Where to Stay in Aruba: Best Affordable Options!
Where to stay in Aruba without paying an arm and/or a leg! As someone who tries to travel affordably so I can take more trips, I appreciate an accommodation that doesn’t bust the budget (while also being in a good location.) While you can certainly spend loads of money on a resort in Aruba, you can also find reasonably priced places to stay too!
While I know many people probably go to Aruba for a honeymoon or an anniversary with intents to stay in a resort with a high budget, Aruba can also be a good, budget-friendly Caribbean getaway!
Elizabeth and I decided to see if we could visit Aruba on a budget and we did (cheaper than Florida!) The biggest way we were able to do this was by booking low-cost accommodations.
So, here are recommendations on where to stay in Aruba including the best areas to stay in Aruba and low to mid-budget hotel options for each + where we stayed for only $575 for 5 nights!
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Overview of Where to Stay in Aruba (With a Map)
The vast majority of people stay on the west coast of Aruba when they visit. It is for good reason, though. This is where you will find the majority of the pristine, white-sand beaches and crystal clear water!
Other options are to stay more inland or around the capital of Oranjestad.
The east side of the island is not really where you want to stay. It is quite rocky and windy, is pretty far from the beautiful, calm, swimmable beaches and has limited housing options anyway.
Where to Stay in Aruba: Best Locations & Why
There are a few good areas to stay in Aruba, but “good” really depends on preference! Here are a few of the best areas to choose from and why they may be a fit for you or not!
Eagle Beach- This is the “low rise” area of the west coast. You can find lower-priced, beachfront (or nearly beachfront) hotels here, be within walking distance of restaurants but have less crowds than Palm Beach.
Palm Beach– Palm Beach is probably the most popular area. If you want to be in the middle of the hustle and bustle, have a good nightlife nearby and plenty of things to do in walking distance, this is your area.
Noord-This area is often clumped with Palm Beach, but is really the area more inland and north of Palm Beach. If Palm Beach sounds appealing, but you don’t want to spend the $$, Noord is a good alternative. Noord is about a 15-20 minute walk to Palm Beach or you can stay closer to some of the quieter beaches north of Palm Beach.
Oranjestad– This is the capital of Aruba and is the place to stay if you want to be close to shopping or the cruise terminal.
Paradera– If you want a more local feel with less touristy/resorty vibes this is a good option.
Savaneta– This is a seaside area with a more local feel. It is good for those who want a quieter area to stay but still close to a beach.
Where to Stay in Aruba: Eagle Beach
Again, Eagle Beach is a beautiful, white sand beach in what is considered a “low-rise” hotel zone.
I’ve put this at top of the list because this is where we stayed and REALLY enjoyed it.
It has enough an incredible beach within walking distance, restaurants within walking distance but a little calmer than the Palm Beach area (another popular area.)
Mid-Budget Hotel in Eagle beach
The Eagle Beach area has a few affordable hotel options. And by “affordable hotel,” I mean $160-250 a night. For reference, many of the resorts like Hyatt Regency and Hilton in the Palm Beach area can be $400-600 a night.
Bubali Bliss Studios and Villas- These villas are super cute, light and located within a 7 minute walk to Eagle Beach. Though they aren’t located directly on the beach like Amsterdam Manor Beach Resort, it still provides a great accommodation experience within walking distance to a beautiful beach!
Bubali Bliss Studios and Villas
~160-250 a night depending on time of year
Super Affordable Option in Eagle beach
We were really trying to see how affordably we could visit Aruba, and boy did we visit affordably. Our flights were $550 and our accommodations were $575 (split between two people.)
We stayed in the Dancing Iguana Apartments a few streets away from Eagle Beach. It is a small complex with three different (red, blue and green) one-room, one bath apartments.
These are typically around $120-$140 a night and come with an outdoor kitchen with coffee and a refrigerator with a designated shelf for each apartment.
And the host was SO friendly. He met us at arrival, showed us around and gave us recommendations for dinner, etc.
Affordable Apartment in Aruba! (there are only 3 rooms, though, so sell-out is common)
~120-$140 a night
Where to Stay in Aruba: Palm Beach/Noord-North of Palm Beach
Palm Beach is probably the most popular area to stay in. If you want a lot of nightlife and plenty to do, this is where to stay. It is also within walking (or scootering) distance from Eagle Beach.
The beach itself is also really beautiful with white sand and plenty of palms for shade (hence the name) and is the starting point for man of the water excursions in Aruba.
However, it is also quite busy and bustling and quite expensive (if you stay directly on the beach.)
So a quieter and less expensive alternative is staying in what is considered Noord.
The general area of Noord is pretty large, but you can stay a few streets back from Palm Beach OR in a neighborhood just norrth of Palm beach that is more secluded and quiet and still be within a 15-20 minute walk from Palm 🏖️
Mid-Budget Accommodations in the Palm Beach/Noord Area
Again, if you want to stay ON Palm Beach, you are not likely going to find anything “budget-friendly.” However, you can stay in the Palm Beach AREA without breaking the bank (though going to be more pricey than many of the other areas of Aruba.)
Modern Hotel Aruba– This is a boutique-style hotel that is located in the Noord area north of Palm Beach. It is around $260 a night during peak season but can drop to around $170 in the slower months or when booked in advance.
Cariñas Studio Apartments– These are apartments also located about a 6 minute walk from Palm Beach (though not seaside.) They are typically $140-160 a night with a more consistent price.
Palm Beach/Noord Hotels
*Photos from Expedia*
Modern Hotel Aruba
This is a mid-budget, clean hotel about a 7 minute walk from Palm Beach.
~$170-260 a night.
Cariñas Studio Apartments
These apartments are also about a 6 minute walk from Palm Beach.
~$140-$160 per night.
Where to Stay in Aruba: Oranjestad
Oranjestad is the capital of Aruba, therefore, has lots of shopping and restaurant options. If shopping is a priority for you, this is where to stay!
Along with Renaissance Mall, there are smaller shops in downtown Oranjestad as well. It is also a good pick-up hub for island-exploring excursions.
However, it isn’t a good spot to be in if you want to be within walking distance to a beach. If you stay here, you will need to drive or bus to the nearest beaches.
Central Boutique Hotel– This is a clean, cute hotel in downtown Oranjestad that only costs between $90-110 a night. It is located only 3 minutes from the Renaissance Mall.
Victoria City Hotel– This is another option in downtown Oranjestad that is around $100-$140 per night located just a little further from central downtown. It is about a 6-10 minute walk to the malls.
Oranjestad Hotels
*Photos from Expedia*
Victoria City Hotel
This is another budget-friendly hotel in downtown Oranjestad.
~$100-$140 per night.
Where to Stay in Aruba- Paradera OR Savaneta
Eagle Beach, Palm Beach and Oranjestad are the best places to stay if you want to be within walking distance of restaurants and things to do. However, they are also the busiest.
So, if you want to have a quieter, more local feel, you can either stay inland around Paradera or you can stay in the seaside area of Savaneta.
These are good if you want to visit Aruba with less of a touristy/resorty vibe.
Paradera
This area is inland around a 14 minute drive from Eagle Beach. This distance keeps it a quick drive to the best beaches, but far enough away to feel more secluded and less touristy.
If I were to stay in this area, I would go for Paradera Park Aruba. It is a little pricier, but has a nice pool and outdoor area and great reviews both Expedia and TripAdvisor.
Savaneta
If you want to stay in a more secluded area but have closer access to a beach, Saventa may be a great spot for you! Though it is further down the west coast, it is still within a reasonable drive of the main attracitons of Aruba.
Serene By the Sea is a really nice place right off the beach that is around $200 a night. The outdoor area with direct beach access makes the price worth it! It also has nice-sized suites and a local feel to it.
However, if you want to go more budget-friendly than that, nearby is Coral Reef Beach Aruba for around $100-$140 a night. It is less flashy, but still has great reviews!
Secluded-Vibe Hotels
*Photos from Expedia*
Serene By the Sea
A beachside stay in Savaneta with a great outdoor area and nice-sized rooms.
~$180-$200 per night.
What About Baby Beach?
Baby Beach is definitely one of the prettiest beaches in Aruba.
However, if you have studied the map of Aruba at all, you will have noticed it is on the FURTHEST southern point of Aruba. Therefore, it is really far from many of the main highlights of Aruba.
Now, if you are only interested in having an accommodation close to a nice beach, this is definitely a good option. (But know that there are very FEW hotels in this area and the ones that are there are $$$.)
But, if you want to get out and explore the island a little, you are going to be a pretty far distance from most things on the island.
Instead, I recommend staying more central and then just visiting Baby Beach for the day.
Final Thoughts on Where to Stay in Aruba
I was really quite nervous to book the cheap flights to Aruba for fear that accommodations would counter the good flight prices.
However, I was SO surprised to see that there were affordable accommodations even in walking distance of the most popular beaches!
It is definitely possile to visit Aruba on a pretty low budget if you want to.
Here is how to spend 5 days exploring the island of Aruba!
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