Radisson Aruba

If the travel faithful had a Mecca, they would face toward Aruba and pledge an annual pilgrimage to the recently reborn Radisson Aruba Resort and Casino - a 14-acre oasis of lush, tropical beauty that rival the the promises of the properties in terms of heavenly rewards for leisure travelers.

This sprawling, colorful Caribbean vacation paradise truly delivers on its promise of being Aruba's premier resort property and does so in virtually every area of resort applications - accommodations, dining, recreation, ambience and service.

on arrival, in fact, guests are almost taken aback - pleasantly so, let us hasten to add - by an unusually warm staff greeting. It begins with a hearty handshake and the kind of enthusiastic welcome more akin to he beginning of a long, looked-forward-to family visit than a hotel stay. Guests are then led to a huge, luxuriously furnished open air lobby, deliciously designed to capture the consistent kiss of Aruba's fragrant, refreshing flooring, inset lighting and rich, elegant mahogany, the look is deluxe, but the ambience is pure, laid-back Caribbean.

The first surprise is the absence of the long, one-piece, institutional hotel desk. In its place are small, unobtrusive check-in stands, which immediately disarm wary travel veterans - tired and stressed at the end of a long travel day - who approach the sometimes rigid bureaucracy of the registration process with the same enthusiasm the reserve for a root canal. "The purpose is to put the guest at ease", says Jon Kaye, director of sales and marketing, "..to make it less formal.". And it works. Even during a slight wait, guests don't stand in line with that oh-so-familiar straight-ahead stare. Instead, they move around, mingle, even chat with other departing or arriving guests.

En route to the accommodations - 358 spacious guest rooms including 32 suites - arriving guests visibly unwind as they stroll through acres of meticulous and exotic tropical landscaping (no small feat on what is essentially a desert island), interspersed by a series of breathtaking waterfalls that spill melodiously over artfully placed rocks and boulders into a melange of lagoons, all ringed by colorful flowers and lush, green plants. Large, multi-colored parrots and macaws squawk hello, while beyond this lushly laid out tropical paradise, an inviting swath of sugar-white sand stands guard against a turquoise sea. Nearby, two large zero-entry pools sit amidst lush greenery, with flower-ringed palm trees standing sentinel on the edges of the pool decks.

The spacious, colorfully Caribbean rooms and suites themselves are truly the resort's defining factor. Indisputably upscale with exquisitely beautiful West Indian Colonial furniture, marble baths with a full complement of deluxe bath accessories and a host of extra amenities (27" satellite TV's, Evian water upon arrival, make-up mirrors, mini-bars, in-room safes and more), the undeniable elegance never gets in the way of what most guests come for - a casual, non-stuffy, stress-free environment. Indeed, the room's broad balconies, all set off by inviting teakwood furnishings, ensure that very promise with picture perfect, relaxing views of the spectacular Eden-like grounds.

Dining here, too is a joy. Few resorts offer anything close to the quality of the cuisine created by the Executive Chef Matt Boland. Guests start off with a scrumptious buffet breakfast at the Laguna Waterside Wok and Bistro that includes fresh fruit, hot breakfast items and fresh baked goods made daily right on the resort - all served alongside a sun-drenched, freshwater lagoon in a garden-like setting. At night, the bistro serves Caribbean stir-fry or a la-carter menu items that offer some of the most creative dishes served this side of Paris. At the Beach Bar And Grill, lunch or a light dinner under the stars is served overlooking the scenic pool and Aruba's famed Palm Beach. Specialties here include fajitas, sandwiches or grilled meats and seafood. savoring the best for last, do not miss a dining experience at the cozy Sunset Grille, which specializes in steaks, chops and seafood - the famous eateries of Chicago and Kansas City - all served amidst lush gardens, cascading waterfalls and the nearby ocean.

Its totally romantic setting makes resort popular with newlyweds and not-so-newlyweds, while Aruba's balmy year-round weather and the growing reputation of the island's Tierra del Sol Golf course makes its golf package a great buy for dedicated linkers, as well as incentive groups.

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