The 18 best hidden restaurants in Aruba (2024)

We really loved our stay here. The location, the food, the villas, the atmosphere all led to an incredibly relaxing and refreshing experience. The resort was small and intimate, and the staff took great care of us while we were there. Our only regret was that we couldn’t stay longer!

Not as nice as advertised. The design and beautiful result are impressive at first glance, but attention to detail in the construction of the units are lacking. There was a smell we experienced in certain parts of the property as well. Construction is going on and there are tools, materials laying around in the open and noise from this operation.

Beautiful property on the quiet side of the island. This was a sisters trip and we rented an over the water bungalow as well as a beach villa. Both were beautiful and worked perfectly for our group. We spent most of our time over the water and the villa was amazing. It had everything we needed and the staff was incredible. Fun and friendly and full of stories. We especially loved breakfast each morning in the villa watching for turtles to swim up. It is a quiet part of the island which is perfect for just relaxing but we also had a jeep and could explore when we wanted to get out and about. In addition to the Old Man and the Sea restaurant on site, it is walking distance to 2 fantastic restaurants - the Flying Fishbone and Zeerovers! Amazing! We visited at the end of September/early October and had an extremely hot couple of days. The AC in the beach villa was fine, but it was not great in the villa. That would be my only complaint. During the day it didn't matter because we were in the water and the shade all day but it made sleeping tough! Nonetheless, the staff was understanding and helpful and so pleasant to deal with. I would highly recommend staying here.

While the villa and views at Aruba Ocean Villas were stunning, unfortunately, our stay was overshadowed by a theft that left us feeling unsafe and disappointed. My husband’s luggage was stolen from our room, despite all the doors being locked, leading us to believe it may have been an inside job. I never expected such poor handling of a serious situation from a place charging $1200 a night.The resort's cameras captured footage of someone on the property who wasn’t a guest, which has left me uneasy about security failures allowing trespassers. Although management initially seemed helpful—Shirley, the manager, promised to take down a list of stolen items and price them out—they fell short in following through. She offered a free 90-minute massage and a free second night stay, but we declined the massage as we were too distressed to enjoy it. The resort searched the wooded area outside and found the suitcase, but all the valuable items were missing. Despite this, the resort seemed to think that finding the empty suitcase was enough to resolve the situation.To make matters worse, once we left the property, they sent an email days later informing us they were no longer honoring what was initially offered and assuming no liability. Management has since stopped responding to our emails, leaving us feeling disregarded. Although we had baggage insurance, it only covered lost luggage at the airport, leaving us with no recourse for this situation.This resort allowed a trespasser to steal from our room, filed a police report, and offered nothing but an apology. There’s still no explanation as to how the thief got onto the property or into our room, and no reassurance that steps will be taken to prevent this from happening again. I expected better security, accountability, and customer care from a place of this caliber.

We spent a total of 8 days on Aruba but the last 3 nights were at these beach villas and OMG so happy we did! It was good to get away from all the crowds and enjoy so peace and serenity at this gorgeous place. The food and service were all nice and the grounds were impeccable. It was like we were on our own private island! I loved the Filipino crew that was there, they were so hospitable and friendly. I wish they had paddle boards/bikes and actual hair conditioner for us girls. But I would absolutely stay there again!

This place is heaven on earth. My husband and I kept pinching ourselves the whole time we were there. Beautiful resort, private villas, and service is top notch. We celebrated our 10 year anniversary and having no tv for a week was just what we needed. We stayed in the Mai Wisha, and I don’t think we’ll be able to travel again because it was so amazing. Felt like a once in a lifetime experience. They’re adding a pool and adding another bar/restaurant area behind the front desk. We very rarely saw other guests there it was so private. Highly recommend booking a stay here. Can’t wait to see how it expands while still providing privacy

What an amazing place! My wife and I stayed here for three nights. If you’re looking for a vacation of solitude, this place is great.Pros: Awesome villas. We stayed in Sophia.Views of the ocean! You’re literally on the ocean.Food/drinks were greatService was very helpful and accommodating.Seclusion. Since it is not by much else, it’s nice to just be there and do a little as you want. Very nice.Cons: It’s not by much. It was a 20 min taxi from the main downtown area.Not great AC. Some of the non water villas have closed rooms with AC. Our villa had a bed AC blower that was good not great. It is hot there, obviously. So if you want to sleep in sub 70°, get a villa with enclosed AC.Currently, there is construction at the site. They are expanding and they did warn us about this. I work in the trades so it wasn’t that much of a bother to me. I am intrigued to see all of their changes.At night, it can get mosquitoey. They warned us about this as well.Overall; 9/10. Would definitely come back!

I just would like to say 1st off, that Sandrich Baslik and his staff were amazing during our stay. We experienced some rare and unexpected electrical issues and they went above and beyond to resolve and make things right for us. They truly did an amazing and professional job.This place is truly a secret oasis and I am happy to see they are expanding and adding more villas.The food was amazing and I highly recommended making reservations at their “Old Man and the Sea” sunset dinner. The food is amazing and The sunset view is breathtaking.They have their own beach with kayaks & snorkel gear included. They have beds, hammocks and all types of lounges thru out the property and beach making this a relaxing stay. I recommend highly couples celebrating or having a romantic getaway.

We loved our stay at Ocean Villas along with our driver John. The staff was extremely accommodating and friendly and catered to our every need. I highly recommend if you need a driver and or someone to show you the sights, provide transportation, give great recommendations on places to eat and things to do on the island ask for John. He is the best! Thanks to both the staff and John for making our trip so great!

Most amazing experience! Stayed in Kita Bonita, beautiful overwater villa, super luxurious. Sunsets are to die for. Perfect getaway for honeymoon or romantic getaway to celebrate.

My husband and I loved our stay at Aruba Ocean Villas! The resort is so beautiful. We stayed in Isla Alistaire for 4 nights/5 days. This villa was in a perfect location to watch the sunset from the pool, couch, or even from bed. We reserved a pier table at their restaurant and it was so romantic and beautiful. Before we went, some of the negative reviews concerned me, but I truly don't have anything negative to say. Was every aspect perfect, no, but life isn't perfect. Were there a few mosquitos here and there, sure, but you're partially outside so that's expected, and they do have mosquito nets around the beds. However, we only needed the nets the first night. I do recommend renting a car if you stay here. We loved being able to come and go whenever we wanted, and the roads were very easy to navigate. I can't say enough about the beauty of the resort. They really care about the details. It's a perfect balance of elegance and rustic, and the views are awesome. Everyone was friendly and made us feel welcomed. This resort was the perfect place to unwind after a long day touring the island. We hope to be back again one day!

This place was AMAZING!! Stayed here for the first two days of our honeymoon to recuperate and I'm SO glad we did! We stayed in the Lola and the room was so beautiful. Loved the bathing suite outside, made it feel more exotic and romantic! The beach at the villas is so clean and it was fun to see all of the fish swimming around and crabs walking by. We loved spending the day on the day bed drinking the delicious local beers. The service was excellent, everyone was so nice and accommodating. On top of all of that the food was some of the best food we had ever eaten!! My husband has a lot of food allergies and they were so understanding and helpful, they even made him a special breakfast! Definitely recommend for anyone with a food allergy, we felt very safe here. We cant wait to come back and stay in the new villas they are building. Thank you for a wonderful stay!!

Horrible - from beginning to end. As it was our first time in Aruba, we called and spoke with the concierge Joy. We explained it would be for our honeymoon, and we wanted a private escape. She overpromised, and the resort way under delivered. We stayed in Orquidea the first four nights, and they should be absolutely ashamed. ZERO privacy - the people at the restaurant can look you in your eye as you’re trying to relax on the back porch. Additionally, the room was cramped and hot with no indoor sink or toilet. You can also hear the music from the restaurant at all hours, so you won’t be catching a nap or a good night’s sleep. The straw that broke the camels back was finding maggots - yes, maggots - in the couch that my husband and I had sat on. To make things worse, the staff tried to blame it on us leaving food between the cushions, but that was impossible as we never ate inside the room because it was far too hot and uncomfortable. We moved to an over the water villa for our last two nights, which was nice enough. However, our last day, we attempted to order room service multiple times for hours to no answer. They wouldn’t even refill our water jug. Lastly, the company Joy recommended we rent our Jeep, Rent To Go, from has stolen our deposit. Unfortunately, I had not read the reviews for the company having complete trust in Joy, and many others have had a similar experience. Overall, I would avoid this place altogether. I trusted the positive reviews and should have given the negatives more weight. I never take the time to give bad reviews, but if this saves even one person the agony we have gone through, then it’s worth it.

we stayed here for our honeymoon for 4 nights in the bungalow Joy . By far the best place we have ever been to . Defiantly a hidden gem. Big thanks to Zaldy, Maria, Wendell, Daniela, Brenda, Chanila, and Swinda for their amazing service. We will be back for sure

My husband and I chose Aruba ocean villas as our first vacation in years and it exceeded our expectations. Kita Bonita was perfect, had so many amenities and perfect views. The service was exceptional and everyone was always smiling and happy to help. The food was also delicious. The ac in the bed worked so well and the breeze kept the rest of the villa cooled. It is warm, but it’s Aruba so I expected warm.

Couldn’t really decide on three or four stars. I spent five nights at the property. The included breakfast was very inconsistent, sometimes it was on time. Other times definitely not. When ordering extras was unclear what the portion size was.The staff was nice. It was my birthday and the only person who seemed to care was Wendel, love u wendel.Ordered water to the room, waited an hour. Had to get it myself.Overall, I’ve worked in hospitality for 10 years, still do so, seems like one staff meeting could do this place a lot of good.For the price, I found it hard not to expect absolutely EXCELLENT service, and that just wasn’t the caseBeautiful property, would like to stay again. But there must be improvements on staff communication for them to work as a team to serve the guest seemlessly

This place was absolutely dreamy. We stayed in Isla Alistaire, one of the original over-water bungalows and it was absolutely perfect. The staff was extremely friendly and accommodating. I would highly recommend this resort. We had the the most romantic vacation. Thank Aruba Ocean Villas.

This place was terrible and horribly overpriced. It's all aesthetics and great if all you care about is taking instagram pics. Where do I start?We got married on Eagle Beach and had the best experience at the boutique hotel we were staying before this, so it was a little upsetting coming here for our honeymoon. Thankfully though we were only at Aruba Ocean Villas for three nights.The food is not very good. Breakfast was clearly a bunch of pre-packaged food thrown on a plate. We ate at the restaurant on the property and the food was just okay, but for the price we paid it should have been MUCH better.The beach area is tiny and kind of gross if I am being honest. A lot of mucky water. I think any other beach on the island would be better.We stayed in Lou Lou. The bathroom was separated by a curtain. The last thing you want on your honeymoon is to hear each other going to the bathroom! Also the trash situation was awful. Two tiny trash cans barely able to fully close. One was outside which of course attracted flies. It was so bad that we had to eat our breakfast on our last day inside. Oh and don't ask for banana or strawberries because they don't have any. How does an island on the Caribbean not have bananas!?The place is barely insulated, so the A/C escapes. Thank God for the crappy fan they included that barely kept us from sweating at night. Oh and anything that has water leaks, such as faucets, toilets, etc. And the kicker, we lost power for a few hours during a calm 100 degree day! There goes our food in the tiny little mini fridge!We paid about 1300 USD a night for this place. Before this we paid about 300 USD for Amsterdam Manor and had the time of our lives. It's too bad we didn't just stay there longer for our honeymoon.

My mom and I had an incredible stay at Aruba Ocean Villas in the Penthouse Jon Jon. It was the perfect Aruban getaway, with stunning sunsets each evening and a truly relaxing atmosphere. We had several wonderful meals from the on-site restaurant, which made our stay even more enjoyable.The property is beautifully maintained, rustic, and has a true island feel, allowing us to fully unwind and enjoy our time. It’s a beautiful creation by the local owner, Osyth, who has an incredible sense of taste. I love how she combines colors, textures, and furniture—it truly is a work of art. The addition of a grand piano, a double bass, and a fantastic Bose surround sound system controlled by an iPad further enhances the experience. You don’t even need to leave the property—just relax and soak up the beauty and tranquility. Highly recommended for anyone seeking a peaceful getaway!

Really enjoyed our experience at Aruba Ocean Villas. Really nice service. Very relaxing getting breakfast to the room and laying out on the beach all day. New cocktail bar space is amazing. Set your expectations for this place (there may be gnats / insects, it is secluded, etc.) and you should really enjoy your time here.

I have been waiting to write a review about this place... I was patient to think if it was that overpriced and 100% it is not worth it. In general, Aruba is not cheap but there are tons of other hotels & airbnb's that are much more affordable for the price this place is charging per night.We stayed in the Elle Marie beach bungalow during the winter season which is a nice room, but I am not sure if it's worth the extra money being the most expensive beach bungalow. As you can see the little beach is private, but the water becomes filed with twigs, leaves and becomes a small back eddy with no true water flow AKA not nice to swim in or even go in above your ankles. In addition, there is a villa directly in front of your view and each time they shower, you have a pleasure to hear and see all the water. As side from these small issues, the room itself was actually nice but would consider one of the other rooms for the price.Two of the more major issues I have with the Aruba Ocean Villas is the lack of service and power outages. Again, while we were there during the winter season, it felt like the place was extremely understaffed and understocked as many items were simply not available to eat. In addition, they have a rule that you are not allowed to order alcohol before 11am. Not generally a big deal, but at nearly 800 USD per night, if I would like a bloody marry on Christmas, I think that should be allowed, right? Also, there seemed to be a problem with the electrical power supply as the power went out once a day for at least 2-3 hours. Once it went out in the middle of the night, which isn't fun as air conditioning is mandatory in Aruba. To be honest, I feel like the power was being kept on by a gas generator as I had to constantly listen to this background humming noise, if you heard a gas generator before you know the sounds I am talking about. It was very unpleasant and the only way to sit on the beach was with headphones.Before we booked last year, we watched their promotional video which showed ONE floating table area, but when we arrived, there were two tables. To me, this makes the beach and relaxation area feel cramped. It is a nice amenity to have breakfast there in the morning, but when everyone tries to get a spot, it feels rushed. Plus, once you lay on the beach, you just stare at the people eating at the floating table area.Overall, we had really high hopes for this place but they fell dramatically short. Luckily, we had booked an airbnb in Noord for the reminder of the trip and had 10x more fun. The only blessing of this place and the reason it gets two stars on location is that Zeerover and The Old Man and The Sea are within walking distance. By far the two best meals we had the whole time in Aruba as there is nothing special about the resort food. There is construction going on as well, so I have a feeling where the funds are being directed, so be aware before you spend your hard earned cash at this place!

I loved my stay here more than I even thought I would! We stayed in the beach bungalow Orquidea! Great location near the bar but still felt very private because it’s away from the other bungalows and has. the. best. view. And best beach access! We didn’t leave the property for the entire 48 hours we were there, because there was just no need. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner on the beach was perfect, with delicious food and impressive seafood in particular! Shout out to Joy for setting up our romantic moonlit dinner for our anniversary, and kudos to Wendel for taking such great care of us and starting our trip off right! He even sang some songs for us that were beautiful and really made the evening special. Okay and Angie. This. Girl. Was. The. Best! She helped us with anything we needed and answered my million questions! AND! She overheard us taking about the football game we planned to watch on the phone on the beach…the next day she surprised us with a whole set up in the closed lounge so we could watch the game on the big screen and still get served food and drinks! It was so special and memorable! I couldn’t have been more impressed and grateful to her. We will definitely be back in the future, hopefully to try an overwater villa!

DO NOT rent owners suite it is a dump. AC Went out consistently and most of the time at night when we were sleeping the rooms look like they’ve been through a war with paint, chipping, wires out holes in the wall not very luxury at all you can’t swim off of the deck. The deck also had 1 million splinters which we all got in our feet. Many things are broken in the house and it was just not a nice day. It’s far from the, main hotel and so if you’re older, you will definitely not want to stay here cause it’s a long walk. Also they could use a little golf cart to get back-and-forth would be nice. The other villas seem to be OK but it is off the beaten path of the rest of the activities in Aruba and you have to take cabs everywhere if you want to go do something , they did not meet any of our requirements that we paid very expensive four days and basically staying in a dump here are some pictures to show.

if you want seclusion and tranquility this is the place for you. Each room is uniquely decorated with thatched roofs, outdoor shower, and bathtub. The grounds are lush and kept up nicely and the wait staff was very attentive. We only had a few minor complaints:1- we loved the outdoor bathroom, but there was no place to hang towels,2-because of the thached overhang, we had to duck to enter the room and enter the bathroom.3-the kayaks and paddleboard are shot and need to be replaced.

We stayed in Isla Alistaire for a week in early August 2024 for our honeymoon and it was everything I could have ever dreamed of. I cried happy tears upon arrival and actual tears of sadness when we had to leave for the airport….I discovered AOV while looking for similar accommodations in the North/South Pacific and found it difficult to find something that was private and luxurious for under 30K (yikes) a week. We were more familiar with the Caribbean anyways and decided to go for it with AOV (for half of the price!)The villa was so beautifully decorated in a way that felt both sort of rustic/island-like and luxurious at the same time. It honestly took my breath away. The enclosed bedroom area was spacious and the adjustable AC unit plus two fans in the area were more than enough to keep two hot sleepers chilled through each night. The full glass doors led straight out to the salt water dip pool that faced the restaurant area -- At first I was a bit nervous that diners would see into the bedroom area, but the waterfall and plants placed around the pool/villa completely shielded us while inside at all times even with the curtains completely open (We tested this at different times of day and night by sitting in every dining table/area we could and could NEVER see into our bedroom area - whether the villa lights were on or off and at day or night.)The outside areas were BIG and honestly way more than enough for two people to comfortably move about for a week without wanting to leave AT ALL.Huge sectional + queen bed + second huge bathtub + chaise chairs + swing + hammock + floor level hammock net over the ocean (actually comfortable 🤭) were all just added pluses to the ocean access we had….large reefs between the villa and dining pier filled with so many different fishes and crystal clear water to view them.***I will say that the other couple in a villa behind us said that the water was kelpy and shallow until they swam out to where ours was located; then they were amazed!! We didn’t really go back into that area but everything in front of us and on the side between our villa and the restaurant was baby blue gorgeous snorkeling.***I was able to lie in full sun in the outside areas of the villa at ALL TIMES OF DAY. We kayaked to sea glass island relatively easily and quickly (even with the headwinds!) with the included equipment for natural mementos of the trip to take home to turn into art.The area felt so incredibly private during the first week in August; we only ran into two other couples staying on the grounds during the entire week - definitely a stark difference to other resort areas in Aruba.Outdoor area was cleaned every late morning without requesting it ; inside was fully turned down within a couple hours at every request, and a full service breakfast was delivered to our villa dining table every morning even when we put in our orders past the cut off time the nights prior.The staff were absolutely out of this world accommodating ….channilla, Maria, Carlos, Antonio/Antony, uri, Laika, the lovely gentleman who sang and played guitar for us at dinner, the drivers, our cleaner (Lydia I think?), didi, and an ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL and ABOVE EXCEPTIONAL evening bartender that I truly want to rock myself for not remembering his name :( they all truly made us feel like royalty in ways we will never forget 💜I will say that the villa next to ours (still plenty of space between) was unoccupied for our entire stay, if it weren’t, we may not have had the level of privacy we desired on the sea glass island/ocean facing side of the villa that we had during our stay. However we would return without hesitation during even the busiest time of year. Thank you!!!

Save your $$$ & stay at the Ritz Carlton instead (cheaper, nicer, better service). I wish I was kidding. We stayed @ the ritz after AOV & it saved the trip. Granted, the overwater bungalows at AOV are quite nice, private & the few staff we encountered were lovely too. However, there was A LOT of construction happening with daily power outages during our stay. Their preferred communication was via WhatsApp but the communication was not great & they only responded when it served them. Lots o talk by staff about how the owner doesn’t keep enough staff around. We had to bring our own bags to our room. Overall, we didn’t feel very welcomed at all & for >2k/night, this place is a total rip off. A lot of the resort smells like sewage, the food was average, you have to request daily housekeeping. Feels like it’s everyone’s first day & everyone can’t wait for a day off. Linens/towels are old, YOU NEED A CAR if you’re staying here imo. Do not recommend

DO NOT BOOK A STAY with Aruba Ocean Villas, unless you want to be board and hang out with bugs.We scheduled our stay for 3/6-3/10/24 to celebrate my wife’s 50th birthday. I was looking forward to the experience, because when I saw the pictures online I thought we would have a GREAT time. Well it all started when we tried to find the resort. The resort is not the easiest to find (no signs), but we found it by luck. There is one good thing I must say, the staff was very nice, as is the norm for Aruba natives. We proceed into the resort , which was nice, since it’s like walking into a forest, but a lot smaller. We proceed to the bar and had a drink while we waited for our over the water bungalow. The person escorting us to our room pointed out the beach, which was so small you could fit 4 small cars next to each other on it. When we arrived at our villa (Dushi Sue Villa) the villa was extremely hot. At first I thought the AC was not working properly, but eventually realized the AC would not work due to all the openings in the walls and ceilings. Then we found bugs crawling all over the counters. The bathroom is also outside, so no AC… We asked where was the pool and was informed there is no pool. We also asked where the TV was and was informed the villa does not have a TV. There was a radio, but it did not work. The safe was sitting in a cabinet, not secured. So if we place our valuables in it someone could easily walk away with them. There is a mosquito net around the bed, of which we would need to close at nights in order to avoid being eaten alive (I can imagine going to the restroom in the middle of night). To top it all off the view was less then pleasant. The view of the ocean is between to villas and for the money I would expect better. Anyway I asked to talk to Sandrich Buslik, who is the property manager and was asked to email him since he is not on the property every day. So I emailed him and had to call multiple times and email him twice before he finally responded 3 days later. I informed him in the original email of our grievances and informed him we could not stay in his resort and would like a partial refund. He replied “unfortunately, due to cancellation policy we can not give you a credit”. So in the end DO NOT BOOK A VILLA, unless you enjoy the heat, with no AC, no pool and hanging with bugs.

My husband and I stayed at Aruba ocean villas for three nights this past weekend 3/10/2024- 3/13/2024.After traveling from Syracuse NY to aruba for the entire day, we found our own cab because one was not Offered to us from the hotel. We were dropped off at a dirty, dusty parking lot Located in the middle of nowhere, the complete opposite side of civilization around 5:30 pm. Disappointingly we were told by the concierge that our room was not ready, and we had to wait for 30 minutes at the bar until it was.Upon entering the room it was very clear that it was not clean. There were left over drinks from the previous guests in the mini fridge. The couches and chairs all appear to be purchased at a garage sale. I understand, whimsical and eclectic, but this was not that, this was just plain dirty. There were multiple birds inside of our room that would perch on a branch light fixture over our bed and defecate. The room was buggy and hot. There’s an AC unit directly over the bed that pours cold air on you all night long that made both of us sick.The walk in shower was missing multiple tiles and painted with a waterproof barrier that was dripping all over the place. The toilet seat had to have been 20 years old and cleaned so many times that it was scarred and scored and completely unsanitary. The bathroom is clearly on a deck where there are bugs coming thru all of the flooring when you turn the lights on. The bathroom was extremely dirty!!Over the kitchen sink, one of the blinds must had fallen some time ago and they never bothered to replace it. There were bugs all over the window sills. The kitchen sink had dirty sponges next to it. The entire place was so filthy, dusty and smelled.The complimentary breakfast that we ordered the first morning was mediocre at best but the worst part is that the plateware and left over food sat there for 3 days. No one ever came to pick it up.No one ever offered us water, fresh towels, or came to clean the room.We stayed in Dushi Sue suite which sits behind the front row of bungalows so there are minimal views of the ocean. If this place was $300 a night, OK I get it but for the $1400 a night we spent we could have stayed at the ritz Carlton.I feel bad writing such a poor a review about a family-owned place but it really falls extremely short and needs a lot of work.

A really fantastic place! Wife and I stayed in Joy, and we loved it. Very serene environment. Wife and I have already talked about coming back!

Listen!!!Listen!!!Listen!!!I’ll first start by saying that Ramsey gave us thee best service we received at the resort other than the very first person at the front who gave us our tour. (Ramsey was the driver at AOV).We arrived to AOV after being picked up by the company’s transportation. Checked in, got a tour, and everybody was very welcoming, nice, and the place is/was BEAUTIFUL. Moving forward our breakfast was terrible including the fruit. Service wasn’t up to normal standards if you ask me. Reasons being: Taking into consideration that one has to use “whatsapp” to contact staff for any needs… I think leaving our old breakfast on the front porch of our room for 8 hours was awful. People walked past our room day in and day out! When we got back and explained that we didn’t appreciate them not cleaning the old food and melted drinks, we were told that you have to specifically ask whenever you want something like that or anything done because they believe in giving customers their “privacy”. There were hardly any other people there so there wasn’t much for them to do. It seemed like workers needed to find something to keep themselves busy. And that would’ve been the perfect opportunity. Also we went to eat at the over water cabana across from the bar. We planned this special dinner 3 months in advance and spoke on it being for a birthday to the waiter several times. Not only did they not sing us happy birthday after we asked, but sang it to the table next to us with a guitar. Also Joy M. was our coordinator at first. We were talking to Joy frequently. Explained on every occasion the two of our names and the role we played with one another. I told Joy that I was planning 2 surprise massages and facials and for her to not tell the other person. I said this verbally over the phone on more than one occasion and I emailed it to her and was very descriptive every conversation. She always agreed and admired. She ended up telling the other person and ruined their $500 birthday surprise. Apologized to the person. Then when I spoke with her told me she had no idea and that they couldn’t compensate or do anything to fix the matter. I ended up reading Joy her rights. Then it got to a point when she completely stopped talking to either of us. I ended up getting great help from DiDi. (Thank you to DiDi for picking up all the slack.) I had also met with a local who told me that Joy was not so nice. And had choice words about her so beware.The water here isn’t pleasant. The plant life makes the water feel squishy and it’s not good water to swim in unless texture isn’t sensitive to you. The water started off low… then began to come up to about my knee. I couldn’t handle any length after that. The only thing to do in their water is kayak.With it being noninclusive, I’d imagine the food at least being “ok”, being that were paying full price of everything and it’s not cheap. Again, the food want so good. Also, the AC wasn’t very strong. Rooms will be a little toasty. I wouldn’t recommend this place unless you plan on a very relaxed honeymoon, or getaway, and if you don’t mind their water, expensive transportation, and won’t mind that their service is only provided when you text via WhatsApp.It’s a beautiful site, however. And the beds are cozy. It just wasn’t for me.

Looking for a unique place to stay while visiting Aruba? Aruba Ocean Villas is IT.We stayed 5 nights in January in Kita Bonita – one of the over-the-water penthouse villas and the entire experience was superb…5 stars in every respect. The property is on the southern end of Aruba, the quieter part of the island, which is great for relaxing, yet still closes enough to get to wherever you want to go. We felt like we were in an oasis as soon as we arrived and our villa afforded us all the openness to enjoy the water and sea breeze while still being private.The entire staff was fantastic and sincerely cared about making sure we enjoyed our vacation. They went above and beyond to ensure that we had everything we needed or wanted to make sure our stay was outstanding…one of the staff even offered to go shopping for us. Tahnee at the front desk provided excellent recommendations on where to go eat so we could experience where the locals eat.

My husband and I booked this trip on a whim to escape the cold, and we are already planning our trip back! Aruba Ocean villas was a perfect experience from the moment we arrived until we had to leave, and it is far away from the mega-hotels and crowds of people. The ambience and atmosphere are obviously perfect, as depicted in the many photos, but we were even more pleasantly surprised by all the lovely staff at AOC. Tahnee greeted us at the front desk and made sure we were setup for a flawless stay. We enjoyed a complimentary drink at the outdoor bar while she took our things to the room. Getting what you need at AOC is really easy as you are setup with a group chat on WhatsApp. Whenever you need anything, you only need to text, and it is immediately taken care of.We stayed in Chupi, and couldn't have been happier with what we chose. The room was ready with an iced bottle of champagne and a perfect-temperature soaking tub to recover from our flights. We chose to have our complimentary breakfast in our bungalow, and Brenda and Jeanne-Marie always made sure we had everything we needed.On the property, there were plenty of places to relax, read our books, kayak, swim, and enjoy the sun and perfect temperatures. Wendel was another staff that made our experience wonderful. He would serenade guests at dinner and always made sure we were taken care of. AOC is away from the more tourist "down-town" area. We were able to explore some less traveled, more-local part of the island like Mangel Halto, a natural land bridge, and Baby BeachWe also scheduled a spa experience for a massage and facial. It was a great experience as the secluded spa was outdoors, and you could hear birds and the ocean while getting treated.I wanted an warm place to relax where I didn't have to worry about a thing, and Aruba Ocean Villas met those needs and exceeded my expectations perfectly. We will be back, and I am looking forward to it!

If you are researching Aruba hotels as a whole, this is a boutique over water villa experience Think Robinson Crusoe meets bougie meets Bohemian. If you are into the Four Seasons/Ritz-Carlton (Which we usually are) , this might not be the place for you unless you are adaptable with an open mind/free spirit and are slightly uninhibited ...we highly recommend !!For our 20th anniversary, we wanted to try an overwater villa experience with all of the perks/ luxury! Well, we found it.. We stayed in the Mia Wisha.Comfortable.. luxurious.. tranquil..

Tropical oasis! Staff was very accommodating and helpful! Cookie, Brenda, Uri, Zaldy all were so sweet and helpful! The rooms give you a Maldives vibe. The massages are great here as well. Highly recommend

Please do not waste your money here better of renting an Airbnb. Below are the reasons why.Our expectations were:1. To have a bungalow with some privacy.2. A beautiful ocean View.3. A place where we can escape and enjoy nature.Description of Orquidea beach bungalow mentioned on website:Villa Orquidea, an exquisite oceanfront gem, offers a serene beachside retreat with a queen-size canopy bed, a jacuzzi, and an ocean-front porch, complemented by a personal dining table for intimate dining experiences. This secluded haven combines comfort and privacy, providing a distinctive escape with sweeping ocean views.Reality:1. Our bungalow's washroom was adjacent to the restaurant waiting area, our view was blocked by beach front restaurant table and adjacent property which was making noise till 12 AM.2. Our bungalow had a 20% ocean view and the other was covered by the restaurant and the pier accessible to everyone.3. During the breakfast, lunch and dinner the restaurant kept decent traffic in front of the bungalow(RIP privacy) and other times folks had to construct a shed for the day bed right in front of the bungalow rest of the time. We did not get any privacy, making the jacuzzi and other features name's sake and useless.4.We were suffocating due to lack of air circulation.5. I especially enjoyed leaving the place with several mosquito bites.6. The food was stale and not up to standard of the price.