*The official Aruba Brides CHAT thread*

[taxchick]

Are there any Aruba brides still out there? Did anyone review thier wedding for Aruba? I can't find anything in the search.

 

I am going to Aruba for vacation in two weeks, so I plan to scout out a few resorts while I'm there. It would be nice to hear thoughts on how the wedding went though.

 

Thanks

[*Jen* OPPRN]

Quote:

Originally Posted by taxchick Are there any Aruba brides still out there? Did anyone review thier wedding for Aruba? I can't find anything in the search. I am going to Aruba for vacation in two weeks, so I plan to scout out a few resorts while I'm there. It would be nice to hear thoughts on how the wedding went though. Thanks

Me too please - I am considering Aruba as well and would love to hear what other have to say

[taxchick]

Well Aruba brides, since we are few and far between I figured I would post my recent site visit.

 

I just returned last night and I am officially in love with Aruba. The island is beautiful. It is hot, but the tradewinds cool things off very well. What I love is that the island is very safe and you can just walk out of your hotel and go to an abundance of restaurants, bars, casinos, etc. I hate being confined to my hotel as you are on other islands.

 

I stayed at the RIU Aruba which was just okay. The rooms were just okay, nothing special. The furniture needs to be replaced throughout the hotel. Activities at the pool were just okay, not as interesting as other islands. The food is where the big let down happened. The buffet is not good...at all. I went to two of the restaurants and one of the two were good. But you have to get up at 9:00 am to reserve a spot at the restaurant. That is such a hassle. We ended up eating out almost every night were were there.

 

Now, I visited the Hyatt and the Reniassance for my wedding and both were spectacular. The Renaissance has thier own private island for the wedding and reception which is simply beautiful. What was even better are the prices for rooms and the wedding/reception. Definetly affordable. It's amazing that more people are not looking at Aruba for their destination. I would not do all inclusive in Aruba. There are so many great restaurant choices.

 

Next the Hyatt, which is very modern and sleek. I absolutely loved it. It is more expensive that the Renaissance, but worth the extra cost. It is a tropical paridise in the midst of the desert.

 

Last words on Aruba, the people are so nice and so accomodating. The wedding coordinators are responsive (which is more than I can say about any other island that I've looked into) and make you feel like you are thier only bride. For extra picky people like me, it's worth a second look.

[Sheree10]

Taxchick: Thank you for your review. I found it really helpful! My FI and I have never been to Aruba but we are planning a wedding for summer 2010.

 

 

The Riu was actually the first resort to respond to my inquiry but I wasn't too thrilled. It didn't seem like it would be the right fit for my guests. I also looked at a few other places but the idea of having my wedding on a private island kept bringing me back to my first choice, the Renaissance.

 

We just paid our deposit for the the resort. I actually had a hard time making the decision since we've never been to Aruba. Through online research and the advice of past and present Aruban brides I was able to make my final decision.

 

I'm so excited about the wedding but there is so much planning to do!

[taxchick]

Hi Sheree10

 

It's nice having someone on here that is an Aruba bride. I am currently trying to make a decision between the Renaissance and the Hyatt. The Hyatt just fits us so well, but the prices are higher than the Renaissance.

 

The coordinator, Juney, is a wonderful guy. He will do just about anythign that you ask for. So, be assured you are in good hands. The island is beautiful. Also, a great thing about the island is that it has plenty of bushes and trees to cut down on the wind. The only reservation I had about the Renaissance is the lack of the modern rooms and location. It's about a $10 cab ride each way to get to the high rise area where the rest of the hotels are.

 

No matter where, the island is beuatiful. Any questions I can answer, please feel free to ask.

[Sheree10]

Taxchick

 

it's good that you have it narrowed down to two choices. Now that you took the trip hopefully it will make your decision an easier one. I wanted to take a mini vacation to Aruba but it probably won't happen. We're taking a chance but I've heard such wonderful things about the island. I mean, how bad can it be... having a beautiful wedding on a tropical island??

 

I've heard such great things about Juney. He's always responded to my questions and I hope it continues that way!

 

I know you are not sure about the Renaissance but if that's where you want the wedding, you and your guests don't have to stay on the resort. Some brides stay elsewhere and just get married there.

 

I'll definately let you know if I have any questions.

[taxchick]

Hi Sheree

 

I have another question for you. Are you concerned about the price of flights for your guests? I think that is the only thing holding me back from booking.

 

My flight from Michigan to Aruba over Memorial day was about $618 after taxes and fees. That's a little pricey to not be staying at an all inlcusive location.

 

Thoughts?

[Sheree10]

Taxchick:

 

Aruba is definately not cheap! Group travel and booking far in advance may help to bring down the costs. It all adds up especially since I've heard about the wonderful restaurants on the island. Plus, all inclusive is probably not the thing to do.

 

It looks like I'm going with a travel agent but American Airlines offers wedding group contracts and you can get a discount that way.

 

I just sent you a PM.

[jmastr05]

Hi all,

 

I'm new to this forum. Obviously, I, too, am considering a wedding in Aruba! I've done a lot of research, and will hopefully be able to take a trip down there Novemeber 2009.

 

It looks like you're all considering a variety of resorts. My top choice is/are the Divi/Tamarijn All-Inclusive. I have seen some bad pictures of the rooms and bathrooms on the internet, but I believe there have also been rennovations since then. Has anyone been there to be able to confirm this?

 

I also really like the Manchebo and Amerstadam Manor. Amsterdam Manor is actually my personal favorite, but the more offerings of the Divi/Tam seem to work better for the varied tastes of my guests.

 

All opinions/information is welcome! I'm excited to have this forum to share experiences!

[Sheree10]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmastr05 Hi all, I'm new to this forum. Obviously, I, too, am considering a wedding in Aruba! I've done a lot of research, and will hopefully be able to take a trip down there Novemeber 2009. It looks like you're all considering a variety of resorts. My top choice is/are the Divi/Tamarijn All-Inclusive. I have seen some bad pictures of the rooms and bathrooms on the internet, but I believe there have also been rennovations since then. Has anyone been there to be able to confirm this? I also really like the Manchebo and Amerstadam Manor. Amsterdam Manor is actually my personal favorite, but the more offerings of the Divi/Tam seem to work better for the varied tastes of my guests. All opinions/information is welcome! I'm excited to have this forum to share experiences!

Welcome and Congrats!


Divi/Tamarijn was on my list when I wanted an all inclusive option. The pictures of their weddings look beautiful and I hear the wedding coordinator Lisse Lample from Ceremonies & Celebrations in Aruba does an excellent job.. She also works for other resorts like Amsterdam Manor and Manchebo. I initially contacted her in March and she responded quickly. I got an email from her a few days ago to follow up with me.

I agree that Divi/Tam look good because of the varied options for guests. When I sopke to a TA he said a lot of people who go there either really like it or do not like it so with the mixed reviews he didn't want to recommend it. But it's good that you can actually do a site visit to see which part of the resort is the best. I wouln't completely trust all of the reviews on tripadvisor. Everyone has different tastes.

Manchebo and Amsterdam Manor look nice but I didn't go with them because they were smaller resorts. Amsterdam Manor was featured in a recent article in the Destination Weddings and Honeymoon magazine about budget friendly hotels.

I can't offer personal feedback on any of the resorts because I've never been to Aruba.

Good Luck!