Brisas Sierra Mar: Quiet and relaxing

Stayed for 11 days in October. Beautiful resort, nice staff.Peacefull and quiet. Exactly what we needed and looked for. Food was typical for Cuba, a little repetitive but tasty. Nice beach, not crowded because most of the guests opted for pool (for, to me, unknown reasons). Only thing that bothered us was "Viagra tour" that came second week of our stay but we tried not to pay too much attention to old Italian men acting in love with their grandchildren's age guests. That aside, if you are looki [... read more]ng for a quiet place with great view from all the rooms and from anywhere of the hotel grounds I definitely recommend this hotel.

Brisas Sierra Mar: Nice Resort

After some earlier reviews and checking pics on line we decided to travel to Santiago De Cuba and stay at the Brisas Sierra Mar. Of course everyone has their own interpretation so here goes ours. Firstly didn't start off all that great as our flight out of Toronto was delayed and we were given no reason as to why. When we finally landed, customs process was fine and the Hola Rep was right where you could see him (Albert) and directed us to the bus. This is the part that really sucked . . [... read more] we waited on the bus with the other passengers for over an hour due to a couple who were bringing down an item that apparently was not exceptable so because of that everyone had to wait for them. Given the delayed flight and then this along with an hour and give or take 15 mins to get to the Brisas we didn't arrive until after 1am!! The desk was pretty good though and getting everyone registered. When we got to our room it was clean, air-conditioning worked good and this may sound strange but the toilet worked great too . . lol. Note: they do have safes but we found out the next morning that you have to pay $2 per day to use it. The pool was clean and was the entire pool area. Have to say the workers there work very hard around the hotel area. What is funny though is that the pool has a sign that it's only open from 10am to 5pm and they actually have a stand up sign indicating not to be used before 10am. Because of the time we went first of Oct this resort was extremely quiet which we weren't complaining at all as we like a quiet place for some R&R. The beach is small and the sand is very dark but the water was amazing!!! For the food well we didn't expect 5star meals. I am sure they did the best they could with what's available to them. If I had to say which meal time was the better of the 3 (breakfast, lunch and dinner), I'd say breakfast. It was hit and miss with the staff at the front desk. When we first arrived the male desk clerk was very efficient but during the day when some of the ladies were on they weren't exactly accommodating and when you asked them a question and we only went to see them about a slight issue we had with TV and to find out when the money was brought in so we could exchange our money, they'd sort of shrug and say "don't know" can you come back? There is nothing and I mean nothing to do at this place if you're looking for action . . lol. You'd have to rely on doing excursions if you want to get away from the resort. We ourselves were fine with staying pool side and soaking up the sun. That was at least my prime objective. Now for any animal lovers - do have to tell you while we were there, there is a feral cat colony that hang out just outside the restaurant. If you are compassionate enough to consider bringing some say cat treats, they would so love it! They are skinny and skittish but throw out some treats and they come a charging. We brought some with us just in case we ran into something like this and I am so glad we did. Our pick up from the resort on departure day was well organized but again our flight was again delayed for an hour. Not sure about Cubana Air. All in all for what we paid we were happy with this resort.

Brisas Sierra Mar: Amazing views

We enjoyed a quick 4 night stay at Brisas Sierra Mar. The grounds are very lush and the gardeners were hard at work during our stay. Our room was dated but very comfortable. We had the most amazing view of the ocean from our balcony. We enjoyed fresh onelets each morning and lunch st the Rancheron. Special thanks to Leo for preparing fish for me each day for lunch. We especially appreciated Gladys is the buffet and the top notch service she provided to us. My husband went scuba diving w [... read more]ith Edgar from the dive shop and really enjoyed himself. The beach area is smaller but the palapas are a generous size. We brought a hammock with us and we're able to hang it each day in the palapa. The ocean is calm but water shoes are needed as the bottom has some rocks and weeds. For swimming closer to the hotel is less weedy. We didn't use the pool as there were having a problem with algae and working on it. Pool towels you need to ask your maid for them. We look forward to spending a longer trip at Brisas Sierra Mar!

Brisas Sierra Mar: Ok

It was ok. Almost ran out or gas, no pizza which makes me sad . It's my birthday l🌾🌾 sully is little no gunna eat this cheese maybe he might idk if hes gunna eat it Maybe it has candles on it since we lit candles on it

Costa Morena: It is falling appart

There were two guests only. So everything looked sad. Staff did their best, but there was not much they could. The hotel needs a total renovation. It was time of hurricane Irma to make things even worse. I wish those working people to keep their jobs.

Brisas Sierra Mar: Good resort

Good grounds and beech but couple of local hassles always there near the beech. Food not much choice for thee+ stars. Staff friendly. Reception is not up to date for information. Elevator slow and often not working.

Costa Morena: No Frills - No problem

This small quiet resort is a gem! There aren't a lot of selection but the people who work there will go above and beyond to make your stay comfortable. Cubana Airlines is another story.... horrible horrible HORRIBLE!! I've never been on a plane like theirs nor had to deal with ruder people. They truly need a lesson in customer service!!

Brisas Sierra Mar: Good resort

I believe you get what you pay for. It was nothing fancy but we enjoyed the simple hospitality in Cuba. We faced many issues that had been reported, food ok, green pool, broken items in room. Overall would go back!

Costa Morena: Very Good For 2.5 Stars

Had a really good time, nice staff, clean hotel, and food is manageable. Only thing is the hotel location, not a lot to do, it is located on the farm side. There is an amazing theme, water, and dinosaurs park, that are a must see.

Brisas Sierra Mar: Great resort!

The hôtel is very intimate, clean and The staff is warm and welcoming. The rooms offers one of The most amazing views i saw, océan, montains and nothing else. The food at The buffet is so so and repetitive but The staff will do The extra mile to please you. I Will definatively book again soon. It is a little paradise.

Villa Gaviota : I liked it.

Quiet neighborhood. Everything in my room worked well, the AC the TV . . . well the remote as a bit flaky. I got hot water in the shower if I let it run for a while first. It was a breakfast only resort, but right down the street were several excellent private restaurants.

Costa Morena: Low key, quiet place, amazing sea view, fresh food, nice staff.+

It was my first time in Santiago and in this hotel and I did not regret it. I got what I expected, mainly a good rest, piece and quiet and enjoying looking at the sea from early morning to early evening without even leaving my room - just laying on my terrace Hotel is undergoing renovation but the half where the construction work is going on, is closed for the tourists and far enough not to bother them. Pros: - - less mosquitos than in other places - cooler evenings because of the surro [... read more]unding the bay beautiful mountains - quiet most of the time - only in the weekends Cuban noisy tourists but away from the main blocks - it is on rocks, no sand beach, BUT! There is still " a beach" - a concrete slab with loungers and palapas just above the sea in which one could go in by metal ladders as in a pool!!! - around the small pool there are plenty of beach chairs and palapas - rooms are renovated ( whichever are already ready) -there is a small store to buy water and snack - there is a medical centre and they could give you medicine and assistance if you need one. - there is every day fresh meat - at least 2 types and they grill it in front of you. - they do not offer many meals like other places but they do not mix old with fresh food to give after either. They cook less but is always fresh. -cheese, salami, butter, eggs for breakfast as everywhere but no yougurt - desserts - 3 types, but no ice cream - there are at least 3 types of raw veggies and upon suggestion for more, they added some more Cons: - TV is only 3 channels and they were sport and in Spanish. They said it is because of the repairs now. - there are mini fridges in every room but very old, inside completely broken which upon working for several hours get very hot to even touch outside. - there was always hot water for a shower but not strong flow, not enough pressure - maybe because it is high in the mountain - mattress was new but not so firm and thick - the pool did not have small built steps to suit people with walking difficulty, but the usual metal vertical 2-3 steps ladder with first step in the water too high to be able to mount. But that is just what I personally need. I was with a walker and alone and manage just fine even on not so even pavement there. However it is a beautiful resting place with not so much "minuses" and I will probably go back especially when you have almost everything at the unbeatable price they offer it.

Hotel Versalles: Great hotel!

The hotel was very clean and nice. It was a 10 minute drive to the central part of the city. The room was clean and the food was good! The Staff were friendly and helpful. Would recommend staying here

Brisas Sierra Mar: Scenery is fantastic

You have to have an open mind, relaxed nature and not very high expectations when you are booking this location. Lets get into the "The Good, The Bad and the The Ugly". The Good. You can't beat the price this resort is usually available at. This is a very beautiful scenic location. The view from most of the rooms and the pool-patio area is fantastic. They are in the process of making improvements. I was fortunate to have been placed in a room that had just been renovated and they were working [... read more] on more rooms on my (4th) floor. More and more rooms will look brand new as time goes on. The pool has a new liner and is perfectly fine. The grounds are kept clean. There is always a bar open. You just have to be aware of when one closes and the other opens. Overall, staff is very friendly and they respond to you much like a mirror. If you are grouchy they tend to not smile and laugh with you as much as they would if you are friendly with them. You can find lots of peace and quiet at this resort If that is what you are looking for. Great place to just relax. You can always find "something" to eat if you are not picky. The food at the restaurant was surprisingly good. You can mingle with guests that are Cuban. Most are extremely friendly and great to talk to. One of the great things about this resort are the many guests here keep returning year after year. They are very helpful with letting you know information that will help make your stay more enjoyable. Mangoes were in season. You can pick them fresh from the many trees on site. The Bad. The food is ok. I was there In low season so there wasn't much of a selection at the buffet. As mentioned by many other reviews, the food was repetitive from lunch to dinner and from day to day. The snack bar wasn't always open and it only had hot dogs, hamburgers and French fries when it was open. Salad selection was almost non-existent. We had a snorkel excursion with our package. The boat had been damaged by a recent storm. The staff at the front desk is not very informative with the knowledge of whether or not the outing would take place on any given day. Each day the people the nautical center would say "Tomorrow the boat will be fixed". It was finally fixed on the last day we were there There is no currency exchange at the resort which had a few guests annoyed. I had a massage included in my package but I could never find the person who does the massages. Locals do come to this resort for their vacation and as I mentioned above most of them are very friendly and polite but there are some that don't seem to understand the concept of a line when they are at the bar or in the buffet. Bring insect repellant ward off the sand ticks on the beach. Yes there does appear to be the occasional "older guest" with a "younger Cuban girl" strolling around but they are mostly fairly discrete. The Ugly. Most of the hotel staff is very helpful and friendly. There are a few that will constantly try to hustle you into going to "their house" or restaurant off site for a "Cuban meal". There are also a few male members of the hotel staff that appear to be predators waiting to take advantage of a female guest that has had too much too drink. Overall, you get what you pay for.

Brisas Sierra Mar: Terrible

Honestly the view was beautiful and the hotel had maybe 50 guests, most of which were local Cubans. We were told it's due to the time of year most Canadians think it's too hot, we found it to be the same as Ontario but with more humidity. The locals were treated like VIP (served first at bar ECT.) the hotel front desk staff were extremely unhelpful and quite rude, they lied about "no resturants outside of resort were open" which they were. A staff member drive us to Oceana where we read was a ni [... read more]ce place to eat off the resort..... Well he charged us 5pesos for a 2 minute drive and sped off after being paid.... Knowing the Oceana was closed, so we had to walk back 10 minutes to the resort, asked a server in the buffet and she called us a taxi and sent us to the three rocks about a 15 minute drive away and we were only charged 10 pesos. The restaurant there was amazing. That meal was the highlight of our trip. The resort itself only ever had 1 bar open, either the pool bar or lobby bar. Only 1 a la carte resturant was "working" and was always fully reserved(by cubans) the buffet had gross repetitive food with very little options. Basically lived off rice and bread and mangos. But the buffet was only open 3 times a day and when they were closed nothing else was open to get food. The cafeteria was only open at night for a couple hours then again, nothing available to eat. The "shop" had very limited food options. And when the sign said open, half the time no one was there. The games room was a joke, never open, not even the bar. Basically you could drink 24/7 but could only eat in limited time frames with very little options. Bugs in our room and a barely working AC. The pillows were flat as paper and the tv only worked half the time, with the only available English channels being CNN and ctv(which almost never worked) the maid was great although she never left more than a single roll of toilet paper... When we had to call for another roll one night it took nearly an hour for them to bring it. Hallways were filled with puddles from a leaking roof and cat feces. The pool also was usually closed by 7pm. Pros: awesome serving staff, ocean and mountain view, not many people so always pool loungers available. Cons: front desk staff, rooms, lack of food, lack of available open bars/ shop / games room, lack of activities and under staffed, terrible service, bad upkeep, and having to check out at 12 when our bus doesn't leave for the airport until 3. I highly do NOT recommend this resort.

Brisas Sierra Mar: Home away from home.

The staff are so friendly and helpful. The hotel is always clean. The food is healthy with enough options to vary your selection. When I'm in Cuba I go off the resort and visit with the locals. Even though I don't speak Spanish we get out point across. Also there are many Cubans who do speak English. What a humbling experience to see the love they have with each other.

Costa Morena: 4 days is enough

For rhe price is ok... not pretend; Service is friendly Food is low level To much buggining money Bar unfurnished No Internet No beach Very far to the city Very expensive others service No attractive place

Hotel Versalles: Excellent resort

Excellent resort Good weather, location, air, surroundings, service, pool - water, food, everything I imagined - great. I am satisfied with the expectation, including the evening program, the music and the disco as well as the ceremony - on request.

Costa Morena: Amazing Place

view & staff was amazing! Food could have been better but worth the trip! Will go back in future just needs to improve on the hot water situation & food but otherwise the staff was friendly & view was just a killer

Costa Morena: Good resort

Too much pork meat in menu....they sprinkle pork on most dishes...they could keep pork bits separate and option for the guest if they want to sprinkle on their food as there are people ( jews and muslims eat pork at all and hindus does not meat at all) ..location is good....staff is friendly.....overall its good....currency exchange on location....