This will be our first stay at the Costa Linda this year (thanks to great suggestions from a couple of members here--TY!!!) I have a couple of questions...and I am sure more will come to me in the next 2 weeks.

Do they provide beach/pool towels? If so, where do you exchange them?

How is the maid service (is Sunday the only day they don't come)?

What is the palpa situation like? Basically do I have to get up at 7am every morning to reserve them?

Is there a car rental located within the CL (I think I read that somewhere)? If so, what company is it?

OK, that is all for now....fair warning....there will be more to come! TIA!

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~Crystal~
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ahhh, easy questions to answer.

beach towels are at a hut near on the path to the beach. you can exchange them any time. we usually exchange each evening so we are ready for the morning.

maid service is wonderful. sunday they only dump trash and replace bath towels. every other day they do it all. btw, the only item you may need for your kitchen is liquid dish detergent if you want to hand wash. there is a dish washer and every time we have been there they have provided cascade for it. i also buy a roll of paper towels at the grocery.

i have gone down to the beach as late as noon and always gotten a palapa. supposedly although august is a slow month in aruba, all units are full during our week so i have to imagine that even if it was high season the palapa situation would be the same. you may not get front row but who needs that. there is so much space between them that you always have an ocean view.

i don't know about car rental, they just redid the lobby a year or so ago and i didn't notice the rental booth at it's old spot, but you would be much wiser to arrange your rental over the internet. too often rental companies can't provide you with a car on specific days if you wait until the last minute. another suggestion is renting at the airport.

hope this helps.

Thanks Sherry! We have arranged for a van rental at the airport (there are 10 of us going), but my dh wanted me to check to see if we needed and additional car for whatever reason, that we could get one. Two of the guys will go play golf and didn't want to leave the rest of us stranded...but I think we can work around it.

I was reading on the CL site last night about the different massages/treatments that their spa offers...has anyone ever used their spa? If so, how was it? And what did you have done? The prices seem resonable.

Where are the elevators located?

Where are the laundry facilities located?

Is the exercise equipment up to date? What do they have in there exercise facilities?

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~Crystal~
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seeing that my idea of a vacation means walking to the beach is my only exercise, the only one i can answer is the elevator question. there are two sets. on on the far right past the lobby and one on the left side of the lobby. i have never had to wait more than about 30 seconds for an elevator.

Crystal, Thrifty has a desk in the lobby. If you're not happy with Thrifty, Econo has an office at La Quinta, which is diagonnally across the street.

You only have to get up early for a chickee if you want one in the first row on the beach, or one on the upper level by the pool. I've always been able to get one on the lower pool level later in the morning, and at at time of day on the beach.

If you think of Costa Linda as having a "U" shape but with a squared off bottom, the elevators are located at each end of the bottom of the U. The washing machines and dryers are located on the second, third, fourth, and fifth floors in the middle of the bottom section of the U.

I can't answer your question about the spa, I haven't done that yet. I've heard good reports, but can't give first hand information. There are also a number of spas within easy walking distance (Bucuti, Manchebo, Aruba Beach Club, etc.), so if they don't have a treatment you want, you can check out the others.

I also can't answer your question about the excercise room. I'd much rather be outside in Aruba, and than working out inside.

Crystal, Sherry and Carol are your best friends right now - use them! Before our first stay at the CL I bled them dry of info, and we had our best trip yet. We're staying there again next year, and probably every other trip we take. You'll love it!

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Kevin, thanks for the information...I will suck them dry of all their information and use it for my own! <insert evil laugh here>


Restaurants--at or around CL....what do you recommend and what do they serve?

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~Crystal~
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let's see...

http://www.manchebo.com/steakhouse/

http://www.ledome-aruba.com/

http://www.visitaruba.com/turtlesnest/

that's the beginning of a nice list. also remember that there are many restaurants easily accessible by taxi or rental car within a short distance. go to our restaurant guide and start picking out places. cab rides are reasonable. rental cars are reasonable and so are many of the restaurants, lol.

Kath - Also a great outdoor restaurant at ABC which is right down the beach from CL. It's called the Tortega. It's right on the beach, open air with only a roof. Food is very good, prices are good and ambiance is fantastic. Nothing like sitting there, watching and listening to the ocean! Their menu is very diversified.

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excellent restaurant Elaine, Tortuga, right by the beach....

Crystal, another good, casual place at the end of the Costa Linda parking lot is Pizza Bob's. We really enjoy their pizza, and they also have good salads, burgers & fries, ribs, lasagna, etc.

If you like to walk, Chalet Suisse is about a 10-15 minute walk from Costa Linda.

http://www.chaletsuisse-aruba.com/

However, as everyone else has said, there are plenty of great restaurants that are a short cab or bus ride away.

shame on me for forgetting pizza bob's. i love that place. stopped in their twice to pig out.

Let's have dinner there when I'm on island... I'd like that a lot!!

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Thanks everyone for the suggestions, I am taking notes, so that we don't miss anything. My sister and her family are getting so excited!! I am always excited, because I know how wonderful it is. We will have a car the entire time, so a car ride will not be a problem. El Gaucho is on our list of places to eat, it is a staple for us when we are in Aruba....a tradition we won't miss!

Keep the suggestions coming!

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~Crystal~
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Are there hair dryers in the units at CL?

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~Crystal~
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sure are...they think of everything. also shampoo/conditioner and liquid soap in the shower and bathtub.

FYI on the washers and dryers at CL. They are 8 quarters each and you provide the soap and dryer sheets.

Your golfers can take a cab to the courses

Crystal, I don't know how many people are staying in the unit with you, but only the vanity in master bedroom has a hair dryer. If anyone is using the second bedroom, they'll need to bring their own. Also, the hair dryer in the master bedroom is not that powerful. I always take my own, because I need a powerful hair dryer.

Carol, we are staying in a 3 bedroom, will at least one of the other bathrooms have another hair dryer? I usually take my own too, but I was *trying* to pack lighter this time....lol! (I always over pack!) Maybe I will put that on my list of things for my sister to pack! And I will let our friends know to pack her own for their room...they are staying in one of the Cayena Suites.

Do they supply coffee and or filters?

Does CL have a concierge to help us with reservations?

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~Crystal~
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Crystal, sorry I can't help with the information on a 3-bedroom suite. You can e-mail the resort and ask them:

frontoffice@costalinda-aruba.com

or

reservations@costalinda-aruba.com

You can also try posting your question on the aruba-bb.com BB. I know there are some owners of 3-bedrooms at Costa Linda who post there.

They don't supply coffee or filters. Unless you need to have a specific coffee, must buy it at one of the grocery stores when you're there. You can also buy filters at the grocery store, but the packages are usually too big, so we just bring some with us.

There isn't a concierge. However, there is a Tour Desk. They will be able to help you with most arrangements, and you can call yourself for the ones where they can't help you.

Has anyone used their babysitting service? (Is it onsite or an outside company?) Or their children's camp? I would love to hear any experiences you have with either one. ONE MORE WEEK.....

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~Crystal~
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see me sat 10 am at the orientation meeting...i do babysitting myself and the tour desk has a list of reliable babysitters who we call when we need...

there's lot of activities for kids... for that u see Sandra, she is in charge of Kids activities.....

Mafalda - if not before then, we'll meet you next Sept! We won't be needing that babysitting service though...

Crystal - the 3 bdr's are HUGE. You'll never want to stay anywhere else! It's like flying first class, once you've done it you wonder how you'll ever go back to coach. Just wait until you see your suite, you'll know what I mean. I'm jealous!

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Mafalda, Wow! you do everything! I'm looking forward to meeting you next week!

Kevin, I am so excited to see it in person, I know the pictures usually don't do things justice...and the pictures are awesome! My sister and her family and another couple are going down with us as well...it is their first time to really anywhere outside of the U.S., so they are really in for a treat! I'm not sure who I am more excited for, them for their first time experience or us for getting back to paradise! One more week!

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~Crystal~
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