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07-29-2021 , 01:47 PM
Went last week and played at the Hilton strictly. They run a decent 2-5 NL game - mix of locals and a bunch of tourists. Place some ABC poker and there is no reason you can't make some good money.

One stupid rule I noticed was a must-move rule and you can't decline it. There was two full tables and table "A" was designated the "main table". If someone leaves from the main table, there is a mandatory move from table "B" to the main.
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07-29-2021 , 02:18 PM
Must move is very standard for a room that doesn't get high traffic of said game.
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07-29-2021 , 09:58 PM
I’d like to go here one day, what were the buyin limits and how much do they rake?
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10-03-2021 , 09:19 AM
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Originally Posted by anthai.lu
Has anyone played any poker recently in Aruba? Heading there in a few weeks and staying at the Hyatt so pretty central to all the major hotels.

Looks like the Hilton or Holiday inn is the place to be. May just stop by the Hilton and see if I can get the casino manager's number so he can text me if there is a game going on at night.
Holiday inn casino is gutted for renovations, so the only place at the resorts as of Oct 2021 is Hilton. 1 game running most nights, $2/5 buy in $200-$1000. Mostly aggressive locals thinking 1 pair or a draw is good enough to GII. You can easily overbet the pot in these scenarios and chip up fast. Dealers can pitch about 35-35 hands an hour on a good night.
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10-05-2021 , 04:58 AM
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Originally Posted by moxiepilot
Holiday inn casino is gutted for renovations, so the only place at the resorts as of Oct 2021 is Hilton. 1 game running most nights, $2/5 buy in $200-$1000. Mostly aggressive locals thinking 1 pair or a draw is good enough to GII. You can easily overbet the pot in these scenarios and chip up fast. Dealers can pitch about 35-35 hands an hour on a good night.
Thanks so much for the update! I was thinking about going to Aruba. What was the rake at the Hilton? Was there a pokerrate for the hotel? What time did the game normally run from? (9pm to 3am?)
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10-05-2021 , 06:15 AM
According to the website, they have lowered the rake in April. However, the have a jackpot running which means they are likely taking promotion rake. When I was there in 2019, the games ran from about 9 pm on. The website now says that the poker room is open from 3 pm to 9 pm. The casino itself is open from 1 pm to 11 pm for in house guests (10 pm for locals and non-guests. I can think of a lot better things to do in Aruba than to to sit in a poker room during those 6 hours.
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10-05-2021 , 06:37 AM
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Originally Posted by venice10
According to the website, they have lowered the rake in April. However, the have a jackpot running which means they are likely taking promotion rake. When I was there in 2019, the games ran from about 9 pm on. The website now says that the poker room is open from 3 pm to 9 pm. The casino itself is open from 1 pm to 11 pm for in house guests (10 pm for locals and non-guests. I can think of a lot better things to do in Aruba than to to sit in a poker room during those 6 hours.
3pm to 9pm??!! lol That's pretty ridiculous if that's actually the hours now haha When I was there in 2012/13 and played at the Holiday Inn and Radisson the games were great but what made things perfect was that they didn't start till 8-9pm and went till 2-3am. You could sleep in, spend the day at the beach, go for dinner and then play poker all night. Can someone confirm what the actual hours are at the Hilton? thanks
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10-20-2021 , 03:11 PM
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Originally Posted by venice10
According to the website, they have lowered the rake in April. However, the have a jackpot running which means they are likely taking promotion rake. When I was there in 2019, the games ran from about 9 pm on. The website now says that the poker room is open from 3 pm to 9 pm. The casino itself is open from 1 pm to 11 pm for in house guests (10 pm for locals and non-guests. I can think of a lot better things to do in Aruba than to to sit in a poker room during those 6 hours.
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Originally Posted by Iamthegreatest
3pm to 9pm??!! lol That's pretty ridiculous if that's actually the hours now haha When I was there in 2012/13 and played at the Holiday Inn and Radisson the games were great but what made things perfect was that they didn't start till 8-9pm and went till 2-3am. You could sleep in, spend the day at the beach, go for dinner and then play poker all night. Can someone confirm what the actual hours are at the Hilton? thanks
I believe the 9pm curfew at Hilton was when the COVID protocols were still in effect. When I went in July, the island had lifted most restrictions from casinos/restaurants/bars.

When I played at the Hilton, I played until about 2am. I spoke to some locals there and the game starts late...think 8-9pm but the 2-5 game is soft.
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10-21-2021 , 09:32 AM
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Originally Posted by anthai.lu
I believe the 9pm curfew at Hilton was when the COVID protocols were still in effect. When I went in July, the island had lifted most restrictions from casinos/restaurants/bars.

When I played at the Hilton, I played until about 2am. I spoke to some locals there and the game starts late...think 8-9pm but the 2-5 game is soft.
Thanks for the info! Much appreciated
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10-25-2021 , 10:06 PM
I can confirm.
The most decent room nowadays is the Hilton. But can change any moment on Aruba.
They only offer 2-5 NL and game starts around 8 PM. Be on time, because they mostly run only 1 table. When you are late, you need to wait to get a seat, unless there are enough players to open second table. Which in low season rarely happen.

Rake is much. 10% and an additional 4 dollar of each pot for some high hands.

So for example from a pot of 20 they take 6 dollar. 2 and 4.
So therefore play big pots as much aa possible. As mentioned ABC poker will get you money.

Around December (start high season) poker will get better.

Skip Orchid (RIU, other “poker” room), save yourself headaches.

And enjoy Aruba. Island has so much to offer!
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11-01-2021 , 03:06 AM
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Originally Posted by MrAloha
I can confirm.
The most decent room nowadays is the Hilton. But can change any moment on Aruba.
They only offer 2-5 NL and game starts around 8 PM. Be on time, because they mostly run only 1 table. When you are late, you need to wait to get a seat, unless there are enough players to open second table. Which in low season rarely happen.

Rake is much. 10% and an additional 4 dollar of each pot for some high hands.

So for example from a pot of 20 they take 6 dollar. 2 and 4.
So therefore play big pots as much aa possible. As mentioned ABC poker will get you money.

Around December (start high season) poker will get better.

Skip Orchid (RIU, other “poker” room), save yourself headaches.

And enjoy Aruba. Island has so much to offer!
hello, im going to Aruba next week for an event at orchid's casino..., why do you say skip orchid? bad games or what exactly ? ty
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11-01-2021 , 07:01 PM
Last time I played in Aruba was 2019 about 8 months before the covid shut down. The Orchid is a smaller casino and the poker room was always teetering to the table shutting down for lack of players. There were a couple of locals always playing as well as some off duty employees. None of them were particularly good. If you are unnerved by people speaking other than English, you could have some issues. Otherwise, everyone was friendly.

If there is a poker event going on, I'm sure it will be the busier of the two rooms. Otherwise, it will be hit or miss.
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02-13-2022 , 11:49 PM
Anybody been to Aruba lately? Holiday Inn back? If not where are the games? Going in a week, any info apppreciated.
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03-02-2022 , 12:08 PM
I played at the Orchid and Hilton this past week. They are still taking $14 out of an $80 pot. You can't make this stuff up.
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04-08-2022 , 12:12 AM
Holiday Inn does not exist anymore. Poker room is closed.
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11-17-2022 , 06:52 PM
Does anyone have any up to date information on Aruba poker?
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03-28-2023 , 03:30 PM
Just got back. Stumbled into Xanadu by the Holiday Inn. On Tuesday night. They had a 1-3 going. Said it started around 7:30, they closed at 2am.

They also had a 4-8 limit going whicb broke around 10pm

Next night 2-5 nl and 5-5plo

Thursday night i walked in and 3 tables 2-5nl, 1-3nl and pineapple (dont know stakes)

Friday night 4-8limit and 2-5. They said it got started around 2:30 and it broke at about1am.

Rake was 10%-10$ and promo. Promo was 5$ for pots>50$ but they used it for hourly table high hands, and 75$ to 1st 5 players to start a game.

I was staying by there so it was easy after getting back from dinner to go play for a few hours.

They said 2-5 goes regularly at the hilton, but i never went there.

Riu also has a room, but no games to my knowledge.

Healthy mix of regulars whom seemed pretty nice, not too grumpy, and tourists like me...

People that ran the room were nice and friendly.

Had a fun time, left Aruba with more cash than I went down there with having won 3 of 4 sessions.

Pick your spots....
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03-29-2023 , 12:32 AM
Not bad. Thanks for the info.
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07-21-2023 , 06:45 PM
Would love to hear recent reports of where the busiest / best poker rooms are in Aruba to play. I'll be there sometime late August and early September 2023 for my honeymoon. I'd be looking to play 2/5 or 5/10 and would splash in some PLO as well.

Also, side question: do people buy into the game with US currency or is it better (or possible) to buy into the game with local currency? I'm assuming we're paying a high rake, don't want to give the casino any more money than I have to, and am assuming their "exchange" won't be fair, but not sure what to expect with this. Would love tips from anyone.

Thanks all
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07-21-2023 , 10:09 PM
Congratulations on your upcoming marriage. I don't think that things have changed drastically since I was last there.

Aruba is not a poker mecca. There are 3 rooms. Generally each room will have at best a couple of tables going, mostly at low stakes. The games will start anywhere between 8 to 10 pm. In theory, locals are only allowed to go to a casino 8 days a month. While I didn't see any enforcement, I'm sure it caps what Aruba Poker can be. You're also going on the off season, which is going to reduce the number of players around.

Unless your new wife likes playing at a casino, my suggestion is to focus your attention on her, not spending time by yourself at the table. Poker will be around after your honeymoon.
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07-23-2023 , 08:26 PM
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Originally Posted by venice10
Congratulations on your upcoming marriage. I don't think that things have changed drastically since I was last there.

Aruba is not a poker mecca. There are 3 rooms. Generally each room will have at best a couple of tables going, mostly at low stakes. The games will start anywhere between 8 to 10 pm. In theory, locals are only allowed to go to a casino 8 days a month. While I didn't see any enforcement, I'm sure it caps what Aruba Poker can be. You're also going on the off season, which is going to reduce the number of players around.

Unless your new wife likes playing at a casino, my suggestion is to focus your attention on her, not spending time by yourself at the table. Poker will be around after your honeymoon.
Thank you, and thankfully I have a balanced outlook on life and poker these days, so the vast majority of our time will indeed be honeymoon activities as opposed to me frothing at the mouth for some poker action �� (this might not have been true a decade ago)

If anyone has suggestions about bringing us money and/or optimizing that aspect of it im all ears.
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07-24-2023 , 04:39 AM
IIRC it is one of the countries where you can play and pay everywhere using the mighty greenback. Lots of US influence around the island anyway. It will prolly be easier for you to avoid using the local currency altogether than finding a 5/10 game. Their notes are nice and colorful though, just get a small amount at an ATM or something, then you can avoid possibly being overcharged at some places. I could not say I experienced that though...
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08-30-2023 , 03:46 AM
I will coincidentally be in Aruba the week of the Caribbean Poker Series (at the Hilton), can anyone tell me what the action is like? How many runners the tournies get, what the cash games are like vs an average week. I'll be there with my wife so poker will be secondary, but I plan to dabble.
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