THE RITZ CARLTON ARUBA

The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba occupies the northern end of Palm Beach, where the row of hotels stops and the sand opens up. Three hundred and twenty rooms and suites, including 55 suites with a private balcony facing the Caribbean Sea. A beachfront spa of around 1 400 square metres, a casino of similar size, two pools including one reserved for adults, seven dining venues and the Ritz Kids programme make up the property. Rooms and corridors were entirely rebuilt in early 2023.

The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba at a glance

The position matters as much as the name. The hotel stands at the northern end of Palm Beach, where the unbroken row of towers stops. The sand is wider there, the crowd thinner, and the walk to the lively boardwalk takes a few minutes rather than a few seconds. You get the energy without living inside it.

The resort opened in November 2013 and holds 320 rooms and suites, 55 of them suites with a private balcony. A full renovation of the rooms and corridors, completed in early 2023, introduced an island-inspired palette of beiges, blues and greens along with artwork drawn from the endemic succulents and aloe.

Which room to choose

Entry categories look onto the island or the gardens and suit travellers who plan to spend their days on the beach. Ocean-facing categories justify the step up with the sunset, which Aruba's west coast delivers almost every evening without exception.

All 55 suites have a private balcony. The 2023 renovation added pull-out sleeper sofas to the king rooms, which makes some categories workable for a family of three. Club Level opens a lounge with food and drink service through the day. An AquaTerra advisor can tell you whether the difference is worth it for your stay. Call 1 866 628-6241.

Is it an all-inclusive?

No. The rate covers the room, and meals and drinks are settled on site. That is the usual logic for addresses in this category, and it works here: the hotel's seven restaurants and bars cover different registers, and the Palm Beach dining scene starts a few minutes away.

Non-motorised water sports come at no charge, snorkel gear, paddleboards and kayaks included. Our advisors can compare this address against the island's all-inclusives on your real dates and price the difference honestly.

Where you eat on site

Seven venues share the property. BLT Steak handles the grill, Casa Nonna New York does Italian family-style or à la carte, and Solanio takes care of international breakfast. Madero Pool and Beach Grill serves the pool and the sand, and Noori Sushi Lounge combines sushi with cocktails.

Ritual Coffee Culture covers coffee, gelato and the bakery, and The Bus Stop, a daily pop-up bar, rounds things out. Two experiences stand apart: Bahada di Solo, a sunset cocktail service at Noori, and the private four-course dinner served on the beach, bookable forty-eight hours ahead.

The spa, the pools and the casino

The spa covers around 1 400 square metres on the beachfront, with about a dozen treatment rooms, relaxation lounges with whirlpools, saunas, steam rooms, an oxygen bar, a hair and nail salon and a boutique. It opens from nine in the morning to six at night. The fitness centre stays accessible at all hours.

Two heated pools face the sea: a family pool and the adults-only Relaxation Pool, with a whirlpool and luxury cabanas alongside. They open from eight in the morning to nine at night. The casino occupies a footprint comparable to the spa's, with more than two hundred machines and fifteen table games that open at six, plus live entertainment on Friday and Saturday.

Travelling with children

The Ritz Kids programme takes four- to twelve-year-olds seasonally, built around four strands: water, land, environmental responsibility and local culture. The approach aims to show children the island rather than to fill the hours.

Non-motorised water sports are included, and the water off Palm Beach shelves gently, calm and free of strong currents. The family pool stays separate from the adults' pool, which leaves each group its own space.

Who this resort suits

It fits travellers looking for the service and consistency of a major house, with an Aruban beach on top. It fits couples who want a child-free pool and a serious spa. It fits families who value a children's programme aimed at discovery rather than loud entertainment.

Anyone wanting a full all-inclusive, or a fifty-room address where the staff know their first name by the second day, will be better served elsewhere on the island. Our advisors will say so plainly rather than place you in the wrong spot.

What to know before you book

The hotel sits about ten kilometres from Queen Beatrix International Airport, fifteen to twenty minutes by road. Aruba lies outside the hurricane belt and the trade winds blow year-round: they hold the humidity down, keep seaweed away from this coast and mask how strong the sun is, so sunscreen goes on more often than you would think.

The Aruban florin is the official currency, though US dollars circulate everywhere and outlets follow the North American standard. The property has a ballroom divisible into three salons and several further meeting rooms. For entry requirements, consult travel.gc.ca before departure.

Booking The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba with an advisor

Room orientation, Club Level and position within the building change what this stay is worth by a wide margin. An advisor who knows the house sorts all of it out in one conversation rather than five browser tabs.

Reach a Voyages AquaTerra advisor at 1 866 628-6241, or explore our Aruba packages, our Aruba travel guide and the full range of southern all-inclusive vacations.