Where To Stay: Renaissance Aruba Hotel
Staying at the Renaissance Hotel gets you free access to their private island the flamingos are which is why we chose to stay here instead of Palm Beach area. Just note that it is in Oranjestad and there are two Renaissance Hotels – Renaissance Ocean Suite Hotel is right on the beach and Renaissance Aruba Resort and Casino located just down the road that is not on the beach but still really close. We stayed in both just to try them out, but we preferred the Resort and Casino hotel better.
Oranjestad is a little more quiet than Palm Beach, but since our expectation was to not do much and just lay on a beach, we thought this was perfect. This part of the city also retains more of the original Dutch architecture than Palm Beach. Plus, Palm Beach is only a 10-15 minute taxi ride away. We came in April when the weather was still hot and humid during the day. Read on for our food recs. Read here for Flamingo Beach.
Where to Explore: Oranjestad's Colorful Buildings
As the capital of Aruba, Oranjestad is home to the historical Dutch architecture. Oranjestad is also home to the cruise ports so you’ll see tourists come on and off throughout the day. There’s plenty of shops for those in need of retail therapy and if youre looking for some rarer harder to find luxury goods, Oranjestad is a good bet you’ll find it. There isn’t a local demand for luxury brands, so most inventory is available for tourists. Be sure to check out Palm Beach area too if you have time.
Where to Eat:
1. Lucy's
Great for drinks and happy hour and 5 minute walk from both Renaissance hotels. An open space to soak in the sun and enjoy drinks (one of the few places I've ever seen Purple Haze on tap!) and a bonus if you have a big group.
2. West Deck
No joke, this is the best restaurant on the island and one of the best in the world in my opinion. They serve the best local food , including an AMAZING fried red snapper for only $28. The food is super yummy and not greasy at all. Everything from their homemade pickled onions, habanero sauce, and sides (bomb rice!!) is delicious. On our first night, they gave us the best seat in the house. It's right next door to the Renaissance Ocean Suites Hotel and at night they have live steel drum music. We came here 4 times during our stay and my only regret is that we did not come more.
One of the local island dishes is called Fried Funchi w/Dutch Cheese (top left). It’s almost like a fried polenta with a nice crispy outer edge. Definitely recommend it, especially at this place. The other dishes we got were the Trocadero Shrimp (garlicky sauce) and the ceviche. The Fried Funchi w/Dutch Cheese was our favorite.
We had come for dinner our first night in Aruba, and came back for lunch again the next day. We had the fried snapper again and hey had an almond crusted group as a special and it was SO GOOD. I swear, nothing is bad here.
3. Pastechi House
Pastechi House is a great local eatery selling fried goods. A pastechi is a fried touch with filling, almost like an empanada. Located in downtown Oranjestad area, its a nice street to walk (maybe 10 min walk from Renaissance Hotel) around and admire the Dutch architecture. Best part, a pastechi ranges from $2.50 to $5.00 and they have a variety of their own sauces for dipping. Our favorite was the lobster pastechi. We tried the cheeseballs too, but really the star is the lobster pastechi.
4. Flying Fishbone
No words…one of the most unique dining experiences in my life. The Flying Fishbone is a little further out from downtown Oranjestad (about a 30 minute taxi drive from the Renaissance Hotel) but totally worth it. We started getting lazy towards the reservation time since it was further out, but were so glad we didn’t bail. The restaurant is entirely on the beach and if you’re lucky enough you can get the front row water seat. Our server was nice enough to move us after a table had cleared. You get a stand to hold your shoes and spend the entire time barefoot. As the tide starts to rise, the water starts to move further in and you can feel the ocean water.
5. Pelican's Nest
So. much. fun. Pelican’s Nest is located in Palm Beach Aruba, the area where all the hotels are located. Its about 15-20 min taxi ride from the Renaissance Hotel. This place sits on a pier over the water. We arrived at 5pm and the place was empty waterfront but the place was full within the hour. Even if you don’t come for a sit down dinner, there is a more casual bar area in the back. Do yourself a favor and get yourself a Mega Cocktail and watch the sunset.
6. Isla Pop
Isla Pop is known for their arepas, one of my favorite foods of all time. It's a Venezuelan corn pocket filled with a variety of toppings. The ones here are a bit fully loaded with cheese and saucy, but nonetheless filling and satisfying after day of sun and boozing.
What Else to Do: Snorkeling
Through Viator we purchased a snorkeling trip. Included is a lunch (which consisted of hot dogs for us). Pro tip: snuck a few hot dog buns which was clutch in feeding the fishes.
