TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

Omg the best night my girlfriend birthday dinner was amazing…. Nora & Jason really made it special. We sing & laugh best part we had a great time. Service was on point. The sushi rolls was great five course was a lot we definitely was full.if you come ask for them

Arubian seafood was amazing! Ask for Carmen Chavez - she’s fabulous, as is the food!!! Tonight we had the ribeye, grilled chicken, fresh grilled tuna , grilled grouper with pasta. Calamari was also great! Was looking forward to seeing Edgar again - he is also a fabulous! Aruba Dushi Island!!

If I could give the Barcelo Aruba a negative number, I would! This is by far one of the worst vacation and hotel experiences I have ever encountered visiting Aruba many times over the last 20 years. From the incompetence of the staff at the reception desk to the improper security workers at the pool, the fiasco of getting a beach chair just to have it taken away if you remove your towel from it for five minutes to dry yourself, and everyone in between, I have never seen a more inept group of staff in one place…and it all starts with the managers, who did nothing but say, ‘We’re sorry, we will do a full investigation.’ Whatever that means. We took their crap for three days before we actually started to complain, wanting to give the hotel and staff the benefit of the doubt and trying to make the best of it, but to no avail. It only got worse. The rooms, they were musty and without amenities. The towels, old and like sandpaper, and that is IF you could actually get one. The floors were not clean, we’d have to walk with our shoes on from the shower because the sand was never swept or vacuumed. The staff refused to give us extra towels if we asked the front desk and if they did acknowledge, it would take an hour before they showed up. During our stay, one of our toilets backed up and raw sewage came up thru the shower drain. Let’s get to eating or lack there of. I would compare the food to an all you can eat buffet from your local garbage company after they collected your neighborhood trash. We ended up eating the majority of our meals outside of the resort. The one bright spot food wise was the woman at the omelette station who smiled and was ever so pleasant as she served eggs that tasted as if they came from a half dead chicken and our server on the beach, Shaniqua, who remembered our drinks after only one day! Unfortunately, the alcohol consists of brands that I have never heard of and the taste of the drink told me exactly why. Watered down with a hint of STP motor oil. I have so much more to say, but I’m done with being reminded how bad this place actually is. My recommendation is to stay 100% away from the Barcelo Aruba. It is just awful, awful, awful. I don’t normally stay at all inclusive resorts. But last year we came to Aruba as a large group and I will say that the RIU is a million times better if you’re looking for an all inclusive which surpasses the Barcelo on all levels. This experience has lessened by view of an island that I’ve visited so many times in the past, and now thinking twice about visiting again.

Fernanda from Royal Restaurant is 5 ?? great servicio .... love this restaurant. The royal service is 100% worth it if you stay at this resort!!! The lamb chops and Rock lobster ?? for dinner is soooo delicious ?? Will be back soon , thank you Barcelo !!

First, the amazing things….Jazon in the Kyoto restaurant improves on an already excellent experience. He is AMAZING and is one of the reasons Aruba is known as One Happy Island!! Next, Daliana in the lobby bar is the sweetest and made our evenings fun and memorable!! She is an absolute highlight! The only bad thing about this resort is the lack to towels. You can’t get towels in the rooms and they are militant about the towels at the pool. So expect to be a little soggy during your stay. A good time was had by all.