Outstanding resort for anybody over 18 including invalids

This was my first time in this hotel but I travelled to many hotels in Mexico and Dominican Republic and Varadero. It is spacious but cozy and homy at the same time . Hotel is full but you never feel there is too many people. staff is efficient but you do not have a feeling they are in rush or pushy or breathless as in both Mexico and Dominican. I feel hotel employs right number of people so although they are busy they are always there for you. Staff is kind in a particular Cuban way only they [... read more] know. It is also partially because Cubans are excellently educated so general level of staff is better than elsewhere,but again this hotel in particular has a good HR department. Many couples we met kept returning to this resort and I personally met two copies being there 7th time. That speaks for itself. Food was excellent for healthy food style... Fish, meet and raw and cooked vegetables in abandance. Non gluten pasta with vegetables and pesto with touch of garlic was out of this world. Regular flour crepe available at both lunch and supper. Deserts were exceptionally good considering that Cuba is not famous for sweets. Honey was available for those who prefer it with tea and coffee. Grill next to the pool has best healthy salads next to the roast and hamburgers. Absolute silance through day and night in area of rooms. Amazing. What stands out as absolutely impressive and above any expectation is entertainment. From yoga and aqua fit to valley ball on both grass and sand to afternoon and evening music that is memorable. First class musitions are brought in with world class performance skills that leave you to stop talking and feel as if on concert all the time. Opera singers from Havana sang for an hour well known arias from famous operas and we all sang with them in the audience. Entertainment this hotel offers one does not get in any other country or resort. And even if you think you are not a talent for Latin dance Veronica will turn those two left feet into a dancer by the end of the week and your significant other wil be very happy . Guests are such fine people that one would think hotel chose them and not vice versa. One is at ease to start chatting with anybody. No drunken or aggressive loud people out of control. There is a lot of loud laughter but not unpleasant. Probably the class of hotels service encourages only people with refine taste to go there. No need to mention that Varadero beach is spectacular. People with invalidity of any kind are rolled is special beach strollers to the water for a swim. Snorkeling in local reef is only kilometar away from the beach and it is arranged by sailing boats at the resort. Effortless and beautiful activity. One has to be patient with waiting for the bus for our of hotel activities. Buses are always late as they collect passengers from many resorts and it is guests who are not there on time makung the whole bus be late for the last hotel. If you like Cuban music do not miss Buena Vista Social Club concert in Varadero. It is worth waiting for a bus 40 minutes for only ten minutes ride to the Hall. Three musicians from old gang are still performing. There is not one insect in the room but two or three mosquitoes are there at night. I will be back to the resort with pleasure.

Peaceful Paradise

This hotel is on a pristine piece of white sand beach, with relatively calm waters (we were there in March, which is a bit windier, so the waves were a little stronger, but lots of fun!). The hotel was well maintained and all of the staff that we dealt with were friendly and efficient. We initially had a problem with a slight musty odour and poorly functioning AC system in our room, and they accommodated us immediately with a room change and a dehumidifier. The rooms do show a little wear and [... read more] tear here and there, but the resort is a former Sandals, and we were pleased overall. Really, how much time are you spending in your rooms anyway? While food is generally not the high point of a resort in Cuba, we found the food here to be quite good! In particular, the Italian restaurant and the El Carribe restaurant were outstanding, and were among some of the best meals I have ordered in our travels! The buffet was quite extensive and if you can't find something you like to eat at each buffet meal, you're too damned picky and should probably stay home and cook for yourself! The best part of this resort was the quiet. There was no constant "oompa, oompa, oompa" of music on the beach or around the pool for the majority of the day. Occasionally, there was music from an aerobics class or dance class, but it wasn't outrageous. The beach was ALWAYS quiet; things kicked into a noisier gear about 4pm by the pool, as the happy hour was reached. At that point, if you don't like it, go back to the beach where it's pretty much silent or go get changed for supper. We had no problems getting the drinks we wanted (even premium stuff was widely available) and I can honestly say that there is no real need to purchase the diamond club extensions here. It gives you a few extra brands of booze, and a couple of separate areas on the beach and around the pool, but those areas are literally right beside the common areas...it changes nothing about your experiences in those two places. Sure you have a separate lounge and restaurant to eat your breakfast....but isn't half of the fun meeting others? This was an adults only hotel, and I truly enjoyed not worrying about little kids running around while we were drinking/relaxing. If it had children, diamond club would have been a more important consideration. Topless bathing was permitted, but there were only a few people doing this and it didn't seem to be a problem at all. Overall, there was only about 400 rooms spread across about 30 (?) separate bungalows, so it's super quiet there. We were in one of the farthest buildings after our room switch, and I didn't find it outrageous at all. You can easily walk everywhere on the resort/to the beach in under 5 minutes - even from where we were located on the far side.

Fantastic resort - keep coming back!

My wife and I just love this resort. We started going to the Hicacos resort in 2005 which at that time was owned and operated by Sandals as the Sandals Royal Hicacos Resort. We have attended this resort 9 separate times since 2005. One of the reasons we keep coming back are the people that operate and work at the resort. They always seem to remember you and are extremely friendly. The accommodations are very nice and are like little cottages with a lovely bathroom, bedroom and a separate si [... read more]tting room with a chair and couch. The grounds are very well looked after and maintained. Another reason we keep coming back is the food. We have heard so many complaints from tourists at other resorts that they don't like the food at their particular resort. They have a lovely buffet and approx.6 or 7 separate restaurants that you can book with a reservation. The beach at this resort is spell-bounding. One of the finest beaches that you will fine in Varadero, Cuba. There is a lovely beach grill restaurant literally right on the beach which serves, steaks, chicken and lobster while listening to live Cuban music while you are dining. You do have to remember that you are in Cuban and there could be little amenities missing that you would be used to in other countries or at home. At anytime we have requested something-we find that they try to fix things almost immediately. We have made so many friends over the years that some people almost feel like family. We have always said that if you cannot be happy at this resort you must be very spoiled and have no idea how good we have it in Canada. The pool area is right in the middle of the resort with the amphitheater and buffet restaurant beside it. There is lots of daily activity around the pool with fashion shows, music and games. The nightly entertainment is top-notch and firmly believe will not be matched at any other resort. One week is not enough - will be returning a.s.a.p.

Amazing beach!

The resort was very easy to get around and the rooms were spacious and clean with great veranda/deck space. Staff was welcoming and accommodated our requests for dinner, despite not getting very many options at the reservation desk. Said that there were only a couple of slots left and not at all the restaurant options. However, when we spoke with the restaurants at the time, they were willing to seat us. All in all, a great trip!

Beautiful place

Everything was great: clean, well maintained, good food, good evening shows, good restaurants. Diamond Club is worth every penny. Beach is perfect. Rooms are comfortable with great balcony. Will definitely return.

Absolutely a beautiful resort.

Our room was just newly redecorated, we had been to this resort three times before and had no complaints, it was even better this time with many new amenities. The resort is so clean, grounds beautifully maintained, felt like a piece of paradise. The staff go above and beyond to help in every way, and always have a smile on their faces. My wife and daughter have Celiac disease (gluten free) they were given a card indicating their food allergies, and every time they went to the dining room t [... read more]he Chef would go around with them and show them what they could eat gluten free. The nights they wanted pasta, the chef in that area would cook the food especially for them. My son in-law and myself enjoyed every aspect of the dining. We also went to the VIP lounge at the airport, they didn't have gluten free sandwiches, but did offer yogurt and food in that category which my wife and daughter could eat. All in all, I couldn't say enough about the resort and the staff, go you will enjoy, we had 30 - 32 deg. weather every day.

Relaxing

Very pretty, well laid out resort. Too many stairs and some in need of repair. Room was dated but fine. Room designation however was well located, close to lobby and bars, but we had a wake up call at 5:45 every morning as our room was beside the work area, so lots of loud talking and banging. So don't let them put you in 1103! Food was okay, we tried two restaurants and were disappointed so we ate at the buffet the rest of the week. Always found something to eat. Shows were incredible, lots o [... read more]f talent in Cuba. So mixed feelings. I don't know if we would return.

Wonderful week at the Royalton Hicacos !

Upon our arrival, we were greeted with a glass of champagne. Check-in was simple and efficient. We were given a butler, which we weren't expecting. He gave us a tour of the resort, while taking us to our room. He was very professional, highly trained and helpful. The Royalton Hicacos is a lovely resort that was built with top quality materials. Our room was well maintained and spotlessly clean. The grounds throughout are very nice and well kept. The staff throughout the resort were all w [... read more]ell trained and very friendly. Often staff would ask, " is everything ok?" They were always anxious to do anything to make our stay enjoyable. There was daily entertainment in the Lobby Bar and the Jazz Bar. There was live dinner music in the a la carte restaurants and at the evening buffets. All the music we listened to was very enjoyable. The bar service throughout the resort was friendly and efficient. The drinks were made with good quality liquor. The house wine served throughout the resort was very acceptable. We did not use the pools as we preferred the beach.The beach was a highlight for us. Endless sand, beautiful warm water, and cabanas were always available. The beach was divided into non-smoking and smoking sections, so everyone was accommodated. Beach attendants were always available to find us a beach chair. There was a restaurant and bar service at the beach, and that was very convenient. There was never a need to reserve a cabana early in the morning. The food throughout the resort was good. This was our fourth trip to Cuba and this was by far the best resort to-date with the best food. We could always find something we liked to eat and the service was excellent. We ate two meals in the a la carte restaurants; the Caribbean and the International. Their menus had ample variety. We had excellent meals at both restaurants. This was our ninth trip to the Caribbean (Punta Cana,Cuba and Mexico). We have always stayed at 4.5 and 5 star resorts. This was the best overall resort so far. We highly recommend this resort and look forward to returning.

AMAZING

The resort exceeded our expectations. Being a Diamond Club member was the best idea we made. This allowed us to have access to the private dinning rooms. All employees, being right from the Butler, Concierge, house keeping, bartenders, hostesses, EVERYONE was plesent and english wasnt that bad eather. Our room was spectacular looking over their beautiful gardens.

Friendliest staff ever!

Rooms are a little dated, at least in the bungalow that we stayed in. Lights in the bathroom were terrific but the rest of the room was dimly lit. Food was good but very inconsistent in “temperature “. Some foods in the buffet are warm, others are quite cool when they should be hotter. At the seafood restaurant, the potatoes served with the lobster were ice cold, and our plates were missing the vegetables we were told would accompany the lobster. Staff at the resort are phenomenal. Alway [... read more]s friendly and helpful. I was a little concerned that the “lifeguards “ seemed to be preoccupied selling tours, cigars etc and not having their eyes on the ocean.

Best resort in Varadero

My boyfriend and I just returned from our 3 days vacation at Royalton. It was his 2nd time in Cuba and my 9th but the first at Royalton. It was such an incredible experience for both of us. Very clean resort, excellent food. I miss the king size bed and double sized tub. Loved loved this place and can’t wait to go back in February or April. This time we will bring family with us.

Overall a good Resort

Just spent the weekend at this resort. The resort needs some renovations. I would not consider this resort as luxury. Buffet food is OK. A la Carte Restaurant, food is not that great. I would recommend this hotel as a 5 star luxury but a 4.5 instead simply because rooms and swim out pools needs to be upgraded.

Love love love this resort

One of the best resorts I have stayed. Normally not a fan of Cuba but this resort is top notch, we got married here and will return every December for our anniversary. The staff are so welcoming and helpful. Laurie

Great resort with a great beach!

The Royalston was a great resort. We were on a 4 day mini vaca and it was the perfect size- not too big and the Beach was nice and close to the rooms. The staff was fantastic and the food was some of the best I've ever had in Cuba. There was an unfortunate sulfer smell around the pool a couple of times, which wasn't great, but overall, wasnt a huge issue

Mom’s Getaway

Loved that it was adults only. The Diamond Club on the beach was great with fabulous service from Jesus. Rooms were well kept and food was delicious for Cuba/ fresh. The pools were too shallow and had a very foul smell of eggs in the air ...

Awesome resort

We spent a week Oct 28 to November 4 the resort is latyed out beautifully and the grounds and staff are amazing always a place to sit at the beach or pool anytime of the day our maids and butlers were so happy and always did the most creative towel art we can’t wait to return

We were spoiled 😊😍

The staff of the hotel are overwhelmingly helpful and friendly. The grounds were clean, the hotel was immaculate. Although, the rooms need updating, they were kept clean. Service with a smile throughout. The food was very acceptable, by Cuban standards. I would say it was above par. I really enjoyed the ice cream boutique. The beach was perfect. White powder sand, plenty of chairs and shade. The water was perfection. We had a great time and would absolutely go again to the Royalton Hicacos, Vara [... read more]dero.

Second time around, just as wonderful!

The hubby and I absolutely love this resort. Beach is stunning, food is great, and the staff is wonderful! We will be heading back for our 3rd and 4th trips soon as possible! I would highly recommend. Luxurious and quaint, you won't be disappointed!

Great Relaxing Time

My boyfriend and I stayed here for 5 days over Canadian thanksgiving and had a very enjoyable time. We were nervous as we knew going to Cuba the food might not be that great however we were pleasantly surprised!! I did not have any complaints about the food - we ate at the international restaurant twice, italian once and the seafood last and were were pleased every time. I would recommend upgrading to Diamond Club as the perks were awesome and definitely worth it! Our butler Illiana was wonderf [... read more]ul and so helpful and kind! Also the bartender Ana was great!!! (make sure you ask her for a special daiquiri or pina colada). We were sad to leave and we are already planning our trip back!

TRuly Amazing Resort! Incredible people servicing guests!

Absolutely the best ever all inclusive vacation we have had with Trip Central and Sunwing. Strongly recommend that when going to Royalton Hicacos in Varadero, Cuba opt for the Diamond Club upgrade. It was amazing to have two butlers answering our every request immediately. In addition they give you all these extras like executive dinner with management! Butler service at the door to your room literally. We had a Diamond Club lunge with every bottle of alcoholic beverage imaginable plus treats [... read more], goodies and food on demand. We had a la carte dinners every day, we had special breakfasts available in one of the a la carte restaurants. The best butlers ever are Jorge and Roberto, they partnered to serve with firendliness and dedication. We had a private beach available only to members of the Diamond Club. We had a drinks server on request as many times a day as we wanted while at the beach. We could change beach towels as often as we wanted. In short we are going back soon.................