This is a Beautiful Resort. We return this year in April. The weather there was perfect, since at home it was in the 20s. We spent our First wk in the Studio of our 3 bedroom unit. The 2nd week we had Guests come from Michigan & Geogia. We had Breakfast in the unit each morning, mostly because everyone had a different desire for "Breakfast". Lunch was frequently the left overs from dinner. We rented a car at National for the 2 week, at the resort. They offered a better deal than the airport. Took a cab to the resort, agree on the price before leaving the airport. Food is a little more expensive, but remember, It all comes over by boat. There is no Soil in Aruba, just sand. Very little grows there. This is a family resort, geared to Families. But remember, you had to be 10 yrs old sometime, or your wouldn't be Retired now! The staff is very friendly, and sometimes it is a little crowded, but you don't have to go far to find a friendly person to tak to or play games, or just sleep. Whatever your Pleasure. You still feel comfortable walking on the Beach or any place in town. I still say it is the only Beach you can go and lay out & never Sweat, the Breeze is Wounderful

My wife and I along with another couple and their grown children and grandchild just spent a full week at the surf club. Many of the comments by others in this section are true. Check in took a long, long time. Drinks are expensive, the wave pool is busy at times. We all found it was better to swim from 6:30 to 9:00 PM. Chairs by the pool can be at times hard to come by, but many times are not. The food was all great. It was not a school vacation week when we were there. The place was indeed busy. One elevator was broken off and on most of the time. Maid service was slow and at times our room was not attended to until 5:00 PM. The staff were very friendly and worked their tales off all the time. I found no issues with the workout room and you can use the one at the Ocean Club as well. The ladies in the concierge office were very helpful, especially if "tipped" a bit.

Bottom line: We bought two weeks from the Marriott. We all loved the place and will go back year after year. There was a lot of people and a lot of activity, so if you want peace and quite, this is NOT the place. If you like to watch people, and have a lot of activity around, the Surf Club has it for sure. We are already awaiting for our trip next year. Most of it is just Aruba and that is what we like!

My wife & I went the 1st week of March 08 the only good thing I can say about the Surf Club is the room and the grounds are top notch. We have owned at the Ocean Club since '99 and would much rather be there. We decided to go this week and nothing was availabe at the O/C so we rented a week at the Surf Club. The Marriott people know that they tried to cram to many people into a small space so instead of purchasing the property right next to the Surf so that the Mega resort could be spread out they just chose to keep the pool area very small and undersized for the people that are there. So thier answer is they are trying to screw over the people who own at the O/C by telling us that we can no longer use the pools at each others resorts! Unfortunately this is not what was promised when we purchased at the O/C in '99 we were told that we would be able to have full use of each resort amenities. We went to the pool on the 1st day there at 8:00 am and all of the pool chairs were completely taken! So we went over to the O/C to use the pool it wasn't 10 minutes later and a towel nazi (dressed as security guards) came over and told us that we can't use this pool I told them were not moving and if they don't like it too bad. An hour later a manager came over and said we would have to leave, to bad we didn't. After a half hour talk she decided to give us a pass to get O/C towels to use the pool. She told us that the "owners board" for both the Surf and Ocean Clubs decided that this was thier solution to this problem. Unfortunately the owners weren't consulted about this decision so I will be e-mailing all of them as well. She told me that it's not in the contract and that there wasn't anything that we could do about it, this was a "condition of sale" when we purchased our Time Share weeks so I feel like the Marriott is not being very receptive to the owners of these resorts and instead of making this a relaxing vacation what they have done is to make people very mad at each other. I got up early one day and watched the action at the pool with all of these people trying get the chairs by the pool it looked like the last New York cab on a rainy day! What a joke! the Marriott from what I hear has plans to expand the pool they better hurry... I will stay here again only because I know that I can go use the pool at the Ocean Club. Other than that the one good thing is you can almost always count on the weather and it didn't disappoint us like the Marriott has!

My husband and I just returned from a week at the Aruba Surf Club. We are owners at the Aruba Ocean Club but since we couldn't get a reservation at our home resort until March we traded for the Surf. The rooms are lovely and clean as they are at all the Marriott resorts. We stayed in a one bedroom overlooking the main pool. However, I would not stay at this resort again due to overcrowding. In order to get a pool chair with shade you had to go down at 7:30 a.m. to reserve it. We just didn't bother and took our chances later in the day. Although we were always able to find a spot at the pool or beach after someone had abandoned a spot, I found this bothersome. Also, the chairs were literally side by side at the pool and the beach. It was always quite noisy at the pool and not very relaxing. The view of the beach was obstructed by the tons of chairs with shades. The lazy river was nice but again crowded so you couldn't really relax as you were contstantly bumping into other people. The Surf Club advised that the reciprocal agreement with the Marriott Ocean Club and the hotel had been suspended until April so you couldn't use those facilitities' pools either. We spent our last day at the Marriott hotel in a newly renovated room and that was great. I will definately go back to the Aruba Ocean Club next time for the peace and quiet. Families with smaller children may prefer the Surf due to the lazy river pool. Regarding restaurants, we had several great dinners at Chalet Suisse, Screaming Eagle, Gianni's, Madame Jenettes, and Ruth Chris Steak House. The Marriott burgers and the breakfast buffet at the hotel are were very good as well. Tony Roma's was not as good as it has been in the past and they have raised their prices considerably. The happy hour drinks at the bar were not good nor was the juice bar. Save your money and buy your own! We rented a car for the day and went to the supermarket and Baby Beach. Make sure you get the Marriott VIP card before you rent. We didn't. It saves 20% at Economy rental car.

Just returned from Surf Club after a stay from Feb 11th to Feb 25th. Having bought the timeshare over two years ago, this was our first opportunity to use it and it exceeded our expectations.

The units were spectacular, clean and everything was in working order and new. We were part of a group of 32 people spread out over 8 two bedroom units. The beach is beautiful and you can walk endlessly. We were able to secure Palapas for 6 of the 7 days of one of the busiest times of the year - President's Week. Go right to the beach hut after 10am and you can book two days per unit at a time. Where the pool is concerned, the first week was less crowded and pool chairs were easier to come by. During President's Week, you needed to put your belongings on your chairs by 7am if you wanted a preferred location. Marriott claims that belongings will be removed from any chair prior to 7:30am if unattended but this was unfortunately NOT enforced.

Not a big deal though and between the pool and the beach there was always adequate chairs. The Lazy River pool is amazing. The current takes you around the beautifully landscaped surroundings while Iguanas sun themselves and stare at you. For exercise, we walked against the current - what a workout! The kids enjoyed the water slide too at the other end of the pool where it is much more windy this time of year. However, the wind blows around what would otherwise be 85 degree air so this was not a problem for anyone unless they were concerned about their hairdo.

Dining on site and at the adjacent Marriott properties was terrific. There are restaurants right on the beach edge at both Surf and Marriott that serve terrific seafood as well as items like Steak and Veal. They ran out of their fabulous Osso Buco after the second night unfortunately.

Ruth Christ's just opened a week prior to our arrival in the main hotel and the food and service was amazing. Perhaps a couple of bucks more than a NYC version but we dined their twice with large parties and everything was wonderful from the Cowboy Ribeye to the Petit Filet to the Veal Chop and Chilean Sea Bass. Try the Spinach au Gratin and Lyonaise potatos for sides!

We ate many breakfasts and lunches in our units as we have small children and wanted to save a few bucks. The market at Surf Club offers a great selection but you can pay about half the price for all of your food and alcohol by going to Ling & sons down the street. Don't be alarmed by the prices at Lings as they are listed in Florians, the local currency. If something is priced at $1.00 that translates to 55 cents U.S. It is the closest thing to a Stop n Shop or Price Chopper that you will find in the Caribbean. Never saw a place where you can buy bananas, coffee and 150 year old Gran Marnier in the same place. By your booze outside the resort and bring coolers to the beach or pool like everyone else. The drinks are great at the bars but at $8 to $11 a pop it can start to add up. If you have children and need things like crayons or coloring books - bring them! Some things are easy to find like floats and tubes for the pool but others are scarce.

Great kids center in the main building as well as an arcade that is open 24/7. We had no elevator issues at all other than during prime checkout hours on Sat and Sun when bellman are bringing luggage down to the curb or lobby. Outside of that, the three elevators in the main building were very fast. Check-in is never a particularly pleasant experience. After long flights, immigration, baggage hauling...etc most people have little patience especially when dragging around impatient, tired and hungry children. The front desk folks were very pleasant but it did appear that they were not staffed appropriately at certain times. I am told that they are planning to move the check-in and check-out process to each of the separate buildings soon and that should alleviate that problem. However, the front desk folks and manager were extremely accomodating to me as we tried to coordinate having many rooms near each other and in the same building.

If you are looking for wild night life, go somewhere else. We were very pleased that the evenings were peaceful and you could take a stroll through the property or down the beach without any craziness. A short walk down the beach you can cut through the Holiday Inn and be at a number of great dining spots like Gianni's (Italian) - better make a reservation or Texas di Brazil (Argentine Steak House). Both were fabulous and the expanded salad bar that included fish, soup and many other non-salad items was actually the best part for me. If you so desire, there is even a TGI Fridays right there as well.

Car rental is available through National right in the hotel. Make reservations as they fill up fast. I believe they use another company at the Ocean Club next door. The concierge was extremely helpful as were the activities folks who helped us charter a Catamaran for all 32 of us for a two hour sunset cruise - the most memorable experience of the vacation.

Five Stars all around! You will have a wonderful vacation whether you are travelling as a couple or a family although this is not your destination if you are looking for singles during a week like President's Week.

WE JUST SPENT 11 DAYS AT THIS RESORT AND THIS WAS ARE THIRD YEAR STAYING AT THE SURF CLUB. WE ARE OWNERS OF TWO WEEKS HERE AND WE CANT WAIT TO COME BACK NEXT YEAR. ARE ROOM WAS GREAT THE STAFF WAS EXCELLANT AND I HAD NO PROBLEM GETTING PALAPAS ON THE BEACH. YES THINGS WILL BREAK, AND IF YOU LOOK HARD ENOUGH AT ANY PLACE YOU GO ON VACATION YOU WILL FIND PROBLEMS AND AT CERTAIN TIMES THE FRONT DESK GETS BUSY BECAUSE THIS IS A TIME SHARE AND CHECK -IN - CHECK- OUT IS ON FRI.-SAT.-SUN.

SO MY OVERALL RATING OF THIS RESORT IS GREAT AND I WILL RECOMMEND THIS RESORT TO EVERY ONE!!!

We stayed at the Surf Club 4-11Jan 2008. We exchanged for this property and have been to Aruba many times in the past during this time of year. We absolutely love the island. We thought at one time that we would buy here pre-construction but decided to wait. We were thrilled to be able to get a Marriott property in Aruba in January and thought --great, if we like it we'll buy.We're very glad that we did not buy!

Our experience was similar to some of the other negative posts. The Marriott was overbuilt and understaffed for the amount of people that occupy the Surf Club at peak times. We could not get any lounges near the pool in the shade until around 5pm...If you wanted a palapa you had to reserve it (and pay for it) up to 3 days in advance or wait in line at some ungodly hour in the am to get what was "left" over--if anything. After the first couple of tries we just went to Arashi beach.

Check in was obscene. We arrived late...after midnight. There were only 3 people in front of us but it still took nearly an hour! The room was not adequately prepared: no soap/ shampoo etc--Of course this was rectified the next am with housekeeping--but still the room should have been guest-ready. We requested a high floor with a view but were glad when we didn't get our initial request.

We were put on the 3rd floor...good thing...the 2 out of 3 elevators were broken for 2 days!! the waits were incredible. I felt sorry for folks with strollers and wheelchairs! At least we were able to walk up and down the 3 flights easily.

We reported a leak to the front desk (at the time it was very minor) 2x. They didn't fix it until 3 days later when the entire bathroom flooded! I don't know if it was just the floor we were on or what, but at some times the water in the shower was too hot and at other times there was no hot water. Complaints to the desk just got an apology and said they would have engineering look into it.

Food/Beverage service at the Pool was very slow--even for Aruba standards. It was clear that the employees were trying very hard to accommodate the guests but were truly just overwhelmed by the enormous capacity at this resort.

We were told there was internet access in the room. There was an ethernet cable in the room. However, I researched a bit and found that there hadn't been internet access in the guest rooms since late November! Apparently there was some problem that they couldn't fix in the 5 week time frame??? It was embarrassing to see guests with files (ourselves included) late at night in the lobby area trying to catch up on work! There was wireless access available in the lobby at no cost....Trust me, I would rather have paid daily for the service in the room!!

Again...we love Aruba and will go back to the island. We have stayed at other Marriott time shares and have never had a problem--even the slightest in the past. We are glad that we did NOT buy at the Surf Club and will NOT go back to this Marriott unless we stay at the quieter Ocean club or at the hotel (after the renovations are completed). I guess if you like kids, crowds, and disappointing service you will be okay here.

Stayed at the Surf Club 2/2-2/9/2008. Beautiful rooms, but Extremely overcrowded!!!! The opening of the two additional towers have completely overwhelmed this place. The pool and the beach are way too small for the high volume of people at this facility. People were fighting (literally) over chairs and palapa's at the pool and beach. The wait for the elevator was always long. The fitness room was so crowded you could hardly move, all of the cardio machines were constently in use and the room was so hot you couldn't breath. The service people tried hard, but it was obvious they were overwhelmed. If you want a peaceful, quiet vacation, do NOT stay at the Surf Club. If you're ok with heavy crowds and just want a nice room but nothing else, go for it.

We just returned from a week at the Surf Club (Jan. 27 - Feb. 3). Unlike the previous post, we had NO difficulty getting a palapa most days. And if we hadn't, there were plenty biminis (chairs with canapy tops) or trees available for shade on the beach.

We were impressed by how uncrowded the facilities felt. We were a bit concerned about that because of the completion of the new building. However, the Lazy River never felt crowded; we had plenty of space to relax and enjoy floating in it. The Caribbean was equally enjoyable. The only negative was the people that felt they had to have their chairs right at the water's edge (and there were many of them). Behind them, things were much more spread out.

Yes, check in was hectic and it was the result of this very large group that comes to the Marriott in January and refuses to respect its property or check out times. Hopefully the Marriott will deal with that issue. As for check in, they told us at the owners meeting that they were insituting a new check in procedure - people from the newest building will check in at that building. That should alleviate the recent delays.

They also said they were building 39 new palapas on the beach and had completed 5 of them while we were there. That should help people find more options with shade. I would recommend the Surf Club to anyone considering a Caribbean vacation. The beach is wonderful, the Lazy River is a special amenity, the nearby restaurants are outstanding, etc... etc. We are already looking forward to our visit next year.

I am an owner here and have just returned from staying on Jan 27, 2008. I could not find any pool chairs much less two together shaded. The check in was hours long and some people did not get into thier rooms until 21/2 hours later then the check in time. This seems to be because Marriott has sold to a group of 1000 people whom they cater to all through the timeshares and hotel and cannot get them out of the rooms on time so they can clean them and turn them over. We could not use their restaurant one night because it was serving this large group a special type of food. Marriott has over-built /been greedy at this property and the amenities do not support the amount of people. We are just a big herd at this property and treated as such. I would be careful of buying from Marriott at any of their new properties until you know they are not going to repeat what they did at Surf club. Even to try to secure palapas on the beach you must get up very early ( I'm not sure when I didn't do it but I think around 7:am and wait in line. Now their is real respect for an owner on vacation. You cannot use any of the other pools around the property ie... Hotel or Ocean club but there is no space or shade so you can't use Surf clubs either. This property needs work!!! Aruba is beautiful. Marriott is no longer a name you can trust without first being sure this will not happen at their new properties. Buy resale on line if you can their older properties are good but beware of anything new until you are sure!!!!

I was just at the resort in November with my wife for my birthday and eventhough the surf club had just experienced some major problems, the resort was very attentative to our needs as well as providing 5 star accomodations. Aruba provides plenty of entertainment and restaurants. We did get some rain, but thats the best thing about Aruba, it only lasts for 5-10 minutes and the sun is back out in full force. Will definitly go back and stay at the surf. very pleased.

We just got back from a week at the surf club (we went 12/7-12/14). We went with friends and we all love this resort and will go back again for sure. I'm sorry to see some of the negative comments from others, since we had such a great experience. This is definately a 5 star resort.

I'm in the middle of a two week stint, 51 and 52. Aruba is a fantastic place to come for a winter break. Even the bad weather is good. The hotel facilities are good and consistent with the past few years. The Marriott got very greedy! All facilities are extremely overcrowded. We are on a rotation with some other families in getting up at 5:30am to reserve pool chairs. The security guards are abusive to the guests. I have numerous bug bites sitting out on the chairs early in the morning. The health club is overcrowded with security shutting down treadmills after 1/2 hour. There long lines at the end of the day to exchange towels. It took almost 3 hours to get food at the pool last week. The resort is changing rules by the day to aleviate the overcrowding. There are long lines to get cabs to town and out for dinner at night. The resort opened up a new building this year and did NOT add any facilities to compensate for the extra thousand guests. In addition, the Hotel is under construction and the hotel guests are coming to the Surf Club as well. I have questioned the resort and there does not appear to be any short term fix. Be careful renting during peak times at this resort. It is till a nice facility, but be ready to fight for your usage and be an early riser.

I just returned from a week stay – Nov 3 - 10. This is my fourth stay in the Ocean or surf club in the past two years and will likely be my last.

I agree with all the comments about the rooms; they are 5 star quality. The pool is very nice, but there was no floating in the lazy river as it was wall to wall people.

Over the past two years, the beach in front of the surf / ocean clubs has become the worst beach is Aruba. The surf club beach is so overcrowded, that Marriot has not even bothered to add huts. There is no room. They took the simple approach and added hundreds of lounge chairs that have multi colored canvas sun covers. The water sports vendors which line most of the beach front only add to the circus like atmosphere.

The ocean club is much less crowded, as the ratio of huts to rooms is much higher than at the surf club. However, if you stay at the surf club, you can not reserve a hut at the ocean club.

Unfortunately the over development at the surf club has impacted the beach at the surf and ocean clubs as well as the other nearby resorts. The water at the beach is cloudy, and at times smells like rotten eggs. Once you get to about twenty feet from the water line, the sandy bottom is covered with a layer of decomposing vegetation. The cloudy water, the smell and the vegetation are all due to the removal of the stone jetty / marina which was directly in front of the surf club. After the jetty was removed the waves spread all of the sediment and decomposing vegetation for about a quarter mile in each direction. Supposedly, the sediment will eventually decompose / wash away and the water will return will regain its natural clarity.

The water will clear, but the overcrowding will only get worse. I can’t imagine how crowded the surf club will be during the busy season when the resort is full and the adult couples are replaced with families and more children.

This is the best vacation we ever had! We have gone back here for the last six years. The people in Aruba are wonderful, the restaraunts are excellent and it's easy to see why this is a 5 Star resort.

The Surf Club is the top of our list for overall experience in our timeshare life (5 years, 8 locations). We own another Marriott and traded to go to the Surf Club. Wow, were we happy we did. The villas are magnificently designed. There is so much room, it was amazing. The bedrooms are very spacious, and provide ample room to store your belongings for your stay. The bathrooms are very good sized.

The pools at the resort are great. There are a total of 3 pools (2 connected). The "lazy river" is connected to the pool that has a waterslide and waterfalls. The "lazy river" was so relaxing. We went in each day and would doze off while we were moved around the river by the soft current. The third pool was our favorite, mostly because of the swim-up bar. Happy hour every day was fun, and amusing. It was like a school of fish coming in for feeding time when the bell rang.

I've read many reviews regarding overcrowding. I was a little concerned about that when we were heading down. However, I didn't notice it really. There are definitely some adjustments that need to be made with the reserving rules, but there were always chairs to be had. I noticed lots of spots opening up around lunch time. But, there were ALWAYS spots open at the 3rd pool connected to the lazy river. It is just the furthest from the BAR!! I was also told that a new pool is planned closer to the ocean.

The location of the Surf Club is perfect. You can easily walk down the beach or street to a strip of restaurants, bars, shopping, and other resort areas.

We have been at the resort for 3 weeks, within this time frame we are renting a week from an owner that we got last minute while on vacation on this sight. The resort is beautifull, clean and very close, within walking distance to many excellent restaurants and shops. The weather has been picture perfect every single day since February 24th. The transfer between the Surf Club and the Marriott hotel has been flawless and very efficient. We have visited one of the new timeshares for sale on Eagle Beach that is being rented out much cheaper than the Surf Club, and we are so happy that we bought and that we are staying at the Surf Club. Our sincere thanks to the staff for a very enjoyable vacation. We have come her twice a year for the past 10 years and will continue to come here for the rest our lives. There is no problem with the pool chairs and the beach chairs at this time, The management has things under control. We thank them very much. You always get what you pay for, this is not rocket science it's a real fact. The casino is really great too. HOORRAAYY MARRIOTT, A JOB WELL DONE ON THIS TIME SHARE. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK

Ask for an oceanFRONT room and you'll never have a bad view - just sand, surf, and sky. Very happy with my stay at this resort. Yes, the pool deck gets crowded, but if you ask the staff will happily enforce their chair-saving rules and clear one up for you if one's available. GREAT entertainment, food, and drinks are nearby (and cheaper) at the Moomba Beach Bar. You pay more when you buy from Marriott, but the service is quick and friendly, and they bring it right to your chair! The lazy river is great fun to float around in, too. Although the resort doesn't make floats available (owners would wind up tripling their maintenance fees the way people abuse things like that), they do sell very inexpensive floats if you don't bring your own. Also, the opportunity to use the Ocean Club and Marriott Stellaris pools means there's always an open chair. The rooms are exceedingly comfortable and well-appointed (Henkel knives in the kitchen!). All of the bedding was just replaced, too - we received elegant brand- new comforters, sheets, pillows, and duvets in the middle of our stay, and these look to be much more hard-wearing than the last set so they should stay in good condition for some time to come. The resort is actively upgrading Phase 1 units (which includes the 28 oceanfront units) with new blinds and so forth - they don't need it, really, but it does keep things looking fresh and comfortable. Free high-speed wired Internet access is available in the rooms, along with Dish Network programing and DVD players. So if you want to (for some reason) spend a day indoors, you've got plenty to keep you busy. I'm very pleased with the resort, overall, although my work schedule demands shorter vacations nowadays so it's unlikely I'll be able to return to Aruba again anytime soon :(. If I did, though, I'd head back to the Surf Club!

This is the BEST resort on the Island. We just spent 3 weeks there and its the best. We have been to many Islands and you are not going to beat this place. Kent

We exchanged the week of Oct. 6, 2006 to this resort. We travel to Aruba at least twice a year, as well as other Caribbean islands, and this place has got to be the worst place ever! We have never had any complaint about any resort ever on this island, as they were always the best. We were given a room with no view (sitting above an air conditioning compessor room, which was very noisy) when we were told at the desk that we had an ocean view. We had a palm tree in front of our window that completely blocked it, which was also poolside in the corner/middle of the building on the 2nd floor. When we complained, we were told to meet with the manager at a certain time, and the manager had left for the evening. The hut system is all screwed up, in that the people assigning them play favorites. They double-booked us on a hut that we paid extra money to sit in the 1st row on the beach (what there was of it) and were asked to move because they had already assigned the same hut to someone else a week in advance. They told us that you could only book huts 2 days in advance & only 2 days at a time. We were then put in the 3rd row of huts at the Ocean Club part of the beach (which was a lot nicer), and did not get our money back for paying the extra to sit in the front row of the Surf Club beach. There are no facilities on the beach at this resort, so you had a long walk to bathrooms, restaruants, etc. I know it's under construction, but this place was just awful. The water sports vendors had all their boats parked in the swim area (on the beach that's about the size of a postage stamp). We had to use the Ocean Club's beach for swimming. This was our first experience with a Marriott, and will probably be our last! I think there are too many Marriotts on this island. For our vote, this place is already too big and after it's completed, will be even worse -- it's too crowded & not enough beach for the size of it. I also overheard from owners at the Surf Club that the Marriott had it in the works to purchase or already had purchased the Holiday Inn next door. I would like to see more resorts like Playa Linda & Costa Linda on the island, as they are truly the AAA+++ resorts. Vacations should remains just that, and not corporate agenda!

We had a nice time the first two weeks in December. We would prefer the low-rise hotel area on eagle beach next time.

Positive:

-A beautiful piece of architecture, high quality construction and decor.

-Beautiful ocean view, incredible sunsets.

-Discrete atmosphere, family friendly.

-Access to Ocean club and Marriott Stelaris provides variety.

-Great fitness classes in morning by beach and pool.

-Abundance of children and children activities, great fun for the kids, Iguana feeding , waterslide...

Negative

-Hotel lacks carribean ambience, feels more like being in the U.S.. (American Rock, american food, even the decor does not reflect aruban culture).

-too many units for beach and pool area, feels claustrophobic.

-The majority of staff gave excellent service (bell boy, chamber maid, waitresses, boutique clerks..) front desk seemed overwhelmed and a bit cranky.

- The beach was extremely crowded, (especially considering that most of Aruba's beaches are uncrowded) There was no surf, the water was not clear.

We rented week 51 this year, a 2BR suite that met all our needs for a family of 4 with 8/5 yr olds. Accomodations were excellent. Staff is very friendly. Concierge is highly capable. Pool is great. Lazy river will occupy most of your day. Beach was great, too. Hire a private snorkel or other water sports vendor vs the large tour companies.

The day we left the crowd showed up. I too would be concerned when they open the new buildings. On the lst day we had to claim our poolside lounges early. Squabbles had already broke out between guests who didn't understand how to reserve a lounge. It's a simple process.

On-site restaurants are excellent. Don't miss the Sunday Chinese Buffet in La Vista.

You will not be disappointed with this resort.

Exchanged our Westin Maui week for a week at Aruba Marriott Surf Club -- it was truly paradise! The lazy river was great fun -- and the kids loved the water slide. They are still finishing construction but it never affected us -- am a bit concerned about pool space after the last building opens -- otherwise, don't miss it!

Just returned from a stay at the Surf Club- what a beautiful, first-class resort! We had a one bedroom villa for two people and it was very spacious. Construction is ongoing but we did not find it to be an issue. The pools are wonderful and the beach is gorgeous! We loved Aruba and the Surf Club!

The best Place to be in! Seeing is believing! The place is so relaxing and fun that you just can't get enough of it all in one week, that's why I'm buying another week so I can pretend I live in Aruba......

paradise is one word to sum up aruba and our stay at the surf club. relax and and enjoy all of the beauty around you. the resort is amazing. everything is very very clean and the people are very accomidating. we will return yearly with our kids and enjoy every minute of it. i suggest if you have not gone to aruba try it and you will never regret it. you will be like all of the rest who return year after year.

Nicest time share on the island. Beautiful beach front with lots of space. Fabulous pools with a lazy river and water slide. Villas are spacious and nicely appointed. There is always something to do or just lay on the beach. Our favorite yearly vacation. Someday when we retire we will spend a month in Aruba and forget about Florida! This island is truly paradise with it's friendly people and perfect weather.

My wife and I had a Marriott week that was about to expire so we went to Aruba. What a beautiful, clean, spacious, and welcoming resort. The accomodations and amenities are first class, and the staff is exceptionally friendly and helpful. We took the tour just to get some extra points, but we loved the place so much we bought a unit. The Marriott Aruba Surf Club is a winner.

Marriott has done it again with the Aruba Surf Club. The lazy river is opening December 18th, 2005. How many companies can say they are ahead of schedule? Aruba is paradise. I have some pictures available on my rental posting april 21- 27th (cant go because my wife is due that week)

Spent Easter Week at the Surf Club in 2005. Such a great experience with the white sand beaches and low humidity, and breezes. We will definitely go back. Lots to do if you chooose to do so. Marriott does a great job.

sooo good

Just returned from a week at the Marriott's Aruba Surf Club. It was heaven!! Outstanding facility and the wait staff there are wonderful. Great beach and pool. Everything near by. Easy bus ride to town. Can't wait for this resort to be finished. It will be, by far, one of the best around.

This resort is 5 star top notch quality that Marriot always does wonderfully. Beachfront property with white sand, aqua water, beach cabanas. The lazy river will be completed in spring 2006 and with the sparkling warm walk in pool it is a delight in the afternoons with a colorful light show to swim by in the evenings unless you'd rather a fun evening in the casino which is a short walk across the property .

This resort is still being built. Guests can use the first building and part of the pool is opened. Great beach too! Staff is always willing to assist. When done this resort will be tremendous. Looking forward to going back and staying here.

we just returned from a 2 week stay in Aruba we stayed at the surf club. It was the best yet. This resort was next to everything restaurants, water sports, shopping, gambling, whatever you would like to do it was right there on the beach.

The service was wonderful. Always right there ready to serve with smiles on there faces. THIS IS one friendly island!!!

Robin Piotrowski

This resort is top-notch. It offers a great beach, pools, and water activities. Restaurants are great at resort, as well as many others close by. It is a very relaxing place to spend a vacation. You will not be disappointed.

Marriott's Aruba Surf Club is top notch-5 star all the way. Staff is friendly and very helpful. Timeshare sales people understand the words "Not interested". Location is phenomenal. You can do as much as you want to or as little as you want to. Nightlife is plentiful but you can just as easily relax enjoy the sunset and unwind without being disturbed. Aruba is paradise!

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.