Sanctuary at Grand Memories Varadero: Beautiful beach and service

The grounds were well kept. The beach was always cleaned, and we could always get loungers at all times of day. The rooms were central to restaurants, bars, pool, and beach. Butlers were super friendly and helpful. They go above and beyond!!! Rooms were clean and the king bed had a good mattress. There were shortages but there were still always other options. We will be going back.

Blau Arenal Habana Beach: Great Hotel!

Great hotel just 40 minutes from downtown Havana with a $5 daily shuttle for those who want both a resort and Havana visit(s). Beach is wild looking - no buildings visible at the coast line- just sand dunes and palm trees. Fine white sand, warm turquoise water. Gorgeous pool. Nice staff - front desk people go over and above to help you. Food was delicious.

Iberostar Coral Esmeralda: Absolutely fabulous resort

This was the very best resort I have ever stayed at. The room was simply amazing. The Lobby entertainment was great. The bar staff were fabulous especially Dan. He was the best. Great mixologist and kept the mood very high at all times. The beach was gorgeous and the sand was like flour under your feet. All the staff went out of their way to accommodate you. Definitely will visit again next year. Can’t wait.

Valentin Cayo Cruz: Beautiful beach & a nice resort.

This was our first resort stay, we had a lovely time. The beach and the ocean was something to see. It was definitely worth spending on the Alegance package. The staff was great, and very attentive. Shortages to the region made for some challenges with certain foods and beverages, and I think it was handled very well by the staff. The property is beautiful, the pools are well maintained and readily available. You are a little out of the way, but if you want to relax like we did, this place was a [... read more] great choice.

Melia Trinidad Peninsula: AMAZING RESORT

Only one word can explain our stay at this resort is; simply the best !!! We really enjoyed our stay. Everyone was very tentative and curious . Super clean. There is something for everyone. We will defiantly will be back again

Hotel Playa Paraiso: Room was Horrible

Well had a great time at the resort, however the room was a nightmare. The room was cleaned everyday and had no issues with the cleanliness of my room. I was at an end unit closest to the bush. Not very well light at night. First couple of days, issues with my room key. Since I was at an end unit, there was a window but no blind. So I used a towel to cover what I could. Had issues with the door locking but finally figured it that I had to push the door out a bit to lock it. No lock on the patio  [... read more]door, no screen and no way to ensure that no entry could happen. The phone was not plugged in and I would had to move the phone and place it on the floor. The tv channels were not the same as to what my friend had but at least I had one English Channel but a few days later, lost that channel. I did talk to Customer Service and it was fixed immediately. I also discussed the issue with the patio door but nothing was done. When I mentioned the room number, he was aware of that room so I believe he knew the condition of this room And the last thing that was the worst part of the room. Cockroaches. I was there 7 days and there was only one day where I didn’t see them. I was bungalow 2, second floor. Also, I was going to have a cup of tea but noticed small bugs in the back of the coffee maker, so I passed on using that. I’m shocked that this room was given out to paying customers. No wifi in the rooms well which is unfortunate. I slept awful during the entire week as I felt unsafe. I would not go back to this resort again just because of the quality of this room

Melia Marina Varadero: Amazing Resort

Beach - This was the best part. Cuba has one of the best beaches in the world, White sand and crystal-clear water. Beach was a 7 mins walk from the hotel. They have a buggy service too for pick up and drop off Rooms - I had got the room on the 2nd floor where the main lobby is. Room was fully functional, comfortable and spacious, it had the marina view. The only issue was hot water, sometimes it's hot or else bath with cold water. I had slow wifi connection in the room, enough to run my whats [... read more]app. Service - Cleaning staff, bar tenders, buffet chefs and waiters all of them were smiling, friendly and happy to help. You tip them and will give you top notch service. Food - Being a Vegetarian, things were different for me. We would always get fruits, salads, live counters for pizza, pastas and fried rice with vegetable. You would never go hungry. But the food becomes monotonous after 3-4 days. Sp Thanks to Chef Elisio Reis who made good vegetarian dishes for us. Excursions - I would recommend taking the Catamaran tour with dolphins, it was amazing. You could touch and hug the dolphin. Dolphin also takes you for a ride with an extra tip. Definitely worth it. For the cost, it was really worth it. I would definitely visit again.

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Santa Maria: Great Resort Overall

Overall this is a great resort and suited my friends and I wonderfully. The only real shortage was wine otherwise something at the buffet for everyone - grounds, beach, pool all excellent. A la carte restaurants not exceptional but provide a good alternative to the buffet. We stayed in the Sanctuary section and worth the additional cost. Staff courteous and friendly.

Melia Las Antillas: Great Stay

Perfect vacation. Lots of good food. Beach was great and night shows were good. Service was excellent. The grounds were beautiful. Lots of lounge chairs around the pool and the beach so didn't have to get up early to get one.

Royalton Hicacos Resort and Spa: OK stay - first and last visit

Positives - the people. DC Butlers like Omar, Leo, and Laura will do their best to care for you, but some things are just out of their control. Omar & Betty were always available, asking if we needed anything. Their efforts were appreciated. They looked after all the al a carte bookings (we ate al a carte almost every night, for 2 weeks), and helped us book excursions (golf & Havana) Raul at the buffet (outside on the patio) is friendly & polite. Jessica, the maid, was attentive and kind. The ro [... read more]om was fine. Some things broken or very tired. The room had a decent shower (hot water & pressure) and a reasonable bed. It was all we needed in a room. The unfortunate thing about our room was that we were in a building with mostly smokers, who would sit on their patios and light up. Meaning we were driven inside, which was too bad. It would be great if non-smoking buildings were an option. The best highlight (other than the staff) was the beach. The water is warm and clean. Beware of glass as you walk the beach…we picked up a fair amount of it. Now the disappointments, there are several, and some are beyond the control of the staff. Buffets and A la carte restaurants would run out of food menu items or drinks. One night whiskey sours were not available, next night no white wine. One morning there was no bread. The Italian restaurant has 5 options for main courses, one night we were there 2 of them weren’t available. You have to just roll with it, and make the best of the situation. We never went hungry. We needed water one evening and all the bar could offer was two small glasses (maybe 8 ounces total). My wife was sick in bed….that wasn’t going to cut it. A visit to the diamond club lounge and Omar saved the day. It took some effort but he came through with 2 precious bottles of water. We were grateful. There is no milk…just powdered milk. Coffee therefore is awful. Bar service is generally very slow, including the beach bar. We did venture into Varadero and Havana. Note to anyone who plans to do so….bring lots of US or CDN cash. 3 times we dealt with vendors who basically did not accept their own pesos as currency. We had lunch in Havana and the bill came to $85USD. They did not accept credit cards, and if we were to pay in (the current) Cuban pesos they were going to charge us 3 times the price, so an equivalent to $240usd. That’s Nuts! Our worst ‘hangover’ is the bugs. We’ve been back now for a few days and we’re still scratching! We were eaten alive by something. Mosquitoes were ever present, but I’ve also read some reviews that mentioned sand fleas. Not sure what got us, but we are covered in bites! There’s more I can say, but you get the idea. The pandemic, US embargo, and current economic issues have significantly and negatively impacted Cuba, on and off the resort. You feel for the Cuban people!

Gran Muthu Almirante Beach Resort: Excellent resort!

The hotel is in very good condition. Common area are very clean and well maintained. The dining room was clean and nice organized. The food was excellent taking in consideration the fact that we were in Cuba. The people were very nice and friendly (Tony the waiter and Kelly our cleaning lady were excellent) The pools were clean and well kept. Resort was family friendly and in my opinion the tourists were quite and well behaved.

Playa Pesquero: Fabulous resort

The Hotel is gorgeous the people can't do ienough for you it's beautifully kept and we had a wonderful time Everyone is so friendly the best place in Cuba!! Highly recommend this place to all!! My second time and will go again.

Starfish Cayo Largo: Sad state of affairs

We have visited this resort several times when it was as called the Pelicano and expected to find the same quality and standard of rooms, service, food, drinks, etc. No travel agent should be recommending this resort. Cuba and its people are going through terrible times with massive shortages. Sunwing should be ashamed of itself for promoting this resort while not helping out to ensure that its customers at least get the everyday amenities liked, for example, toilet paper and clean towels and [... read more] untainted shower water, etc. We experienced 7 days of significant shortages of bread, fruot and vegetables, drinks and liquors. The resort also was low in bottled water and had to use sea water for coffee, tea; and ice cubes (we were very concerned about this and wondered about our safety) . The water from the taps and shower ran murky dark and limey the last couple of days. As an engineer I suspect that the water pipes on the resort were being flushed and cleaned. The customers should have been advised and warned in advance. We should have been advised to run all the taps for a significant time. As an engineer concerned about the safety and well being of people, I would have shut down the resort to ensure the cleanjng and flushing was done properly, We advised the other guests that we had visited the resort before and that this wasn’t typical. Shame shame shame on you Sunwing and anyone promoting this resort!

Sanctuary Cayo Largo: Lovely resort, fantastic people

The very best thing about this resort is the people who work there. Attentive without being intrusive, pleasant without any hint of insincerity, professional, efficient, thoughtful and kind are all descriptions that apply. The idea behind Sanctuary- a quiet adult venue without the racket and frenetic activity that typifies a lot of resorts - is aided by a beautiful location and roomy, well-maintained cabins. Part of the appeal for me is its proximity to the wild eastern end of the island [... read more] with the opportunity to walk up the road and see creatures and plants that are mostly absent in the western part.

Iberostar Coral Ensenachos: Beautiful resort

Beautiful very clean rooms, pool lobby and dining room. Staff were amazing and very friendly and helpful. Beach was lovely. Special evenings like dining in the beach and by the pool were wonderful and it’s because of the hard work of the staff. They are to be commended.

Los Delfines: Great Trip!

Great hotel, great location and great employees. Out the front door you are in the middle of town on the main drag, out the back door you are on the beach. Only shortage I was aware of was vodka. But you could get it down the street in the American store. Food was ok, ate out 3-4 times. My plane was delayed 5 hours coming home, they extended my checkout time to 11pm.

Aston Costa Verde Beach Resort: Beautiful Resort, Amazing staff

The resort is very nice...3rd time there in 14 months...a bit of a hiccup with our rooms at the beginning...the front desk seems confused and different people tell you different things...once we were sorted out we had a terrific time...Grounds, pools, beach very nice...shortages, yes....but not just this resort, it is all of Cuba so be prepared and take extra stuff with you...I cant say enough about the staff, never in all my years of travelling have i met such wonderful people...so friendly and [... read more] they remember the repeat customers. This resort has a lot of repeat customers for a reason...also, i found the tourists are all very nice too....it was a great trip and I will return again

Melia Las Antillas: Not a 4 star hotel

My partner and I decided last minute to find a resort with a beautiful beach and the Melia Las Antilles did not disappoint. It was one of the most beautiful beaches we have spent time on. As for the property itself the overall quality and experience was disappointing. Our room was underwhelming, very tired, and required a great deal of work. The tub and shower was unbelievably small and rusted , it needed a paint job and the musty smell was a continual issue. Our room key did not work on 7 separ [... read more]ate occasions which required a trip to the front desk lobby. The staff at the front desk were not always friendly and accommodating. We know not to expect much from the food in Cuba but the lineups for breakfast to get eggs was unacceptable and poorly organized and laid out. Roberto the restaurant manager who greeted people every day was lovely, approachable and very apologetic. As for the drink selection… over the week we were at our all inclusive, on the first day they ran out of vodka, second day white wine and third day champagne to be followed with a day of no dark rum. This was extremely disappointing and does not reflect what one would expect from an all inclusive. One redeeming factor was the lobby bar which consistently offered us fabulous service and fabulous cappuccinos. Another redeeming quality was the entertainment. They made a conscious effort to provide variety and engaging entertainment. Although the beach was amazing for the many reasons listed above we will not be returning to this resort.

Grand Aston Varadero Beach Resort: Huge Resort - the price is right

The grounds are huge. Expect to do a lot of walking. That's good exercise, but it takes time to get between your room and the beach and the dinning room. Most of the pathway lights are out of order, so walking a night is tricky. Bar service is walk up. There are no bar stools, and there is no table service. Supplies run short. You need to be versatile and enjoy what ever Beveridge is in stock. The rooms are big and spacious and clean. There was no phone in the room, just a sign that read call 77 [... read more]7 for service, but no phone. The closet doors jammed. The toilet ran. The lighting was very dim at night. The AC worked well and was adjustable. There is no coffee machine in the room. You need to walk about 500 M to get a cup of coffee. The snack bar often ran out of buns for hotdogs or hamburgers. Bring your own packets of ketchup, mustard, and relish. The price was right. You get what you pay for.

Dhawa Cayo Santa Maria: Lovely Resort!

This resort was truly lovely. Most of the staff was fantastic, especially Victor the activities coordinator. He is simply the BEST! The rooms were big and clean with plenty of hot water. The grounds were well kept and so gorgeous. They work so hard to keep this place spotless! They were only at about 20% capacity which was nice. It was quiet. We never had an issue getting chairs at the beach or around the pool. The food was not great but no one goes to Cuba for the food and the shortages are no  [... read more]fault of the resort itself. Would recommend bringing your own snacks and some peanut butter for your morning toast...the bread is always fresh! We had a really wonderful week at the Dhawa resort :)