FIRST TIME IN ARUBA, A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW
My gf and I just got back from a 5 night stay in Aruba, it was both of our first times visiting "One Happy Island." Here is a review of where we stayed, what we did and some overall recommendations to enjoy your stay! Overall we had an AMAZING time and will definitely be going back!
We stayed on Palm Beach, at the Hilton Aruba. We stayed at their newest tower of the resort that just opened several months ago called The Westerly and WOW, the hotel and resort are absolutely gorgeous. Everything is very clean, all staff are incredibly friendly and attentive and our room was beautiful (we did an "ocean view King bed" room). The Hilton is right on Palm Beach so regardless of which tower you stay in, you're right there. The Hilton also has 2 pools on the resort itself that are very nice as well. They have beachside cabanas (called "palapas") available for rent every day either for a half day or full day (there are about 5 rows of 30-35 palapas along the beach, the ones closer to the water are more expensive). We rented one which was 2 rows from the front for $60 for the whole day and there are staff on the beach which take drink and food orders from the resort bar. The resort also has a small casino which is fun and relatively cheap (good blackjack and table games). The Hilton is right by De Palm Pier, which is where most of the excursions we did (sunset cruise, snorkeling tour, etc.) left from which is very convenient. There's also an awesome bar in the pier called Bugaloe with great drinks and food that aren't that expensive.
Transportation: there is no Uber in Aruba. Options for transport are taxis (which are readily available almost anywhere), public transport or you can rent a car. Most people recommended renting a car to see a majority of the island however we didn't do that this time as there was plenty of things to see on Palm Beach and the surrounding area. The last day we were there we did a bus tour that took us to all the major stops anyway (Aloe Vera factory, California Lighthouse, Casibari Rock Formation, etc.) that people could all travel to as well if they have rented a car. We did not opt for the hotel transport from the airport as it was about double the price as just getting a taxi at the airport (there is a line of taxis waiting outside so no issues at all hopping right into a car.) The taxi prices are set by the government to from the airport to the hotel (about 15-20 min drive) was $40. We tipped $5 also. WARNING: if you do rent a car, driving is a bit crazy in Aruba, as there are NO traffic lights anywhere on the island, only traffic circles/roundabouts.
Activities: there is SO much to do, but we wanted to hit the highlights for our first time. We did a sunset cruise through Palm Tours (staying at the Hilton gets you a 15% discount on Palm Tour events), the cruise on the catamaran was beautiful and had an open bar and light snacks. HIGHLY recommend. We also used Palm Tours for our snorkeling adventure the next day and this was the highlight of the trip for me personally. You go to the very North end of the island to see the SS Antilla shipwreck (and old German cargo ship intentionally sunk by its captain in 1940 at the start of the war), Malmok Beach to see sea turtles and Boca Catalina for beautiful, crystal clear teal water and marine life. 10/10 would highly recommend.
Dining: if you stay in the Palm Beach area, there are limitless food options. We tried a little of everything, but the last night we were there we went to Gianni's Italian Restaurant (right across from the Hilton) and it was fantastic. There's also a place close called Lola with EXCELLENT fish tacos (the best I've ever had and we're from Florida.) I would encourage you to explore and try new things, as there are so many different options and everywhere we ate was fantastic without breaking the bank.
General considerations: it is WINDY in Aruba. All day, every day lol. Consistently 15-20 mph winds with gusts up to 30-35. It rained very little while we were there (only around 10-15 minutes a few times.) Otherwise you pretty much know what the weather is going to be year-round: high around 85, mostly sunny, and windy so you can plan accordingly. We also felt VERY safe on the island, the Hilton had security at the front of the resort every night even late into the night and all the locals on the island are extremely friendly. A little surprising but we did not see ANY homeless population the entire time we were there. It's not called "One Happy Island" for nothing!
Overall review: we LOVED Aruba, there is a reason it's a place that people come back to year after year after year. We did not get to check out any of Eagle Beach or the San Nicolas area while we were there (which we heard Eagle Beach was a more relaxed, chill vibe with low rise hotels compared to the slightly busier, more crowded Eagle Beach with the high rise hotels). However, there is so much to do on the North end of the island you can easily spend a week there. We will DEFINITELY be going back and can't wait for our next visit!
Hope this helps answer some questions anyone may have.