Holiday Inn Sunspree Hotel

Well…where to start.. The Pros..
This was my 4th trip to Aruba and the first time I stayed at one of the Hi rises. I chose this resort because of the all inclusive price. This was the first time my kids, ages 5-7, have been to Aruba and I wanted a “kid friendly” resort. The Sun Spree is as it says, “Kid Friendly” and that’s about it! The location is perfect and the beach was well maintained.
The food was not too bad.
READ THE CONS WELL…
Make sure you save every piece of correspondence between you and this resort, you will need it as proof. If you pay for and upgrade like “ocean view or garden view” beware. They will try to stiff you.
The staff is rude and will argue with you if you attempt to correct any issues you may be facing while at the resort.
Beware of the “room service charge” when you check out. This is a $30 DAILY fee for house keeping! They actually have the audacity to charge you extra to clean your room. In all my years of traveling I have never come across anything like this. On the subject of housekeeping, TAKE ALL VALUABLES WITH YOU EVERY DAY!! I spoke with 3 random guests who all complained that they had items stolen from their rooms. My wife had a CZ ring stolen out of here make-up bag.
You will need to wake up at 5am and stand in line until 7am when the towel pavilion opens if you want to reserve a “beach hut” The line is usually 45 people deep by 5:30.
They claim the Bonaire Tower was recently renovated. They simply put some perfume-on-a-pig. They changed some fixtures and painted the walls. That is the extent of the renovations. We moved 3 times during our stay in Bonaire tower. The first time we moved was because they didn’t book us in my upgraded room. The 2nd time was because the moldy musty smell was intolerable and the third time was because the room adjacent to us was leaking something from the ceiling. The other 2 towers look like a college dorm. .
At 12pm everyday the staff wheels out a giant loudspeaker and broadcasts to the entire island, family bingo. Then on the same loudspeaker its water aerobics from 1-2. Then it’s a bocce ball contest, then a tattoo contest and finally a beer drinking contest. Bring your ibuprofen. The speaker comes out for the fourth time for loud pulsating Latin club music from 7 to midnight at the pool. If your lucky enough to get a room facing the pool area or beach it will surly be regretted if your kids are trying to sleep. This club music can be heard all the way down to the Hyatt.
I could go on and on. I really know my kids had a ball here, but you should seriously consider paying a little extra next time to stay at a more reputable establishment. This Hi-rise was the best for years, however, it is slowly swirling down the toilet. Because of the low rates it does attract some unsavory clientele.