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| Occidental Grand Aruba, Palm Beach |
The Occidental Grand Aruba‘s perfect location on Aruba’s famed Palm Beach, brings all that Aruba has to offer into one priceless setting. You don’t even need to leave the resort to enjoy all the island has to offer. Everything you need for an exceptional vacation is right here. Heavenly, sun-kissed days, picture perfect beaches, sparkling clear, ocean, friendly people, and countless activities to fill your every vacation need. Just as Aruba has “something for everyone,” so does the Occidental Grand Aruba!
I’ve vacationed with my family at other “all-inclusive” resorts, but this one really puts the “all” into all-inclusive. Here’s some of the highlights of what we experienced on our vacation.
All Inclusive Features
1. Dining
If your family is like our family…you love to eat! That was no problem at Occidental. You’ll get a taste of the world’s food at Occidental Grand Aruba’s SIX all-inclusive restaurants. There’s an international buffet on the main floor, and Italian, traditional Mexican, Pan Asian, Caribbean Fusion restaurants throughout the resort. Our personal favorite… Zen! Zen features a fresh sushi bar, and private dining in relaxing “Tatami style.” Add a premium sake, and it’s great place to “get your Zen on” at the end of a lively day!
2. Open Bars and Entertainment
There are four individual bars and one disco with bar to satisfy your thirst, and nightly shows and entertainment around the resort. And though not inclusive, a casino is on the premises and open nightly. My husband and I used the resort’s babysitting service for our two boys, then checked out the lively disco, and tried a few bets at the casino. We didn’t win, but we had fun losing!
3. In-Room Dining
One morning we wanted a few more minutes of sleep and didn’t feel like heading to a restaurant. We had a continental breakfast delivered to our room before heading out for the day! (Delivery is from 7- 11 a.m.)
Even with all the fabulous food, you don’t have to worry about gaining a pound, as you are sure to work it off with all the activities the resort offers.
Activities (some all-inclusive, some require an additional fee)
1. Pool and Private Beach
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| A unit bedroom at Occidental Grand Aruba, decor varies |
You might want to spend all your time relaxing by the free-form pool with two whirlpools or sifting through the powdery, white sand as you laze under your Palapa on your private beach, but our family prefers a little more action.
2. Diving and Snorkeling
Aruba offers the perfect environment to use your diving and snorkeling skills. Its sparkling, clear water offers visibility up to 90 feet and a mild year round climate allows you to dive anytime …even at night! Not only do the waters abound with colorful tropical fish, coral reefs, and exotic marine life, Aruba is also the “Wreck Diving Capital” of the Caribbean. Twenty dive sites and eleven diver-friendly wrecks await you! Doesn’t matter if you are not experienced. Occidental Grand Aruba has professional instructors, clinics and certification.
If you are a beginner, you might want to test the waters by snorkeling. We took advantage of the resort’s snorkeling instruction and it really improved our confidence in the water.
3. Kids Club
Our two boys loved the resort’s supervised Kids Club for ages 4-12. Let’s face it, family vacations are great, but once in a while it’s nice to have a little adult time. The boys enjoyed the water activities, games, and crafts all under the supervision of trained staff members. Mom and Dad (that’s us!) hit the fitness room and then enjoyed a luxurious couple’s massage!
4. Kayaking
The family all came together after their separate activities for a family Kayaking adventure in the calm, clear waters of the hotel beach. We spotted fish and birds while enjoying the beautiful scenery, and our relaxing afternoon.
5. Tennis
The resort has two tennis courts available at no charge. On more than one occasion we got up early and headed out to the courts with our two “ball boys,” and were always able to get on a court for a couple of sets of tennis.
Though not inclusive, other amazing activities including sailing, deep-sea fishing, water skiing, golf, horsebackriding, aquatic motor bikes, and parasailing are offered at the resort or nearby.
One final note, this wonderful vacation with all that it had to offer, would have cost us so much more had we stayed in a traditional hotel. Using our timeshare week saved us between 50-60%. For a family of four, that really means a lot!
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The content of this article was submitted by Denise, an active traveler from San Diego, California. Want to submit your own detailed resort review? Post a comment below and we’ll get you the details!”