During my visit to Aruba, I was lucky enough to stay at the Aruba Marriott Resort. The Marriott is one of the high-rise hotels along Aruba's southwestern coast; the low-rise hotels are grouped together slightly farther south.
The lobby is enclosed and air conditioned, but achieves a tropical feel with a fish pond and tropical plants. Outside, the freeform swimming pool at the Aruba Marriott is flanked by crisp red lounge chairs, about the most comfortable I've ever had the pleasure of sinking into.
On the beach, palapas provide shade. For the more adventurous, activities include windsurfing, kiteboarding lessons, snorkeling, water aerobics and volleyball.
Guest rooms at the Aruba Marriott are among the largest in Aruba at 500 square feet. For kids, the Bon Bini Kids Club entertains with supervised activities.
Weddings on the beach are popular, and the wedding gazebo faces the sunset. Couples looking for a romantic dinner or proposal spot can dine on the beach at Simply Fish. Just off the lobby, the Stellaris Casino offers slot machines and table games like blackjack.