Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino: An In-Depth Review

The author traveled as a guest of the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino. All opinions are the author’s own, and the hotel had no input in this review.

Aruba is a popular vacation spot for good reason. It has excellent beaches, plenty of things to do, and is outside the hurricane belt. In the southern Caribbean, Aruba makes up a third of the so-called ABC Islands, which include neighbors Bonaire and Curacao.

Since I had already been to Bonaire and Curacao, I was excited to get an invitation to visit Aruba and spend 3 nights at the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino in October 2024. I loved its beachfront location, the ease of getting coffee in the morning (there’s a Starbucks in the lobby), and my room’s spacious balcony.

In this review, I’ll show you around the resort’s amenities, rooms, and dining and discuss how to book the Aruba Marriott Resort with points.

Let’s get to the details.

How To Book the Aruba Marriott Resort With Points

Cash prices at the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino vary throughout the year but generally start at around $540 per night during the low season and around $750 per night during peak season. Prices using Marriott Bonvoy points also vary throughout the year, but most fall in the range of 61,000 to 99,000 points per night. Some nights have a minimum stay requirement.

We randomly selected a handful of nights and found many offered 1 cent per point in value or better. That’s excellent, considering we value Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.7 cents each.

Hot Tip:

Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino is one of the best Caribbean hotels to book with points.

Resort Fee

The Aruba Marriott Resort charges a $69-per-night resort fee. It includes the following:

• 1 fitness class per day
• 1 hour per day of nonmotorized watersports, including paddle board, flat floats, kayak rental, floating rafts, and snorkeling gear
• 3 bottles of water daily
• 60 minutes of local calls and 30 minutes of international calls
• Enhanced Wi-Fi
• Pool and beach chair set up
• Welcome drink

Unfortunately, you have to pay the resort fee even if you’re using Marriott Bonvoy points.

Hot Tip:

The best time to visit Aruba varies based on what types of activities you’re interested in and your own schedule. The one thing that won’t matter is hurricane season. Aruba is below the hurricane belt, so it’s a popular year-round destination.

Aruba Marriott Resort Location

The Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino is on Palm Beach on Aruba’s northwest coast. It’s next to The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba, and 2 Marriott Vacation Club properties: Marriott’s Aruba Ocean Club and Marriott’s Aruba Surf Club.

The hotel is a 15-minute drive from downtown Oranjestad, Aruba, and a 20-minute drive from Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA).

Hot Tip:

There are 7 Marriott properties on the small island of Aruba, so it’s a great vacation spot if you have Marriott Bonvoy points to redeem.

Checking In

The atrium-style lobby of the Aruba Marriott Resort was a bright and lively space with shops and restaurants.

I didn’t arrive at the hotel until around 5 p.m., and my room was ready. The person who checked me in explained everything that was included in the resort fee and let me know that Marriott Bonvoy Elite members get 10% off at most shops and restaurants in the hotel (Starbucks and Gelato & Co. were excluded from the discount).

Since I have enrolled in Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, a benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, I was able to use the discount to buy a few souvenirs at the gift shop.

King Room With Partial Ocean View

I stayed in a King Bed, Partial Ocean View, guest room. At 400 square feet, it offered plenty of space but felt a bit dated.

The good news is that every room will be renovated between April and October 2025. This will be done in phases, so the resort will remain open during this period.

The bed was really comfortable, and there were plenty of plugs and USB outlets on the nightstand.

A sitting area with a table was next to the floor-to-ceiling windows.

The desk was a perfect spot to get work done before I headed out for the day.

The TV and a set of drawers were next to the desk, across from the bed.

The closet was small but well-stocked. It had an iron and ironing board, luggage rack, extra blankets, robes, and some of the nicest hotel slippers I have ever come across (they were lined in a fleece-type material).

Finally, a minifridge and a coffee maker were next to the closet. As part of the resort fee, 3 bottles of water were restocked daily.

Bathroom

The bathroom was spacious, with 2 sinks and a large counterspace.

The stand-up shower had plenty of room to move around.

Balcony

My room (and every room at the resort) had a large balcony. I was in the back building on the sixth floor, and I had a nice view of the resort grounds and ocean.

My balcony had a table and 2 chairs with plenty of room to move around. It was in full shade in the morning and had sunset views in the evening.

Bottom Line:

The guest rooms at the Aruba Marriott Resort are very spacious with large balconies but feel a bit dated. Thankfully, all rooms will be renovated in 2025!

Amenities

Pools

The hotel has 2 pools: the main pool and the H2Oasis adults-only pool. The main pool is in the center of the resort and has a waterfall feature and a swim-up bar.

During my stay, the H2Oasis adults-only pool was closed for renovations. It is scheduled to reopen at the end of October 2024.

Palm Beach

One of the best parts of the Aruba Marriott Resort was the beach. The hotel was on Palm Beach (one of the best beaches in Aruba), which had water that looked more like a glass tabletop than an ocean. There were virtually no waves, so it was a great stretch of beach to enjoy a drink and a conversation with friends.

Since the water was so calm, the beach would’ve been fantastic for children, too.

Stellaris Casino

Stellaris Casino, the largest casino in Aruba, featured slot machines, sports-betting kiosks, and over 25 gaming tables, including poker, blackjack, and roulette.

Tradewinds

Tradewinds was an adults-only hotel within the hotel that included access to the Tradewinds Club, which served complimentary food throughout the day. There was also a private check-in area, a concierge, and a reserved section on the beach.

Look for Tradewinds access when you book your reservation.

Mandara Spa

The Mandara Spa has 12 treatment rooms. It offers a variety of services, including scrubs, wraps, massages, facials, manicures and pedicures, waxing, and more.

Fitness Center

The fitness center at Aruba Marriott Resort is a large, 2-story facility featuring cardio equipment and weights. It was open 24 hours a day.

Food and Beverage

Atardi

Atardi came alive every evening from 6 to 10 p.m. when the beach transformed into a dining area complete with sunset views and live entertainment. It was an elegant yet casual restaurant where feet-in-the-sand dining was encouraged (there was even a shoe cubby so you could ditch your shoes before stepping onto the sand).

Waves Bar & Grill

Waves Bar & Grill is the resort’s daytime beach restaurant. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Waves served lunch, light bites, and cocktails with ocean views.

Mercát

Mercát is the resort’s Mediterranean-inspired restaurant. It served breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily and offered both indoor and outdoor dining.

I enjoyed dinner at Mercát on my first night at the resort. Our table asked the head chef what his favorite dish was, so I ordered the short rib pasta at his suggestion, and it was delicious.

The breakfast buffet was substantial. It included hot dishes such as eggs, waffles, and pancakes, as well as fruit, yogurt, pastries, and everything in between. In addition to the buffet, an à la carte menu was available.

Hours of operation were:

• À la carte breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m.
• Breakfast buffet from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Lunch from 12 to 5 p.m.
• Dinner from 5 to 10 p.m.
• Sunday breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m.
• Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Sunday dinner from 5 to 10 p.m.

Hot Tip:

The Marriott Bonvoy Elite breakfast (for Platinum, Titanium, or Ambassador elite members who choose breakfast as their welcome gift) is at Mercát.

Gelato & Co.

Gelato & Co. was open for smoothies and light breakfast options daily from 7:30 a.m. to noon and for gelato from noon to midnight.

On my first morning, I grabbed a smoothie and acai bowl, which were delicious. Of course, I also tried the gelato for an afternoon treat.

Lobby Bar

The lobby bar was open from noon to 1 a.m. daily. It served cocktails, sushi, and sashimi and had live entertainment.

It could get a little loud in the evenings. While the music and noise were always done by 10 p.m., if you’re traveling with children or like to go to sleep early, I would suggest requesting a room on a high floor in one of the side buildings.

Starbucks

Starbucks is in the hotel’s lobby and is open from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. each day. In the mornings, I enjoyed grabbing a coffee before going out for a beach walk.

Ruth’s Chris Steak House

Ruth’s Chris Steak House at the Aruba Marriott Resort is open daily from 5 to 10:30 p.m.

Hot Tip:

All restaurants at the resort are cashless, so be sure to charge to your room to earn lots of points. Using a Marriott credit card will help you earn 3 to 6 Marriott points per $1 spent (not including any elite-level bonuses). Alternatively, you can use a card that earns points at hotels or on travel, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® or Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card, which each earns 3 Chase Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent.

Service

The service I received at the Aruba Marriott Resort was top-notch. From housekeeping to the restaurant staff to the beach attendants, everyone I encountered was friendly and helpful.

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed my 3-night stay at the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino. It’s great if you want a casual atmosphere with a wonderful beach. Aruba is easy to navigate, so if you want to grab a taxi to go downtown or check out any of the island’s activities, it’s not complicated to do so.

Plus, Aruba is a great choice if you have Marriott Bonvoy points since there are 7 properties on the island.