the grounds, pool and beach front were beautiful, however, the hotel buildings are showing it's age, rooms need to be renovated, we were lucky to receive a renovated room, however, it was located on the second floor with NO elevator, we asked to be changed because of my hip issue I couldn't do 14 days without an elevator...second room was horrible! it had a horrible musty smell, we were ankle deep in water in the shower every single time it was used as it wouldn't drain properly, in addition one[... read more] of the bathroom sinks had draining issues as well and we were constantly finding drain flies in the shower and bathroom area, they sent someone to fix the issues, we were then asked if "things" were fixed :( !!...we were moved to a third room, this room didn't have the musty smell thank God, but the glass shower door was missing, but a shower curtain had replaced the door, but fell off the wall as the pole wasn't long enough to have proper tension against the shower walls and was assisted with cardboard to fill in the additional space that the rod didn't fill in...the lock hinge on our patio door fell out and couldn't lock our door (we were on the first floor) the air conditioning unit didn't go higher than 21*C and was very cold, had to wear my down filled jacket a few nights over PJ's we also had to shut it off completely, we found too many dirty dishes in the dish stacks in the dining room..for the price you are paying, there were too many stupid issues to deal with
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Private -
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Riu Palace Antillas: Excellent
Everything was fantastic. We are saving and planning to go back next year.
Unfortunately, the entertainment/theatre was under construction later in the week, but that was okay, we walked around the area and visited the sister resort.
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AD from Toronto -
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Barcelo Aruba: Not a good experience, not even close to other Barcelo resorts
It's the first time ever I write a negative review, but I've felt it's in the travelers' interest to know about our bad experience with Barcelo Aruba.
I would pass on the fact that the hotel is outdated, the beach crowded, and you have to wake up early for a spot in the shade. Worth mentioning that buffet food has no variety. But what I can't accept is spending 3 nights at 18 deg Celsius, that got us almost sick.
After the first night, when we tried to adjust the temperature manually, automati[... read more]cally, turn it off, etc, we complained at reception. A mechanic was sent to fix the problem, but he was unsuccessful. After a second night we complained to management, and they moved us to another room. Needless to saying that the same issue re-occurred in this new room, and another mechanic was sent to verify the air conditioning. He confirmed what we expected that there is a problem with the system. A team of 2 mechanics showed up on the 4th day, and fixed the issue, a solenoid valve.
Spending 3 nights in a refrigerator in Aruba is un-unacceptable and we are very dissatisfied with two managers, they know who they are; their service and approach on solving this concern was very poor. One showed a visible mistrust and miscontent when we mentioned that the second room we moved in has the same concern, and the other gave us a geography lesson about Aruba being near Ecuador and subject to high humidity, requiring a specific air-conditioning system. Really dissapointing.
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Private -
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Barcelo Aruba: Not a great hotel to stay
The hotel is very outdated and I was not impressed at all. We had issues with the air conditioning and it took 2 days to figure it out, and then change the room.
The a la carte restaurants were super good but the buffet same food every day.
The beach is nice and clean and people are nice but very slow on addressing our concerns.
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Private -
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Riu Palace Antillas: Amazing Resort
It’s are 7 th times at this Resort and again are best one so far again . The staff, house keeping, Bartenders , Waitresses, pool entertainment, Beach teams . All excellent . The Buffet is just amazing.
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Mary -
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TRYP by Wyndham Aruba: Well situated as it is close to the beach and restaurants and shops.
The staff was absolutely fantastic. The hotel rooms are in need of renovation. The hotel rooms need to have doors and windows replaced, as outside noises can be heard. Upgrades are also necessary in the air-conditioning units and bathroom shower stalls. The beds were very comfortable, but the decor needs upgrades as well. With those improvements you would get repeat customers.
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Private -
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Riu Palace Antillas: Great Resort
The hotel was beautiful. The rooms were very spacious. Constant cleaning around the hotel. Really appreciated that. Staff were so friendly and always trying to please. Beach spectacular. Felt very safe no matter where you were on the resort. Food was amazing. Always a good variety and an abundance of quality food. Entertainment a bit weak and stopped too early. Would definitely return.
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Private -
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TRYP by Wyndham Aruba: You get what you pay for!
Travelled to Brickell Bay with my husband and another couple. The location was excellent, in the heart of Palm Beach, a short stroll to the ocean. The hotel rooms, however, were in need of major renovations. Everything was dated and in poor condition. The first room we were assigned had holes in the granite bathroom counter, a rusty non-functional floor lamp, and a window that was detached from its frame. On the third day, the AC stopped working and we were moved to another room. This one smelle[... read more]d of paint, had a closet door off its track, a non-working telephone, and a shower that leaked all over the floor. On the plus side, the rooms were clean and the beds comfortable, and the staff in every area were wonderful. The daily buffet breakfast was adequate with a good selection. The pool area could use more shade and the beach a few more loungers. By 11:00 am there were usually none left. Overall, we had a pleasant week but would probably choose a different resort next time.
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Nancy -
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Riu Palace Aruba: Disappointed with repair work
When we arrived they were doing construction on the inside of the gym. Then they were taking a jackhammer to the balcony above us during the day while at the pool. We moved over to the pool in front of the bar and then they were doing repairs there for the rest of the week. (Removing tiles off seats and tables.) Also now moving outside of the gym to repair the walkway and remove tiles (jackhammer or reciprocating saw) lots of noise and dust.
Rather surprised they would do so many repairs dur[... read more]ing, what I would consider the popular tourist season.
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Private -
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Riu Palace Antillas: RIU Rocks!
Simply perfect -- not a thing to complain about !
The rooms were lovely and clean
Staff was extremely friendly, helpful, and sometimes even funny and engaging.
Food was spectacular -- many options, but honestly could eat at the buffet every meal and never tire of it.
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JoeyT -
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Riu Palace Antillas: Almost perfect
This is our forth visit to the Riu in aruba. The resort is spotlessly clean, service impeccable, friendly staff. Food was fresh and delicious. Pools and other amenities are fantastic. The only disappointments are the fact that reservations can’t be made for specialty restaurants and the outdoor entertainment is too loud. There are very few rooms that are not impacted by the booming noise from the outdoor venue and the noise does not stop until 11pm.
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Kimmie58 -
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Riu Palace Antillas: Fantastic Resort
This hotel has it all. Fantastic staff, great entertainment, awesome choices for food and beverages and a extremely clean resort. This is our second time at the RIU in Aruba and I know there will be a 3rd visit.
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Jimmy -
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Eagle Aruba Resort and Casino: Excellent Vacation Destination!!
The people is what made the Eagle Aruba Resort and Casino an enjoyable experience. Our first time there left an impression that it would be a place to recommend to friends and acquaintances. Our cleaning lady who covered our room 2570 was a wonderful person who we enjoyed talking with each day. Such a very sweet person. There were also others there as well, like the Desk personal who assisted us with useful information about the places to go and the attractions around the area. The weather was [... read more]also wonderfully warm !!
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Private -
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Eagle Aruba Resort and Casino: Okay for a 3 star resort
Eagle Aruba is okay if you go in not expecting a five star resort. Rooms are spacious. Housekeeping was hit and miss. Restaurants on site were pretty good. There were no apparent Covid-19 precautions except plexiglass at check in counters. Biggest issue was that there were never enough chairs at the pool or the beach and the pools were quite cold (colder than the ocean!). The beach is very nice. Also, the resort is supposed to have a strict no smoking policy except in designated areas, but the [... read more]guy below us sat outside and smoked all day long so we couldn’t use our balcony. We complained to management but nothing was done.
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Mary39 -
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Divi Aruba All Inclusive: Good resort
Nice resort, beautiful beach, great food but no variety. More for older people. Not for young people. Not many families with young kids. Very very limited gluten free options. Very few people understand gluten allergies. Would recommend for retired or older couples with no kids only.
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Private -
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Riu Palace Aruba: Very good
One thing I have to say is that the resort needs a renovation. The shower door wouldn’t close fully, some of the dresser drawers wouldn’t close and were left open for our entire stay. The bar fridge was leaking to the point that there was a big puddle of water in the entrance for two days.
Big change in three years!
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Roadstar -
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Riu Palace Antillas: RIU Palace Antillas: AMAZING
Stayed for 1 week at this truly amazing hotel. Well equipped large Jr Suite with bar and mini fridge that's restocked as needed. Beautiful walk in shower with a rain head, and detachable handheld showerhead.
Resort was extremely clean and well maintained. Can't say enough about the food, restaurants, and staff. So many dining options, and the food itself was excellent, with outstanding presentations.
Danny, the manager was often in the main buffet area, always available to answer any quest[... read more]ions or concerns, or simply to chat to. All the staff were easy to talk to and helpful.
Pool was actively used by exercise classes, volleyball, swim-up bar and people standing around, especially during the foam party.
We preferred the beach and ocean swimming. Crystal clear water, and no seaweed whatsoever,. That said, the beach down by the Divi Phoenix was rock strewn and did not make for good swimming, so the Antillas beach was by far a superior choice. Palapas were plentiful, but usually taken by 7:00 a.m. as were the loungers, poolside.
Nightly entertainment was available in, we watched a great Pirate Show with talented acrobats.
Some bar tenders were better than others, as is the case at any hotel. Try the Aruba Ariba drink - powerful stuff.
The Expresso bar had your choice of fresh coffees, beer on tap, desserts, sandwiches, hot dogs, nachos with deep, 24 hours a day.
Some staff wore masks, most didn't. Very few guests wore masks. We wore our masks on the flight there and back, but not at the hotel.
We will definitely be coming back to this hotel.
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Riu Palace Antillas: Would go again tomorrow if we could….
An excellent vacation opportunity awaits you at RIU Antillas. Adults only made for a moderately peaceful meal time at one of the 4 a la Cart restaurants. Since the alcohol is all inclusive, you will most likely encounter at least one party group that will think it is the most fun and do something to remember their High School amazingness. We only had a few interruptions to our meals from a younger crowd. The food as such at all meals is excellent. From the theme nights at the buffet, the Ita[... read more]lian with an appetizer/salad buffet then a la cart, the Main Fancy Krystal with drink service at your table side, the steak house, and our favourite the arubian themed restaurant.
Drinks are not watered down and they have a set menu with the occasional diversion if they know it. From the bar in the lobby with real glasses, to the pool side and then the waterfront at night with sturdy plastic look alike glasses (ie Martini or highball) the service was nearly always excellent and the drinks well made. For our beach days we always would take our ‘yeti’ mugs and they would fill them to the rim with whatever we asked. In fairness, we always tipped for every drink as they did this without being asked. The coffee bar with snacks is convenient and made a nice mix of espresso and other coffee/milkshake drinks with fancy cakes and treats available…. Even nachos and bagged sandwiches. The rooms were perfect…. You are not there for the room, but from the bar fridge with coke product (thank you!) and local beer, they also had the RIU four booze bottle bonanza in the room for your pleasure. I honestly just used the vodka to clean our yeti’s lol. But there is also Rum, whiskey and brandy awaiting you for your mixing ideas.
Nightly entertainment can be fun or avoided. Ice cream was around for lunch and supper as an after dinner treat or a late night pizza snack. Stores are in the basement for knickknacks, aloe, bathing suits, hats or more alcohol and minor medical or bathroom toiletries.
The shuttle bus and tour guide from the airport were insightful and helpful in understanding the island and the lay of the land and the people. The check in was amazing. I give high marks for this alone!
Beach and poolside. The only chink in the armour. If you are not up by 630, you will NOT have a palapa. If you are not up by 0700, you will not have a chair at the pool. If you are not at the beach before 9am, nearly all the chairs will be gone. Keep your towel from the day before ( you get a chit and get your beach towel with it. Must be returned at the end of your stay or pay for a towel ) and lay it out on your beach chair to claim it. You have two hours. If you are not back your chair or palapa could be given to someone else. We only had two people try to claim our dirty towels and palapa once but they relented fortunately. Then change your towels for clean. The final downside… people drink, people get loud. We had a group of 50 ( they claimed ) teachers and professors from southern Ontario (Windsor area…. Guess while kids write exams, they take off) who began to claim a large berth of the beach area for themselves. This does happen with big groups. Big groups get loud and with alcohol get louder. Then they start talking like they are in high school still ( potty humour ) and think that everyone would like to hear their choice of music. Loudly. By the time the afternoon had begun we were sitting side by side with this large loud group. Seniors around us looked over with disgust and moved elsewhere. It’s a vacation. Everyone is entitled to a good time and enjoy themselves and this group was on day one. Instead of making a performance, we picked up and moved as well since their drinks and chairs were all mixed with ours and we were getting upset. Take a deep breath and relax again in quiet. No point in ruining my vacation because they felt theirs was more important. Yelling from the water, making fools of themselves is what we have sadly come to expect from that group of professionals. A bit entitled I fear.
So depending on your crowd (which for nearly the entire week was excellent for us!) and what music groups like to play at the beach ( really? With all the headphones created you think I still want to hear your 9 hrs mix tape?) You will have an excellent time at the
Beach. I was totally relaxed the rest of the time. The kayaks, paddle boards and snorkelling is free. We saw over 26 varieties of fish at the ‘come back kid’ coral reef. It’s trying to live but people don’t understand and walk all over. Please just float…. Don’t touch. We even saw two different types of eels around it. Almost saw more there then on some Scuba trips.
Conclusion? Resort is awesome. You cannot eat at the a la cart at the neighbouring RIU ( depends on who you know… or if it’s not busy ) but yes to the Buffett. Yet, you have your own sans kids with almost the same goods. Pools and such are interchangeable…. Some guests found the bars didn’t like making drinks for opposite resorts. We never tried.
Tip for every big diner, tip if you want for breakfast and lunch ( they do work hard and smile a lot thru a lot of crap ) and the bar tenders. Housekeeping is amazing… tip big. And the pool/beach guys. Working hard dragging chairs and such around for a lot of unhappy people. Don’t know why people can’t relax and enjoy such a paradise. Tip them big once and they will help you the rest of the week. I only had a dollar one day and he was just as happy as with the big one. “Tips is tips†he shrugged. Good on him.
You will love it. Just be prepared to move your beach position or get security involved if it’s really a problem to you. Please enjoy! We most certainly did!
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Lynda -
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Riu Palace Aruba: Great resort
Food was amazing, quite a variety at buffet. Staff were very pleasant and very efficient. Very clean resort, staff constantly cleaning. Location fantastic, huge beach area, access to hotel next door.
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Private -
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Riu Palace Antillas: Amazing resort
This was a great place to go. The grounds were incredible, people very friendly. The food was excellent. One of the best vacations I've ever been on. Very clean throught out.I look forward to going back again next year.