Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort and Casino Rating: 4.0 Pearls

Aruba

The beach

The Hyatt tends to attract two types of guests: families with small children and gamblers. The outdoor seating of Ruinas del Mar overlooks a rippling lake, and in the morning families gather to watch black swans gliding by -- and that's to say nothing of the incredible three-tier pool. In the evening, however, the casino and the Alfresco Lobby Bar can attract large crowds who come to drink "Mario's Special" (the bartender, Mario, lent his name to the tonic) before heading to the upscale restaurant concourse to dine.

View on a Larger Map

The hotel's main entrance is just seconds off Aruba's main road, the thruway that leads to directly to downtown Oranjestad, 15 minutes away. The High-Rise shopping complex, directly across the street, has many restaurants, including the fabulous Hostaria da Vittoria, and a number of nightlife haunts, such as a movie theater and a samba club misleadingly named Mr. Jazz.

The location feels very safe. Between foot traffic from the High-Rise and tourists from a number of neighboring hotels -- the Holiday Inn SunSpree, Occidental, and Radisson, among others -- the area is well populated at night. For added security, hotel personnel frequent the street outside the hotel.

The beach

The fine white sand beach is just feet from the main lobby. Plastic lounge chairs, available all over the beach, are set in full recline underneath the hotel's numerous thatched cabanas. The Kadushi Juice Bar, serving nectar with names like "Mango Madness," stands at the entrance to the beach. Two watersports providers -- Delphi Watersports and Rodney Water Sport (not affiliated with the hotel) -- compete for business on the beachfront.

The Partial Ocean View Room

• Miniscule, two-foot wide balcony in some standard rooms
• Fee for Wi-Fi
• iHome iPod docks
• Large, 32-inch Samsung flat-panel television
• Immaculate and spacious bathroom with a rainfall showerhead and Portico Spa toiletries.
• All rooms are non-smoking (smoking in the room, according to a notice posted next to the iHome, carries a penalty).
• Minibar with beer, liquor, sodas, and fruit juices.

The waterslide

The hotel's tri-level, three-tiered pool consists of three separate pools scaling three floors (each, directly next to one another). Guests can get to each of the different pools using a set of stairs, though kids preferred using the waterslide. However, you might have to wake up ridiculously early if you want to secure a chair by the pool-- there have been complaints of guests reserving chairs in the early morning (read: before dawn!).

On the ground-level pool, there's the swim-up Balashi Bar & Grill. Each level is large enough as a stand-alone swimming hole, but together the whole structure nearly reached the border between the Hyatt and the beach.

A 24-hour fitness center includes a spa, which offers everything from massages and facials to Recovery Wraps and exfoliation services.

The casino entrance

The casino, about 75 feet from the front desk in the main lobby, opens at noon and closes at 4 a.m. It was consistently packed, and had more "career" gamblers than casinos at the Riu Palace Aruba, Divi Aruba Beach Resort, and other resorts.

The kids' club

Camp Hyatt, an appointment-only day care center, had just one pint-size client when I visited. The vast, nicely air-conditioned single room has a modest collection of toys and drawing easels.

Besides the noticeable (yet inconsequential) stains on the daybed and non-working desk lamp, all was tidy. In the bathroom, neither the mirrors nor the transparent shower walls bore mildew or streaks. The silver fixtures and granite vanity top were similarly spotless.

Maid carts patrolled the halls from late morning until evening. The pool area was free of garbage and other debris. The white lobby floor, traversed by incoming guests and flip-flopped beach-goers, shone like new.

Sushi from Cafe Japengo

The hotel offers a number of specialty dining options. For the late-night gambler (or baby-cradler), room service is available 24 hours.

Footprints Beach Grill, a spot for oceanfront dining, sets up shop after dark. Guests can arrange for "Sunset Service," a multi-course meal in view of the sunset (private butler included). "Dinner Sail" serves up fine dining on the high seas on Thursdays from 6-9 p.m.

I got pizza at Café Piccolo, an Italian restaurant, and ate a sushi dinner at Café Japengo, a Japanese eatery. The two restaurants sit on either side of Ruinas del Mar, and share a common alfresco patio. A group of waiters serenaded a couple with "Happy Birthday" at Ruinas del Mar while I feasted on cheesecake brûlée at Japengo.

The High-Rise complex across the street has a number of restaurants, including the excellent Hostaria da Vittoria.

• Wedding Size: Up to 1,000 people on the beach, 550 people in the ballroom; only one wedding hosted per day (non-hotel guests are only allowed to attend the wedding if there are at least 10 rooms booked for three or more nights)

• Extra Fees: Per-person set-up fee; Permit required for beach weddings

• Wedding Packages: There are no standardized packages available, but purchasing all the basics a la carte -- a wedding cake, a bouquet and boutonniere, a nondenominational pastor, and a wedding coordinator -- won't necessarily break the bank.

• Ceremony Locations: On the beach deck, the beach gazebo (most popular), the ballroom, the north courtyard deck, or the outdoor terrace

• Photography and Videography: Off-site providers only; local recommendations available

• Music: From a soloist musician or DJ priced per hour to a 10-piece Caribbean music band for a three hour set

• Food: Different stations priced per person; plated dinners, buffets, kids' and vegetarian menus available upon request (no kosher or gluten-free menus available)

• Drinks: Open bar prices lower after the first hour; a champagne toast will cost an additional fee (depending on the number of bottles)

• Cakes: The most basic cake increases in cost based on the flavor and level of decoration.

• Spa Treatments: The Zoia Spa, completely renovated in May 2012, offers massages, a steam room, and a Turkish bath; salon services now available.

• Freebies: Depending how much you spend, you can receive up to five free nights at any Hyatt in the United States, Mexico, or Aruba for your first wedding anniversary.

• Honeymoon Suite: There is no special suite at the hotel, but newlyweds usually stay in a Sunset Suite (if they block a group of rooms in advance, the bride and groom get a free upgrade to a suite).

• Airport Transportation: The resort does not provide transportation from the airport, which is about a 30-minute taxi ride.