Pros

  • 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
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Cons

  • No pool or other typical on-site features
  • Only four rooms (pro for some)
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Bottom Line

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.

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Oyster Hotel Review

My Aruban Home

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. 

See More Scene

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. 

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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.

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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.

See More Features
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Oyster Hotel Review

My Aruban Home

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. 

See More Scene

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. 

See More Location

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.

See More Rooms

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.

See More Features

Best Rates

Amenities

  • Airport Transportation

  • Balcony / Terrace / Patio

  • Beach

  • Cable

  • Full Kitchen

  • Internet

  • Kids Allowed

  • Laundry

  • Room Service

  • Separate Bedroom / Living Room Space

  • Swim-Up Bar

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.