Royal Palm Galapagos, Curio Collection Hotel by Hilton

The Lava Lounge was one of the main highlights of our visit. We had a great night there and thought the experience was worth it. The hotel itself was fantastic too. Our room was beautiful, and we appreciated the Diamond Status upgrade. Stephanie at the front desk and Lisette in food service were especially courteous, friendly, and helpful. I'd gladly recommend both the hotel and lounge to people planning a trip to the Galapagos.

The dinner in the Lava Tunnel was such a cool experience. Guides led us through the tunnel to a wonderful spot, where we had a five course meal and great service. The bartenders were awesome and really nice too, and it's a cool place to stop before heading to the port. Good wine as well. I'd definitely go back. Thanks!

The staff made a great impression. Everyone was friendly and keen to help, and my laundry was back in my room within a few hours even though they'd promised a 24 hour turnaround. Royal Palm is a comfortable oasis in the Santa Cruz Highlands, with traditional rooms as well as grand villas. The rooms have nice amenities, and there's a pool and two hot tubs. In the central area you'll find a restaurant and bar, with good food and drinks plus happy hour. Don't skip the lava tunnel restaurant. It's one of the most unique experiences I've ever had.

We stayed in Villa 8, which had the best view and plenty of privacy. This is a very remote hotel in The Highlands, a lovely quiet escape from Puerto Ayora's crowds and chaos. There are a few traditional rooms together, while most of the accommodation is in large villas. The kids loved the lava tunnel, the staff, breakfast, and the piano they let my son play. They also enjoyed the chocolate housekeeping left each day, having their own beds, and the geckos and frogs that visited at night. The hotel seems aimed more at older guests, but the kids were happy there. There's a decent pool and two above ground hot tubs, though we didn't use them. Umbrellas are available in the rooms and lobby. The complimentary breakfast came with a wonderful crew. Danny told us about local hotel architecture and history. In my opinion, Hilton / Curio removed some of it to modernize the place and give it a luxury look, though they kept things like the original wooden furniture in the lava tunnel. Josue helped with our requests, arranged our onsite lava tunnel tour, and found us Lenny, literally the best taxi driver on the planet. He was friendly and easy to work with, so we used him for all three days. The office can also arrange vetted tours and airport transfers before or during your stay. We used them for our transfer, and Maurice, a hotel employee, was wonderful, from the lobby right through to getting our boarding passes.