It doesn’t take much to convince many travelers that island life is where relaxation and paradise await. Aruba’s location out of the traditional hurricane path along with its Dutch heritage make it an interesting, year-round island to explore.
The Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino is an excellent place to base your island adventure. In fact, this was the first beachfront hotel to open in the area back in 1959, and it is regularly credited for being the birthplace of the island’s luxury tourism industry. Today, a recent renovation and the ideal beach location make this a hot spot for vacationers looking for fun in the sun. Here are five of the best reasons to visit the Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino.
The beach
Positioned in the heart of Palm Beach, this resort enjoys picture-perfect sunsets and all-day aquamarine waters. Lined with thatch-roofed palapas, the waterfront is an enviable stretch of sand with plenty of places to sit in the sand and relax. Among the newest amenities at the resort are the new beach power palapas that are perfect for those doing remote work in Aruba. They come with power and USB outlets plus laptop cooling pads, which mean you can work all day by the beach without concern. Drinks and food are available at any time. To request service, flip a special marker from red to green, and a server will appear.
Facing the beach is the resort’s 24-hour fitness center as well as a meandering sidewalk that stretches all the way the length of this section of coastline for those interested in jogging al fresco. Just in front of the resort is a pier with a popular bar and several shops. Also nearby is where many of the motorized watersport activities start their journey, which means that Hilton guests have an edge when compared to guests at other hotels.
The food
There are so many options for dining at the resort, not to mention in the area including just across the street. For those that want to stay put, there is plenty of variety. Laguna starts off the day with an impressive breakfast spread including shredded beef arepas, Belgian waffles and a steak and eggs platter. What really gets people in the mood is its bottomless flutes of champagne or mimosa breakfast. For dinner, Sunset Grille is the signature steakhouse serving top-shelf cuts of meat with all shareable side dishes like Gouda cheese fritters and marinated mushrooms. Vegetarians and pescatarians will do just fine at Sunset Grille, too.
During the day, guests can tipple at the lobby lounge bar (don’t miss the signature cocktail or daily happy hour special). Live music often entertains. There is also a poolside grille and bar with the option to dine in your lounge chair or in the seafood restaurant facing the beach. Try the shrimp ceviche (there’s also a tofu option) or the grain bowls that come with any type of protein you desire and fresh avocado. There are sandwiches, burgers and salads on offer as well. Families will love the lobby grab-and-go market selling a variety of breakfast and lunch salads, freshly made quinoa bowls and salads, ice cream, wine, beer, coffee and other sundries.
The most romantic of dining experiences, however, is reserved for only a handful of prized tables set up before sunset. Couples can clink glasses while watching the sun dip into the ocean before dining on a multi-course meal on linen-lined tables. With your toes in the sand, this is one of the most bespoke dining experiences on the whole beach.
The balconies
When famed hotel designer Morris Lapidus created the hotel in the late 1950s, the design was extremely special and permitted all of the rooms to enjoy at least a partial view of the ocean. The furnished balconies are positioned in such a way that people can see the bright blue ocean easily. As additional buildings were added to the resort, they followed the same design although these days, lower floors are more likely to have garden views. Definitely opt for a high floor for the best exposures although even the garden views survey swaying palm trees and can overhear either the crashing waves or lobby-level waterfalls.
Perhaps the best part of the balconies is that the complimentary wireless internet works well there, which means remote workers have no problem catching up on emails in the fresh air.
The pools
With two beautiful pools, there is plenty of place to relax. One has splashing fountains while the other hosts many of the daily wellness activities like pool aerobics, yoga or even movie nights in the pool. Poolside cabanas are another option to the beach palapas, and with Aruba’s traditional trade wind breeze, no one will ever get too hot while relaxing by the pool.
Don’t miss the resort’s resident birds that live just by the pool waterfalls. Guests can interact with them and their handlers, take photos or even follow their social media accounts to enjoy once they are home.
The history
This Hilton has an important reputation for locals since this was the first beachfront hotel to open in 1959 and is regularly credited for being the birthplace of the island’s luxury tourism industry. Throughout the hotel, vintage photos detail the history of the property including the royalty and celebrities that have stayed here. Of particular note are photos of the hotel when it’s the only thing on the entire beach.
Originally opened as the Aruba Caribbean Hotel (it only became a Hilton by 2015), recent renovations here have refreshed the tropical look including colorful Aruban photographs in guest rooms and new furnishings around the property.
The resort is also the birthplace of the (extremely potent) Aruba Ariba cocktail, which you can sample in any of the bars. No matter what you do, taste or sip during a visit to this well-known hotel, expect friendly service and one of the most beautiful and practical beachfronts on the whole island.
Also read: The Best Things To Do In Aruba
