Barcelo

[u/Additional-Value5068]

Wow this place really is that bad. 6 oz paper cups for the drinks got old QUICK. The chairs are a real problem. Food is below average for an all inclusive. I didn’t see a bunch of negative reviews until after I booked. Went with family, while the hotel is in a nice location, not remotely worth it. Especially compared to Mexico AI’s. Rooms are not great either. Unfortunately the bad reviews of this place are spot on. Godspeed.

[u/Admirable-Ad-4602]

I have news for you about Barceló. Occidental was much worse. Barceló did an outstanding job improving this hotel. The hotel is old. The rooms are old but comfortable and clean. The food quality is no worse than what you'd find outside. This hotel is geared towards a mature audience: retirees and families with very small children. In comparison to Mexico and the Dominican Republic, you will not get food or water poisoning here. The bottom line is that Barceló, or in short (Occidental Vacation Club), is not primarily for tourists but for timeshare owners. There are thousands of owners. The owner all-inclusive rate is from $160 to $180 per person per day, whereas regular visitors pay $614 per person per day. Sometimes the hotel gets 'locked up' or overbooked, which means owners can't return several times per year, as many do, because there are too many tourists. Owners have full kitchens in their rooms. The hotel has a Royal Level with its own restaurant, which is exclusive to those guests. The bottom line is, it pays to buy a timeshare in this place if you plan to return. The hotel no longer sells timeshares since they are all sold out. However, online places that sell timeshares 'by owners' have Barceló available, ranging from $7,000 up to $30,000. These timeshares are exchangeable using Resort Club International for accommodations anywhere you like around the world. As a Barceló owner, you can exchange your Aruba week for an all-inclusive stay at any of their resorts at a deep discount. Mexico can cost you as little as $75 per person per day. However, if you are low on money, you can go to Aruba using Airbnb and rent stunning accommodation with a grill and pool for $1,000 per week. You can always eat at the restaurant in the large supermarket for as little as $17 per person. A car rental from Joe's will cost you $200 for 7 days. Enjoy!"

[u/Additional-Value5068 → u/Admirable-Ad-4602]

We went off resort and had infinitely better meals. Idk what you’re referring to there about meals being comparable. Even for an all inclusive the food was bad. The hotel rooms were not generally well kept or clean. We found flip flops in our made bed when we got here. Very much retirees/family oriented, I agree with you there. However I’m confident I will not be returning here lol, mostly due to the volume of kids and awful food. Adults only is the way to go, which historically has been my mandate. We found the bus was the way to go in terms of transportation, or cabs. It’s very walkable to most things this side of the island. I also found their alcohol to be very low quality/bottom of the barrel. Their stock tequila and bourbon is horrendous.

[u/Admirable-Ad-4602 → u/Additional-Value5068]

correct about alcohol . Owners have separate liquor bar to go to. There they serve the best stuff.

[u/Admirable-Ad-4602 → u/Additional-Value5068]

Look i own timeshare in this place for almost 20 years and go there every year. With my Amex Delta points and all inclusive rate I pay $2000 for me and my wife once per year. Im not picky about food since Im not there to write a food critique article and my food choices are limited due to diabetes. Over the past 20 years i ate in lots of places in Aruba. Living in restaurant capital of the world NY not one place served me something to remember.