When the Covid pandemic hit, it started to feel like I’d never get to leave the US again. Luckily, in the summer of 2021 Aruba opened its borders with a few key requirements that we met easily, and we were able to explore some of the most beautiful beaches in the WORLD! We stayed in both the resort part of the island on Palm Beach and then headed into Oranjestad for a few days. See all that we did in our week in PARADISE!
Where We Stayed
Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort and Casino
J.E. Irausquin Blvd 81, Noord, Aruba
One of the more popular places to stay on the island is the strip of resorts on Palm Beach. Here you’ll find a ton of beach activities from parasailing to jet skies and every boat toy imaginable. The resorts each have their own flavor or personality. I loved the Hilton’s island feel with calm, natural vibes. The pool area was busy but not impossible. Other hotels in the areas had super loud music and DJs but Hilton didn’t. The only drawback was you had to rent your palapas at least 2 days in advance. Even when we made reservations, there were mix-ups (double booking our palapa and overbooking the paddle boarding rental) so we did file a complaint and were awarded a free steak dinner and a resort credit.
One of the more exciting parts of staying at the Hilton Aruba is the bird sanctuaries they have. The beautiful parrots and macaws were just so fun, especially when they were just hanging out in the trees and walking the pool area in the mornings.