ARUBA

Sonesta Suites Title
ARUBA

Resort Info

L.G. Smith Boulevard
Oranjestad, Tel: (297) 8-36000 Fax: (297) 8-25317
Yvette Quandus - Reservations Manager
Liliana Gracia - Reservations Agent

Description
The Sonesta Suites is a large 5-storey L-shaped resort located in downtown Oranjestad adjacent the waterfront marina. The property is within walking distance of major shopping areas and the cruise terminal. Her sister hotel, the Sonesta Resort, is located a short walk away on the main street across from the marina. Guests at the Sonesta Suites have the use of all of the Sonesta Resort facilities as well. The Sonesta Suites and Resort, along with the Crystal Casino, Seaport Casino, Seaport Marketplace, and Seaport Marina make up what is called the Seaport Village.

The Suite's inside units overlook the pool area and are oceanview. One side of the outside units overlooks the town, while the other outside units overlook the marina.

Room Ammenities
3 room grades: superior, patio suites, and ocean view

250 one-bedroom suites, complete with kitchenette, telephones, cable tv, air-conditioning and ceiling fans. All rooms at Sonesta are available with king-sized bed or with two queen-sized beds.

Notes/Tips/Hints/Opinions

Check-in is 3 pm, check-out is 12 noon.
A trolley is available to transport guests to their destinations within Seaport Village.
Thrifty Car Rental on site.
Outside units overlooking the marina have a view of the sunset.
The one-bedroom suites have a small living room, kitchenette, bathroom, and a balcony that is large enough for two or three to sit comfortably.
The kitchenette has a two burner electric stove (no oven), microwave coffee maker and blender. There is a mini-fridge, and a seperate mini-freezer. Plates, glasses, pots, pans, silverware, and utensils are supplied.
There is a safe in the bedroom with an electronic combo lock that you set yourself. The safe won't hold a camcorder, but is large enough for all your valuables.
There is one tv in the living room and one in the bedroom.
The couch is a double sofa bed.
The guests tends to be mainly families and older couples.
The resort is located directly downtown adjacent to the open-air Seaport Marketplace and Mall, so it is a very short walk to the Sonesta Resort, numerous restaurants, shops, and other things like casinos, the Seaport Cinemas, etc. Nearby restaurants include the Waterfront Crabhouse, Steakhouse 5, Sabbaro's, Villa Germania, Mama Mia's, the Paddock, La Terraza, Cafe The Plaza, etc.
There are two free form pools, one with a swim up bar.
The Suites is not a beachfront property, but does have a man-made beach/lagoon area beyond the pool area. The lagoon is open to the sea and has a footbridge spanning this opening which can be jumped off of.
Sonesta Suites and Resort have a private island for guests (accessible by a 5-minute boat ride; fee for non-guests is $25) called Sonesta Island (see Sonesta Island link on previous page for details). The island closes at 6 pm.
Exercise room located on Sonesta Island, open daily fro 8 am - 6 pm.
Tennis located on Sonesta Island, open daily from 9 am - 6 pm, equipment available for rental.
Watersports on Sonesta Island provided by Red Sail Sports, open daily from 8 am - 5:30 pm, offers float beds, scuba diving, snorkeling, windsurfing, ocean kayaks, sun fish, tube rides, banana boat rides, sea cycle, and waterskiing.
The Colibri Helicopter Tours has a helipad on the jetty next to Sonesta Suites on the Marina side.
Sonesta Suites has the largest brochure package, containing info about the resort, a large postcard, plus two free visitor guides to Aruba and its events.

(Room info from Alex Goroff )

Restaurants, Bars, & Lounges

Captain's Corner (Sonesta Suites): Breakfast, lunch and dinner in a relaxing atmosphere. Breakfast: 7 am - 11 am; lunch/dinner: 12 noon - 10 pm.
Oasis Pool & Snack Bar (Sonesta Suites): Open daily from 10 am - 10 pm
L'Escale (Sonesta Resort): Contemporary tropical cuisine in an elegant and romantic ambiance, overlooking the Bay of Oranjestad with live entertainment. Dinner: 6:30 pm - 11 pm
Brasserie (Sonesta Resort): Serves breakfast, lunch and dinner in a casual setting. Breakfast: 7 am - 11:30 am; lunch/dinner: 12 noon - 11 pm.
Crystal Lounge (Sonesta Resort): Overlooking Crystal Casino with 24-hr live entertainment
Horizons Bar & Patio (Sonesta Resort): Open daily from 10 am - 10 pm
Seabreeze Bar (Sonesta Island): Open daily from 8 am - 6 pm.

Nightlife

Crystal Casino (Sonesta Resort): Open 24 hrs, 14,000 sq.ft. casino
Seaport Casino (Seaport Marketplace): The only waterfront casino in Aruba
Desires Nightclub (Sonesta Resort): Contemporary, elegant atmosphere. Located off the main lobby of the Sonesta Resort. Nightly entertainment. Live music: 9 pm - 1 am Mon - Thurs, 9 pm - 3 am on Fridays and Saturdays.

"Just Us Kids" Program

For children ages 5 - 12, morning (10 am - 4:30 pm) and evening (6 pm - 9 pm) sessions, complimentary for hotel guests. Nominal charges for meals and field trips.

Registration is held twice daily between 9:30 and 10 am and 6 and 6:30 pm in the Kids center, which is locted on the 5th floor at Sonesta Suites. Children must be accompanied by their parents in order to register for the morning or evening activities. Children will receive Just Us Kids t-shirts during their initial registration to wear for identification. Adults may not accompany children in the programs.

Baby sitting services are also available.

Sonesta Resort Info

The Sonesta Resort nearby the Sonesta Suites has large, well appointed rooms. On the ground floor of the hotel is the Seaport Mall with a large variety of stores. Part of the complex houses the Crystal Casino with an adjacent beautiful theater that presently features the show "Hot Tickets". Hot Tickets is a dinner and dance show which features many different styles of dance and entertainment, along with one of the last 35 Bengal tigers. The ground floor of the Resort also houses the boat dock for the Sonesta Island ferry. Tickets for non-guests can be obtained at the Resort's lobby upstairs.

This site went online 1999.
Photos by Patti MacK copyrighted 1999 and may not be used without permission.

DISCLAIMER

As information may not always be up-to-date, you are advised to use it as a guideline only. You will find e-mail and website addresses, as well as phone and fax #s included on this site - please use them to contact the particular resort/restaurant/business in person to confirm times, prices, and details. The webmaster, site owner, and Internet provider assume no responsibility for any damages or claims resulting in use of information contained in this site. If, in spite of every precaution, any copyrights have been infringed in this site or any borrowed photo uncredited, your notification with respect to photo credit or removal will be greatly appreciated.