DIVI DUTCH VILLAGE BEACH RESORT

Divi Dutch Village Beach Resort lines up 123 units in Dutch-style houses on Druif Beach, in the Low-Rise district. Its distinctive feature is the format: extended rooms, studios and one- or two-bedroom suites, nearly all with a full kitchen. The all-inclusive is optional and comes in two tiers, one covering two Divi properties, the other all four. Three pools on site, one with a swim-up bar, The Links at Divi Aruba golf course close by, and both wifi and parking included.

Divi Dutch Village at a glance

A village rather than a hotel. One hundred and twenty-three units housed in gabled, Dutch-inspired houses on Druif Beach, nearly all with a full kitchen. People come here for the space, the self-sufficiency and the quiet.

The format changes everything. A studio or a suite with a kitchen is not a hotel room: it means breakfast at your own pace, milk in the fridge for the children, dinner in the apartment every second night. Over two weeks, or with a family, the difference is real.

And you choose your plan: room-only, or one of the two Divi all-inclusive tiers.

Is Divi Dutch Village all-inclusive?

It is optional, and that is good news: you decide.

Two tiers exist, added at booking or on property.

• Signature opens Divi Dutch Village and neighbouring Divi Village Golf: eight restaurants, six bars, seven pools, a round of golf a day, activities, wifi, parking and the shuttle.
• MEGA adds Divi Aruba and the Tamarijn: eighteen restaurants, ten bars and twelve pools, with a shuttle between all four properties.

Here is the point to take away above all others, and the one that settles nearly every misunderstanding travellers report: the plan you choose determines where you can eat. On a room-only rate, none of the neighbouring resorts' restaurants are included. With Signature you have two properties. With MEGA you have them all.

Your AquaTerra advisor writes into the file exactly what your plan covers. Five minutes that spare you the surprise on night two.

Where is the resort, and is it on the beach?

On Druif Beach, on the leeward coast, close to Oranjestad. This is the sheltered side of the island: the water is calm and sargassum, which arrives on the east coast, does not reach this shore.

One honest detail, because it matters in Aruba. The resort sits on the ocean side of the boulevard, so there is no road to cross. That said, the buildings are set back and have no ocean view: the sand is a one- to three-minute walk away, shared with neighbouring Divi Aruba.

Put plainly: you are in a garden, not on the sand. Many guests prefer exactly that, particularly with a kitchen and a terrace. But if your picture of the trip is a balcony facing the sea, the Tamarijn, where every room is oceanfront, fits better.

Which unit should you book?

• Extended hotel room: the simplest format, for two.
• Studio: with a kitchenette, the right compromise for a couple who want breakfast at home.
• One-bedroom suite: full kitchen and separate living area, the most requested unit.
• Two-bedroom suite: for a family or two couples, with the kitchen and space that follow.

The children's all-inclusive rate works at one child per paying adult, up to two per unit. Check-out is at 10 a.m.: plan for it if you have a late flight, and the front desk will hold your bags.

Where do you eat on property?

On the grounds themselves: the Tiki Pool Bar & Grill with its swim-up bar, a beach bar, Cucina Italiana and the Infinity Bar & Grill.

With the Signature plan, eight restaurants and six bars open up between Dutch Village and Divi Village Golf. With MEGA you add the tables at Divi Aruba and the Tamarijn, and the total climbs to eighteen.

And there remains the option that does not exist elsewhere: your own kitchen. A supermarket is nearby, and many regulars do a grocery run on day one.

The pools, the golf and the rest

Three pools on site, one with a swim-up bar. The Signature plan opens seven in total with the neighbouring resort.

The Links at Divi Aruba, nine holes, is one of only two courses on the island. It is included in both all-inclusive tiers, which makes this an interesting address for a golfer travelling with a non-golfing family.

A full spa and salon are on site. The Alhambra Casino is reached on foot.

Who is it right for?

A strong fit for:

• Families and groups who want space, a kitchen and a quiet village setting.
• Longer stays, where a kitchen and laundry change daily life.
• Anyone who wants to choose between room-only and all-inclusive rather than have a plan imposed.
• Golfers, with the course included in both tiers.

Better served elsewhere:

• Anyone who wants the sea at the door and the view from the balcony: the Tamarijn puts every room oceanfront.
• Anyone after entertainment and restaurants within walking distance: that is Palm Beach, with Barceló for a settled budget.

The score sits at 4.1 out of 5 on TripAdvisor. Guests praise the space, the quiet and the value of the kitchen units. The advice that comes up most often, and it is easy to follow: have exactly what your plan covers written into the file.

What to know before you book

• The ED Card is mandatory for everyone, infants included, online within seven days of departure and free on the official site edcardaruba.aw.
• The plan you choose determines everything. Room-only, Signature or MEGA: have it written into the file with the list of resorts it opens.
• Documents. A valid passport, no visa for Canadians up to 90 days. Current requirements on travel.gc.ca.
• Right turns on a red light are prohibited in Aruba. Driving is on the right, limits in km/h.
• The wind. The trade winds blow almost constantly, strongest from May to October. They cool the air and hold sargassum away from this coast, but they mask the heat: sunscreen more often than instinct suggests.
• Electricity. Current and outlets are the same as in Canada.
• Wifi and parking are free on the property.
• Travel insurance. Medical care may require payment up front.

Booking Divi Dutch Village with an advisor

Only one thing really matters here, and it is settled before departure: choosing the right plan and knowing exactly what it opens. An AquaTerra advisor compares Signature and MEGA with you, confirms the unit category and assembles the complete file.

To compare, see our Aruba vacations page, our Aruba travel guide and all of our all-inclusive destinations.

Call 1 866 628-6241 or use our online form.