Marriott Aruba

To Splurge or Not to Splurge: Marriott Aruba vs Ritz Carlton Aruba

Planning a trip to Aruba and can’t decide between staying at the Marriott Aruba or splurging on the Ritz Carlton Aruba? 

I’ve stayed in both resorts in Aruba. Below I’ll compare the Marriott Aruba and Ritz Carlton Aruba to help you make an informed decision for your next trip.

I will explore the similarities and differences between the two resorts and help you decide if the Ritz Carlton is worth the upgrade. Keep reading to find out more!

Marriott Aruba vs Ritz Carlton Aruba

The Beach

The quality of the beach is an important factor when deciding which Aruba resort to stay at. The Marriott Aruba and Ritz Carlton Aruba resorts are both located in Palm Beach. 

Palm Beach is a beautiful beach with stunning white sand and clear, turquoise water that are calm and free of seaweed.

Ritz Carlton Aruba vs Marriott Aruba
Ritz Carlton Aruba vs Marriott Aruba

Marriott Aruba is next door to the Ritz Carlton Aruba. They are located adjacent to each other on the same beach. 

As a result, there isn’t much difference between staying at the Ritz Carlton Aruba or the Marriott Aruba when it comes to the beach.  It’s essentially the same experience since you are staying on the same beach. 

Beach at Ritz Carlton Aruba
Beach at Ritz Carlton Aruba

And since Palm Beach is a public beach, you can easily walk over to the Ritz Carlton if you wanted to even if you’re staying at the Marriott.

I’d say if you’re going for the beach, either resort would provide a comparable experience. 

Non-motorized water sports

One advantage of staying at the Ritz Carlton Aruba is that you get free non-motorized, water sports rentals. This includes kayaking, standup paddleboarding, and snorkeling all day long for free. 

There’s a convenient rental shop located between the Marriott and Ritz Carlton where guests can pick up their rentals for free.

Rental Shop near the Ritz Carlton Aruba and Marriott Aruba
Rental Shop near the Ritz Carlton Aruba and Marriott Aruba

While if you’re staying at the Marriott, you have to pay for non-motorized sports rentals. The prices are reasonable with a one hour kayak rental costing around $35 and a half hour kayak rental around $16.

Kayaking at Ritz Carlton Aruba
Kayaking at Ritz Carlton Aruba

Having access to unlimited kayak rentals and standup paddleboard rentals is a definite plus when you’re at the beach. So if you plan to do a lot of kayaking and snorkeling, maybe you want to look into staying at the Ritz Carlton Aruba.

Palapas

In Aruba, you’ll undoubtedly be spending a lot of time at the beach, and both the Marriott and Ritz-Carlton resorts offer the convenience of being located directly on the beachfront.

Both properties provide umbrellas and lounge chairs on the beach, but there is a difference in how you can access them.

At the Ritz Carlton Aruba, umbrellas and lounge chairs are readily available for guests. The staff members are always available to assist in setting up your umbrella and lounge chairs. It’s a full-service experience.

Ritz Carlton Aruba
Ritz Carlton Aruba

On the other hand, the Marriott Arubas has Palapas instead of umbrellas. Palapas are straw huts on the beach. However, the number of Palapas is limited, so the hotel has implemented an online reservation system that releases them at 4 PM and 7 AM each day on a first-come, first-served basis.

Marriott Aruba
Marriott Aruba

While staying at the Marriott Aruba, I found it to be a bit of a hassle to secure a Palapa, especially on days when I was late in making a reservation online and ended up paying $30 out-of-pocket. 

While the Ritz Carlton Aruba’s approach is much more relaxed, and guests can enjoy the beach without worrying about reserving a spot or paying additional fees for umbrellas and lounge chairs.

Beer at the Ritz Carlton Aruba
Beer at the Ritz Carlton Aruba

Overall, if you’re looking for a more stress-free and relaxing vacation experience, staying at the Ritz Carlton is a good choice because you don’t have to plan ahead and worry about reserving a Palapa.

The Palm Trees

While this may not be a crucial factor in choosing a resort, some people (like myself) associate palm trees with tropical vacations, and it’s nice to have them around when lounging on the beach.

At the Marriott, you’ll find many palm trees scattered along the shore, providing a beautiful tropical ambiance. However, the Ritz Carlton has only a few palm trees on the beach.

Marriott Aruba
Marriott Aruba

Therefore, if you’re someone who enjoys lounging at the beach surrounded by palm trees, the Marriott may be a better choice for you than the Ritz Carlton.

Lack of Palm Trees at the Ritz Carlton Aruba
Lack of Palm Trees at the Ritz Carlton Aruba

The Beach Service

Staying at the Marriott Aruba or the Ritz Carlton Aruba provides the luxury of beach service, where you can order food, drinks, and cocktails right from your beach chair. 

The beach service is quite similar at both hotels. The only difference is that at the Ritz Carlton, the server moves around on a Segway while at the Marriott, guests can press a button at the Palapas to call the server.

Server on a Segway at the Ritz Carlton Aruba
Server on a Segway at the Ritz Carlton Aruba

I actually prefer the convenience of having the button to call the server at the Marriott instead of having to flag one down each time I need service a the Ritz Carlton.

Palapas at the Marriott Aruba
Palapas at the Marriott Aruba

Surprisingly, there wasn’t much difference in the level of service provided by the Marriott and the Ritz Carlton Beach servers. 

What I did see is that at the Marriott, the Tradewinds guests were treated with a much higher level of service than either the regular Marriott guests or the Ritz-Carlton guests.

Fish Tacos at the Marriott Aruba
Fish Tacos at the Marriott Aruba

Tradewinds is Marriott’s club lounge for adults only. You have to upgrade and pay extra to have access to the Tradewinds lounge and to stay on the Tradewinds floor. 

Tradewinds guests have a designated area on the beach with Palapas reserved for Tradewinds guests. These guests have a dedicated server. I watched the Tradewinds server and was impressed with his attentiveness. 

He was going around very frequently offering ice-cold water bottles and gelatos to the Tradewinds guests. I think his attentiveness is a much higher level of service than what I experienced at the Ritz-Carlton. 

Beach service at the Ritz Carlton Aruba
Beach service at the Ritz Carlton Aruba

There’s a noticeable difference in the level of service provided to the Tradewinds guests. In my opinion, the Tradewinds guests are receiving an even higher level of service than what I experienced when I stayed at the Ritz Carlton Club Level. 

There wasn’t any dedicated beach service for guests staying at the Ritz Carlton Club level, which means you had to go upstairs to the club lounge to receive service. It would have been more convenient if they had exclusive Ritz Carlton Club Level service right on the beach.

I think the next time I go to Aruba without kids, I’d like to try the Tradewinds at the Aruba Marriott for the exclusive and attentive beach service!  

Luxury

One thing I love about staying at the Ritz Carlton is that it’s luxurious. From the moment you arrive at the hotel until you step inside the lavish lobby, everything is plush and upscale.

During my stay at the Marriott, I yearned for the Ritz Carlton’s luxurious ambiance. When you arrive at the Marriott, you are greeted with a dated hotel facade. The lobby is renovated but not luxurious at all. I especially miss the luxurious bathrooms at the Ritz Carlton. The double sinks, separate shower and tub, and the marble décor.

Bathroom at Ritz Carlton
Bathroom at Ritz Carlton

Plus I miss the evening turndown service at the Ritz Carlton, where housekeeping always left chocolates on my pillows. It’s a nice indulgence before bedtime.

So, if you’re someone who craves luxury or wishes to pamper yourself during your Aruba vacation, it’s definitely worth considering the Ritz Carlton Aruba. You’ll wake up in luxurious surroundings which makes a memorable vacation.

Coffee at Ritz Carlton Aruba
Coffee at Ritz Carlton Aruba

Free Amenities

Let’s compare the free amenities at the Ritz Carlton Aruba versus the Marriott Aruba. Compared to the Marriott, the Ritz Carlton Aruba offers a lot of complimentary amenities.

At the Ritz Carlton Aruba, you get free water bottles in your room. You also get free flavored ice water at the towel hut and other locations along the beach. They even provide free sunblock and swim diapers for babies. On top of all that, you have access to free non-motorized water sports equipment, including kayaks and stand-up paddleboards.

Free Water and Sunblock at the Ritz Carlton Aruba
Free Water and Sunblock at the Ritz Carlton Aruba

While at the Marriott Aruba, you also get free flavored ice water at the lobby and towel huts, and some activities are free for guests. For example, my kids were able to decorate T-shirts without any extra charge.

Keep in mind that the Ritz Carlton Aruba does charge a resort fee. So in a way, you are paying for all the free amenities! While the Marriott Aruba does not charge a resort fee. 

The View

When deciding on a resort, the view from your hotel room balcony is a key consideration. Since both Marriott Aruba and Ritz Carlton Aruba are neighboring beachfront properties they offer comparable ocean views from your balcony. The type of view you get is not noticeably different between the two resorts.

The view from our Ritz Carlton Aruba Balcony
The view from our Ritz Carlton Aruba Balcony

Even if you are staying at a partial ocean view room at the Marriott Aruba, you can still get a glimpse of the ocean. Just make sure you ask to stay on a high floor. The balconies at the Marriott Aruba are slanted, so every room provides a slight view of the ocean.

Partial Ocean View Marriott Aruba
Partial Ocean View Marriott Aruba

Conclusion

In my opinion, if you’re willing to sacrifice the luxurious atmosphere that the Ritz Carlton provides, then the Marriott next door is a great alternative.

You can enjoy the same stunning beach and top-notch beach service without the high price tag that comes with staying at the Ritz Carlton Aruba. Staying at the Marriott Aruba can save you up to 30%!

If you ask me whether I would choose the Marriott Aruba or the Ritz Carlton Aruba on my next trip to Aruba, I think I’ll go with the Marriott. Personally, I don’t think it’s worth spending the extra money to stay at the Ritz Carlton.