Aruba Grand Beach Resort & Casino - Aruba

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We had a wonderful time! Visited: October 2005 Posted by rddssnyder It was our first time in Aruba. A group of 12 of us stayed here. The food was outstanding with excellent and friendly service. The rooms were well kept - with the exception of washcloths that were not left for two days. The pool was clean and very refreshing. The employees were especially kind and considerate to all of our needs. A special thanks to our best bartender ever - Clem. He went above and beyond to make our often visits to the outside bar a pleasure and most enjoyable. Thank you Clem for all you did for us. We hope to see you all soon! 2 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Aruba Grand Beach Resort offers true beachfront suites on Palm Beach. Visited: September 2005 Posted by thekeel Reader beware: This review was written by a hard-to-please fussbudget. Also, it pertains to the beachfront suites, not the rooms in the main building and not the lanai rooms. The rooms were spacious and relatively luxurious ground-floor rooms with a big private patio right on the beach and full kitchenettes. They also had a very good gym. It was a peaceful, adult-oriented atmosphere. The grounds were also nice. In addition, they had an uncrowded beach, with no problems getting your favorite spot. It was also an easy system for beach towels: You exchange your towel cards for towels, and if you don't turn in your cards at the end of your stay, you pay a fee. It made it easy to get clean towels as we needed them - with no lines! The less impressive things I encountered were: The service left a lot to be desired. The employees were mostly wonderful, and would bend over backwards for us, but the management seemed to be mostly absent or apathetic unless we were very persistent. We noticed a definite improvement in service this year over last year, though. The interiors of these units were uneven. They were very clean, and the bathrooms were great, updated, and attractive. However, the living room and bedroom furniture was heavy, dark, and showing age. Why is it so hard to find light, tropical room decor at so many resorts in Aruba? Also, maintenance could be spotty. For example, upon check-in, we had two dead light bulbs, a broken patio gate, and bird poop on our patio lounges. I thought these were things you shouldn't find in a true luxury resort. In addition, until we straightened it out, we kept being told we weren't entitled to certain amenities, like room service, bathrobes, and maid service because we were "time shares," which we weren't. However, these beachfront units were the ones the resort marketed as time shares. We had a look at the renovated oceanview suites in the main building, and they're really nice - especially the corner suites. The lanai rooms also looked attractive. But you can't beat the beachfront suites for location. This was the only resort we saw on Palm Beach where you weren't cramped like sardines on the beach. I only wish it were on Eagle Beach, where there aren't so many jetskis and boats going back and forth all day ruining the peace and quiet. Aruba Grand is expensive, but you get things you can't get at any other resort in Aruba - mainly those nice beachfront apartments, and a relaxed, quiet atmosphere on Palm Beach. In that respect, it's extraordinary. 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? This was truly Visited: April 2005 Posted by salvaggio1 As a young couple, my wife and I couldn't have had a more spectacular vacation. The Aruba Grand definitely had the nicest stretch of Palm Beach. All the other hotels' beaches seemed very crowded and cramped. We had romantic views of sunsets every evening. The staff here was very helpful in helping us book snorkel trips, tours, and sunset sailing trips. Downtown shopping and nightlife was a short cab ride away. In addition, the rooms were very spacious, the restaurant was excellent, and the bartenders and servers made us laugh every day. We just had the time of our lives! We hope to be back soon! 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Has the potential to be a great resort Visited: September 2004 Posted by keely It's a shame that the management of this resort isn't better because it could be one of the top resorts in Aruba. With the exception of a great housekeeping staff and wonderful bellhops, the main attitude here is indifference. My travel agent told me they're known throughout the business for this. We still stay here because it's got a lot going for it - a beautiful beach that isn't as crowded as the other resorts on Palm Beach; an adult, laid-back atmosphere; a great pool for swimming and a large gym with good equipment; and rooms that are right on the beach. Our one-bedroom apartment this time was less spiffy than the two-bedroom we had in 2003. We were here during the storm and we had a flood one night - the room leaked BUCKETS of rain and it took an hour for anyone from management to come help us; we were up most of the night emptying buckets and wringing out towels. We were not offered any type of compensation. In addition to that, the beachfront apartments sorely need upgrades in furniture (and storage - not a hook or shelf in sight except in the kitchen). The bathrooms are nice, though. I saw the deluxe oceanview suites up on the 7th and 8th floor. These have been recently upgraded and they are terrific. The lanai rooms are also close to the beach. If you don't want a loud, rah-rah party atmosphere but close access to everything, and if you're pretty independent & don't mind not being pampered, this might be a good place for you. My husband likes it because it's peaceful but close to the action. There are loads of restaurants nearby and we're also a 5-minute drive from the wonderful restaurants in the Noord section. You'll probably be asked to attend a time-share presentation. We did and the rates are more reasonable than for major resorts like Marriott, but the dates didn't work for us. You get some perks for attending, including casino chips. The casino is small - don't expect anything glitzy there. The on-site restaurants are decent and have good service. There's also a desk for Thrifty Rent-a-Car in case you need one for a couple of days. Rates are reasonable especially with the VisitAruba card. Oh, one more thing - between 4:30 and 5 PM the beach guards gather all the beach lounges and lock them up, no exceptions, so if you have any fantasies of relaxing on your lounge with a drink in your hand to watch the setting sun, forget it. If you have any other specific questions, you can e-mail me using thekeel (at) earthlink.net. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? The Bestest Place Visited: December 2003 Posted by tennispro31393 Bon Bini! Everyone from the Dutch Pantry, Pool Bar and Front Desk. You know who this is. It's Alex! I'm coming up in about 1 week!!!! This Hotel is the best. Can't miss a year of signing!! Be up in a week. Bye!!!!! 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? This is the best hotel. Visited: December 2003 Posted by tennispro31393 At the Aruba Grand Resort, you are provided with shade, food, watersports, a heated pool, and many other options (like T-Shirt Painting and Bingo on the beach which you play for money). Relaxation is right here at the Aruba Grand. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? What a peaceful escape on Palm Beach. Visited: September 2003 Posted by keely We had a two-bedroom oceanfront apartment with a huge patio right on the beach. We can't speak for the other rooms at the resort, but we loved our apartment's location, cleanliness and spaciousness, with white tile floors, lovely new bathrooms, and large kitchenette. The furniture was starting to show a little wear, but that's a minor complaint. As others have said, the beach was magnificent, and this resort was much quieter than any other place we saw on Palm Beach (we visited them all except Marriott). Other advantages were an Olympic-size swimming pool (not a luxury pool for lounging, but great for swimming) and a very good fitness center. The grounds were lovely and there were a couple of decent restaurants on the premises. It was very relaxing and there was no waiting in lines for towels -- this place felt more residential than anything (they also sold time shares). We liked it so much that we're returning this year. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Aruba is the best place on earth. Visited: April 2003 Posted by greengirl1821 The Aruba Grand Resort was just the best place ever. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Time to update this review board Visited: March 2003 Posted by rayjuswa The sign out front of the Aruba Grand has been replaced with a very tasteful and appropriate design. It was done over a year ago. Also the Grand offers rooms with kitchens. This review board should be updated every once in a while. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Aruba Grand is a quiet retreat. Visited: March 2003 Posted by teenadag My husband and I stayed at this property in May. The rooms were clean, the staff was friendly and the beach was serene. We booked the all-inclusive plan and were pleasantly suprised. There were only a couple of restaurants on the property, but the food was very good and there was a lot of it. There was a beach grill that served hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, etc. That was great for afternoons at the pool and beach. At night we dined in the main restaurant which had seating outside. Every night we had a beautiful view of the sunset with our dinner. In the mornings we had breakfast outside with the local birds that had a passion for pancake syrup. The hotel was located on Palm Beach so it was within walking distance of the other hotels and casinos. Since the property was one of the smaller properties, getting a good space on the beach or around the pool was never a problem. If you don't like crowds, this is the hotel for you. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? It was awesome, and the best bang for your buck! Visited: March 2003 Posted by evergreen2000 This place was located in one of the most perfect stretches of beach in the world. It was located right next to a group of larger chain hotels (high rises), but the hotel had its priorities in place. The beach was never, ever crowded. This was not because there was anything wrong with it, it was just that not many people seemed to know about this place. We stayed in the Lanai room, which was about $300 per night. It was totally worth it, because we had a huge balcony, and we were just footsteps away from the ocean. We also had an oversized room with a nice bathroom. I would recommend Aruba Grand Resort to anyone and everyone! 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? They have the best stretch of the beach in Aruba. Visited: December 2002 Posted by hummelstl This was our second visit to Aruba. We can always count on good weather while we are here. The resort was clean and well appointed - not fancy, but nice. They had good oversized bathrooms. The absolute best part of staying at the Aruba Grand was that it had (without question) the best part of the beach - bar none! The beach was particularly wide with great shade from the palms. So, it was not crowded (like you will notice at the other hotels). It was also easy walking to the various beach side restaurants for dinner. There was no need to rent a car, we simply grabbed a cab when we wanted to head into town. We will absolutely stay here on our next trip to Aruba. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Fantastic! Visited: January 2002 Posted by bobbeicooper This was my first trip to Aruba after having spent several years in Antigua and other Caribbean islands. I found the staff, the accommodations and the beach all to be of five-star quality. I am planning to return next year for a longer stay. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Slept at the Grand & played elsewhere... Visited: May 2001 Posted by jjbonus My wife and I spent 10 days here May 7-16, 2001. While the rooms for the most part were very acceptable, some other factors were not. While this may sound petty, they have been the Aruba Grand for some time yet just can't seem to get a real sign for the entrance. Temporary letters on a reader board is pretty slack. Concerning the overwhelming number of gum stains on the sidewalk and entrance to the hotel, is there not a pressure washing service that could eliminate these 10 year old stains? We only ate breakfast at the Shipwreck (Aruba Grand outdoor restaurant) and the food and service was good. The drinks at the pool bar were weak at best , we went to the Kokoa pier bar (located at the border between the Grand and the Radisson) on the ocean and had wonderful pina coladas. The Casino was a joke compared to the others nearby. Overall, we enjoyed our stay but next time we will look for a place that has a kitchen to cut back on some of the expenses of going out to eat for every meal. The beach at the Grand is very nice and uncrowded, no fighting for chairs and huts, coveted by many. But, watch out when they schedule bingo on the beach; it's unbearable unless you enjoy playing bingo(we didn't), and you can't escape the amplified voice of the bingo caller. Look for the schedule in the lobby by the pool so you know when to avoid the beach. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Location, Location, Location Visited: March 2001 Posted by dlbrownct Location, Location, Location...if you are looking for the best beach, no hassle with the chairs and towels, great pivot point to all the casino attractions on Palm Beach, great restaurants and safety...look no further...you can eat 3 meals a day or you can eat along the area ...if you like out door eating...this is the spot to be...watching the sunsets...strolling along the boardwalk or catching a taxi or bus anywhere on the island. 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? The Perfect Spot In Aruba! Visited: February 2000 Posted by schwandke Had our first "Aruba Experience" during January/February 2000. Selected the "Aruba Grand Resort" on advice of friends from Germany. (We live in Iowa, U.S.A.) My wife and I have deemed "Aruba Grand" the Perfect Spot on the island!! You're right in the middle of everything you want to do. Being one of the original high rise hotels..... guess who got the prime beach? We walked the beach each morning, all the way to California Lighthouse. No Hotel has as beautiful a beachfront as the "Aruba Grand". WOW!! It's Palm Beach location provided us easy connections to the entire island. Shopping Downtown... Jeep Touring to the south.... all the fine restaurants.... just a short distance from the Aruba Grand Hotel. The three things I appreciated most?? #1. Elegance at an affordable price. #2. It's smaller size provides a more intimate and less congested atmosphere when compared to the "mega-resorts". #3. LOCATION...LOCATION.... LOCATION. The hotel's location, on Palm Beach, is right where you want to be. Especially if water activities are important to you. A walk-out pier, hosting every water activity imaginable, is right there at the hotel. This hotel's location provides easy and welcome access to every other hotel on the beach. But, it sure was nice to "come home" to our Grand Aruba at night. We'll be back next year!! 1 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? Not pleased at all! Visited: January 2000 Posted by jetmecanic We were booked at the Grand for a week. We stayed approximately 15 minutes!! Upon arrival, our room smelled like a wet ashtray. We requested a non-smoking room, and the hotel said that this room was it so we promptly checked out. The hotel needed an update. Went next door to another hotel and booked for $60 cheaper a night. What a difference!! 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful? It was a great place! Visited: January 2000 Posted by finegan The Aruba Grand was a great place to stay. We were there in the beginning of October and had a great time. The check-in and check-out was very efficient and very fast. We had their meal plan and the food was very, very good and presented very well. The room we had was huge with a large bathroom and a big walk-in closet. We also had a great view of the coast and were able to see the Lighthouse from our room. The most gracious and friendly people worked there and were always happy to help you. I can't say enough about our stay. You couldn't stay at a nicer place as far as I'm concerned. Every place has their problems, but I couldn't find any here. The only request I have is that they put a little table in the room where you can enjoy a cup of coffee. By the way, the room service was excellent, too. The service in the restaurant is very good. If you go here make sure you say hi to Judith (at the Seawatch Restaurant) for us. A real sweetheart, and an excellent waitress. I loved it here and I hope to go back real soon. Aruba is a wonderful place to go with the nicest and most gracious people in the world. Thanks again Aruba Grand for making this trip one of our most memorable! 0 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful. Did you find this helpful?

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