First trip to an all inclusive, first trip to Cuba

This was our first trip to Cuba, as well as our first trip to an all inclusive resort. We researched the heck out of this resort and are happy to confirm that the positive reviews we read met our expectations completely! Upon check-in at the hotel we upgraded our room to a 5th floor suite. I'm not sure if this was worth the extra money, as the concierge lounge didn't offer to many extra snacks/beverages, and they were only open until 6:30pm. We still had to change out our beach towels everyday  [... read more]at the Pool hut, but it was never lined up/busy, and there were always lots of towels available. There was a mix up with our supper reservations, but that ended up getting sorted out. Pool- The pool was great, very refreshing (colder than the Ocean was some days). There are 3 separate areas to swim in, one is a very shallow pool that drops off, and the other two areas are fairly deep, although never over my head (I am 5'8"). There were always lots of lounge chairs/huts available, and there are 2 jacuzzi's to relax in. There were plenty of activities (volleyball, scuba diving, aquatics) and music at the pool. We spent the majority of our time at the pool, as the bar is close, the sun is hot and it's a great place to tan/nap and the water is so refreshing! Beach- We usually headed down to the beach in the afternoon. It was very busy between 8am-noon on the beach and all of the beach huts seemed to be claimed (usually just people would leave their towels there.. grrr). The water was very, very warm, the sand was beautiful- clean, white and full of shells and coral of all shapes/sizes. The waves were awesome to watch and wade in. The vendors stayed on the shore so they didn't bother us at all. Restaurants- We ended up with reservations for all 3 Ala carte's on site (Italian restaurant- DON PEPERONE, The Romantico and El Conuco-Cuban restaurant). Honestly, the food seemed to be the same food one would find at LOS TAINOS (the Buffet). Out of the 3 though, the best food and service by far, (dinner or lunch) was found at El Conuco. That restaurant is located beside the pool and had the best staff and food available. We ate lunch there every day! Unfortunately, we only discovered the beach bar and grill on the last day (it's down one of the paths on the way to the beach, there are 2 paths so make sure you try both paths) so we did not get a chance to try the food prepared there. The buffet offered a large range of choices, and was hit or miss for quality/consistency (as were the bars and bar staff). Make sure to try the omelette bar in the mornings, and have the chef whip you up a fresh, hot omelette! The pasta bar in the evening was great, as there was a chef onsite to cook fresh pasta with your choice of sauce/veggies. The pizza was great too! Hotel Room- Our room was on the fifth floor, and had a King sized bed (bed was a bit hard for our liking), a wonderful balcony to sit out on and also to hang out clothes to dry (bring a rope and clothes pins). The cable in our room worked, we were able to watch Canada AM and CNN everyday. The mini-fridge kept our drinks cold and was re-stocked daily with beer and soft drinks. There was a safe provided and extra pillows and a heavy blanket in the closet. Also, there is an umbrella in the closet- We were not aware of this until a few days into our trip. Make sure to bring an umbrella with you if you had into Veradero (we got caught in a downpour one day). All in all, the room could use a new coat of paint but the maid kept the room VERY clean, and offered great service daily. Hotel Bank service- The hotel offers a small bank to exchange your money into CUC. The exchange rates are posted, but keep in mind the hotel also takes a small percentage (2-4%) to offer this service. We did get all of our money exchanged here, as it was very convenient and the service was quick. Gift shop- There is a gift shop that sells pringles, chips, chocolate, cookies, liquor bottles, cigars and toiletries. The prices can be steep though depending on the item. There are local vendors who set up in the downstairs lobby each day and sell souvenirs, wood products and other handmade crafts. The vendors rotate daily so there is a bit more selection. All of these items can be found at any of the MANY markets found inside Veradero town. Night Life at the resort- The resort hires dance groups/ magicians, even synchronized swimmers to put on a GREAT show each night from 9:30pm-10:30pm. Each evening from around 7pm-9:30pm there was either a band or musical talent of some sort set up in the lobby or at the rooftop patio outside the lobby. We enjoyed this very much, as it was nice to hear the live music and it provided a fun atmosphere. There is a disco that opens around 10:30pm every night, and has music, a bar and a small dance floor. It's air conditioned, but the stalls in the women's bathrooms did not have doors on them. Double decker bus- We used this service twice, and I HIGHLY recommend it. It costs 5cuc per person, for the entire day. There are multiple pick-up/drop-off spots throughout Veradero and it stops at every resort on the peninsula. We ended up riding it for an hour and a half one day up to the Marina, then into Veradero and back to our hotel. There is a nice bar at the end of the route in town, and the bus driver usually stops there for a break. We enjoyed a cool beer there. Scooter Rental- We rented a scooter for 4 hours from the hotel for $20 CUC. We drove up the peninsula to the Marina, down to the Ecological Reserve and into town. The traffic is very light in Veradero and there are no lights, only Stop signs. We had a very positive experience with the scooter, although they would not be deemed road safe in Canada LOL. Drive at your own risk! All in all we had a wonderful stay at Melia Las Antillas, and would recommend this resort to everyone ages 16-100 who is looking for great service, and a comfortable stay in Veradero. I had read in some reviews that the average guest age was 40-60 but during the week we were there we encountered a lot of people in their 20's. All of the guests seemed respectable and kind, and there was not any obnoxiousness/loudness that we were aware of. I think the hotel would benefit from some general maintenance (fix that second elevator- please!) and perhaps more consistency between bar staff in regards to making drinks. The service at this hotel was outstanding! Our top staff members were: Tatiana, Mileydis, Raul and Orlando at the Pool bar/restaurant, Alexandria at the front desk and Miguel at the disco bar/Pool Restaurant.

Pretty average resort.

Grounds and buildings need attention. Very smelly pond/fountain. Pool wasn't being well taken of. No amenities at the beach but it is a beautiful beach. Too far to the beach bar and washrooms and not enough staff. Pool bar was good. Buffet was below average. Italian restaurant was bad. Other 2 restaurants were ok. Pleasant staff for the most part. Clean rooms, excellent entertainment.

Great trip

We had a great trip. First of all the service was outstanding .the friendliest people ever. We were skeptic on the food in Cuba. But we were pleasantly surprised . The food was really good. The ala cartes were delicious. we upgraded our room and was happy we did. The hotel needs some updating but very clean. The night shows could use some variety.but There was a band that played in the lounge that was absolutely amazing.

Small resort, nice beach, but food poisoned.

The hotel grounds were very nice and very accessible. We had pool view which was nice as well. It was a small resort which I prefer. They have a shark under a bridge that you walk over to get to the main lobby which was interesting and different. Wasn't a lot of entertainment. No rocks on the beach what so ever either. The food was decent but we were so sick of it by the end we just wait bread. I went there with my mom and we both end up getting extremely sick while we were there and for a coupl [... read more]e months after we left. There is only one pool as well which sucks for me because I'm a pool person! The service was okay, I have had better that's for sure. All in all its a decent resort, I would go back if the price was right and would have to be careful about what I ate.

Lovely Resort

We arrived at the resort on Friday, April 3, 2015. Check in was smooth and seamless. As expected our room was not ready until 3 pm. We had made a special request for a particular area of the resort which was accommodated. Overall this is a really nice resort. The grounds, vegetation and on-site lagoon were beautiful. This is an older resort and it is evident it is in need of some repairs and updating. The resort, and our room, were clean and tidy. Everything functioned well and we had no proble [... read more]ms. Note, as you know Cuba is on 220v, most other resorts we have been to have at least one plug at 110v, this resort has none so bring your adapters (more than 1 if you have them). This is an excellent resort for someone who wants to have a quiet holiday. With only 350 rooms it never felt crowded, everything is within a short walk. The beach is spectacular and there are plenty of palapas although you still need to arrive earlier rather than later. Overall we found the staff to be friendly and attentive, as is usual in Cuba :) The food: no surprises. Lots of selection in the buffet. If you are a picky eater you may have some difficulties but there is always pasta and eggs. There are only 2 a la carts here and we only went to the Italian on our final night. The food was very good and the wine was reasonably priced (if you are a wine drinker, you will be disappointed in the house wines - red, white & rose). This is definitely a resort that we would go back to.

Buyer Beware!!!!

The Hotel exterior and lobby area were clean and well kept with the exception of the winding river that housed a couple of nerf sharks and fish..... I hope they were not the fish they cooked up during the week - hence I did not eat fish!!!

Not bad

Food was good. Staff could be friendlier and for an all inclusive resort we were surprised with a bill at time of check out for some wine at the a la carte restaurants. Having concierge was useless to us

The resort is a little dated.

The grounds and location are awesome. We have been to Cuba several times and this was my least favorite resort. The food in the buffet was not top quality at all. I'm not a fussy eater but you wouldn't gain any weight eating at the buffet. The a la carte restaurants were better but seemed ordinary overall and portions we small too. I hated the fact that if we wanted a bottle of wine with dinner it was extra. The elevator was broken, dirty shower head in our room, missing toilet seats in the lobb [... read more]y washroom and extra dirty and dated bathroom too, our check-in was rushed and not very professional. We upgraded to the 5th floor but it was not worth the extra money. We ate off the resort at least 3 or 4 times and the food is much better.

Nice place to stay

Its Cuba..i didn't expect fabulous food, I certainly didn't starve. Didn't use the pool, as it was cold and pools aren't heated. People there are nice and we were treated well. Could use some updating but overall a nice clean place to stay.

Lovely time!

Had a lovely time, service was excellent (especially Ramon in the upper lounge bar) rooms were clean, beach was great, entertainment good - although the daytime entertainment guy needs to come up with better games, food was good for me as there was alot of selection of vegetables and fresh meat to be grilled and since I've been to different parts of Cuba alot where it wasn't great this resort surpassed all of them in selection. My one complaint was I was looking forward to spending time in the o [... read more]utdoor jacuzzi...no luck as it was cold...if it had been hot water both myself and others that I met down there would have spent alot of time in it over the vacation...too bad!

A good time was had by us!

We enjoyed our trip and would rate the hotel as 3.5 to 4 star. The hotel is aging but is clean and comfortable. There was always a good variety in food. The staff was very friendly and made special efforts to make you feel at home. The entertainment was 4+ star. A great week overall.

Not a luxury resort, but nice!

The beach was fantastic, we walked for about an hour along the coast (passing by a few other hotels) and noted that our stretch of sand was the best. Fresh fish in the restaurants - try it! Bring $ to tip for extras (fresh coconuts). Go to this resort if you plan on spending most days at the beach - we didn't even try the pools. Lobby bar is 24/7. Bring bugspray for the evenings (early January). Make reservations for a la carte restaurants as soon as you arrive - inconsistency between what the b [... read more]rochure says / the information that is posted / what the staff say. Then again, it's Cuba. Don't stress about the little things and you'll be fine. Quite a "couple-y" resort, but we made friends with the other travelers that were there in small groups as friends.

Great spot!

My fiancee and I spent 7 days at Melia Las Antillas. It was a great spot, everything was well organized right from the bus ride from the airport. The buffet was excellent, staff was super friendly and it was an all around great experience.

Resort Value for Price

Grounds very pleasant and kept in good condition. The food was better than we expected from reading previous reviews but then we love seafood. Management need system to stop beach goers from claiming more than one lounger per person.

Expect negative surprises

Had a bad experince from day 1 . Hotel promised a balcony , as their literature says. I was given a ground floor room with a chair outside of the patio door on tyhe grass and it was called a balcony. I wanted balocony to be higher level from insects and people walking by . Then they offered 2nd flooe room facing the buses/driveway that come and go . O boy , they make noises in all sorts of times, day time, evening , modnight . Finally we got something facing the band / music space , loud music b [... read more]ut at least it ended at 11pm..... everynight ! Bell boy think he is the president of Hotel , or Apple or IBM. Can not talk to him while he is smoking . You have to wait . He expects you to carry the luggages unless you can not .... on the positve , the buffet area has air conditioning . Nice.

Beautiful...simply beautiful

The Cuban people are wonderful...we stayed 7 days and enjoyed every minute...we came for sun, beach, clear water. rest & relaxation....we got all of our wishes. The food was okay...bland but okay....would come here again

Great Vacation

This was my 1st visit to an adults only resort. It was wonderful. The room was clean and in a wonderful location. The grounds were well kept and I enjoyed the bridges over the streams full of fish. The beach was clean and lots of chairs were available. The pool was also wonderful. I have been to Cuba many times and did not always enjoy the food. The food at this resort was always good and the staff were great. The evening entertainment at the rooftop bar was always good. All in all I will say it [... read more] was a place I will gladly return to.

Best Resort in veradro

Have stayed 7 times a this resort, cannot say enough good things, staff very accomodating, food is awesome, bartenders alway"s remember us, Beach is the best in the world, housekeeping staff very efficient, love, love love the guy|s and girls in the buffett.

Ok for the price

Arrived very late at night and was given a basic room on the lobby level overlooking the top of the building facing the pool area, tiny deck with no view whatsoever, unless you count crates stacked behind the restaurant below. The next day I was upgraded, no charge, to one the of the bungalows closest to the beach - this was much nicer. The food was just ok, lots of variety at the buffet. Service ranged from so-so to excellent, especially at the lobby bar (many of the restaurant servers seemed t [... read more]o spend a lot of time chatting amongst themselves). Housekeeping did a good job, although they did have an annoying habit of yelling back and forth to each other from building to building. I definitely would not rate this a 4 Star "plus" relative to a 4 star in Mexico or Punta Cana but it was decent and the beach was beautiful. Overall I would say that if you are looking for a decent adult only place this is ok but I think it's fully, if not over, priced for what it is. For another $150 I would probably upgrade to the Paradisus next time.

Ok trip with my family

I went to Milia Antillas for 4 days and as soon as I enter lobby I had a feeling it was not going to be good. The room was dated and everything looks dirty. They don't provide wrist bands so when I went to the beach and back I was stopped by security as he thought I wasn't from the resort for some reason, lucky I had a paper towel card that said the resort name on it. It rained one day the entire place was flooded and everywhere in the lobby and restaurant was leaking they placed buckets to catc [... read more]h the water. The staff was really wonderful, I would not go back to the this resort if I ever go back it would be for the restaurant staff. I will like to take back some gifts for them, I feel really sorry for them as they work for $20! a month really sad. This resort is no 4.5 star.