Aruba hotels, side by side

Riu Palace or Barcelo?

Set side by side on what can be checked: Agoda's price for the same week at both, guest ratings on Google, the official taxi fares, and what our own reviews say.

Riu PalaceBarcelo

480 m apart, in a straight line

Each hotel is pinned at the position Google returns for its own name. The faint dots are the other hotels we have reviewed.

Riu Palace

No rate returned

Agoda listed no room for Dec 5 to 12

See dates

Barcelo

$599 a night

on Agoda, Dec 5 to 12

See dates

Lowest nightly rate Agoda listed for two adults, read November 14, 2026. Both buttons open the same week, Dec 5 to 12, unless you have given us your dates. See the full table

The short version

Both stand on the Palm Beach high-rise strip, about 480 m (0.3 miles) apart in a straight line.
Both are all-inclusive.
Both take all ages.
For Dec 5 to 12, Agoda listed Barcelo from $599 a night for two adults. Its live feed returned no rate for the Riu Palace that week, so there is no number to set beside it.
On Google, guests rate the Riu Palace 4.3 of 5 from 5,291 reviews and Barcelo 4.5 from 8,438.
The official airport taxi fare is $40 to the Riu Palace and $41 to Barcelo, for up to four passengers.

Row by row

Every figure names its source and its date. Where our review does not cover something, the cell says so.

Where it stands

On Palm Beach, in the middle of the stripPalm Beach: lively, high-rise

Beachfront, heart of Palm BeachPalm Beach: lively, high-rise

Board

All-inclusive, 24 hours

All-inclusive

Who it takes

All ages, with an adults-only Elite Club

All ages

Size

450 rooms

About 370 rooms

Guests on Google

4.3 of 55,291 reviews on Google

4.5 of 58,438 reviews on Google

A night on Agoda

No rate returned for Dec 5 to 12Agoda's live feed listed no room here that week. Check your own dates.

$599 a nightlowest rate, 2 adults, Dec 5 to 12

Airport taxi

$40official daytime fare, up to 4

$41official daytime fare, up to 4

Between the two: about 480 m (0.3 miles) in a straight line

Agoda rates: the lowest nightly rate its live feed listed for two adults, Dec 5 to 12, read November 14, 2026; taxes or fees may be extra, and a hotel with few rooms left that week shows a higher lowest rate. Google ratings read November 14, 2026. Taxi fares from the Government of Aruba tariff published May 27, 2026. Board, age policy and size are from our own reviews.

What our reviews say

The verdict and the catch are our own words from each review: a local team's assessment, never a claimed stay.

Riu Palace Aruba All Inclusive

Palm Beach. Palm Beach: lively, high-rise.

Our verdict

450 rooms, all renovated in 2026, on a 24-hour plan that covers local and imported spirits, eight restaurants and room service, with a new adults-only Elite Club section.

The catch

Palm Beach is the island's busiest tourist corridor. Guests wanting a quieter scene should look at Eagle Beach resorts.

Near the door, from our guide

Bugaloe Beach Bar & Grill (250 m), Scott's Brats (720 m), Eduardo's Beach Shack (760 m). Straight-line distances.

Booked direct nearby

Parasailing, $70 per person, on Palm Beach.

See dates on Agoda Our review

Opens the sample week, Dec 5 to 12. Change the dates on the next screen.

Barcelo Aruba All Inclusive Resort

Palm Beach. Palm Beach: lively, high-rise.

Our verdict

370 rooms, seven restaurants (including Japanese and Italian a-la-carte), a casino, and nightly entertainment in the heart of Palm Beach.

The catch

Large property. Pool and beach chair competition gets real during peak winter season.

Near the door, from our guide

Scott's Brats (250 m), Eduardo's Beach Shack (290 m), Bugaloe Beach Bar & Grill (420 m), Palm Beach (490 m). Straight-line distances.

Booked direct nearby

Parasailing, $70 per person, on Palm Beach.

See dates on Agoda Our review

Opens the sample week, Dec 5 to 12. Change the dates on the next screen.

Try another pairing

First hotelSecond hotel

14 hotels we have reviewed. Every pairing has its own page.

Keep Riu Palace, change the other

Keep Barcelo, change the other

Questions about these two

Which is cheaper, the Riu Palace or Barcelo?

We do not guess prices. For Dec 5 to 12, Agoda listed Barcelo from $599 a night for two adults. Its live feed returned no rate for the Riu Palace that week, so there is no number to set beside it. Open both on Agoda with your own dates to see the real numbers side by side.

How far apart are the Riu Palace and Barcelo?

Both stand on the Palm Beach high-rise strip, about 480 m (0.3 miles) apart in a straight line.

Is the Riu Palace or Barcelo all-inclusive?

Both are all-inclusive.

How much is a taxi from the airport to the Riu Palace and Barcelo?

The official airport taxi fare is $40 to the Riu Palace and $41 to Barcelo, for up to four passengers. Fares are fixed by the Government of Aruba's tariff, published May 27, 2026; there are no meters, and $5 is added on Sundays, holidays and at night.