Palm Beach●●●●#22 of 26 hotels in Palm - Eagle Beach

Hotel Riu Palace Aruba

★★★★☆4.0 out of 5 · 9,498 reviews

All inclusive

Casino

Swim-up bar

Kids' club

4★

Photo: © Management via TripAdvisor

About

Hotel Riu Palace Aruba sits on Palm Beach, right in the high-rise strip where most of the island's all-inclusive resorts cluster. It's a mid-pack option at #22 among 26 hotels in the area, which tells you it's not the top tier but it covers the basics. The location subrating is strong at 4.7 — you're steps from the beach and the Palm Beach restaurant strip — but sleep quality lags at 3.9, which tracks with what you'd expect from a large resort property where noise can be a factor. The all-inclusive setup means you're paying upfront for food and drinks, and at the $$$$ price level, it's positioning itself as premium within the Riu chain. Service scores decently at 4.2, and cleanliness is solid. The value rating sits at 3.9, so you're not getting a steal, but you are getting access to Palm Beach without hunting for dinner reservations. If you want the convenience of all-inclusive and don't need to be at the top-ranked property, it does what it says.

At a glance

Area: Palm Beach
Star rating: ★★★★☆
Typical nightly: $900
Beach access: direct
Kid-friendly: ●●●●○
Party score: ●●●○○
Walkability: ●●●●●
Rooms: 450
Casino: ✓
Swim-up: ✓
Kids' club: ✓
All inclusive: ✓
Vibe: beachfront
family
luxury
lively
walkable

Photos

Recent Pulse

What travelers are saying.

Steady

Low confidence

Travelers say the Riu Palace Aruba is undergoing heavy construction that dominates the experience—jackhammering from 7am until evening is inescapable, even at the beach. While the beach itself is stunning and staff are generally friendly, rooms show their age: many smell of mold or mildew, keys malfunction frequently, and housekeeping is inconsistent. The buffet food is decent with good variety, but specialty restaurants have long waits and limited menus. Drinks are weak and served in tiny cups. You must claim a palapa by 6am or earlier. Renovated rooms are cleaner but lack basics like towel racks. Service is hit-or-miss—some staff are warm and attentive, others indifferent. Most agree this is not a 5-star experience at a 5-star price, especially during the construction phase.

Standing out

Beach quality and location on Palm Beach strip
48 mentions
“Palm Beach is spotless with clear turquoise water and soft sand—walking distance to nightlife and restaurants”
Standout staff members remembered by name across visits
37 mentions
“Junior, Mimi, Susana, and Nelson greet repeat guests by name and solve problems quickly”
Buffet variety and freshness outperforms specialty restaurants
29 mentions
“Buffet is constantly replenished with hot omelettes, fresh passion fruit, and grilled meats”
Newly renovated rooms in Building A are clean and comfortable
22 mentions
“Renovated suites have updated bathrooms, waterfall showers, and firm comfortable mattresses”

Watch-outs

Construction noise from 7am daily with no advance disclosure
41 mentions
“Jackhammering continues nonstop from early morning through evening—even audible during the beach wedding ceremony”
Mold and mildew odor in older unrenovated rooms
33 mentions
“Room smelled like a porta-potty; black mold visible on AC vents and bedsheets felt damp”
Palapa race starts before 6am—many guests wake at 5am to claim beach shade
28 mentions
“Staff reserve palapas with towels at 6am; if you arrive at 7:30 all shade is gone”
Watered-down drinks in 4oz cups require constant bar trips
24 mentions
“Bartenders squirt water into mixed drinks—you need two at a time just for yourself”

Tips from travelers

Request a renovated room in Building A upfront and inspect for mold smell before unpacking
Reserve palapas by 6am if you need beach shade—bring a book and claim early
Eat at the buffet over specialty restaurants—fresher food and no 90-minute waits
Pack DampRid, Pepto Bismol, and earplugs for damp rooms and construction noise

Maybe skip if: Families with young children will find no kids' club programming, dangerous pool tiles, and entertainment geared to drinking adults—plus construction noise makes naps impossible.

Similar resorts

Palm Beach●●●●© Management via TripAdvisor

Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino

The Aruba Marriott sits on L.G. Smith Boulevard in Palm Beach, right where the high-rise strip meets the sand. It's a full-scale resort with a casino attached, so expect crowds, especially around the pool and lobby bars. The 4.7 cleanliness rating and 4.6 service score suggest the operation runs tight despite the size, and sleep quality holds at 4.5, which matters when you're paying top-tier rates. It ranks #20 out of 26 hotels in the Palm-Eagle Beach zone, so it's middle-of-the-pack for the area — the location and service scores pull it up, the value rating at 4.2 reflects what you're spending. If you want the Marriott reliability and don't mind resort-scale energy, it works. The beach access is the real asset here; Palm Beach is wide and swimmable, and you're walking distance to most of the strip's restaurants and bars.

Casino

Kids' club

Palm Beach●●●●© Management via TripAdvisor

Barcelo Aruba - All Inclusive

Barceló Aruba sits on Palm Beach, the high-rise hotel strip on the northwest coast, and it's fully all-inclusive — drinks, meals, non-motorized watersports, the works. The 4.7 location score tells you what you're paying for: direct beach access and walking distance to the casinos, shops, and other resorts that make Palm Beach the busiest stretch of sand on the island. It ranks #5 among Noord hotels with over 12,000 reviews, so you're looking at volume and consistency more than boutique charm. Service and cleanliness both land above 4.3, which matters when you're dealing with buffet lines and pool crowds. Sleep quality and rooms sit at 4.2 and 4.1 — solid but not exceptional. The value subrating is the lowest at 3.9, which tracks for a top-tier all-inclusive on prime real estate. If you want to park yourself on Palm Beach and not think about meal planning or bar tabs, this does the job. Just know you're trading some refinement for convenience and location.

All inclusive

Kids' club

Palm Beach●●●●© TripAdvisor contributor via TripAdvisor

Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort Spa and Casino

The Hyatt Regency sits on Palm Beach, right in the thick of the high-rise strip. It's earned back-to-back Travelers Choice awards and consistently ranks in the top half of Palm Beach properties — not leading the pack at #14, but comfortably above average with a 4.4 overall rating across more than 7,000 reviews. The location score is the real standout at 4.8, which tracks; you're steps from the beach and surrounded by restaurants and tour operators. The resort runs full-service — spa, casino, multiple pools — so it attracts families and couples who want options without leaving the property. Cleanliness scores high at 4.6, and service hovers at 4.5, suggesting the staff keeps things moving despite the volume. Sleep quality and room ratings sit at 4.4 and 4.3 respectively, which is solid if unremarkable at this price tier. Value scores lowest at 4.0, so expect to pay for the convenience and name. If you want Palm Beach proximity and don't need boutique intimacy, it does the job.

Casino

Kids' club

Torn between this and somewhere else? Settle it →

Restaurants nearby

Palm Beach

Gianni's Ristorante Italiano

Gianni's sits on the hotel strip in Palm Beach, an upscale Italian spot serving Neapolitan and Sicilian dishes. The #22 ranking among 155 Palm Beach restaurants puts it solidly mid-pack, and the ratings reflect that: 4.4 for food, 4.5 for atmosphere, 4.0 for value. It's a convenient walk from the high-rise hotels, takes reservations, and handles families without fuss. The upside is accessibility — if you're staying on Palm Beach and want Italian without getting in a car, it's there. The trade-off is that you're paying upper-mid pricing for food that doesn't always land as authentic. The atmosphere scores higher than the cooking, which tells you something about the experience. If you're traveling with kids who eat pasta and you need outdoor seating near your hotel, it works. If you're chasing the best Italian on the island or want your money to stretch further, you'll find stronger options in Savaneta or Eagle Beach.

Eagle Beach

Madame Janette

Madame Janette sits just inland from Eagle Beach on Cunucu Abao, and it's been a fixture in Aruba's upscale dining scene for years. The #33 ranking among Palm-Eagle Beach restaurants tells part of the story — the 4.5 food rating and 4.4 atmosphere score show it still has defenders, but the 4.1 value rating and volume of feedback suggest the experience doesn't always land. Travelers consistently mention two things: no air conditioning in a tropical climate, and bugs. The outdoor setting is part of the concept, but humidity and insects are real factors if you're sensitive to either. The international menu aims for special-occasion polish, and the restaurant handles large groups, which matters if you're planning a celebration dinner and need a guaranteed table. But standards have slipped enough that regulars now point to Passions On The Beach for romance on the sand or Barefoot for more consistent upscale cooking. Reservations required. Expect top-tier prices.

Eagle Beach

Passions On The Beach

Passions sits right on Eagle Beach, tables in the sand, waves at your feet. It's the #25 restaurant in Palm–Eagle Beach and holds a 2025 Travelers Choice, which tracks with the 4.9 atmosphere rating — sunset here is the main event. The kitchen does Caribbean, seafood, and international plates at the high end of the price range, and the 4.5 food score suggests they mostly deliver. Unlike The Flying Fishbone down the coast, Passions doesn't require reservations and welcomes kids, so it's looser and more forgiving if your timing shifts. Service scores well, value less so, which is expected when you're paying for the location. The trade-off is you're not getting Flying Fishbone's precision or exclusivity, but you also skip the booking stress and the adults-only rule. If you want toes-in-the-sand dining on Eagle Beach without the formality, this is the move. Arrive before sunset if the table matters.

Beaches nearby

Eagle Beach

Eagle Beach runs along the southwestern coast between the high-rise strip and the airport, and it's consistently ranked among the Caribbean's best beaches. The sand is white and wide, the water is calm and swimmable, and the iconic divi divi trees lean sideways from decades of trade winds — those same winds that earned it four Travelers Choice awards also mean you'll deal with blowing sand most afternoons. The #5 ranking among Palm-Eagle Beach attractions reflects what it does well: fewer crowds than Palm Beach, better sand than most hotel beaches, and enough space that you can claim a spot without stepping over tourists. It's popular with couples and wedding parties for a reason — the divi divis photograph beautifully and the vibe is quieter than the action up north. Snorkeling is unremarkable here; the marine life and visibility don't compete with Baby Beach or Malmok. If you're bringing small kids, the wind can turn a beach day into a sand-in-everything situation. Visit early if you want calmer conditions.

Palm Beach

Palm Beach runs along the high-rise hotel strip on the northwest coast, and the location is the whole selling point. You're steps from restaurants, bars, and nightlife — Bugaloé Pier alone has rentals, food, and drinks without leaving the sand. The beach ranks #7 among Palm–Eagle Beach attractions and pulls a Travelers Choice Best of the Best nod, so the crowds show up. That means limited towel space and a lively atmosphere that skews resort-entertainment rather than quiet escape. The tradeoff: water quality takes a hit from watersport boat traffic. Reviewers flag visible fuel and oil in the shallows, and the ocean floor can look murky. If snorkeling or pristine swimming matters, Baby Beach or Eagle Beach will serve you better. Palm Beach makes sense if you want convenience — walk off the sand to dinner, catch July 4th fireworks from the high-rises, or grab a cocktail without moving your car. The wind stays calmer here than on other parts of the island, which helps for floating but doesn't fix the boat residue.

Source: TripAdvisor · view on TripAdvisor →

Photos by individual contributors as credited above.

Review summaries are AI-paraphrased from public traveler reviews.