"We enjoyed our stay at JOIA Aruba. The resort was beautiful, clean, and relaxing. We appreciated the room upgrade to a pool-view room, early check-in, and the friendly staff.
Our main issue was communication. We were not informed at check-in that certain pool areas were reserved for members only. We spent time there on our first day and were told the next day that we could not use that area. We understand some information may have been covered during the welcome presentation, which we chose not to attend after a long travel day, but important information like pool access should be communicated separately.
The advertised "$600 VIP hotel credit" through Expedia was also confusing. It turned out to be discounts tied to minimum spending requirements, such as $25 off a $250 purchase, rather than a straightforward hotel credit. The concierge was initially unfamiliar with the benefit, which added to the confusion.
We were also disappointed that the pool bar was still under construction and that this was not communicated before arrival. Overall, we enjoyed the property, but clearer communication about amenities, member-only areas, and promotional benefits would have made the experience much better."