i've visited aruba many times sine 1998, and one of my few regrets is that i didn't stay here sooner. we stayed here in 1998, 2010, and most recently 2012 (early january)...and each time we've look forward to coming back, even throughout the renovations.

the staff is awesome...the concierges remembered us from the past and you would've thought we were celebrities coming in the way they treated us. big hugs, asking us what's been new, engaging us in conversation about what's been going on, etc. etc. perhaps that's part of their job, but it felt great nonetheless.

the renovations make the place look great...the lobby is so modernized and sleek (not that it was all that awful before, but it definitely was a bit dated - but then again, who hangs out in the lobby all day, so who cares, really?).

many people think staying in the high rise district is a big deal...but i think it's a waste...the prices are more expensive, and if you have a car you most likely have to pay to park! (la cabana parking is free and plentiful).

here are a couple of tips and pointers from our experience.

PRICE/GETTING A GOOD DEAL: since we started staying at LC, we've been renting our room through timesharerentals.com. it's been a SUPER deal through the person we've worked with each time, and it's much cheaper and non-committal than buying a timeshare (we sat in on one of the timeshare presentations in 2010, but found that it would be too restricting for our personal travel lifestyle). it's also much cheaper than renting a hotel room by the night - so you can spend your money on the reasons you came to aruba for the first place (exploration/activities, and of course FOOD! see the food section below for more on that...)

ROOMS: we've had a studio and a 1 bedroom suite in the past... we definitely preferred the suite. we are both usually up fairly early, but my boyfriend gets up earlier than i do...so the suite allows him to go in the kitchen, make his coffee, turn on the tv, etc. without waking me up because the sleeping area closes off from the bathroom and kitchen areas. but if that's not an issue, save a couple of bucks and go for the studio. now that everything's been renovated, they're all beautiful! (*note to/about the person who dinged LC because they had no carpeting in the rooms - this is actually a growing trend in the island hotels, because with people coming in from the pool, spilling drinks, etc, it's easier to clean a floor than worry about carpeting -- and then you'll have people complaining that their carpet stinks, or is stained, etc. i stayed in the hyatt regency in PR and it was the same way)

TRANSPORTATION: because of the location of la cabana (eagle beach, away from the high rise district and "new downtown" that's been built up there), you'll get the most out of your experience if you rent wheels during your stay - especially if you're doing the week stay (or more) like we do. you could taxi it everywhere, but that will add up pretty quickly. you could also take the bus that stops right behind LC on the main road, but that can be restricting as well since you'd be limited to the routes it takes. we rent a jeep each time, and it gives us total freedom to go wherever we want, including the less touristy southern part of the island (can you say "hidden gems" when it comes to restaurants???) and offroading through the rocky (and sometimes hilly) undeveloped northern/eastern part of the island. we've gone with more4less the last two times and they have great deals. you can reserve online before you go, which is probably a good idea because apparently you'd be taking your chances at certain times of the year if you try to wait until you land. plus, that way they pick you up from the airport so you don't have to catch a taxi...and they're about a 3 minute drive from there. but whatever you do, try not to rent directly from the airport kiosks, because it's more expensive there (that was a tip we got directly from a person who worked at the kiosk one time). if you haven't made a reservation you're probably better off taxiing it to your hotel and making the arrangements there (most rental companies will pick you up from your hotel).

FOOD: you don't really want to spend more money than you have to on breakfast or lunch... so the wheels are also useful for heading to the grocery store (you have a full kitchen in your room at LC, so why not use it??). usually our first stop, after we get into our room and change (or not, if our room isn't ready yet), is to head down to super foods or hong king next door and pick up some breakfast and lunch items plus snacks....oatmeal/cereal, yogurt, bread, lunch meat, water, coffee, etc. etc. it's cheaper and healthier...because you'll want to save your money and calories for DINNERS!!! (note - they're building a HUGE superfoods right across the road from LC, so very soon you won't need wheels for that part). some recommendations: you'll have a dishwasher in your room, so if you're only staying for a week it's probably worth it to just bring your own dishwasher stuff from home instead of buying it. the little individually wrapped tabs or gel packets pack easily and work just fine.

RESTAURANTS: you can find pretty much anything in aruba depending on your taste...even many of the US chains (a local once told me they really like american food down there). but for those who want to sample something different, the island is your oyster. some favorites - the flying fishbone, down in savaneta (try to get one of the tables all the way down at the beach...when the tide is high your'll be dining with your feet in the water!). pamiamento, not far inland from the high rise district. passions on the beach, between LC and the amsterdam manor, and yes - it's on the beach (they've started with light up menus since we were last there, which is great so you don't have to strain your eyes to see the menu at dusk). el gaucho, just past the old downtown area (hopefully the high rise area development doesn't drive them out of business...i've noticed it's less and less crowded each time we go). japengo, one of the hyatt restaurants (japanese/sushi). smoky joe's across from the high rise district (next to dunkin donuts) for a laid back dinner (i used to be big on the pulled pork sandwich with a balushi beer to go with it). if you are down at baby beach, there's this little hole in the wall food stand (not big mama's but the one next to it)... bring a sharpie and sign their bar (or they'll give you one)! and grab and hot dog and balushi chill while you're at it... it's a zen experience to just enjoy the moment and appreciate being on vacation in aruba (at least for me).

ACTIVITIES: this is obviously up to your taste, but some of the ones we've enjoyed - some more than once are: horseback riding, jeep offroading off past the lighthouse and down the island towards the natural bridge, the ostrich farm (i rode one!), riding around exploring, getting "lost" and then finding our way back to "civilization" (the hotel gives you maps... it's kind of impossible to REALLY get lost for too long during the day), climbing hooiberg - aka haystack (the highest point on aruba, you can see it to the south when you land at the airport), snorkeling (we've done it in the area between the high rise district and the lighthouse and at baby beach...each is a different experience but both are great), couples massages at an outside cabana at spa del sol (manchebo bay beach resort, near la ahlambra casino)...there's lots more to do.

GENERAL: 1) i've found there to be more mosquitoes lately... so bring insect repellant!! 2) if you've never been to aruba, the tradewinds may take some getting used to. the wind blows ALL the time. it doesn't stop. it's breezy, which may make a light sweater a good idea to bring along for the evenings (that's moreso for us ladies). 3) they accept US dollars...although i used my credit card for most things to get the miles. if you pay in US dollars, depending on where you are they may give you your change in aruban currency...so don't pay for a candy bar with a $20 on your way to the airport unless you want some currency souveniers! 4) the island is beautiful and welcoming, and so are its people (the van der sloot idiot aside)... aruba is an economically sound island...last i heard the unemployment rate was zero and there's very little crime - petty at most. it's relatively safe, especially when you compare it with some of the other caribbean islands where everything is gated, or there are specifically defined "good" and "bad" parts, but regardless of its disarming stability you should certainly be smart and aware of your surroundings. it's a port of call so there are people coming and going all the time. i know what it's like to be approached by someone visiting from elsewhere engages you in conversation and says "oh, me and my friends are going here... wanna come with us?" (btw - the correct answer is "no.")

hopefully at least something in here has been helpful... all in all i highly recommend la cabana as your "home base" during your stay in aruba!

First time at La Cabana (friends, their 4th time). 1 bdrm, 3rd flr overlooking pool area and ocean, up-to-date decor, everything you need in a kitchen. Balcony to view beautiful sunsets and you can see the cruise ships going into port in the early mornings. Lovely pool with water features and slide - fun for big and little people. BBQ areas for cooking your own fresh fish. Small casino currently being build. Newly renovated lobby with computer area for guest use and a handy coffee shop and small convenience store. Fitness centre with everything you need to keep that bathing suit figure The location of La Cabana is great, it is steps away from the white sands and clear blue waters of Eagle Beach. You can walk for an hour one way along the beach or the other way towards the high rise hotels on a trail/path along the ocean. Lots of beach front restaurants, shops, and people watching. No car, no worries - hop the bus, it takes you where you want to go cheap. So many people we met have been returning for years. "I love Aruba" is a true statement.

Liked it the first time, and as the renovations progress, like it even more. This place was great for our family vacation. The grounds were well kept. Rooms very nice. Everyone was friendly. Kids loved the pool and the daily activities. Beach was probably the nicest on the Island. Plenty of room to stretch out. Getting one of the little shade hut things is tuff. Saw people staking their claims as early as 6 a.m., but we were able to snag one around 8 am for the day.

Only real complaint is the lack of wifi. There is no free wifi, and the service you can purchase is spotty at best. Other than that, had a wonderful vacation and will return.

The Lacabana was a pleasant surprise. We are going next year and will be better prepared. We'll make sure we bring coffee and filters, napkins and some dry goods. The restaurants on the property were good. Eagle beach was fantastic. Never needed the palapas. Stayed in the sun near the beach and went swimming forever. We thought the busses were the best deal and an easy way to get to areas from the high rise to downtown. If we stayed out late we took a taxi back. The beach bar next door at the Amstadam Manor was very enjoyable. Next time we will try Passions on the beach.

We stayed at the Marriot Stellaris(highrise area) 2 days prior our Lacabana stay and Marriot Ren(downtown) the day after so we saw a lot up and down the coast. Next Nov. we have 2 days booked at the Radisson(which we enjoyed hanging around in) and Marriot Ren again after. Just trying to stretch out a vacation on a beautiful and fun island.