Aruba Surf Club and Ocean Club Palapa Situation

[elked12]

Anyone know the current procedure to get palapas at these two resorts currently.
Thank you

 

[ocdb8r]

As of last week was still first come, first served. I know there were complaints of people going down and reserving the first row as early as 4:30/5am last week (which is technically before the 7am "earliest" time they are allowed to be reserved).

 

[nanceetom]

Could they actually reserve, or just get in line to wait until 7 AM. We haven’t been in a few years, but that’s how it always had run.

 

[dioxide45]

Could they actually reserve, or just get in line to wait until 7 AM. We haven’t been in a few years, but that’s how it always had run.

Sounds like first come first serve=free for all. No waiting in line, no nothing in the new COVID era.

 

[CPNY]

Sounds like first come first serve=free for all. No waiting in line, no nothing in the new COVID era.

Yeah there was some back and forth in the MSU FB group about people getting up and placing towels on the palapas at 5am. I just don’t know how the heck that can be such a relaxing vacation. A friend of mine posted on his news feed a picture of his coffee at the beach at 6am with the caption “my favorite part of vacation”. I responded with “you must be at the Marriott surf club”. Yup! He was. 6am tagging his chairs. I guess Marriott owners just love being at their Marriott’s. The place is packed with people on top of each other. Aruba isn’t my favorite place in the Caribbean

 

[Luvtoride]

Fortunately, during my trip to the Surf Club in July, I paid to reserve (yes it was costly) an umbrella and chaises in the first row on the beach from one of the private water sports vendors. It was available to me each day no matter what time we came down to the beach.

To me, getting up at the crack of dawn to reserve palapas or chairs by the pool is NOT my idea of vacation.


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[Mlvnsmly]

Fortunately, during my trip to the Surf Club in July, I paid to reserve (yes it was costly) an umbrella and chaises in the first row on the beach from one of the private water sports vendors. It was available to me each day no matter what time we came down to the beach.

To me, getting up at the crack of dawn to reserve palapas or chairs by the pool is NOT my idea of vacation.


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How far from the Palapas was it. And if you don't mind, what was the price?

 

[Luvtoride]

They place them in the first row right next to the waters edge in front of the closest palapas.
This picture of my daughter and granddaughter give you a good perspective of the umbrellas location and placement. You can’t beat it!

The cost is $40/ day.
DM me if you want the contact info of the vendor I used.

Brian


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[bazzap]

They place them in the first row right next to the waters edge in front of the closest palapas.
This picture of my daughter and granddaughter give you a good perspective of the umbrellas location and placement. You can’t beat it!

The cost is $40/ day.
DM me if you want Brian


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I have often wondered, can and do people come along with their own personal chairs and umbrella and set up in front of this line right by the sea edge?

 

[Luvtoride]

I have often wondered, can and do people come along with their own personal chairs and umbrella and set up in front of this line right by the sea edge?

Not really. Sometimes people will bring arm chairs forward to sit be the waters edge while watching kids play with sand toys there. Usually only stay there a short while. The nice part about Aruba is that there are very few people who bring their own beach chairs and umbrellas to the beach.


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[bazzap]

Not really. Sometimes people will bring arm chairs forward to sit be the waters edge while watching kids play with sand toys there. Usually only stay there a short while. The nice part about Aruba is that there are very few people who bring their own beach chairs and umbrellas to the beach.


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That’s good to know, thanks.

 

[dioxide45]

They place them in the first row right next to the waters edge in front of the closest palapas.
This picture of my daughter and granddaughter give you a good perspective of the umbrellas location and placement. You can’t beat it!

The cost is $40/ day.
DM me if you want the contact info of the vendor I used.

These are the same chairs/vendors that I hear other Aruba owners complain about? Because they setup in front of their front row palapa?

 

[Luvtoride]

Dioxide, yes exactly.

Aruba (not the MVC resorts) allow the vendors a certain number of umbrellas each and I’m sure charge them for the space to run their “water activities” businesses on the beach. There are several there as there are others throughout Palm Beach as you walk down from the Marriott toward the RIU.

I’ve “reserved” these umbrellas months in advance for trips as they are in high demand for this vacation convenience.

Yes, I’m sure the MVC owners and guests who wake up at the crack of dawn and wait on lines to reserve free Palapas (as close to the front row as possible) complain about these front row set ups. Gotta love free enterprise!


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[csani]

Fortunately, during my trip to the Surf Club in July, I paid to reserve (yes it was costly) an umbrella and chaises in the first row on the beach from one of the private water sports vendors. It was available to me each day no matter what time we came down to the beach.

To me, getting up at the crack of dawn to reserve palapas or chairs by the pool is NOT my idea of vacation.


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can you please recommend the person whom you rented from? coming from NY with little kids- i can’t possibly leave the hotel room to claim a chair early in the am

 

[csani]

They place them in the first row right next to the waters edge in front of the closest palapas.
This picture of my daughter and granddaughter give you a good perspective of the umbrellas location and placement. You can’t beat it!

The cost is $40/ day.
DM me if you want the contact info of the vendor I used.

Brian


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Yes please! i desperately need to find a vendor to help me find umbrella and chairs for rent before my trip! thank you!!

 

[sdkcookie]

I am new to this site and not sure how to use it.

Have you utilized the private palapa rental service at water's edge of the Aruba Surf Club? If so, can you please provide contact information for the service. Would very much appreciate any assistance you can provide. Thank you.

sk

 

[Maple Leaf]

As per MSC FB page, it looks like Surf Club moved to a reservation/fee system for a Beach Setup Service of 1 palapa and 4 beach chairs as of Aug 12th. You have to go online between 7 am-1pm same day to book and you have to pick up your ticket prior to 10am from the towel shack for those booked before that time to "claim" the palapa. You can't reserve before hand so you have to do this every day. The costs range from $20-$5 per day per palapa depending on location in relation to the beach. I guess you still tip the "setup" person. So there are no more free palapas but also no more waiting in line at 6 am. Based on the implementation date, this seems to have been in place for a month. A lot of owners were furious of this change and I'm not sure how it's going. Also, not sure how that affects the vendors that set up in front of the palapas and charge $40. Seeing that the beaches in Aruba are free to the public you can still take beach chairs or towels for that matter and set up anywhere on the beach except under someone's palapa and give people space. We're planning on going there next year so we'll see how that goes.

I hope they don't bring this system to the pool chairs.

Here is the link to MSC Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MarriottsArubaSurfClub/

 

[Luvtoride]

Maple leaf, thanks for the update. I’m not on Facebook so I don’t see that info nor can I open the link.

So instead of getting up at the early hour of 6 or 7 AM to go down to the beach or pool, you now have to get up at that hour to get “online” to reserve your palapas?
Ya think I could get a couple of hot concert tickets with that early alarm? Unreal!


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[jwalk03]

I'm going to Surf Club for the first time on Sunday. I'll report back on the palapa situation once i figure it out! lol

 

[CPNY]

As per MSC FB page, it looks like Surf Club moved to a reservation/fee system for a Beach Setup Service of 1 palapa and 4 beach chairs as of Aug 12th. You have to go online between 7 am-1pm same day to book and you have to pick up your ticket prior to 10am from the towel shack for those booked before that time to "claim" the palapa. You can't reserve before hand so you have to do this every day. The costs range from $20-$5 per day per palapa depending on location in relation to the beach. I guess you still tip the "setup" person. So there are no more free palapas but also no more waiting in line at 6 am. Based on the implementation date, this seems to have been in place for a month. A lot of owners were furious of this change and I'm not sure how it's going. Also, not sure how that affects the vendors that set up in front of the palapas and charge $40. Seeing that the beaches in Aruba are free to the public you can still take beach chairs or towels for that matter and set up anywhere on the beach except under someone's palapa and give people space. We're planning on going there next year so we'll see how that goes.

I hope they don't bring this system to the pool chairs.

Here is the link to MSC Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MarriottsArubaSurfClub/

So many owners apparently loved waking up at 4:30 and going downstairs to form a line for their palapas. I just don’t get it….. I don’t need to sleep until noon on vacation, but there is something relaxing about waking up at a normal hour, having breakfast and coffee on the balcony, then getting to the beach/pool by 11 without having to rush for a chair. Everyone is different I guess.

 

[Maple Leaf]

So basically all the folks that didn't care to get up at 6 am to line up and came down later on in the day and got a free palapa before this change, will now have to pay, and so will everyone actually. Also, for any unused palapas that weren't booked/paid for will now remain empty and unused and not be available for "free" use. That sucks. Not sure what that volume will look like and how the hotel palapa reservation system will hold up during peak season at 7 am when people try to book.

 

[rmclain73]

From the reports I have read on Facebook since MSU put the new system into effect it sounds as if it is working out well. People may not like it, but the system itself has been working without glitches. Once you reserve the Palapa it then puts it on hold for a good matter of time before you checkout so you do not have to worry about losing it once its in your cart. Also, there have been a lot of Palapas available hours after the system opens. Granted they will go faster during high peak seasons.

 

[Maple Leaf]

I'm going to Surf Club for the first time on Sunday. I'll report back on the palapa situation once i figure it out! lol

Hey jaywalk03 - when you go can you please tell us how busy that place is in general? I love it there. We were there ~5 years ago in mid/late November and it was manageable and not a zoo. We were able to find a palapa in the back later on in the morning which is fine with us. It also wasn't super busy by the kids area of the pool. And the pool area dies down around dinner time like all other resorts. We are planning to go there next Fall with some friends but if it is super busy, which seems to be a common thread I see, then I may go elsewhere and not have to fight for pool chairs, Lazy River, beach space, hot tub space etc. Thanks and enjoy you stay!!!

 

[m61376]

Even in August never had an issue with space in pools, hot tubs, etc.. Plenty of palaces in back. Pool chairs are always hit or miss, and we hang put at the beach, but always able to find an empty one by the pool to dump stuff on

 

[jwalk03]

Just returned from a fabulous week at Marriott Aruba Surf Club! All of the beach palapas are reserved online now. You just login to the website provided and select the specific palapa number you wish to book. Booking opens at 7AM each morning for that day and you need to visit the beach hut no later than 10AM to get your ticket and sign for the room charge. If you do not pick it up by 10AM they will rent to someone else. Daily charges are:
Row 1: $20
Row 2/3: $15
Row 4-8: $10
Row 9: $5

Each reservation number is limited to one palapa reservation per day.

The online process was very simple. I only reserved one day but logged in at 6:59, grabbed hut #106 that I wanted and checkout- was done by 7:03 or so. Once you put the hut # in your cart its held for you for a few minutes while you complete your info; so no worries someone else can type faster than you and steal it. I tried to click it a few seconds early and no dice- it became available at exactly 7:00:00 on my Apple Watch. I was able to get the exact front row hut I wanted when I tried- but all the first couple rows were certainly filled everyday. I never saw the back rows even close to filled up so at least in the off season it seems you can always get something maybe just not in the first couple of rows unless you do it right at 7AM.

One other unrelated note- Surf Club is offering a complimentary mid-week cleaning as of 6/1/22. They changed all the bed linens, provided all new towels, and loaded the dishwasher. The card said they would empty the trash too; but ours was not emptied for whatever reason. Not a big deal I am use to emptying it and taking it down the hall to the trash chute.

This was my first trip to Surf Club so nothing to compare it to; but I did not find the resort overly crowded. It was busy of course but we were always able to find pool chairs to tag each day. Luckily we are early risers but even the couple days we didn't go down till in the afternoon we found some chairs; just not prime front row ones. They did not seem to be enforcing the two hour rule at all. Maybe they are stricter about it at busier times than they were during this trip?

Champions Sports Bar at the Ocean Club is permanently closed according to the note on the door. There was construction equipment inside so hopefully they are planning for something new and improved in that space.

Happy to try and answer any questions anyone has.