Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort
Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort is genuinely one of a kind in the Caribbean: a downtown Oranjestad hotel whose beach is a 40-acre private island with free-roaming flamingos. The flamingo-beach photos are some of the most recognizable resort images anywhere, and having a flamingo stroll past your lounger is as memorable as it looks. Travelers who come for this are rarely disappointed by the island itself.
Traveler Insights
Pros
- +Renaissance Island is one of the most distinctive resort features in the Caribbean: a 40-acre private island where flamingos wander among the sunbathers
- +The water taxi to the island is complimentary and reserved for resort guests, an experience you cannot buy anywhere else in Aruba
- +Two beaches on the island split the crowd neatly: adults-only Flamingo Beach, where the flamingos live, and family-friendly Iguana Beach with a nature trail and daily iguana feedings
- +Two ways to stay across 555 rooms and suites: the adults-only Renaissance Marina Hotel or the family Renaissance Ocean Suites, with one-bedroom suites, a man-made lagoon and the Patamingo Kids Club
- +Right on the Oranjestad waterfront, walkable to Renaissance Mall, museums, shops and restaurants, about a 10-minute drive from the airport
- +Marriott Bonvoy earning and redemption at a resort with a product no other Bonvoy hotel has
- +Real wellness options: Okeanos Spa with a mangrove-hidden Spa Cove for outdoor massages on the island, and REVIVE, a new 24/7 adults-only gym at the Ocean Suites
- +Dining runs from L.G. Smith's Steak & Chop House to Papagayo's wood-fired pizza on the island, plus Wind Creek's Crystal and Seaport casinos on site
Cons
- −This is not a traditional beach resort; the hotel sits in downtown Oranjestad, not on Palm Beach or Eagle Beach
- −Every beach day starts with a boat ride, so it is never a walk-out-the-door beach
- −Not all-inclusive by default; rates are room-only with meals paid as you go, and breakfast alone costs extra
- −The island fills up in peak season, and the exclusivity feels thinner when the loungers run out
- −City setting means traffic and street noise that Palm Beach strip resorts do not have
- −The resort is fully cashless, which catches out guests who planned to tip or pay in cash
- −The best island extras cost extra: private cabanas on Flamingo Beach and kayak rentals are paid add-ons
The framing that matters is that this is a city hotel with a private island reached by a complimentary water taxi, not a beachfront resort. The adults-only Renaissance Marina Hotel sits on the marina with its own pool and the FLUX poolside bar, while the Renaissance Ocean Suites has one-bedroom suites, a man-made lagoon steps from the pool and the Patamingo Kids Club with day and evening sessions. On the island, Flamingo Beach is for adults and Iguana Beach is for families, with Papagayo Bar & Grill and the Mangrove Beach Bar & Fish Shack serving lunch and drinks. Back on shore there are Solé's poolside and swim-up bar, L.G. Smith's steakhouse, the Aquarius seafood buffet, Fresco for Italian, Starbucks, the late-night Lounge, Okeanos Spa, the new REVIVE gym and two Wind Creek casinos.
This is the right pick for travelers who want the flamingo island and understand the urban format, Bonvoy members after an Aruba stay with a unique perk, and couples or families who like walking to Oranjestad's restaurants between beach days. Since meals are not included, compare your likely dining spend before booking, because Aruba's independent restaurant scene is strong. If you want to wake up and walk straight onto the sand, Palm Beach or Eagle Beach resorts suit you better.
Common Questions
How do you get to the private island and what is it like?
Is the resort all-inclusive?
Can non-guests visit Renaissance Island?
Where is the resort, and how does that change the trip?
Is Flamingo Beach adults-only, and what about kids?
Can you stay overnight on Renaissance Island?
Restaurants (6)
| Type | Restaurants |
|---|---|
| Italian | Fresco |
| Steakhouse | L.G. Smith's Steak & Chop House |
| Seafood | Aquarius, Mangrove Beach Bar & Fish Shack |
| Caribbean & local | Papagayo Bar & Grill |
| Pub | 5 o'Clock Somewhere Bar & Grill |
From the resort's own dining pages. Only restaurants the resort lists are shown.
What's nearby
Palm Beach11 min drive · 5.1 mi
Mangel Halto Beach14 min drive · 6.9 mi
Casibari Rock Formation9 min drive · 3.8 mi
Ayo Rock Formation13 min drive · 6.0 mi
Alto Vista Chapel13 min drive · 6.2 mi
Bushiribana Gold Mill Ruins20 min drive · 7.0 mi
More things to do (24)
- Eagle Beach · beach7 min drive · 3.0 mi
- Druif Beach · beach6 min drive · 2.1 mi
- Butterfly Farm · wildlife9 min drive · 4.3 mi
- Boca Catalina · beach14 min drive · 7.5 mi
- Arashi Beach · beach15 min drive · 7.9 mi
- Oranjestad · town4 min walk · 0.2 mi
- Fort Zoutman and Historical Museum · museum4 min walk · 0.2 mi
- Atlantis submarine dive · excursion9 min walk · 0.4 mi
- Renaissance Marina · marina6 min walk · 0.3 mi
- National Archaeological Museum Aruba · museum3 min drive · 0.7 mi
- Surfside Beach · beach4 min drive · 1.1 mi
- Divi Links · golf6 min drive · 2.7 mi
- Aruba Aloe Museum and Factory · museum7 min drive · 2.3 mi
- Hooiberg · viewpoint8 min drive · 3.5 mi
- Bubali Bird Sanctuary · wildlife10 min drive · 4.7 mi
- Sunset sail from Palm Beach · excursion11 min drive · 5.1 mi
- Catamaran snorkel trip to the Antilla shipwreck · excursion11 min drive · 4.8 mi
- Balashi Gold Mill Ruins · historic site12 min drive · 5.8 mi
- De Palm Island day trip · excursion12 min drive · 5.8 mi
- Hadicurari Beach · beach12 min drive · 5.8 mi
- Donkey Sanctuary Aruba · wildlife13 min drive · 6.4 mi
- Philip's Animal Garden · wildlife13 min drive · 5.7 mi
- Tierra del Sol Golf Course · golf13 min drive · 7.0 mi
- Malmok Beach · beach13 min drive · 7.3 mi
Amenities
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Style & Rooms
Atmosphere
Room upgrades
Seaweed & sargassum
Aruba gets sargassum, typically worst April through September, and almost entirely on the windward east coast.See the month-by-month guide →Google Reviews★ 4.5 · 5,304 reviews
“From the moment I arrived, the staff exceeded my expectations. They made our stay truly memorable with luxurious accommodations and attentive service. Highly recommend! I want to give a shout out to the following staff that made it an amazing stay....”
“We recently stayed at this hotel and overall had a very enjoyable experience, though there were a few hiccups along the way. One concerning incident occurred when someone attempted to open our room door without any prior warning. After no one follow...”
“Beautiful, well-maintained hotel with warm and welcoming staff. We stayed on the adults-only side, but the pool was under renovation, so we used the Ocean Suites pool and beach. The beach was amazing, service excellent, and food delicious. Drinks wer...”
