We are going to Aruba in March and will be at Divi Phoenix for 2 weeks and La Cabana for the first 2 nights. Last year we went grocery shopping right away and ate breakfast and lunch in the room daily and then got dinner to eat in (we have 2 children ages 2 and 3) every night...here is my question. Should we get groceries for the first 2 nights at La Cabana or just get breakfast and lunch out those 2 days and shop when we move to Phoenix? I'm figuring we'd save the cost of renting a car and getting groceries if we waited and it would only be 2 breakfasts and 1 lunch...let me know your opinion and if there are any cheap places to get bagels and simple sandwiches (may just pack a loaf of bread and jar of peanut butter for the kids) Any reasonable restaurant recommendations would be appreciated! We stayed at the Renaissance last year, so we aren't familiar with restaurants near either hotel!

Up in the high rise area, you can get a delicious breakfast for $5 at Amicis. The kids can split one. Plus great ice creams and sandwiches. Maybe someone else can tell you if Amicis is walkable from the Phoenix.

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If it was me, I would get very few things at the grocery store before the move. Even though I'm sure you'll try not to unpack too much in those two days, you'll still have to repack for the move and if you have a ton of food, that will just add to the stress of moving day, especially if you have cold things and you have to check out in the morning and can't check in until later in the day. The loaf of bread and PB and bagels sounds reasonable!! Have fun!

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In memory...Virginia Tech...4/16/2007

There is a dunkin donuts at LaCabana - and a pizza place , you may want to take advantage of those and skip the packing of food and the grocery shopping

Sorry I didn't read it correctly - too late last night! LaCabana does have a Dunkin Donuts as well as croissants and fresh fruit in the lobby every morning. Stay away from the coffee in the lobby! They also have breakfast brunch at the Captain's Table but I have not heard great things about it!

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I also realized after posting this that Ling and Sons will deliver if you email a list-maybe I'll email a list of a few things to get through those first 2 days until we can shop. I definitely need easy dinner recommendations though

LaCabana also has a great pizza hut and a (can't remember the name of it) "grill" across from the pool-bar that has really good sandwiches (BLT) and french fries and I believe, hot dogs as well. Between the "deli" and those places right at LaCabana, I would save the grocery shopping trip until you move to Phoenix. We had the BLT's twice and I swear they put a half a pound of bacon on both times.

A few other suggestions.

You can walk to Tulip, the restaurant at MVC Eagle Beach. It's located just past Chalet Suisse (La Cabana, Paradise Beach Villas, Chalet Suisse, and then MVC Eagle Beach). It's a small, basic place that mainly caters to the Dutch, but the food is good, and the prices are very reasonable. I don't know anyone that's had breakfast there (it's a buffet breakfast), but I know people who enjoyed both lunch and dinner there. Here's a link to their web site: http://www.mvceaglebeach.com/english/restaurant.html

Across the main road from the back of the La Cabana Villas is the Adventure Golf/Black Hog Saloon Complex. In this complex is Alfredo's Ristorante. You can get good Italian pasta dishes at reasonable prices for dinner here.

Along this same main road, there is a Taco Bell and Pizza Hut that's a short walk from La Cabana.

In addition, both Pizza Bob and Tomato Charlie's deliver. So you can have lunch and/or dinner delivered to you at La Cabana. Both are good, but I prefer Pizza Bob. Both of them have good, thin crust pizza. In addition, Pizza Bob has good burgers and fries, good ribs (but Smokey Joe's are still my favorites), good lasagna, and good salads.

I would wait to do your shopping until you check into the Phoenix. It's a pain to have to move the food in addition to everything else. You can always pick up a few essentials at the mini market at La Cabana to tide you over for a few days. You will pay more for these items, but the convenience will be worth it.

Where is Smokey Joe's? I never heard of it. Is Tomato Charlie's that place by the Playa Linda? Where is Pizza Bob's

Smokey Joe's is across the street from Playa Linda, next to Amici.

Tomato Charlie's has a few places around the island. The one at the High Rise area is across the street from the Hyatt/Allegro. However, that isn't the one that delivers. The one that delivers advertises in the paper, and you can get the phone number there.

The only Pizza Bob that I've been to is at the end of the Costa Linda parking lot, across from Bucuti & Manchebo, and close to ABC/CDM. However, I believe they've opened a second location at Playa Linda.

A combination of eating out and dining in has worked well for us for 12 years. We generally limit our 'eat in' to breakfast and lunch. Dinner, when necessary, is always dine out.