The Ritz-Carlton Aruba Noord Aruba

Escape to Paradise: Unforgettable Ritz-Carlton Aruba Luxury

Okay, buckle up buttercups, because we're about to dive HEADFIRST into the shimmering turquoise waters and sun-drenched bliss of The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba. I'm talking "Escape to Paradise" but, let's be real, it's gonna be more like "Escape to Practical Paradise" with a hefty dose of opinionated reviews and the occasional, "well, that sucked" thrown in.

Accessibility: (Mostly Good, But Let's Be Real)

First things first, good on ya, Ritz-Carlton, for trying. Wheelchair accessible rooms are a thing, and those elevators are your best friends. The lobby? Beautifully wide open. However, accessibility is a journey, not a destination, yeah? The beach? Sand is a tricky beast for any wheels. I saw a few folks struggling, so it's not perfect. And, you know, sometimes those "convenience" ramps aren't that convenient. But overall, kudos for aiming high.

On-site Accessible Restaurants/Lounges:

Definitely check with them beforehand, but expect some accessible options, hopefully. But like, I'm just being real - always double-check and maybe triple-check.

Internet Access (Because We Need It, Right?)

Okay, this is KEY for me. FREE Wi-Fi in every room? YES. Praise the tech gods! I mean, I gotta Instagram that sunset, right? And the LAN? Okay, old school, but hey, if you need it, it's there. Public areas? Wi-fi is fine, nothing special. Let's be honest, the digital detox is nice, but not always an option.

Things to Do & Ways to Relax (Oh, the Indulgence!)

Body Scrubs?! YES, PLEASE. I need to be exfoliated to oblivion! Body Wraps?! Okay, I'm listening. Fitness Center: (Heavy sigh) Fine, I should probably go. Foot Bath: Ummm… intriguing. Gym/Fitness: See "Fitness Center" above. Massage: DUH! This is Ritz-Carlton, people. Gotta. Pool with a View: Guaranteed. The picture perfect view is a huge point of luxury Sauna: Sold! Spa: Yeah, and it's a proper spa. Spa/Sauna: Double your pleasure, double your fun! Steamroom: Get that humidity baby. Swimming Pool: Multiple. Enough said. Swimming Pool [Outdoor]: And they're gorgeous. My Obsession: The Pool…and the View. The Pool View! Okay, I'm being dramatic. Let's talk about it. I spent a solid afternoon just floating in that glorious infinity pool, looking out at the endless blue. And the view?! The turquoise water just sparkles. The sun… the heat… the sheer luxury of doing absolutely nothing. It's one of those experiences that actually made me feel a little bit… emotional. Like, I could have stayed there forever. Actually I did. It was the best. I even cried a little bit when I had to leave.

Cleanliness and Safety (Because We’re Living in Crazy Times)

Alright, safety first, people! Anti-viral cleaning products, Daily disinfection in common areas, Hand sanitizer, Professional-grade sanitizing services, Room sanitization opt-out available: they're doing the thing. I saw staff cleaning constantly, which is reassuring. Individually-wrapped food options? Check. Physical distancing of at least 1 meter? Mostly. Safe dining setup? Seems legit. They seem to be trying. A good start.

Dining, Drinking, and Snacking (My Happy Place?)

My Take: the Buffet… It's just… okay. The breakfast buffet was, well, buffet-y. Lots of options, but the food, while fine, wasn't exactly mind-blowing. The fruit was fresh, the pastries were okay, but I was expecting more elevated options. The coffee was… serviceable. I definitely prefer a la carte ordering. A la carte in restaurant: Definitely the way to go. Alternative meal arrangement: Very handy. Asian breakfast & cuisine: Cool. Bar, Bottles of Water & Coffee/tea Essential. Coffee shop: YES! Desserts in restaurant: Crucial. Happy Hour?: Definitely needed! International cuisine? Yep. Poolside bar: Essential for the aforementioned pool time. Restaurants: Many. Room service [24-hour]: THANK YOU, RITZ-CARLTON. Salad, Soup, Snacks All the good stuff. Vegetarian restaurant: Good for options. Western breakfast & cuisine: You know.

Services and Conveniences (The Little Touches That Make It LUXE)

Air conditioning in public areas: Duh. Audio-visual equipment for special events: Perfect. Business facilities & Concierge: Standard. Cash withdrawal: Useful. Contactless check-in/out: Smart. Convenience store & Currency exchange: Okay. Daily housekeeping: Essential. Doorman & Dry cleaning: Nice. Elevator: Good for those with mobility issues Essential condiments: I mean, yes! Facilities for disabled guests: Good for those with mobility issues. Food delivery: Handy Gift/souvenir shop: Always a guilty pleasure. Indoor venue for special events: Nice Invoice provided: Useful if you're traveling for business. Ironing service & Laundry service: Bless up. Luggage storage: Necessary. Meeting/banquet facilities & Meetings, Meeting stationery: Serious work On-site event hosting & Outdoor venue for special events Perfect for weddings. Projector/LED display: Tech. Safety deposit boxes: Smart. Seminars & Shrine: Cool. Smoking area: Nice. Terrace: Ahhh. Wi-Fi for special events: Tech. Xerox/fax in business center: Ugh, who uses fax?

For the Kids (Are They Welcome?)

Babysitting service, Family/child friendly, Kids facilities and Kids meal: They're trying! It's a Ritz-Carlton, so the kids are (mostly) welcome. The kids had a great time.

For the Kids (Are They Welcome?)

Babysitting service, Family/child friendly, Kids facilities and Kids meal: They're (mostly) welcome!

Access, Security, & General Stuff:

CCTV in common areas & CCTV outside property: Safe. Check-in/out [express, private]: Nice. Couple's room: Romantic! Exterior corridor: Fine with me. Fire extinguisher & Front desk [24-hour]: Great Hotel chain: Makes it well-known and trusted. Non-smoking rooms: A must! Pets allowed?: Nope. Proposal spot: Very good. Room decorations: Pretty. Safety/security feature, Security [24-hour], Smoke alarms, Soundproof rooms: Secure. Smoke alarms: Safe. Soundproof rooms: Nice. Getting Around:

Airport transfer, Bicycle parking, Car park [free of charge], Car park [on-site], Car power charging station, Taxi service, Valet parking: All your travel needs are here.

Available in all rooms:

Here's the basic rundown of what you get in your room: Additional toilet & Air conditioning: Yep. Alarm clock, Bathrobes, Bathroom phone For those important calls. Bathtub & Blackout curtains: Essential! Carpeting, Closet, Coffee/tea maker, Complimentary tea: Perfect. Daily housekeeping & Desk, Extra long bed, Free bottled water, Hair dryer, High floor, In-room safe box: Yep Interconnecting room(s) available Great if you need it. Internet access – LAN & Internet access – wireless, Ironing facilities, Laptop workspace, Linens, Mini bar, Mirror: The basics. Non-smoking & On-demand movies: Perfect for a relaxing day. Private bathroom & Reading light, Refrigerator, Safety/security feature: Safety first. Satellite/cable channels, Scale, Seating area For an easy time. Separate shower/bathtub, Shower, Slippers, Smoke detector, Socket near the bed: All important Sofa, Soundproofing, Telephone, Toiletries, Towels, Umbrella, Visual alarm, Wake-up service and Wi-Fi [free], Window that opens: You got everything!

Final Verdict:

The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba, is a fantastic choice for a luxury getaway. It's not perfect, but the stunning views, the pool, the spa… they're worth it! The staff are generally lovely and the location is second to none.

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The Ritz-Carlton Aruba Noord Aruba

Alright, buckle up, buttercup, because we're about to dive headfirst into my Ritz-Carlton Aruba adventure. Forget those perfectly curated Instagram feeds – this is the real, slightly sunburnt deal.

Day 1: Arrival and the Great Pool Debacle (aka, My First Meltdown)

1:00 PM: Land in Aruba. Aruba! The very word conjures images of turquoise waters and fluffy clouds. Reality? Airport chaos. Seriously, the passport control line looked like the queue for a really good concert. I swear I saw a guy trying to sneak a bottle of duty-free vodka into his sock. Genius, or just desperate? I'm leaning towards desperate.
2:30 PM: Finally, freedom! The Ritz-Carlton shuttle snags me and whisks me away. The driver, a charming local named Carlos, peppers the ride with stories. "The wind," he says, gesturing dramatically, "It is the island's soul!" Okay, Carlos, noted. I will channel my inner wind spirit.
3:00 PM: Check-in. The lobby… wow. Crystal chandeliers, plush everything. This is where the whole "vacation" part kicks in. My room faces the ocean. Okay, I'm officially swooning. The balcony? Pure bliss.
3:30 PM: Swimsuit on! Time to hit the pool. Which is when things went sideways. Picture this: I'm picturing myself gracefully gliding into the water. The camera in my hand. What actually happened was more of a, uh, belly flop worthy of the Olympics. The water, though lovely, decided to be extra salty. I swallowed a pint or two. A few children pointed. My dignity took a nose dive.
4:00 PM: Retreat. I needed a cocktail. A strong one. Ordered a rum punch and nursed my bruised ego by the pristine beach. Watched the sunset, it was a masterpiece. Aruba, you may have won this round.
5:00 PM: Showering, I'm still scrubbing off the residual salt and the humiliation of my pool performance. I'll conquer that damn pool tomorrow. Mark my words.
7:00 PM: Dinner at Casa Nonna. Okay, the pasta? To die for. The view of the ocean while eating said pasta? Even better. But the waiter, bless his heart, was a bit… over-enthusiastic with the refills. I swear, I had a full glass of water practically glued to my hand all night. Am I complaining? No. But I'm definitely taking a picture of my water glass.

Day 2: Sun, Sand and Sunburn

7:00 AM: Wake up early, determined to win the pool. Decided to sit the pool out and do the beach.
8:00 AM: Breakfast. The breakfast buffet at Solanio is a treasure trove. Everything you could want; fluffy pancakes, fresh fruit galore, and the best coffee on the island. I may have eaten my weight in mangoes. No regrets.
9:00 AM: The Beach! Finally. Soaked up the sun like a lizard. The water is crystal clear. The sand is soft. This is paradise. Did I mention the sun? It was a merciless inferno. I reapplied sunscreen every 20 minutes, but apparently, my skin is not ready for this level of sunshine. Regretting now that I didn't bring a hat.
12:00 PM: Back to the room to cool down.
1:00 PM: Attempted to get a massage at the Spa. The massage was, like, super dreamy and all, but I spent the next hour contemplating my life choices, in the best way possible.
3:00 PM: The snorkeling excursion. The water! Okay, a total game-changer. Saw every kind of fish you can imagine, from vibrant parrotfish to the more unassuming, yet very cute, little clownfish. My inner child was absolutely beside myself.
6:00 PM: Sunset from my balcony with a glass of wine. Pure bliss.
7:00 PM: Dinner somewhere new, at BLT Steak. The steak was okay, but the service was… slow. Like, glacially slow. I contemplated ordering a pizza from room service more than once. But the company was great, so all's well.
9:00 PM: Late night walk on the beach. The stars! Oh, the stars! You can see the entire milky way with the naked eye. I'm a sucker for the sky.

Day 3: The Windsurf Fail, and A Surprise

8:00 AM: Another attempt to actually make into the pool for a swim. Success!!
9:00 AM: Windsurfing lessons. Carlos' "wind is the island's soul" philosophy came back to haunt me. Seriously, the wind was relentless. Let's just say I spent more time in the water than on the board. It was less windsurfing, more… wind-submerging. Multiple times. This is the point someone should give me a medal.
11:00 AM: Gave it up. Swapped windsurfing for a boat tour, to see the rest of the island.
12:00 PM: Boat tour. Saw some amazing beaches; beaches with dramatic cliffs and crystal-clear water. I almost jumped in.
3:00 PM: Random, impromptu afternoon nap. This is the life!
5:00 PM: Return to the hotel.
6:00 PM: A knock on my door. Turns out the hotel staff heard about my windsurfing "adventure." They delivered a celebratory bottle of champagne and a plate of chocolate-covered strawberries. Maybe they felt bad, but I didn't care.
7:00 PM: Dinner at Azia Restaurant & Lounge. Amazing food, and even better cocktails. Found an amazing coconut cocktail.

Day 4: Departure (and a promise to return)

8:00 AM: One last breakfast at Solanio. One last mountain of mangoes.
9:00 AM: Packing. I'm already dreading the return to reality.
10:00 AM: Last dip in the pool (this time without incident!). Watched the final sunrise. I felt a pang of… sadness, I guess. I'd made it through the chaos and came out the other side.
12:00 PM: Check out. Said a sad goodbye to Carlos, who had been a constant source of joy.
1:00 PM: Airport. Duty-free vodka in sight. (Just kidding, I'm staying sober this time.)
2:00 PM: Plane ride. I spent the entire flight already planning my return trip.

Aruba, you won't see the last of me. And next time, I will master windsurfing. Or at least, not drown. Maybe.

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The Ritz-Carlton Aruba Noord Aruba

Okay, so... Aruba. And The Ritz-Carlton. Is it really paradise, or just a fancy Instagram filter? Be honest now.

Alright, alright, buckle up, buttercup. Paradise? Look, I'm a cynical New Yorker, okay? I've seen things. But... Aruba, at least the Ritz-Carlton side of it? Yeah, it's pretty damn close. I mean, the turquoise water? It *glows*. Seriously, like someone's cranked up the saturation slider to eleven. And the sand? So fine it feels like walking on powdered sugar. But… It's not *perfect*. More on that later. Think of it as a curated paradise, heavily influenced by meticulous housekeeping and a very liberal attitude to cocktail expenses. I'm not saying it's *not* paradise, I'm just saying pack some realistic expectations AND a good pair of sunglasses. The sun is brutal, and the luxury? Well, that's real.

Let's get down to brass tacks. What's the actual room situation at the Ritz-Carlton Aruba? Are we talking cramped closets and paper-thin walls?

The rooms? They're… spacious. And I mean, *genuinely* spacious. I’m talking, “could-probably-hold-a-small-dance-party-if-you-were-so-inclined” spacious. The closet wasn't cramped, thank god. Which is a *must* when you overpack like I do. And the walls? Pretty solid. I didn't hear my neighbor's late-night karaoke sessions (maybe they weren’t having any, or I was just *far* enough away). Seriously, the balcony was also huge with a beautiful view. You're paying for space here. For the ability to breathe in the salty air and feel like you have *some* room to move. Which, when you're on vacation, is a godsend. Pro-tip: request a high floor. The view makes all the difference. My first room had a slight ocean view, but I was too distracted by the air conditioning.

The food! Tell me about the food! Is it just overpriced burgers and fries, or is there actual cuisine happening?

Food. Ah, the eternal traveler’s conundrum. Okay, so, yes, you *can* get overpriced burgers and fries. They’re tasty, though. Don't let anyone fool you. But the Ritz-Carlton Aruba is serious about its food. Absolutely. There are a few restaurants, and I tried most of them. Blé is… well, it’s probably the best breakfast I’ve ever had. The croissants are like, from another planet. And the coffee? Strong enough to wake you up from a coma, which is useful when you’re battling jet lag and the temptation to stay in your robe all day. At night, the dinners are incredible - I had the best seafood I have ever had. Yes, it’s expensive. But you’re on vacation. Treat yourself. Just maybe, budget for a few instant noodle dinners when you get home to recover.

Okay, the beach. What’s the deal? Is it as gorgeous as the photos? (Because, let's be real, Instagram lies, all the time.)

Okay, the beach. This is where the Instagram filter actually *undersells* things. The photos are beautiful; the reality is breathtaking. The water’s that insane, unbelievable turquoise you see in all the pictures. It’s warm, it's clear, and it’s just… magic. The sand is white and powdery. I spent hours just… staring at it. Seriously. Hours. Now, here’s the *slightly* less perfect part. Getting a good spot on the beach? A *major* hustle. You gotta get up at the crack of dawn, practically, to claim a chair. I am not a morning person. I’m a “hit snooze five times” kind of person. But the beach was so perfect, I *did* get up early. And it was worth it. Absolutely worth it. Even if it meant sacrificing a precious few hours of sleep. Just go! You’ll be glad you did.

Are the staff friendly? Like, genuine friendly, or the “smile-because-we-have-to” kind of friendly?

The staff? Honestly? Surprisingly, *genuinely* friendly. They're not just robots programmed to say "Have a nice day!" after every interaction. They’re actually… *nice*. I remember one time, I was wandering around, hopelessly lost, trying to find the spa, and I bumped into a housekeeping staff member. She didn’t just point me in the right direction. She *walked* me! And she was laughing and smiling, and made me feel less embarrassed about my terrible sense of direction. That kind of genuine warmth? It makes a huge difference. Another time, I spilled my (very expensive) cocktail all over myself. The bartender didn’t even bat an eye. He just immediately started making me another one, chuckling. It was a relief. They're *good* at their job, and it shows.

What's one thing you didn't particularly love or that wasn't perfect? Be honest!

Okay, deep breath. My "less perfect" thing about the Ritz-Carlton in Aruba? The constant *music*. Don't misunderstand, I *like* music. But, everywhere you go, there’s music. At the pool? Music. On the beach? Music. In the elevator? You guessed it… Music. Sometimes, it felt like a soundtrack constantly trying to tell me how to *feel*. "Relaxed!" "Indulgent!" "Living the dream!" And sometimes, I just wanted *silence*. To hear the waves. To think. To not be bombarded by the *sound of paradise*. It’s a small thing, I know. But it occasionally got to me. Maybe I'm just getting old. Or maybe I just need a spa day...

Let's talk about the pool. The pictures make it look amazing. Is it as good as it seems?

The pool. Okay, yes, the pool is amazing. It's that perfect kind of blue that makes you want to dive right in. There are multiple pools including an adult-only pool - HEAVEN. The chairs are comfortable, and they bring you towels. They circulate a constant supply of cocktails. (It's a slippery slope. My credit card has the scars to prove it). There are attentive servers hovering around. They give you water. It’s, in a word, *idyllic*. But my most memorable moment there didn't involve the pool itself. No. It involved a bird. A *huge* bird. A pelican, to be exact. I was lounging by the pool, enjoying a perfectly mixed margarita, when this enormous pelican decided to take flight. And, well, it flew *right over* me. And it did what pelicans do. Let's just say I had a very *close* encounter with bird droppings. (Hotels Near Your

The Ritz-Carlton Aruba Noord Aruba

Escape to Paradise: Unforgettable Ritz-Carlton Aruba Luxury