Resonance Blu Varadero: Nice beach

The hotel was clean, nice beach, drinks were what you would expect from this caliber resort, staff was friendly, lobby bar was good late night. A la carte food was ok, the beach burgers were good, though the buffet wasn't very good.

Memories Flamenco Beach Resort: An excellent all inclusive value resort

Arrival: Our sunwing flight arrived late in the night and we had the quickest check-in ever (our 6th time to Cuba). Resort map given at check-in made it easy to find the bars, our room and the 24 hr snack bar where we were able to get a quick meal at 3:00 in the morning. Previous complaints about lack of lighting seemed unfounded to us as we were able to find everything between 2 and 4 am when there was a new moon. We had no problem exchanging money (either at the bank, or at the front desk). T [... read more]he exchange rate was always the same ($40 cdn = $28 cuc... result was we didn't sweat when we changed out our money -- I liked that). Our experience with the front desk was very positive (best in our experience in Cuba), each rep had a smile and helped right away (whether it was for directions to a la cartes, breaking 10 cucs for tips or to find out how to store our luggage when we checked out). I appreciated that we were able to use all resort services after our noon check-out (including courtesy room for shower and holding towels for longer after check-out) Food: The buffet was well laid out so that the line ups for omelets, meat cooking, past bar and churro making did not disrupt the overall flow of traffic and you were able to get other foods in hot and cold buffet stations easily. Since this is a family resort, the management also set up an area at the front of the buffet for children (at kid's height) with popular food for the little ones... what a smart idea, the result was less children at the back near hot foods... it worked well. The menu at the buffet was varied, the lamb, rabbit and chicken in the steamers were so yummy, the salad bar was usually well stocked with small bowls of dressing constantly refilled (less worries about the dressing going bad) and fruits were usually plentiful (last day was a little lean). The line ups for display cooking were very manageable, so sometimes I even got fresh made food at the buffet (normally I would not wait in lines, but Flamenco's lines were not too long). We never had to wait for a table (lots of seating even though the resort was full). Buffet was not air conditioned so lunch and dinner meals were sometimes hot for us. The a la cartes were air conditioned and food and service excellent (went to Italian, Mediterranean and Cuban). Room: Best room cleaning attention we have experienced. Yareli (and her helper) were responsive (they left extra water for us upon request, and when they saw we drank some beer from the fridge one day they replaced the beer the next day with extra). The room cleaning was thorough and creative (great towel art) and they also adapted to our schedule for room cleaning. The room had excellent air conditioning but toilet had a valve issue... once we learned to jiggle the button, we had no further problems. Water pressure was excellent, temp was cooler if you showered around the busy time 5:00 - 6:00 pm, but at least not ice cold, and all other times showers were pleasantly warm. We were impressed that we never saw any ants or other bugs in the room even though we were on the ground floor. Also, although we read that there were a lot of mosquitoes/sand flies, we did not experience any problems and did not need to use bug dope. We were in block 6 which was an excellent location close to everything, but not too noisy at night. General Areas: If management is looking for a welcome addition to the resort, I suggest an ice cream parlor... it would relieve some of the ice cream line up at the buffet, and could become a fun part of your daily routine while at the resort. I was surprised that a family resort of this size did not have one. The only real complaint we had was the frequent malfunctions of public toilets. Sometimes it was impossible to find a functioning ladies toilet (got worse as the day progressed) and we had to return to our room to pee... with the location of our room this was tolerable but if you were in say, block 10, I would have been frustrated with this. It did become a problem upon check-out since we had 7.5 more hours at the resort before our bus left... we solved this by going bowling at the nearby Puebla... toilets were in great shape and their service was excellent. Beach/Pool: The beach was amazing, we walked for miles, but it was windy each day so we were not able to see if snorkelling was possible from the beach (did not look promising). We were able to select the same 6 loungers each day near the beach bar and by the end of the week the lounge chair assistant was joking with us and making sure our spots were set up (on the last day we switched our spot because there was only the two of us coming down and he came over right away to make sure we were okay with our new spot). My husband and I are not pool people, although others in our group did visit the pool swim up bar and take a dip. There seemed to be plenty of loungers available at the pool. With the pool being multi level, in some areas there was no wind (we discovered this at one point upon visiting the pool bar in mid afternoon, we had been comfortable all day at the beach because of the breeze, but suddenly realized how hot is was at the pool bar...) I guess this could have advantages if you have some cooler days at the resort (we did not -- it was 27 oC and sunny each day). Bars: The bar service was generally excellent and many servers would smile at us when we tried to order in Spanish. Special shout outs go to Mandi at the lobby bar ("oh Mandi, we came and you made us mojitos") and Pino at the sports bar (best brandy alexanders on the resort, you have to try them) and the whole crew at the snack bar who made the start to our day so easy with cappuccinos and "tres dedos ron oscuro". The lobby bar had a nice atmosphere, and the sports bar was wonderfully cool. The beach bar was well staffed, so that you did not have to wait long for a top up at the beach... when we walked past the long line ups at the other resorts along the beach we were thankful for the number of bar tenders at our beach bar. Also, with the snack bar just 100 m up the way from the beach, a stop there for lunch and another drink was easy (although I did not enjoy the snack bar food as much as the buffet). Overall Impression: There were several thoughtful touches to the resort... flowers often left in the room, sangria/cocktail table on entrance to buffet so that you could easily get a drink without burdening table servers, mimosa table set up for breakfast at the buffet, the display Spanish coffee making at the lobby bar, and the cameo dancing from the entertainers to the buffet area to let you know what was going on at the theater that night. I believe the management is doing an excellent job catering to a full crowd and it does not surprise me that there are many repeat customers.

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Varadero: You will not be disappointed!

Check in was a breeze! The reception area at Sanctuary is intimate, and allowed for a prompt, personal check in experience. Although we arrived earlier than the posted check in time, our room was ready and waiting for us! Our bags were delivered directly to our room by our personal 'butler', and we needn't worry about a thing. Each building has it's own 'butler' who was available to assist with any need we had, at any time! Despite the fact that we did not require his assistance during our  [... read more]time there, he knew our names each time we passed and often sought us out to ensure we were OK. It was such a nice feeling! In addition to the attentive butler service, the wait and bar staff was amazing!! The pool at Sanctuary was smaller, and not as lively or busy as the main pool at Grand Memories, however service at both pools was prompt and courteous. As for the pools, the pool at Sanctuary was great place to relax and enjoy some time with a smaller group. Although it did not have a swim up bar, there was a bar poolside which also offered some delicious eats! And a couple days they held a poolside lunch with lobster and other amazing food! The main pool at Grand Memories was home to guests of all ages, including the 'spring breakers' who livened it up near the end of our stay. It is a larger pool with various areas able to accommodate everyone! This pool hosted day time activities and contests, which were lots of fun! It also has a swim up bar where we spent much of our time meeting some amazing people! There was never an issue getting chairs at either pool, or the beach! As a guest of Sanctuary we had 'Diamond Club' status, allowing us to access a separate area of the beach if we chose to, as well as top shelf liquors at all bars. There was lots to do at the beach including volleyball, peddle boats, catamarans, aerobics and much more! It did get a little windy in the afternoon however so some water sports were not available later in the day. Food at this resort was delicious, and plentiful! The buffet, located on the Grand Memories side, had a Diamond Club section where we could always find a seat, and service was quite attentive. A la carte dinner reservations were made upon check in, and were available to us any day of the week! There was no limit. My personal favorite was the Cuban dinner!! Regardless of whether you are travelling as a couple or a group, Sanctuary is a wonderful resort with great staff, amazing service and lots to offer. You will not be disappointed!

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Varadero: EXCEPTIONAL

A group of friends and I recently embarked on a trip to Cuba where we had the privilege of staying at Sanctuary Memories in varadero. I don’t think that there is enough space here for me to express what a fantastic trip this was. It was made possible by the exceptional service, lodgings, beach, food and entertainment. The resort was clean and well laid out. I highly recommend the adult only side. We were treated like kings and queens. There’re was always someone around to help when we needed [... read more] it. Everyone from the grounds keepers to bar tenders to wait staff and mostly managers made our trip one of the most memorable I have ever had. The daily theme lunches at our private pool were bar none some of the best food I have ever eaten in Cuba. Hats off to the chefs. The two minutes walk to one of the best beaches I’ve been too was an added bonus. A reserved spot on the beach for sannctuary club members made it easy to find a chair and enjoy the beautiful beach. I give this resort a 11/10. You will not regret staying there.

Sol Turquesa Beach: Very Pleasant Location

Set on hills, this resort is very beautiful, especially the beach, with its coral reef and azure sea. Our room was very spacious, clean and was equipped with fridge, (barely functioning), TV, hair dryer, iron, ironing board and balcony with a pleasant view of trees. We were located about a seven minute walk from the main lobby and dining room which we did not mind. Trolleys were available for those needing transportation. The buffet food was plentiful and of reasonable quality but the dinin [... read more]g area was inadequate for the large number of people. Staff were visibly stressed and the line -ups for cooked items were unacceptable, especially on St. Valentine’s Day when the locals came to enjoy the resort. On that occasion, there were line-ups just to get into the dining room. Two of the a-la-carte restaurants, the Cuban and the Romantico were excellent. I would not recommend the Italian one as the food was sub standard and the wait staff not as friendly. The facility for currency exchange was woefully inadequate as there was always a long line which moved very slowly. Overall our stay was very pleasant. An expanded dining room, more washrooms in the public areas and more staff to handle the crowds would be welcome improvements.

Memories Caribe Beach Resort: A very beautiful beach....

The resort was very beautiful and the staff were very friendly. The gardens were amazing and our room was recently redone and very clean with a new bed. However, our ground floor room was very moldy smelling, a common complaint heard among those of us in ground floor rooms. This could be a potential issue if you have allergy/asthma issues. The food was very blah...the buffet was the same thing everyday. However the Cuban meal and a dinner on the beach were lovely. We did enjoy the pizza on the b [... read more]each and the odd burger at the snack bar. Always seats available at the pool and beach. We enjoyed the walks on the beach daily....sand and beautiful blue ocean as far as you could see! If we return again I would request a second level room (they apparently were much less moldy smelling) and maybe bring some spices from home to zip up our meals :)

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Santa Maria: amazing time amazing resort

We have been travelling to Cuba for 15 yrs and this was one of the best trips we have been on. starting with the 24 snack bar. which at 3am they made us a the best burger ever. our rooms were amazing clean and beautiful ,new beds ,new pillows and robes in the room , we had hot water every night. the grounds were beautiful , the beach was stunning best I've ever seen. our bartender Radiol made our trip so amazing ,he was amazing to talk to and was super friendly carlos by his side they wer [... read more]e stupendous . we also had alexander our animation guy, without him we wouldnt have had the vacation we did. he was super amazing keeping us up to date with activities and made my daughters day everyday. truly an amazing young man . our butler sergio was great and the food was 9/10 for cuba and the buffet was great at the grand memories and the al a cartes were superb. this resort was excellent for only 5 mths out of hurricane irma the pool chairs were great and had comfy cushions avail if needed . we brought bug spray because we saw on trip advisor it was bad , but i only got bit 2 times and not from the beach , the staff at the lobby had some language barrier which i know is frustrating, but the wifi was strong and amazing @ only a peso for and hr , and we could use it everywhere but the beach . all and all i will be returning next yr to visit the staff , i did however meet the general manager and tell her that some of he staff was amazing and she did not communicate it to them which i found disappointing and unprofessional . so if you want a relaxing time and a great vacation then i recommend this resort the blues from waterloo ,ontario thanks so much

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Santa Maria: Incredible resort- Will be returning

First time in Cuba and, boy, am I glad this was the place we stayed! Amazing first impression! Hotel room was clean and spacious (huge bed and flat screen tv was a bonus). Service was very good and, for the most part, quick and efficient. Best beach I've ever seen (although not a lot of shade, so get there early if you want shelter). Swim up bar with an amazing bartending team (Radiel and Carlos were phenomenal). Entertainment throughout the week at the pool, beach and lounge - everything from l [... read more]ive music to a bmx biker to a balancing act. I absolutely recommend the catamaran trip. It was an unbelievable day with the crew. Ww will definitely be back to this resort, no doubt. Even the food was surprisingly great *from what we've heard of food in Cuba.

Memories Caribe Beach Resort: Hurricane

The grounds were amazingly nice for a few months after hurricane. The food was OK but there was a shortage of locally grown produce like bananas etc, which is understandable. Upgraded rooms are very nice but regular rooms not so good. The beach is beautiful but if you want a chair you best be there in the early morning.

Sol Turquesa Beach: Disappointed

We booked a last minute much needed get away and found this was a great place to unwind. We found the beach was good for us and the pool area was very nice as well. Lots of walking which we enjoy but if you don't like to walk.... you will wait a long time for a ride to come along. We found many inconsistencies in service, staff attitudes and food. I don't think all the staff are happy to be working here. Some days the staff were friendly and provided good service and other days not so much. [... read more] The food was tolerable. The Al la carte restaurants may not have food any better than the buffet but it was nice to sit and be served a hot meal and beverage. Our tip/ warning to you is make sure you get your towel service every day. We are passive people and so on the last day when we did not get our towels replaced ( they took the used ones away but did replace one of the bath towels) we made do with what we had. Big Mistake. When we checked out, it was reported there was one bath towel missing so they accused us of taking it and we were charged for it. When we let them know we did not receive the replacement they said they would call house keeping to check. Housekeeping of course told them the towel was brought to our room, so that was that. They refused to check our luggage to confirm we did not have it and we had to pay. I don't mind helping out the residents of Cuba but I don't like them stealing from me. We will not be back.

Sol Turquesa Beach: Fantastic resort

Hotel was great rooms were great beach was great food was fantastic lots of stairs wait staff were horrible front desk staff were useless bus boys were superior well two yasmel and the really big guy. A few changes and this place could be a 5 star in Cuba

Memories Flamenco Beach Resort: Did I love it or did I really love it!!

This resort was fantastic, you would never know that a few months ago it was damaged by a hurricane! It is obvious that they have spent a lot of time rebuilding and repairing. They’ve invested a lot of time on the beach, the food was great, tons of variety all the time, even the kids were happy! This was a great family resort!

Memories Flamenco Beach Resort: Impressed

We enjoyed our stay and had minimal issues - we found that the staff was friendly and mostly accommodating. The first night, we had to ask numerous times for beds for our 2 children and waited until after 10 pm to have them delivered. Other than that, we were happy with the service. The grounds were reasonably kept clean and the foliage was nice. The ocean is amazing - and comfortable beach accommodations to enjoy the view. I'm glad we upgraded to Diamond Club so we could access the beach b [... read more]ar and restaurant (only for Diamond Club members). Wished for a hot tub though....

Sol Turquesa Beach: Great TIme with Family

Enjoyed the resort - great pools and entertainment. Clean rooms with good water pressure and hot water. Friendly staff. Food improved since we were last there a year ago and is quite fine although as with most Cuban resorts it could be improved. The only thing that was upsetting was at 5:30 every day a truck with insecticides drove around fogging. We had no warning of this and were concerned about exposure especially for kids.

Memories Paraiso: Extreme tourista to the whole family!!!

To begin, our non-stop 4 pm flight to Santa Clara was changed one week before our departure date, to a 9 am flight with a stop in Holguin, changing our 4 hour flight into a 6.5 hour trek. The check-in took over one hour to get through. The flight left 30 minutes late, and we had no time to grab any breakfast. Once in Holguin, we got off the plane, all slowly were through security, mixed in with travellers commuting to Santa Clara. We got back on the same plane, to discover our seats were double  [... read more]booked. Many seats had been double booked. I have travelled down south for 14 years now, including three prior trips to Cuba, without any major incident. This is the first time that my family and i all get severe gastro intestinal poisoning (both ends) for almost half of our 7-day stay. I see why so many other guests were only eating bread at the buffet. Dukoral offered no help. We were never informed what the source of the outbreak was. Their bottled water tasted horrible, and was hard to come by. The food was bland at best. The waiters, cleaners and reception staff were very nice, helpful, and professional. Don't expect to be able to use the soccer or basketball nets, since they claim not to have any balls? The beach was nice white sand and lovely, shallow water, but there was a permanent strong howling wind that prevented us from enjoying it. The nightly shows that we were well enough to see were great. Save your money and health, go somewhere else!

Memories Flamenco Beach Resort: Lovely Beach/Love the Cuban people

Upon arrival, check-in was supposed to be at 4pm and we finally got to our 2nd room at 6:30pm. After waiting in a line for about an hour, the first room we received was musty, dingy and had two beds where we requested a king. We did not want to stay for 14 days in that room. Phone did not work so we walked back to the lobby and spent another hour waiting for a replacement. Several other people waiting for room changes too. They moved us to another building and the room was clean, bright and on  [... read more]the 1st floor. The Sunwing rep provided us with an overview the following day and there was always someone at the allotted times to book excursions or assist us. Luly was our maid in our building and she provided excellent service everyday. She appreciated our gifts and tips. We returned to our room daily with a different design on bed with towels and blankets. Buffet food was ok with great emphasis placed on presentation and variety but tray food was usually not very hot. We sat every morning in the spot at Rosa and her co-workers tables. They were very friendly and attentive to us. A-la carte restaurants were very nice but we booked two different ones the first week and showed up to be informed the restaurant was not opened or was moved to a different location. Public washrooms near Lobby and Snack bar by mid day were without toilet paper usually or the stalls were out of order. Some did not have toilet seats and were not repaired the whole time we were there. To the cleaners credit, the washrooms near the snack bar was the closest to the beach so heavily used. Snack bar service was good but sometimes they did not have enough servers. Bar tenders all great but the drinks were heavy with ice. Very friendly entertainment staff all excellent. At the beach and pool they took the time to try and include us in the various activities. Could smell sewer when returning to our building on occasion. Overall the staff were great. The public washrooms and hospitality need attention.

Grand Memories Varadero: Disappointing

My friend and I travelled for a 4 day girl's trip in February 2018. This was my 1st tropical vacation, and I was unsure what to expect, but I was sadly disappointed. Customer service was poor; I found many of the staff to be unhelpful, either due to limited language skills or limited interest. The staff member that showed us to our room was friendly, until he demanded a higher tip than what was offered, then he became very rude when his demand was not met. We booked an excursion while the [... read more]re. We showed up early for the bus (they were late by more than 10 minutes). When we could not produce our sales receipt (staff never told us we needed it upon booking) my friend went back to the office to obtain the receipt, while I remained at the bus. The tour guide would not wait, even 1 second beyond the last passenger boarding the bus, despite our having paid approx $270 Cdn for the outing. Neither the vendor nor the tour office would assist us, even though they failed to provide us with the proper info in the first place. They simply blame-shifted and told us to rebook. We rebooked for the next day, our last day, and were promised access to shower rooms at the resort in order to be ready for the flight home, as we were required to check out of our room before the excursion. When we returned, the woman who booked us the shower room denied us access, as the room was now in use, despite our having booked it. She arranged for another room, 20 minutes later, but made the inconvenience to her very well-known. The new room was across the resort, and we asked to be driven out, as they had returned our luggage to us, and we were not able to walk that distance and back, on time, with all our luggage. They agreed, but then never sent anyone. The person we stopped promised to return, but didn't. We got no showers, and almost missed our airport bus, after having to change in the busy public washroom at the resort. We found only ONE service staff to be friendly and accomodating, and she was well tipped for taking care of us. The food was terrible. The drinks were plentiful but mediocre and they were often out of ice or mix, especially at the beach bar. We paid extra for a superior room; and even at the extra cost, the keys never worked on the first 4-5 attempts, the track for the sliding door to the balcony was broken and it did not lock. The mirror had been removed from the wall and not replaced, but the supporting hooks remained. The bathroom doorlock and the hairdryer were broken. The beds were uncomfortable and the bedding was old. There was never warm water for showering. That being said, we tipped the housekeeping staff well and they gave us extra pillows and folded the towels into shapes. The beach was beautiful, but it was difficult to get a lounger or shade. We never used the pool, as it was always at full capacity. The massages we booked at the spa were very relaxing and enjoyable. Despite the above, we did enjoy ourselves, but I won't return. If you are just looking to lounge on a beautiful beach and drink unlimited alcohol on the cheap, and you don't care about the food, service or accommodations, this place might be for you. If you're looking for even a little luxury or pampering from your vacay, journey elsewhere.

Resonance Blu Varadero: Not a great resort

The bar service was slow and the drinks where disgusting. The food at buffet was cold and the meats where all under cooked. This was my third time at memories and I will never go back. Had to ask for toliet paper and bottle water we where diamond club and room key stopped working twice during our stay. The Sunwing rep was very rude. It’s was my worst trip to Cuba ever,have gone 3 times before

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Varadero: average

The hotel was dated and not very well cleaned, the beach was very separated from the rest of the hotel. The lack of restricted smoking areas was a huge negative. Overall the hotel could use some improvements

Memories Caribe Beach Resort: Amazing Resort

This hotel was top notch the room was beautiful and clean the grounds were well manicured and clean ( beautiful) the ocean was breathtaking ( beach was clean) staff was friendly and accommodating the food was beyond expectation