Hillary Davis Travels's Blog

Photo Essay: Oranjestad, Aruba

Oranjestad architecture is embellished as if someone had taken a pastry bag and piped frosting around facades. Fanciful structures against a cerulean blue sky.

Aruba has been a Dutch island since 1636, and the influence is everywhere you look and is found in much of the local cuisine.

I love the pastel candy colors. 

And the color palette combinations....peach next to acidic yellow next to true blue.

Like a surrealistic backdrop, gigantic cruise ships dock right at the edge of town to let the tourists out to shop and explore.

Local fruit shakes, love the drawings!

Sea captain's house....

The main road leading into Oranjestad is lined with palm trees and old style street lamps.

Guess what the picture below is?! I was inside the downtown Marriott. This little boat is in the lobby, picking up guests to take them out to the Marriott island.

Very cool. I'll be back one day. It is one happy island.

Hotel Review: Aruba Marriott

When there's snow up to my shoulders, this is where I want to be. In the sun. With palm trees and a beach. A great pool. And good food. The Aruba Marriott provides all and more. It has a casino just off the lobby. A bar in the pool that you can swim to. A spa. A sushi bar (very important!). Gift shops. A restaurant on the beach. And super comfortable large rooms.

The beach is magnificent. White sand. Staff at the ready to bring you towels or a lounge chair. There's a bar and restaurant right on the beach. And there are water sports if you so choose. For me? I just wanted to totally relax or swim in that pool clear pastel water.

Hallway to my room..........

I fell in love with my room. I did. It was big and comfy and cheerful, it had great beds, and a wonderful private balcony with a jaw-dropping view.

I have to make a note to remind myself to find out where to buy the pillows! They were so soft.

As you can see, the bathroom was large with two sinks and a little vanity table in the middle with a makeup mirror. To the left was a large walk-in closet with a safe, ironing board, iron, guest robes, and at the end of the room to the left was the bathtub/shower.

This is the main lobby of the Aruba Marriott. In the far left of the picture above you can see a raised area. This is where you can buy pastries, coffee, water, sandwiches, and salads. During the day there is a fresh juice bar as well where they peel fresh fruits, slice them up, add them to a blender and voila! Fabulous fruit drinks! During the evening the juice bar is transformed into a sushi bar. It was a great place to pick up fresh sushi to take back to my room. Further along to the left is the casino.

There's this wonderful pool with a swim-up bar to lounge in......it even has a waterfall. I discovered that if you stand under the waterfall you get a great shoulder massage.....

I also developed a pattern. I'd take a swim in the ocean. Then walk back to the hotel and dip into the pool, which was slightly warmer than the ocean. Then I'd stand under the waterfall. And finally, drop into a lounge chair with a book.

And at dusk I'd head down to the beach to watch the sun set.

And dine right on the beach at Simply Fish. Such a romantic setting for a restaurant!

I can totally recommend the Aruba Marriott. I walked along the long beach and visited the other large hotels. This is the one I want to come back to. 

Aruba Marriott, L. G. Smith Boulevard #101, Palm Beach, Aruba