Stay & Play
Holiday Inn Resort Aruba
A terrific tot-friendly tropical escape
by Susan Campbell
Have toddler will travel?
Supermodel/actress Donna Feldman is no stranger to jet-setting around the globe to exotic locations and staying in high-end luxury digs as part of her profession. But when she wants a real tropical holiday in paradise away from the frenetic pace of her career, she asks me to help as I specialize in island escapes as a travel journalist. I’d already sent her to a few islands, the last being a request for a romantic escape with her boyfriend a few years back. I recommended Aruba Ocean Villas, their adult-only South Pacific style overwater bungalows are insanely dreamy, and apparently, the island magic worked well as they’ve since married and now have a beautiful son. But her recent request for a stress-free tropical family holiday spot to take their two-and-a-half-year-old boy was more of a challenge. Choosing not only the ideal island, but also a resort that checks all the boxes for having a toddler in tow was tricky. Fortunately, I figured out just the right place on both fronts.
First, I recommended Aruba for many parent-pleasing reasons. It’s safe and clean with modern infrastructure and welcoming, friendly, multilingual locals (most Arubans speak English, Dutch, Spanish and Papiamento). It’s also an extremely stroller-friendly island as it’s flat as a pancake. No cliffs to tumble down or copious staircases to deal with, and the streets and sidewalks are very accessible. The weather is ideal year-round with no hurricane season, and the shopping for toddler essentials is easy. You’ll find well-stocked supermarkets and pharmacies with everything you would typically buy at home. And the drinking water is not only safe, but also delicious, too! (It’s made from desalinated seawater.) This island also has first rate medical facilities should visitors ever need. As far as accommodations, though most resorts have kids’ clubs, they are typically reserved for children 4 and up. Toddlers need a special type of set up where parents can spend time with them by the water without always stressing about their safety. So, I recommended Holiday Inn Resort Aruba as their ideal choice for a multitude of reasons.
Location, location, location…
In my opinion, Aruba’s 2-mile stretch of gorgeous Palm Beach is one of the most kid-friendly seafront stretches in the Caribbean. The surf is always pond-calm, the water crystal clear, and the white coral sand is baby powder soft, ideal for tender tootsies. (Plus, it never gets blazing hot!) And the ¼ mile stretch of the beach fronting Holiday Inn’s three towers of 509 rooms is my favorite peaceful spot to swim on island because it’s cordoned off from all the motorized water sports that disrupt many other resort beachfronts. (No noisy jet-skis or speedboats to run you over while you float!)
Then there is this resort’s excellent water circuit situated mere steps from the sand. The vibe throughout is family-friendly, no swim-up pool bars full of loud spring breaker types. But it’s the zero-entry access of the main pool (with kid-friendly waterfall tubs) that really seals the deal for little ones. No worrying about them falling into the deep end as is the case in most resort pools. (Though do mind the stand-alone pool at the far end that is more adult-oriented where the hot tubs are by the Seaview Tower.) And the area surrounding the pools are all smooth paved stone with lots of shaded spots to lounge.
Another great plus about the location of this resort is that it is right across the street from Aruba’s famous Palm Beach nightlife strip- two miles of restaurants, bars, cafes, shopping spots, and outdoor fun all along flat, stroller-friendly sidewalks. Of particular note for toddlers is Paseo Herencia Mall steps from Holiday Inn’s lobby. It’s like a mini carnival after dark. They have free nightly light and water shows and entertainment in their courtyard, kiddie rides like trains and carousels, bouncy castles, and scads of snack fare spots and treat shacks.
Eclectic dining options & adult-focused pastimes
This Holiday Inn also has a great all-inclusive plan for families where kids 11 and under stay, eat, and play free, and adults get a spa credit per room and discounts on water activities. Dining includes an eclectic choice of restaurants, beach bars, and cafes, and kid-friendly cuisine is easy to find. (Toddlers can be such picky eaters!) But they also have a surprisingly good upscale choice of gourmet fare, too.
And your holiday doesn’t have to be all parenting and no play. Babysitting services are available should you need a couple’s spa day or a glitzy outing at the nightclubs. In fact, Donna and her husband took advantage of the babysitting service to enjoy an enchanting private catered romantic dinner-for-two with toes in the sand at Seabreeze. Other grown-up pastimes include serene hammock hang-out areas, adult-only hot tubs, complimentary bicycles, tennis courts, a 24-hour fitness center, and a modern on-site casino.
Toddler friendly off-property outings
There’s plenty to do with small children off property, too. Explore the colorful capital city of Oranjestad where old-fashioned open-air trolleys take you around the downtown core for free! And right off Palm Beach is the Butterfly Farm, an amazing oasis for all ages, and your first entrance fee is good for as many repeat visits as you like. You should rent a car for a day to go further afield to see more animals like the ones at Philip’s Animal Garden or the Donkey Sanctuary. And all of Aruba’s beaches are open to the public, so rent some portable beach chairs and gear from Traveling Light Aruba to throw in the back of your car and explore them all at will.
Donna says, “Our son Austin adored the Butterfly Farm. And Baby Beach is so aptly named, perfect for little ones, we really enjoyed it there too after we toured the amazing outdoor art in San Nicolas. So worth the half-hour drive! But I must say it was difficult tearing him away from his aquatic playground in front of the hotel. Just spending time with us at the beach and pool area there became his happiest pastime ever. We might make this family Aruba trip an annual thing!”
And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the absolute need for the First-Class Experience service on departure at the airport. Especially if you are flying back to the US with a toddler! It’s so worth the extra funds for the extra special help to skip to the front of all the security and customs lines with your stroller and extra kid baggage, including your restless kid! And you get to wait for your flight in an upscale VIP lounge with free drinks and snacks. Win, win.
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