Residential location within walking distance to High Rise area gives a feel of local life
Just over 10-minute walk to Palm Beach area between Ritz-Carlton and Marriott
Contemporary rooms with thoughtful amenities, including bedtime stories and kitchens
Genuine owners go above and beyond for a positive guest experience
Well landscaped garden courtyard area with plants, flowers, and lizards
Free use of new push bikes
Free Wi-Fi and airport transfers
No pool or other typical on-site features
Only four rooms (pro for some)
Walking distance to Aruba’s High Rise hotel strip, the four-room My Aruban Home is the antithesis of its nearby resort-style neighbors -- and
that’s exactly what it’s aiming for. Run by a retired husband and wife team,
this spot is full of extremely mindful amenities like car rides to familiarize
you with the island, guest-curated Aruba guides, and a barrage of in-room
comforts all purposed at making you feel like a well-taken-care-of family
friend. There’s no pool, restaurant, or bar but it’s the ideal place to feel
like a local without lifting a finger -- or spending too much cash.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
A slice of local Aruban life without lifting a finger
With only four guestrooms, My Aruban Home is about as
boutique as it gets -- in fact, with its purposeful lack of signage and
enthusiastically accommodating owners, it's easy to feel like this is your home
away from home. Many of the guests here leave as friends and return season after season. Set up on the property of a couple's actual Aruban home, guests are encouraged to not just confine themselves to the dedicated garden courtyard area just off the rooms, but to explore and practically have free reign throughout the couple's personal house. Check-ins are done on soft black couches around the coffee table (often with a welcome drink), there is a barbecue area for impromptu outdoor dinners, and two excitable and friendly dogs that roam around. Guests are strongly encouraged to give feedback -- that is whole-heartedly taken into account -- and recommendations on restaurants and activities for future guests. Since starting in 2010, guest requests have filled the rooms with almost every amenity imaginable, including chopsticks and first aid kits. Both owners are retired and run the guest house as a true labor of love, as a sincere attempt to share their home and a slice of Aruban life.
Location
Off a residential street in Bakval, walking distance to Palm Beach
My Aruban Home is located in Bakval off of a completely
residential street, just under a 10-minute walk from the shores of Palm Beach (between titans Marriott and Ritz-Carlton).
Without signage or street signs, the property might be hard to spot if owner
Robbie wasn’t waiting outside to wave you in the right direction. The private
locale is ideal for anyone looking to feel like a local while still being close
to the action and amenities off the High Rise hotel zone. A large selection of
restaurants, shops, and excursions are within a 10-minute bike ride, while two
more of Aruba’s beautiful beaches, Hadicurari Beach and Eagle Beach, are within
a five-minute drive or 10 to 15 minutes by bike. You can reach downtown Oranjestad in
10 minutes drive time, and the airport in another five.
Rooms
Well-stocked, contemporary guest rooms with courtyard space
Having only four guestrooms allows My Aruban Home to focus
fully on the needs of their visitors. Ranging from a fairly snug one- to
two-person studio to a larger space that can sleep up to six, all four of the
units are spotless, have contemporary decor, and are intelligently packed with
amenities from salt and pepper and first aid kits, to DVDs, books, and even a
bottle of wine -- all aiming to make you feel at home. Even the small studio
has a minibar, kettle, microwave, paper towels, dishes, candles, toaster, and
other comforts cleverly tucked away. This is also the only room without a
proper kitchen, although guests staying here are given full use of the main
house kitchen (you’ll even get your dirty dishes cleaned and returned to your
room). Larger rooms have full living rooms with a sofa and cushy
chair, dining area, full fridge and full four-burner stove with oven, tons of
cabinet space, and an impressive assortment of appliances and gadgets (some
even have chopsticks). All units have en-suite bathrooms with showers (heated
water is on request) and a private outdoor space in a lush garden setting. And,
if there’s something you want in your room, but can’t find, they can probably
get it for you.
Features
Well-thought out and convenient features to make you feel well-taken care of
My Aruban Home has several well-thought-out features,
although you won’t find common amenities like a pool, lobby, or business center.
Most guests (and the many repeat guests) will agree that the property's best feature are its owners. Robbie and Judith are known for repeatedly -- and
enthusiastically -- going above and beyond to ensure their guests feel at home
and have a great Aruban experience. Whether it’s spending an unexpected five
hours sorting out a faulty rental car, printing out bedtime stories to read
aloud (with chocolates, of course), or sprucing up rooms with a personalized
bouquet of fresh flowers for each guest, the pair genuinely love what they do.In addition to the special attention paid to thoughtfully
decking out the rooms with treats and amenities, guests also have access to
heaps of free features like airport transfers and area familiarization drive; pre-loaded
local cell phones; and runs to the supermarket, pharmacy, or doctor. They are
allowed to roam into the couple’s side of the property to make use of the
living room/lobby area, outdoor garden and dining areas, and quiet courtyards. Guests
can even snag their own beach cruiser or full set of snorkeling gear, including
life vest, to use while staying at the hotel -- and they aren’t old rusty bikes
or salt-worn masks; the couple frequently replaces these (and other) items, so
you never have to feel like you are the thousandth person to use something.
Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the property and you can find parking on the
street or in the covered driveway.
