We first visited Aruba earlier this year on our cruise, and while we had casually mentioned a possible future stay at the Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort, we had no idea it would happen so soon. When our Texas trip this summer was unexpectedly cancelled, we pivoted to a quick Aruba getaway instead. With my wife Sharon’s love of all things flamingo, the choice was obvious — this is the only hotel with access to Flamingo Beach. Once that clicked, I didn’t even bother looking at other options. Renaissance Aruba was where we were going. 
Booking
We booked a two–night stay using 134,000 Marriott Bonvoy points plus one 85,000-point Free Night Certificate from the Ritz-Carlton Card. We also paid a $69 + tax resort fee per night. Factoring in the redemption, we received a value of about 0.93¢ per Marriott point. With a cash rate around $600 per night, this was a strong use of points — and a very good use of an 85K certificate. For context, here’s our deeper dive on what Marriott points are worth.
Elite Benefits
Sharon is a Marriott Bonvoy Gold member, which doesn’t provide much in the way of benefits beyond the basics. While we booked an Atrium View King (the base-level room) in the adults-only Marina Hotel, we were pleasantly surprised to receive a room that looked out over the city with a partial ocean view. The Renaissance is actually two separate hotels operating under the same name. The Marina Tower is adults only, while the Ocean Suites property across the street is family-friendly and more directly on the water. Since we don’t have kids, the adults-only side was the natural choice for us.
Arrival & First Impressions
The hotel’s lobby opens into a huge atrium that feels more like a shopping arcade than a traditional resort entrance. There’s even a Starbucks right in the middle of it all, which we found ourselves visiting several times during our stay. (Don’t hate us for our Starbucks loyalty when we’re traveling!)
But the most striking feature of the atrium is the boat dock. From here, guests board the water shuttle to the resort’s private Renaissance Island — home of the famous Flamingo Beach. The reason this setup exists is simple: unlike most hotels in Aruba, the Renaissance isn’t beachfront. Years ago, the hotel purchased its own private island just offshore to give guests an exclusive beach experience, and today it’s one of the most unique resort perks in the Caribbean.
Unique Features
The Marina Tower isn’t just about rooms and an atrium — it also connects directly to the Wind Creek Crystal Casino via an indoor walkway from the lobby.
It feels more like Las Vegas than the Caribbean, with plenty of slots and table games only steps from the front desk. Another distinctive feature is the outdoor pool. During the day it’s a relaxing spot to swim and lounge, but by night it transforms into a nightclub setting with a DJ.
That dual identity gives the hotel a livelier vibe than many resorts on the island, especially for guests who want entertainment without leaving the property. And of course, there’s the resort’s most famous perk: exclusive access to Flamingo Beach on Renaissance Island. Since that experience deserves its own deep dive, we’ll be covering it in a separate post.
Room / Suite
We booked an Atrium View King in the Marina Tower, which is the base room type, but were upgraded to a room with a partial ocean and city view. The room itself was modern and comfortable, and it worked well for our three–night stay. In fact, it was so comfortable that we ended up sleeping until almost noon on our first day — not because we had been out late the night before, but simply because we were exhausted from the prior week and the stress of making a last–minute change to our itinerary.
That said, the room was pretty much what you’d expect from a Caribbean island hotel. Clean and functional, but nothing especially memorable. If we were judging the resort on the room alone, it wouldn’t feel worth the cash rates they charge here. The real value is in the location, amenities, and of course, access to Flamingo Beach.
Food & Beverage
The Marina Tower has a few different options for dining and drinks, though we didn’t spend much of our stay eating on property. The only food we had here was from the Starbucks in the atrium, though we did enjoy a couple of drinks at BLUE.
Aquarius
Aquarius is the main restaurant in the Marina Tower, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s especially popular with visitors who book an all-inclusive package that includes meals, and it always seemed busy when we walked by.
L.G. Smith’s Steak & Chop House
For a higher-end experience, there’s L.G. Smith’s Steak & Chop House. This steakhouse is the hotel’s upscale option, and the prices reflect that. It’s also directly connected to the casino and its lounge.
BLUE
The main bar in the Marina Tower is BLUE, an adults-only martini bar best known for its signature Blue Martini. It’s an open-air space that serves a variety of tapas, with lunch selections ranging from sushi to burgers. We stopped by for drinks and enjoyed the atmosphere, though we didn’t eat here.
Casino Lounge
Attached to both the steakhouse and the Crystal Casino is another adults-only lounge. Overlooking the casino floor, it offers light fare and live entertainment that can go late into the night — a solid option for guests who don’t want to end the evening early.
Casino
The Wind Creek Crystal Casino is directly connected to the Marina Tower via a walkway from the lobby. Billed as offering “an elegant but laid-back atmosphere,” the 15,000-square-foot space is open 24 hours a day and features a mix of slot machines and table games. In addition to the latest slots, you’ll find Black Jack, Roulette, 3-Card Poker, and even Caribbean Stud Poker. In reality, when I took a walk around, the casino floor was mostly filled with slot machines, with just a handful of tables in play. I tossed some money into a slot I didn’t really understand and left once it told me my balance was zero. Needless to say, I wasn’t here for the casino experience. One thing worth noting is that the casino is also home to the only ATM on the property. The catch? It charges a hefty fee for withdrawals, so if you think you’ll need cash during your stay, it’s better to plan ahead and bring it with you. That’s easy enough, since U.S. dollars are accepted everywhere we visited.
Location & Views
Right by the marina/waterfront in Oranjestad, with easy access to downtown shops/harbor/old town.
Fees
The resort charges a $69 + tax daily resort fee, which includes quite a few perks that go beyond the usual “bottled water and Wi-Fi.”
- Renaissance Island access: Daily boat transfer and entry for two guests
- Watersports: Complimentary use of non-motorized equipment on Renaissance Island (for two)
- Wellness: Daily complimentary fitness and wellness classes (for two)
- Transportation: Shuttle service between the Marina Hotel and Ocean Suites, the Marketplace restaurants, and the shops in the attached mall (for two)
- Parking: Daily secured self-parking (one parking pass per room) — complimentary otherwise
- Casino: $10 match play coupon (one per person, per stay)
While the resort fee isn’t cheap, at least it bundles in the water shuttle to the private island, which most guests will use daily. We also appreciated that self-parking was complimentary.
Final Thought
The Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort stands apart from the big high-rise hotels on Palm Beach. That stretch of Aruba is the most tourist-heavy part of the island — in fact, it reminded us a little of Orlando’s International Drive. If you’re looking for the full beachfront, all-inclusive resort scene, the high-rise area will probably be a better fit. For us, though, staying in Oranjestad was a memorable experience. Being close to the city meant we could walk to smaller, local restaurants instead of relying on resort dining every night.
Pair that with exclusive access to Flamingo Beach on Renaissance Island, and it felt like we got a mix of local flavor and unique resort perks that the high-rise strip just can’t offer. That said, Your Mileage May Vary. The rooms themselves aren’t worth the nightly cash rates alone, but if your goal is to see the flamingos, this is your best bet. Booking with points or a free night certificate makes the value much easier to justify
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