This was our second stay at the Holiday Inn and we will definately be staying there on our 3rd trip. For the price you cannot beat the value of this hotel. Just a few things.

***The beach is fantastic, the water is so calm and clear. Get a raft and float.
***The food is average all inclusive / cruise stuff. Buffets, etc..
***The staff is very nice, if you know how to treat them. Be nice, they work very hard to try and keep everyone happy. I get more upset on how people treat the staff than anything else, which leads me to my next point...
***TIP THE STAFF.. We take about 150 in ones and fives just for tips.. Leave 5 a day for your housekeeper and tip the bar and wait staff. All inclusive doesn't mean not ever tipping for decent service.
***Children: alot of them, good parents spending time with their kids having fun and teaching them manners. Some other parents, not so much, be prepared for a few parents who have no control over their children. The one pool is intended for adults, however it is always filled with kids. Get a beach hut and head for the beach, it's much more peaceful.
***The island: Get out and see something recommend the ATV tour and definately snorkeling. Also take the bus into town and hit the shops, restaurants, etc..... It's cheap, easy and will bring you right back to the hotel. $2.30 round trip.
***Appreciate and respect the beauty of this island and leave it the way it was when you got there. Find a starfish? Please put it back, please don't take it to dry up on your balcony so you can try and take it home.
***If you booked at the Holiday Inn, and are worried about certain reviews posted here, don't worry, a vacation in Aruba will be everything you want it to be, and the staff at the Holiday Inn will help to ensure that.

After reading many poor reviews about this hotel, I was very worried my trip to Aruba would be ruined. However, I am so glad that I stayed here and I will continue to stay here in the future. Please keep in mind that it is a Holiday Inn and you get what you pay for. If you want to go all out, then stay at one of the other high-rise hotels on the strip.
My wife and I stayed in an Ocean Front Superior Room in the Bonaire Tower on the 7th floor from June 16 - June 23. Our room was clean and very sanitary. The shower was weak coming out, but I believe it was because we were on the 7th floor and wasn't really a big deal. Our room was cleaned great every day and always restocked with clean towels and soap.
Palm Beach was beautiful and having the ocean right at the hotel was great. There was very little seaweed and not clumps all over the beach. It was very hard to notice. The pools were great and there were a lot of kids swimming, but they didn't bother anyone. The pools were a good temperature and clean all the time. Everyone has been complaining about getting up at 6 a.m to wait for a Palapa Hut. I got one everyday and was able to walk right in at 7:45 a.m. and get a hut in a great location. They started assigning them at 7:30 a.m. If you wanted one right on the water, then maybe go ahead and wait, but if you don't mind and just want to get one, then you don't need to wait. There was a small line, but nothing as bad as described.
There was plenty of cabs available all day and everyone from the front desk, bartenders, cleaning staff, casino staff, etc. all had a smile on their faces and were more than willing to help you at any time. The breakfast buffet at the corals restaurant was not the greatest and a little overpriced at $14 per person if you aren't all-inclusive, but if you need a quick breakfast it will suffice.
For the money I saved and the location of the hotel, I couldn't have been happier with my stay. Do not be worried about staying at this hotel. Just know that it is not a five-star resort, but the stay was wonderful and I will definately stay here again.

The service and staff were pleasant and efficient. The hotel is very large and the beach is very crowded. In fact, if you want covered beach space you have to be in line by 7AM . There are not enough for all the guests. The beach is lovely but when we were there the water was very cloudy and full of seaweed.This is not the hotel's fault but it did take away from our trip.Just be prepared the hotel is large and can create a very crowded beach which can become noisy. Not one of our favorite trips to the Caribbean.

This review is looooong overdue, but I figured it might end up helping someone anyway.

Like most others that have reviewed this hotel, I have to say that you are getting what you pay for. Just for some background, our trip to Aruba was just after my Husband got out of the Navy and we wanted to take a trip to reconnect but knew we couldn't blow a boatload of cash since he was now without a job.

Multiple people where I work recommended the Holiday Inn, so we decided to give it a shot.

Upon arrival, check-in went smoothly and we were directed to the "C" tower (which unbeknowst to me was the only one that hadn't undergone renovations). We arrived and weren't thrilled with our room but like my title states...it's a Holiday Inn, what do you expect??

Our main goal for the trip was to get some sun, have some drinks, eat at a few good restaurants and just enjoy ourselves in Aruba...the hotel didn't really make too much difference. I would compare it to going to Disney World and staying at the All-Star Resorts (if you've ever been). Absoluately no bells and whistles, but a clean place to stay and sleep for the night before heading back out. If we wanted luxury, five star dining and turn-down service we would have gone elsewhere.

The only negatives that I can note is the thinness of the walls. We were in bed and almost EVERY night could hear the neighboring couple yelling at eachother as if they were in the same room. The pool was also a little bit of a sore spot, between all of the splashing screaming kids (again, to be expected) and the times they were closed to be treated with chemicals we didn't find ourselves getting much use out of them.

We ate out every meal (breakfast - I would definitely recomment Le Petite which is a few doors down, great breakfast for really cheap) so I can't comment on the food, however there were a lot of things I did like about the hotel.

The positives: the beach was GREAT. We didn't have any probem with coral, seaweed or the tractor making a lot of noise. The water was as warm as a bath you would draw at home and clear and calm the whole time we swam. The staff was extremely helpful. We were just staying in a basic room but the concierge was more than happy to help us call outside restaurants (El Gaucho, the Aqua Grill, etc.) to make dinner reservations and even took our picture when we got all dressed up for our nicest dinner of the trip.

I could go on and on forever, but all in all this hotel is what you would expect of a Holiday Inn anywhere you may travel to. It was clean enough, extremely affordable but did not come with any of the luxuries you may find in a pricier resort. I think their main crowd are families and other people who are on a budget, as well as people who plan to spend little or no time at their hotel while on vacation. If this is your situation, this would probably be the right hotel for you.

Next time we visit Aruba though, we will more than likely be spending the few hundred dollars extra and staying somewhere a little nicer...maybe an All-Inclusive.