My wife and I stayed at the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino from November 14–23. It was our first time in Aruba, and traveling with experienced friends made the trip absolutely fantastic. I can’t say enough good things about the island—and especially about the Marriott.
Our room was amazing. I had booked a deluxe ocean-view room but had no idea we’d end up on the top floor with a direct ocean-facing view. Dumb luck, I think! The balcony was large with a spectacular view, the room had recently been renovated and was impeccable, and housekeeping was excellent—both morning and evening turndown service. The room itself was spacious, with a big TV (65”?), bottled water, a mini-fridge, coffee maker, with all the amenities we needed. The elevators were fast and efficient. I’d read some negative reviews complaining about firm/hard beds, but we did NOT have that issue—we found the beds perfect and slept very well. We also loved our early-morning relaxation time on the balcony.
The resort facilities were outstanding. Even though a full renovation was in its final stages during our stay, noise and inconvenience were minimal. We spent most of our time at the adult pool, which was spectacular—quiet, pristine, and relaxing. We never had trouble getting loungers on any of our nine days. The pool staff were great; the attendants were attentive and the bartenders (Jonathan in particular) were fantastic.
Entertainment was plentiful and excellent. One night, the resort celebrated a Marriott’s 30-year celebration with live music and an incredible fireworks display. Watching it from our balcony left us speechless—the visuals, duration, and how close the fireworks were to us was mind-blowing. Again, just dumb luck on our part!
Serendipitously, we met managers Raymond and Raoul and ran into them many times during our stay. These guys are genuinely welcoming, down-to-earth, and have a great sense of humor. They were all over the property, yet most guests never realized the two managers were constantly circulating and checking on everything. On at least two occasions, even while deep in conversation with other guests or staff, they made a point to say hello, with a handshake, as I passed. A truly pleasant surprise.
The Stellaris Casino was lively and busy every night. One of our friends hit a jackpot of over $18,000, and we did much better than expected as well. We had budgeted to lose a certain amount… but happily walked away “about even”!
The restaurants and bars on property were excellent. We ate at Mercat several times and at Ruth’s Chris once—both were outstanding. Nearby off-property spots (Malmok for breakfast, especially) were also fantastic.
In short, we honestly can’t think of a single significant negative about the resort during our stay. It was fabulous from start to finish!