Riu Palace Aruba - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

9433 reviews

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  Another Great Vacation at The RIU Palace Aruba

  My wife and our friend just spent an amazing week at the RIU Palace Aruba. This is the second stay for us at this resort this year and 3rd in Aruba in the past 12 months. Everything in our stay was perfect, no issues whatsoever. The food was perfect, the staff were kind and freindly, and the rooms were perfect as well. Yes there is construction in the main building however it had zero impact on our stay and the noise from the work was to a minimum. Obviously everyone has different standards and expectations but from our perspective we found zero issues to be concerned about. Just my opinion, ignore the negativity in some of the recent posts and dont let it scare you from experiencing and amazing resort and amazing island! Great job RIU Palace Aruba :)

  Oct 24, 2025
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  Totally SUCK. Would never go to RIU again

  The time we were they closed one bldg and opened a bldg that was just just revovated because they closed the main bldg. the elevators were not working right. There was no Air Condition. No hot water if there was water at all. The 7th floor had a foot of water when a main water line was broke. Water ran off down the elevator shaft. Everything about this bldg was wrong and nobody would take responsibility for its opening there is more but it brings back bad nightmares

  Oct 21, 2025
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  Excellent vacation

  We did our annual trip to the Riu Palace in late Sept. Our first rip this time of year as we usually go late November or early May. It was a bit humid so I bought some dehumidifier packs (Amazon) for the group and they were great in the room. We had a group of 7 and I had written ahead to ask if we could get on the same floor and they came through. We were in the older Building "C" and our rooms were great. This building was renovated a few years back now but still in good repair and we had no issues. The staff and food were excellent once again. The main building "A" was under repair so the hotel wasn't at capacity so the Buffett and pool & beach were not busy which I like. The noise from the construction was minimal. They redid the Sports bar and put it where the Nautilus used to be. I really like the set up there and the food and staff were excellent and very attentive. All in all another great trip to the Riu. Special thanks to Jefferson & Julia & Anna (who my wife & I met in our first trip in 2007.. Wow.. ) and all the others servers who've we've met through out our trips. Thanks again for another memorial trip.

  Oct 18, 2025
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  WORST VACATION AT RIU PALACE ARUBA

  This was the worst vacation we have ever had. It was the biggest disappointment. Such a waste of our time and money. We were not made aware by RIU or Sunwing of the construction taking place at this hotel. There is construction on the entire main building causing excessive noise and dust from early morning until late at night. I travel twice a year and have been to many resorts around the world and this has been by far the worst ever. In addition to the noise, there are restaurant closures, outdoor terrace is closed, the gym is closed, the main elevators are not working, the pool is falling apart, the food was average, and many of the staff were dismissive and downright rude. Complaints were ignored with zero accountability. They tried to cover up construction noise with loud music at the pool but this only made things worse. DO NOT GO THERE, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!

  Oct 17, 2025
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  A $1000-a-Night Disaster: RIU’s “5-Star” Resort Is a 2-Star Construction Site

  If you’re considering staying at this RIU resort, please don’t make the same mistake we did. My wife and I are experienced travelers — we’ve stayed everywhere from boutique hotels to true five-star resorts around the world — and I also happen to have worked in hotel marketing for years, including with the RIU brand themselves as a client about 15 years ago. I once respected this company. After our honeymoon stay here, I never will again. We booked directly through RIU’s own website, expecting a polished 4–5-star experience based on what we saw online and on Expedia. What we got instead was something closer to a run-down roadside motel that happens to serve buffet food. The property was under heavy construction during our stay — loud drilling, hammering, and machinery from early morning through evening — yet none of this was disclosed on RIU’s website or during booking. Inside our room, it was even worse: • No hot water for showers during our entire stay. • A moldy bathroom with an overpowering odor. • Cockroaches — I killed at least a dozen myself. • Dirty floors, dusty glassware, greasy pillows, and not even a proper duvet — just thin sheets. • Pool tiles falling apart, “hot” tubs that weren’t hot (and had no jets), and general neglect everywhere you looked. When we raised these issues onsite, we were met with polite shrugs and empty promises. No one could “do anything.” We were told to email management, which we did — three times — only to be directed later to the corporate complaints department. So, while trying to enjoy what was supposed to be our honeymoon, we spent our time chasing basic decency. In fact, we never even received a response until a week after we returned home. To RIU’s credit, the food was fine. But even there, the service was inconsistent. We were twice turned away from restaurants because of reservations made by others, despite being told no reservations were allowed or accepted. All told, we paid roughly $1,000 per night for an all-inclusive “luxury” stay, but this experience wasn’t worth even a tenth of that. For that same amount, we could have stayed in a real 5-star property nearby that wasn’t under construction, wasn’t infested with insects, and actually delivered on its promises. To add insult, RIU arranged a prepaid shuttle for us to the airport. But their shuttle could only drop us off five hours before our flight — too early and unreasonable. When we canceled the shuttle, they never issued a refund for that prepaid ride. After leaving, we gave RIU multiple chances to make this right. At first, they offered two free nights at another property (which, frankly, we would never risk staying at again). When we declined, they countered with $600 — far less than fair, but at least a gesture. After we respectfully explained that we believed more of a refund was reasonable, given our experiences and the fact that they had clearly been well aware of these problems prior to our arrival, they withdrew the offer entirely and refused to compensate us at all. That tells you everything you need to know about this company’s integrity. As people with decades of experience in marketing — including in the hospitality industry — we know the difference between damage control and honesty. RIU knowingly misled guests by hiding ongoing construction and charging full luxury rates for a property that, by any standard, should have been partially closed or deeply discounted. For certain, we shouldn’t have been placed in the same wing that was actively being constructed. If you’re looking for a true 4–5-star resort, look elsewhere. Until RIU starts treating guests with honesty and accountability, I’d strongly recommend avoiding their properties altogether. Bottom line: Save your money, your time, and your sanity. This was supposed to be our honeymoon — instead, it was a loud, dirty, cold-shower nightmare.

  Oct 16, 2025