In the mid-20th century, Aruba was a mostly ignored deserted island. Compared to its lush and volcanic Caribbean neighbors like Cuba or the Bahamas, Aruba’s landscape of cactus-filled rock swept bare by hot trade winds didn’t seem as much like a vacation paradise as it did a place to send misbehaving sailors.
But in the 1950s, the Dutch Caribbean island realized it had a few natural advantages the more famous, foliage-covered islands did not: because it sits outside the hurricane belt and gets almost no rain, Aruba can offer tropical vacations with near-guaranteed sunshine.
That potential drew famed architect Morris Lapidus, who also designed Miami’s historic Fontainebleau Hotel, to Aruba, where he designed its first resort: the Aruba Caribbean Hotel. The first Aruba hotel opened in 1959 and almost instantly transformed the island into a top vacation destination.
A model of the Aruba Caribbean Hotel from Morris. Photo: Library of Congress/Public Domain
Dozens of other resorts have popped up in the decades since, but the Aruba Caribbean Hotel, now called the Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort and Casino, still stands as the island’s original tourism icon. Staying at the Aruba hotel is like taking a trip back to a beachside paradise, showcasing why people still flock to this island more than 60 years later.
Here’s why you may want to stay at the island’s first hotel, where the Aruba of yesteryear perfectly blends with modern luxury.
The hotel’s Mira Solo lobby bar. Photo: Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort and Casino
The Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort and Casino is on Aruba’s Palm Beach, one of the most popular (and beautiful) beaches in the Caribbean. Though it’s now lined with hotels and mega-resorts, the soft, white sand and turquoise water are still as idyllic and clean as they were in the 1950s. And because there’s a strip of beach bars and exciting restaurants just behind the hotel, you can explore the island’s food and nightlife without renting a car.
The ambiance at this Aruba hotel begins before you even check-in, as the big, breezy lobby is filled with tropical plants whose leaves sway in the warm tropical winds. Photos of actor Jack Benny and his windblown hair, Jackie O. by the pool, and vintage cars parked in front of the hotel’s 1960 facade fill the lobby, ensuring guests are immediately aware of the hotel’s lasting legacy before they’ve gotten their room keys.
Traveling through the lobby, guests will immediately arrive at the Mira Solo Bar. While it’s technically a lobby bar, it’s a notch above most, with nightly guitar or steel drum music and balmy sunset happy hours.
The hotel’s footprint stretches across 15 acres, so the place never feels crowded even when its 357 rooms are filled. You might even find
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