Guide · Updated October 24, 2026 · Includes a note from Levi's stay at RIU Palace Aruba on Palm Beach; other hotels are research only. Prices change, so confirm the final total before you book.
Sunshine you can count on.
Palm Beach for energy, Eagle Beach for space and calm.
Know before you go
- Time zone
- Atlantic Standard Time all year: 1 hour ahead of New York in winter, same as New York in summer.
- Language
- Papiamento and Dutch are official; English and Spanish are widely spoken.
- Currency
- Aruban florin (AWG). US dollars are accepted almost everywhere.
- Cards
- Widely accepted at hotels, restaurants and shops.
- Cash & ATMs
- You'll rarely need florins: US dollars work almost everywhere, and many ATMs dispense dollars.
- Plugs & voltage
- Same as the US (110–120V). No adapter needed.
- Tap water
- Tap water is desalinated and safe to drink.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and hotels often add a 10–15% service charge; check the bill before tipping extra.
- Getting around
- Taxis (with fixed fares), rental cars and public buses; there's no Uber.
- Entry requirements
- A valid passport, plus Aruba's free online ED card and a $20 sustainability fee per person (ages 8 and up), completed on the official site before you fly. US pre-clearance happens in Aruba on the way home.
- Safety
Levi's advice: Use common sense. Leave flashy jewelry at home, carry money in a front pocket if you can, and don't wander around on foot late at night unless you're close to your hotel.
One of the Caribbean's safest destinations. Still, use the room safe and never leave bags or valuables in a parked car.
- Emergency number
- 911
Checked October 2026 for US travelers. Entry rules and fees change, so confirm them with official government sources before you fly.
Palm Beach or Eagle Beach?
Palm Beach is Aruba's high-rise strip: big chain resorts on about two miles of calm, turquoise water, with beach bars, water sports, malls, restaurants and nightlife across the street. Eagle Beach, just south, is the low-rise area: wide, powdery sand, the famous fofoti trees, and smaller boutique hotels and condos. It's quieter, often a little cheaper, and the water can be wavier.
Palm Beach
- Calm water that's great for swimming
- Walk to restaurants, shops and nightlife
- Busy, with crowded beachfront
Eagle Beach
- Wide, quiet beach with lots of space
- Boutique hotels and condos, often cheaper
- Fewer restaurants; taxis for dinner
Aruba is small. Oranjestad, the capital, and the airport are a short drive from both areas.
Featured hotel: Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino
A large beachfront resort on Palm Beach with 414 rooms and suites, all fully redesigned in a renovation completed in December 2025. It has a family pool with a swim-up bar, the adults-only H2Oasis pool, an adults-only Tradewinds Club section and the Stellaris Casino.
Strengths
- Freshly renovated rooms, finished in late 2025
- Direct access to calm Palm Beach
- Separate family and adults-only pools
- Marriott Bonvoy points and elite benefits when booked direct
Watch out for
- Palm Beach is busy and the resort is large
- Aruba room prices are high, and taxes and service charges add more
- Room only, not all-inclusive; budget for meals
I've stayed at RIU Palace Aruba on Palm Beach. Palm Beach is where I'd stay in Aruba: calm water, and restaurants within walking distance.
Before you book
- Book direct with Marriott if you want points and elite benefits
- Check what taxes, service charges and fees are added to the room rate
- Ask for an ocean-view room on a higher floor
Sources: Caribbean Journal: Aruba Marriott renovation · Visit Aruba: high-rise and low-rise hotels · Eagle Beach or Palm Beach?
See these Aruba hotels: photos, prices and availability
Photos, guest ratings and live prices for the featured Marriott, the two all-inclusive RIU resorts, a Hilton on the beach and a well-rated Eagle Beach option, from our booking partner Stay22. Change the dates to see your own prices. Booking through the map may earn Conteluma a commission at no extra cost to you. A hotel that is sold out for your dates won't appear.
See photos and live prices for these hotels. The map loads from Stay22 and uses affiliate tracking, so it needs your OK first.
What it costs, and when to go
Aruba is one of the Caribbean's pricier islands. For a January 18–21, 2027 sample on our partner's map, checked October 24, the Marriott, Hilton and Amsterdam Manor ran from about $622 to $1,075 a night, room only. The RIU resorts are all-inclusive, so compare their price with a room plus meals out.
- Peak season: mid-December to mid-April, with the highest prices.
- Lower prices: late April to mid-December. Aruba sits outside the main hurricane belt, so the weather stays dry and sunny, though storms can still pass nearby.
- Trade winds: a steady breeze blows most of the year, which keeps it comfortable but can make Eagle Beach's water choppier.
Costs to plan for
- ED card and sustainability fee: air travelers must complete Aruba's free online ED card before arrival, and pay a $20 sustainability fee per person (ages 8 and up) through the same official site.
- Taxes and service charges: Aruban hotels add room tax, VAT, a service charge and a nightly environmental levy. Compare totals, not nightly rates.
- Meals: most Palm Beach and Eagle Beach hotels are room only, and restaurants are expensive. Budget for dining or consider an all-inclusive.
- Currency: the Aruban florin is the local currency, but US dollars are widely accepted.
- Flying home to the US: Aruba's airport has US pre-clearance, so allow extra time before your flight home.
Use the trip cost calculator to add flights, transfers and extras to your hotel price, or the true-cost calculator to compare two hotels' real totals.
More hotels to compare
An all-inclusive option, a Hilton on the beach and a quieter Eagle Beach pick.
| Hotel | Why compare it | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| RIU Palace Aruba and RIU Palace Antillas Check prices → | Two all-inclusive RIU resorts side by side at the southern end of Palm Beach; Antillas is adults only. | Whether all-inclusive beats room-only plus Aruba's expensive restaurants for your trip. |
| Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino Check prices → | Large Hilton beachfront resort at the southern end of the Palm Beach strip. | Room category and view, and whether your Hilton status adds breakfast or lounge access. |
| Amsterdam Manor Beach Resort Check prices → | Low-rise, highly rated hotel across the road from Eagle Beach. | Room type and view, and which restaurants are within walking distance. |
Five checks before you book
- Choose Palm Beach for walkability or Eagle Beach for quiet.
- Compare totals for your dates, including taxes, service and levies.
- Complete your ED card and pay the sustainability fee online before you fly.
- Budget for meals if your hotel is room only.
- Book direct with Marriott or Hilton if you want points and benefits.
More help: hidden hotel fees checklist · book direct or use a booking site? · Marriott vs. Hilton status
Hotel facts come from Caribbean Journal, Visit Aruba and travel guides; prices and ratings in the map come from our booking partner. The photo shows Eagle Beach, not any hotel in this guide.