Merlot Villas Aruba

We stayed for five weeks, 35 nights, and our extended family of nine, six adults and three kids, couldn’t have been happier. The villa was just as pictured, and we’re looking forward to coming back next year. The kids, aged 8 months, 2.5 years, and 4, had a blast in the pool. Each villa sits behind its own roughly 10-foot wall, so they could run around without us worrying about them reaching a road. The privacy made the trip relaxing for us parents. The outdoor spaces are stunning, with enormous common and blue-white Bismark palms, floodlights, and Christmas-style light strings. There was plenty of room for our group to spread out. We heard noise from a nearby villa only one night, when there was a boisterous party. Otherwise, it was just wind and birds. Merlot Villas is about half a mile, or 800 meters, from Palm Beach and Aruba’s “High Rise” hotel area. You can see the resorts from the villa balcony. We could walk to the beach, but usually drove our rental car to explore other beaches, restaurants, and attractions around the island. There’s a grocery store across the street from the gated community, plus two excellent larger stores within a ten-minute drive. We had every amenity we could think of. Aruba’s beaches are public by law, and hotel and resort staff won’t hassle you if you bring your own chairs. The Merlot Villas staff were professional, easy to reach by text, and quick to respond and act. They brought a propane BBQ the morning after we asked, and delivered a computer desk and office chair the next morning for my brother-in-law to work from home. They also provided two Graco Pack-N-Play cribs, plus plenty of bath and pool towels. WiFi was fast and reliable, with a steady 50-100 Mbps connection that handled streaming and video calls for work without hiccups. The rental included two full house cleanings, each about three hours, leaving everything spotless, including linens and outdoor areas. They also cleaned the pool completely twice a week. The outdoor areas were lovely, with space to enjoy the weather. In our 35 days, it was 28-30C (82-90F) almost every day with very little humidity. It rained for perhaps half an hour total during the daytime, in short showers of around five minutes that dried quickly before the sun returned. If you’re in Aruba, you get used to every day feeling like perfect weather. This was a great quiet escape for our large group, with space of our own to unwind.

The gated community is around the corner from a convenience store that sells liquor, prepacked deli meat, drinks, and other perishable items. You need a clicker to open the gate. There’s a button behind it for vehicles to exit.

We had a group of 12 and the house worked perfectly for us. The pool and house were great, and Frank was an amazing host. His communication was excellent from the moment I booked, and he quickly answered my pre-arrival questions. He also accommodated early check-in. Ants are bad in Aruba this time of year, so it was no big deal when we spotted some. We let Frank know and someone came right away to spray. He was very responsive on WhatsApp whenever we had a request or needed something in the home. On the last day, we couldn’t find trash bags, and he said to leave the trash for them to handle. I could go on, but just book and see for yourself! Our vacation dates were Oct 3-6.

Our friends’ wedding brought us to the island, and Merlot Villas made the visit even more enjoyable. The house was ideal for our group, and Frank was helpful and keen to make sure we had what we needed. We also liked being close to the beach without staying right in the middle of the nightlife. Merlot Villas was a wonderful stay in a perfect location.