Melia Las Dunas: Fair resort, if you can get a deal

This must have been the 20th time that I have been to Cuba, the third time that I’ve been to Cayo Santa Maria, so I knew what to expect. The hotel was a bit disappointing as it was rundown. The patio door was not locking, the rubber Underneath the front door was broken, allowing bugs to come in. Not that we saw many in the room. We did see quite a few ants in our room. This could be resulting from the fact that our housekeeper was putting flowers on our beds almost every morning. A nice gestur [... read more]e, but I’m sure that’s where the ants were coming from. Considering the supply shortage in Cuba, I did not know what to expect. Cannot blame the hotel for this, but it was a chance we took. The food was subpar compared to the hotel that I had been to previously. Subpar to any Cuban resort that I’ve been to. The beach and the ocean was amazing as usual, one of the nicest that I’ve been to in the Caribbean, the staff at the bar, at the restaurants, we’re generally pleasant and friendly, our maid was amazing, one of the best that I have ever had. I had friends who have stayed at this resort in the past, and they have all claimed there was not much entertainment at night. But the week I was there, there was sufficient entertainment, shows at night, musicians, playing, dance, parties, one thing that was surprising to me was that they were not many Canadians staying at this hotel. We ran into a family from Quebec, and two different groups from Toronto. Besides that, all the other guests appeared to be either from Europe, or different South American countries. At every resort that I’ve been to, I’ve always run into Canadians from various parts of the country, but this time around it appeared to be rare. Hearing someone speak English was a novelty. Lol. The resort itself is very big, so be ready to walk a lot. There are staff that will drive you around to your room, but sometimes the wait could be long making it worthwhile to walk. After a couple of days, I had blisters on my toes from walking too much, probably because I was walking with wet sandals. I did not try the pool because I am not a pool person, but it appeared to be clean. Albeit very chlorinated. This is a fair resort if you can get a good deal if you are OK with a resort that is somewhat rundown. My next time around, I will probably be going to the Meliá cayoSanta Maria , which is formerly the Playa Cayo Santa Maria. it’s the adjoining hotel right next-door. But is much smaller, and catered more to Canadians, from what I recall., although times have changed from my last time there which was pre-pandemic.

Iberostar Origin Bella Vista Varadero: Iberostar Bella Vista Sucks

Completely flooded Hotel on the Havana trip The lights were not turned on on our floor on the Havana trip. Broken doors were banging loudly in the night that I had to get up at 1:00 in the morning and secure with a heavy umbrella to keep it from happening anymore in Havana. We were served the same crappy meal three times in a row on the Havana trip. One elevator out of four working intermittently Exposed control panels on at least three or four floors next to the elevators with flashing l [... read more]ights and wires sticking out People were rude as hell when dealing with any problems The concierge never showed up on the days when she was supposed to be there The rental motorcycles did not work We were kicked out of the pool at 6:00 so somebody could throw chemicals in TV remote did not work and it took 3 hours to get a new one The comforter we were given on our second day smelled like ass and it took 4 hours to get a new one and multiple complaints and hours of my time wasted doing customer service for the hotel There were children every time we went up to the adults only Prestige lounge and people were up there without wristbands The trip to Havana that was supposed to include a trip A cemetery It did not happen We were left without drinking water most days unless we went and begged for it Nobody in the hotel could break 100 dollar bills into smaller change We were locked out of our room multiple times for hours at a stretch because the key card stopped working Broken toilet seat that they never fixed Hotel in Havana had no hot water and when I told the guy about it he tried to explain how hot water knobs work and I told him I understand how hot water knobs work there is no hot water. Found out the next day that nobody on our floor had hot water. The restaurant bathrooms in the hotel in Havana had the same feces in the toilet for 2 days. There was no juice There were no eggs at breakfast Made a dinner reservation and got told we had to wait 20 minutes to see if they still had food for us ordered the lobster and was served a melange of cross-contaminated seafood. Extremely dangerous Insanely loud DJ all day everyday and you could not escape the music on the beach near the pool or in your room Laughed at for trying to order food in the 24 hour snack bar Nobody will put me in contact with a manager WE HAVE TO WALK 14 FLIGHTS OF STAIRS IN ORDER TO LEAVE OUR ROOM NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS. Mobs of angry people at the front desk at all times I witnessed Two different couples Speaking To customer relations About security concerns and thefts from their room. One lady was yelling in another language With a security guard And the customer relations person The other person in English straight up said that her bag was stolen right out of her room The lobby was full of blood because a man cut his foot on the broken tiles that were everywhere on the premises blood everywhere with children running through it No call for boarding in the VIP lounge almost missed our flight due to this

Sol Turquesa Beach: Forest Paradise!

This is a return trip from 2007 visit. The hotel is one of the most beautiful and unique compared to most other places I visited. This hotel for the people who appreciate the beautiful architecture, space, lots of greenery and family like feeling. Wi-fi is available everywhere, including the the beach. The Hotel was closed for Covid and renovations for 4 years and still doesn't have many people visiting since opening 6 months ago.. If you like quiet and relaxing environment, this is the  [... read more]place for you. The Food is good and the staff are amazing. Also, 24 hours snack bar is always open and has some good food options as well. If you like noise, dancing, animations - this is not for you. If you don't want to walk 15000 steps a day and stares - this is not for you. (though the carts to drive you are always available on demand) However, if you are looking for quiet and beautiful paradise, if you love nature, walking, swimming, you would enjoy this unique quiet place a lot.

Grand Memories Varadero: Amazing Beach

The Hotel rooms are totally outdated and need repair. When we arrived the lights weren’t working in the washroom, one of the light bulb was missing in the lamp by the bed. It was like walking in to a cheap motel room. My wife looked at me like why this? I was so embarrassed. But, next day the lighting issue was fixed and we started getting used to the place. Thank God for the Beach which was amazing! Grand Memories would have been a great place at some point. It is quite evident when I see the a [... read more]rchitecture but totally outdated. The workers there were vey helpful and respectful. Our maid was super nice! The food of course wasn’t great but that that is to be expected. Overall it was an enjoyable vacation but the experience could have been better. It is certainly not a 4 star Resort. I would place it somewhere between 2 and 3 stars. Look for places that are renovated and more modern. That’s what I am planning to do next time.

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Holguin: Incredible Resort!!

One of the best girls trips I've ever taken ! It was myself and 2 other girls. This is an incredible resort!!! Our room was very clean & well maintained, a/c worked well. The bathroom was nice, modern and had good water pressure in the shower. The staff were all super friendly, kind and attentive. At the buffet, Yani was always sooo attentive and helpful - and always smiling and making us feel welcomed. The snack bar always had something to tie us over. We had Sanctuary access so we were a [... read more]ble to get room service & we ordered a Spanish coffee every morning to the room! DEFINITELY recommend the Spanish coffee!!!! The pool bar was great! Ariana at the pool bar was sooo nice, she remembered us and remembered our drinks of choice! The entertainment staff were INCREDIBLE. The entertainment at Sanctuary was different than other resorts I've been to.... They don't have the typical performances like magic night or whatever, which I was used too.... They perform in a more party-style which we found to be a refreshing change ( & preferred to the typical shows we expected.)... as the entertainment staff have a great energy, made us feel included & can actually dance!!! My friends and I were super impressed!! Yankiel is an amazing dancer and hosts the parties with such charismatic and infectious energy. The music here is also amazing, shout out to the dj !!! The beach party was one of our faves!! Overall, it's clean, well maintained, friendly staff & theres great entertainment!! Would definitely recommend this resort !!

Sol Cayo Coco: Resort amazing, clean, well kept, waitresses and waiters very good, a la cartes terrific.

The lobby was impressive, large, airy, and comfortable, with an excellent bar. Bartenders were great, as were staff in general. Room was clean and bed was very comfy. Entertainment impressed us. Though first time, I would go again.

Iberostar Coral Ensenachos: Beautiful resort, great value for the price

We stayed at Iberostar Coral Ensenachos in a group of four in August 2024. It was our second time at Coral Level and the third time at this resort. We lived in a spacious villa with two bedrooms. It was clean and very well maintained. Customer service was excellent, all our requests were fulfilled in a fast and precise manner. The food was very delicious, and the food selection was very decent. There were two restaurants at the Coral Level part of the resort: El Colonial (for breakfast and dinne [... read more]r) and Pelicano (for lunch). There were options to eat at the family part of the resort but we chose not to as the food at Coral Level was so good. All personnel at Coral Level including administrators on call and restaurant staff were very professional, helpful, and well-mannered. The main attraction of this resort is its beautiful Ensenacho beach. Our hotel section had its beach restricted to the Coral Level stayers only which was nice because it resulted in fewer people on the beach even at prime time. We never used a pool, so I can’t comment on this. Another thing that we admired was the resort’s garden - it was just awesome! Now, what I would improve on this practically perfect resort: I would add more electric cars because there were not enough of them this year and waiting time was sometimes annoying. Also, it would be nicer if more palapas were added to the beach and the distance between palapas expanded. In all other ways, Coral Level at Ensenachos was a great value for the price and we would highly recommend this to our friends.

Paradisus Los Cayos: Amazing Experience!!

Amazing hotel, just like the pictures. The staff here are very nice and accommodating. Nice beach and pool and lots to do at night. Only down side is you don’t get much options when it comes to food.

Grand Memories Varadero: A bit disappointing

We found the resort old and not so well maintained. Some of the Food at the buffet was distributed by restaurant personnel following long line ups - not free to serve ourselves. Food was repetitive (Day after day). The 2 “a la carte” restaurants served the same food as in the buffet but no variety. Overall quite disappointing except for the special night dinner we were given ( diamond club). It was a lobster night with champagne. Very satisfying.

Sol Caribe Beach: Avoid

Rooms nothing like pictures. Mold and mildew in the rooms even though there has been work done in the rooms.Some renovations mostly bathrooms tiles... the mold is in the air conditioner unit they need cleaning out.(still the old ceiling ones) The air conditioner did not work very strong and made a thud, thud,thud.. when it shut off and on. Some rooms had no air conditioner for days. Our room was far away from everything way to much walking for me. If you are booking a standard room book in the m [... read more]ain building. I read reviews before I went. I have to say it is true they don't help you at the front desk as far as where your room is located in the resort or anything at the resort. No map of the whole resort anywhere to be found and the resort is big spread out. We were in room 1177. Don't go stay away...Now the food horrible, repeative, no sea food describes it best...cuba is not known for food but this is the worst we have had in Cuba EVER...we have stayed in cayo coco at Pullman and was plentiful and seafood galore. Pool was clean but hot not refreshing. At the beach the blue chairs are okay and white chairs are old and uncomfortable.If you want a blue chair you have to get up early and save one. Unfortunately around the beach chairs people use the sand as a huge ashtray! Cigarettes butts everywhere its gross. The only positive the Ocean was beautiful and the water was warm.(Cayo Coco beaches much prettier)

Royalton Cayo Santa Maria: Nice room but…

My first room was incredibly musty/mouldy! So bad it was hard to breathe. We were able to change our room and it was much better, but still musty. My friends changed their rooms because the air conditioning was not working well, and it was constantly 25 degrees. Too warm. Their second room was perfect. No mould, and good air. Ask for room 806! Mine was 805, and it was still musty. I had to wash my clothes twice when I came home to get rid of the smell. However, I have to say, the resort was [... read more] beautiful, and the beach was gorgeous! The staff were more than pleasant and eager to help! They made it worth the stress when things were not comfortable. 24 hour room service was a plus for sure! Tip these wonderful people at least $1-5 USD per room service delivery. They need it and appreciate it. I also brought clothes to give the maid staff, that I no longer wanted, and they were delighted to have something new and different because they do not have much choice or money to buy new clothes. The food was very good! I loved all my meals, and cannot complain about it. They made a big effort to make meals special in the dining rooms, and that was not unnoticed! Thank you Royalton for the service and effort you put out there. You certainly aim to please and rectify any concerns of your guests! I will return!

Paradisus Varadero: Terrible food but nice beach

I recently stayed at the Paradisus Varadero resort with an amazing view and a nice beach, but unfortunately, my overall experience was marred by several significant issues. The food at the resort was terrible and I ended up getting sick from it. Not only was the food the same every day, but it was also left out in the open air, with birds picking at it. The rooms were not clean, with pillows that smelled of sweat and pests such as cockroaches and lizards present. Some rooms had broken thermo [... read more]stats and stained bedding. In addition, my body is covered in mosquito bites, adding to my discomfort during the stay. Despite returning from my trip two days ago, I am still suffering from diarrhea, cramps, nausea, and the itching from numerous mosquito bites, which I believe are a result of the conditions at the resort. I would strongly advise against staying at this resort until they address these serious issues. The management needs to improve the cleanliness of the rooms, address the food quality and safety concerns, and ensure that guests are not exposed to health risks during their stay. Overall, my experience at this resort was extremely disappointing and I would not recommend it to others.

Memories Caribe Beach Resort: Very nice place

Awesome staff, nice looking and welcoming. Loved it will be going again! The ocean was awesome and the pool was very nice. The staff had constant activities aswell as various music. Loved the experience!

Memories Caribe Beach Resort: Overall Great.

Relatively small yet spacious, so everything is close, 2 minutes to the beach, 2 minutes to the restaurant, 2 minutes to everywhere. Beach is good, plenty of room to take a walk, plenty of room to rest.

Mar Del Sur: Terrible

The place is a terrible place, it’s not a resort for visitors. I will never go there again and recommend this place to anyone. The toilets were dirty floors were cracked and broken tiles. The room was 2 blocks away with peoples houses out the balcony. The room was gross We had to move to a different resort. The worst is that we weren’t offered any money back or even a credit for a future vacation

Starfish Guardalavaca: Amazing Quiet Location

Villas 1 was amazing, 2min. to the beach, ocean view with a connecting door between 2 room we had! Amazing staff ( from A-Z) Public relation on both places were perfect trying to help yet they are slowly dividing Starfish from Club Amigo! I have no words for a bad comment. Excellent food was served at the Benny restaurant with a menu and a buffet breakfast! Atlantico hotel had Buffet all the time with a variety to choose from! Alcohol (Beer, whisky, tequila, Schoch, Cuban rum, etc.) Har [... read more]dly weighting to return!

Royalton Cayo Santa Maria: Tropical Paradise

The Royalton exceeded our expectations! The rooms were clean and spacious, the food was tasty and plentiful and the staff was friendly and attentive. Having a butler added to the experience. Over the week we had Omar, Michel and Javier taking care of us. Each morning they connected with us to see if we needed anything and checked in again at the end of the day. The level of customer service at this resort sets it apart from the rest.

Barcelo Solymar: Awfull Hotel

Thanks for requesting our review for the Barcelo Sokymar hotel at Varadero. We are not happy at all with this hotel. Our room (1128) was invaded by cockroaches. The food quality and variety was very poor. They were short of sugar, and veggies. No lettuce, no tomatoes, carrots, etc. The only vegetable for salads in the buffet was cogombers and raw pumpkin. We got sick with diarrea 4 of our 7 days in the hotel. Same apply for the drinks. As juice the use to serve a mix of a little bit of  [... read more]juice with water and honey. We were expecting 4* quality on the food. The towels were dirty ans short. Finally, the pools where not clean and use to smell bad, so we did not use them at all.

Grand Memories Varadero: Outdated. Needs an upgrade

Been to Cuba many times. Extremely outdated. Needs a fresh coat of paint e where and updated bedding, curtains and mirrors. The hotel room was very musty. Clearly the AC wasn’t on in the room for quite some time and only turned on the day of. It rained the day we got there it rained and there were puddles of water all in the hallways and stairs. Dont bother calling the front lobby…. Nobody picks up. Food: you don’t go to Cuba for the food. I paid a bit extra for Diamond Club. We ended up wit [... read more]h a bottle of rum in the room. Separate beach area (better lounge chairs), separate area for food at the buffer with cushioned seating. Invited to a restaurant but didn’t go. (Kids didn’t want to go but a nice gesture). Wouldn’t go back to this resort. As for the beach, waves were pretty big but kids actually enjoyed it as did I.

Grand Memories Santa Maria: DO NOT COME HERE

The only good thing about this location is the beach. The beach is 10/10, everything else need improvements, some buildings needs to be shut down. Hotel needs an overhaul. Staff said that the resort opened 14 yrs ago, but seems like it was 60's or 70's operation. The details and descriptions on the website are all lies. This is the only vacation I've been that I was excited to come back home because of how bad it was. I have seen previous review, citing how locals are treated better than touris [... read more]t, 100% true. Locals doesn't have to wait for their turn to get food from the buffet. They take bread by basket not by piece, take food in the buffet with their hands. If you are 20 minutes late from the opening of the buffet, don't expect to get any food. NO EGGS for breakfast. One ala carte open on our 7 days stay. Served food was all Cuban, same soup for 7 dinners. Severe shortage of food. Coffee machines are available in the room but no coffee to brew, bring your own I guess. Pool is filthy. No towels and no room service. No freaking telephone in the room, all concerns you will need to go to the reception. We are a family traveller, we were given a moldy, musty, not suitable room at 2AM. The staff said we do not have any other option but to take the room and that we will be given a new one next morning. We had to stay in the lobby, to protect our asthmatic son from getting sick from the room they gave us. They said that managers are not available to solve the problem. It was an awful experience. We will never come back in this place. Restaurant outside the resort selling lobsters, it was advertise as lobster not lobster tail, for $25 USD, salty and overcooked. Liquors are stolen by staff and being sold to guest. Look elsewhere, Santa Maria is a beautiful place, but avoid this hotel. Save yourself from headaches. If you chose this hotel, prepare to starve, prepare for headaches. Bring OTC meds, clinic in the hotel is a quack.