Riu Palace Aruba All Inclusive

Our Experience at Riu Palace Aruba – May 26 to June 2, 2025 We booked our trip on January 29, and on March 3, received an advisory from Sunwing stating that the Riu Palace Aruba would undergo phased renovations from April 21 to December 21, 2025. We were not offered an opportunity to rebook or cancel despite the scale of the work described. Sunwing referred to it as a "renovation” but what we experienced was demolition. Email text below Please be advised of the following advisory: Notice from: Sunwing Vacations Please be advised that the Riu Palace Aruba (5*) will undergo renovations from April 21 to December 21, 2025. The hotel has decided to carry out the renovations in phases without closing the property, as outlined below: Phase 1: Block B Start Date: April 21, 2025 End Date: August 21, 2025 The Nautilus Poolside Restaurant will be temporarily closed during this phase. However, a BBQ station will be set up near the Pool Bar every day to continue offering poolside snacks. Additionally, the restaurant will be converted into a steakhouse for dinner. The same menu will also be available at one of the other specialty restaurants. Rooms in Block B will be renovated during this period. Phase 2: Block A Start Date: August 21, 2025 End Date: December 21, 2025 Rooms in Block A will be renovated during this phase. Rest assured, the hotel is committed to minimizing any inconvenience to guests and will take all necessary measures to ensure a pleasant stay. Any updates regarding the progress of the renovations and any affected areas or services will be provided. Renovation Impact We stayed during the renovation of Block B, located directly beside the pool (left-hand side when facing the beach). The noise was relentless: jackhammering, drilling, and full-scale demolition of the restaurant. The work started daily at 7:00 AM and continued until late afternoon, with no break on weekends or even during an Aruba holiday. The only reprieve was during the workers’ lunch. Dust levels were extreme. A fellow guest working in construction noted the air quality wouldn’t meet U.S. safety standards. By contrast, the Hilton next door was also under renovation but had taken much better measures—its site was fully covered to minimize disruption. Hotel & Room Experience Initial Room Issues: Upon arrival, we were assigned two rooms on the 4th floor that both had a strong mold odor. In one of the rooms (461), you could see the black mold on the grill of the AC vent. Having travelled before to Mexico and Dominican we never experienced this before. In both these rooms the bedsheets were also very damp. I went to Reception and advised that there is no way we will stay for 7 days in a room that could be detrimental to our health. They said that they are full at first and after insisting they provided an alternative of two rooms on the 8th floor, however the caveat was that the regular elevator is only reaching the 7th floor, and we will need to use the service elevator to get to the rooms. Heard that right in a RIU palace hotel using the dingy service elevator. Since the alternative was much worse, we were open to trying. So, we went to see how the rooms were, moldy smell was better however I did not feel comfortable to be travelling alone in the service elevator on my own. Both me and my mother love waking up early and going for breakfast or at the beach and we did not want to fear for our safety. To access the service elevator is behind a door that stays most of the time closed and the elevator takes a long time to come, I just did not have a comfortable feeling about doing this on my own early in the morning or later in the evening. Went back to reception and explained the situation and they once more said that the hotel is full and there was no other alternative. At this point it was getting late in the afternoon, after getting at the resort around 2:30 PM and we still had no decent room, and they had no alternative for us. I told the lady at reception that we are not sleeping in a moldy room for 7 days so we will sleep in the lobby instead if she cannot find an alternative for us. Other guests heard us talking and advised that their rooms smelled like mold and Clorox as well. After seeing that this was happening in the lobby someone from reception finally came to us and said we have two rooms on first floor they are newly renovated please go and see if they are okay. We are not first floor people but the day was going by we were hungry, tired and frustrated so we agreed to go see them and this time around the room was good, no mold no need to take the dingy service elevator. Please note all through the experience we did not ask for any upgrades we just wanted a room that did not smell moldy. ***Insist to change the room if it smells moldy, do not breath that in for your whole vacation. Newly Renovated Rooms: The newly renovated rooms were on the first floor I believe the numbers were 141 and 142. The room is basic but clean looking no funky smells, new décor, handheld shower and waterfall type, great pillows, great mattress no complaints. The room setup is weird, and the architect must have had a laugh – next to the double sinks there is a small area with a toilet and then the shower. If you want privacy there is a door that allows privacy for sitting on toilet and showering. However, to be able to close this door in between the open area and toilet, as the space left is so tight, you must step in the shower as the door opens towards the shower LOL. Not great if it is wet…wish I took a picture of this. If you want to have the sheets changed you must leave the plastic card provided on the bed, so maids know. We did not have the room cleaned every day as it was unnecessary. We had a bit of trouble figuring out how to switch to the handheld. TIP: the button next to it must be lifted before you turn the main handle up otherwise you are in waterfall mode all the time. The room had a small balcony facing the Hilton construction but seemed private enough. It faces also a public path between the hotels, but it is not an issue as it is far enough from the balcony. We experienced no issues with the room cards deactivating, I could see how this can be frustrating as from the room to reception it is quite the walk. Two issues with the room that can be remedied by the hotel with not much cost: • No Kleenex boxes near the beds, only one available in the bathroom stuck to the wall – we took it out and placed it by the bed – if I sneeze, I am not going to run in the bathroom to blow my nose • No towel hooks rack to dry the bath towels after usage- first hotel ever to not have one, though plenty of room in the bathroom – a whole empty wall next to the sinks where one can be placed – so cheap also, just a place to hang up the used towels so you can maybe re-use them – only spot where you could possible try to put them but only one – was the bar on the shower door – very little space and not the best way to dry them – hotel should really consider this as it would save the quantity of the towels they wash – people would reuse them if they had a place to hang them TIP: If your room smells moldy, insist on a change. Breathing that in for a week is not safe. Pool & Beach Pros: • Beautiful beach and water • Plenty of loungers • Excellent drink service – pool only – nothing at the beach Cons: • No restroom by the beach - the one near the now-demolished restaurant is gone. • The only accessible toilet is near the restaurants, quite a walk. Guests can use the Renova Spa restroom, but only if completely dry — something not well communicated. • To get a palapa (shade hut), you need to wake up early. Beach beds are stacked at night, and no staff attend in the morning – time for a workout The beach itself is public and safe—we left towels and personal items unattended without issue (no valuables, of course). But bear in mind that all beaches in Aruba are public and that between the pool bar and the beach there is a public walkway that goes in front of all the hotels. Safe to walk even at night and well lit – we walked to Barcelo and then went through it and we were in the middle of the nightlife restaurants, bars, vendors. Ignore the odd person offering to sell you weed… Dining Experience A La Carte Restaurants (Italian & Steakhouse): • Excellent food, highly recommend • Ossobuco and tagliatelle at the Italian were delicious • No reservations needed; first come, first served • Limoncello baba dessert was a standout Buffet: • Breakfast was solid, but lunch and dinner were bland and repetitive • Food rarely hot; mashed potatoes lumpy and cold • Pizza, pasta lacked flavor; stuck mostly to grilled meat and salads • No themed nights like at other RIUs • Brisket at carving station was a rare highlight Service Issues: • Inconsistent and indifferent service in the buffet; We were told that the staff’s attitude might be influenced by the expectation that guests don’t tip, so they don’t feel motivated to go the extra mile. • Our waitress regularly refilled my husband’s water but ignored me and my mother • Staff appeared unmotivated, often chatting amongst themselves; struggled at times to make eye contact • Management presence did not improve service — more focused on socializing than supervision Health Note: All of us experienced heartburn after buffet meals, despite eating different dishes. Bring Pepto or Antacids. Other Amenities Sports Bar: Basic snacks (pre-made sandwiches, nachos) Cappuccino Bar: Great coffee, friendly staff, tasty pastries Entertainment: The nightly shows are enthusiastic, though basic. The performers give it their all and it can be fun for sing-alongs. The live singer Raphaela is excellent, don’t miss her. Reception & Service Check-in: • Smooth and efficient – we were provided envelopes with room keys, towel cards, and the Wi-Fi password (nice touch) in a separate area as we came in • A printed hotel map would have been helpful—everything is geared to the RIU app Check-out: • Our flight was delayed (originally at 11 AM); some guests were not informed they could be given a ticket allowing them to continue using facilities after being removed their wristbands—we had to find out through word of mouth – and then requested them • One of our rooms came with an unrequested rollaway bed, which we repeatedly asked to have removed (twice in person at Reception, three times by phone). After five days, we gave up. When we brought it up at checkout, staff were completely unresponsive — no apology, no empathy – maybe some training needed on how to deal with valid complaints Final Thoughts Would we return? Absolutely not. We are longtime RIU chain fans, but this property fails to meet even a basic 4-star standard, let alone the “Palace” level. The mold, poor service, noisy construction, and subpar food made this a deeply disappointing experience, especially considering we paid nearly 3K per person. RIU corporate seriously needs to send in senior management for a surprise visit. What’s being presented to guests is simply unacceptable. Renovations should have either been properly disclosed with flexible options, or the property should have closed temporarily. Sadly, what was meant to be a long-awaited vacation became a frustrating week of dodging dust, battling mold, and enduring constant jackhammering. My mother still jokes about having PTSD from the noise—but it’s not really a joke. Final advice: DON’T GO. Book somewhere else.

We were a family group of 16. While the construction noise was somewhat irritating, and one elevator in our building was not working, we did enjoy our stay. The pool and the beach, and the food, were excellent.

Make sure you bring your Advil, pepto, and gas mask. The noise is horrible, food is mediocre at best, and there’s definitely mold and mildew in the rooms. You may want to bring your own security as well…huge fight broke out during our first day at the pool. Four of five people were arrested. Go somewhere else. First and absolute last time ever staying at a RIU. I’m so embarrassed I took my family there.

Stayed at RIU Palace Aruba for a wedding from June 24-29 and I’ve never been so disappointed in a hotel as I was when we arrived at RIU Palace Aruba. My husband and I stayed in a Junior Suite (partial ocean view) and it was very outdated. The bed was hard and none of the furniture looked like it had been updated since the hotel originally opened. Our room had 2 bathrooms which was nice and the showers had great water pressure. That was the only positive thing I can say about the room. By the last night we could no longer sleep in our bed -thankfully our room had a sleeper sofa, because the actual bedroom was damp the entire time. To the point that the floor felt like it was sweating and the bed felt like the sheets had been washed but never fully dried. The room smelt of mold and mildew and the housekeeping used very strong cleaning chemicals (which felt like it was meant to try and mask the moldy smell). The resort was also undergoing construction. Which seemed to take place ALL DAY LONG. The jackhammering would start around 8-830 every morning and went until the evening hours… INCLUDING DURING OUR FRIENDS WEEDING CEREMONY. It also was incredibly uncomfortable to look up from the pool and have construction onlookers watching those of us in the pool. Also, there wasn’t absolutely no notice or mention that there was any construction taking place at the resort during our stay. The food was mediocre at best. When we arrived (around 4pm) we learned that there wasn’t much open for food. After a long day of traveling, we all just wanted a snack. We were directed to the “Sports Bar” which was nothing more that gas station style food that clearly had been sitting out for hours. The buffet, while it had a ton of options, was just “fine”. Most of the food was like warm and generally pretty bland. Down at the pool there was daily burgers and hot dogs (never any variation) and it was again, just “fine”. After our second day there, our large group of 25-30 people decided we could no longer eat or drink there anymore. Which brings me to my next point. The alcohol was the worst, bottom of the barrel, no name, watered down swill I’ve ever drank. Being an “all-inclusive resort” I figured it wouldn’t be top tier alcohol, but I didn’t expect to get stomach rot from my first drink. The location is about the only truly good thing I can say. Being an ocean front resort, the view was beautiful. The palapas provide great shade and the swimming area was netted off and the water was always the perfect temperature. However walking down the beach and looking at the other hotels, we quickly realized how subpar our resort really was. I would never stay here again. And for the money we spent to stay at RIU Palace Aruba was A LOT, only to end up eating off property the last few days so we could enjoy good food and drinks, only added to our overall trip expense. I urge you to save your money and stay elsewhere. I would have preferred to budget for food and drinks than stay at an “all inclusive resort” such as this one. Bottom line: DO NOT STAY!

We stayed at the Riu Palace the end of June and the conditions were disgusting. The pool is run down and needs to be redone. The alcohol they serve tastes like they made it in a bathtub in one of the rooms. One of the towers in under a complete renovation and the construction workers sit there watching everyone in the pool all day. To drown out the noise from the construction they turn the music up as loud as it can go at the pool. The food was absolutely horrible after two days our group decided we could no longer eat or drink what was provided at this ALL INCLUSIVE resort. A resort that you pay above and beyond to stay in the middle of a construction site. We were there for a wedding and when it came time for the ceremony that evening the construction ramped up through the bride and grooms vows. The room we stayed in smelled of mold and mildew. As the week went on I asked others in our group if they too had this issue and all said yes. In all there were about 25-50 of us staying there in different areas of the resort. No one was pleased with the conditions to say the least. Everyone complained of stomach issues from the food or the bad alcohol. Waking up at 8 on a Saturday to a jackhammer pounding away was a vacation memory I won't soon forget. As the week went on our room became increasingly damp. The floor in our bedroom almost seemed to sweat and even the bed and the pillows felt like someone sprayed it with a hose. The location is great the beach was nice but with some of the other resorts in that area seemed to be a much better value. Even if they were not all inclusive. We walked through the Holiday Inn and it looked like the Ritz compared to this place. If they are renovating this resort maybe shut it down until the renovations are complete. My recommendation don't stay here. I have no idea how anyone would give this place a good review. It's overpriced underwhelming and outdated.