Riu Palace Aruba - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

9349 reviews

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  Too Noisy, Food is Hit & Miss, Outdated, Construction

  My good friend and I had a week in Aruba recently. Our room had one king bed, and they pulled out a very uncomfortable sofa bed. It was so uncomfortable . We talked to the front desk, and they said they only had something available on the other side of the hall with a view of a construction site. We were forced to keep the assigned room and had a more comfortable cot brought in. The room really shows its lack of style or update with heavy, dark furniture. The room felt sad. The shower, however, was great. The noise barely stopped. Construction, music, loud adults, and children in the halls. Doors slamming all the time. They seem to turn the music up by the pool to mask the construction, but it just makes it all loud. The deck door has no soundproofing, and the door coming in is as bed with a huge gap at the floor level. The pool is lovely but needs some work. The beach is a much better option for less noise. It takes some time to find an umbrella to shade under, but the water is worth it. There are floats available as I found out the day before we left. Turn left onto the boardwalk to find it. I wanted to play pool in the bar, but signage means nothing even when it says 18 and over. 6 children playing both pool tables with parents sitting and playing on their phone. A security person should have cleared them out so I wouldn't have to mention this. There was an evening wedding with about 50 plus guests. It took place on the lawn 5 away and one below our room. Can anyone hear after that party? I had to put earphones on and still couldn't drown it out. We had a coffee maker, but no creamer of any kind. There were no tea options. I was told ice was on the 1st and 2nd floor. There isn't. The food was not the best. Japanese was too greasy. The steakhouse gave me an overcooked steak, not medium. We liked the Italian. We did the steakhouse on the last night, and it was improved. I'm not sure what causes the deserts to be so dense. Overworked? In the last 2 days, we went next door for meals (we are allowed buffet only at RIU Antilles) but spent some time in the casino. It's so much more up to date. The stores are nicer, too. Vacations are a mix of relaxation and activities and site eyeing. This hotel lacked relaxation. Much appreciation to the staff. From brawls at the pool to mention vomiting in the bar, you keep everything friendly and made us feel welcomed.

  Jul 03, 2025
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  Vacation

  Great resort, service and amenities.. food choices were plentiful. Front desk staff were polite, friendly and always helpful.

  Jul 01, 2025
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  Main downside…Construction

  Overall we enjoyed our stay at the Riu. Food in the buffet was great, no complaints! However the a la carte restaurants the menu pictures didn’t match the food presented, and the food wasn’t that in comparison to the buffet. The staff were very friendly all over the resort. Absolutely enjoyed interacting with them. The beach was BEAUTIFUL. Now granted Aruba’s water is beautiful so I mean, should I expect any less? No! Downside, during our stay they were doing construction on another building on the property (right beside the pool) and on the backside across from our balcony. We were not informed that one of the elevators was down which just happened to be the elevator that goes up to the 8th floor (our floor). Each day we went up to the 7th floor and then walked to the stairs and up to our room. I know that couldn’t be changed but a notice when we checked in, would have been nice to ease the shock when you arrive and have to line up for an elevator in a hot hallway after travelling. Our room was a little dated (furniture wise) but the bathroom was fairly updated. Oh and let me not forget the grounds are maintained so well, no bugs in our room or hallways. The resort was clean!!! Housekeeping was great as well. We truly enjoyed our stay, aside from the construction, and elevator situation!

  Jun 29, 2025
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  Old and run down!

  OLD, OLD, OLD!!! Hotel is a rip off! We are a family of 5 and they forced us to book 2 rooms (connecting double junior suite) when we could have fit 6 people in one room! One of the double sinks in one of the rooms was cracked and while one was running the other was backing up. The shower drain was filled with long black hair from the previous guests. The dresser draws were cracked, stuck and ancient looking! The garment iron was full of mold and the iron board cover was old, stained and ancient! There were ZERO activities for kids. No game room, movie room etc as we were stuck in our room for almost 2 days because of the rain. The pool needs a major upgrade. Tons of cracks and missing tiles every where! Let’s not forget about the endless noise of construction equipment all day long! The jackhammer was NON STOP! The staff were very nice and friendly. The food was good.

  Jun 22, 2025
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  Trip June 2025

  Trip with daughter for college grad Mon thru Fri Safe Clean Convenient Beach and pool beautiful Enjoyable

  Jun 22, 2025