Just got back from the Ocean Club (first time) and it was wonderful! No complaints from me! The property is perfectly located...walk along the beachwalk to all the best places to eat/shop, very safe, and no rental car needed! The rooms were very clean (and I'm picky), and the staff was extremely friendly. The concierge will set you up with anything you want to do on the island. The pools were beautiful and quiet...the swin up pool bar is currently under construction, but we didn't hear any construction noise at all, and it will be even nicer when it's complete! (In the meantime, they are giving out $5 frozen drinks to compensate for the lack of pool bar...not a bad deal when you consider they are regularly priced at $11!) The only reason you MIGHT want to consider the Surf Club over the Ocean Club is if you have kids that will want to use the lazy river. Ocean club guests cannot use Surf Club pools, and vice versa. That being said, we NEVER had an issue getting a chair by our pool, or reserving a hut/palapa down on the beach, whereas the Surf Club pool seemed a little more chaotic. For an even quieter/secluded experience, the Marriot Stellaris Resort/Casino seems to be for adults only. But all three resorts are inter-woven and connected. Be sure to eat at La Vista (at the Stellaris) at least once! Amazing! We'll definitely be back to the Ocean Club, no question!

First trip to Aruba, Marriott Ocean Club is a really nice resort. The pool is nice but if you have kids the Surf Club next door is a better option (could not use that property this week which was a bummer for our 12 year old son). We did use the Marriott Hotel pool quite a bit since they allowed our son to throw his football (no ball throwing of any kind at Ocean Club and this was strictly enforced by security). The beach area is probably the nicest we have seen and the snorkeling is excellent. Food at the resort is very expensive (lunch for 2 adults and 1 child with one round of drinks was on average $65 with tip) but there is a really nice supermarket 5 mins way called Super Foods if you want to buy groceries. Service was very good and the rooms were in great shape. Island is very safe and easy to drive (very pleased with National Car Rental). We will certainly be back!

I'm writing this on our last of 7 days at the Marriot Ocean Club since its the first day in a week that we haven't awakened to a beautiful sunny day. Nonetheless less its been a terrific stay. Upon our arrival, checkin was smooth and easy, our two bedroom ocean view was on a high floor and well located not to mention clean and perfectly maintained. I'm a stickler for little things in hotel rooms, like chipped tiles, worn carpet, moldy shower grout etc... And none of these were present. As a matter if fact, although the feeling at the Ocean Club is more condo than hotel, I really couldn't find fault with any of the facilities. It seems that management is really on their game.

We have never stayed in a timeshare before and really didn't know what to expect. Our preferred travel accommodations are higher end 4 and 5 star traditional hotels but I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. Not only were all of our needs met but the price was considerably less and since we were traveling with our two sons but two of their friends as well, this was welcomed. As a side note we also rented a one bedroom lock off unit in addition to our two bedroom.

If I could say there was one downside it was the price of meals and drinks but this is always expected. We had planned to go food shopping and this would have dramatically reduced the cost of meals but when it was all said and done it was easier to eat out. The restaurants we visited off site were fantastic including Madam Jeanette's (5star) , Papiamento(4+), Aqua Grill (4.5) and Smokey Joes for great BBQ. The La Vista Restaurant at the Marriot Hotel next door was terrific for buffet brunch.

Here are a few tips that you may find helpful. Visit the Marriot Vacation desk and request a "Blue Card" as this will save you 10% at a number of the Marriot restaurants. Consider renting a car from Hertz in the hotel lobby during your stay as cab rides can get expensive if you go off site often as taxi fares add up. If you find a beach umbrella/hut that you like, consider paying the $10 fee to reserve it for the next day since the prime locations go fast. We did not experience any issues with getting decent beach chair locations as have been mentioned elsewhere in these reviews.

Last but not least, we were here during week #50 and today started the arrival of the week #51 guests that included large families and plenty of young children. If this is not your cup of tea I suggest avoiding the Christmas Holiday weeks. Additionally, you can get very attractive sublet rates from timeshare owners who are renting their units on redweek.com. We paid $2200 for our two bedroom ocean view and $1100 for our one br for the week. Comparable rooms would have been at least twice that via Marriot or one of the popular travel sites had we stayed in the hotel.

Stayed here with a friend and the property to clean and comfortable. The 1 bedroom apartment was nicely sized with a full size kitchen. We were able to purchase groceries in town and cook most of our meals in the apartment. The patio was great with a side view of the beach. It was nice to be able to use "most" amenities at the adjoining Marriotts. One big negative as far as I was concerned was that beach chairs (2 chairs with a shaded hut) were $15 a day to reserve OR you could get up at the crack of dawn and get in line for a chance at getting one of the "free" chairs.