The St. Regis Aruba Resort
- The butler serviced rooms and suites have a timeless beachy look and are equipped with French doors and floor-to ceiling windows that overlook the Caribbean.
- The hotel is located on the beautiful Palm Beach at the northwest corner, within walking distance from a more lively downtown area.
- Akira Back is the Michelin-starred rooftop restaurant of the renowned chef. It serves Japanese and Korean cuisine with a stunning view of the sea.
- The first casino in The St. Regis Portfolio is located at the resort and welcomes both hotel guests as well as local residents.
I’m a cynic. I look at ocean pictures and assume they were Photoshopped. The first time I flew into Aruba, the water was truly stunning.
The hotel I stayed at was the newest on the island and it had a lot of views over the turquoise ocean. The St. Regis Aruba Resort.
The hotel’s decor and furnishings are inspired by nature, and the whites and beiges of its walls and furniture blend well with the wooden accents. In addition to the natural-inspired decor and palette, the feeling of spaciousness was also a recurring theme in the rooms and public spaces. It felt as if the turquoise sea outside the doors continued into the hotel. Oliver Reschreiter explained that interiors were inspired by the island’s natural beauty, cultural diversity, and the Casibari Rock Formations.
Reschreiter continued, “The St. Regis Aruba Resort blends Dutch Caribbean culture with the storied heritage of The St. Regis Brand.” The property offers a unique and elevated hospitality experience that is not available anywhere else on the island. St. Regis Brand brings its signature service to the island and allows guests to enjoy a truly luxurious experience when visiting one the Caribbean’s most beautiful destinations.
Here’s my complete review of Aruba’s newest luxury resort.
The Rooms
St. Regis Aruba Resort offers 252 rooms, 52 of which are suites. Nearly all feature balconies that overlook the ocean. Even the smallest of the 252 guest rooms, measuring 516 square feet in size, offers guests plenty of space.
I stayed in a suite with ocean views that was double the size as a standard room. The room had a large living/dining space and a king-sized bed with four posts (this room type is also available with 2 queen-sized beds). The main attraction of the suite was the uninterrupted Caribbean views from the floor-to ceiling window in the bedroom as well as the balcony outside the lounge.
The 2,637-square foot John Jacob Astor Presidential Suite is the largest suite in the resort. This spacious suite features a living room with breakfast bar and dining table for 8, as well as an outdoor balcony from which to enjoy morning coffees or evening cocktails. Reschreiter said that the one-bedroom suite provides guests with “the highest level of The St. Regis’ signature hospitality experience.”
Food and Drink
The St. Regis Aruba Resort offers six food and beverage options: Grano Café, a grab-and-go coffee shop; The St. Regis Bar; Nuba, a poolside restaurant serving lunch fare; Eskama, a breakfast and dinner spot; and Akira Back, a Japanese and Korean-inspired restaurant.
Eskama offers indoor and outdoor dining options that can be used for breakfast in the morning, or as a Mediterranean restaurant at night. The classic breakfast buffet includes standard items such as omelettes, fruit and cheeses. Meanwhile, dishes like roasted Jidori chicken, Australian lamb chop, and mezze are the highlights of the à la carte menu.
Nuba, located on Eskama’s outdoor patio, offers a variety of classic poolside dishes, including ceviche, fish tacos, burgers and poke. The restaurant also caters to hotel guests who use the beach chairs and cabanas.
The St. Regis Bar offers a wide range of drinks, but afternoon tea is also available ($70) with 24-hour advance reservations. The bar’s food menu leans toward Asian-inspired fare—think hamachi crudo, oysters, wagyu carpaccio, and sushi rolls.
The following are some of the ways to get in touch with each other Chef Akira Back‘s restaurant is the jewel in the culinary crown of the resort. Back earned a Michelin Star for DosaHis restaurant in Seoul in 2018) The rooftop is stunning with its panoramic views, which Reschreiter claims are the best in the island. I tend to agree. Begin with salmon tataki or yellowtail carpaccio at the raw bar. Then, move on to tuna miso, cucumber salads, or a refreshing eggplant miso. Seafoods like butterfish and lobster tail are always a good choice, as is steak. The giant prawns with corn and Chojang were my personal favorite.
Activities and Experiences
The hotel has a casino—a first for The St. Regis brand—with table games and slot machines, open to guests and island residents. Reschreiter explained that Aruba has a vibrant nightlife, and adding a casino to the property was important. But we also wanted the experience of guests at a St. Regis Hotel to be elevated.
St. Regis is famous for creating the bloody mary back in 1934 at The St. Regis New York’s King Cole Bar, and here, guests can take a complimentary daily class to learn how to prepare the classic cocktail, or one with an Aruban twist—the Bon Bini Mary is made with lime, habanero, and the island’s iconic papaya hot sauce. Private classes for $60 are available.
The hotel coordinated my private tour of the island during my visit. De Palm Tours that took us to key spots like California Lighthouse, Alto Vista Chapel, the Ayo Rock Formations, Baby Natural Bridge, and a detour to San Nicolaas, the island’s second largest city boasting a thriving street art scene.
If you prefer to spend your days at the hotel being pampered, then book a cabana (excluding service charges) and go snorkeling.
Don’t miss another St. Regis staple—the evening Champagne sabrage taking place daily on the hotel’s terrace.
The Spa
The St. Regis Aruba Resort
All guests can enjoy the sauna, steam room and other spa treatments, including body scrubs, massages and pedicures. Aruba’s aloe is used in some treatments. The island is called “The Island of Aloes”, with the best aloe growing here.
Offers for Families
The resort has a curated list of activities—what it refers to as “family traditions”—for groups traveling with kids. Reschreiter stated that “the programming includes Little Chefs Academy as well as Family Yoga, Tiny Afternoon Teas, Memory Journals and Cultural Storytelling. All of these activities celebrate the art and connection through play.” Children can also enjoy the children’s club on site, which offers educational activities rooted in Aruba’s rich heritage.
Accessibility and sustainability
The St. Regis Aruba Resort has accessibility features such as mobility-accessible bedrooms with roll-in-showers, bathtub grabrails, and nonslip bathroom surfaces. The common areas—like the spa, fitness center, restaurants, and pool—are wheelchair-accessible, with elevators and ramps readily available throughout the hotel.
Reschreiter told T+L The hotel welcomes service animals, and there are sloped entryways and pools with self-operating lifts for guests who need assistance.
Location
The St. Regis Aruba Resort lies on Palm Beach in the northwest corner of the island. Eagle Beach is another gorgeous stretch of sand. the best beach in the CaribbeanFrom the hotel, you can reach in six minutes by car (or twenty minutes on foot). Butterfly Farm and the center of Oranjestad can also be easily reached.
The resort is located 20 minutes from Queen Beatrix International Airport.
What to Expect from Your Stay
Marriott Bonvoy is the rewards program of Marriott International. Guests can earn points and redeem them for free stays. As of the date of publication, the hotel offers a 25 percent discount as well as a 10,000 Marriott bonus points offer. The hotel’s page “Member Deals and Offers” has the most recent information on offers.Offers” page.
Rates for nightly stays at St. Regis Aruba Resort Start at $719
Each T+L Hotel Review is written by a reporter or editor who has visited the hotel. The hotel chosen must also align with our standards. core values.
