DIVI VILLAGE GOLF AND BEACH RESORT

Divi Village Golf & Beach Resort gathers 348 suites and villas with full kitchens around The Links at Divi Aruba, one of only two golf courses on the island. Studios and one-, two- or three-bedroom units, most with a view over the course, a balcony or a patio. Four pool areas including an infinity pool and a water slide, a full spa, and two restaurants at the golf clubhouse. The all-inclusive is optional and comes in two tiers. One useful detail: the resort sits across the boulevard from Druif Beach, with golf carts shuttling guests to the sand.

Divi Village Golf at a glance

The only resort in Aruba built around a golf course. The Links at Divi Aruba is one of only two courses on the island, and here it is at your door, included in both of the house all-inclusive tiers.

Three hundred and forty-eight suites and villas, all with a full kitchen, most with a view over the course. Studios and one-, two- or three-bedroom units: this is an apartment format, built for space and longer stays.

Four pool areas, including an infinity pool and a water slide for the children, a full spa, and two restaurants at the golf clubhouse, one of them a fine-dining room with a view.

Is the resort on the beach?

No, and that is the first thing to know despite the word "Beach" in the name. The resort sits across the boulevard from Druif Beach. You cross a road to reach the sand.

What the property has put in place for that: golf carts shuttle guests to the beach through the day, and the beach service is waiting once you are there.

Anyone entirely comfortable with that arrangement gains a great deal: more space, a kitchen, golf at the door and a rate that reflects the position. Anyone who dreams of stepping out of the room barefoot onto sand will be happier at the Tamarijn, where every room is oceanfront, or at Divi Aruba, directly on Druif Beach. Your AquaTerra advisor asks the question on the first call: it is the one that prevents the most disappointment in Aruba.

Is it all-inclusive?

It is optional, and you choose.

• Signature opens Divi Village Golf and neighbouring Divi Dutch Village: 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.

The point to remember, and the one that settles nearly every misunderstanding travellers report: the plan you choose determines where you can eat. Have it written into the file in black and white, with the list of resorts it opens. Five minutes well spent.

The golf

The Links at Divi Aruba has nine holes, played from two sets of tees for a full round. It is a seaside course with the Aruba wind as a permanent partner: it changes the club on every hole, and returning golfers all say so.

It is included in both all-inclusive tiers, which makes this a rare address: a golfer can play every day while the rest of the family enjoys the pool and the slide, without the bill climbing.

The clubhouse holds two tables, including Windows on Aruba, the fine-dining room overlooking the course and the sea.

Which unit should you book?

• Studio: with a kitchenette, for two.
• One-bedroom suite: full kitchen and living area, the most requested unit.
• Two-bedroom suite: for a family or two couples.
• Villas and three-bedroom units: for groups and extended families.

All have a kitchen, a modern bathroom and a balcony or patio, often with a view over the course. A supermarket is nearby, and many regulars do a grocery run on day one.

The pools and the rest

Four pool areas, including an infinity pool with a bar and a water slide the children adopt immediately. The Signature plan opens seven in total with the neighbouring resort, and MEGA opens twelve.

Dining on the grounds: Mulligan's Bar & Restaurant at the clubhouse, casual, Windows on Aruba for dinner, the Sea Breeze Café at the poolside, Cucina Italiana and the Infinity Bar & Grill.

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

Who is it right for?

A strong fit for:

• Golfers, obviously: the course is included and it is at the door.
• Families and groups who want space, a kitchen and a water slide.
• Longer stays, where a kitchen and laundry change daily life.
• Mixed couples, where one plays and the other does not: that is exactly the profile this address serves best.

Better served elsewhere:

• Anyone who wants to step out of the room onto sand: Divi Aruba and the Tamarijn answer better.
• Families with very young children and a lot of beach gear, for whom the crossing becomes a daily chore.
• Anyone after nightlife within walking distance: that is Palm Beach.

The score sits at 4.0 out of 5 across more than 3,600 TripAdvisor reviews. Guests praise the space, the included golf and the value of the kitchen units. They mention the crossing to the beach and advise confirming exactly which plan you hold. Two points an advisor settles before departure.

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 and the hours during which golf is included.
• A road separates the resort from the sand. Golf carts shuttle guests across, but know it before you book.
• 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, hold sargassum away from this coast and make the course what it is. They also mask the heat: sunscreen more often than instinct suggests.
• Electricity. Current and outlets are the same as in Canada.
• Travel insurance. Medical care may require payment up front.

Booking Divi Village Golf with an advisor

Two things are settled before departure and decide whether the stay works: the plan, with the exact list of what it opens, and the certainty that the resort's position relative to the beach suits you. An AquaTerra advisor asks both questions on the first call 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.