Best Value Hotels in Aruba

Sporting two large pools, exotic landscaping (with caged parrots), a top-notch spa and fitness center, and a long beach where kids and teens run wild, the Radisson is an excellent value, even with a dingy casino and squeaky mattresses. The location is ideal; there are ample restaurants and places to party, on-site and off.

The Aruba Marriott Resort is fancier than its neighbor, the Marriott Surf Club, but paradoxically, it costs a whole lot less. It has bright, airy rooms with fast Wi-Fi, a superb beach with clear water, one of Aruba's best casinos, a fitness center, spa, and a lagoon-shaped pool with a waterfall and a swim-up bar -- all for a great price. The only downside it's a bit of a walk to the restaurants and bars of the High-Rise complex; on-site options include a 24-hour cafe, the delicious (but pricey) Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, a lobby bar, and beach snack bars Waves and Simply Fish.

You won't find any other decent option for under $100 a night, and the Aruban has some great features, including kitchenettes in the rooms, two great pools (one with a 150-foot waterslide for kids, one with a waterfall for adults), a gym with state-of-the-art cardio equipment, and five lighted tennis courts. Rooms are outdated and Eagle Beach is a 10-minute walk away, but it's hard to complain when the price is this cheap.

The Holiday Inn SunSpree's huge beach is its main draw, but it also has a decent pool, fitness center, and spa, and plenty of great restaurants and bars nearby (the High-Rise complex is right across the street). For under $150 a night it's a bargain, but you can expect a few drawbacks -- namely, hands-off service and worn rooms.