by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 11:50 AM ET, Tue June 12, 2018
In Aruba, locals are fond of describing their home as "One Happy Island."
It's a tourism message that's presented to visitors at nearly every turn - on car license plates, signs in the airport and all over the ubiquitous tourist souvenirs.
Before landing on the Caribbean island for a recent visit, I had no idea it was a destination known for its overflowing abundance of happiness. So when the hotel porter at the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino greeted me to collect my bags, I immediately began quizzing him on the matter.
"People in Aruba go to bed happy, we sleep happy and we wake up happy" Gregory assured me with a warmth and sincerity that felt entirely genuine.
The round the clock happiness is a message that could also easily be applied to the guest experience at Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino, a property where one day effortlessly and happily blends into the next thanks to the thoughtfully designed, relaxing environment and the ease of well…nearly everything.
Situated on Palm Beach, the oceanfront resort showcases quintessential Aruba, offering up all that has long made the island such a beloved hit with travelers.
There are miles of white sand beach to explore lined by palapas (thatched umbrellas), and of course, picture-postcard turquoise water that's beckoning you to come hither. The resort also offers a casino, full-service spa, numerous unique dining experiences and an adults-only H20asis pool.
For me, the happy began immediately as I was whisked from the resort's main lobby to a private check-in experience in the property's exclusive Tradewinds Club section.
Tradewinds is Marriott Aruba's intimate, adults-only, hotel within a hotel offering. It's an area of the property created for guests who are seeking something slightly more exclusive and sophisticated.
In addition to having a dedicated concierge located far from the busy main lobby, Tradewinds perks include reserved beach spaces, five daily gourmet culinary presentations in a private lounge and a nightly open bar.
Those who book a Tradewinds vacation are also given a deluxe guestroom on the hotel's top floor where the ocean views are sweeping and spectacular.
Yet another unique offering at Marriott Aruba is the restaurant Atardi. With tables located on the beach (not on a balcony over the beach or perhaps a beachside pier, but quite literally on the beach), Atardi takes oceanfront dining to a new happy place. Yes, I said it again. Happy.
Guests are asked to check their shoes upon arrival at Atardi and dine with their toes in the sand. Think of it as foot therapy while eating, which has numerous benefits ranging from the obvious mini-foot massage and exfoliation to allowing you to ground with the earth, absorbing its health-inducing free electrons.
The dress code at Atardi, naturally, is beach casual. The menu meanwhile is a little slice of seafood heaven served with gourmet style. Some of the memorable options include the Lobster & Claw salad and the Sea Bass entrée.
For those in search of a romantic dinner setting or perhaps an opportunity to watch the sun slip beneath the horizon, taking all your cares away with it, Atardi is the place.
The Aruba Marriott Resort is also home to a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, and for sushi lovers, there's The Lobby, a sophisticated bar and lounge area at the heart of the hotel that not only serves sushi and sashimi but also an extensive variety of cocktails. Depending on when you happen to be there, you may also catch live entertainment while enjoying your sushi. And for cocktail aficionados, the bar can also provide private mixology sessions, which offer a unique way to learn the secrets behind some of the local drinks.
If unwinding and disconnecting is on your list of priorities, the resort offers plenty of inviting places and ways to do that as well. There are countless cozy, shady perches throughout the property to curl up with a book. And while the main pool is the center of much of the activity and action, there's also adults-only H20asis pool, for those seeking something more low key.
Mandara Spa, meanwhile, is the property's Balinese-style ode to relaxation. It includes 12 private treatment rooms, exotic botanicals and couples' treatments. The facility was designed to capture the island essence of Bali in Aruba, offering a place to heal the mind, body, and spirit.
In between all of these activities Tradewinds guests can always pop into the private lounge for a snack, breakfast, lunch, dinner, a cup of tea, water or anything else they might need.
The beauty of the Tradewinds lounge is that there was no searching for food in between meals, as is often the case when away from home at a resort. With its five meals a day, Tradewinds made the vacation experience incredibly effortless and relaxing.
On multiple occasions during my stay at the Aruba Marriott Resort, I found myself on a hotel elevator with guests, suitcases in tow, who were headed home from what was their second, third or even 10th visit to the island and to the Marriott Aruba.
Inevitably, without prompting, they would express their sadness over having to leave the island, after observing the remainder of the elevator occupants still in their swimsuits. And then the conversation would turn to the many reasons these guests loved Aruba, and yes, here comes the cliché: they described the island as their happy place, one they were leaving begrudgingly.
Why does Aruba make people so happy, I asked over and over again?
The answers ranged from - the predictably pleasant weather (Aruba consistently ranks as having the least amount of rainfall in the Southern Caribbean), the stunning turquoise waters and white sand beaches and the ease of participating in activities on Aruba, whether it be hopping on a catamaran for a sunset cruise, snorkeling or heading out for a night on the town. The island is also very easy to reach from most East Coast destinations, making getting here almost entirely hassle-free.
On my final morning at the property, I participated in a paddleboard yoga class. A regular yoga attendee back home in San Diego, there's something entirely more serene and special about practicing a downward dog on a paddle board with an endless view of the Aruba coastline.
Sure, maintaining balance on a paddleboard might be more challenging, but the soft ocean breeze and the sound of the water gently hitting the shore makes it all worth it. After an hour of practicing various yoga positions on my paddleboard, I was truly in my zen place.
A few hours later, I was headed back to the airport, thinking to myself, yes, it is one happy island. And one happy resort.
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