Marriott's Aruba Surf Club Reviews & Ratings

We own two weeks in Aruba at another resort and decided to exchange one of those weeks for a week at the Marriott Surf Club, so my friend, who loves to windsurf, could be closer to the windsurfing beach. We almost were ready to check back out on the first day because it was such a different experience then our other resort. The resort is absolutely lovely with all the typical Marriott amenities, however, staying there did not offer the quiet, restful, stress free experience we are used to in Aruba. I compare it to a cruise since it is very crowded, with lots of families and you have to get outside by 7 AM to reserve beach chairs, which are literally right on top of each other. It is near impossible to find four chairs together, and the resort does not enforce the two hour tagged but not used "chair tag rule" If you want one at the beach they charge $10-$15 a day and again must reserve ahead. Everything there is VERY expensive and even happy hour was not so happy at 2 drinks for $14. (Other resorts offer two for one drinks on every drink at around $5-7) It is worth the cab fare to the good grocery store on LG Smith boulevard to buy your food and drink at least for breakfast and lunch and have your own happy hour all day! There are many wonderful places nearby to walk to enjoy for dinner. Again an outstanding property with amazing pools and beautiful beach but if you want a less frantic vacation experience where you can sleep in and still find a beach chair, this is not the place.

Best Resort ever!! Service is so committed, the amenities are fabulous, villas are large and comfy and so pretty. Love the pools and lazy river and the beach is right there! What more could anyone ask for?

My wife and I along with three other couples and their grown children just spent two weeks at the Marriott Surf Club in Aruba. We have been going their now every year for two weeks in January and two or three weeks in March. We have found that it gets better every year. Check in is much faster than in the past. People are all very friendly and helpful. The drinks are fantastic and prices are better at happy hour. They have replaced all the grills and they are well cleaned every night. The facility is very, very well maintained. The new serenity pool gives those that want to be away from the action a place to relax and be at peace. Hats off to hotel director Scott Derrickson for the outstanding job that the resort does. We will go back year after year for sun and fun. Try it, you love it.

Really nice property on the friendliest Island in the Caribbean. We are here for 3 weeks Jan/Feb 2011. The Pools are spectacular and the beach is nice as well. The problem with the pool chairs is a bit overkill. There is no problem whatsoever getting a chair by the pool. If you want a really good location or to be in the first row at the ocean, then that means getting up at 7am and tagging early. My wife and I have no problem getting very good location chairs every morning going down around 8/9am Service is really good for a timeshare and the rooms are very spacious. THe amenities like a hotel bar or rooms service are not here. But for the price, you can;t beat it. there are restaurants by the pool and there is really easy access to the palm beach shopping district. We come to Aruba often and have stayed here last minute 4 or 5 times. Great place for the kiddos for sure. water slides and lazy river rule.

We are owners and have stayed at this resort several times over the past 10 years. We have also stayed at other resorts in Aruba but find that this resort really is exceptional. The location is superb, especially since they added the new shopping and restaurants nearby. The amenities are great and the resort is always immaculate. The staff is always willing to accomodate even the smallest of requests and we enjoy the resort very much. It is great for adults as well as children.

We just returned from a week in Aruba and stayed at the Surf club. The best way I can describe this is "Disney World in the Caribbean withouth the service". I would NEVER go back again. We initially got a room in the Spyglass Tower and it was fairly new, very clean and very pretty. After 3 days they told us the air conditioning was broken due to a pipe break. It was supposed to be fixed by the next day but by the end of the first day our room was over 80 degrees and unbearable. We called the front desk and after almost two hours FINALLY got in touch with someone. At 1:30 in the morning in the pouring rain we were changing rooms to a totally different building. The unit we got was disgusting. It was old, moldy smelling, the mattresses were horrible and many things were broken in the unit. Again the next day we tried to contact someone to come and fix a few things, but after over an hour of trying to contact the front desk, I had to go downstairs to get anything done. They finally replaced one of the mattresses and fixed the doors and TRIED to get rid of the musty smell, but couldn't. At that point we weren't going to change rooms again, NOR did they offer. I understand that things happen as with the broken a/c, but come on!!! This is a timeshare unit...why is there no coverage at the front desk???? Customer Service was definitely lacking. IF you have kids and want a Disney World environment, then this is the place for you. When I get away I want to relax. I will say the ratio was 3 to 1...kids to adults. Most parents don't pay attention to the kids so the pool was PACKED. You couldn't have used it if you wanted to. They told me this was the quiet season (last week in August). I would HATE to be there during peak season. My family had a unit next door at the Ocean Club. It was another world! If you want relaxation...STAY HERE!!!!

The beach was very nice and they enforce the Ocean Club using their beach and the Surf using theirs. The beach on the Ocean Club was much roomier and the Surf was very congested. I just think there are too many people for the pool and beach to handle. I loved Aruba but would never go back here.

The Marriott Aruba Surf Club is an outstanding place to stay while in Aruba. As an owner who pays top $$$ in fees The Marriott keeps up with making sure it is always clean, updated and everything is in working order. Check in is easy and never long. I am so surprised to hear what that one person wrote. It seems she must not vacation that much. While I do agree that getting a chair at the pool means getting up at 7am, I have vacationed at many other places including the Westin St. John two times & it is the same there but much more expensive. It is really like that at most resorts but the Marriott does have a policy that you can't leave towels on chairs for longer then 2 hours if you're are not sitting at the pool. They do enforce that because I was just there in March 2010 & watched them do it. I not only own one, I am renting from another owner for an upcoming week in September. You can't sweat the small stuff or you will never be happy. It would never be that crowded all the time if people were unhappy with the services they receive there.

The Surf Club was awesome! It was everything that envisioned and more. The location is perfect. The staff is very friendly and courteous. The villa that we had was clean and the view from the room was perfect. My family (myself, wife, two teenage sons, young adult daughter and her boyfriend) couldnt have picked a better place to stay on our first visit to Aruba. We spent the days on the beach, in the pool or the lazy river. The nights were spent in the Stellaris Casino. Our dream vacation came true. We will be back again next year and the next and the next and the next.........

Marriott is continuing to improve the processes and amenities at this wonderful resort. I just returned from a week in paradise there. It was my seventh trip to Aruba and I am never disappointed. The Adults Only pool is currently under construction and the resort has continued to make additional space to ease the feeling of crowding. I had no problems finding space at the pool or at the beach. There are new towels and the units are in the process of a "soft-goods refresh". There was a new 42" Plasma in my unit replacing an older standard TV in the main living room, new upholstery on the chairs and couches, new bedspreads and everything looks better than when the resort was brand new. This is definitely a family resort and I say it is the most beautiful on the island.

having just returned from a week at the surf club, i must register my disappointment. starting with the check in, the process was beyond long and beyond grueling.....personnel throughout the entire stay were less than courteous....the security patrolling the property were unfriendly and seemed to revel when finding someone without a wrist band......this is suppose to be a holiday!!!!!the towel process was akin to one you would find in a third world country.the chair situation at the pool was indescribable.better be on alert before 7am so you can tag your chair!!!!!!there was no adult only pool.....so, both lazy river and pool were overridden with kids and volley ball players.....no peace could be found.........except at marriott hotel pool....the pool bar/restaurant was a travesty....over ridden with flies....we started csalling it the fly bar. interestingly enough, other nearby outdoor venues didnt seem to have the same fly problem.over the years, our family has stayed at many marriott properties,returning to many of them more than once. st.thomas,hilton head, fort lauderdale,orlando,palm beach.....the surf club will certainly not be in that category. we followed our stay at surf club with several days athe renaissance resort in oranjestad. what a welcome change. catering to families but also sensitive to tne vacation needs of adults.we are a family of five with two sons.if you are looking for chaos and crowds, the surf club may be for you. if you are looking for a relaxing holiday interspersed with activities,look elsewhere.

Stayed at the Surf Club 2 weeks in Mar 06. Wonderful facility, great staff, great beach, no problems encountered. Will return annually. Highly recommended.

Stayed again Jan 2007. Still fantastic facility, no problems getting beach hut, staff friendly, huge beach, least crowded resort on Palm Beach. Facility second to none. Construction not a problem.

I am writing this review from the Surf Club on 19 Jan 08. I have been here for 3 weeks. The beach is beautiful. There is NO sludge on the beach. Pool area is busy but NOT over crowded. I have had NO difficulty finding a pool chair or beach lounge with shade. Only Surf Club guests are allowed to use the pool and lazy river (relatively new policy). The staff is very friendly. The villas are very well appointed and house keeping is very prompt if something is needed. The security and staff are courteous and friendly. I have never had to get up at 5:30AM to get a pool or beach chair. This resort is very popular and justifiably so. We have stayed at most of the hotels/resorts on Palm Beach and the Surf club is our favourite place to stay. I am sorry other reviewers had some problems. This is a 5 star resort.

Stayed at the Surf Club for 6 weeks Feb 20-Apr 03 2010. Fantastic resort. After being open for only 4 years the Lighthouse Tower (building A) has been updated with new furniture and 40 inch LCD T.V.s. I had no problem getting a free palapa every day I was there. Bimini shade chairs are readily available any time of the day. The lazy river is as always a fantastic place to cool off. The restaurants at the Marriott complex have been expanded and updated. The new shopping district adjacent to the Surf Club is great with at least 10 new restaurants. Still 5 stars for this great place to find guaranteed vacation weather and top notch accomadations and amenities.

Stayed at Surf Club for first time, and this was my seventh trip to the happy island...2 bedroom 2 bath condo...facing the lazy river...very nice, however learned that one cannot use the pool at Ocean Club or hotel when staying at the surf club...which was weird to me but we dealt with it. Check in took a long time on that Sunday. Probably won't stay here again because I like the Ocean Club or the Tradewinds part of the hotel better. Am going back in February and am trying the Divi Phoenix out for a week. Have stayed at Divi's Tamarijin and now will try this high rise townhouse two-story 2 bedroom in the new tower...

This Caribbean island, outside the hurricane belt, is pure paradise! The weather never really changes, so it doesn't matter when you go!! The restaurants are exceptional in food quality and service, and there are so many nice ones, you almost never want to go to the same one twice. And that's what makes the Marriott a GREAT place to stay. There are no all inclusive plans. So, you can enjoy all these great restaurants guilt free!! Not to mention, all units come with a FULL kitchen, so if you want to be a little economical, that option is there for you. Top notch!!

Well we understand the problem of any crowded large resort when it comes to space at the pool or beach and the Surf Club, as beautiful as it is. does have this problem. It seems I have experienced this many places I have vacationed throughout the years.

On the other hand you don't want to stay at a place, necessarily, that is kind of empty and boring. I've been to those types of places too and, quite frankly, if we wanted to be alone, we could just stay closer to home and relax. We like to see people and meet people. It's all part of the vacation experience. However, we have had some solution to this problem because we own at the Ocean Club and the Surf Club. We rent the units for the same week and travel with our friends. So you see we occupy both units at the same time, so we can get a space on the beach or pool at the Ocean Club which is less hectic, and then go over to the Surf Club and use the Lazy River or anything else there whenever we want. So look for 2 units for the same time period and invite some friends along to vacation with you. Sounds like a fun time? Yes, it is!

Returned from the Marriott Surf Club on August 23rd, we had a fabulous time. We used an II excbange to get into the resort. The unit was gorgeous, and the staff extremely friendly and helpful. The Lazy River was relaxing and fun and we didn't expereince the saved beach chair problem. Going in August made a difference as far as crowding was concerned. We took advantage of the gas grills and met some awesome folks while grilling. ALl and all I will look forward to returning to the Surf Club.

My husband and I came back for our five year anniversary. It was amazing. People complained about tagging their chairs to reserve them for the day but it was simple. You needed to get up at 7:oo and tag your chair. Not very difficult!The grounds are very pretty and the staff was very accomodating throughout our stay. There were a lot of families with children but there were a limited amount of activities to do with younger children. The restaurants in the area were great. Not a big fan of Simply Fish. There were plenty of great places only a cheap cab ride away.

We spent spring break week at the surf club. We had a great time. The people and the facilities were first class. The rooms were spacious, clean and very comfortable. As many people have noted, Marriott likely overbuilt this property. There is not room for a single additional chair at either the beach or the pools. They have recently instituted a hang tag policy to reserve your pool or beach chairs. You are issued a hang tag for each member of your party at check in. You use these to "hold" your chairs. The crowd starts arriving at the pool at first light--around 6:15 am during our week to claim chairs. You must then wait until 7:00 with the chairs or the tags will be removed. By 7:00 nearly all of the pool chairs had been tagged. At 7:00 you are free to leave, but must return within two hours or the tags will be removed. I only saw tags removed once all week. If someone in your party is not a morning person, this may not be the place for you. I personally enjoyed the quiet time in the morning watching all of this unfold. The resort was completely sold out during our week, other weeks may be less busy, but there are a lot of condos in a fairly small area, i.e., a lot of people looking for a place to sit. If you think you can just stop down at the pool or beach late morning and grab a spot, you will be very disappointed.

Having said all that, the place is fantastic. We have 7 and 8 year old sons. They made tons of friends--it was a great vacation for all. Marriott knows how to keep families happy. The constant trade winds in Aruba make the high temperatures very comfortable. The weather cannot be beat. We have travelled fairly extensively in the caribbean and this was the consistently best weather we have ever had. The wind makes it perfect. The resort grounds and pools are perfect. The lazy river is a treat. We will certainly return. The economy seems to be hitting the restaurants more than the hotels and condos. The place was packed, but many must have been eating in thier rooms, as restaurants were half full

A nice feature is that you actually clear US customs at the Aruba airport. This saves having to claim and recheck luggage if you have a connecting flight on your way home.

We had a wonderful time at the Surf Club. We had 4 adults and 2 children and rented a 2 bedrooom villa from an owner. The space was quite nice although some of the applicances could hasve used some fine tuning. The pool complex and beach are wonderful and the hotel is in a nice location, within walking distance to numerous restaurants and shops.

Just came back from the Surf Club in Aruba and have read other reviews. Althought there were some negative reviews, I have found the Surf Club wonderful for a family vacation. The villas are very spacious, very clean and the staff is VERY friendly and helpful. Those complaining may try to treat the staff a little nicer and perhaps your experience would be better. The place is great, the beach is beautiful and the grounds are kept perfect. We were there from Jan 10th-January24th and yes it was crowded but ITS THE WINTER and the weather back home was brutal. Besides it made it lively and fun. Of course it is going to be crowded just as holiday weeks, college weeks off, and just because it is in the middle of winter and many people choose to get away from the elements. Go in the summer if you want it less crowded!!! We have been going for the past 10 years to the Marriott in Aruba and we love it and we are already booked for 2010. If you dont like people or children and want to be secluded buy your own island!!! For the person that complained about the restaurant closing for a group that comes down there were at least two other restaurants on the beach that Marriott offers. We came on a Sunday and it only took only about 20 minutes to get up to the room and the room was super clean and well supplied. When reading these negative reviews it just reminds me of the people who never stop complaining about EVERYTHING because they are whiners. If you had complaints about Aruba's Marriott than you certainly wont be happy in Heaven also. And you know the alternative of that. Cant wait to next Jan so I can get another piece of Heaven!!!