Of the more than 60 boutiques and shops here, expect to see names like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Dolce & Gabbana. The waterfront Seaport Casino is the other Renaissance-owned casino: it’s closer to the Ocean Suites side of the hotel and (like all casinos in Aruba) still allows smoking inside.īy day, there’s plenty of shopping to do at the luxury mall that’s attached to the hotel. It's also the only casino open 24/7 on the island. This almost 15,000-square-foot (1,394-square-meter) parlor features over 370 slot machines, as well as tables for roulette, craps, blackjack, Caribbean stud poker, and Texas hold 'em. The hotel’s on-site Crystal Casino is one of the classiest places to gamble in Aruba - it sparkles with Austrian crystal chandeliers, gold-leaf columns, Spanish mirrors, and Italian marble and brass. The cerulean, lozenge-shaped tiling is a particularly nice touch. The bathrooms at both the family and adult-only sides of the resort are pleasantly bright, with rainfall showers, lots of counter space, and a generous supply of towels. Some higher-category rooms have microwaves, like in the Ocean Suite (Ocean Suites) that we visited. They also have nicer views, especially in ocean or pool-facing suites (otherwise it’s a boring view of the parking lot).Īll rooms include air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, safes, mini-fridges, coffeemakers, free Wi-Fi, and MP3 players. Fortunately the suites at Ocean Suites are bigger - both the rooms and the balconies. It doesn’t help that many windows face the mall and lobby below, so sitting on the narrow balcony is neither private nor a respite. The entry-level Guest Rooms start at just 23 square meters (260 square feet), and the Ocean King Room (Marina) that we saw comes in at just 27 square meters (301 square feet). It's worth mentioning that not all rooms here are spacious - at least by upscale Caribbean resort standards. Some rooms have funky string chairs and eye-catching abstract art to punch up the design yet another notch. The walls and leather accents - both done in cream - manage to look both classy and a bit sexy at the same time. The starburst pattern carpet in each room is another throwback design choice that feels fresh, while collections of vases and other objets d'art give higher-category rooms even more personality. Expect to see lots of warm wood tones in everything from sleek contemporary storage units to retro chairs plus an abundance of ocean blues and accents like island-postcard wallpaper in the closets in some rooms. The rooms at both Ocean Suites and the Marina underwent renovations in 2015, and now combine bold, modern style with sharp vintage details to create rooms that have a tasteful bit of glam pizzazz. Guests who stay here come from all over the world, but especially the U.S. Steakhouse, one of the hotel’s eight restaurants. While stylish young travelers fill the space around the lobby bar and sip cocktails at the rooftop pool at the Marina, seniors play bingo at Ocean Suites and families dine at L.G. Keep looking down and you’ll see guests periodically hopping on a free boat shuttle to the hotel’s private island (their version of an on-site beach).Īll in all, it’s a visually stunning experience at a hotel that seems to appeal to everyone. A glance down from the lobby grants a view of the glass-enclosed elevator rising towards rooms stacked in a never-ending symmetry on the floors overhead. Claw-foot armoires are painted in bright colors, egg-shaped lounge chairs and low string chairs are set about the space, and bright blue patterned wallpaper create the feeling of having stepped into a giant dollhouse - a trendy, futuristic one, that is. The decor here has a bold, almost playful feel. That all changes once you reach the top of the escalator, though, where skylights perfectly frame a large contemporary lobby, the BLUE Bar, and the pool. In fact, at first it just feels like walking into a typical American mall. With a luxury mall, twocasinos, and an entire marina to its name, the Renaissance is an imposing place, though that’s not immediately apparent from the initial step inside. An upscale Marriott property in downtown Oranjestad, the 556-room Renaissance Aruba Resort and Casino is divided into two distinct sections: the adult-only Renaissance Marina and the family-friendly Ocean Suites across the street.
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