Crystal Beach Villa, Aruba Malmok-Arashi :on the Beach

• Great Location!

  Great Location!

  • Guest rumchella (Kansas City)
  • Date of stay 01/01/10
  • Review Submitted 01/12/10
  The crystal beach villa is a spacious place that would be well suited for a family or several couples with kids. There is a lot of room to spread out yet you still feel like you have your own privacy. The kitchen is large and ideal for making large meals in and gathering around the table which seats 8 or eating out on the patio. The patio is wonderful and fully equipped with a variety of seating and BBQ grill. There is plenty of food stores in Aruba in fact there's one right after another. The prices are fair considering it's an island. If you plan to stay at the Crystal Beach Villa you will need a car rental. The house is in a High End residential neighborhood not a commercial area with resorts and stores. We used the car rental that Viola recommended the price was good and below most other rental places. The car ran good but was not too spiffy to look at. Upon arrival it was pointed out by the owner Viola, in the owners manual to not use the jacuzzi tubs that are provided in two of the bathrooms because the price of water is very expensive in Aruba. This might be a let down to anyone that likes to soak in a jacuzzi tub. It was also written that tenants that use excessive air conditioning and other utilities will be charged extra. These instructions may be perceived as frugal and different from the care free less controlling ways of let's say a resort or hotel. I chalked it up to part of the eccentricities of renting a space out of someone's home verses a commercial space. We made sure to turn the AC off when we were gone during the day. The location is ideal because it is right across the street from one of the best beaches in Aruba. This however is not a secret because tour busses and boats frequent this beach on a daily basis. The snorkeling is wonderful and there really is room for everybody out there. Water slippers is advisable, there are rocks and little stickers that get into your feet. All things considered you win back what you have lost in petty inconveniences. Why- because of the non commercial location right there by the best beach and the roomy clean appointed spaces of the villa and lastly and perhaps the best is the peaceful patio where one can relax, break bread, have a drink with friends and watch the sun set into the ocean.

  Recommended for: Romantic getaway, sightseeing, girls getaway, families with young children, families with teenagers, adventure seekers.

  Owner response: Thank you for the review, I would like the guests know, we are not offering in our listing a jacuzzi. Also we are not to frugal, but wasting will be a problem for our good prices.

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• Location, views, comfort and character

  Location, views, comfort and character

  • Guest Rhonda M. (Austin)
  • Date of stay 12/07/13
  • Review Submitted 12/16/13
  Our stay here was fabulous- start to finish. It was our first trip to Aruba, so we had no idea whether we'd chosen a good location or not. As it turned out, this was the perfect place for us. The short distance to the hotel district and the peace and tranquility of our beach front neighborhood were ideal. And the home - oh, it is truly a villa! The stately architecture and wonderful views just cannot be beat. The open air design of the home allows for constant breezes and maximum enjoyment of indoor / outdoor living. By day we admired the ocean view, and at night we drank in the moon and stars. The house is not in the hotel district, but is less than 10 minutes away. You have easy access to all the fun, but you can retreat to the beauty and peace of the villa at any time. We thought that Arashi beach, just steps from the house, was the best on the island. The kitchen is well stocked, and all four bedrooms are lovely and air conditioned. Everything you need is provided, right down to a cooler to take to the beach. All three bathrooms have been recently and tastefully updated. There is a television in every bedroom, but we never turned them on. The island is so lovely, and the outdoor terrace just consumed all our time and attention when we were home. It seemed a shame to even go inside to sleep! But we slept so well. We slept with the windows open for the breeze some nights and used the AC other nights. I was comfortable both ways, but have to say that hearing the ocean waves while enjoying a perfect and constant breeze was just wonderful. We never had a mosquito. The house is perfectly designed for the climate. Viola, the owner, is readily available to answer questions, and very helpful. She's just as kind as can be. She made us feel welcome and right at home. We had easy off street parking and loads of information about the island to get ourselves oriented. It took no time at all to settle in and get our island adventure going. The home has the easy grace of a beach villa- it's not over the top in decoration. It wins you over with easy comfort rather than fussy decor. We could not have been happier. Everything about our stay here was wonderful and we are so grateful to Viola for opening her villa to us. We will be back!

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• Amazing!

  Amazing!

  • Guest Stacey J. (Houston, Texas)
  • Date of stay 09/09/13
  • Review Submitted 09/18/13
  If you READ, you will know EXACTLY what you are in for. Those who were disappointed did not read. This property was AWESOME! It is exactly as pictured. This is Viola's, her husband's and son's home. She has it sectioned off into quadrants all of which are on different levels of the house. We rented the top floor with 4 bedrooms and 3 baths, an indoor kitchen with breakfast area and outdoor terrace. Everything was nice, neat, clean and orderly. Though we hardly knew she was there, Viola was gracious, and helped with anything we needed. There were 7 adults and there was PLENTY of room for everyone, we did not even hear one another at all (excepting the two bedrooms that are back to back and light sleepers may hear snoring from the next room, LOL). We never heard anyone from the other quadrants either. All of the bedrooms are air conditioned, the terrace (obviously) is not and it is customary to turn the air off during non sleeping hours. Aruba is HOT, STICKY and WINDY, so plan accordingly. The beach is literally across the street. It was the best snorkeling we experienced on the island and 3 of our group are very experienced divers. Unless you plan to stay at the house, you need to rent a car (Royal gave us a great deal and we rented 2 for our party). This house is on the North end of the island and if you plan on seeing the wonders of Aruba, you will need a car. The area of town this house is in, is VERY nice! The "Polis" (police) frequented this area a lot (and even pulled over just to ask us if everything was okay since we were on the beach at night). We felt very same and comfortable. I travel extensively and I would definitely rent from Viola again! Enjoy!!

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• Fantastic Family Vacation in Aruba

  Fantastic Family Vacation in Aruba

  • Guest Deborah F.
  • Date of stay 02/02/13
  • Review Submitted 02/13/13
  We stayed at the Crystal Beach Villa and had a very memorable experience! Upon booking I had the feeling that it was "too good to be true" and we all know how that statement ends... BUT! The pictures and the description (and other's reviews) are all accurate! The place was AMAZING! The villa has a wonderful, open concept and feel, and is quite spacious! Nine of us found it to be extremely comfortable. We were all able to come together for meals and socializing, and yet, if we wanted some quite time away from the group, there were many options. The snorkeling beach across the street offers the best snorkeling on the island and has lots of boat activity which is fun to watch. And, another beautiful, sandy beach is only minutes down the road. I would highly recommend this villa. And Viola is great.

  Owner response: THANK YOU VERY VERY MUCH ! Vi

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• Loved It!

  Loved It!

  • Guest Lesley S.
  • Date of stay 11/01/12
  • Review Submitted 11/09/12
  (We actually arrived on Oct 29th, but the system wouldn't let me go back to select an Oct date!) I had had my eye on this Villa for a couple of years and was thrilled that we had the chance to stay there this year. The location was perfect, the space was awesome...just as pictured. We were two couples, so had plenty of room, the master bedrooms were spacious with plenty of closets and drawers to unpack and get comfortable! The kitchen was huge and had pretty much everything we needed. (Another roll of paper towels would have been helpful, but other than that, in terms of dishes, silverware, appliances, etc., no problem!) The terrace is AMAZING. Huge, with sitting, dining, and lounging space. There is even a little addition that was added that is not shown in the pictures. It was great, and we spent a lot of time out there in the evenings. During the day, it was pretty hot, but hey, it's Aruba!! Proximity to the snorkeling beach across the street, Arashi, a short walk away, and the beautiful Boca Catalina in the other direction was just perfect! There were a couple of times I missed having a pool at the end of the day to come back to, but honestly, you spend most of you time on the beaches, which are right there...a pool is not really needed. And you can always make friends with the next door neighbors who have the best pool on the island!! I was a little disappointed that we had to pay extra to rent beach chairs for the week; I felt the posting stated they were included and available (as are the beach towels and coolers, listed in the same place!), but we did pay $20 each to rent a chair and they were nice Tommy Bahama beach chairs. And for another $15, we got our own snorkel sets to have for the week as well. And we used them every single day! Viola was always available if we needed anything, but other than that, even though she lives right downstairs, we barely knew she was there. She was very accomodating. It is a 4-bedroom villa, but be aware that two of the bedrooms are smaller and have small twin beds. If we had traveled with three other couples rather than just one, I would not have been happy to be one of the couples in one of those smaller bedroom, but for two families with kids, and for us, just two couples, it was really perfect. Bathrooms were very nice, very large and had fantastic water pressure, which surprised me. All in all, a fantastic week, we were very happy in th Villa, and will definitely return!

  Owner response: Thank you! Your friends will come in summer too, nice. About the chairs, the chairs are actually something what is not easy to do, Aruba is expensive Island and sun, salt breaks all, beach chairs supposed to be not heavy(alu) but strong, even I buy the best, if I get some here at all, 2- 3 month is maximum we can use it mostly, by 14 peace free maintenance who >>; I am happy the guest got minimum the chance to rent plastic lounge chairs on the Boca Catalina and Arashi beach, but of course we will still try to have some here for our guest for that $20 week/chair price. Snorkeling equipment is $ 15/week, you can rent on the fishermans beach too, for $ 10 for one day = that's business. I love to make my guest happy so much how possible, happy smiling guest! Vi

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• A Little Bit Of Heaven

  A Little Bit Of Heaven

  • Guest DC (Massachusetts, USA)
  • Date of stay 02/18/12
  • Review Submitted 06/20/12
  We rented the four bedroom villa.Have rented this property two times. We had four adult couples and were very comfortable. Location is great. A short walk to a beautiful beach for swimming or another for snorkeling across the street. The pictures can't do this property justice. The outside patio was our favorite area. There was an area for dining, a sitting area for reading and relaxing, and our favorite evening activity - laying on the lounge chairs and star gazing. Viola was a great hostess. Always available for questions and advice. Will always return to Villa Viola if it is available. Would highly recommend this property.

  Recommended for: Girls getaway, age 55+, families with teenagers, adventure seekers.

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1

• Great Place, Great Time, Great Owner

  Great Place, Great Time, Great Owner

  • Guest paco v.
  • Date of stay 02/25/12
  • Review Submitted 03/05/12
  We just got back from spending a week at Violas Villa - The Villa is across the road from the main snorkeling spot for the Island so you don't need to pay for an excursion - just rent the gear from Viola and stroll over - very reasonable and a lot fish to see. Property was clean, maintained with a great balcony area where we spent a lot of time- 10 minute drive to High Rise Hotel Area (Shopping and Bars). Buy your beer at the Super Foods Store - We recommend Deep Sea Fishing with Hatts Off Charter - The Flying Fish Bone Restaurant on the south of the island (Good Service) - The Sunset Grill at the Radison (Great Service) - Most of the other resturants we visited had terrible service (wont name them) so be prepared. Be aware of the ATV excursion company, lousy equipment, bus and office personnel. Visit the Radison Casino - go to the Craps table and tell them "Paco says Hi" - They will take care of you if you give them a little toke now and then. BE AWARE of the airport when leaving - the lines are EXTREMELY long if you leave on a Saturday - plan on spending at least 4 hours checking in and going through customs and security - We recommend this Villa but not the airport.

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• Great view

  Great view

  • Guest Cheryl B. (Dover, PA, USA)
  • Date of stay 01/15/12
  • Review Submitted 02/14/12
  This villa has a fantastic view of the Caribbean. Our group consisted of 7 grown adults and there was ample room at the villa. We spent most of our time on the deck which provides the best view. The villa is just across the road from the best snorkeling beach in Aruba. This is a known fact because all the snorkeling tour pirate boats and catamarans came here twice a day as did a tour bus every morning yet it was never crowded. Viola was very accomodating and was very helpful. We found the villa to be very clean. I would highly recommend this villa rental to anyone. It is much better than staying at a hotel. Hopefully, we will be able to return next year for another enjoyable week at this villa. Thank you Viola for a great week in Aruba!

  Owner response: Thank you very much, more Aruba vacation NEXT YEAR you are all welcome in our house! V

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• Wonderful Vacation Villa

  Wonderful Vacation Villa

  • Guest adam l.
  • Date of stay 01/28/12
  • Review Submitted 02/07/12
  My wife and I would recommend this vacation villa to anyone looking for the perfect island experience. The villa was spacious, clean, convenient to the beach and the view was spectacular. The best on the island. You can enjoy the sunset from your bedroom, kitchen, or best of all the magnificent terrace which is fully equipped with tables, chairs, grill and lounge chairs. Vacationing at Crystal Villa is like having all the comforts of home while on a beautiful island. It is perfect. Anything you need you only have to ask the owners and they will be happy to help you. We will vacation here many more times in the future......Thank you so much Viola and family for the wonderful vacation!!!!

  Owner response: Thank you very much for the review. I am happy that you and your wife had such a good experience for your anniversary trip to Aruba. We look forward to seeing you again soon! Viola

  Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0

• Crystal Beach Villa top, Lage top, Einrichtung top

  Crystal Beach Villa top, Lage top, Einrichtung top

  • Guest Ulrich H.
  • Date of stay 10/20/12
  • Review Submitted 02/03/13
  Die Wohnung im OG der Villa ist großzügig eingerichtet und bietet Platz für bis zu 8 Personen. Küche komplett eingerichtet. Die Sonnenterrasse ist großartig, Blick auf den Strand und das Meer. Nach links hinunter sind es nur einige Schritte über die Straße zu einem kleinen Felsstrand - sehr gut zum Schnorcheln, Wasserschildkröten - und daneben ein kleiner Sandstrand. Nach rechts in etwa 200m Entfernung der breite Malmok Beach, zum Schwimmen gut geeignet. Ein Mietwagen ist unbedingt zu empfehlen, um die Insel zu erkunden. Viola, die Vermieterin, kann zu allem gute Tipps geben (auch auf deutsch und hilft auch bei kleine Blessuren. Obwohl wir unglücklicherweise die ersten Tage Regenwetter hatten, war es ein rundum schöner Urlaub. Der Preis ist nicht günstig, die Ferienwohnung jedoch allemal die Miete wert, Violas freundliche Betreuung unbezahlbar. Wenn wir nochmal nach Aruba kommen sollten, dann wieder Crystal Beach Villa. Auf diesem Wege, liebe Viola, vielen Dank für eine schöne Woche Aruba.

  Owner response: Vielen dank fur die Review, wir werden uns naturlich sehr freuen sie bei uns wieder zu begrussen zu konnen. Ich weis, Aruba ist nicht billig aber gerade unser Preis ist in diese Location der niedrichte. Wir versuchen unser Haus immer wieder zu verbessern und sind glucklich wenn wir auch gluckliche gaste haben. Danke schon Vi + M + M

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Fees:

• Taxes Not included