Where to stay in Aruba?

Q: My husband and I are looking for something that is all inclusive and if possible adults only (doesn't have to be though). Excellent service, nice pools and a good beach is what we're looking for. Thanks.

A: In Aruba there are 2 main tourist areas: high-rise and low-rise. The high-rise area is full of the large chain resorts, Hyatt, Marriott, etc.-- ie. 1,000 room resorts. There you will find the really nice pools, lots of on-site restaurants and activities, etc. The Hyatt is one of the highest rated hotels in the Caribbean, so look there (it is also one of the most expensive in Aruba!). Also try the Riu, it is new and gets some good reviews as well. The Marriotts I hear are nice too. The low-rise area has small, independent resorts -- 200-room resorts. The beach is larger and much less crowded than the high-rise area. In my opinion, it's the best beach I've ever seen! (But the high-rise area beach is nice as well, just smaller and more people.) This area tends to be more adult-only. The Bucuti actually has an adult-only policy at their resort!! The resorts have pools but nothing spectacular. The Divi all-inclusive resorts are mostly located here, but they have a little of everything and you can spend time at all of their resorts. My wife and I stayed in the low-rise area last year; we wanted something quiet and relaxing, away from the crowds. It did not disappoint! Unless you are big drinkers, I would not recommend going All-Inclusive. Aruba differs from the rest of the Caribbean in there are plenty of nice places to go out to eat and drink!! The entire island is safe and you don't have to worry about getting harassed the moment you step off the resort. The locals are very nice and keep to themselves. We went out every day for 7-days and were never disappointed. My wife may only have 1-drink per day and I stick mainly to beer, so we probably got a better deal by NOT going all-inclusive. I packed a collapsable cooler and bought a bunch of six-packs at the grocery store to take to the beach. Drink prices are a bit expensive, but it's similar to going to any large city in the US.

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