Royal Palm Galapagos has a fine dining restaurant inside a lava tunnel

Royal Palm Galapagos, Curio Collection by Hilton, a boutique estate with 21 villas and deluxe rooms brimming with the charm of an Ecuadorian Hacienda is now open.  The hotel is located in the lush Miconia Highland Forests adjacent to Galapagos National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Sheltered within a valley between two extinct cinder cone volcanoes, the hotel features nine areas of geological interest from craters to lava tunnels and features newly enhanced accommodations, a reception area, restaurants, and a gym.  By the end of 2022, guests can expect a new spa and by mid-2023, the hotel plans to introduce a refreshed pool.  With three different camping sites, the hotel offers a way to see the diversity of the Galapagos Islands with its overnight camping program.

The eight deluxe rooms have spacious bedrooms, dining areas and front porches or terraces to bask in the expansive garden and nature reserve vistas. Similarly, the eight villas feature a bedroom, bathroom, jacuzzi room, living/dining room and open fireplaces to relish in the scenic views across the estate and Santa Cruz Island. The executive villas are secluded cottages with a private garden, indoor sauna, living room and dining area with an open fireplace. The largest suite on the property is named in honor of British royals and boasts extreme privacy including two bedrooms, a sauna, private garden areas, an open fireplace, a dining area and more.

Royal Palm Galapagos, Curio Collection by Hilton offers a distinct dining experience featuring island-sourced ingredients, from vegetables and fruits from local producers to grass-fed meat products and sustainably harvested seafood.  The hotel’s food and beverage offerings are helmed by two extraordinary sous chefs born and raised in the Galapagos, Patricio Sisa and Rommel Chalen, who bring their vast experience, passion and enjoyment of their local traditions, including traditional Ecuadorian and international flavors to their always evolving menu while transforming the customs of the Galapagos into culinary adventures.

The hotel is home to the destination’s only fine dining restaurant inside a lava tunnel located nearly 60 feet underground. Opening this year, this new culinary journey begins at Muttini, a 30-year-old building decorated with cannons and anchors, with a guided tour through the lava tunnel and finishes at the volcanic vault with a six-course dinner inspired by the homegrown culture and ingredients.  

The Royal Palm Restaurant serves international and local cuisine featuring a variety of Galapaguenian recipes with fresh ingredients from its house farm and catch of the day. The 50-seat restaurant combines elegant colonial style and traditional island design with warm mahogany furniture. 

Beyond the islands’ world-renowned voyages, guests have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to conserve the endangered species that reside on the property such as the Galapagos Crake, Galapagos Short Eared Owl, Scalesia pedunculata, Robesonian Miconia and more. Those looking to recharge can delight at the estate’s idyllic picturesque pool, newly renovated fitness center, and be fascinated by the natural wonders of the Galapagos while enjoying the highest level of services provided within the unspoiled location of the hotel. By year-end, the hotel plans to introduce a new spa that will boast an exclusive relaxation and massage area in the lava tunnel as well as two treatment rooms and rejuvenating treatments designed with the utmost sustainable practices and methods.

Photos © 2022 Hilton