Royal Palm Galapagos, Curio Collection Hotel

Ecuador , Santa Cruz Island
Galapagos, Km. 18 Via Puerto Ayora- Baltra Isla
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45 reviews shown

10/10

Exceptional

30 Mar 2026

Christine

Arrived late and left early the next day to catch a flight so did not have the luxury of spending as much time at the resort as we would have liked. Spacious comfy rooms and excellent staff and food!

Family

10/10

Exceptional

18 Feb 2026

Robin

We had the best time ever! We will definitely be back! The place is beautiful!

8/10

Excellent

21 Jan 2026

Elizabeth

Clean room but not good water pressure. Friendly and helpfull staff.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

25 Dec 2025

Andres Fernando

10/10

Exceptional

13 Sep 2025

Laureen

The best part about staying at Royal Palms Galapagos was the staff. They were all friendly and helpful, making their best effort to make our stay enjoyable. They remembered our dietary restrictions and would point out if a dish had food we couldn’t eat.
The facilities were very nice, and cleaned by friendly staff. The property grounds were serene and lovely. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and would definitely choose the Royal Palms again.

10/10

Exceptional

20 Apr 2025

Joana

The Royal Palm offers a truly immersive Galápagos experience—set inland on a stunning 100 acre property, far from the touristy feel of the ports. Recently under new ownership, the property is being refreshed: rooms are spacious and renovated, the pool has been redone, and quiet renovations are underway, including apparently a unique lava tunnel spa. Some exterior areas still need attention, but the overall feel is serene and authentic.

Service is top-notch and boutique-level, with attentive, personalized touches throughout. A special thank you to Gustavo, the ever-present and gracious manager. The restaurant is excellent, with a warm team—Rita made us feel at home and remembered our names. Breakfasts are fresh, varied and awesome.

Excursions can be organized by the hotel and work seamlessly. Duncan gave us a deep dive into the island’s geology and ecology, while Maritza kept our 8–14-year-olds fully engaged with her energy and knowledge. Boat tour days were a highlight—fantastic snorkeling, incredible island views, and a surprisingly gourmet chef onboard (kudos)! The boat crew was kind and professional. Guide quality, however, faltered which was disappointing.

Overall, The Royal Palm is a peaceful, character-rich base for a Galápagos trip—elevated by excellent service, comfort, and nature.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

01 Feb 2025

karen

The royal palm is in a beautiful setting!!
The staff makes you feel like you are at home.
Jesus, Gustavo, Annelise(spelling), and Diego.
Also all the other staff members.
The property needs some TLC.

Leisure Friends

2/10

Poor

01 Feb 2025

Verified traveler

Do not stay here.

Wi-Fi was practically non existent. No cell service. I had a very difficult time keeping in contact with my family. Only a couple TV channels worked. TV’s had Prime, Netflix, etc built in but none of it worked. The beds were actually very comfortable, which was good because about the only thing you could do there was sleep. Staff was very friendly but only one gentleman spoke English. There were two ladies there who were very friendly but really spoke no English so when one of them was at the front desk, communication was almost impossible. Tried to use google translate but without WiFi, it didn’t work. I understand that we were in their country, however hotels staff should be able to communicate with the customers. The food tasted ok but I didn’t feel well for a couple days after eating. The menu was also very limited. Only a few things to choose from. I would not recommend this hotel at all.

Business

10/10

Exceptional

30 Jan 2025

Shari

The staff makes this place!!!! They are top notch. The facilities/fitness center, tennis courts and villas can use maintenance/updating but it’s easy to overlook with the amazing customer service provided. The grounds are quiet, peaceful and safe. Food was very good and we did the lava tunnel dinner which we were so happy that we chose to do so.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

22 Nov 2024

Silvana

We are thrilled we chose to stay at this hotel! The staff is exceptional and truly made our family trip unforgettable.
Our room was beautiful and spotless, and the pool and jacuzzi provided the perfect way to unwind after our daily adventures. We also dined at the Lava Restaurant—it was an unforgettable experience and highly recommended! This is definitely a place we want to return to. We absolutely loved it!

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

04 Aug 2024

Sandeepan

Beautiful property - lived the staff and the sorroundings. Our villa was excellent

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

20 Jul 2024

Manuel

Royal Palms is an exceptional property that offers a unique experience immersed in nature. Guests can enjoy the tranquility and seclusion the location provides. The pool and jacuzzis are excellent, and the pleasant weather even at night makes the jacuzzis particularly enjoyable. It was a delightful experience to soak in the hot water during a drizzle, adding to the charm of the hotel, which is situated in the heart of the island.

While the hotel is relatively close to all major attractions, transportation is necessary, and it is advisable to book a taxi in advance, as they are typically around 15 minutes away. The staff at Royal Palms are extraordinarily friendly and went above and beyond to enhance our stay. Their exceptional service made our visit even more memorable.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

19 May 2024

Pamela

All of the staff at the Royal Palm are amazing; they helped us to organize an excursion to North Seymour Island that we probably would not have considered, but ended up being one of the highlights of our trip. The weather in the hills during our stay was overcast, but was beautiful when we ventured to the pier. Maybe because of the time of year/weather, the pool and hottubs were really not usable (not clean or hot). The on-site cafe was fantastic. It was fun to see the tortoises that freely roam the property. My sister loved her relaxing massage (she is very picky, so this says a lot). One of the highlights of our stay was a 5-course dinner in the lava tunnel ~ DO NOT MISS IT.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

17 May 2024

Nicolas

Incredible food, excellent service and staff. The restaurant inside the tunnel of the property its amazing.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

02 Dec 2023

Robert

Other than renovations (pool and restaurant), we loved the place. Friendly and helpful staff, great food, fascinating lava tunnels and a natural setting made this an especial part of our time in the Galapagos.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

07 Aug 2023

Anne

Wonderful property with friendly and courteous staff. Villas are amazing for the value! Restaurant is excellent with delicious dishes and attentive service.

Leisure

10/10

Exceptional

25 Jun 2023

michelle

I stayed in Villa 6. The villa was spacious, comfortable, quite, serene, has a fantastic free standing bathtub. The view from this Villa overlooked the canopy of flora and fauna and the ocean. If you like nature, quietness and tranquility this is the place for you. Not close to to town which was was a plus for me. Great staff that are kind and care about your stay. I was absolutely stunned how pretty the grounds were.

Business_and_leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

06 Mar 2023

Abdel Meguid

Highly recommended. While not the hot spot of Porto Ayora and about 20min drive, it’s a beautiful property with a lot of space unlike the smaller hotels around the port area. The staff stands out as well. They are helpful and friendly. They will make sure you get to where you want and work out transportation.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

26 Jan 2023

Rano

Beautiful area. I was surprised that check out time is 10am. However, didnt have any issues to delay check out till noon.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

26 Apr 2022

Maria

Will definitely recommend this hotel. The surroundings, service and nature are excellent reasons.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

07 Oct 2021

Anastasia

Fantastic hospitality and service.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Sep 2021

Melinda

Property gorgeous and staff wonderful. We loved how spacious room was. It’s a $10 cab ride to town but closer to port for most day tours.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Dec 2020

Verified traveler

Great Service!!

The Royal Palm has great service. We had to change our stay a number of times due to the COVID-19 restrictions. They were very accommodating regarding our changes..

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

18 Mar 2020

sabeen

Pretty place. Staff was friendly and very helpful.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

26 Feb 2020

Beautiful, spacious villa in the middle of the national park in Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos. The staff were excellent and accommodating, and the restaurant was superb, going out of their way to accommodate our food requests. The only problem- not a trivial one sadly- was that the property wasn't fully insect-proof (despite fly screens), so we had a mosquito biting us all night.

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

12 Feb 2020

Verified traveler

Does not live up to star rating

We were looking forward to this hotel, but it does not live up to it's star rating as it has no restaurant at the moment. It is being refurbished, but we were only told 24 hours beforehand, really not good enough. Yes they run a shuttle into town, some 25 mins distant, but on one day there was no shuttle coming back, so that was a taxi at our expense. Absolutely no food available after lunch. Only got half of the breakfast we ordered on day 1, day 2 was much better, but still has to be eaten sitting in your room with no place setting or condiments. Shower room left a lot to be desired, who knows what lurks below the wooden slating! Millipedes galore in the room! Bed was very comfortable and furniture classic and good, but curtains don't meet and hang off in places. Biggest disappointment was that, although there was space to sit outside the room, there was nothing to sit on. Staff varied from being very helpful and pleasant, to one manager who could not have been more unpleasant if she tried. General cleanliness was not good, green mould and moss growing everywhere, in the pool shower, on all the paths, on lots of the buildings. There is nothing around, so no options to eat elsewhere other than town. We moved on our last night to be in town where there were other people and where we could eat!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 Jan 2020

Verified traveler

Beautiful and secluded hotel nested away in the Highlands, perfect if you’re looking for a peaceful stay or romantic break. A 20 minute taxi drive away from the hustle and bustle of Puerto Ayora, really was lovely to return after a long day out to the mist and jungle feel.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Sep 2019

Verified traveler

El servicio es excelente de todo absolutamente todo el personal

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jul 2019

Verified traveler

From arrival until departure the staff at the Royal Palm had our best interest and desires met. Sébastien, Daniel, Gustavo, Rita, Tania, and Angel were one step ahead of everything and made our family feel at home.
The grounds, although a bit away from the port(15min/$10usd each way), offered the privacy and serenity we greatly enjoyed after day tours. Truly an oasis in the \"highlands\".
Mil gracias to the Royal Palm team for a beautiful and memorable Santa Cruz experience .

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

02 Mar 2019

ChrisGiurleo

This is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been , will remember it forever . It is far from downtown puerto ayora about 20 minutes but worth it to get the peace and quiet and tranquility . this place is one of a kind . It will cost you $10 for taxi to and from puerto ayora but totally worth it . Don’t listen to a word of the negative reviews , you won’t be disappointed.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

23 Nov 2018

Nicole

The Royal Palm was beautiful! My sister and I stayed here and the villa was so nice, the staff was so wonderful, and the property was breathtaking!

Family

10/10

Exceptional

11 Nov 2018

Verified traveler

Very lovely hotel. Enjoyed the location, the grounds and the view.

10/10

Exceptional

20 Jun 2018

CHRISTINA and Rick

Top establishment in the Galapagos highlands

Beautiful establishment with top services. Staff was awesome in all respects.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

10 Jul 2017

Hugo

Beautiful Resort in Galapagos Highlands

We stayed at this amazing and beautiful Resort in the Highlands in June of 2017. I would like to first comment on the absolutely amazing staff and responsiveness to every need. Juan Carlos, Paola and Gustavo made our stay there amazing and comfortable. The hotel is secluded, but it was exactly what we were looking for. Transportation into town is only 20 minutes away and we never had a problem getting to or from our hotel. Thanks to everyone at Royal Palm for an amazing experience and trip to remember. We will be back!!!

10/10

Exceptional

13 Oct 2025

Luis

Extraordinario hotel en una zona de infinita riqueza natural, excelente personal y servicio y todos las comodidades que se esperan. El restaurante está muy bien.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

02 Nov 2024

Fredrik

Great stay in lush surroundings, and with lovely staff. Great place for a few days!

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

27 Aug 2024

Patricia

Preciosa propiedad, y las villas perfectas para nuestro final a una celebración familiar muy especial.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

21 Aug 2024

Rihito

The Villa was great. But the shower was unconvinient to use because it was too high.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

30 Apr 2024

Andreas

Leisure Friends

4/10

Poor

29 Jun 2023

andres

Propiedad muy deteriorada

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

28 Mar 2021

Augusto

Excelente ubicación para aventura

El hotel está en el
Lugar perfecto para aventura cerca de Puerto
Ayora, de Baltra, de Seymore y de los principales puntos de buceo y salida de embarcaciones. La
Atención de primera el gerente y todo el
Personal están pendientes de cada detalle de tu estadía . Es posible que pronto tenga que ser remodelado

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

21 Jul 2019

Verified traveler

La comida podría ser de mejor calidad y variedad. El desayuno es regular, casi malo. Hay buenos platillos pero no demasiados.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

23 Apr 2019

Monica

Todo. Sus instalaciones. Su ubicación. Su diseño. La tranquilidad y a la vez el fácil acceso a cualquier punto de interés turístico. Su extraordinario personal. Siempre atento a las mínimas necesidades. Inmejorable experiencia

Business_and_leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

01 Feb 2019

Verified traveler

Un Hotel maravilloso con gente agradale, hubicado en un paraíso salvaje lleno de vegetación, cómodas habitaciones increíbles villas, de lujo. Se respira naturaleza y muchísima paz

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

02 Apr 2018

Adriana

Hermoso hotel en la parte alta del Santa Cruz

Hermoso hotel las villas divinamente decoradas muy amplias el personal súper amable, muy buena comida. Sus túneles de lava los mejores de Snata Cruz. Pero está lejos de todo.