The Ritz Carlton Aruba - European Plan

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

3656 reviews

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  Paradise Found!

  I’ve never written a review for TripAdvisor before, but I had such a wonderful and memorable experience with my family at this property, I had to share. We were here only 2 days and wish we could stay more. It started with a very friendly and efficient service with Ray at the front desk. He noticed we were a family of four and without our requesting, he looked into getting a room with two beds, even though we initially reserved a room with 1 king bed and sofabed due to limited availability. He was even able to move us to a room with full ocean view instead of partial, and the view was spectacular! On the beach, Stefan (PM shift) and John (AM shift) took very good care of us by setting up our beach chairs and umbrella in the perfect location. But on the Ritz beach, any location is perfect. The lounge chairs are all cushioned and comfy. It was also easy to get a free paddle board and floating ring in the water. The fitness center has huge variety of equipment and weights. I’ve been to a lot of hotel gyms anroubd the world, and this one offered the most out of any so far! I was happily excited to see a battle rope! Finally, our best experience was in the club lounge. Sergio took great care of us by attending to all our questions and requests. I don’t think the word No is in his vocabulary. The staff is attentive to your every need, and Rose remembered all our names, especially our kids. Agnes and Rico also took great care of us. There were such wide variety of food and desserts offered from 7 AM until 10 PM that we rarely ventured out and were able to spend more quality time on the beautiful beach and grounds which were kept sp pristine. Sand was always swept away from walkways and lobbies coming in from the beach. Splurge for the extra luxury, anttention and service at this remarkable hotel!

  Dec 31, 2025
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  Fantastic

  Absolutely exceptional service and hospitality from everyone with special shout out to beach service (Ely and Eduardo)! The team was extraordinarily prompt, professional, and kind. We have stayed at numerous 5 star resorts around the world and this has been of the best experiences overall. We stayed just prior to Xmas with a large extended family and dined in all the restaurants on property. All were fantastic / delicious / accommodating. Recommend this property highly!

  Dec 24, 2025
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  Great experience!

  Great, clean, chill resort for whole family! We stopped at Bus Stop with Jose! Drinks were delicious! Highly recommend! Everyone was kind and lived up to the Ritz Carlton name! Good size rooms. We even requested a fridge which was great for us and kids. Room service dining was quick and helpful. Beach service was good as well! Beach is rocky going in water so beware. But calm and shallow. Very cold ocean water in December but hot sun helped.

  Dec 21, 2025
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  Great

  Great choice for breakfast after having time on the beach. Lots of choices. Great for families and couples .Priced pretty good and has so many great options.

  Dec 19, 2025
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  Too much money for inattentive front end staff that has mailed it in. Stay elsewhere.

  First of all, the two star review is based on past experiences at the Ritz...not apples to apples with a Fairfield. The front of the house staff was just not friendly at all. At other Ritz, they strive to learn your name. Here, you don't even get a good morning when you pass the clerk and you're the only two people in the lobby. My wife and I received a nice beach bag in honor of my Marriott status. The note was inscribed to the wrong guest. We went down to the front desk and told them that our feelings were not hurt at all at all, but we wanted to make sure that this other person got their bag. The front desk agent walked us over to the concierge. We reiterated that it wasn't a big deal to us. We're super laid back Midwesterners that look people in the eye and try to treat others with respect and empathy. She must've been embarrassed, because she became very rude. My wife asked her the best way to get to the beach during our stay (as it was our first day and first stay at the property). She pointed through the lobby, past the lobby bar, out of a side door, through a patio, and down a staircase way over to the side. Then she turned her attention away from us as if she was inconvenienced to answer the most frequently asked question at the property. First of all, that is, in no way, the simplest way to get to the beach. There is an elevator to the ground floor that let's you out right by the pool/beach area. The idea that you would trudge through the lobby in your bathing suit is preposterous. The staff at the beach were kind and very hard working. The hot tub was broken during our stay, but they fixed it. I can't tell you how many places I stay where the hot tub is permanently out of order while they claim to be "working on it." That was a very pleasant surprise. The weird part is that you cannot get a towel after 6 pm. WTH? The sun wasn't even down yet. What's the point in lighting up the pools and hot tub if you don't provide towels? They clearly did not want to encourage people to use them. Maybe for noise purposes? Also, one, averaged size hot tub is insufficient for a resort this size. We had eight people and it was uncomfortable/awkward. There were ample opportunities to increase engagement with the property. They could have hosted games in the outside bar like gin, trivia, etc. I understand that it's a Ritz, but you can connect travelers without partying. We spent less money at this resort than any we have ever stayed at because there was literally no reason to stay here other than sleep. The service and food at the BLT steakhouse was great! We really enjoyed it, and the jalapeno mashed potatoes were to die for. I would definitely not recommend this property. I am a Marriott Ambassador with a ton of points and was looking for a Ritz, St. Regis, etc in the Caribbean. While Aruba is nice enough, I would recommend trying a different island and definitely a different hotel. For perspective, I've traveled to all 50 states, dozens of countries, have over 100 hotel nights per year, eat out all the time, and this is the first review I've ever written. It was that ehh.

  Dec 18, 2025