Royal Palm Galapagos, Curio Collection by Hilton

This hotel was amazing! First of all, Alejandro is the best and will show you around the 300 acre property when you arrive (with a welcome drink of course). The property is remote and relaxing and the villas are beautiful. Highly recommend to anyone looking to get away!

We booked a 3-night package at the Royal Palm (Hilton) and unfortunately, it turned out to be extremely overpriced for what we received. We paid $5800 for three nights, including meals, excursions, and transfers. After comparing prices and talking to other travelers, it became very clear that booking everything separately would cost around $3500–$3800 total, meaning the package adds roughly $2000 of unnecessary markup. For example, the hotel charges nearly $200 for the airport transfer, while you can easily do the same route on your own for about $30 total (taxi + ferry + local transfer). Excursions included in the package were also available through local agencies or online services for much lower prices. The restaurant and buffet food were fine, but not premium, and certainly not justifying the package cost. The villa itself has issues. The humidity is very high, and our belongings, including documents in the safe, became damp. The room had only one small cheapest dehumidifier (we had to request more, which still didn’t help). The furnishings and interior feel dated, and in a number of places the property looks poorly maintained: moss and slippery surfaces on walkways, the tennis court covered in debris and mold, windows that don’t close completely, and a general sense of wear. The bedding and towels had a musty smell from the constant moisture. Also, the shower door in our villa did not close properly. Because of this, cool air from the room constantly came into the shower, and it was impossible to stay warm. We ended up having to wedge a napkin under the door or hold it with a foot just to keep it shut, which was uncomfortable and definitely not what you expect at this price level. The staff were kind, polite, and genuinely tried to help, and the natural surroundings are beautiful. But the pricing structure feels very inflated. When we asked for a transparent cost breakdown of the package, we were told it was “confidential,” which unfortunately only reinforced the impression that the pricing is intentionally non-transparent. Bottom line: If you choose to stay here, do not purchase the package deal. Book the villa, excursions, and transport separately. You will save a significant amount of money and likely have a better experience. The location is special, but the value for money in the package is not there. Rating: 2/5 Great staff and unique setting, but extremely poor value and visible maintenance issues.

Visiting in July, we found the grounds very unkempt and dangerously slick due to the overgrowth of green algae on the walkways and in the pool. The pool was painfully cold, over and above that it was not cleaned. The AC leaked extensively then quit working altogether during our stay, which was not only uncomfortable but inconvenient when we had repack and move rooms. Despite availability and Gold status, we were not upgraded (until it was inconvenient and we just had to move because the AC didn't work). The food was good, though given a very small menu, we taxied into town for variety. Breakfast was supposed to be included, but then we were charged some days and not others. We booked excursions through the hotel for some high priced bait and switch - we'd be loaded onto a nice large bus at the lobby, then driven to the property entrance to be switched to a larger, packed, much less nice bus for our actual excursions. Others on these tours quoted much less cost for same. This is simply too inconvenient of a location - time and money - to only be a rather mediocre property.