La Casa in Aruba.

[Scdalak]

Heading to Aruba for vaction in March, never been. I know they have a La Casa there curious to know if any have been? Would like an idea of the prices selection etc. Its a pretty popular Island for Holiday so I am assuming some have visted. Knowing what a tourist location it is, I am confident the prices will rival that of Canada.

I have friends who brought me back Cigars (Not from the La Casa) an although I thanked them gratefully, I didnt have the heart to tell them they were Fakes... (As is the case with most Cubans bought in Carribean Islands)

There is also another outlet called Cigar Emporium on the Island that sell Habanos, Most reviews seem legit, I need to check with Habanos to confirm this.

[kevinfj]

I have been there several times. Nice little store. Not much room. Nowhere to smoke there and no bar. The staff is friendly and nice. The prices there are.......no surprise.......expensive. The selection is ok. They have a few rare cigars there. Worth going to because the carribean is full of fakes.

Good Luck

FJ

[Scdalak]

From one Mass-hole to another... Thanks!!!

[kevinfj]

There is an older woman who works there named Nellie who is really nice. She makes me laugh. I bough her a Robaina Unico and she was very thankful. She reminded me of my grandmother........funny.

FJ

[jerseyjay]

There are three places that I'm aware of.

LCDH - located in Royal Plaza Mall. Tiny place with very little room. I don't recall if they had a seating area or not but honestly, who wants to sit in the store if you can enjoy your fine cigar on the beach ! Prices ... high as one would expect. Prices from 2010 when I visited Aruba.

- Partagas D No.4 - $15

- Monte Open Regata - $13.50

- HdM Epi No.2 - $15

- RyJ No.1 - $9.50

Cigar Emporium - located in the Renaissance hotel. I don't recall prices but they did have plenty of room to sit / drink coffee.

http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/02/35/7b/25/cigar-emporium-aruba.jpg

The Humidor - located across from Occidental Hotel. I did not check that one.

[Scdalak]

Thanks Jay, I need to determine if the Cigar Emporium is legit...

[mkirk76]

Thanks Jay, I need to determine if the Cigar Emporium is legit...

Cigar Enporium and LCDH are under the same management.

[jerseyjay]

Thanks Jay, I need to determine if the Cigar Emporium is legit...

Yes, it is. Obviously keep an eye !

[rfenst]

I don't even know how many times i have been to Aruba. and, I have been to the LCDH many times. The prices were decent for LCDH and I would strongly suspect v. Canadian prices. but, the old, dark haired lady who ran the front of the shop is a *****. She is nasty and rude, unlike just about every single Aruban i have ever had contact with.

Cigar Emporium is down the street a few hundred yards in a different shopping center. The women who work in the front were very polite and welcoming. It got to the point where the would see my kids and recognize them before I would even strip in to the shop. Singles prices were better than LCDH by 10-15%, making doing business with CE a no-brain-er. besides, the same person owns both! And, the business end of things for both is run out of CE.

there is a tourist crap shop in the same little shopping center as LCDH, but their larger format cigars were suspect and their smaller,inexpensive format cigars appeared real. CE confirmed to me they wholesaled small format cigars to that shop.

Down by hotel-row there was a little shack called Benlo. It's cigars were real and came from CE. It is a good placde to grab a ouple singles here in there- such as the night of the day you arrive. Benlo used to run newspaper adds giving a free cigar witha $20 purchase. Find one!

anyhow, Aruba is our favorite "Caribean" island and i used to go at least twice if not thre or four times per year, without hesitation. but, our financial situation is no longer the same and expensive vacations are not part of things anymore for now. Have a great time!!!

(I still prefer doing business here.)

[Scdalak]

. but, the old, dark haired lady who ran the front of the shop is a *****. She is nasty and rude, unlike just about every single Aruban i have ever had contact with.

Well said, thanks for the heads up all. Will definitley be spending some serious time at both establishments, hopefully the ***** is long gone....

[TMS36]

Funny I saw this, as I just returned from Aruba yesterday. The LCDH has a very limited selection and no real place to smoke. I prefer to smoke on my balcony as the view is much nicer

The CE shop is a little bigger as mentioned, but same cruddy inventory. The oldest box I saw at the LCDH was 09 Hoyo Churchills, quoted at ~$400 US. Most of the singles looked awful and had cracked feet. I've been going to Aruba for almost 10 years now and always bring my own stash. Please feel free to PM if you have questions about the island.

[Scdalak]

Funny I saw this, as I just returned from Aruba yesterday. The LCDH has a very limited selection and no real place to smoke. I prefer to smoke on my balcony as the view is much nicer

The CE shop is a little bigger as mentioned, but same cruddy inventory. The oldest box I saw at the LCDH was 09 Hoyo Churchills, quoted at ~$400 US. Most of the singles looked awful and had cracked feet. I've been going to Aruba for almost 10 years now and always bring my own stash. Please feel free to PM if you have questions about the island.

Thanks, PM sent...