Riu Palace Aruba - All Inclusive

Customer Ratings & Reviews

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

9465 reviews

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  Aruba all inclusive? Don't think twice.

  Great experience. I've been to the Holiday Inn and the Riu is seriously the way to go. The best balance for what you want in an all inclusive resort. Room was always clean and stocked up. pool and patio was always cleaned. Food was great for a buffet. the best value. the staff were always friendly and happy. and the beach is beautiful. beach chairs and umbrellas are free.

  Jan 22, 2026
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  Beautiful Aruba

  Our first visit to Aruba. We chose this location for a couple of reasons, choices for dining, a spa and the beach. I will stay by saying that our room was very nice, the shower and bathroom in general was lovely. The balcony was clean and very nice. The bed and pillows were nice. I know this may sound crazy but I wish there had been a light blanket. With the air and fan I needed more at night. With that being said, I never asked for one and I had a travel one I used. Next, food. The bars and coffee counter are great. I lived Costa Caribe drinks and the rum punch down by the beach. The main dining room had many options, loads of seating and everyone was super helpful and attentive. I really enjoyed having a fresh passion fruit, the many bread options, I love the mango sorbet. There was a lot to choose from and I have no complaints. We also dined at Krystal (the steakhouse). My critique is not regarding the food or service per se. There is an app for the hotel and the restaurants are listed with menus. There is also a menu at the door. We had looked it over and kind of pre determined what we would like. When we arrived we were handed a menu with 4 or 5 options that had no description or detail. I was googling what things were. Nothing we had looked at on the app was on the menu (surf&turf, 8 oz filet). So we made our decisions. The food was good, my husband felt his dish was a little strange, like it didn’t quite fit cohesively. It was good but a bit off. Dessert was completely underwhelming. We ordered a fruit something with mango puree. It was literally a cup of diced fruit. The hotel is doing a great job of using reusable cups at the beach and pool, little stands to leave them when you finish. The hotel is clean and the grounds are very nice. My only other note is possibly just me: every time I walked into the lobby I thought it smelled odd. Maybe the cleaner used or something but, to me, it smells bad. One final note; there are some things that need to be explained better upon check in. Example; to turn on the lights you need to put your room key into the little box on the wall and click it down. I had to call the desk to ask about having no power. Perhaps noting that the gym is under construction and you can use the one in the adjacent property. It would be nice to know what activities are being held in the pool area daily, and also that if you take the elevator to L1 you are at the pool and restaurant level. Overall, this was a great stay. Once we figured things out it went smoothly and we totally enjoyed our stay!

  Jan 21, 2026
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  Just left the Riu

  Beautiful experience. I just left this resort and the staff, food, pool, ocean were great. I booked a jr suite with ocean view and balcony. We had to change our first room, 3rd floor of the main tower. It’s the only floor not renovated, and there is no balcony. From that room I understand the other reviews of a mildewy odor and dampness. We didn’t experience any of that outside of that one floor, which is going under renovation soon. The staff was very accommodating. Renovated rooms are very comfortable and clean. The whole resort- bathrooms, lobby, restaurants, elevator…spotless. Ocean is gorgeous, plenty of chairs. I’d highly recommend a stay here for the price. It was an overall amazing trip.

  Jan 14, 2026
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  My Favorite Place Ever

  I love RIU Aruba with my whole heart. We come back every single year because of the people who work there. They’re the nicest most fun people I have ever met. I can’t wait to come back next year and see everyone again. The rooms are always nice and clean and the pool is so much fun. Very nice place with even better people

  Jan 11, 2026
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  Not Recommended At All

  Our stay at Riu Palace Aruba from December 30 through January 5 was extremely disappointing and fell far short of the standards advertised and expected from a resort carrying the “Palace” pr "Riu" branding. We traveled as a group of six adults and booked three rooms, 517, 518, and 356. From the beginning, it was clear that the resort was not operating at full capacity, yet this was not communicated prior to arrival. Two out of the three specialty restaurants were closed for the duration of our stay. This drastically reduced dining variety and led to repetitive meals, long waits, and overcrowding at the limited options that remained open. For an all-inclusive resort, dining variety is a core part of the value proposition, and that value simply was not there. In addition, both the gym and spa were closed for renovations during our stay. These are not minor amenities. They are key features many guests factor into their booking decision, especially at this price point. Had this been disclosed clearly in advance, we would have chosen a different resort. Discovering this after arrival felt misleading and removed major elements of what we were paying for. Cleanliness was another consistent problem. Public restrooms were frequently dirty, common-area surfaces were poorly maintained, and overall housekeeping standards did not align with what is expected at a resort of this category. This was not a one-time issue or limited to a single area. It was noticeable throughout the property and persisted over multiple days. Bar service was particularly frustrating. Service was slow, inconsistent, and inattentive. The quality of the drinks was equally poor. Cocktails were routinely overwhelmed with alcohol while lacking any balance or flavor. Rather than feeling like properly crafted drinks, they tasted rushed and careless, which only added to the sense that guest experience was not a priority. We raised our concerns directly with Santana at the front desk and requested to speak with a manager. Despite multiple issues affecting multiple rooms, we were never given the opportunity to escalate the matter. The absence of any meaningful management engagement was unacceptable and left us feeling dismissed rather than heard. Between the closed specialty restaurants, unavailable gym and spa, ongoing cleanliness issues, poor bar service, and lack of management response, this stay did not come close to delivering a palace-level experience. Significant operational oversight and service improvements are clearly needed. I would strongly advise RIU management to investigate this property thoroughly, as the current guest experience does not align with the brand’s positioning or pricing. Based on our experience, I would not recommend this resort to anyone. If you are considering booking a trip here, my strong advice is to research extensively and select a different property. This resort does not deliver on its promises, and the likelihood of disappointment is high.

  Jan 11, 2026