JOIA Aruba by Iberostar
JOIA Aruba by Iberostar is the chain's first hotel in Aruba and one of the newest resorts on the island, opening at the turn of 2025 on Eagle Beach. The beach is the headline: wide, soft and far less built up than Palm Beach, which keeps the shoreline feeling open even in high season. The resort runs 240 suites in a U-shaped building, and the overall feel is polished and modern, pitched at couples and celebrating adults. It is not officially adults-only, though; children are allowed and a few families do stay, with the infinity pool and some other spaces reserved for adults.
Traveler Insights
Pros
- +Directly on Eagle Beach, the wide, soft-sand stretch that regularly tops Caribbean beach lists, and noticeably less crowded than the high-rise Palm Beach strip to the north
- +Still new: Iberostar's first Aruba hotel opened at the turn of 2025, so rooms, pools and public areas have none of the wear that dates older Aruba resorts
- +All 240 rooms are suites, and the top categories add real perks: Master King Suites with an outdoor hot tub on the balcony, ground-floor swim-out suites, and Oceanfront Butler Suites with butler service
- +Three distinct pools, including an adults-only infinity pool with views over the property and Eagle Beach, plus the Tortuga swim-up bar
- +Zima, the rooftop bar, is the evening highlight: sunset cocktails and low-key DJ sets above the beach
- +Iberostar's own Tierra del Sol, Aruba's only professional 18-hole course, designed by Robert Trent Jones II, is about 10 minutes away for golfers
- +Built as a 100% electric hotel using passive design principles, in line with Iberostar's sustainability push, which matters to travelers who weigh that when choosing
Cons
- −It is not officially adults-only, despite how it is often marketed: children are allowed and some suites sleep up to four, so expect a few families, with the infinity pool and certain spaces reserved for adults
- −The included restaurant lineup is short for a week: three main venues (Bucatini for Italian, Marea for Caribbean and GAIA House of Grill) plus a buffet and Star Cafe, which can feel repetitive by night five
- −The on-site casino Iberostar announced before opening was still not open as of September 2026, so evening entertainment beyond the bars and shows means a taxi to Palm Beach or Oranjestad
- −Pricing sits at the top of the Aruba all-inclusive market, and the value shifts if you book an entry suite without the hot tub, swim-out or butler perks that make the property special
- −Aruba's beaches are all public by law, so the resort's beach area is reserved loungers and service rather than true exclusivity
- −The quieter Eagle Beach location is a plus for most, but nightlife, shopping and the busy restaurant scene are concentrated on Palm Beach, a short drive away
- −Golf at Tierra del Sol is off property; confirm with the resort what, if anything, is included before assuming cart or green-fee perks
Day to day, life centres on three pools, including that adults-only infinity pool overlooking Eagle Beach, and the Tortuga swim-up bar. Dining is built around three main restaurants, Bucatini (Italian), Marea (Caribbean) and GAIA House of Grill, alongside a buffet and the Star Cafe, and the Zima rooftop bar is where most guests end up for sunset. Suites range from standard king and two-queen layouts to pool-view and ocean-view rooms, ground-floor swim-out suites, Master King Suites with an outdoor hot tub on the balcony and Oceanfront Butler Suites. There is also a spa, a Fit & Fun gym and a 10,000-plus square foot convention centre. Iberostar announced a casino before opening, but as of September 2026 it was still in the works, so do not book expecting one.
JOIA suits couples, honeymooners and groups of friends who want Eagle Beach with newer, more upscale rooms than most Aruba all-inclusives offer, and golfers who want Tierra del Sol, Iberostar's 18-hole course by Robert Trent Jones II, about 10 minutes away. It competes with Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort on the same beach, which is strictly adults-only but not all-inclusive, and sits well above the big Palm Beach all-inclusives in price and polish. Oranjestad is about 10 minutes away, Palm Beach's shops and restaurants about six, and the airport roughly 15.
Common Questions
Is JOIA Aruba adults-only?
How does JOIA compare to other Aruba all-inclusives like Riu or Barcelo?
Is golf at Tierra del Sol included?
Is there a casino at JOIA?
What's Eagle Beach like compared to Palm Beach?
Which suite is worth booking?
What's nearby
Palm Beach6 min drive · 2.5 mi
Arashi Beach12 min drive · 5.4 mi
Casibari Rock Formation9 min drive · 4.7 mi
Alto Vista Chapel12 min drive · 5.5 mi
Ayo Rock Formation13 min drive · 6.9 mi
California Lighthouse14 min drive · 6.3 mi
More things to do (24)
- Eagle Beach · beach6 min walk · 0.3 mi
- Butterfly Farm · wildlife4 min drive · 1.6 mi
- Druif Beach · beach4 min drive · 1.2 mi
- Boca Catalina · beach10 min drive · 5.0 mi
- Mangel Halto Beach · beach20 min drive · 11 mi
- Divi Links · golf3 min drive · 0.9 mi
- Aruba Aloe Museum and Factory · museum4 min drive · 1.7 mi
- Bubali Bird Sanctuary · wildlife5 min drive · 1.9 mi
- Catamaran snorkel trip to the Antilla shipwreck · excursion6 min drive · 2.1 mi
- Sunset sail from Palm Beach · excursion6 min drive · 2.5 mi
- Atlantis submarine dive · excursion6 min drive · 2.7 mi
- Oranjestad · town7 min drive · 3.0 mi
- National Archaeological Museum Aruba · museum7 min drive · 2.8 mi
- Fort Zoutman and Historical Museum · museum7 min drive · 3.0 mi
- Hadicurari Beach · beach8 min drive · 3.7 mi
- Renaissance Marina · marina8 min drive · 3.0 mi
- Surfside Beach · beach10 min drive · 3.9 mi
- Malmok Beach · beach10 min drive · 4.7 mi
- Hooiberg · viewpoint11 min drive · 5.9 mi
- Tierra del Sol Golf Course · golf11 min drive · 5.4 mi
- Philip's Animal Garden · wildlife11 min drive · 5.0 mi
- Aruba Ostrich Farm · wildlife14 min drive · 7.4 mi
- Donkey Sanctuary Aruba · wildlife15 min drive · 8.5 mi
- Balashi Gold Mill Ruins · historic site15 min drive · 8.6 mi
Amenities
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Style & Rooms
Atmosphere
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★ 4.8 · 1,059 reviews
“We went to Gaia 2 nights in a row and had excellent service and great food. The wagyu burger was amazing and the steak was great too. Gnocchi and mixed vegetables were very tasty. We did not stay at the hotel but the hotel and grounds are beautiful”
“Margarita from bucatini was spectacular! She was incredibly patient despite all the chaos from our children. She was prompt, thoughtful, considerate, and anticipated all of our needs. I sincerely appreciated her warm attention and service!”
“JOIA Aruba by Iberostar has been incredibly accommodating from the moment we arrived. This is our second visit, and the experience has been just as wonderful, if not better. Any time something goes wrong, the staff goes above and beyond to make it ri...”
