Just got back from Aruba trip and stayed at Renaissance Marina and loved it. Our rooms were clean and seemed to have been renovated fairly recently. The bathtub did have chips in it but it was clean, the bathroom was a normal size for a hotel. I read many reviews from people who though it was to small but it is the same size as the bath in the last 3 hotels we stayed in. Our view was bad but we did not spend a lot of time in the room.
We ate at all the resturants but Sole (we did not like the menu choices - we were on the all inclusive) We were not happy with Captains Corner - not bad just not good either. This was typical buffet line food. Aquaris, Blue L.G. Smith and the place at the private island were all very good and we like all of the food with the exception of the Lobster Bisque on the upgrade menu at L.G. Smith - the rest of the food we ordered that was considered upgrade was fine but not worth paying extra for. The silver menu has plenty of things that are really good so I would not upgrade again. Aquaris is the buffet for breakfastk, lunch & dinner, they have a grill and for breakfast they will make omlets to order or fry eggs or make waffles. They also have some other steamer dishes which were fine and a table with lots of fruit & different breads and yogurts and of course a pastry table and champagn every morning. We did eat lunch there - I don't really remember what we had so I am going to guess it was not esp. good or esp. bad. For dinner the grill did lobster tails, shrimp, scallops, and several didfferent fish - you picked what you wanted and the amount and they grilled it for you. The steamer trays have a few otehr main dishes and some sides plus a nice salad bar and dessert corner. All the drinks were top shelf and we had no problem using the all inclusive at any bar. I have seen some compaints about that - the only beer was the local beer which we liked and the wine list was very small. When we checked in we were given a list of what was included and I felt it was pretty cut & dry so I am not sure why some people complained about what was included. Our check out bill was $35 and change - this was all for additional tips with the exception of a raft I rented at the private island which is $5 (you can pay cash if you want). You can get bottled water and sodas also. Also, tips included but if you get really good service which we did from a couple you can give them more. I would suggest cash instead of putting it on bill which we did at first. Anything on the bill is split. Cash they usually pocket even thought they are suppose to share - I even saw them give them to each other when they cleaned each others tables. I felt the extra should go to the person who gave me the extra service and not be split.
I almost forgot - there is a Starbucks on the first floor and they have free internet. Our room was close enough to get the internet in our room. If you cannot get a connection in your room you can go to the hotel lobby or down to the Starbucks.

The weather in Aruba is perfect for a retreat from the cold, January temperatures in New Jersey. We chose the Renaissance Marina for the perfect getaway spot.
• We absolutely loved the private island! Taking the boat over to the island was a quick trip. The water was gorgeous and the beaches were spotless. I loved that it was Renaissance guests only and was not crowded at all. Beach side service was a plus! We also liked that there was a restaurant on the island so we didn’t have to leave the island for lunch.
• All of the staff provided friendly service. Although the service wasn’t as fast as we’re used to around here…we were on vacation and were not in a rush. Definitely earns the title of “one happy island” because everyone was very friendly.
• We opted for the all-inclusive and were glad that we did. It was a great value and the food was terrific. As others have said, LG Smith Steakhouse was very good. I understand that the all-inclusive menu is different from the standard menu, but I don’t think that we sacrificed anything by being an all inclusive guest. The seafood buffet, Aquarius, had anything you could dream of. The drinks at the resort were unlimited and offered a lot of choices (however Balashi was the only beer on the all-inclusive list as it’s brewed in Aruba…and we enjoyed it).
• We especially enjoyed lounging by pool every evening with appetizers and drinks as we watched the sun set. A DJ provided great background music for the evening. Raphael at the Blue bar makes a special drink that he calls “one happy island”…yum!
• We walked over to the Ocean Suites each morning to have a buffet breakfast outside at the Captain’s Terrace. It was a quick walk across the street past the marina.
• We had a room on the 6th floor with a view of marina and Oranjestad. We loved watching the big cruise ships dock early each morning. I will say that I would have been very disappointed if we were given an interior facing room. Although there was a lot of light coming into the atrium lobby, there’s nothing like spending time on the balcony taking in the warm air in January!
• Although the resort is very close to the airport, I did not find this to be a problem at all. We enjoyed watching the planes coming in each day. There weren’t too many of them, so it wasn’t disruptive at all. On one occasion, we were taking the boat back to the resort after a day on the beach and we happened to catch a plane coming in, so the boat captain stopped on the water in the direct path of the plane. It flew in right over our heads…very cool!
• The room was very clean and the bed was comfortable. We had more than enough pillows. The room was small, but perfect for two people. As others have said, the tub is showing its age…but in the grand scheme of our vacation, this wasn’t even a blip on the radar.
I would definitely recommend the Renaissance Marina and look forward to returning.

beautiful island....very commercialized though....natives very friendly....take a cab from the airport instead of your tour bus....no waiting for stragglers to board....we took a cab and arrived, checked in, went to our room to change and at the pool before the tour bus arrived.....all for 9 bucks per person cabfare.....genius.....L G Smith steakhouse was all positive....excellent service....private island good for a change....close to shops, port and restaurants.....did all inclusive, well worth it.....lovely pool and setting on the adults side but lots of human traffic through lobby.....the downer parts of the trip were.....one elevator was always, and i mean always broken down.....and secondly, with the all inclusive package, your alcoholic drinks are watered down....we did a test on this with an american we met.....here is what we did....i had one of my "all inclusive" shots of rye....no burn going down, no side affects....i then got two beers on my all inclusive deal, gave them to my american buddy and he bought me a shot of rye from a list that was not all inclusive....the one we paid for burnt properly and warmed the belly.....henceforth, careful with thinking you are getting premium spirits or premium quality.....to further prove my point, on our second last day i just drank straight "all inclusive" rye....all day....at least 10-12 shots in the afternoon and i still remembered my name and was a perfect gentleman at supper.....just drink the beer, they cant mess with that.....rooms need an upgrade....washrooms sad looking....staff was very friendly at the adult pool.....would still go back, just more educated....

This is the second time we have been to this resort. Love the private island. Rooms are good for the price and the food quality is excellent. Service is okay. Sometimes it can be great other times not so great even with tipping. We love Havara in the Blue lounge and Loily at the island, she is terrific. We travelled with 10 people and the consensus was everyone is going back. Love the king beds, very comfortable.