A week in paradise!

Just returned from a wonderful week at the Paradisus Rio De Oro. It is a beautiful resort. The beaches are great with the snorkeling being the highlight of our trip. Spacious rooms, gorgeous grounds, super friendly and helpful staff and good food. I can't wait to go again. I spent a day at their spa and the snorkeling off the beach there was amazing. It truly was like spending a week in paradise.

Amazing Royal and Luxury Stay at PRDO!

We went for the first two weeks of July for our 30th anniversary on the Royal Service section. We were blessed with sunny days during the entire stay and a full moon! Even with hot and humid weather conditions, we were able to cool off on the beautiful quiet and private beach. We started every day at the beach to finish at the pool. Both areas are well maintained and excellent bar service was provided! Bartenders would go around to take your orders and would prepare the best tropical drinks  [... read more]ever! From Royal mojitos to piña coladas, all were delicious! Thank you to Olga, Marieles, Arnaldo, Osmani, and two other terrific ladies! At this resort, you will definitely find excellent food and service in all the restaurants especially at Los helechos royal service restaurant! The lobsters langoustines and shrimps were the best we have ever tasted! Thank you to the nicest group of ladies who took excellent care of our food and preferences; Yanelis, Nirma, Esperanza, Olga, Yudelkis, Lesmarie and all the the rest of the staff working in the restaurant! You are the best!!! People working at this resort are so kind and efficient! Their hospitality were at the top! (Sorry for not remembering all the names.) The entire area was well maintained and very clean. Our room service was impeccable; the maids with their beautiful art figures with the towels, the concierge people with their attentive service and advice, the butlers especially Rolando, Yunior, and Hector, were among the most professional we have ever seen. Thank you for looking into all of our special requests! The jacuzzi set ups were the highlights of our stay! The bar fridge was filled every day and personalized according to our needs and preferences, thank you to David and his team, same for the turn down service just the best! If you need a lift to the main lobby, no problem at this resort, they have carts going around and the drivers are very nice and polite! If you wish to visit the market in Guardalavaca, there’s a train available on a daily basis at a small fee. We opted for a horse and buggy ride with Adelquis, a licensed driver, and Alacrãn, his horse, at a reasonable price. It was a very nice way to get to see the rural countryside of Cuba. It was beautiful! Thank you Adelquis for your expertise and professionalism! We also did get a chance to meet Jose, the catamaran captain, very knowledgeable and full of life! He gave us a three beautiful and adventurous rides on the ocean! Two rides on two different calm days were very nice! The last one was more rocky due to the wind and waves but it was fun! “Merci Jose!” We also did some snorkelling in the beach area! Beautiful and interesting world this ocean has to offer! There were classical and Cuban entertainers in the evening, which was a nice way to end another the day in Paradise! We also went to the spa for a relaxing part of a day and massage! Aaaahhh... the best! Beautiful salted pool and private beach, it’s a must! Thank you to the entire team for making our 30th anniversary memorable and very pleasant! The manager, Lina, was very attentive to our needs. She was very helpful and professional! Thank you Lina! We made special connections with many of the staff members. We are definitely considering going back! This resort is highly recommended! We are looking forward to our next return and to practice our Spanish with all of you and impress our Spanish teacher Yanelis! 😘 Sincerely, Natalie and Pierre

Paradisus Rio De Oro (Melia chain) --- Great Resort!

The Hotel service and grounds were excellent. The rooms were kept very clean and the food was excellent especially a la carte restaurants. Beaches were very nice, always finding availability spots to suntan. However although the ocean is stunningly beautiful, unfortunately there were many rocks in the ocean making it almost impossible to enjoy it unless you wear water protection shoes. With the shoes, you can enjoy the ocean swims thoroughly. We do recommend this hotel, and we would grade  [... read more]it as a 4.5 star. Hope this helps for you to make a decision!

Dream vacation

This is my third time in this amazing resort within a year! I always go for two weeks to totally emerge into its beauty and serenity. I have just came back this past weekend and what I miss now is in the following order: coral reef, right off the shore where I snorkel every day for couple of hours, friendly and hard working staff (Damisel, Beach Bar, Yamilet, Lobby Bar, Addanis, Sale Manager, Delmis and Alexandro from entertainment team, Catamaran Crew at the Nautical Cabana on the Esmeralda b [... read more]each and many others...My dear Cuban friends, without you this and all previous vacations in the resort wouldn't be sooo perfect. And since Cuba can't come to me I will be back to see you guys as soon as I can. I am fortunate to have found my new home in this tropical paradise! Muchos gracias! Suzana

Excellent for cuba

this is an adults only high end resort. you don't wear a wrist band the food was good in both the buffet and ala cartes and the cuban people friendly the weather was hot and no rain during the day unfortunately it was windy most of the week which made snorkeling difficult. the beach was great and you can walk for a kilometer. the entry into the water is rocky and you have to walk down a bit to get in. there is also a 2 ft drop off to go down to get into the water the pool is large and the w [... read more]ater was warm bring a bubba or thermos for drinks. most of the drinks are served in tiny plastics cups our room was nice with plenty of hot water for showers btw there is no bathtub i didn't like the multiple levels in the room my only issue was the nightly entertainment, i would have preferred more english music. the scuba diving was free and you have to take a bus to the dive center. because the conditions were windy we didn't visit the best sites but the diving was good and the staff and dive masters were friendly and professional given the price and the free scuba diving i would definitely return

Wonderful Atmosphere, Staff and Entertainment

The Paradisus is a lovely hotel but it is truly the staff that make this hotel a 5 Star in Cuba. Everyone from the gardeners, security, servers, bar staff, entertaiment and chefs make this resort a 5 Star. We travel to Cuba for its beautiful beaches, its people and the music. The entertainment staff: Jennifer, Livan, Lorenzo, Annabelle, Osorio, Alejandro went out of their way to keep the guests entertained without being pushy. The bartenders: Yander, Lorenzo and Damisel were always smiling  [... read more]and accommodating. The chefs at the buffet restaurant: Yolando and Carlos were always happy and ready to serve your meal to your preference. The live music from the Cuban musicians/bands, on a regular basis during lunch time and in the evening, were exceptional. The rooms were always cleaned very well and the maintenance crew attended to any issues immediately. The hotel rooms could benefit from being renovated. Overall there was always a good selection of restaurants and food to eat. We liked that most of the facilities were centrally located around the lobby which meant that guests did not have far to walk to get to any of the restaurants or entertainment.

Great Resort !

Been to Varedero 4-5 times, Holguin and Pardisisus De Oro is far better ! Great beach, white dusty sand, require beach shoes as some areas are rocky but lots of areas of no rocks, snorkeling ok , scuba diving nearby . Majority of the staff at the resort speak excellant English and go out of their way to accomodate you and provide excellant service. All ala cart restaurants were excellant, buffet had good selection with hot or cold plates and was very good for a Cuban buffet. Have been twice t [... read more]o this resort and will be going back for sure !

Solid Place

First time in Cuba. Would go again. So very hot so in pool all day !! So many places to visit on this vast planet of ours - choose wisely , always a reason to go somewhere different - Cuba was a great choice .

Established resort

This hotel (adults only) is run really well, and all staff work as a clockwork. Food is always fresh with a good selection of fresh vegetables and fruits. At lunchtime, in buffet restaurant they offer a variety of fish, seafood, chicken and meat cooked by your order. There are also several a-la-cart restaurants. The grounds are vast and very well maintained. Night entertainment is first class starting with a professional piano player and then continued with another two artists or bands. Generall [... read more]y, very pleasant experience.

True Paradise!

We just returned from our 10+ visit and will go back again. Stunning grounds, comfortable rooms, excellent food, attentive staff, beautiful combination of sandy beach and excellent snorkeling, a true paradise in Cuba.

Great vacation!

We had a great time at Paradisus Rio de Oro. We went on the recommendation of family members who have been vacationing there for at least 6 years. We had a wonderfully relaxing time. I cannot say one negative thing about the resort. The room was great; the bed was very comfortable. We enjoyed the buffet, the pool restaurant and the beach restaurant. We didn't go to any a la cart restaurants just because we didn't feel like it:) The weather was amazing. Just couldn't ask for a better week away. I [... read more] hope we go back!

Best Cuban Resort

This was our 30th Anniversary so we wanted to try find a higher end resort, Parisus Rio de Oro did not disappoint. We stayed in ocean view junior suite, was perfect, outdoor shower was a huge hit, this was a beautifully kept hotel and grounds with fantastic food selections. Added bonus was adult only we will be back and understand why people return here Year after year.

Great resort

Great service, good food (better than expected), liked beach, pool and activities, rooms very clean. Suggest bring small flashlight. Lights along beach path not working at night. Water was out for several hours on last night. Great job on updating rooms and resort overall. Quiet area. Would definitely recommend and go back again.

Superior resort

The hotel is the best of best in Cuba. I enjoyed the adults only options. My room was very nice and housekeeping was excellent: clean towels every day. Staff was super nice, location of my room was excellent, close to the beach and close to the pool and main area. I enjoyed it so much. I am highly recommending this hotel. I spend most of my time at the beach, ohh, the best beach in the world.

The best in Holguin

It is like being in paradise. Royal service is fabulous. Every employee is super friendly and helpful. Very accommodating for my strict vegetarian diet. The pools are spectacular. The beaches amazing.

Why go anywhere else?

This was our fourth trip to "our" resort and it is the only place we will go in Cuba. The resort has absolutely everything we were looking for four years ago and the staff who we now call friends treat us better than our so called friends at home in Canada. The junior suites are spacious and kept clean while our fridge is fully stocked by the best room service attendants...Jorge Leandro Perez being personal favorite. There us never a problem finding something great to eat...the pizza at the pool [... read more]side restaurant is great. We love the disco at night with DJ Oso playing the music we request every night. He's an awesome guy and anyone who has the opportunity to get to know him should do so. All in all, the resort and the areas off resort are our favorite places outside of Canada. We cant wait until next year to return. We prefer to visit in May and June as it is not as busy. Best resort in Cuba....say no more. DALE & ANDREA (Nova Scotia, Canada)

Great Place to Wind Down

Rio de Oro is a great place to wind down and relax. By comparison to other resorts, it feels uncrowded. The buffet restaurant was never full when we visited, and line-ups for cappuccinos and other drinks at the main lobby bar were never long. Service was almost uniformly good. Entertainment was for the most part low-key, which suited us, mostly house bands playing good local music. Partiers might prefer a less tranquil locale, however. Food at the buffet is better than the Cuban norm (we did  [... read more]not try any of the a la carte restaurants). You’ll find smoked salmon, roasted red peppers, wheels of real Parmesan cheeses, and other items unlikely to be served at other resorts. Beer and wine were unexceptional but appreciated nonetheless. Ice cream did lack variety compared to some other resorts. Our room (the basic junior suite) was fine. The bed was comfortable, and the air conditioning and room safe both worked. The bathroom had plenty of hot water, though the shower tended to flood the floor, a minor complaint. The pool is beautiful, one side shaded by a towering rock outcrop. The swim-up bar can get a little rowdy late in the afternoon, depending on who’s been imbibing, but it was never over-the-top, and there is a second lower tier to the pool that is shielded to a degree from the main pool. The main beach is lovely, and there is a charming, almost hidden second beach by the spa. Snorkeling can be quite good, though our experience is that the water tends to be less sheltered, hence rougher, than down the road at Playa Pesquero.

First class resort

We recently went to Cuba for my wife’s birthday. This resort is by far one of the best we have ever stayed at. The rooms very clean and the service was top notch. After the first day we decided that we would return again and again. For Cuba this is a 5 star resort. The staff cater to your every need. I would highly recommend Paradisus Rio De Oro

Truly a 5 star experience

We booked Royal Service and the "Royal" experience starts the minute you exit the airport, you have your own private car waiting, and after a long flight, just that one small detail makes it worth it. The hotel itself is great, and everyone on staff really will do all they can to make your stay enjoyable. The rooms are very spacious with a walkin closet and the best and biggest outdoor shower ever. Your butler will make all your reservations at the a la carte restaurants for you, as well as mak [... read more]e sure you have whatever you need in your room, beer, wine, cava, rum, etc. The fare in the restaurants is above average for Cuba, and the bars have a good selection of brand name and premium liqueurs. The property is very well kept, with a great variety of flowering bushes, palm and other trees. The beach has plenty of palapas so finding a spot in the shade or sun is never an issue. All in all this resort pays attention to every detail and it makes the whole vacation experience truly relaxing.

An excellent place to stay!

My wife and I visited Paradisus from March 29 to April 5. We were pleasantly surprised by the resort. The staff was excellent and service was fantastic. The grounds were fairly well kept. The food was very very good and there was no shortage of it. You were able to get something to eat at anytime, the 24 hour restaurant and bar was great. We highly recommend this resort and we will definitely return. Lorenzo and Luis were great bartenders!