Winter Warm Up

The hotel was old and on the verge of being well maintained. The lobby was very large and well maintained. Other areas like public walk ways and patio areas needed holes to be fixed and light bulbs to be replaced. Our room was large, very quiet, and VERY clean, however there were no lampshades on any of the light fixtures. The bathroom was remodeled and kept clean daily. The hallway going to the room was poorly lit at night (needed light bulbs changed) and needed a coat of paint. The gardens wer [... read more]e well kept and had a good variety of plants. The beach was amazing as we had four calm days for a good time in the surf. The food was hit and miss as we expected from previous visits to Cuba. The general feel of this property was that it is a four star status on the turning point of being a four and a half or five star resort.

Play de oro

Feb 2017 just finished my seven day vacation at this resort..well it was a clean resort and kept clean for the lobby. But the buffet the was birds flying around which did not bug me it was the cockroach on the coffee table grossed me out..big time. The fod was the same all week cold or room temperature and same meals. The staff was not the most friendly. I have been to cuba before where the staff was great. This resort was half as good.. But the beach was great to swim at . You always had p [... read more]eople bugging to to buy stuff every five minutes. This resort has made me feel like I want to find another country all together to vacation at...

Nice Place

Hotel was very nice, room was great with king size bed and real nice shower. Staff was very good and beach was perfect. Cant complain very good price. Only problem is hotel is along ways from downtown so you need transportation, along walk for sure.

Disappointing

I may be too picky but I was disappointed. A lot of little things adding up. My expectations weren't too high, but (i) in bad need of a face lift - paint everywhere, floor tiles replaced, cracked walls, etc; buffet dining room staff inattentive (looked like they were trying to avoid coming to your table); internet, even after paying for it, was almost nonexistent; housekeeping should have just focused on replacing towels, soap etc rather than making origami swans with the comforter; room key (ca [... read more]rd, which also opened the safe) sometimes worked on the third swipe, sometimes on the 33rd swipe; gym was poorly equipped and it took over an hour to find someone to open it on Sunday because the guy with the key didn't work on Sunday (no second key at the front desk!!!). Good points - omelette for breakfast; no trouble getting a chair by the pool; weather was great.

"A Top 10 for us"

Stayed a week from January 25th and had a great time. The Hotel was just taken over by Gran Caribe about a month before we got there and you could see they were putting some work into the buildings but nothing that disturbed our vacation. All the facilities worked just fine but if you wanted a hot shower before dinner then get it early as hot water was a little cool just before the dinner hour but that can be avoided.The Staff were great and the ground workers were always busy but you wouldn't e [... read more]ven know they were around. The grounds were kept very clean and if someone left a mess they were right there to clean it up.The Buffet had just about everything you would want and could always find something to suit your taste. The Ala Cartes were very good as well as well as the entertainment. As always the beaches were great but as with all resorts the "Chair Savers" were out in full force. We try not to play that game but if you didn't you'd never get a seat by the pool or a banyan by the ocean.Looking for something off site, try the Marina across the street where you can get Lobster or at the restaraunt called Waco's in Varadero. It's a little hidden jewel tucked in at the end of a dead end street that runs right beside the Beatles Bar. I certainly recommend it and was there last year as well. Two grilled Lobster tail for $20 peso's. This was our 7th time to Varadero and will be returning again hopefully in April. We have never stayed at the same hotel but would certainly not have a problem returning to Playa D'Oro, we had really great time and you could be as busy as you wanted to be. Oh yeah...the Swim Up Pool Bar wasn't serving but it wasn't a big deal, you could still sit there as we did and just have the wives serve the drinks... ;-). Go for it, you'll have a good time.

Economical and good for what we paid

This hotel was extremely affordable two adults and one child for seven days for 2135 if you can't beat it the first night I was there everything didn't look so great but after settling in and reminding myself of the great price I found the hotel staff was wonderful good service Yes the rooms are dated this is definitely not a five-star hotel remind yourself of that it is more of a 3+ But once again we had no complaints about what we received However do be careful as we were missing beac [... read more]h towel and an iPad mini don't know if they were left in the room or not just be cautious of what u leave in your room Or put it in your safe Pool cold Shows were good Front desk service good Pool view rooms are better we stayed on the bottom floor easy to access our room Overall we feel we got a lot of value for the price

Very nice resort

Staff was very friendly and kind. Rooms were well maintained and cleaned, food was great. All staff could not do enough for us, beaches were awesome and we'll looked after daily. We would definitely stay here again.

Worst Resort we have ever stayed at

We arrived to Resort and had to wait 3 hours to get our room. When we did, we were shocked to find the absolute worst room ever. The balcony door had no lock (rather a latch chain which allowed the door to open so that a person could get in). The food was horrible (contracted food poisoning on day 5), of which I had to call in sick 3 days past my return. The drinks were bad and the bar service even worse. All employees wanted tips (of course service desk only had $3 bills and no .50 or $1 peso). [... read more] No pictures on wall. No lamp shades. Luke warm water and a bathroom floor that would not drain (no door on shower). Room clearly had termites as wood frames were half eatten. Each day $20 CDN fetched us various amounts. The wait staff treated people like we were interrupting them (they see you standing to order coffee/drink and they then walk behind bar / keep talking to one another). The Resort is well worn and clearly requires an update of paint and infrastructure. Yes we got a week for just under $1200 (X2) but this Resort is an embarrassment to Air Canada vacations. Whoever scouted this Resort should resign. If you go, do so at your own peril. And being lots of pepto bismo and Imodium.

Motel needing repair

The hotel my friends and I stayed at was in need of repair and I would not recommend it. My friend's bed had bed bugs, my other friend had fecal matter on the ceiling of his bathroom. There were several tiles missing from the pool and a part of a tree was in the pool the duration of the time we were there. Many guests were also complaining about the hotel and we seen people leaving for other hotels because of the quality of the hotel. One man stated that he was leaving because the first room [... read more] he was given didn't have a front door and the second room he was given didn't have a door on the safe.

A Much Needed Getaway, Great Place For The Price

When booking a vacation there are a few things that you look at Room, Food, Beach/Pool, entertainment and Service. I will be explaining my experience with these things. Room: The first night we had a room on the bottom floor which actually smelled musty and was not very modern. We changed rooms the next days for a room on the 3rd floor and it had been newly renovated and was really nice. The room had a small balcony which was cozy and the air conditioning worked like a dream. Beds were hotel  [... read more]beds not the most comfortable but weren't uncomfortable either. On vacation we did not spend much time in the room but was comfortable while in there. Food: The food was 'meh'. I definitely did not go hungry and my boyfriend whom I went with (who is a very picky eater) ate well also. We also both did not get sick or get tourista even one night of our vacation which is everyones fear when going to cuba. I personally loved the breakfast buffet, fresh bread, omelette bar and a lot of different types of sausages which were delicious. and OMG COFFEE is amazing in Cuba. My bf also liked the pancakes and french toast option at the breakfast buffet. Make sure not to miss this. Lunch was ok with hot dogs and hamburgers by the pool or a BBQ style buffet near the beach. Both were good but nothing great. For dinner the resort has specialty restaurants Italian, Cuban and International. I had the pleasure of having the Cuban and International restaurant. These are both great food. The cuban restaurant offers steak which was delcious and my boyfriend had chicken which was also delcious. The international restaurant was my 'WOW!' dining experience everything on the plate was delicious and my booyfriend and I cleaned our plates literally. He had a chicken breast cooked literally to perfection and I had grilled prawns and literally mouthwatering. The specialty restaurants which two are included in the trip are definitly Worth it. Make sure you take advantage. Beach/Pool: The beach was breathtaking and beautiful. The most beautiful beach I have ever seen and not even a 5 min walk from my room. Honestly, it can't be beat. Pool area was clean and staff was nice. go early to get a chair by the pool because they get taken up quickly in the AM. Pool was always clean also a nice place for a quick dip during the day. Was disappointed that the hot tub did not work and that the pool bar was not open during our whole vacation. Entertainment: Shows every night, animation all day long, club in the evening, many excursions offered nearby (Reccomend Catamaran Cruise and Jeep Safari). Service: Literally nothin compares to the hospitality of Cuban people. They are the nicest people around and everything I did I felt welcomed and relaxed. My chamber maid left little notes everyday which was really sweet. The bartending staff was always fun and helpful. You are never a short walk away from someone who is willing to help you. Anything you need is served to you with a smile and a laugh. Absolutly amazing service.

Great resort

It's a clean resort, but the hotel need a major renovation. Main doors , balckony and closet sliding doors need to be replaced or fixed. Shower area to be redesign. The resort need more washrooms, (at least one to be built for the restaurant by the beach).

OK

The hotel itself was clean, we entered the building with no issues, got our room and was very clean. Bathrooms were clean and modernized a little. The doors on our floor were very hard to open and close, every time someone came in or out of their rooms they had to slam them shut. Service at the bars was OK, but if you don't tip them they tell every one and give you bad service. The coffee shop was the best, ask for "coffee Janette" and leave a tip the coffee gets better. The food was bad, always [... read more] the same menu every day, nothing changed. My wife brought some spices from home and asked the chef to step aside and let her cook her own pasta dish. It was amazing. Do not go to the Italian restaurant, complete waste of time. They were missing all kinds of ingredients to make pizza and the pasta sauce came out of a can and was disgusting. The entertainment was good. The best was at new years eve. The beach towels were very hard to get. The first day there and I had to wait an hr to get the towels, they didn't feel clean we returned them at night and got new ones and kept them the rest of the stay. I felt like they were always expecting tips, where ever you go, it felt like they were shoving the tip jar in your face. The beach and water was amazing, but that is mother natures doing. There were to many beach bums selling and forcing themselves on you to buy stuff. It got way out of control. If your OK with not eating well, I would recommend this hotel because its clean.

Awesome!

We just returned from a four night stay at Playa D'Oro. We had a wonderful time! Good food, service and friendly staff. The beach is amazing! Rooms are dated and could use a fresh coat of paint, but we only used our room for sleeping.

Wonderful vacation!

We went to visit this resort with our family to celebrate our 45 wedding anniversary Trip went smoothly. Arrived around noon on December 9. Front desk staff was friendly and accommodating. Were ushered to our room with no waiting. Rooms were located as requested. Clean, nice balconies, renovated bathrooms. Resort is older, so some areas could use an upgrade, but you can see improvements are being made. Beach was beautiful. Beach BBQ was our favorite for lunch. Fish in abundance! Met wit [... read more]h the GM Jean-Luc and the chef to make arrangements for our special anniversary dinner. They went above and beyond! Champagne, Chilean wine, canapes, lobster and crème brulee. Lots of live Cuban music. Had an awesome time

Average resort

you get what you pay for.front desk was very good and fast The buffet was not much for choice and even less if you came late A la cartes were ok Bar tenders were not very good and the drinks they made were below average. Waited three days for beach towels.air conditioning in room was why to cold and wouldn't turn down.Amazing beach

Good except for 2 things.

What to say about our Vacation. This marked my 6th time to Cuba and like usual it did not disappoint in most categories. Pros: Weather was nice, beach was beautiful, staff was helpful and cheerful. Food was mostly good. Cons: Dated facilities, horrible Wi-fi login/logout issues. Wasted over 30 minutes of our card trying to log out. Gym opens too late: 9am, no toast, no bacon for breakfast and no tomatoes in the buffet. First time I had ever seen that happen. Worst of all was finding out we g [... read more]ot bedbugs. Our room was always clean and the maids were diligent, but somehow we got bedbugs anyway. Have been scratching away for the past 5 days and am hoping it goes away soon. Overall for the price we got decent value for our money. The staff does a good job with what they have to work with. I would not go back but that is due to getting bedbugs which we have never gotten anywhere in over 25 trips. I suggest people check for infestations more diligently than we did.

Sunshine and sand!

This is my 4th time in Cuba and first time at this resort in Varadero. We had a fantastic relaxing time. The rooms are showing their age and could use some touch ups but we didn't go on vacation to stay in our room! I brought my 10 year old and 8 year old who are picky eaters but they did not go hungry! The omelette bar was awesome for breakfast and on the 3rd day there, we discovered if you asked for bacon they just might have it and will cook it up for you. There were hamburgers, hotdog [... read more]s and pizza at the poolside restaurant which was great for the kids. The beach restaurant always had meat being BBQ ed and it was delicious. When the kids were feeling particularly fussy, the pasta bar at the buffet always saved the day! The pool was cleaned daily. The staff for the most part seemed friendly enough but our favorite was Wilfredo who really put in an effort with all he did. He left a lasting impression with my family. And that man knows how to make the best tasting coffee! I would recommend this resort as a place to go if you are just looking for somewhere to relax for the week. Definately not party central.

LOVED THE RESORT!!!!

We found it wonderful!!! A smaller more cozy resort. You would meet the same people repeatedly. The rooms were clean and spacious. The hotel had elevators!!!! which became a necessity after an injury. The food was flavourful but............the menu was repeated & repeated etc. The front desk employee were polite & helpful. The Sunwing Rep. was also extremely helpful in getting us a wheelchair when he got injured. The beach was also fantastic!! We would return to this resort in th [... read more]e future.

Beautiful Beaches

The resort was an adequate 3 star hotel. We were disappointed with our room, but are not picky so could not complain. I was disappointed that we were told there would be some sort of celebration for my birthday as it was during our stay, and we were not told about anything planned. The resort was small but that gave it an intimate feel, as we saw the same people each day. The food was good, but we suffered some stomach issues and so we ate the same every day to avoid sickness, however many other [... read more] guests highly enjoyed the buffet! We are not fans of fish so that could be part of our dislike. Everyone in Cuba is very friendly and we highly enjoyed the excursions we participated in. The hotel was very clean and the staff was friendly. We did not have high expectations and so we enjoyed our time at playa de'oro but if you are picky and like 5star plus hotels you would not enjoy this resort.

Middle of the road.

Beach, grounds and entertainment are excellent. Food is better then normal for Cuba standards . Rooms however are substandard . The staff are very nice and do not expect tips. If the rooms get fixed up this resort will be 4*.