What I Liked
- Beachfront resort
- Two large swimming pools
- Kids swimming pool
- Sandy beach
- Calm waters
- The resort has apartments with full kitchens
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I visited Marriott's Aruba Ocean Club, a timeshare resort on Palm Beach in Aruba. It’s an Ocean Front resort with load of facilities.
The Aruba Ocean Club is next to the Aruba Surf Club. Both are Marriott Timeshare resorts. Guests can use the facilities at both resorts.
I was actually staying at the Surf Club and not the Ocean Club. But I visited the Ocean Club a few times. I wrote a separate review of the Surf Club here. That review is a complete review and this review is a shorter one.
The Surf Club is the larger resort and has more facilities. It has a water slide, multiple kids pools, a lazy river, and more. The Ocean Club is calmer and more adult focused.
The Ocean Club has two large pools and a kids pool, plus lawn games like shuffleboard and table tennis. The beach is beautiful, with calm, warm waters and golden sand.
The Caribbean water is stupidly warm and calm. The beach has yellow sand, golden-hour light, and the kind of setting where hours disappear. The main pool has a swim-up bar. There's a quieter pool further back with a water feature. There are no water slides or chaos — just genuine peace.
Ready to book? The Marriott Vacation Club preview package is on my Recommended Resources page, alongside other deals I use.
I stayed at the Aruba Surf Club, not the Aruba Ocean Club. I am an owner with Marriott Timeshare and I used my annual allocation of points to book.
If you fancy staying here too, there's a way to pay well under the cash rate. Book the Marriott Vacation Club preview package through me. Five nights cost $1,895, and you'll get 90,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points.
The catch is a one-hour timeshare presentation during your stay. I'll be straight with you — the sales rep will do a proper hard sell. But there is absolutely no obligation to buy anything. You sit through the hour, you leave with your stay and your points. Full stop.
To book, email me with your name, phone number, email address, and the city you're based in.
Being a Marriott Timeshare owner has taken me to some genuinely brilliant places — Marriott's Aruba Ocean Club, Marriott Maui Ocean Club, Westin Princeville in Kauai, and Marriott Frenchman's Cove in St Thomas.
Staying in an apartment instead of a hotel room shows you something a brochure can't: what it's actually like to settle in for five nights with a full kitchen, separate bedroom, living space. That's when ownership makes sense to you, or it doesn't. By the time the sales conversation happens, you've lived the answer.
If you're already a Marriott Timeshare owner, you might also explore resale options — redweek Aruba Ocean Club inventory does appear on timeshare resale marketplaces. But for first-timers, the preview package is still the honest trial run.
The resort sits on Palm Beach in Aruba—the island's most popular beach and just a 15-minute drive from the airport.
The Marriott Ocean Club is in the middle. Marriott Surf Club is on one side. The larger Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino sits alongside both properties.
The Ocean Club and the Surf Club are both Marriott Timeshare Resorts with full apartments. The Aruba Marriott Resort is a traditional hotel with ordinary rooms.
Marriott's Aruba Ocean Club is designed to keep you anchored. Apartment, beach, pool—you've got everything you need on-site. But Aruba's small and worth exploring if you've got the itch.
Rent a car for a day and you can see the whole island without rushing. The local town has genuine colour and character. Quieter beaches offer different personalities than Palm Beach. The beauty of Aruba is that "far away" doesn't exist—everything's within reach.
Arusun Catamaran Sail with Snorkeling
For a water-based adventure, book your spot here for $63. Rated 4.8* from over 2,600 reviews. You'll sail along the coast, snorkel in clear water, and see the island from a completely different angle. The pace is leisurely—this isn't a rushed excursion.
Arikok National Park Jeep Safari
Aruba's got an interior desert that most resort guests skip entirely. Book a safari here for $85—rated 4.9* from over 700 reviews. You'll explore the national park, discover rock formations, and see the island's arid side. It's a genuine contrast to the beaches.
Aruba UTV Tour with Natural Cave Pool and Cliff Jumping
If you want to get your hands dirty, grab tickets here for $122. Rated 4.9* from over 5,000 reviews. You'll drive your own UTV through inland Aruba, find hidden natural pools, and jump into turquoise water. Fair warning: it's an active half-day, but you won't forget it.
The resort offers guest rooms and one- and two-bedroom villas. It’s much smaller than the Surf Club, about a quarter of the size. Given how popular Aruba is for Marriott Timeshare owners, I wouldn’t be surprised if they build more units here at some point.
The resort has the following facilities:
The resort is a horseshoe shape, looking out towards the sea.
I didn’t stay in an apartment at the Ocean Club, because my apartment was at the Surf Club. However, the accommodations are very similar at each property.
Expect a proper apartment — studio, 1-bed, or 2-bed — with washing facilities, a full kitchen, living area, separate bedroom and balcony.
The quiet pool at Marriott's Aruba Ocean Club is further back from the beach. This is a nicely designed pool with a cool water feature. The depth is quite shallow.
At Marriott's Aruba Ocean Club, there are two outdoor pools. The largest one is closest to the beach. It’s really nice and has a large swim-up bar.
The water temperature was really nice as the Caribbean is so warm. The pool was mainly aimed at adults. As most of the kids activities are at the Surf Club.
There was a small kids pool that was very shallow. I never saw anyone use it.
The beach at the back of Marriott's Aruba Ocean Club was really nice. It’s yellow and sandy. The water was warm and calm. It was easy to spend hours in the water as it was so nice.
Marriott's Aruba Ocean Club is what you get when you strip the resort experience down to its essence: full apartments, genuine peace, tropical beaches that swallow hours whole. It's not built for chaos or constant entertainment. It's built for actually settling in — proper kitchen, separate bedroom, balcony — and letting the Caribbean do the work.
Families reading Aruba Ocean Club reviews often flag this: Marriott's Aruba Ocean Club's kids activities are minimal; most are at the Surf Club next door. Children's pool? Small and usually empty. But if you travel as a couple or a small adult group, this calm vibe is the whole appeal. Book via the Marriott Vacation Club preview package. You'll get a $1,895 trial for five nights—plus 90,000 Marriott Bonvoy points—to decide whether ownership is right for you.
If you're torn between Marriott's Aruba Ocean Club and the Surf Club next door, the choice is straightforward: do you want peace or activity? Marriott's Aruba Ocean Club stays genuinely quiet, with two calm pools and a tranquil beach. The Surf Club has water slides, multiple kids pools, and constant energy. Both have full apartments and access to Palm Beach. The difference is entirely about vibe — read Aruba Ocean Club reviews and you'll find this consistency repeated. Choose the Ocean Club if you're seeking a retreat; choose the Surf Club if you're seeking entertainment.