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Aruba in 4 days and questions re: Ocean and Surf Club

N

nanceetom

TUG Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2007
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Location
Pittsford, NY
We'll be in Aruba in 4 days. The first 2 days will be @ the Ocean Club, used points from joining DC program. Then first week at Surf and second at Ocean, where we own. It's been a few years since we've been there. Can you still make your palapa reservations for 3 consecutive days for $15 a day and then later in the day get the free ones? Last time we were there, there was no problem nor tags used by the pool. Still the same?

We've never stayed at Surf Club and just read in an earlier post about tagging chairs around the pool. Do you have to get up early to get tags? The policy for palapas seems the same at Ocean except 2 consecutive days. Am I correct in how I'm looking at this.

Also, we've made quite a few reservations for restaurants, but somehow forgot Valentines and many of the beach ones only have really early or late times left. They do have good times at Carambola (never been there before). Any other suggestions?
 
At the SC palapas can be reserved in advance for 2 consecutive days and then you have to skip 2 days before reserving again. Advance reservations are $15 per day for rows 1 and 2 and $10 per day for 3 and back. Half of the palapas are free, with reservations taken at 4PM the day before and 7AM in the morning. Chaises around the pool are unfortunately frequently being tagged at 7AM, but at least the tag policy prevents owners from hogging chaises at both the pool and the beach while they can only be at one place.

Have a great trip!
 
While the food at Flying Fishbone is better, the setting at Old Man & the Sea (right next to Flying Fishbone) is, in my opinion, better. I'd try Old Man & the Sea since some people tend to overlook it being that the Fishbone is next door.
 
nanceetom said:
We'll be in Aruba in 4 days. The first 2 days will be @ the Ocean Club, used points from joining DC program. Then first week at Surf and second at Ocean, where we own. It's been a few years since we've been there. Can you still make your palapa reservations for 3 consecutive days for $15 a day and then later in the day get the free ones? Last time we were there, there was no problem nor tags used by the pool. Still the same?

We've never stayed at Surf Club and just read in an earlier post about tagging chairs around the pool. Do you have to get up early to get tags? The policy for palapas seems the same at Ocean except 2 consecutive days. Am I correct in how I'm looking at this.

Also, we've made quite a few reservations for restaurants, but somehow forgot Valentines and many of the beach ones only have really early or late times left. They do have good times at Carambola (never been there before). Any other suggestions?
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Here are the palapa rules for the Ocean Club:
1. The free ones are the even numbered ones and they are reserved on a daily basis. The towel hut opens at 7AM. I am there weeks 51 and 52 so we get up at 5:30 AM to reserve one.
2. The ones to rent--if they are available--I was there 15 days and I could only get the rental ones 5 days. they are for three consecutive days at a time. The first two rows are $15/day and the balance of them are $10/day. The towel hut is open until 6PM so if you arrive by then, you should be able to reserve one. Otherwise, the hut will start taking reservations at 10 AM for the rental palapas.

Here are some restaurants:
Madame Janette
Screaming Eagle
Carte Blanche (amazing experience)
Yemanja Grill
Chalet Suisse
Taste of Belgium
Smokey Joes
El Gaucho

If you have any other questions send me a PM.
ilene
 
Is there any place for someone to lounge at the Surf Club beach or pool if you just walk out there at 9 or 10 in the morning? We got a week there beginning Aug 17 with an AC. All this chair reservation business sounds like a hassle. Can we just buy a couple beach chairs and plop down by the pool or on the beach? I've only been to Aruba for a couple hours on a cruise.
 
suzannesimon said:
Is there any place for someone to lounge at the Surf Club beach or pool if you just walk out there at 9 or 10 in the morning? We got a week there beginning Aug 17 with an AC. All this chair reservation business sounds like a hassle. Can we just buy a couple beach chairs and plop down by the pool or on the beach? I've only been to Aruba for a couple hours on a cruise.
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There are plenty of available chaises- the issue is prime spots under umbrellas or palapas. At the beach there are even bimini chaises free late morning (11-noon); those are chaises with canopies. At the beach there are stacks of free lounges, and you can always place them under a palm tree and the bimini chaises are very good. At the pool, you'll find empty lounges, although not stacks of them like at the beach, but finding ones with shade protection later in the morning may be an issue. My friends had no problem during Christmas week by the new Serendipity adult pool, so the new pool has eased that up a little. Enjoy your trip!
 
That's great! I'm a sun-person. I just slather on the sun block and bake.
 
Thanks for all the responses. I just saw someone mention a new pool. Is this the new pool at the hotel, or does the Surf Club have a new one.
 
The Surf Club and the hotel have new pools. The surf Club one is for SC guests only and currently the hotel one is for hotel guests only.
 
Thanks!
Did I hear somewhere that the new pool was going tlo be for hotel & OC? But sounds like only hotel.

So, do the villas on the north side of OC face this new pool?
 
Smooth Air said:
Thanks!
Did I hear somewhere that the new pool was going tlo be for hotel & OC? But sounds like only hotel.

So, do the villas on the north side of OC face this new pool?
Click to expand...

I think people hoped/assumed it would be due to its location, but evidently it is solely a hotel pool.

The villas on the N side should also face the pool.
 
True, the North tower now has pool views on both sides. The new pool is very cool. It would be nice if they open it up to the O.C, but i doubt that will happen as there is already lots of room/chairs around the O.C. pool now.
 
Sunbum said:
True, the North tower now has pool views on both sides. The new pool is very cool. It would be nice if they open it up to the O.C, but i doubt that will happen as there is already lots of room/chairs around the O.C. pool now.
Click to expand...

When we were there weeks 51 and 52, Corey Guest, the OC general manager said that after the really busy winter season he is hoping to negotiate OC usage with the hotel. I hope it happens.
 
After seeing it I'd be surprised if they went for it.. It seems to me to be an upscale type setting, with cabanas, etc, possibly trying to class it up in anticipation of the Ritz opening next year. Of course, that's just my guess. It really is a lovely set-up.

Btw-Access is limited to keyed entry at the doors/gate.. They really want to ensure hotel guest only use.
 
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On another note as I sadly prepare to pack for returning home... Tried two other restaurants this week which were fabulous- Passions, which we just never had gone to, and Barefoot, which opened over the last year or so. Food, service and ambiance were amazing! Both are holy recommended. They are on the beach restaurants, although Barefoot does have a deck with a large palapa over it as well as beachfront.

They do something I have never seen before at Barefoot- if it starts to rain, the wait staff carries over pre-fabricated car port tents over the diners and just shifts the tables so they are closer. We were able to order dessert and enjoy the end of dinner because of that (and their chef's special dessert was something worth ordering- for $9 or 9.50 they served something like 5 mini desserts, sized for sharing). All I can say is yummy! The moveable tents are an ingenious idea, because the typical brief showers/rain, even though short lived and a non-issue on the beach can ruin a wonderful dinner.
 
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