With the addition of a handful of luxurious and expensive suites, this hotel continues to walk away with the award for Aruba's Largest and Most Confusing Resort. Anyone looking for a challenge will want to stay here, as the roster of bars, restaurants and activities is daunting and more than most mortals can run through in a week. Among is superlatives are the highest room count, biggest casino and largest pool. The latter is especially handy, as the beach is a public one located across a quiet road from the hotel. Groups are well cared for here, but individuals had better get used to their independence. Always on the go, management's latest achievement is yet another restaurant, making the all-inclusive rates an even better value.
The plain entrance fronts a briskly air-conditioned two-story lobby. This well-designed room is surprisingly elegant for a hotel of this size; a huge stained-glass window casts a colorful glow across a grand staircase. A wing off the lobby holds several shops, a mini-mart, and a moderately priced cafe serving breakfast, dinner and pizza to go. The expanded sushi bar appeals to fish lovers, lunch is taken at the poolside cafe, and the pool bar also serves
light fare. Themed buffets abound, but the food is fair to middling. A bar is cleverly designed in the form of a ship. Shops, an ice cream and espresso parlor are just outside the lobby. Barbecue pits are another option for group dining.
The free-form pool has a sundeck, waterslide and bar. Pristine Eagle Beach is dotted with cabanas for shade and chaise longues for sunning. Those who prefer more activity take advantage of the comprehensive watersports program, modern health club, five-court tennis center, and four racquetball and squash courts. A children's program keeps little ones busy, as an activities desk does adults.
The Royal Cabana is not merely a casino but also a restaurant-cum-nightclub-cum-convention facility for 1,200 delegates. Business services are provided. Unsecured parking is free, and cars be rented. Same-day laundry service is among the nice extras. Pets are not permitted.
Spread over the vast sparsely landscaped 
grounds, lodgings range from small hotel rooms (studios) to one- and three-bedroom suites and spacious apartments with full kitchens and dining areas. Quality is average, but all are attractively furnished and provide ample comfort. Small elevators rise to the air-conditioned units done in pastel colors and rattan furniture. In all are phones, TVs, dining areas, small balconies, and kitchens complete with microwave ovens and full-sized refrigerators. Tiled combination baths supply whirlpool tubs and hair dryers. Murphy beds are in studios, and queen sofa beds in suites. Units in the original buildings connect to become two- and three-bedroom suites. In the newer buildings, the one- to three-bedroom suites add central air conditioning, TVs, safes, kitchenettes, whirlpool tubs and terraces.
This midrange resort attracts an international clientele, including scores of wealthy South Americans. The lack of a beach is compensated with a full list of recreational, dining and drinking options. Both Occidental and Divi offer a similar prescription for fun on the beach.
