Karibu Aruba Boutique Hotel

What a gorgeous place to stay - I stumbled across this little hotel (more like mini apartments/B&B) by chance but my luck was definitely in. Baja and Andras were lovely, so helpful and friendly, happily giving us a late checkout as the room was free and a lift in to the restaurants one night. The rooms themselves were lovely - cool and airy, a very comfortable bed, great shower and bathroom, and a separate kitchenette with a handy little minibar plus a microwave and space to hang up beach things to dry. We could even have borrowed beach chairs if we wanted, plus there were noodles for the pool, towels, everything you might think of. One added touch was finding fresh flowers on the towels every day. Although the pool was tempting enough that we didn't always feel the need to drag ourselves away, with comfy loungers and a hammock in the trees. It's slightly set back from the main strip, with a walk across some scrubland, over a reasonably busy road and through the Marriott, but once you do, you're at Palm Beach and some of the restaurants in about 10 minutes, some of the boat piers in 10-15 minutes, and it's only around 25 minutes down towards the restaurants by the Hilton. I managed it several nights running with a seven-year-old so it's definitely doable! If we had stayed for longer, I'd have made proper plans to get to a supermarket and make the most of the cooking facilities and our little table outside the room, but as it was a short stay, a few stops to grab breakfast the night before was all we needed in the mornings. Not all taxi drivers will know it, but this being Aruba, ours phoned up and got directions so we had no real issues (and you can arrange airport transfers too - we were coming from elsewhere in Palm Beach). It's not exactly hard to relax in Aruba but the buzz of Palm Beach can be a bit much after a while, and being able to retreat here, cool off, chill out in the hammock and pool, and just feel almost as if we were at home was blissful. I can't recommend it enough.

We loved our stay in Aruba and were especially happy with the hospitality of Andres and Beja! They welcomed us with a tropical drink upon our arrival and immediately made us feel welcome. They let us know that they were there if we needed anything, but also gave us our space. They were especially welcoming to my friend’s Maltese and he fell immediately in love with Beja. The rooms were kept immaculately clean (they even cleaned the day we put up a sign saying they didn’t need to clean), and they put an extra bed in our room when we let them know there were going to be 3 people rather than 2 (there was a charge for the extra bed). They are located right across the highway from the beach and it is an easy walk to get to the beach (Palm Eagle Beach). We appreciated being able to easily walk to the beach and to the bus into Oranjestad, but being located in a quiet neighborhood at night. On our last morning there Andres made us Dutch pancakes (delicious) for breakfast, and they called a taxi to take us to the airport. I would definitely stay with them again!

Karibu Aruba is perfectly positioned for the traveler who wants easy access to all of Palm Beach's amenities, yet desires an escape from the crowds and activities of the high-rise hotels. It is an easy 4-minute walk to Palm Beach. Andres and Beja were consummate hosts. We were greeted with a delicious tropical beverage and welcomed to our lovely room equipped with a full fridge, oven, and dishwasher, as well as air conditioning and Wi-Fi. Most of all the room offered access to a lovely terrace adjacent to the pool --- a perfect place to enjoy coffee each morning. With only four rooms onsite, the space is remarkably quiet and especially clean. From start to finish this was a great escape....comfortable, clean, quiet, and easy to access many island activities. A pure delight and perfect escape. Overall, Aruba is a highly recommended getaway --- safe, friendly, and outstanding weather --- offering great predictability. So, book a stay at Karibu Aruba and enjoy an excellent escape to an extraordinary island.

Anders and Beya Brink are the owners who run this snug and friendly B&B. It is conveniently located across a dry lagoon from the Marriot with sunset views. We had a car for our stay enabling us to visit the entire island with little effort. Karibu is small (only four comfortable accommodations). Our breakfasts were outside and more than adequate. The property is beautifully constructed to allow shade or sun the entire day. The pool is very nice. We had access to beach chairs, towels and snorkeling equipment.

We stayed at Karibu for four nights. Our room was spacious and very clean. The bed was very comfortable. Very quiet neighborhood. Away from the loud music and noise of the Palm beach. The owners, Andras and Beja, were wonderful. Andras picked us at the airport and instead of taking the highway to the hotel, he took us thru downtown and the beach road to show us all the highlights. That was a great first intro to the island. He recommended great restaurants. We spent the next day walking to Eagle Beach and back and ended up having blisters. Andras gave us a ride to the beach the following morning to save our feet. The Palm Beach is about 7-10 min walk. But, we were in bad shape. On our last day, before taking us to airport, Andras drove us to the lighthouse and then to Baby Beach. We stopped for lunch at a fish restaurant, probably had the best fresh fish on the island at an amazing price. Thank you Andras and Beja to make us feel home away from home. We will remember the fresh coffee smell every morning and sitting by the pool under the coconut trees, and petting your lovely cats. It was soothing.

All the reviews about the Karibu are true! My husband and I just spent 4 relaxing days feeling like “guests at a friends house ” If you’re not a fan of the big box hotels or would like to try something different be a guest at the Karibu and let Bejas & Andras take care of your every need! It was our home away from home. We had a car, parked in their driveway, then walk into the spacious courtyard, had a drink by the pool and lounged on one of the many chairs then retreated to our “spotless” apartment studio. Bejas and Andras are the sweetest people even surprised us with champagne in our room! They really met our needs on so many levels with recommendations for restaurants (especially Passions on the Beach), excursions, information about the island and so much more. The location is great walking distance to the beach (they provide towels, chairs, snorkel gear) tons of grocery stores, shopping, etc. We’ll always remember Karibu and Aruba - [ ]

My husband and I visited Aruba for the first time and loved this hotel! Very affordable, with easy access to the beach, shopping, bars, and restaurants. The owners are amazing and go out of their way to make sure you have a fantastic stay. The hotel is beautiful, clean, comfortable, and relaxing.

My wife and I have always stayed at large high end resorts. This was a last minute weekend getaway. We decided to save some money and try something different. Boy are we glad we did! It is absolutely fantastic. We felt so much more comfortable and welcomed than we would have been paying $1000 a night at the Ritz-Carlton across the street (it is literally across the street). I can’t recommend Karibu Aruba enough enough and hope you give it a chance like we did!

Brought my son to Aruba for the first time so we could have a go at kitesurfing. Perfect place to stay. Clean and comfortable. Plenty of room to spread out in the courtyard or by the pool. Most hospitable owner ever. GREAT location right behind Palm Beach. Can easily walk to beaches in between high rise hotels(7 minutes) as well as to Palm Beach mall and all the surrounding restaurants(12 minutes) Snorkeling is a 3 minute drive. Eagle beach a 6 minute drive. Owner and staff very friendly and trustworthy. Will stay there again next visit.