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I think we found our honeymoon spot!

LADY324LADY324
2500 Comments Combo Breaker
in New Jersey
I have been doing a lot of research lately especially today being snowed in!!  I think we are going to go to Aruba and stay at the Riu Palace!!  Obvi we wont be booking it until the fall but I am excited that we both at least agree on Aruba.  It seems like the RIU got the most votes on the honeymoon board!
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Re: I think we found our honeymoon spot!

  • felicia220felicia220 member
    1000 Comments Third Anniversary
    edited December 2011
    I love Aruba, it truly is the happiest place on the planet.  
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  • goaliegirlgoaliegirl member
    Eighth Anniversary 1000 Comments Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    Congrats!  Aruba is great...just keep in mind one thing, the Riu is a family place and when we went to one in Jamaica it was overrun with families, and kids running everywhere.     We loved the resort, but for our HM I didn't want to be around a million kids, so we chose an adults only for our HM.
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  • cutiepie12702cutiepie12702
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I stayed at a RIU in Dominican and I came back smelling like mold - had to throw away a brand new 29" suitcase, a bunch of Juicy Couture and Lacoste clothes, etc. What was supposed to be an affordable getaway ending up costing a small fortune after that nightmare. I read a lot of reviews on tripadvisor and saw some complain about the same issue in Aruba. Totally not trying to freak you out - obviously not everyone has the issue as a lot of people don't complain about it - but to me it's something to be aware of as a red flag if you do see a lot of people mentioning it. Seeing as I am completely paranoid about the mold issue we still have not booked our honeymoon. I think we have decided on a place...I'm just freaked out from the last experience and hesitant to commit.  When you wash your clothes in vinegar 3 times to eliminate the odor and they still stink of mold, you become very traumatized. LOL I should mention the mold issue reviews are not only at the RIU - they are mentioned by reviewers at other hotels too, so I'm not just trying to put in a bad word for the RIU (my FI actually stayed at the same resort 7 times before he took me there and he never had a problem before then). We went to a travel agent a few weeks ago and when I explained my situation to her she was like, "Well you're going to the Carribean, there's not guarantee there won't be mold." All I can do is try to find a place that doesn't seem to have a lot of negative mold reviews...haha
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  • eleven29eleven29
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.weddings.com/Sites/Weddings/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_think-found-honeymoon-spot?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:90Discussion:ad0e2f00-fc7d-49fa-b141-42912ccf398cPost:c258066d-027b-4ef0-a29b-adb0d95b4c48">Re: I think we found our honeymoon spot!</a>:
    [QUOTE]Congrats!  Aruba is great...just keep in mind one thing, <strong>the Riu is a family place</strong> and when we went to one in Jamaica it was overrun with families, and kids running everywhere.     We loved the resort, but for our HM I didn't want to be around a million kids, so we chose an adults only for our HM.
    Posted by goaliegirl[/QUOTE]

    <div>I agree with this -- not just for RIU, but for Aruba in general.  FI and I really wanted to go to Aruba based on recommendations from family members who have been there multiple times and LOVE it.  However, they all say (and everything online points to it) that Aruba really is a family place.  For FI and I that just wasn't ok for our honeymoon, so we figure we'll go there another time.  But if you don't mind lots of families and kids around, then go for it -- Aruba is supposed to be great!</div>
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  • kellybee83kellybee83 member
    Sixth Anniversary 500 Comments
    edited December 2011

    I LOVE Aruba!  The beaches are fabulous, the weather is wonderful, the people are so nice, and there are so many amazing restaurants!

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  • hcer0708hcer0708 member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I know 2 diffrent people that just recently stood @ The Riu in Aruba and had a great time. They said the resort was very clean
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  • lisab711lisab711 member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I was interested in Riu also, but am having second thoughts based on some trip advisor reviews and now these...
    The ladies that arent going to Aruba, where will you be traveling for an adults only? Thanks!
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  • Faith2730Faith2730 member
    Eighth Anniversary 500 Comments Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_think-found-honeymoon-spot?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:90Discussion:ad0e2f00-fc7d-49fa-b141-42912ccf398cPost:c8853b28-d9e3-42c3-81c2-da23075b6d34">Re: I think we found our honeymoon spot!</a>:
    [QUOTE]I was interested in Riu also, but am having second thoughts based on some trip advisor reviews and now these... The ladies that arent going to Aruba, where will you be traveling for an adults only? Thanks!
    Posted by lisab711[/QUOTE]

    I love Aruba!  However, I have to agree it is more of a family place...but some people aren't bothered by that. If I hadn't been to Aruba I would of considered going there. However, we are going to St. Lucia for our HM.
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  • cindy91788cindy91788
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    my friend went to Aruba and stayed at the Riu Palace for her honeymoon and she loved it.
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  • kristen8040kristen8040 member
    Knottie Warrior 1000 Comments Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    I think every place will have pros and cons.  For instance, we are currently between Punt.a Cana and Aruba for our HM.  The resort in PC is $1000 less, but has better reviews than Occidental in Aruba.  I think it's a well-known fact that Aruba is better than PC.  However if I went just by reviews, one might think that the resort in PC was better than Aruba.  Moral of the story: go with your gut.  My cousin went to the RIU and had an amazing time!!!

    P.S. I've had a few glasses of wine since school was canceled again tomorrow!!! So sorry if this didn't make sense!
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  • manda9794manda9794 member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_think-found-honeymoon-spot?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:90Discussion:ad0e2f00-fc7d-49fa-b141-42912ccf398cPost:34d06e8d-3279-4f1f-a4e7-08496f924566">I think we found our honeymoon spot!</a>:
    [QUOTE]I have been doing a lot of research lately especially today being snowed in!!  I think we are going to go to Aruba and stay at the Riu Palace!!  Obvi we wont be booking it until the fall but I am excited that we both at least agree on Aruba.  It seems like the RIU got the most votes on the honeymoon board!
    Posted by LADY324[/QUOTE]

    My MOH and her new DH just came home from their HM at the Riu in Aruba this past Sunday. They loved it and had no complaints about an exorbitant amount of kids being present. I also think that has a lot to do with the time of year that they went (not many families are on vacation mid-January). She did, however, say that although the Riu is AI that Aruba itself is very expensive and she felt she got more for her money in other islands she's been to.
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  • LADY324LADY324
    2500 Comments Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    Thanks for all of the reviews.  I am sure we will find mixed reviews anywhere we look.  The kid thing does not bother me.  We honestly just want to eat good food and drink some fruity drinks poolside and oceanside.  Great food is a big thing for us.  Plus we are going in July I know aruba still has a chance of getting hit by hurricanes but hopefully the chances are a little less there than other islands. 

    Thanks for all of the advice!
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  • manda9794manda9794 member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    My MOH said the food at the Riu was fabulous!
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  • LADY324LADY324
    2500 Comments Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_think-found-honeymoon-spot?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:90Discussion:ad0e2f00-fc7d-49fa-b141-42912ccf398cPost:27593701-33cb-4280-9445-fcd15c087c90">Re: I think we found our honeymoon spot!</a>:
    [QUOTE]My MOH said the food at the Riu was fabulous!
    Posted by manda9794[/QUOTE]

    Thanks :)
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  • Heather822Heather822
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Love Aruba!
    My parents have a time share there, at The Marriott, and its beautiful!
    We have never noticed a ridiculous amount of kiddies there. You can stay there without being an owner too.
    Is Rui all inclusive? If food is one of your reasons for going, you may want to skip an all inclusive!  That is where all  the families with kiddies flock to in order to save money, and the island has SOOOO many amazing restaurants, it'd be a shame to go all the way there and be stuck with just resort food!
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  • LADY324LADY324
    2500 Comments Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_think-found-honeymoon-spot?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:90Discussion:ad0e2f00-fc7d-49fa-b141-42912ccf398cPost:8b624cd6-e9d7-4804-a920-d747eca5c266">Re: I think we found our honeymoon spot!</a>:
    [QUOTE]Love Aruba! My parents have a time share there, at The Marriott, and its beautiful! We have never noticed a ridiculous amount of kiddies there. You can stay there without being an owner too. Is Rui all inclusive? If food is one of your reasons for going, you may want to skip an all inclusive!  That is where all  the families with kiddies flock to in order to save money, and the island has SOOOO many amazing restaurants, it'd be a shame to go all the way there and be stuck with just resort food!
    Posted by Heather822[/QUOTE]

    This is one of my biggest dilemmas!  We are both drinkers so we will probably have drinks everyday!  I was thinking that it might be worth it to do all inclusive and then still go out in town for dinner maybe 3 nights.  This way we still have our drinks/breakfast/lunch/snacks all included and we wont have to worry about bringing cash to the pool or beach with us. 
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