ORANJESTAD, Aruba — RIU Palace Aruba Restaurants have received updated menus, new interiors and revised service concepts as part of the Palm Beach resort’s comprehensive renovation.
DIARIO and other invited guests toured the property Tuesday morning to examine the redesigned restaurants and learn more about the hotel’s renewed culinary programme.
RIU officially reopened the resort on July 31, 2026, after renovating its rooms, public areas, pools and dining facilities while introducing the adults-only Elite Club service.
Menus and Restaurant Designs Updated
The renovation involved more than changing the physical appearance of the restaurants.
RIU said it reviewed menus, products, food preparation and the pace of service across the hotel’s culinary venues. Each themed restaurant was also designed to provide guests with a distinctive atmosphere and dining experience.
The hotel now offers its main international buffet, several themed dinner options, casual food locations, bars and an exclusive restaurant for qualifying Elite Club guests.
According to RIU, the resort’s principal dining concepts include:
- Don Nicolás;
- Steakhouse;
- Krystal;
- Sayuri;
- Milano;
- Pepe’s Food;
- Tiki Taco;
- An exclusive Elite Club restaurant.
New Steakhouse Highlights Premium Meat
The hotel’s food and beverage manager, identified in the local report as Edgar, highlighted the new Steakhouse during the tour.
He said its dinner menu includes premium meat dishes such as New York sirloin, alongside lobster and selected wines. He also said steaks are imported from a recognised supplier in the United States.
RIU officially describes Steakhouse as a family-friendly à-la-carte dinner restaurant serving international dishes in an informal atmosphere.
The company has not publicly identified the meat supplier or published the full current menu, meaning individual cuts and product origins should remain attributed to the food and beverage manager.
Don Nicolás Remains Main Buffet
Don Nicolás serves as the hotel’s principal international buffet restaurant.
It offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, including live cooking stations and three themed dinner evenings each week. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are also available.
Elite Club guests can additionally receive an à-la-carte breakfast at the venue.
The buffet allows the resort to provide a broad selection for guests who prefer flexibility rather than dining at a themed restaurant each evening.
Krystal Offers Fusion Cuisine
Krystal is presented by RIU as a gourmet à-la-carte restaurant offering dishes that combine different international flavours.
Its menu includes meat, fish and seafood dishes served in a more formal and sophisticated setting.
The official description differs from the local report’s reference to Krystal as a restaurant serving local cuisine. Unless the hotel confirms specific Aruban dishes, the venue should be described primarily as a fusion or gourmet restaurant.
Sayuri Focuses on Asian Food
Sayuri is the hotel’s Asian à-la-carte dinner restaurant.
Its menu draws inspiration from Japanese, Chinese and Thai cooking and includes meat, fish and rice-based dishes.
The themed concept gives guests another option without leaving the all-inclusive property while adding variety to the resort’s wider food programme.
Milano Provides Italian Dinner Buffet
Milano offers Italian food in a buffet format during dinner.
RIU says the restaurant features familiar Italian flavours and a selection of desserts. Unlike Steakhouse, Krystal and Sayuri, Milano is officially listed as a buffet rather than an à-la-carte restaurant.
This distinction should be maintained when describing the resort’s restaurant portfolio.
Elite Club Adds Exclusive Dining
The renovation introduced Elite Club by RIU at the Aruba property.
The adults-only premium category includes rooms in preferred locations, 31 rooms with private pools, reserved beachfront areas, enhanced room service and access to an exclusive restaurant and bar services.
The Elite restaurant is restricted to guests staying in qualifying Elite Club accommodation and forms part of RIU’s effort to offer a more personalised premium experience.
Sports Bar Complements Dining Options
American Country is the hotel’s air-conditioned sports bar.
RIU lists it alongside the Daiquiri lobby bar, Cappuchino café, Barry’s plaza bar and Palm Beach pool bar.
The sports bar offers guests a casual location for drinks and entertainment but should not be classified as one of the property’s themed dinner restaurants.
Local Restaurants Remain Part of Visitor Experience
The food and beverage manager said that despite the hotel’s expanded culinary selection, many guests continue leaving the property to dine at restaurants elsewhere in Aruba.
Some visitors travel beyond the Palm Beach hotel district to locations including Savaneta, allowing local restaurants to benefit from tourism spending even when guests are staying at an all-inclusive resort.
The comment recognises that hotel dining and Aruba’s independent restaurant industry can form complementary parts of the overall visitor experience.
Culinary Programme Supports Resort Reopening
RIU said its renovation modernised the property while preserving the service style associated with the Palace brand.
The redesigned restaurants, updated menus and exclusive Elite Club facilities form an important part of the reopened resort’s effort to offer a more varied and contemporary experience.
The renewed RIU Palace Aruba Restaurants now range from international buffets and Italian dining to Asian dishes, fusion cuisine, premium meats and casual food concepts.
Hotel management said its chefs and food-service teams remain focused on delivering a consistent dining experience while recognising that many visitors will also continue exploring Aruba’s restaurants outside the resort.
