Magnus Olson
Google
Pretty disappointing AVOID. I honestly don't understand the relatively high reviews based on our experience. We've been to Aruba many times before and usually stayed at hotels. We've heard people renting condos and getting a great experience. So we tried the Aruba Beach Villas. The only thing this place has going for it is the location. It is right across the street from the beach and amazing sunsets. So 4 stars for the location and -2 for the room.
The most glaring problem was the lack of security in the room. The room could not be locked! The front door could, but the adjoining room door did not lock. The room was not secure. It just had a futon sofa bed pushed up against it to stop the neighbors from coming in. Due to the tile floors it could have easily been forced open by a 170 lb (or about 12 stone if you're British) person just leaning on it as the sofa would have slid on the tiles. Which leads me to another security issue, which less immediate was still a serious risk. When we arrived the manager had just put a sign on the door to the office with our name and a note that the room was open and the key inside. So it would have been possible for anybody who saw the note to enter our room and make a copy of the key, then come back and rob us, or just wait inside until we got there and rob us.
Ignoring the security if you can, sadly the room was a dump. Honestly it was worse than the roadside motel I stayed at in Roswell New Mexico. It stank of dead fish; it was like dead fish had been gutted and the innards left in the room for days. Think of the smell of a fish cleaning table at a marina, then make it indoors, in a hot tropical climate.
Speaking of a hot climate, the air-conditioning could not keep up. The room catches full afternoon sun and gets quite warm. With the air conditioner set to max the temperature actually went up in the room until the sun set. Additionally the ceiling mounted fan could not be run. It shook loudly and violently and appeared that it could fall on the bed at any moment.
The cleanliness of the room you ask? The bed was lumpy and sagging, it had mildew or mold on it. There was mildew throughout the bathroom and kitchenette area. Please consider the cleanliness description when reading this next part. The drain didn't keep up with the shower so you were standing in a pool of filthy water minutes into your shower. Also keep in mind I am listing the cleanliness with the potentially toxic mold fourth, in this review, that is how bad the fish smell was and how immediately threatened we felt by the door that could not be locked.
The pictured kitchenette did not match the room, it was a hotplate, microwave and mini fridge. You could not cook a meal there. This might not be a big deal to some, but part of the reason we rented a condo was so we could cook a meal and look out over the ocean while we ate it.
So you may ask why didn't we speak to management and get a different room. As you recall, if you are still reading, the manager left a note on the door because they were leaving and left minutes after we arrived and we couldn't contact them. The booking agency couldn't contact them. Save your money. I feel completely dupped on this room. But if you don't mind the above, the location is nice and the view amazing.