This was our 3rd time back to the Holiday Inn in Aruba. The first was in 1999, the second 2009, and the third this past October. The beach is the big draw to this resort - it is longer and wider than the adjacent resorts. Not sure why but the water was not nearly as clear as before, almost murky. We stayed in the Bonaire Tower, 6th floor, room # 6617. Very updated and bathroom was brand new. Book this room if you go here. The resort was kept up well enough and the staff was very friendly and accomodating. Some changes I have noticed over the years....the food has steadily gone downhill with each visit. We always take the all inclusive so it can be disappointing. Ironically the Iguana Bar had better finger foods while the restaurants struggled. My advice : hire a top notch chef and a real onsite (not substitute from another function) restaurant manager and problem is solved. They have to keep their red wines at the proper temperature and not standing in the hot weather. I prefer wine but switched immediately after being served a glass of hot red wine - yuck. Other than the food it served our purpose for a 5 day/4 night getaway. Pack your own snorkel equipment. They stopped including non-motorized watersports equipment last year. The casino was dead and next to no night life here, maybe because it was off season? All in all we enjoyed our time at this resort but now that our son will be turning 13 and no longer fits the Kids under 12 stay and eat free criteria we will be moving on. I was able to justify moderate lodgings and less than medicore food because I was only paying 3K plus change for 2 adults and 1 child. Now that he's classified as an adult we will try the Divi or RIU next. Bon Bini!

Stayed in the Aruba tower. The room was very clean and updated with nice furnishings. The bathroom was very clean and the bed was very comfortable. We had a small balcony with two chairs, an end table, and a view of the garden and the ocean. There was a small refrigerator in the room which came in handy for storing cold drinks, snacks. The common areas in the hotel were nicely maintained. The staff were not super attentive or friendly, but we didn't have any bad experiences. The beach -- which is why you go to Aruba -- is great. The hotel has a very good system for reserving a palapa. The beachside bar is convenient and makes good drinks -- the food was only ok. The pools are really nice -- one for kids, the other for adults. There were plenty of lounge chairs.

The high-rise area is busier than the low-rise area which means that the beaches are a bit more crowded and less peaceful than the low-rise area. The advantage to the high-rise area is that there are plenty of restaurants and shops nearby. This is a Holiday Inn -- it is not a luxury property -- it is very well run and well maintained. This hotel is a great value.

I stayed here for the 1st week of my 2 week Honeymoon. This place was ok. The mini fridge is really a mini fridge. For a place where the all-inclusive is optional, they don not really help those that do not choose the all inclusive package by not offering rooms with microwaves. Room are pretty dull and plain. We were suppose to have a king size bed but we got 2 twin bed put together with a gap in the middle. Yup, awesome. Not. This hotel offers great pricing but you get what you pay for. Aruba is definitely a place to visit & revisit. Just be wise and choose a better hotel.

Just returned from the H.I.We spent 7 nights at the H.I. Check-in went smoothly. Room was ready at 1pm, which was a plus. We had a partial ov room on the Playa Linda side of the building. It was fine. There is a view of the parking lot, the street and the beach/ocean. The room was clean. I think our maid did a great job daily. Plenty of towels. The bed was comfortable & the linens were clean.
The couch was dated. The furniture dated as well, but sufficient.There was a table & chair set, two medium dressers, two bedside tables, a flat screen tv and a large closet with safe. Nothing fancy here.The ice machine on our floor didn't work for the 1st few days. I notified the front desk and the next day it was working. The hall carpet needs to be replaced. This is a basic hotel with no frills. The majority of the staff was kind. The beach staff is great and the grouds keepers always said hello and had a smile. It makes a difference.
The beach is beautiful. Some huts need repair. Hut 4 has a big hole in it. Looks like they are replacing some with plastic huts.Can't really tell they are plastic! They can use some new beach loungers.
We had pretty good weather for this time of year. Some big waves though! The ocean water our 1st day was kindof murky green. However, they had rain 3 days in a row prior to our arrival. By the 2nd day it was a pretty blue.
If you are looking for a hotel on a great beach will no bells & whistles, then you should stay here. Would we stay here again? Probably.The island itself is very safe and very Americanized. We like islands that are a little more exotic, but Aruba is dependable.
There are great restaurants within walking distance from the H.I. There is also a grocery store nearby. It is Kung Fui's. We walked to it. About 10 minutes or so. The room also had a fridge so you can keep drinks in it. That is one thing I love about this hotel. You do your own thing. If you want to bring a cooler to the beach, it's not frowned upon. We had a great vacation.