a great place to stop for a quick breakfast or lunch. The food is fresh and good. It's a hotspot!

Some other Aruba tips - The bus is a great means of transportation. Safe and clean and reliable. $1-$2 will get you to all of the other hotels and in to town.

I might have a few more tips on The Marriott - but, if you're looking for only a hotel review, maybe stop reading now. If you're looking for extra information on Aruba - keep going.

Speaking of town - it's worth it to go in for a day and look around. I have to say that I wasn't incredibly impressed. One jewelry store after another after another. Ho hum...I was hoping to see more local flavor and flair. Not so much.

The snorkeling excursion to De Palm was a lot of fun. I'd never been snorkeling before, so it seemed like the perfect "baby step" way to go about it (although - you can go out as far as you'd like, so it's not just for beginners). A bus picks you up at the hotel in the morning and takes you to the Pier and you hop on a small boat and get taken across to the island. Once there, you're given instructions on how things work - and you're not bothered again for the rest of the day. All food and drinks are included - as is the snorkeling equipment, etc. There's even a spa on the island. It was a great time. (We felt like 1/2 day was enough, and we were glad that we didn't spend the whole day.)

Horseback riding was great, too. Picked up at hotel - taken to ranch - took the two hour private tour and enjoyed it. I'm not going to paint any pictures, though - it's a bit rough. For those who haven't seen the "other" side of Aruba - it's very desert-like. There are lots of rocky trails and hills and cactus, etc., but you come down a hill on to the beach and it's incredible. You can't even believe you're on the same island with the way the surf is pounding. We went for the morning tour and - it was pretty hot. By the afternoon, when we were heading back to the ranch, it was REALLY hot. I highly recommend wearing a very light shirt - lots of sunblock - and a hat.

Last, but certainly not least, KuKu Kunuku. The very best time on Aruba. It was like Mr. & Mrs. Gone Wild! So much fun for "kids" of all ages. (We met people who were 20 - we met people who were 79 - no joke.) (The 79 year old woman was one of the "girls" dancing on the bar at our 2nd stop!)

A crazy painted bus will pick you up at your hotel. You'll know it's coming, before you see it, because you'll hear the music pumping as it's rolling up the driveway of the hotel. You're handed a maraca that's yours for the evening, and you'll use it a lot. Your first stop will be up to the lighthouse for a champagne toast, and your "guides" will give you a rundown of the evening. The views up at the lighthouse are amazing, and we were leaving just in time to see another amazing Arubian sunset. Your first stop will be to a private home (mansion) and you'll be served dinner outdoors under palm trees wrapped with white lights. The food is nothing to rave about, but the ambiance can't be beat. Part of the excursion is that your first drink will be "on the house" - that includes your first drink with dinner. You're then taken to three "local" bars - one is karaoke - at one you'll be dancing on the bars, etc.

I'm so glad we did this. I'd definitely recommend it, no matter what your age!

I hope you found this review helpful. Feel free to email me with any additional questions.

Enjoy Aruba!