You know that iconic Sex and the City scene where Samantha throws herself an "I don't have a baby" party to remind everyone she's fabulous? Well, I essentially did the same thing when I said yes to a solo trip to Amsterdam Manor Resort in Aruba, a property overflowing with couples and babymooners, while I am deeply single.
But you don't need to feel bad for me! After five days of laying in the sun in my tiniest bikinis drinking Aruba Ariba cocktails, I left the island (which, btw, is situated just off the coast of Venezuela) feeling happier than any date or relationship has ever made me. I'd call it a success!
Long story short, Aruba is officially my new favorite place on Earth (The art! The friendliness! The beaches!), and I think you should see it for yourself. I also think you should stay at Amsterdam Manor while you're there, because I had such a great time. Lucky for you, I'm sharing my full review of the property, below, so you can copy my itinerary, should you please.
(Full transparency: The writer received comped accommodations, meals, and experiences to write about this trip.)
THE QUICK HITS: AMSTERDAM MANOR RESORT EDITION
- Name: Amsterdam Manor Resort
- Location: Oranjestad, Aruba
- Cost Per Night: Starting at $188
- Best For: Those looking to chill on the beach, sit by the pool, and drink cocktails all without leaving the resort
- While You’re Here, Visit: Eagle Beach, right across from the hotel!
- One-Word Vibe Check: Chill
- Most Iconic Photo Spot: At Passions on the Beach, the resort's toes-in-the-sand restaurant, while the sun is setting
- Don’t Leave Without: Grabbing a cocktail and eating your weight in bitterballen, a Dutch fried ball filled with meat and cheese, at Horizons
THE FIRST IMPRESSIONS
As I stepped off the plane in 90-degree heat, I was a little discombobulated...but then I found myself on "island time." Everyone in Aruba is relaxed—no hurrying, no rushing, just the chillest vibes known to man.
When I got to Amsterdam Manor, I checked in without a hitch in the well-air-conditioned lobby, then was whisked away to find my suite. I was immediately taken aback by how open and airy the property was, and it definitely had a boutique feel (only 72 rooms total!). I immediately felt so at ease, especially because everyone was smiling and saying hi to each other. That's when I knew I wasn't in NYC anymore.
The property is decorated with bright yellow, orange, and teal colors, which really put me in the tropical vacay spirit. Walking around, I saw a big pool and waterfall (just across from my room, actually), as well as tons of lounge areas for reading books and talking with other guests. Then, I spotted the beach I had heard so much about, and I was in awe. It had the clearest, calmest water I'd ever seen in my life, and I was in heaven.
THE ROOMS
The resort offers a mix of studios and suites, all of which are decorated to match the vivid colors and beachy vibes outside (I was obsessed with the retro furniture, too!). They're also all equipped with a kitchen or kitchenette complete with a dining area, perfect if you want to grab some groceries at the beginning of your stay for snacks, easy breakfasts, or lunches. (Sorry, the dinners on the property are just too good to miss.)
I stayed in a classic one-bedroom suite on the ground floor, which gave me lots of space to ~move about~ as a single gal. But if you had someone to bring on your trip (can't relate!), you could def fit another two or three people in the room. Maybe more if you squeezed!
I cranked up the AC in the bedroom immediately upon entering, opened up every single blind, and unloaded my suitcase into the spacious closet. The room got so much natural light I didn't even need an alarm to wake me up in the mornings, and I always headed out onto my lil terrace for breakfast. Life! Was! Good!
THE AMENITIES
Amsterdam Manor has plenty of amenities, but the best ones were (a) the pool and (b) the proximity to Eagle Beach, which, FYI, was ranked the best beach in the Caribbean and the second-best beach in the whole world last year by TripAdvisor. And you know what? I completely agree. I brought a book and my AirPods and laid under a palapa for literally an entire afternoon one day (resulting in the worst sunburn of my life, but that's beside the point!).
If you ask me, the best way to end a day at the beach is to spend an hour or two at the pool (no sand!). Because Eagle Beach is so amazing, the pool at Amsterdam Manor is honestly super underrated. The entire time I was there, I don't think there was more than one other person in the water with me, if at all. Every afternoon, I'd swim a few laps and chill under the waterfall before heading back to my sweet, sweet air conditioning to get ready for dinner. Wow, my life in Aruba was so hard.
THE FOOD AND BEV
Y'all, I ate so good in Aruba. Amsterdam Manor's on-property bar, Horizons, is frickin' delicious and such a fun place to mingle with other hotel guests as well as the staff (who were all so fun and constantly made me unique cocktails, per my ridiculous requests, like: "Something that tastes like Sprite, but with alcohol, and also is blue.") I also scarfed down about a dozen bitterballen dipped in dijon mustard, which is super popular in Aruba. As for evening drinks, I became a huge fan of the Spicy Lover's Margarita and Watermelon Sugar High cocktail—both are v yummy and v dangerous.
But Passions on the Beach takes the cake for the best restaurant I ate at during the entire trip. It's owned by Amsterdam Manor, meaning you've just gotta walk across the street to make it to your dinner res on time. I got chicken alfredo, and it was the perfect comfort meal after a long day in the sun. But I'll be 100p ordering the surf and turf on my next trip, because I saw someone else get it and it looked fab.
Passions on the Beach also has the most romantic, stunning ambiance. I watched a proposal as I was waltzing around drinking my glass of wine, and nearly everyone at the restaurant was celebrating a special milestone. I recommend booking your res for about 7:30 p.m. to enjoy the sunset at peak time.
FWIW, Passions also serves lunch, and I ate there legit every day of my trip. The fish tacos were my favorite (so refreshing and light yet filling after a long, excruciatingly hard day of reading my little romance novels on the beach). But the Mexican chicken salad and chicken quesadilla were great too. And, ofc, I washed 'em all down with a piña colada, because it was my honeymoon vacation.
THE BOTTOM LINE
This might be oversharing, but when my therapist asks me to think of a "safe place" now, I literally think of Amsterdam Manor. It's so low-key—not stuffy at all—but provided stellar vacay vibes and left me feeling fully relaxed after five days. Plus, it's one of the least expensive hotels in the area, according to my research (I'm not not booking a trip with my mom soon...). Aruba, ilysm, never change.
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers skincare, makeup, hair, nails, and more across digital and print. She can generally be found in bright eyeshadow furiously typing her latest feature or hemming and hawing about a new product you "have to try." Prior to Cosmopolitan, she wrote and edited beauty content as an Editor at The Everygirl for four years. Follow her on Instagram for makeup selfies and a new hair 'do every few months.
