Hotel Riu Palace Aruba
Hotel Riu Palace Aruba has long been one of the go-to all-inclusives on an island with few of them, and the debate around it has always been whether all-inclusive in Aruba makes sense at all when the island has great restaurants, world-class windsurfing and dependable weather. That debate has a new backdrop: Riu closed the hotel in April 2026 and reopened it on July 31, 2026 after a renovation reported at about $110 million, which its sales director likened to buying a new hotel. Every room was refurbished, the lobby redone and the pool and garden area facing Palm Beach rebuilt, so older complaints about a dated property describe a hotel that no longer exists.
Traveler Insights
Pros
- +Effectively a new hotel: it reopened on July 31, 2026 after a nearly four-month closure and a renovation reported at about $110 million, with every room refurbished, a new lobby and a rebuilt pool and garden area facing Palm Beach
- +Rare family-of-five options for Aruba: two two-bedroom junior suites (78 and 80 sq m), a two-bedroom Family Suite (53 sq m) and a Friends & Family Room, so bigger families are not forced into two rooms
- +The new adults-only Elite Club gives couples a quieter tier inside a family resort: the best-view rooms, 31 swim-up and private-pool suites, its own restaurant and a beach lounge with bar service
- +Eight places to eat after the renovation: the Don Nicolas buffet, the Steakhouse, Krystal, Sayuri (Asian), Milano (Italian), Pepe's Food, Tiki Taco and the Elite Club restaurant, plus five bars including a climate-controlled sports bar
- +Right on Palm Beach, one of the calmest, clearest stretches of sand in the southern Caribbean, with Aruba's steady trade winds keeping the heat comfortable
- +Aruba sits south of the main hurricane track, which makes it one of the more reliable weather bets in the Caribbean in summer and fall
- +Plenty under one roof for a 24-hour all-inclusive: a spa, gym, casino, nightclub, the renovated RIU Land kids club, a swim-up pool bar and a full entertainment program, with the weekly RIU Party next door at Riu Palace Antillas
Cons
- −Aruba is not a cheap all-inclusive destination: comparable money often buys a newer, larger resort in Mexico or the Dominican Republic, and flights from most US cities cost more than Cancun or Punta Cana
- −The island has an excellent independent restaurant scene, so some travelers feel the all-inclusive premium is wasted when the best meals are off property
- −The best rooms, the private-pool suites, the beach lounge and one restaurant now sit behind the Elite Club upgrade, which is adults only, so families cannot buy into the top tier
- −Early guests after the July 2026 reopening reported finishing work still going on around the property, so check before booking a stay in the first months
- −Rooms near the entertainment stage are loud until the evening show wraps up around 10pm
- −Water sports and the excursions that make Aruba special, such as wreck dives, windsurfing and kitesurfing, are not included and add real spend
- −Riu sells this hotel only as a 24-hour all-inclusive on its own site, so anyone who would rather eat out around Palm Beach is still paying for the full package
The biggest change is the Elite Club, an adults-only tier carved out of the family resort with the best-view rooms, 31 swim-up and private-pool suites, its own restaurant and a beach lounge with bar service. Everyone else gets the 24-hour all-inclusive with the Don Nicolas buffet, the Steakhouse, Krystal, Sayuri, Milano and two casual spots, Pepe's Food and Tiki Taco, plus five bars. Families keep the renovated RIU Land kids club and the property's real differentiator in Aruba: two-bedroom suites that sleep five. Expect some noise near the entertainment stage in the evenings, and early guests reported finishing work still underway in August 2026.
Riu Palace Aruba makes the most sense for families who want all-inclusive in Aruba with a proper multi-bedroom suite, and for couples who like the island and want the Elite Club's quieter, adults-only corner. Adults who want an entire adults-only resort have Riu Palace Antillas next door, which also hosts the weekly RIU Party. At the same spend, Mexico and the Dominican Republic usually deliver more resort for the money, so people choose this one for Aruba itself: Palm Beach, the trade winds, the low hurricane risk and an island that is easy to explore by car or taxi.
Common Questions
Is all-inclusive actually worth it at Riu Palace Aruba?
What changed in the 2026 renovation?
Can families of 5 or more stay at Riu Palace Aruba?
How does it compare to Riu Palace Antillas next door?
How is the weather in Aruba and when should I visit?
Restaurants (7)
| Type | Restaurants |
|---|---|
| Buffet | Don Nicolás |
| Mexican | Tiki taco |
| Italian | Milano |
| Asian | Sayuri |
| Steakhouse | Steakhouse |
| American & grill | Pepe's Food |
| International & fusion | Krystal |
From the resort's own dining pages. Only restaurants the resort lists are shown.
What's nearby
Palm Beach2 min drive · 0.7 mi
Arashi Beach9 min drive · 3.5 mi
Alto Vista Chapel9 min drive · 3.6 mi
Casibari Rock Formation10 min drive · 5.3 mi
California Lighthouse11 min drive · 4.4 mi
Ayo Rock Formation14 min drive · 7.5 mi
More things to do (24)
- Eagle Beach · beach4 min drive · 1.8 mi
- Butterfly Farm · wildlife8 min walk · 0.4 mi
- Druif Beach · beach6 min drive · 2.7 mi
- Boca Catalina · beach7 min drive · 3.1 mi
- Mangel Halto Beach · beach20 min drive · 11 mi
- Bubali Bird Sanctuary · wildlife3 min walk · 0.1 mi
- Catamaran snorkel trip to the Antilla shipwreck · excursion6 min walk · 0.3 mi
- Sunset sail from Palm Beach · excursion2 min drive · 0.7 mi
- Divi Links · golf5 min drive · 2.3 mi
- Hadicurari Beach · beach5 min drive · 1.8 mi
- Aruba Aloe Museum and Factory · museum6 min drive · 2.9 mi
- Malmok Beach · beach7 min drive · 2.9 mi
- Tierra del Sol Golf Course · golf8 min drive · 3.5 mi
- Philip's Animal Garden · wildlife8 min drive · 3.2 mi
- Atlantis submarine dive · excursion8 min drive · 4.2 mi
- Oranjestad · town9 min drive · 4.5 mi
- National Archaeological Museum Aruba · museum9 min drive · 4.2 mi
- Fort Zoutman and Historical Museum · museum9 min drive · 4.4 mi
- Renaissance Marina · marina10 min drive · 4.5 mi
- Surfside Beach · beach11 min drive · 5.7 mi
- Hooiberg · viewpoint12 min drive · 6.5 mi
- Aruba Ostrich Farm · wildlife15 min drive · 8.0 mi
- Donkey Sanctuary Aruba · wildlife20 min drive · 9.1 mi
- Balashi Gold Mill Ruins · historic site20 min drive · 9.2 mi
Amenities
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Style & Rooms
Room upgrades
Seaweed & sargassum
Aruba gets sargassum, typically worst April through September, and almost entirely on the windward east coast.See the month-by-month guide →Google Reviews★ 4.3 · 4,760 reviews
“Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! Our 3rd trip to Riu and still doesn't disappoint! Extra friendly staff! Very clean, everywhere! Beach clean and water crystal clear and calm. And did I mention safe?! Almost unheard of!! Can't wait to come again!!!”
“This was our first time in Aruba and we booked our stay at the Riu understanding it was all-inclusive. I love the location and the look of the hotel. It does indeed look like a palace on the outside and the spot of beach it sits on is beautiful and n...”
“Our family recently stayed at the RIU from October 20–27, and our experience was nothing short of exceptional. The service throughout the resort was impeccable—every staff member went above and beyond to ensure guests felt genuinely welcomed and care...”
