One Happy Island 2.0

Honey Travel Co, LLC was delighted to visit One Happy Island for the second time! During this thrilling familiarization hosted by Vacation Express I conducted 10 site inspections over the span of a couple days. A familiarization trip, often referred to as a FAM trip, offers the chance to conduct site inspections and tours. I gathered a wealth of information on each resort, connected with key contacts, and met 14 other amazing travel agents from around the US. What an adventure!

I began my four night trip with a two-night stay at JOIA, a newly opened resort that had its soft launch just a six months ago. Upon arrival, I was welcomed with a cocktail and a refreshing cold hand towel. Although the resort is open for bookings, it is still in the process of adding a few more restaurants. During my stay, I didn't hear any construction noise. The resort provides a convenient bracelet as a key. Currently, two restaurants are operational: Marea, which serves a Caribbean fare and The Bucatini Market & Cucina buffet. This isn't an all-inclusive resort, but they do offer an optional breakfast plan. The breakfast selection is impressive, with plenty of choices. While the resort is family-friendly, I believe it is more suited for adults. Initially, JOIA was intended to be adults-only but changed during its development. JOIA does feature a small on site kids' club and babysitting services through an external vendor. The resort is not directly on the water, but is located across the street from Eagle Beach. I stayed in a standard room, which was quite spacious and included a balcony with a tub. The room also had a couch, and the bathroom featured a separate toilet room and shower. There are three pools, one of which is exclusively for adults. The resort has two shops: one offers a selection of souvenirs and high-end swimwear like Aqua Bendita, and the other specializes in Aloe products, a major export from Aruba. JOIA is truly stunning!

Next up, Hyatt Regency! Another beautiful property located in a walkable location – right on Palm Beach, close to shopping, dining, and nightlife—convenient for every type of traveler. Hyatt features an open-air lobby surrounded by beautiful, well-maintained grounds. The area is teeming with wildlife, including lizards, koi fish, and even a black swan! Just outside the lobby, you'll encounter Luna and Rocky, two very friendly parrots. This property includes both an adults-only section and a family-friendly section. It boasts several restaurants and family-oriented amenities like a water slide and multiple pools. Hyatt provides various dining options and a breakfast plan. There are also pickleball and tennis courts available. Situated in the high-rise area, there are two main zones in Aruba: the high-rise and the low-rise areas. The distinction is based on the height of the resorts; low-rise buildings cannot exceed six floors. Hyatt has eight floors and 365 rooms, offering both oceanfront and garden views. As a fellow travel agent put it, "a versatile gem", this resort has something for everyone from honeymooners to families.

Property number three, Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino. Originally called the Aruba Caribbean Hotel, this iconic

resort was the first luxury resort in Aruba on the strip when the doors first opened in 1959. Designed by renowned architect, Morris Lapidus and considered one of his best designs of the 276 hotels he created. With its unique architectural structure and ideal location on the widest stretch of Palm Beach, the Aruba Caribbean paved the way for tourism on the island.

There are currently three towers open, Aruba, Bonairre and Curacao with a fourth tower, Westerly, being built as we speak. Hilton offers 358 rooms. Hilton offers a Euro plan and a breakfast plan. Currently there are two pools with a third being added during the renovation. 

Barcelo was site inspection number four. This is where I stayed 9 years prior to this trip. Barcelo is one of the few all-inclusive options. Also located on Palm Beach. I feel like the resort could use some updating, it is a large resort with 7 restaurants and nightly entertainment. You do get cabanas with any room category and are on a first come first serve basis. The resort also offers a distinguished upgrade on the Royal Level which comes with priority dinner reservations, top shelf liquor and additional bar service on the beach.  Personally, this resort isn’t one I would stay at again after inspecting so many other amazing options. It does check the boxes for a lot of things such as being all-inclusive, having multiple dining options and being on Palm Beach but the buffet is typical buffet food. This is still a viable, budget friendly option for the right traveler.

Final stop for day one of inspections, RIU Palace Antillas. This adults-only, all-inclusive resort is known for a great time! Compared to other RIU properties I've visited, this one is more upscale. The grounds are stunning, and the room categories inspected were impressive! It offers 24-hour all-inclusive service and 24-hour room service. With an on-site casino, three themed restaurants, a buffet, several pools, a disco and nightly entertainment, there is something for everyone! When booking at RIU Palace Antillas, you'll also have access to RIU Palace Aruba next door, the family-friendly side of the two properties. When booking clients here, I definitely recommend the Elite Club upgrade to enhance the experience.

We ended the day with 8 of us travel agents doing a sunset cruise with Pelican Adventures. The two hour cruise included snacks and drinks and the staff was super friendly. It was a ton of fun and a great bang for your buck to get out on the water and enjoy the sunset!

Day number two, started off with Renaissance Wind Creek. There are two properties on site, Marina which is adults only and Ocean Suites which is family friendly. All rooms include access to the coveted private island. Which is also divided into two sections, Flamingo Beach, which is adults only and Iguana Beach, which is family friendly. Don’t worry, the flamingos roam both sides of the island! Day passes are available for purchase to the island for non guests. It opens up one week before and sells out within minutes! You can also get access to the private island without staying at the resort by booking a spa treatment. Might make more sense to get an hour massage and have a free pass to the island! This resort has several booking plan options, regular, breakfast plan and also has the option to upgrade to all-inclusive for stays of 4 nights or more. The all-inclusive options is an additional $180 per person per day. The boat for the private island picks up in the lobby and runs every 15 mins. While the resort itself has a very small man made beach area, the private island is what Aruba is known for! Feeding the flamingos at Renaissance Island can now be checked off the bucket list for me!

Our next site inspection, and my absolute favorite of the trip, was Bucuti & Tara! The resort is family owned by Ewald & Cresi Biemans, a grandfather/ grand daughter duo and it is VERY clear they care deeply about their guests, staff & resort. Upon arrival we were welcomed by Cresi and her operations manager with cold hand towels and champagne. Cresi led the inspection herself and clearly takes great pride in the resort. This property is highly eco-friendly and carbon neutral, even offering "Voluntourism" opportunities, where guests can join staff and other tourists in various community outreach programs. The gym uses ECO-POWR line of equipment that captures workout energy and converts it to 74% usable power. To me, their processes and mission statement stands for everything that is good.

Currently, there is one restaurant on site, Elements. With a second coming soon called Terra, to be led by Michelin GREEN STAR chef, Jeremy Ford. Additionally, there is open air dining option, called Sandbar, where every hour is happy hour! This beautiful resort boasts a total of 104 guest rooms/ suites and runs an annual occupancy rate of 97%. Each room is equipped with a hospital-grade HEPA filtration system. Some rooms are undergoing renovations, and the one I inspected, which is part of the renovation, is already in pristine condition—I can't wait to see the updates. Ewald built this property in 70's, opening as Bucuti Beach Resort In 1987, later adding the Tara Beach Suites wing in 2014. Currently boasts 104 guest rooms/suites and will not expand from here. Ewald had a dream and a vision of what Bucuti & Tara would be, and that is an adults-only resort is tailored for romantic getaways. Not for groups or families. Simply put, Bucuti & Tara is the best at what they do! WOW, when I tell you this resort is amazing, I truly mean it! It has received tons of incredible accolades, being voted among the top 5 globally, #1 in the Caribbean, #1 in Aruba, and #2 in the world for trip advisor's "treat yourself" category. You can absolutely feel the love and I cannot wait to plan a personal trip here. Did I mention they are pet friendly? Cats & dogs 20lbs and smaller are welcomed and have their own personal concierge, check out the luxury pet amenities here!

Finally, I checked into Embassy Suites for the last two nights of our trip and took a tour as soon as we arrived. The resort is spacious and situated across from Eagle Beach. There is an underground tunnel to cross the street. Palapas and sun loungers are available to guests on a first-come, first-served basis at the beach. I had a late lunch at the on-site restaurant, and the shrimp tacos were excellent. I ended up having the shrimp tacos for lunch again the following day. A casino is currently under construction on the premises and is set to open in the coming months. This resort is a good option for families looking for flexibility in their stay.

A group of agents and I chose to walk to Passion's on the Beach for a wonderful sunset dinner, and it was flawless! The host welcomed us with a glass of champagne as our table was being prepared. The food was incredible, and the service was exceptional. I will certainly be adding Passion's on the Beach to my list of recommendations.

Final full day started with a meeting summarizing all the inspections, and spent the rest of the day exploring the 19-mile-long island. Enjoyed ceviche at Pelican's Nest, visited a butterfly sanctuary, walked along the beach, and explored the shopping areas!

A few key points: four nights is far too short for a trip to Aruba! Whether for business or leisure, the travel time is quite lengthy, and a stay of 7 nights suits me much better. I couldn't extend this trip due to other commitments, but I'll definitely plan better next time. Additionally, you should allocate at least 4 hours at the airport for departures unless you opt for the VIP experience. It's convenient that you clear customs in Aruba before boarding rather than upon arrival in the US. I used MPC to speed up the second security screening, saving me about 40 minutes. Security lines begin forming outside, so dress appropriately. While the Aruban Florian is the official currency of the island, US dollars are widely accepted. Lastly, don't forget the reef-safe sunscreen! Located outside the hurricane belt, Aruba is sunny every day and only receives about 15-20 inches of rain annually.

Aruba has been my top destination since my initial visit 9 years ago. I met new friends and gained a lot of knowledge! Are you ready to add Aruba to your list? Mention this blog post for $100 off of your next packaged booking to Aruba!

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