Wyndham Resort (now Westin)

November 25-December 2, 2003 by Neal & Kay

For our fourth trip to wonderful Aruba we decided to try the Wyndham instead of the Radisson. We were very pleased with our choice and had a wonderful week of sun, first class food, and relaxation. We also decided to rent a car for the week which, while not a must, made the week even more pleasant. Check-in went smoothly at the Wyndham where we received a room upgrade to the even numbered side of the hotel as we are Wyndham By Request Members. It costs nothing to sign up for Wyndham By Request and is definitely worth the time it takes to complete the profile. The membership also provides a welcome gift (cheese and crackers, small bottle of wine, and bottled water), late check-out at 2:00pm, and free local calls from the hotel.

Our room was number 726 overlooking the pool and beach and the view was fantastic from our balcony. Sunsets are something to look forward to every evening! As we are beachaholics, I made it down early to the towel hut each morning to select the best palapa. Coffee is served for those waiting in line and the towel hut opens at 8:00am. If you are first in line (you have to be there around 6:15 to do that) you receive a complimentary t-shirt from the Wyndham.

The social interaction from those in line is also fun as you meet people from around the world and can share experiences at the restaurants and activities on the island. It did rain a bit several mornings but you just had to hide under one of the palapas until the rain stopped. For breakfast we normally had just a bagel or the like from the coffee stand at the hotel or jumped in the car and rode the several blocks to McDonalds. It was hit the beach by around 9:00am to enjoy the sun and beautiful clear water. We always take a small cooler filled with sodas and just munched for lunch on snacks from the grocery store. With the car it was but a 10 minute drive into town to the grocery stores. On previous trips we had the breakfast buffet at the Radisson included but decided we did not want that much to eat during the day as the restaurants are absolutely first class in Aruba. We did have one total rain out day (our last day) but spent the time shopping in town. You do need to be careful if it rains much as the roads flood very quickly. Just be sure to get at least a mid-sized car or jeep which is high enough off of the road for the water not to be a problem.

We usually left the beach around 3:00pm and relaxed at the pool for a while before getting ready for dinner. The pool at the Wyndham, while not as large as the Radisson pool area, has definite advantages. The chair cushions are about four inches thick and will put you to sleep especially if you have had a couple of rum drinks! The hotel also offers the only pool concierge on the beach which provides frozen fruit, cool towels, books and magazines, and CD players and music at no charge. The Wyndham also offers a Manager's Reception (on Wednesday night) where free drinks, beer, and entertainment are provided. They also give away gifts including a free 7 night stay at the hotel.

One of the reasons we love Aruba, in addition to the excellent weather, beaches, etc., are the restaurants. Our most favorite has to be Madame Janette's. You do need reservations. We visited our favorite place twice during the week and just wished Madame Janette's had a location back at home in the USA!

The first night we had the surf and turf and the filet mignon. Both are absolutely delicious in addition to the salad and drinks. The last night in Aruba we again returned to Madame Janette's and had the shrimp casserole du chef and a grilled veal chop. The shrimp dish was heavenly with one of the best sauces I have ever tasted. The veal chop we requested grilled in lieu of baked and it was as good as any one we have ever ordered.

We also enjoy Le Petit Café, Tony Romas, and Valentinos.
Valentinos was a first for us this year (it is a short ten minute drive from the Wyndham) and the Italian food and service were excellent. We also enjoy one of the guest enrichment activities at the Radisson called "exotic concoctions" which we signed up for on Friday afternoon at 4:00pm. We have joined another couple from New Jersey at this event the last three years and it is fun and well worth the $10 per person. You are taught how to make six different drinks and get to sample each. At the end you choose your favorite and receive a large version of the same. Be careful, the bartender is known to provide multiple samples, so plan dinner nearby. We just stumbled down the path to Gilligan's beach bar for dinner that night! Dinner at Gilligan's is always good as you are right on the beach for the sunset and the food and drinks are superb.

We will definitely return to the Wyndham next year as it has become our favorite place on our favorite island. We did make our reservations through Expedia this year but will go back to Amy and MCM tours next year as they include a $100 food and beverage credit and the breakfast for about the same price as Expedia (even a little cheaper!). Amy did our reservations on all of our prior trips and she is the best!!

Neal & Kay