Food tips
Groceries – Virtually all grocery stores close at 1:00 or 2:00 on Sundays. Lines can get long as new arrivals rush in before the Sunday close. Plan accordingly. Kong Fui grocery store (on the road to Palm Beach, see "Driving Directions" tab) stays open later on Sundays.
The best variety of foods in Aruba is at Ling & Sons (see "Driving Directions" tab). If you need cold cuts, remember to get a number, … or you could have a long wait. Ling & Sons also has the best wine selection. Kong Fui is not as big but also has a wide selection. The Yinlu Supermarket on the road from Route 2 to Eagle Beach (again, see "Driving Directions" tab) is very clean and convenient, but does not have as much variety as Ling & Sons and Kong Fui.
At the risk of being indelicate, rentals are provided with an initial supply of toilet tissue; so get an appropriate stock of paper goods for the week when you go to the store.
Coffee – Such a good way to start the day. The coffee maker at our house makes good coffee (ground only), but only as good as what you put in. We bring coffee from home; bring what you like. If shopping locally, the “Santo Domingo” at Ling & Sons is OK. If you prefer Splenda or other sugar substitutes, dropping some in your bag will leave you with one less thing to pick up at the store.
Wine – If having a nice glass is a good start for your evening, Ling & Sons and Kong Fui have nice selections. European wines are relative values due to the absence of import duties. (If you like reds and do not know Spanish Tempranillos or French Rhones, Aruba may expand your horizon. Aruba also is where we discovered Chateauneuf de Pape.) Be careful with older wines as the tropics do not offer ideal storage conditions.
If you are eating out, some restaurants have nice selections. (See the "Restaurants" tab for notes on individual restaurants.) Even if we are dining out, we often have a sip before we leave. If you don’t finish the bottle, there is a wine pump in one of the kitchen drawers. With a good seal, the wine should be fine for the next evening, or even the second evening after. There is also a decanter in one of the kitchen cabinets.
Water – The tap water is the purest in the world, according to the U.N., because it comes from a desalination plant.
Other food items – If you do expect to cook, although we and other guests have left a small collection of spices, you might consider bringing any little items that could make dinner prep more convenient. As noted, you generally can get almost anything at Ling's or Kong Fui; but we find it easier to toss a few extras into the suitcase.
Reservations – See "Restaurants" tab for some of our restaurant recommendations.
Recently tourism has been off, not just in Aruba, but globally. This reduces the need for reservations, especially in the high season. For some high-end restaurants like Marandi’s and Matilde reservations are a good idea. It pains us to see a great value like Que Pasa or Mangos not crowded; but reservations may not be needed, -- but we call ahead just in case.
Other Suggestions
Restaurant Tipping – We hate service charges, because it makes the tipping amount awkward. However, 15% service charges are becoming prevalent. So, check your bill and tip accordingly. We write “service included” on the tip line and leave something extra – usually 5%. Do whatever makes you comfortable.
Chaise cushions – Who would have thunk it in a desert? Yes, Aruba is officially a desert. Yet, little rain spritzes come out of nowhere, especially in the evening or the early morning. We leave the chaises away from the house so that the sun dries them quickly after a spritz. Or you can put the chaises on the covered veranda.
Sorry, that does not guarantee that they will stay dry. A little shower can pop up any time, 24/7, … 365. Still, the chaises away from the house (or under the veranda) raises the odds for dry poolside cushions the following day.
Pool Lights – The switch for the pool lights is in the pump house by the back wall. It is the left switch on the right hand side of the pump house.
Pool and beach toys – Previous guests have left various pool and beach toys behind. We have put these in the bath house (with the beach chairs). Especially if you have kids in tow, feel free to use them as wanted.
Privacy – The garden has continued to grow since these pictures were taken. There is no place in the pool area that is visible from any other property. Yes, this is a vey private villa!!
Air Conditioning – The 24/7 trade winds make pool side and beaches pleasant almost any time of year, but most people will want the A/C on around the clock. Aruba measures temperatures in Celsius, not Fahrenheit. One degree Celsius equals 1.8 Fahrenheit. The quick math is that 20 degrees Celsius equals 68 degrees Fahrenheit. You will want it warmer than that: 21o C = 69.8o F, 22o C = 71.6o F, 23o C = 72.4o F, and so on. Actually, with the warm weather outside, you probably will want it warmer inside than you would at home. We find 25o C, 74o F, about right.
Extra blankets – Just in case the A/C is set on the chilly side, there are extra blankets in the closets.
Fuse box – Just in case you throw a breaker switch, the fuse box is in the closet on the left side of the kitchen.
Bugs – Aruba has mercifully few bugs. If wearing shorts or a dress in the evening, a light spray of Off or other repellent may be helpful. At restaurants, a light spray on the legs should be sufficient. Early mornings and evenings by the pool can be a little buggy with “no-see-‘ums”; but if you are in the pool, you really will not see-‘um.
Safe – Aruba has an exceptionally low crime rate with especially little violent crime. Unlike some islands, the people are very friendly and welcome visitors. For those who use common sense about locking doors and the like, crime should be a distant concern. Still, if you happen to have particular valuables, there is a safe in the master bedroom closet.
Souvenir Shops – here are plenty downtown in Oranjestad and in the High Rise area about ½ mile from the house. One where we have found some nice things is the gift shop at the Holiday Inn.
Maids, cleaning staff – Maids get paid very well and want to do as many houses as possible. You paid for a full stay and check out is at noon. If the maid shows up before noon and you can accommodate her, thank you. If she arrives early (we had one arrive at 10:10) and you cannot accommodate her, just ask her to come back after noon. This is your vacation, and you are entitled to enjoy it. We usually leave a tip for the maid in a hotel, and we similarly leave a tip when we rent a villla.
Problems – Anneke and her daughter are great people and try hard to make sure everyone has a great stay. Feel free to call her as needed for any problems concerning the house. Her number is 586-7569.
If you find anything that you would have liked to be different about the accommodations, please let us know. This is our home and we want it to be right for all of our guests as well as for ourselves. Please e-mail us at 4pseeley@gmail.com. Also, if you think we should add any notes about the house or about enjoying the island, please send us an email so that we can include your thoughts on this website.
We truly have tried to do everything we can think of to make staying at Agave Gardens a delightful experience.
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