Club Amigo Atlantico Guardalavaca: Perfectly adequate

We had never been to Cuba- a mom and twelve year old son. An all-inclusive package meant that we didn't have to plan anything after the purchase of our trip. Resort is worn and didn't awe me aesthetically, but we were well fed, rested, safe, and clean. Room and beds were really comfortable. Slept very well on top floor of main building. No water twice, came back after 15 minutes. Power went out twice for short periods. No critters or dirt in our room. Cable tv. No wireless, but you can pay $3 us [... read more]d for an hour at hotel computer with internet. Most staff friendly. It was possible to eat very well, even though some of the food did not appeal to me. Every day had good grilled meats, fresh salad (cucumber, tomato, cabbage and romaine), rice, fresh smoothie, ice cream, fresh pineapple (in season in March) and bananas. Filtered water in restaurants and lobby- no need to buy. Clean towels. I was disappointed by the litter left by beachgoers and smokers: straws, plastic cups, cigarette butts, sunscreen containers, bottles. We picked up 200 straws one day. There is no printed information at Club Amigo: no maps, no diagrams, no brochures about flora and fauna. Only info is about Castro and che Guevara. With no wireless and no info, it took us a while to orient ourselves in the country and province. Half the free to borrow bicycles were broken (pedals) and it took us four days to get a chance on the heavy fixed-gear bikes. They were fine for going 4 km to the nearest community. We paid Transat extra for two excursions- expensive, but good because we got to meet Cubans and see the countryside. Grand Safari is deceiving in its description- I was looking forward to a couple of hours walking in the forest, but it was 10 minutes walk and six hours driving. We did, however, learn a lot from our driver and the scenery. Island Paradise takes you to snorkeling no better than the snorkeling at Guardalavaca, but the beach/lunch stop is beautiful. Almost the same food as the resort. Safari drive is unremarkable- like going to a zoo in Nova Scotia and short. Catamaran boat ride is very long with little to see. Again, not what I expected, but the drive took us through villages and lovely scenery. Snorkeling at Guardalavaca was great for us, except it turns out that March is a windy season, so we only had one day when we weren't being tossed around in the waves and getting scratched by the coral at low tide. High tide was out of the question for us- too easy to get swamped by waves and too deep to stand up 300 metres from shore- we are Nova Scotian and totally used to swimming in waves. The flights and shuttles were straightforward and without incident. Plane held ~250 Canadians, resort was 95% Canadian- francophone and anglophone. The trip was not a perfect one, but very interesting, enjoyable, and easy.

Aston Costa Verde Beach Resort: Best week in Cuba I've ever had

Friendly staff. Awesome food. Resort is in good enough shape. Lots of amenities and entertainment. Beach is very close and not crowded. Great excursions - I recommend the Mountain Adventure and Campina Taina. The food - again - is awesome... surprisingly good compared to other resorts in Cuba. Holguin is a great destination I can't recommend enough!

Sol Turquesa Beach: Beautiful Resort

The staff were very friendly and helpful, our room was very nice, the food was surprisingly pretty good, the grounds were very clean, beach was nice. Although we did not mind that there are many levels to the overall resort but could see that it could be an issue for people needing assistance. The gym was alright, could use some tlc.

Don Lino Hotel: One of my favourites

We travel often to Cuba and this is definitely one of my favourites so far. The food was amazing! The staff are incredible and so helpful and friendly. The beach is quite rocky but it was quiet and relaxing. The rooms were cozy and the farm animals that are all around are a delight. We will be coming back here regularly. We loved it. we took a horse and buggy ride to a wonderful restaurant in town and had the best seafood plate we've ever experienced. Thank you Migel!

Playa Pesquero: Great place/ Rough vacation

The first thing you will notice is that it is huge. It's like a small town .Their is lots to do and see with a different place to eat everyday. The rooms are nice and the service and the people are wonderful. The food is even good and they have lots of people ready to prepare your meal on the spot taking the focus off of the heat lamp cafeteria style buffets. The beach is nice with some corral that you have to avoid. The old cars and horse drawn carts as well as lots of tours will keep you busy  [... read more]as well. My vacation had tons of potential but a gallbladder attack on the second day took much of the fun away. I can tell you that the medical center, doctors, and nurses are excellent. The hospital is very rough. Avoid that if you can. The Transat guys were great at helping me sort out some of the details regarding the Cuban medical system and insurance. You will find many reviews that talk about the lack of chairs for the pool and shady spots at the beach. It's true. The pool is huge but they could easily have another one to accommodate all of the guests. You get up at 5:30 and reserve your spot with a towel or shirt but beware, it may get stolen. Mine did. I was away from it for a couple of hours trying to get insurance straightened out for my medical bills. The only other thing that they could do better is get you checked in quicker. It took an hour and after 12hrs of traveling you just want to unwind. The building is getting a little older but they are working on things constantly. The public washrooms could use a little attention and unfortunately the water gardens are currently being removed. They really look nice though. I liked the place and would go back and I'm sure I would have the chance for a better vacation without the medical problem. Trip Central and Transat were great with everything they do and I loved the personal TV/game on the plane.

Club Amigo Atlantico Guardalavaca: Club Amigo Atlantico Quardalavaca

this was our first trip as a couple. I had previously been to Varadero in 2010.. We had read several reviews on this resort, some bad, some good!!!! Our experience could not have been any better. The room was very nice and clean (Villa Room) we upgraded, COLD Air Conditioning and rooms cleaned meticulously everyday!!! WELL WORTH THE UPGRADE! The food was great and no concerns whatsoever. The lobster was amazing, Ala-carts were outstanding! Every pool was clean and well taken care of, Perfect tem [... read more]perature. The Beach's were simply amazing, white sand, lots of chairs and the Turquoise waters were just Beautiful!!! The grounds were kept very clean and staff were out everyday cleaning the pools and grounds. The staff were genuinely very nice people and treated us great. Very appreciative of their Canadian friends!!! The exchange rate was on par with US dollars, so $100 Can = $72 pesos, not great but we were prepared for this. The Resort had a bank in the main lobby and also a short walk away in the Bungalow area. Nightly entertainment was okay, even heard a band named The Clam play Gun's and Roses.. AWESOME!!! Very talented Cuban dancers and entertainers!!! WE were at Cub Amigo from March 13, 2016 to March 20th, 2016...... WE WILL DEFINETLY BE GOING BACK IN 2017...... FLEW WITH CUBANA AIRLINES...great experience and each traveler was allowed 2 bags at 23kg/50lbs each and a carryon bag as well........ The weather, we really lucked out on... 31-33 degrees everyday, No rain and very and I mean very little to no clouds the whole week!!! Bring lots of sunscreen and or lotion. the Heat can become very intense and shade was hard to come by, thankfully the Ocean Breeze helped...... Also incredible snorkeling right off each beach, no less than 50 to 100 yards off shore!! Would love to see a Karaoke Bar on Resort, would be a big hit. Also would like to see a lot more umbrellas around pools and beaches.. HOT HOT HOT!!!!! AWESOME RESORT AND GREAT VALUE FOR YOUR $$$ Rene and Lorna, Victoria Harbour, Ontario, Canada

Aston Costa Verde Beach Resort: Great time at the Blau Playa Costa Verde

We travelled to the Blau Playa Costa Verde over March Break week. This was our third trip to Cuba and it was definitely the best resort we have stayed at. We decided to treat ourselves and upgraded to the "plus" section which was probably a good idea. We did our research before we went and knew where we wanted to be located. We asked at the front desk, as soon as we arrived, and they were able to get us close to where we wanted to be. We were in block 28 on the third floor. We could see across t [... read more]he whole resort. The beach was more rocky than Varadero but the plus was the fact you could snorkel off the beach. Some of the coral is dead but there is a patch of live coral further out from the beach. The fish don't seem to care if the coral is alive or dead. They are always around. We took our own snorkelling gear so we were not restricted in how much time we could be out in the water. There is a hiking trail along a dead coral headland. We hiked this trail out to the headland and ended up on quite a wild beach. There were shells everywhere and breakers crashing on what looked like a sandbar off the beach. We also walked down the beach several times and found other trails on other resorts that we explored. All the staff were wonderful. They never missed an opportunity to greet us and help us with whatever questions we asked. The food was better than we have had previously in Cuba. Some of that had to do with the fact we had 4 a la carte dinners with our "plus" upgrade and an Easter dinner. Everyone of the dinners was great. The buffet was big enough and had a large variety of food so it didn't seem like you were eating the same food every day. We didn't spend much time around the pools because we preferred the beach. However, they were well maintained. We did two trips away from the resort. The first was one called "Cuban Life". We travelled into the mountains and visited a farm, a fishing village, an archeological site, a museum and the Guardalavaca market. Our second trip was called "Island Paradise". We went by bus to a marina, boarded a catamaran, travelled for about an hour and a half to a snorkelling site. We saw many of the same fish as we saw at the resort and some new ones. We moored at a beautiful beach and had lunch in a restaurant overlooking the beach and then went on a jeep safari where we saw all sorts of animals from Africa, India and China that roam the island freely. We returned back to port by boat and bused home. It was a long day but a wonderful experience. The evening entertainment was okay. We have seen much better shows at other resorts and more variety. Every evening the animators would collect up the young children in the resort and get them up on the stage doing a show. It was fun to see them. Many people at the resort used this time to get together to share drinks and to compare notes about day trips, meet new people and generally have a good time. It was nice to see so many people brought their own thermal cups for drinks. It helped to cut down on the number of throw away cups. If I had any suggestion for the Blau chain, I would like to see them include a thermal cup for every guest in the package cost. A place to write your name on the cup and/or a way to decorate each cup upon arrival would help them increase their commitment to the environment. If you go to Cuba, we highly recommend taking school supplies and basic toiletries such as soap, shampoos, toothpaste, toothbrushes and so on. Basic medications are also needed and clothing are in high demand. We took packages of things on day trips and gave them to people standing by the side of the road or in villages. Cubans are very grateful for anything that you give them.

Aston Costa Verde Beach Resort: Okay...great weather

The weather was great for our week in Holguin. This resort has some great a la carte restaurants and the VIP Bar was excellent. Service is great in all including the buffet......great variety too. The rooms are not what would call Plus quality. The were rundown ....tiles on ceiling falling down...leaking shower and plaster on walls falling off. Reception needs to exercise more professional customer service skills. We had an issue with missing items from our room. Our two year old granddaughter h [... read more]ad some shoes stolen from our room. We reported this to reception and were made to feel it was our fault for and no followup was done by them. Our daughter had to retreive the shoes by herself from the housekeeping staff. At no time were we offered any compensation for our inconvience. We had had a great vacation until this incident which ooccured on the last two days of our stay.

Playa Pesquero: Amazing Resort

Playa Pesquero is truly a top notch resort with its beautiful grounds and fantastic dining facilities. Our room was spacious with plenty of closet space, king bed, end tables, sofa and arm chair with coffee table. Mini fridge etc. Very clean. This resort has a magnificent pool with swim up bar and plenty of lounge chairs. It offers an abundance of drinks to choose from and several areas of the resort to enjoy them. The entertainment staff do a great job with their daily activities and night show [... read more]s. Plenty for children to do as well. The beach area also had plenty of lounge chairs and many shady areas. Overall a magnificent place and we will be taking other family members to enjoy the wonderful experience that we had.

Paradisus Rio De Oro: Amazing

We have been to Cuba 7 times but this was by far the nicest place! The basic room was spacious and well appointed. We loved the pool- it felt like it was actually several pools. The swim up bar was a fun meeting place before dinner. The good was fabulous! It really was gourmet. We did not have one meal that wasn't thoroughly enjoyed. There were several entertainers every night. We really liked that they played American music as well as Cuban. Service was top notch. We had a coffee delivered to o [... read more]ur room at 6:00 with our wake up call and a picnic lunch to take with us since we would miss breakfast. (Ask for this if you have an early flight) We can't wait to return!!!

Club Amigo Atlantico Guardalavaca: Beautiful Resort

This was my 3rd time at this resort. The grounds are beautiful and has 4 pools Main pool has swim up bar.I liked staying in the main building because it was central to everything. I had a 14 and 16 yr old with me so it was better for them. I have also stayed in the villa as well. That area is more quiet.It is awesome. Daily market open and is about half block away. They sell everything there.Cheaper than the souvenir store.

Club Amigo Atlantico Guardalavaca: Great weather.. Resort needs work

Upgrade to the bungalows if you can. Rooms need a lot of work. Air conditioner didn't work well. Nor did the safe. Very dated resort. Don't have high food expectations. Very repetitious and not very good. Staff not overly helpful or friendly.

Brisas Guardalavaca: Great resort- lasting memories

Overall the resort was awesome! I would go back. Entertainment, the grounds and proximity to ocean was amazing!! The buffet was great, always a table and good selection of food. The front desk customer service was underwhelming- they were not overly helpful, the pool was cold the first few days, plus the hour and a half wait in the a la carte reservations line were reasons why I have it a 4 not a 5. Great value for the money.

Playa Pesquero: Pleasantly Surprised!

It was my 10th time to Cuba but first time to this resort. The rooms and buildings are dated but kept clean. It could use an update on the AC, ventilation and lighting. The shower always had good pressure and enough hot water. The a la carte restaurants - Italian, Seafood and Caribbean were great! Heard the Romantico, which is an International, was very good but only was able to book 4 for the week and couldn't get into this one. The main buffet was big and had multiple stations of the same food [... read more] so the line-ups were never very long. The beer garden that had small pub dishes was open 24 hours so we were able to grab dinner before our bus picked us up at 6 pm. The Hobbie Cat rides daily were fantastic! So much fun! At the beach, there were always enough chairs which a staff member put down for you and since the bar was very far, there was also a staff that served you drinks. Bring a travel mug for this purpose. It came in handy. Overall a very good resort for the money paid during March Break. Definitely worth a repeat visit.

Playa Costa Verde: Great family resort

We loved spending March break at PCV. What a great resort. Food was good. Kids loved the 24 hour snack bar and ice cream parlour. The beach was the best I have seen. Turquoise blue and white sand. The room was dated bur since we only slept there it was fine. Don't hesitate to book this one.

Club Amigo Atlantico Guardalavaca: Good Resort

Overall the resort was fine. The food selection was not the best. The service was very slow but everyone was nice. The rooms are old and outdated but very clean. I liked the beach and the size of the resort. The entertainment was great.

Club Amigo Atlantico Guardalavaca: Thank goodness for the snorkeling

The hotel itself was very clean. Food was the worst. Standard room only have shower & pedestal sink...NOWHERE to put toiletries. Loungers on beach get unlocked at 8 & locked up at 4:30. Worst mattress.

Brisas Guardalavaca: Wonderful

Loved this resort. The food was good and lots of choices of where to eat. Six a la cartes and two served breakfast and lunch. There was live entertainment every evening at the hotel or the snack bar. Loved the John Lennon memorial and the band that played Beatles and old rock. The beach was beautiful although you had to get there early to get a good spot. The rooms were a little dated. I would definitely recommend it.

Club Amigo Atlantico Guardalavaca: CLUB NOT SO MUCHA

The best thing I can say about the resort was the weather and my villa room was a great location, across from the pool. It was my first trip to Cuba and I was warned by others that the food was not very good so I did not expect to be wowed and I wasn't. The people were friendly overall but if you did have a complaint about anything it would fall on deaf ears. For some reason it was difficult to get a good cup of coffee, confusing as they grow their own beans. I heard many people complain about t [... read more]he coffee issue and the overall service and food issue; some who gone there several times said they would not return. I myself have no desire to go back there or to Cuba period.

Club Amigo Atlantico Guardalavaca: amazing resort

The rooms were basic,comfortable, and cleaned each morning by the staff. The resort was a happy place to be with friendly smiles and happy people. Lots of choices at the buffet for all your meals. Everyday we found lots to do at the resort,bikes,paddle boats,mini golf. This was my first vacation away,i loved every minute. Hope to see you next year ClubAmigo. The Davidsons.☺