Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: We had a very nice Trip despite the “flaws”

This is our 3rd time to cuba, so im going with a attitude that what ever can go wrong likely will….. That being said We had very Nice trip, The resort needs a bit of “paint” on a few spots to bring it up to the star quality listed, we checked into our room, after we checked in a few hours later we noticed it was quite warm…. Sunday am we check with the staff and heard one of the main AC units was broke down waiting on parts…. So the first 4 days no a/c, then Sunday i woke up with bites , i thi [... read more]nk they were no seem, I'm alergict to them…my legs swelled, my arms, i had 31 bites 1 leg 35 on the other, this is not really the resorts fault…. The food was awesome, first time i can say that about cuban food. But we really did enjoy it…… if your going for rum and coke you will be disapointed, but if you adapt to the rum punch/ PinaColada , ect you will love them… Beds were very comfortable the staff wonderful. Bread was hit and miss as was so,e dairy but thay doesm’t ruin a vacation for me…… all in all we had a wonderful trip even thoight we had glotches along the way!

Grand Aston Varadero Beach Resort: Grand Aston - One & Done

It was my first time, & quite possibly last time, in Cuba. Grand Aston was only 4 months old when we got there. First impression was that it was very nice. Lobby is lovely - lots of seating, a bar, a coffee bar & views of the people. Our room was spacious. However, double beds are not great for a week away. And there were only body pillows in our room - these are not great for sleeping. Are room was clean but like it had been done by my teenagers. The garbage can was not wiped down [... read more] so gross looking (humidity daily on a stainless steal can needs to be wiped down). There were marks on the wall & the clean sheets mid week were stained. The pool & beach were clean enough. This garbage was from guests. One morning I fished 3 cups from the pool. They had been missed or blown in. The bathrooms were always being cleaned. Only twice in the 8 days was there not tiolet paper. However, there was often no hand soap. The stairwells were gross. The hand rail was disgusting & was not being wiped down at all. They smelled of urine - disgusting that guests do this, but resort needs to clean them better to get rid of smell. Buffet restaurants always had lots of food. Only 1 morning were there no eggs. The rest of the week we had omelets, smoked salmon, lots of meats, fish & seafood. Pastry were disappointing but ice cream was amazing. Staff in buffet was mediocre at best. Was hard to get a glass of water & rarely could we get tea/coffee/etc. with our meals. Water being refilled was unlikely too. A la cartes - only tried two. Left the Cuban one because the service was so bad. Japanese one we did twice. Service was amazing. Food was decent. From talking to others, Grand Aston is better than most resorts in the area. But given the price I wouldn't go back.

Selectum Family Resort Varadero: Great Resort

This hotel was real great . We enjoyed the dinning ,the staff is amazing.we got served with a smile . Special thanks to our maid she was fantastic. The pool and the grounds are clean they take pride of what they do here. We went to a la Carte because we loved it so much . Over all a great vacation and we will definitely come back soon.

Hotel Mojito: Great resort

Perfect size resort, not too big. Could walk everywhere. Freddy’s bar was amazing. Staff were great. I wish they had French fries and more selection of drinks. Older resort but clean. Beach was beautiful

Grand Aston Varadero Beach Resort: More good than not

My friend and I travelled to Grand Aston Varadero in March 2024. We have been to Varadero in the past, and to Cuba before too. Our expectations for the food weren’t high. We did notice that the overall crowd at Grand Aston was an older crew, 55+ myself and friend being in our late 30’s we did fit in well and met some very friendly people. The beach was fairly wavy, a bit rocky but clean and still beautiful! We had no problems finding chairs both at the beach or pool each day. The pools were  [... read more]reallly clean and lovely to spend time in. The pool swim up bar was very convenient and fun! The food was alright. We always found some too big to eat. White fish, rice, squash, ice cream were staples. They did run out of buns for the hamburgers and hot dogs at the snack bar, but the party was still tasty! The hotel room we were in was beautiful! Clean and well renovated. We had tv channels, water pressure and towels. They didn’t change out our towels daily- however by the pool this was able to happen each day around 3pm. The staff were kind, I’ve seen friendlier people in our past trips, but we didn’t mind as we knew they were busy. The coffee/ cappuccino’s were fantastic! We experiences the Japanese and Cuban restaurants. Both were alright. One very nice thing about the location of this hotel is that after a 3/4hr flight, your bus drive to your hotel is 20-25 minutes away.

Mar Del Sur: Mar del Sur is going through a rough time.

I have been to Mar del Sur (Varadero, Cuba) maybe 10 times over the last 20 years. It is by no means a fancy place to stay but the value to money you pay ratio is unbeatable. Where else can you stay at an all inclusive for $1900 a month - including airfare. This being said, next time I go to Cuba I might choose to pay more to have better choices at the buffet. Or best thing to do is probably to not choose all inclusive and then pay to eat at one of the many restaurants that are in Varadero. The  [... read more]breakfast food would be my main insatisfaction. There were many breakfasts where the only option was cabbage and the drink was CocaCola (the Cuban version of). It breaks my heart to say this really. I can only imagine that in Cuban homes, the fridge is not full of choices either. Then again, people who were at slightly better rated hotels (like Club Tropical or Los Delfines) were saying that their buffet selection was very good. Anyhow, the weather was divine; the beach is the best; the locals are sweet; my room was very nice (Bloque 32); the staff at the hotel did their very best with what they had. (Clean towels were a little hard to come by; bring some of your own.) I have known Mar del Sur with a better food situation but it was not the end of the world for us. My husband and I both lost a few pounds during our month in Cuba and we are happy about that. Maybe we should go again. ;-)

Club Amigo Atlantico Guardalavaca: Amazing resort

Amazing time we stayed in the villa had a great stay and the beaches are amazing you have to remember going to Cuba you are not getting fine dining. Would recommend this resort for the amount you pay it is worth it.

Tryp Cayo Coco: Fantastic resort

The rooms were kept spotless. The food was delicious; lots of variety; got repetitive by the end, but I didn't have to make it. The people were friendly and kind. The beach was beautiful with lots of cabanas for everyone. I wish there were bottled or canned beer, not just draft. Bring a thermal mug!

Valentin Perla Blanca: Peaceful

Pro's, Well laid out pool areas with ample amounts of sitting/lounging areas to suit all preferences. Resort is also well laid out providing multiple options for relaxing, dinning, and or entertainment. Vast beautiful beach areas with tons of room or privacy if desired. Grounds are well kept and clean. Con's, Beds are a bit worn or hard and pillows are hard. Longest bus ride from the airport. Last off and first on so a lot of stops at other resorts. Gym is weak.

Melia Cayo Coco: good resort

great staff especially customer service. good food great grounds 5 star beach will only return if they guarantee an upgaded room. with a shower not a 25 yearold rusty bath with a shower that works when it feels like it.

Vila Gale Cayo Santa Maria: Stunning resort. Definitely going back!

I can’t say enough good things about this resort. The view, the food, the rooms, the food(Yes, I said food twice, it was amazing), the staff, the shows. Almost all 5 stars across the board. A few hiccups to mention first - 1) I paid extra for an ocean view room, but fellow travellers who did not pay for ocean view got free upgrades to views much better than mine. Minor inconvenience, really, just worth mentioning. 2) no matter how much I tipped, our housekeeper did a “good” job but we di [... read more]dn’t get any of the cute extra touches (think towel animals and decorative touches) that our friends got (though they didn’t tip) and on the one day that I was in a rush and forgot to tip, our bathroom waste didn’t get emptied and was quite ripe by the next day. (Toilet paper cannot get flushed, “cottage rules” were in effect) Our towels and bath mat were taken and not replaced and it was a bit of an effort to get new ones. If there’s more than 2 people staying in your room, bring your own towels and beach towels. 3) one of the theatre bartenders, whose name I did not get, spent every evening on his phone and not only refused to serve us but on the first occasion he put his hand up in a “talk to the hand” gesture and walked away. The second time I tried to address him (days later) he looked me in the eye, said “nope” and pointed to his coworker Rogelio who was very professionally handling all of the thirsty people at the theatre every evening. 4) despite reading so many reports to the contrary, cash is NOT king. Both of my excursions had to be paid for with credit card and were charged USD at an almost 40% markup over what I planned to pay in Canadian funds. That hurt. 5) AirTransat flight schedules are a joke and we missed our entire first day as the flight was late in the evening and we didn’t get checked in until 2:00AM, despite the plane landing around 8:30PM. 6) the departing flight - we had to check out 10.5 hours and leave the resort 5 hours before our flight departure time and spent 3 hours at the tiny airport sitting in a room with almost no food options. Save some snacks for the airport wait on the way home! Rum is cheaper at the airport than at the resort, and price fluctuates at the airport depending on which store you go into (there were 3 or 4 selling rum and cigars). So many insect bites from the airport - save some bug spray for the trip home. Now on to the great stuff!!! We went to the theatre every evening and most were wonderful and enjoyable shows. The bartenders (with the exception of cranky man) were amazing. Special shout-out to Rogelio, who made the evenings special. He always wore a smile and a professional attitude, even when he was left to do all the work by himself. If anyone goes to the evening shows, tell Rogelio that Julie says hi! Just to show you the special touches, one evening he noticed I wasn’t ordering any drinks. I mentioned that my tummy was upset and he suggested a bit of brandy to settle it. Wouldn’t you know it - he fixed me right up! Kudos, my friend! The disco wasn’t open while we were there, but Mitch stayed after each show to mingle and make sure everyone knew that there were activities by the beach and pool each day to keep them entertained. I didn’t spend a lot of time on the beach, but the 2 days I spent there, I truly enjoyed the views and the sun. There was a slight breeze each day which made the hot sun easier to handle. I would have liked a few more options of shaded seating, but it was such a minor issue that it hardly warrants mention. The lobby pool was immaculately clean, and it was so fun to have the staff teaching dances and playing music. Yosvic is a top-tier bartender and made our stay so fun!! On the last day we had Eduardo filling in and he was awesome as well. The rumour mill was full of people complaining about the lack of toilet paper, so we went prepared. I am pleased to report, however, that there was only one occasion when there was no tp, and I’ve had worse odds here in Canada! Bring your roll, just in case, but don’t be scared! Now on to the food. Man, oh man, the food. First of all, I admit, I was scared. I booked this vacation almost a year prior, and since then I have seen reports of shortages and hoarding and lack of food. I am a total foodie and spending a week hungry was going to ruin my vacation. BUT… wow, the food! Yes… there were a few days where “traditional” protein options were shy, but there was always plenty of rice, beans, seafood and alternative proteins. I ate calamari 4 or 5 times, fresh grilled, and it was AMAZING. The hoarding is real, and those people should be ashamed of themselves. I witnessed families of 4 scooping up 3 entire plates of chicken breasts and then leaving most of them uneaten on their table when they left. Pork chops were getting scooped up by the dozen and it was all very uncalled for. Pancakes, even, hoarded and then discarded. If it wasn’t for the waste and hoarding, there would have been plenty of food for everyone. There was pasta, salads, so many salad dressings, desserts for miles, juice and fruit. I lost 5 lbs while on vacation not because of the lack of food, but because of the abundance of healthy options!! I left every meal quite full and happy. I can say with 100% certainty that anyone who complains about the lack of food is just lacking in the ability to adapt to one’s environment. If you go here expecting “American food”, you will be disappointed. But if you show up with an empty belly and a willingness to eat local fare, you will not be disappointed in the least!! Tip from the trenches- pumpkin was available at almost every meal, in many forms, and it is a wonderful way to prevent the tummy upset that seems to affect so many travellers worldwide. Look up “the Mediterranean Diet” before you go so you’re prepared. All in all, my week at Grand Sirenis was truly enjoyable. Right up there with experiences I’ve had in Punta Cana and Jamaica, even. Would I go back again? 100%, without hesitation. Sign me up!

Hotel Roc Casa del Mar: Disappointed

The rooms were very clean and the grounds very well kept. There were only 2 restaurants and your choices were chicken pork or fish for dinner and the same thing at the snack bar for lunch. Breakfast was powdered eggs and the odd time crepes they called pancakes..no syrup Breakfast and dinner served at restaurant and snack bar for lunch. We were told we could only have what the Chef allowed. That included bread and vegetables and if there wasn't enough too bad. Dessert was ice cream. I gave u [... read more]p on the food and would only have breakfast and if there was any, take some bread to my room. I was there last year for 2 weeks and although there were shortages the buffet was open and offered different choices. I realized once I got to the resort that Sunwing was fully aware of the issues and could have forewarned us. People would come in and leave again. We were not offered any other resort or a trip home. If we did it would cost a lot of money (we were told,) I definitely do not blame the staff. They did the best they could in the circumstances. I have had many trips booked through trip central and Sunwing. I cannot ever see this happening again

Grand Memories Santa Maria: Good Resort

The hotel was a bit of a disappointment. We arrived at approximately 1:30 pm after a nearly 2 hour bus ride from Santa Clara Airport, and was told that our room would not be available until 4:00 pm. Once we finally got access to our room we found that there were no hand towels or facecloths but only large bath towels. There was no drain stopper in the bathroom sink or in the bathtub. There was no clock in the room, and the hot water was not functioning. One day the main water pipe broke [... read more], and there was no water. As a result we couldn't flush the toilet or get water to wash etc. Fortunately this dilemma only lasted 1 day. The main concern was the lack of toilet rolls and paper towels in all the washrooms. A situation that should never happen in hotels. These are basic necessities to clean living. Dining was another problem. On our first full day we visited the buffet for breakfast and fortunately was able to get eggs. That was the only time in our 10 day stay that eggs were available. Bacon seemed to be rationed in that it was not available every day. Cold cereal was available, however there was a lack of spoons, which necessitated us to seek them out from from the waiters and waitresses. We visited the Italian restaurant twice, and on both occasions the food was presented cold. At the main bar and at poolside bars, certain types of alcohol and soft drinks were sometimes not available - very inconsistent. The grounds were nicely kept, and the workers were very friendly

Melia Internacional: Fantastic Vacation

Hotel is very impressive and grand. Food was very good, alot of the same stuff but it was tasty. We went to 4 of the 5 restos and they were excellent. Small portions but still good.Carlos and his staff at the Rumba buffet really took care of us. Entertainment was A1 and the beach is beautiful. we went with 2 small children and they had a blast. Alot of activities and options for kids that make their stay just as enjoyable as the adults. The building and the rooms probably need some rennovation i [... read more]n the next year or two. Would certainly go back.

Club Kawama: Last time there

The hotel grounds were good. Majority of staff very nice. Beach still amazing. I have been there about 7-8 times before but this will be my last time there. No pina colada's. They only had ice two days. Couldn't get clean bath towels. Asked for extra toilet paper as I got sick but was told they didn't have any. Was lucky that I had brought my own and also a box of kleenex. Was walking around the back of the Italian Restaurant to the beach and saw a couple of guys rinsing out the plastic c [... read more]ups with a hose and putting them on the sidewalk to dry.

Grand Aston Varadero Beach Resort: GREAT RESORT/EXECPT FOR SLOW SERVICE & FOOD

GREAT RESORT....FOOD NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED DRASTICALLY...GROUNDS ARE NICE & KEPT CLEAN. ROOMS ARE BEAUTIFUL & CLEAN. EXTREMELY SLOW SERVICE, ESPECIALLY IN THE MORNING AT THE BREAKFAST COUNTERS. NO EGGS (3) DAYS, NO BACON (NEVER), NO PANCAKE (3 DAYS) WAFFLES (NEVER) NO COKE (3) DAYS, NO VODKA (NEVER) NO TOMATO JUICE+CLAMATO JUICE (3) DAYS, NEED MORE STAFF TO IMPROVE SLOW SERVICE & FOOD SITUATION HAS TO BE IMPROVED IMMENSELY. IT IS WORTH IT FOR THE PRICE WE PAID......IF IT WERE MORE EXPENSIVE, WE [... read more] WOULD DEFINATELY GO ELSEWHERE, BUT SINCE THE PRICE IS GREAT, IT IS THE REASON WHY WE PICKED THIS RESORT. GREAT PRICE!!!!

Resonance Blu Varadero: Memories Veradero, 2024

Beautiful hotel overall. The grounds were impeccable; Very well maintained. The staff and services were wonderful! The hotel manager, Fernando, was very present; always milling around in various areas of the hotel, and ensuring things were running smoothly.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: A nice resort

Grounds were very well maintained…..and very clean. The staff work hard to keep rooms clean. We were very happy with the accommodations. They seem to have a shortage of fresh water and our room was not replenished daily with the promised two bottles. Washrooms were shy on toilet tissue and paper towels but we brought our own along just in case. No bread or rolls at lunch or dinner and two days without it for breakfast. Shortage of fresh eggs and had none for four of our seven days. There w [... read more]as a lack of choice or variety in the main dinning area but what was available was tasty and plentiful. The specialty restaurants were very nice and food was quite good. No soft drinks for mix at all. We opted for yummy pina calotas. Beach was fabulous and lots of chairs available at both the beach and pool. The pool was beautiful and very well maintained. Entertainment was good…our main complaint would be how loud the music was all the time and especially during the entertainment. We left a couple of shows because it was too loud. This was our third visit to this resort.

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Holguin: Great resort

The hotel is a larger resort. The staff throughout the resort were friendly and always happy and helpful. We did have some shortages of bread and eggs, due to lack of fuel for deliveries, but the staff made the best of it and there was enough choices and we were full every day. There were no cigars available so bring your own. The beach was beautiful and warm. I’d definitely go back.

Iberostar Selection Esmeralda: Beautiful hotel, beach and ocean, but…

Stunning beach and ocean, new resort nicely designed, specious room with ocean view. Cuba is in trouble now so food and drinks were not impressive, no fresh fruits, no fresh juices, very limited food selection in general. It was Russian flag in front of resort but no Canadian flag. About 80% tourists were from Russia.