Bucuti Beach Resort

April 26 - May 8, 2003 by Chris and Amy

This report is long and detailed but it is divided into sections, so you only need to read what interests you. I know that I LOVE reading long trip reports because then I can live vicariously and it gives me good ideas for my next visit.

Flight to Aruba

We flew American Airlines from BWI to San Juan. The plane was ½ full so we had our own row. The flight left late and we were worried about our connecting flight to Aruba. Luckily, the Aruba flight was only one gate away in San Juan and was just landing. The plane left late but was very empty (we found out at the BB party that it was empty because the Boston plane was so late, they missed it). Our flight was the only one at customs. We breezed right through. I waited for the luggage and Chris went to get the rental car.

Bucuti Bucuti

We cannot say enough wonderful things about this hotel. It is always very clean, very quiet and very inviting. We were offered champagne or ice water while we checked in. The bungalow was as beautiful as always and the view was incredible! There is some talk of what will become of the bungalows once the Tara Wing is complete. We hope they will keep the bungalows because of the privacy they offer. The Bucuti is trying to figure out what will make the most of their guests, the happiest.

Staff

It is nearly impossible to single out someone at the Bucuti because everyone is so nice and friendly. Nackrid works at the Pirate's Nest and is so sweet & friendly. Last year she was pregnant and this year she showed us her baby pictures. We met her husband Orlin who also works at the Pirate's Nest. Roberto was our waiter for dinner and remembered us every time he saw us at the Sand Bar for drinks. Prince at the front desk always had a smile and a "Hello, Mr. & Mrs. Brady" for us. One new guy really stood out, Mukesch the security guard. We had some long talks with him and he couldn't have been nicer. The Sandbar - The Bucuti's bar is always a great place to meet some nice people and catch up with the friendly bartenders. Some of the great people we met were Rich & Diane and the couple from North Carolina (didn't catch their names). The Happy Hour drinks are half price and they serve free munchies. This year they added a second happy hour from 9-10pm - how nice! They also added a steel drummer. Steel drums just seem so appropriate when sipping a frozen drink, sitting on the beach, watching the sunset.

Rental Car

We rented with Economy, again. They had the best rates per vehicle and we were very pleased with them in previous years. They gave us a great returning customer discount and even let us use the Visit Aruba card for an additional 10% off. The total for the 12 days was $304. We had a two-door Toyota Yaris with a manual transmission. It was a pretty small car, but fine for just the two of us and once again it took us off road with no problems.

Parties

The Bulletin Board (BB) party on 4/28 was great! The Bucuti set up two large tables on the beach right in front of the Sandbar and the Pirate's Nest. They had a banner welcoming everyone and balloons and signs leading the way. We were expecting 35 but 25 showed. It was a great turnout! The Bucuti served us pizza & wings and of course the drinks were ½ price. Every business that offered a prize - came through! We had enough prizes to give one to each couple/family by random drawing. Thanks again to: Jolly Pirates, Red Sail Sports, ABC Tours, Pelican Watersports, Aruba Adventures, Rancho Diamari, Sail Tranquillo, and the Bucuti. When we ran into BB'ers later in the week - they told us how much they enjoyed using their excursions. Terri (Surfergirl) told us her nightmare trip to Aruba. They took off late from Boston, missed the plane in Puerto Rico (the empty plane that we were on), had to spend the night there (paid by the airlines), then had to take a plane to MIAMI to catch a plane to Aruba!! The poor thing! But she was in paradise now.

The BB party on 5/5 wasn't as crowded as the one on 4/28 (only 7), which gave us a better chance to get to know everyone. The Bucuti set us up in the same spot and once again provided balloons, banners, chicken skewers & onion rings. I was a little disappointed that some of the people didn't show. I know that in Aruba, it's hard to keep track of dates and times but we were really looking forward to meeting some of the people we had been chatting with for months on the BB. Deborah, the Bucuti's Resort Manager, stopped by at both parties to make sure we had everything we needed and John, the Assistant Manager, was swapping stories with Keith at the second party. The second party didn't end until 8pm!!

Snorkeling Snorkeling

Baby Beach - The water was very rough in the channel - where all the good fish are. The tide was out and there was a pretty strong undertow, it was difficult to stay away from the coral. The rough water made the visibility poor. Chris took a bunch of pictures and then we left. We ran into Werner & Sheila from the BB party.
Boca Catalina - This was our favorite spot this year and we went twice. We always had good visibility and there was always a lot to see. Also, it isn't as crowded as Baby Beach and since it is close by, it is easier to visit more often. We saw squid families, anemones, blue spotted cornetfish, peacock flounder, schools of purple tang, and many others. One little fish decided to swim with us. Wherever we went he was right there. If I put out my hand, he'd be practically sitting in it. When Chris went to take a picture, he'd swim right in front of the lens. He was very cute!

Souvenirs

We bought some souvenirs in a couple of the little shops downtown and some at the Bucuti's gift shop. We bought the majority at Vibes in the Royal Plaza. We used our Visit Aruba card for 10% off. This year we bought Cuban cigars at Benlo located at Arawak Gardens near Salt & Pepper's. There was a coupon in the local paper for 20% off a full box and a free cigar with a $20 purchase. Chris bought a box of Punch for himself and Romeo y Julieta for souvenirs. They also gave him a free cutter. I actually enjoyed a few puffs of the cigar, myself.

Driving / Sightseeing

We did a lot of exploring on our own this trip. We used a great map that we bought last year in the Bucuti Gift Shop for about $5. On Sunday we went to the Donkey Sanctuary. ArubaAmy told us they were only opened the last Sunday of the month and she gave us great directions. We found the sanctuary, but it wasn't open. I think you need to call them and tell them you're coming. We saw a horse at the fence but no donkeys. We then headed East to Arikok National Park. It was a bumpy ride to Boca Prins but well worth it! The view was spectacular! There was an adorable restaurant (like an oasis in the desert) and we stopped for lunch before heading back to the hotel.

One day we went to take a picture of the anchor by Baby Beach and decided to travel North along the Eastern coast. We saw the Dragon's Mouth - very cool. The Tunnel of Love was very cramped and dark and I'm a little claustrophobic, so we didn't go in. The next cave up the coast was Guadirkiri. What an awesome cave! You didn't need to crawl to get into it and at the center was a large opening - so there was plenty of light and I didn't feel claustrophobic at all. There were three chambers and each had an opening at the top. We did see a couple of bats, but they were afraid of us, and kept their distance. The next cave we came to was Fontein Cave. You could see Indian drawings in here. There is a house next to it that you can go into and see a natural spring, turtles and Aruban snakes (don't worry - they're in cages).

We went to Alta Vista Chapel a couple of times to take dog food for the stray pack of dogs that live there. They are the sweetest dogs. They aren't mean and are so cute. They seemed so grateful for the food. We drove along the East Coast from Baby Beach to Boca Prins and from Alta Vista Chapel to the California lighthouse. They were both beautiful drives with plenty of photo opportunities. Neither drive is along an actual road, but you just need to be adventurous. We were never completely alone for very long on this path - other cars were coming and going.

Wildlife Wildlife

We didn't see many stray dogs this year, besides the ones at Alta Vista Chapel. We also saw donkeys, goats, a cat-eye snake, geckos, turtle nests (but no baby sea turtles - darn it), prikichi parrots, lovebirds, whiptails, and plenty of iguanas.

Butterfly Farm - This costs $12 a person and you can come back as often as you wish during your stay in Aruba. They offer a brief tour and lecture on the stages of the butterfly. It is very interesting and there are tons of butterflies everywhere. The cost is a little high, but I'm sure it is expensive to breed and care for the butterflies. Also, it is a little stuffy at the farm - not much of a breeze. We're glad we went but probably won't go again unless we bring friends who haven't been there yet.

Dining

Chalet Suisse - We made reservations from home for our first dinner in Aruba. We can't say enough wonderful things about this restaurant. We always have our first and last dinner in Aruba here. As soon as we walked in, Benny the Maitre D, said "Welcome Home, how are you? you look great" And we do feel at home at the Chalet Suisse. We had reserved one of the special small booths but we arrived early and were too hungry to wait - so he found us a nice table right away. Benny came by our table later to chat with us and talk about digital cameras with Chris. We had garden salads with their excellent creamy Garlic house dressing and Chateaubriand (filet mignon for two - carved tableside). They also have great garlic bread on the table - we couldn't resist. We were too full for the chocolate fondue. Chris had a couple Balashi's. The total, with 15% service charge added in, was $75. On our second visit, we had the salads & chateaubriand, a brown lady for me, 3 balashi's for Chris and a bowl of pistachio ice cream for dessert (we wanted the fondue but we know how large it is and knew we wouldn't make a dent in it). The total, with 15% service charge added in, was $90. Good deals for such an extraordinary dining experience.

Pirate's Nest

Breakfasts - Rather than the $12.95 champagne buffet, we each opted for the other b-fasts. Chris had the hot b-fast (eggs - cooked to order, bacon, sausage, potatoes etc) for $9.95 and I had the cold b-fast (fruit, smoked salmon, cold meats, breads) for $8.95. Both included juice/coffee etc. The food was excellent and if you eat a little later, will hold you through lunch.
Dinner - We ate dinner here only once because we wanted to try some new places and still wanted to work in all of our favorites. [Although I mentioned this on our 2002 trip report, I think it is important info for those eating outside near the water - the fly situation. We sat down early enough to watch the sunset but took our time in ordering. The couple next to us was already eating and trying to fight the flies at the same time. The waiter kept trying to help. He explained that the flies disappear after the sun goes down. I must say that I was a disbeliever until the sun went down and the flies completely disappeared!] I started with the escargot and we both ordered the Captain Kidd's Shrimp Treasure (which is their signature dish). There were 5 shrimp, in a delicious sauce, that were gigantic! The dish is a little spicy and very filling. It comes with garlic bread, choice of potato and veggie of the day. The VisitAruba Plus card got us a free bottle of wine (which Chris finished off by himself). $69 with 15% service charge included - very reasonable.

French Steakhouse - We went here without reservations. It was a Sunday evening around 7pm. We wanted to eat on the terrace but there was a long wait. Inside, the waiter seated us immediately. Luckily we spoke to him instead of the Maitre D' because he turned everyone away telling them it would be at least 2 hours before he could seat them without a reservation- although the restaurant was less than ½ full. We both ordered the Ambassador's special. We received a bottle of wine with the meal - which Chris drank. We both had the stuffed mushrooms, salad, Churassco, and I had the apple strudel and Chris had the dame blanche for dessert. The Churassco comes with mushroom sauce that is not listed on the menu but is very good. It wasn't the tenderest piece of meat that I have had, but it was very good and tasty. It was also cooked just the way I had ordered it. Chris and I couldn't finish our steaks so we brought them back and ate them for b-fast one morning - still very yummy. The service, however, was awful! The restaurant was pretty empty until about 8:30 - when we were ready to leave - but we waited an eternity between each course and even longer for the check. We are used to taking our time at meals while in Aruba but this was ridiculous. We used our VisitAruba card for an additional 10% off - which came to $65 with 15% service charge included.

Linda's - Our first visit to Linda's was for brunch. I had the original pancakes - because I couldn't decide on the toppings - too many choices and a side of bacon. It was delicious - very large and thin with real Dutch syrup. Chris had the pizza and proclaimed it the best pizza he has ever eaten. The Dutch waitress was very sweet. We had a couple of sodas. $16 without service charge included. We saw Diane Keijzer, the photographer, eating lunch there - her business is right next-door. We said hello to her and she remembered us from last year - we met her at Mount Jamanota.
On our second visit - we both ordered the pizza - yum! With a couple of sodas the bill came to $15 without service charge included.

Iguana Joe's - We ate lunch here twice because: you never needed reservations, the prices are very reasonable, the food is always pretty good, and the drinks are even better. We had a Cactus Colada, a Pink Iguana, a Lethal Lizard, nachos, conch (neither one of us liked this), and wings. We met some very nice people from Portland, Oregon who were from one of the cruises. Sorry - I drank too much to remember the cost of the lunch. Our second lunch at Joe's was nachos, taco salad, a couple balashis and a cactus colada. $27 without service charge included.

Buccaneer - This is one of our favorites in Aruba. Good prices, no reservations, casual, and great seafood is why we ate here twice. They usually have Barracuda as the catch of the day - but not today! We were so upset - that is our favorite and we can't get it in the states. When they saw how disappointed we were - the waitress checked with the chef and he found us a couple of portions - whoo hoo! I started with the escargot - just the best. The barracuda was delicious and was served with garlic bread, salad, potato, plantain, creamed spinach and some other item were weren't sure of - maybe cabbage. We used the Visit Aruba card for 10% off - $33 with service charge included.
Our second visit - one Long Island iced tea, one mudslide, one escargot, one barracuda, one shrimp in Madame Jeanette sauce (just delicious!), and one slice of chocolate cake. The bill was $47 after the 10% discount and with the service charge included.

Boca Prins Restaurant - This was such an oasis for us after the long, bumpy ride through Arikok National Park. You can watch the water as it crashes over the rocks, while you eat your lunch. I had the pork sate on a sub roll w/ peanut sauce and an ice water and Chris had the tuna salad and diet coke. They both came with yummy fries. It was $16 with no service charge added.

Carlos & Charlie's - We were downtown souvenir shopping and decided to try this for lunch. We had been only been here in a past year on a stop on the Kukoo Kanuku bus. I had the popcorn shrimp with fries and a soda and Chris had the beef fajitas with a Balashi. We split an ice cream dessert. The food was only fair and the bill was $44 with service charge. The bill also said that the service charge was NOT the tip. I hate when restaurants try to take advantage of tourists. Although the food wasn't the greatest, this was a very fun lunch. They put big hats on everyone's heads and came around pouring free shots into everyone's mouths. They had a trivia game and Chris won a sex-on-the-beach drink.

Amici - After our first dinner at the Buccaneer, we decided to eat dessert here. We went inside to order at the counter since we were only having dessert but the waiter suggested we sit down and he'd serve us. I had the tiramisu and Chris had a coffee milkshake. Both were excellent but the service was terrible - and the guy only had 3 tables. Chris' milkshake sat on the counter so long it was very melted when it was served. I recommend using the counter service if you are only going for dessert.

King Ribs - After a day of snorkeling and getting a little sunburned, we decided to have dinner on our balcony. King Ribs has extended their days and their sit-down area. I had the surf & turf (tenderloin & grouper) and Chris had a rack or ribs. They both came with potatoes, corn, and plantain. The portions were huge. I saved the grouper for another day. The tenderloin was thin - but very tender and tasty. $24 for everything.

Garufo Bar - We waited in here about 15 minutes for our El Gaucho reservation. I hate cigar smoke, but I didn't find it very smoky in here. Chris looked at the cigar menu and with a little help from the waiter, decided on a mild, Cuban cigar. He liked it so much (and so did I) that he bought two more before we left. I had a brown lady and Chris had a Caribbean zombie. The drinks were some of the best we've ever had. The total for the drinks and cigars was $54 without service charge included. We also came in here after dinner. We ran into Jan_NH from the BB party just coming into to El Gaucho. So we went to the bar with her while she waited to be buzzed for her reservations. It was nice chatting with her and she was kind enough to buy us a couple of drinks. There was a small band playing with a great singer. We sang along while she sang our favorite songs by Basia.

El Gaucho - We tried to come here last year but the only reservations we could get were for 5:30 or 9:00pm. You definitely need to call a couple of days before if you want a reservation at prime time. This was a little hard to find because of the one-way streets and this was our first time here. We thought we had gone far enough before we cut over, but the restaurant was further south than we had anticipated. The first time you go here, give yourself time to find it, and find parking. We had to wait 15 minutes for our reservation although we showed up right at 7pm. It was a Friday night and it was crowded. We didn't mind hanging out in the Garufo bar across the street. Luckily we knew, from other reviews, that the portions here are huge or we might have gotten an appetizer. A salad & bread comes with dinner, so it isn't needed. I had the gaucho steak which is a tenderloin and Chris had the mixed grill which included a tenderloin, short ribs, a sausage, pork tenderloin and spare ribs and we both had a couple of sodas. The meal is served with 3 sauces on the side (the garlic was my favorite for dipping my bread), corn, potato, and broccoli. The other reviews were right! This meal was phenomenal! We both ate about half of our meals and saved the rest for lunch the next day. I had a piece of carrot cake and Chris had a piece of German chocolate cake for dessert (part of this came home with us too). The total was $64 with service charge included and we had excellent service. What a bargain for a meal that actually served as two meals for us. We enjoyed it so much, we made reservations for the next week on our way out.

Our second meal here was during the week and we waited about 15 minutes for our reservation - and we arrived a little early. We had the same meal except that Chris had a couple of Balashis. The service was not very good this evening. The waiter was hard to understand and was very strange. He wouldn't place any of the food or drinks on our table - he insisted on handing everything to us. And while Chris was in the middle of eating his meal, the waiter reached in front of him and turned his plate around 180 degrees. The bill was $71 with service charge included.

Hyatt - We went here for Sunday brunch. There is visitor parking across the street. The grounds are very pretty and the hotel is much larger and more crowded than the low rises. The brunch is in the Ruinas Del Mar restaurant, downstairs by the pond. The setting is beautiful and it was nice to watch the birds, turtles, fish and black swans. The brunch included: salads, caviar, fruits, pancakes, waffles, french toast, eggs benedict, omelets and eggs to order, shrimp, mussels, raw oysters, lox, bagels, pasta to order, pizza, carved ham & roast beef, Aruban stew, seafood creole, make-your-own sundaes, cakes, pies, pastries, make-your-own fresh donuts and more. Way too much food, even if you only take a little taste. It was $35 a person and I think they added service charge. It was a little confusing since you pay for the brunch before you go in, but they still give you a bill - in case you order drinks and to add a tip. There isn't much service since it's a buffet. This really wasn't a good bargain for us. We don't eat the higher priced items and although we enjoyed the food, we didn't feel like we got our money's worth. But I would recommend this place if the list of items sound good to you and you think you can eat $35 worth of food.

Tabasko's - We went here the night of the second BB party. The party didn't break up until 8pm - so we wanted to go somewhere close and somewhere we would be served quickly. Since it was a Monday - they had the all-you-can-eat BBQ as an option. We ate in the garden, which is lit with tiny white lights and is very pretty. The menus are large, flat, wooden Tabasco bottles and they have their daily specials on a blackboard. We were both starving and the BBQ smelled great - so we both ordered this and a couple of sodas. The BBQ included: a variety of salads, corn, rice, mahi mahi, shrimp, chicken, ribs and tenderloin. You went up to the chef at the BBQ grill and told him what you wanted - so everything was cooked fresh for you. I don't know what sauce he put on everything but it was delicious! The tenderloin was thin, but tender and excellent. We shared their dessert special which was ice cream with your choice of liquor mixed in - we chose Kahlua. The singer from the Garufo bar was performing. We said hello to her and she remembered us from the other night. The bill came in a cute little basket that looked like a snake charmers basket. The total was $48 without a service charge included.

Rumbas - We were looking for a spot to eat lunch downtown and had heard nice things about this place. The lunch menu is not very large but has some very interesting items on it. Chris got the steak sandwich and I had the smoked salmon sandwich and a couple of sodas. The sandwiches were not like American sandwiches but they were very large and very good. They didn't come with any side dish so we ordered a side of fries to share - they were great! The total was $18 and I forgot to note if there was a service charge. They have the cutest ashtrays made out of pottery. We had seen them at Linda's and wanted to buy one to hold rings and things. Chris asked if they knew where we could buy one and they said "here!" They have someone who makes the ashtrays for them since everyone always asked about them. We bought a small one for $6.

Miscellaneous

Since we had a kitchenette, we went to Kong Hing and bought breakfast food, snacks, sodas and some lunch food. This saved us money and allowed us to eat in a few times instead of always having to go out for a meal. The bungalows have a beautiful balcony and it was nice to eat out there. I bought an inexpensive raft at the Bucuti's gift shop. It was nice to have to float around the pool. Also, when snorkeling or swimming - be very liberal with sunscreen. We both wore t-shirts in the water but didn't think about the fact that they would float up a little and we both got a little burned on areas we thought were covered with clothes.

Some restaurants include service charge and some don't. Only Carlos & Charlie's insisted that it wasn't a tip. If service was good, we gave a little more if a charge was already added. If service was great, we added quite a bit more. Even if the food wasn't great, we tipped on the service - it wasn't the servers fault if the kitchen wasn't on top of things.

Flight back to the USA

We arrived at the airport 3 hours before our flight so we would have time to return our rental car. There were two lines at American - for different destinations. Our line happened to be the shorter one. We had enough time to do a little duty-free shopping and eat a little something at Sbarro's. We went through security pretty quickly and went to wait at the gate. The plane to Miami wasn't full. In Miami, it was a loooong hike to get to the domestic planes. I'm is always amazed at how poorly planned out this airport is. Thank goodness we had plenty of time between flights and didn't have much to lug with us. We will try to avoid this airport when traveling internationally. At the gate, we saw about 4 mice running around by the walls. They were pretty cute and didn't come near us, but it is pretty shocking to see a mouse run across the floor. When a group of women near us starting shrieking, we knew that they had seen the mice. The airline attendants were laughing with us and said that they are used to this when they fly into Miami. The flight to Baltimore was pretty empty.

This year, Chris upgraded his digital camera. We took the tripod to several locations, including the beach in front of the Amsterdam Manor. Chris took some awesome long exposure pictures of "the" divi tree, the moon, the water and the beach.

Final Thoughts

It was so nice to be there for 12 days. I wish that we could have made it longer. We made reservations for next year before we left the Bucuti. The summer rates go into effect April 12, so we will be there from 4/15 - 4/29 2004. There is a wedding party taking up all of the bungalow rooms so we will try out the Tara Wing.

Amy & Chris
Amy B. and AUA Spotter