This post has no affiliate links (so click away, they are all here for your benefit). I did receive a small deduction in exchange for a review of the first airbnb, but all opinions are 100% my own.
I was planning to stay in a lovely $30/night AirBNB in Barbados for my February break, but I couldn’t find a great flight. So I decided to try a new island, and here’s what we found in Aruba. The hotels on the island were quite pricey, but there were hostel options as well. After discussing where to stay in Aruba, my friend and I decided to use AirBNB. She has used it several times in the past, and I recently used it in Turks & Caicos and had a wonderful experience. We wanted to see as much of the island as possible during our six days, so we chose two separate apartments in different regions.
Where to Stay in Aruba: AirBNB
The first AirBNB we stayed in was a beautiful and well decorated spacious studio apartment near Palm Beach. One of our biggest questions when reading reviews was “Do we need a car if we stay here?” The reviews went back and forth from “Easy walk to the beach” to “Must have a car!” I researched taxi prices, and given that we are New Yorkers, we decided to go for it! To be honest, we never walked to the beach, or even across the main highway. We took taxis everywhere, but it was fairly cheap and easy!
We loved this spacious studio apartment, even though we didn’t spend much time here. Our bed was comfy and the kitchen was convenient for storing leftovers. We we were able to get some work done while sitting in the living room or outside in the yard. There were several restaurants located just across the highway too! The famous Palm and Eagle Beaches were nearby too!
The second airbnb apartment we stayed in was located in downtown Oranjestad. We were walking distance to a small beach, about a mile from a large beach (but an easy walk), and close to several wonderful restaurants and shops. We were also in the heart of the parade route for Carnaval! The actual room was quite tiny, but it offered a private bathroom and air conditioning and was a very affordable $69/night. There were places to sit outside in the common areas and beach towels and chairs were provided by the host Sharon. This was also a complex of about 5-6 small apartments. Many of the others had kitchens, but the one we rented did not. It would be great for a large family or a large group of friends. The walls are a bit thin, but it was generally quiet in the area except on the weekend.
Where to Stay in Aruba: Hotels
Rates vary during high and low season, but rooms for May are as low as $186 USD.
While we did not stay in any hotels on the island, we did visit a few for tours and dining options. They were all quite beautiful so I wanted to share a little information about them for those who prefer hotel stays when traveling.
Aruba Renaissance Resort and Casino
This resort is one of the few in Downtown Oranjestad, near the cruise ship port. It has a small private beach and paying guests can visit their private island. A small boat picks up guests in the hotel lobby and carries passenger to the island, about ten minutes away.
Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino
Rates vary during high and low season, but rooms for May are as low as $440 USD. These rooms are nearly $800/night during peak season though.
We stopped in this hotel for lunch one day while we were waiting to check into our airbnb. We just ordered burgers and fries and they made for the perfect lunch. I’d avoid the grouper sandwich if you end up here.
Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort Spa & Casino
Rates vary during high and low season, but rooms for May are as low as $309 USD.
We visited the Hyatt when we took our sailing and snorkeling trip with Delphin WaterSports. Our taxi driver mentioned that it had one of the most beautiful grounds of all of the hotels on the island. So if you find yourself here, be sure to wander around. We also picked up a few essentials in the hotel gift shop.
If you’re considering a trip to Aruba, you can’t go wrong with any of these airbnb or hotel options!
This is an amazing post! I will take it into consideration for my next trip to Aruba!