Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Smokers paradise.

The rooms need some love especially the rock hard mattresses that you can feel the springs on. The grounds are beautiful and so is the beach. Even if there are cigarette butts everywhere. Which brings me to my biggest problem. You can smoke EVERYWHERE both cigarettes and cigars. The lobby was always smoke filled. Very disappointing. With a place of this size it should be easy to have smoking and non smoking areas. Food was not great but if your a fish eater you should be fine. Bring your o [... read more]wn ketchup. The gym was filthy!! We mention 3x and they did give it a sweep but that place needs a deep clean. The pools were freezing so no one could go in and in "winter" all three hot tubs are closed?!?! People were beyond friendly. And the show every night was worth going to see.

Iberostar Origin Bella Vista Varadero: Needs improvement! a lot of improvement...

We had a 14 day stay at this resort. The beach was beautiful. The water was crystal clear to the point you going go neck deep and still see whether your toe nails needed a trim. The water was consistently warm throughout our stay even after stormy weather and high winds. When we arrived the weather was very bad. We were cold and needed heat. There are no heaters in any of the rooms. The thermostats have a "heat" switch but the HVAC systems have been installed with no heat capability. We were  [... read more]miserable to the extent that I went to the nearby shopping centre to look for a space heater. None are sold at that shopping centre. I was told none are sold in Varadero. TIP: Bring a small velcro strap with you. I used one to keep the blow dryer on for a couple of hours and it did heat our room a bit. The stormy weather also washed up a lot of Portuguese man o' war jelly fish on the beach. Luckily we know what they are and know to stay away from them. But the resort had no signs anywhere to warn their guests about these venomous jelly fish. This is from Wikipedia: "Its venomous tentacles deliver a painful sting, which on extremely rare occasions has been fatal to humans." No warnings, anywhere. Kids are curious, grab them and drag them around. We heard a story about a one-year-old who was stung and need an injection from a doctor. When we asked why there were no warnings the hotel staff said it was rare to see them washed up on the beach. Funny, a week later we saw them again. Must just be our bad luck. Our room was well laid out, a good size, great view, comfortable bed. They set up a second bed for our daughter. It was not a single mattress cot but it was comfortable enough for her. Shower pressure in our room was good. I think all the rooms have balconies. Wind noise was not too bad, though we heard other guests complain that could not get their balcony doors shut properly. This resort is not even a year old but it looks like it never felt new. Our room still showed signs of construction dust, and trim was poorly finished. The ceramic tiles in the hallway on our floor had not been laid properly. Many many MANY were broken, chipped, cracked with shards ready to cut your feet if you didn't avoid them or have proper footwear. Some chips were big enough to trip on! The second night we were there the was no hot water. I assumed the hot water system was overloaded because everybody was showering before dinner. Wrong. It was a cool, windy day so few had been to the pool or beach and the hotel was at about 50-70% capacity. At the end of our stay there was another cold water day.... a full 24 hour cold water day. Food was bland unless it was overly salted to the point you could not eat it. Buffet food was not labeled, so you had to ask what was being served. Food safety was not even on the radar. Pre-cooked pasta was reheated in a warm bacteria infested bath. I never saw the pasta bath boil. At the meat grill the raw chicken tongs would be used to serve up cooked beef to your plate. That's just the stuff you could see. The morning buffet coffee didn't even taste like coffee. There's no excuse for bad coffee in Cuba. They produce excellent coffee. But Iberostar certainly wasn't serving it. TIP: go to the lobby bar and get yourself a cappuccino or a latte before you head down for breakfast.... or a Spanish coffee ;) Stick to the omelette station. Their breads were good. The sliced bread, not so much. Follow this advice and breakfast will be the best meal of every day! Guaranteed. We tried all three a-la-carte restaurants. The Japanese was best and fun for kids. The snack bar restaurant is also a-la-cart and is always open. The chicken nuggets were our daughter's favourite. The staff at the hotel were friendly, polite, and for the most part, tried hard. My worst experience with staff was at the buffet. My 4 year old daughter had spent a full night throwing up the "bacteria pasta". For days she was ill and feeling nauseous. When she finally started eating very few foods on offer, she had a bit of Jello and wanted more. When I went back to get her more, it was all gone. I ask staff if there was more coming out. One employee went into the kitchen and never came back. After a few minutes of waiting I asked the manager. He sent another employee into the kitchen. Finally he came back empty handed and said it was coming out. I was irritated. If there was more why didn't he just bring it? So I said "listen, if there is no Jello just tell me so I can go have lunch". He assured me it was coming. I waited and waited. When I saw the same employee again I asked him a second time, "where is this Jello for my daughter?" He went into the kitchen again and came back a few minutes later. "Sorry, there is no more Jello." More than 10 minutes it took to get clearance from Raul Castro to admit that there was no more Jello. I lost it! The "life guards" are a piece of work. They are very eager to get you cigars and rum if you want any, at good prices. But saving a man that almost died in the water, not really up their ally. Most of the time they are hanging out behind the "hut umbrellas" chatting or trying to sell cigars and rum. The umbrellas block their view of the water. Of course they might be able to hear any screams for help, but for the DJ on the beach every day. When the drowning man was dragged out of the water by hotel guests, who was there to administer first air and resuscitate the man? Seems the life guards aren't trained for that. More guests came to the rescue. A nurse, a doctor. They got the man breathing again. Seems he may have had a heart attack in the water. He left the beach alive, in spite of the "life guards". That's all I know. And that DJ on the beach... if you are looking for peace and quiet... well you're not going to find it at this resort. The DJ sets up on the beach by 10:30am - 12 and then again from 2 - 5. And it's not just music. You're expected to participate in stretching activities, dance lessons, and games all day long! So you try to avoid the beach and go to the pool. They have another DJ!!! and on bad weather days, you head to the lobby and guess who's there? The friggin' DJ! They have a fun program for kids at 8pm every night called the mini disco. But you have to hear about it from another guest because this hotel does not communicate. There is no schedule of activities posted anywhere. One night the mini disco got moved from the theater to the lobby. Many kids missed it because this change of venue was not communicated. Overall, this resort was better than I expected. But not much better. I had been to Varadero 30 years ago and had sworn to never go back. The Varadero of 2018 didn't do anything to convince me I should come back any sooner than the gap since my last visit. Hasta la Vista.

Iberostar Origin Playa Pilar: Never go back again

Food was terrible. Lot of problems in the room ( no hot water, water doesn’t evacuate from the shower, wind whistle through the window can’t sleep) Hotel is not well clean Beach is not clean either There is no really entertainment specially during bad weather’s day However the bay is nice. The staff are super nice too and smile.

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Very good resort

This is the second time we go to laguna azul beach,grounds,restaurants,the food is to repetitive on the buffet restaurant the shows are pretty good the washrooms are always clean the people working at the resort are very freely

Iberostar Origin Daiquiri: A little gem

A friendly little resort with comfortable rooms, good food and a lovely beach. They are working hard to repair the damages from the hurricane but there is enough up and running. The tiles on the floor can be quite slippery so you had to be very careful when it rained or when there was moisture in the air. The staff were friendly, the food was the best we have had in Cuba (this was our third time in Cuba but first in Cayo Coco).

Hotel Mojito: Very nice resort

Amazing how much work has gone into restoring this hotel after Sept hurricane. It’s Very pretty the staff were great and always kept the guests entertained. I thought the food was very good. I would visit this resort again.

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Smokers paradise.

The rooms need some love especially the rock hard mattresses that you can feel the springs on. The grounds are beautiful and so is the beach. Even if there are cigarette butts everywhere. Which brings me to my biggest problem. You can smoke EVERYWHERE both cigarettes and cigars. The lobby was always smoke filled. Very disappointing. With a place of this size it should be easy to have smoking and non smoking areas. Food was not great but if your a fish eater you should be fine. Bring your o [... read more]wn ketchup. The gym was filthy!! We mention 3x and they did give it a sweep but that place needs a deep clean. The pools were freezing so no one could go in and in "winter" all three hot tubs are closed?!?! People were beyond friendly. And the show every night was worth going to see.

Iberostar Waves Quetzal: Amazing Resort and Food!

Lots of activities to do throughout the day from beach games to obstacle courses in the pool. Excellent entertainment shows at night. Good beach with swimming area. If you want to get a lounge chair at the beach should get there early as people tend to claim them early. The restaurant reservations fill up fast so book before you arrive if possible, but the general buffet is excellent and has different features every night so I wasn’t disappointed that we didn’t get to try many of the restau [... read more]rants.

Iberostar Origin Daiquiri: Good resort for a budget

The resort it is ok for a budget vacation. The grounds are ok, nothing to impress. The room is fine, big and clean, for sure with a need for an update. The food is good, for a 4 star hotel, always something to eat, you will not starve. They have cooking stations and lots options with cooked food, rice, fries, baked potatoes....stews. Deserts they need some improvement. The beach is nice and wide, some windy days, some cloudy days. The people working at the resort are the best part. I would r [... read more]ecommend it, but don't spend to much.....

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Amazing resort.

The grounds were beautiful, great rooms, friendly & helpful staff. Lots of activities to participate in if you choose. Evening shows were amazing. Great selection of food & very well presented. Beautiful beaches.

Iberostar Origin Playa Pilar: Wonderful Experience!

Iberostar Playa Pilar is a terrific resort that shines with its service!! The food and beverage options are wonderful and the staff is exceptionally friendly and accomodating. The seaside area is incredible with plenty of lounge chairs and awesome bar service. The view...breathtaking!

JOIA Rose Hall by Iberostar: Incredible

We had such a fantastic time at the resort. The weather was not ideal, but the entertainment staff made sure we were well looked after. They brought the games inside and we made the best of it. We enjoyed the food, everything prepared to perfection. Five kinds of caviar at the lunch buffet. We were a group of 14 people and they accommodated us quite nicely. Our butler Gawayne was on hand at all times to make sure we didn't want for anything. Would definitely go back.

Iberostar Origin Daiquiri: Good value resort

A typical Cuban 4 stars hotel (actually probably 3 stars on a normal scale). Pluses: the room, the beach (not exactly in front of the hotel, but 500 m left or right), good service at the bars Minuses: the food (this would be the 11th time going to Cuba, it was on a low side for a Cuban hotel), the landscaping not that great, beach restaurant and pier not repaired after the hurricane (the other hotels did). Good value for the money.

Iberostar Waves Paraiso Beach: Best resort!

This is the only resort I’ve seen that embraces the beauty of its country and strives to keep it that way. On our trip we saw peacocks, coati, iguanas, flamingos, and more while walking the grounds. The staff is unbelievably kind and always go out of their way to make sure you’re having a good time. The food has a huge range in variety and caters to any pallet. You’ll find different hits and misses at each restaurant you visit. The beach is stunning and the earlier you get there the better [... read more] chance to pick a good spot. Only downside is that the pools get pretty chilly with no sun but the bars will keep you warm with endless drinks. I was heartbroken when we had to leave but would go back in a heartbeat.

Iberostar Origin Playa Alameda: A resort in need of work

On a positive note the staff were very nice and helpful. Reception was friendly and welcoming. The long wait for our room wasn't a total turn off and we did have full access to the facility while we waited. Out room was a bit under whelming as it was in need of a good update. The beds were not that comfortable and both my wife and I would wake with stiff backs from a mediocre mattress. Our first room had plenty of hot water but the shower drain was plugged and required cleaning which was done pr [... read more]omptly. In the morning of day five there was a cockroach in the shower. We put it down to location and though they offered us a room change or a spray of the room we opted for neither as we felt it was a one off. That night there was another cockroach and other bugs so the next day we asked about a spray. The fellow who did this work only came twice a week and was unavailable so we changed rooms. The hotel generously gave us a voucher to eat at one of their restaurants, a nice jesture.The next room had no bug issues, but there was no bathroom door. As it was just the two of us it wasn't a big issue. Same feeling about the mattress. On checkout the hotel advised me that I owed 22.40 for purchases and phone calls. I disputed the phone calls as neither my wife nor I made any calls from our room. They seemed reluctant to accept this but eventually accepted that I only owed for my purchases which amounted to 19.00 which I happily payed. I was required to sign a release saying they had given me a free late checkout and they were otherwise absolved of any other claims. Not a big deal. The food was ok but nothing special, pretty much what you expect in Cuba so no real complaint from us. If we didn't like something on our plate we didn't eat it. The restaurants(3) were hit and miss on whether they would be open and the food was better than the buffets. The service was very good and they did their best to accommodate my vegetarian daughter. The entertainment was really great and fun with lots of variety. The hot tub was not operational and though they featured it in their web site it didn't appear to have been in use for quite some time. The workout facility was quite poor. Only a few machines which actually worked. There didn't appear to be enough beach side water craft and though I had fished at a Cayo Coco resort three years ago this resort seemed to think it odd that I asked if they had any fishing rods. It would have been nice but wasn't significant and I tried to acquire fishing rods from the staff. None of the buses(2) that we used for excursions and transport to and from the airport had operational toilets. The claim was they didn't work and the doors were locked. Very inconvenient for everyone on the buses. All in all it was a decent enough get away from the Canadian winter but I don't think it was good value.

Iberostar Origin Playa Alameda: A resort in need of work

On a positive note the staff were very nice and helpful. Reception was friendly and welcoming. The long wait for our room wasn't a total turn off and we did have full access to the facility while we waited. Out room was a bit under whelming as it was in need of a good update. The beds were not that comfortable and both my wife and I would wake with stiff backs from a mediocre mattress. Our first room had plenty of hot water but the shower drain was plugged and required cleaning which was done pr [... read more]omptly. In the morning of day five there was a cockroach in the shower. We put it down to location and though they offered us a room change or a spray of the room we opted for neither as we felt it was a one off. That night there was another cockroach and other bugs so the next day we asked about a spray. The fellow who did this work only came twice a week and was unavailable so we changed rooms. The hotel generously gave us a voucher to eat at one of their restaurants, a nice jesture.The next room had no bug issues, but there was no bathroom door. As it was just the two of us it wasn't a big issue. Same feeling about the mattress. On checkout the hotel advised me that I owed 22.40 for purchases and phone calls. I disputed the phone calls as neither my wife nor I made any calls from our room. They seemed reluctant to accept this but eventually accepted that I only owed for my purchases which amounted to 19.00 which I happily payed. I was required to sign a release saying they had given me a free late checkout and they were otherwise absolved of any other claims. Not a big deal. The food was ok but nothing special, pretty much what you expect in Cuba so no real complaint from us. If we didn't like something on our plate we didn't eat it. The restaurants(3) were hit and miss on whether they would be open and the food was better than the buffets. The service was very good and they did their best to accommodate my vegetarian daughter. The entertainment was really great and fun with lots of variety. There didn't appear to be enough beach side water craft and though I had fished at a Cayo Coco resort three years ago this resort seemed to think it odd that I asked if they had any fishing rods. It would have been nice but wasn't significant and I tried to acquire fishing rods from the staff. All in all it was a decent enough get away from the Canadian winter but I don't think it was good value.

Iberostar Waves Cozumel: Tropical Resort

The grounds are beautiful. Feels like we were in the middle of a jungle. Rooms are like huts , it was hard to regulate temperate . High humidity. A downer was that we had no warning they were spraying for termites. Right next to our hut for most of the day. It stank— afraid to inhale. The people were very friendly ; entertainment was good.

Iberostar Waves Punta Cana: Amazing Family Resort

We stayed over New Years Eve !! Had a wonderful time. The grounds were very well kept, and because it was the holidays mini lights and Christmas lights were strung in every hedge and palm tree. The staff made sure we had a good time. Great Iberostar in the DR.......as always.

Iberostar Waves Punta Cana: Very Good Value!!

The hotel was well taken care of, despite the age of the facility. Great service, good food, and lots of entertainment! There was lots of staff at the restaurants, bars, beach, etc. My only complaint was that the a-la-carte restaurants were almost completely booked when we arrived, so we couldn't get into the restaurants we wanted...besides that, a very good resort.

Iberostar Waves Tucan: Everything you need

The grounds are kept clean, the staff works very hard and the resort is in a good location. Rooms are typical, but the cleaning staff makes the stay a bit more enjoyable by making sure you have everything you need, towels, stocked fridge and a clean room upon your return after a long day. The walk to Playa is long but enjoyable if you walk the beach, otherwise a cab is your best option for evening. The food is ok, the Japanese restaurant was voted best by our group of 6, and the Mexican was v [... read more]oted the least, but that was because our waiter "rolled his eyes" when we asked to have our drink first before placing our order. The place was not busy but he said he had others coming....so we ate quickly and left. We all enjoyed the wildlife around, and the staff takes good care of you, so if you are looking for a good resort this one is a decent fit.