Grand Memories Santa Maria: Terrible resort

The grounds were always dirty, washrooms were filthy, they didn’t have any toilet paper in the washrooms or napkins in the buffet restaurant. The service in the pool bar , beach bar and beach restaurant was terrible. The blankets were smelly, the phones in the rooms didn’t work and the diamond club was a waste of money. The diamond club manager did nothing to fix any of the problems instead just made excuses. The beach is the most beautiful place but it’s too bad the hotel badly managed

Grand Aston Cayo Paredon Beach Resort: One of the best in Cuba

Fairly new, excellent service. Good beach. Food is ok , transportation is good, on time, gym is brand new pools is good, very close to the beach. Nothing else to talk.good gggggggghghhhbhhbhhhhhbhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhjjjjjhnnnnnnbbbvvvbbbbbbbbbbbb

Melia Trinidad Peninsula: Absolutely Amazing!

We just returned from a week at Melia Trinidad Peninsula and we’re already planning our return. The bus ride was a little long from the airport (about 2 1/2 hours) but it was well worth the drive. When you arrive and walk into the lobby, it’s very tranquil. It has a spa-like feeling throughout the resort. Everything was brand new and so clean. The rooms are modern, light and bright (but equipped with black out curtains) and we particularly loved the shower with the waterfall head and hand spr [... read more]ay nozzle. We heard that the beach wasn’t very nice, but we were pleasantly surprised by how nice it was. It wasn’t white powdery sand like some beaches, but it was nice sand and the view of the mountains in incredible. We didn’t need water shoes like some reviews suggested. The water is calm so it would be great for kids where you don’t have to worry about large waves or under currents. We are pool people, so that’s where we spent most of our time. If you’re looking for a party pool, this is not the resort for you. The main pool is fairly quiet and there isn’t an abundance of pool entertainment. Although we didn’t partake, there were a few poolside classes like Zumba, yoga and aqua fitness. My only complaint about the main pool is that the swim up bar is not staffed, so you have to sit there until a bartender on the other side sees you or you have to get out to go to the bar. We forgot our reusable/insulated cups and really wished we had them. Drinks melt super fast in the heat, and glass cups have to stay at the bar you’re sitting at. If you want to leave, you have to take your drink in a paper cup which starts to disintegrate almost immediately and does affect the taste of the drink. The food was excellent. We didn’t notice any shortages, they even had ketchup and other condiments, bacon, delicious omelettes and tons of bread. The fresh fruit was choices were papaya, guava, banana and sometimes mango. I would have liked some berries, apple, grapes or oranges, but it wasn’t a terrible selection. Each bar had espresso machines and we enjoyed many cappuccinos. The frappuccinos were also excellent! To our surprise, we had no belly issues other than the usual discomfort if we over indulged. We had a room on the second floor which is the top floor, and so glad we did. It gave a spectacular view of the pool area and we could see the ocean. There was also an elevator, so no need to carry luggage up stairs. We almost upgraded to a swim up room, but once we saw the view we decided to stick with the room we were given on arrival with the ocean view. For the most part, the staff was excellent. There were a few bartenders who weren’t overly personable and quick to say no to certain drink requests, and then another bartender would come along and make it without question, but that was rare. We are Canadian and love a Caesar, but their idea of Clamato is tomato paste mixed with water, so if you’d like a good Caesar be sure to bring your own supples other than the liquor. We left the resort a couple of times, the first was to go to “The Cave”. It’s a disco/night club built inside of a cave - very cool! We went with other Canadians we met at the resort and felt very safe. The locals were very friendly. We only went for an hour to check it out, and that was long enough as we were all non-smokers and as it got busier, the cave started to smell like cigarette smoke. It cost $20 each way to get there by cab and then $3 per person cover, which included one drink. The second time we left the resort, it was to go on a horseback riding excursion to a water fall. The excursion was offered to us by one of the Melia staff. When we arrived, the horses were very malnourished and looked unwell, so we asked to be taken back to the resort. We were told it was $13 each when we “booked” and there were 7 of us. When we retuned to the resort and went to pay, he asked for $30 each plus the cab ride. We refused to pay that as we didn’t even go on the horses but my boyfriend and I paid the cab fee of $20 and $40 for the horseback riding. In hindsight, I wish we didn’t pay anything because it was a very disappointing and sad experience as an animal lover, but lesson learned. Book any excursions through your travel agent or the front desk of the hotel. Other than some house files, there were virtually no bugs at the resort, no wild life other than a few stray cats, and we only saw one small lizard. We went for a couple massage, and it wasn’t great. The workers who massaged us didn’t seem to be trained in massage therapy. There was hardly any pressure, a lot of fast hand movements, slapping and karate chopping! It was $179 Canadian for the two of us to have a 45 minute massage. For that price, the massage therapists should be well trained. We were unsure how much cash to bring, but $200 American was plenty to leave $1 for most drinks and $5 the few times our room was cleaned or for a la carte dinners. We also tipped our bus and cab drivers. The cleaner seemed to come to our room each day late in the afternoon while we were having a little nap, so it was only cleaned 3 times during our stay which was ok for us, we just asked that she leave clean towels. I had tip money left over at the end of the trip to buy a few little treats and keepsakes at the airport. I was hesitant to go to Cuba, especially after hearing of the travel advisories / shortages, but it was my favourite down south trip yet. We will absolutely return!

Vila Gale Cayo Santa Maria: Cuba never disappoints

I have just returned from my vacation at Grand Sirenis Cayo Santa Maria, the beautiful beach and its crystal clear waters,The stunning beach is beyond anything I've ever seen, with its soft white sand . I can't wait to go back to this beautiful tropical paradise again. I'd like to take a moment to praise this fantastic resort and its incredible staff! From the dishwashers to the bartenders, entertainers (the Michael Jackson show was mind-blowing!), housekeeping, groundskeepers, Who no mat [... read more]ter what the temperatures always have a smile and a wave. customer service staff, and the front desk staff..everyone went above and beyond to ensure our trip was flawless. Despite the challenges they face, they made us feel special, important, like old friends. We lacked for nothing, and I'm pretty sure I gained 10lbs ?. We'll definitely be back and spreading the word about Grand Sirenis in Cayo Santa Maria! You have all contributed to stealing my ?

Melia Trinidad Peninsula: Good resort

I visited this resort in the last week of April 24. The hotel is very clean as it is new. Rooms are spacious. Staff is friendly, food is average as there is not much choice of items which is typical of Cuba. The good thing is the amount of condiments they offer as it is rare in Cuba. Pools are good, big and nicely maintained. The beach is rough. The sand is like lime stone. Except for a few sand patches in the water, the sea bed is all but dead spiked coral and is very shallow so that you can o [... read more]nly swim in high tide but during high tide it’s a heaven for snorkelling enthusiasts. The most concern that I observed is the travel from Santa Clara to Trinidad. The travel is 2.5 hour and about one hour of journey is very rough as road is badly damaged and broken that tires you down even before you get into the hotel.

Gran Muthu Almirante Beach Resort: Great Resort

This is a smaller resort, with everything you need. Pools,beautiful beach, friendly staff, a few restaurants. It is easy to find your way around due to the smaller size. The property is lovely - very clean and well maintained. The pools are clean, not that we used them. We spent our time at the beach. You do have to get up early to get beach chairs, but that seems to be the case everywhere you go. It is not a huge expanse of beach, enough for a short walk. The food is okay, you can alw [... read more]ays find something to eat. Nobody goes to Cuba for the food. The pina coladas are great! If I were to have a complaint, it would be that there were no hooks in the room. Make sure you go to the dollar store and pick up a few clothing hooks. I would recommend this resort for families, friends, or couples.

Grand Muthu Cayo Guillermo: Better then expected.

First time in this area. Room and grounds - near excellent. Pools well maintained a very clean without chlorine smell. Beach very long and wide enough with sufficient amount of shade structures. Food - not all to my taste but plenty to choose from. Lamb and fish in the menu almost every day?. On the fruit side - all good. Veggies - could be better. Not many options for vegetarians - I am not one. Many vegetarian looking dishes seem to contain some sausage cut into tiny pieces which are are hard  [... read more]to spot. You want to swim in crystal clear water - take the bus to playa Pilar. You want good snorkeling experience - then this is not your place. Staff very nice and friendly, especially when you show respect as one always should. Two bad things I can't just skip. The door key cards work when they want and whe way they want. The ones given as replacement of the original ones performed even worse. Could be just our door!? The worst thing - the jejenes ( skinny sand flies) that won't let you be too relaxed. Study the matter before you decide on the trip especially if you are allergic to bug bites. My wife suffered quite a lot. Will we go back - No. The only reason - the jejenes. Absolutely recommend this resort if you don't have problems with the little suckers - the jejenes.

Playa Vista Azul: Amazing Resort

This was our third time at Playa Vista Azul. We love this resort. From booking to coming back home went very smoothly. Thanks to Jenn Black our representative, she was very helpful and professional with booking and handling our reservations and requests

Sanctuary White Sands: New build but with issues

We were there April 21-29. The resort is basically brand new so no issues with the nuts and bolts. If only that were so for some of the "softer" elements. Instead of rehashing how nice is the beach and how well kept are the grounds etc., I feel the need to share some of the downsides. It's clear most staff and likely the management are pretty much brand new so take everything with a grain of salt. Here are some of the challenges: #1 - towels (not the beach towels) As we checked into Block 6 i [... read more]t sounded like the housekeeper walking by said "no towels." However, the room was stocked. What we discovered the next day was towels were never replaced. Having stayed at other resorts, we left our used towels on the bathroom floor only later to discover they were merely folded up soaking wet and put back on the shelves! That continued throughout our stay. #2 no new sheets including on day one - My bed had a distinct odour of the previous occupant along with some stains on the sheet. Again, the sheets were never replaced all week. Yuck! #3 The food selection was limited but that was expected. What needed to be improved was the buffet food was rarely hot. It was mostly room temperature. Care for some tepid deep fried calamari or mashed potatoes? #4 Staff at the limited cooking stations were clearly untrained. I felt quite sorry for them. One day, hand-formed hamburgers were the special. The cook prepared them one at a time and didn't move on to the next person until the burger was cooked. Needless to say, the line up quickly became very long. Lack of training resulted in under-cooked fish, over cooked omelettes etc. Note, I'm not criticizing the selection, just the preparation. #5 - After reading the glowing remarks about the bartenders I was surprised at how "meh" they were. Then I realized they saved their charm for the female vacationers. Going back to the positive reviews it was easy to connect the dots. Would I go back? Not likely. What's a scary thought is while the resort was less than a third fill as a "soft opening," it was barely managing to meet the basic needs of its visitors. It's hard to image their management team rising to the challenge. Hope this helps and of course, to each their own!

Muthu Playa Varadero: GOING DOWNHILL QUICKLY

Been to Cuba over 30 times. Staff at front desk, bars, and restaurants are amazing. Housekeeping services are sub par. Don’t leave toilet paper, don’t leave water, don’t change towels, don’t show up at all some days. And we are generous tippers with gifts and money. Rooms are in need of updating. Ours flooded out and we were moved but had to follow up twice. We were walking around in 2” of water. Food and alcohol were scarce but we expected that as it isn’t unusual. Always had beer,  [... read more]but would run out of rum, vodka and whiskey regularly. We aren’t big drinkers so not a problem for us. Beach is beautiful but pool filtration and vacuum don’t work so pool is a bit scetchy but passes. A huge number of Cubans now use the resort. All very friendly but be prepared for 45 minute lineups for food at times. Also, you must book a la cartes on a daily basis and need to be prepared to get to booking area 1 1/2 hours before opening. So take a book. In summary, we did enjoy our holiday in spite of some frustrations that we had not experienced in our recent trips to Cuba this year. Would not return to this hotel in the future.

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Varadero: Great hotel

Everybody know cuba are in crissis right now they lack of many things For example we did not get orange juice all week long BUT fresh mango and papaya juice every day And the BUT is important because for every little thing missing or not 100% perfect the staff was ready to go extra distance to help always apologizing with a smile « sorry we don’t have it today maybe tomorrow » the cuban people are the warmest people i know, and i have traveled in 11 countrys on 4 continents, despite the si [... read more]tuation they keep genuinely trying to help and make our stay enjoyable I was ashamed of some hotel guests rolling eyes or making loud comments on how intolerable was the fact that ONE days in the week they was missing fresh beach towel to exchanged, it is for sure a major crime to be obligated to reused your towel for a day (sarcasm there) So if your a Karen or a male Karen thinking people have to serve you and fulfill all your desires to the absolute perfection do go to cuba. if your able to live with the flow, make the best of the situation and go to that wonderful place where ALL the hotel staff have been nothing less than perfect

Club Kawama: Very pleased with this resort

Hotel room and grounds are very good and clean.Although they had some problems with getting supplies in there ..I was able to adjust to it.;All in all I had a good time and I will return to this place. The next time though I hope the resort will be sold to a private developer who cares for the people.

Valentin Perla Blanca: Worth the money

The resort is beautiful and the staff are incredibly friendly. Our room needed an over hall but nothing a painter and good cleaning chemical wouldn't fix. Will go back for sure. Food was extremely good for Cuba and in this price range, one day we had no milk and no meat, next day we had milk, bacon and fresh LOBSTER! One guy eat three of them. Really, I know its all inclusive but why eat so much.... It really is a great resort. Extremely good bang for your buck! Oh, 24 hour bar/snack bar  [... read more]have the best staff you will ever find. Still has the same chef that we remember meeting in 2015 when it first opened and not forgetting Angel, who was a kind gardener in 2015 when he picked us a coconut and filled it full of rum. Now, Angel is a pool boy, no just kidding he maintains the pool area.

Playa Pesquero: Great resort

Worth every penny, service was great in the rooms & dining area. Clean & customer relations is very hospitable, beach area is clean, selection of alcohol is excellent, food items are acceptable, will definitely go back!

Sol Palmeras: Nice

The hotel is aging but maintained and kept clean. Staff are helpful and service is prompt. The main restaurant should be made larger to accommodate the hosts at the pick hours. Often there was noticeable shortage of tables.

Starfish Cayo Largo: Happy Vacationers

First time at Starfish April 10 – 17, 2024 HOTEL: Older, updated resort with Cuban charm. Well-kept. Walkways in good condition and well-lit. Lovely landscaping. Plenty of seating outside. Hotel room was clean, everything worked well. No hassles about anything. BEACH: Beautiful, sandy. At high tide, chairs are on top of a bluff. A great way to enjoy the lovely scenery and admire the waves. Went almost every day, by air-conditioned bus, to Playa Sirena, the most gorgeous, calm, natural b [... read more]each – no other like it. Only wish the drinks and food would still be free. Cafeteria and Beach Bar Restaurant: Food was good, with enough variety. However, we missed the bread, ice cream, pastry desserts, pina coladas and Spanish coffees - which was good for our health. Beer, wine & other drinks were readily available. Appreciated the cloth napkins. Quickest service ever from waiters/waitresses. BARS: Efficient and most friendly service, except for the pool bar. Due to the lack of supplies, they never had anything we wanted, be it drinks or food. MOSTLY APPRECIATED: Very quiet resort. Never any loud and constant music, resulting in a very relaxing vacation. ALL employees were super friendly and offered good service. We look forward to visiting this resort again. Bring you bug spray though – needed for two hours in the evening. P.S. Congratulations and thank you to SUNWING for your punctuality, and even being early!

Grand Aston Cayo Paredon Beach Resort: Loved the hotel!

Absolutely beautiful hotel. Comfy beds, good size new rooms, huge shower and great service. Lots of pool options with day beds as well and the beach is gorgeous, but careful of the coral reefs. The staff were very friendly and did their best to go above and beyond. The food is what is to be expected in Cuba, but we never went hungry. We had no real shortages, lots of towels and toilet paper.

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Holguin: Cuban Resort

This resort is fairly big....separated adult and family....1.30 minutes drive away from the airport....but could be 2 hours depending on the traffic. Food wise....shortages are recognizable but always something to eat overall..... alcohol was fine.... canned beer all week. entertainment was fine.....3 pools..... middle pool being most active.... Beach was fine.....not as good as Santa Maria but overall good.

Valentin Cayo Cruz: Remember where you are and be grateful

This review is for those who are willing to educate themselves on Cuba and their history before coming with expectations! Firstly the Cuban people are sincere and amazing regardless of their circumstances. We came to this resort by accident and loved it. The beach is breathtaking and the water is so pure like the hearts of many Cuban people! We were grateful for what was provided, nothing is perfect but for the resources they have and the location, everything was good and you have all you need. [... read more] Shortages here and there but you can’t blame them, this is not a luxury vacation so it’s confusing to hear people complain about not having food options and eating like a king. For elderly people, there are a number of stairs and the lighting isnt the best at night around pools when going up and down so be careful. As for the service and people, very genuine, they truly do the best they can with what they have !!! Come here for the beautiful water and people. And remember, you are living in luxury to a local!!! Tip in Canadian bills as coins and American dollar not accepted/difficult at their local banks. In our opinion, tip those you see who aren’t generally servicing the tourist but are working behind the scenes or gardening as they don’t have as much of an opportunity to make a bit extra for their families! Bug spray at night and sunscreen in the daytime. Sometimes windy sometimes hot oh well enjoy both. Thanks Valentin for a great stay!

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Amazing

Amazing people Amazing view An excellent experience Beyond what words can describe. The food is not that great. The special dinners were good. Fast service for the most part. I would go back again for sure!