Melia Jardines del Rey: trip from March 14, to Mwrch 21

Positive: amazing beach, nice new rooms, cleaned daily, daily shows and performaces were good and entertaining Negative: food needs to have more variety, people on the beach were hogging beach beds, leaving their staff overnight and showing up at noon time to the beach. unpleasant surprise one morning, beach towels were stolen from the balcony, almost 21 Canadian dollars to pay for stolen used towel, its just too much

Melia Jardines del Rey: Good Time!

I travelled to Cayo Coco, Cuba with my 2 teenage daughters during the March break. We stayed at the Melia Jardines del Rey. Though the weather was not extremely hot, it was comfortable. Of course this has nothing to do with the hotel. That's pretty much the biggest negative. The evenings were quite chilly. The hotel itself is beautiful. The room was spacious, clean, no bugs (all throughout the resort). The pools were great. The beach was absolutely gorgeous. We were able to walk and walk and wa [... read more]lk. We picked up lots of different looking shells. We were able to find a spot on the beach with no issues. The staff, very friendly and helpful. The entertainment was wonderful. Mind you one part of one of the shows I found to be inappropriate for children. The food...the Italian restaurant, quite good. I recommend their minestrone soup. The buffet...if you're a picky eater, you're in trouble. Go for the foods that are prepared in front of you, chicken, beef and pork. The pastas and the eggs. Be there for when the buffet opens or close enough to that time, the line ups are long. These foods are good though. The little "market" is nice. You can buy souvenirs. All in all, we enjoyed our time. I would go back with my husband next time.

Melia Jardines del Rey: Beautiful beach. Wonderful weather

Visited the Melia Jardines del Rey from March 2-9/18. The resort is very large (1176 rooms). Arrival went smoothly and we were in our rooms, unpacked and pool side by 11:30am. We stayed in Bungalow 10 room 117. Lovely, clean room with plenty of space. Toilet flushing wasn't top notch but never had any issue with hot water in the shower. Had to remind/request for water and beer as they were not always stocked on a daily basis.It was a 7 minute walk to Lobby/Buffet and about 6 minutes to the  [... read more]beach. The activity pool was located directly behind our bungalow. Food wasn't exceptional but we didn't starve. Buffet was repetitive and food was tepid at best but Diane was always near by for a coffee and water refill. We dined at the Mediterranean, TexMex and Cuban a la cartes. (Josi in the reservation dept was very charming and helpful.) Med and Cuban were very nice. TexMex was ok. The lobby bar includes a coffee section which was always busy but service was excellent as was the service throughout the Lobby. Special shout out to Nauris who always made sure we were taken care of promptly and with a warm and friendly smile. We really enjoyed the entertainment throughout the resort. The idea of moving it to different areas was unique. The beach is amazing but get there early for shaded loungers (6am guarantees a wide selection). Animation team conducts yoga, zumba and beach volleyball. There is a section of coral along the shore (about 3 ft wide) that can chew up your feet so water shoes are a good idea. Overall, the resort is decent by Cuban standards. All bars tend to run out of beer/liquor at various times of the day but in fairness, there were probably over 2000 guests that week. We have nothing but positive remarks regarding the staff. From the gardeners and bike taxi drivers to the bartenders and wait staff. All are professional and friendly.

Sol Varadero Beach: Sadly Disappointing

We recently returned from our trip to Veradero Cuba. After researching online we finally decided to stay at the Sol Sirenas Coral; such a disappointment! The Hotel is in dire need of maintenance and repair. Uneven and broken concrete everywhere. The grounds are lacking maintenance, the lobby and common areas are dirty and in disarray. Some staff were extremely friendly and helpful; others not so much. We stayed on the 5th floor, ocean view and overlooking the pool area. Wow, it was so noi [... read more]sy! The music starts at 10:00 in the morning and continues until late in the evening. There was no or very little lighting in the hallways, we would get off the elevator in the evening and walk in total darkness at least half way to our room; it seems that light bulbs must be in very short supply in Cuba. The lobby washrooms were either short of TP, towelling or both, waste baskets were always overflowing and when these are filled with soiled TP certainly not very sanitary. The food for the most part was acceptable, the buffet at the Sirenas was a bit more presentable than at the Coral, the room itself was a lot nicer than at the Coral. The ala carte restaurants were fine and the staff did their best to make dinner a pleasant and tasty experience. The beach itself was fine, chairs were primarily dirty, some broken and in need of repair, the beach area itself needed to be raked and cleaned. Everything about this property was sad, it has so much potential and probably was a wonderful property at some time. The Sol Sirenas being owned by the Melia Group of Hotels must be at the bottom of the heap we did notice a few other Melia Hotels in Veradero that certainly had no resemblance to this property. We stayed in Santa Maria in 2016 and had a totally different experience.

Melia Marina Varadero: Better than expected on 1st visit to Cuba

On arrival, our room lacked a tub stopper, the rain-shower head appeared partly blocked, the toilet ran continuously after a few flushes, and the TV was dead. However, a call to customer service dispatched a friendly service man who fixed these issues quickly. Another maintenance issue we did not address was that one of the balcony chairs was broken. Up before dawn to get an early breakfast, we tripped and almost fell over a masonary ridge while walking beside the pool. Ground-level lighting [... read more] to safely show the many changes of level and steps in the route from hotel entrance to 24-hour restaurant/bar would ensure a safer walk . A few more lounge chairs with cushions would be better as those without cushions were hard and uncomfortable. On the plus side, the food was very good with many choices. We especially enjoyed the 3 a la carte meals. The staff were uniformly friendly, helpful, and happy, making our stay overall very enjoyable.

Melia Jardines del Rey: 10/10 Vacation

Myself, my wife and daughter along with 5 close friends had the most amazing vacation from start to finish. The resort was very nice and they've done amazing job rebuilding after the hurricane last fall. Weather was incredible as was the beach. The staff was very helpful and always friendly. I'd like to take this opportunity to recognize 3 staff members that stood out above the rest. Gretchen at the Mediterranean restaurant was incredible, very gracious and attended to us like we were family. [... read more] Two of the beach staff who really made our week were Yandy Jimenez and Olexis Mompie (Chocolate!). The first day we went to beach we met our two amigos! They were so talented, friendly and funny. They made everyone on the volleyball court feel like a champ even when, from time to time, we weren't. Great athletes and great dancers!! They always had a smile on their faces and called our names out wherever we ran into them anywhere on the resort. And man did we appreciate the long hours they put in doing so many different jobs for the resort. They are great ambassadors for the resort and Cuba. Those 3 amazing employees are the reason we'll be back to beautiful Cuba!! Mucho gracias amigos!!! Jeff Bird aka Papi Chulo!!

Sol Palmeras: A really lovely trip

Probably like you, my husband and I read all of the possible reviews on the Sol Palmeras. We read about it being dated and read about the food being mediocre at best. We worried that with it not being a five star in Cuba we would end up in some dive but man are we SO GLAD we took a chance on the Sol Palmeras. We spent one week at this resort over the March Break with our children five and eight. Upon arriving we found the lobby to be modern, clean and quite pleasant. Our check in was quite fas [... read more]t and we got a bungalow in the 500s which was ready for us, even though it was only 11:30 am. While we didnt get a bungalow closer to the lobby as requested, we were offered the option to switch the next day if we wanted. We decided that it wasn’t worth it and that the five ish minute walk to the beach or pool etc really wasn’t a huge deal. On occasion it was annoying but mostly it was fine and even with our kids, it wasn’t a big issue at all. The bungalow was exactly what we were expecting because of all of the great reviews on here. Yes it is dated in that the tiles arent huge marble slabs like some other resorts and the walls are stucco and tile in the living area and the bathroom. The tub is old and we got water all over the floor every time we showered. The toilet, towel fixtures and furniture are also super dated and look old. However, a bungalow with two children was way better than a super modern hotel room. Our kids had a whole living area to themselves with two cots to sleep on. There was a mini fridge that was stocked with beer, water and pop on the first day and daily with water for the rest of the week, despite some of the other reviews saying they only received water on day one. They were able to wake up and go play outside on the porch area or run around and try to catch lizards instead of being cooped up in one room. It was awesome having a little house to ourselves for the week basically. Most importantly, everything was CLEAN. Our maid for the week was Katy and every time we returned from the beach, she had made adorable birds etc on the kids’ beds which they LOVED and all rooms were spotless. We care more about cleanliness than modern amenities. The beds I will say though are super hard and need to be replaced. The buffet has definitely been renovated and is very modern and was always very clean. The food was totally fine in our opinion. No it wasn’t gourmet, mind blowing food but we ate more than enough every day and had better breakfasts than we would at home with eggs made the way you like, bacon, and freshly baked croissants. Our kids loved the eggs and the yogurt every morning. The beach bar has whole chicken legs, pork skewers and fish barbecued right there on the beach every day. It was delicious!! The Chinese a la Cart was our favorite. We would have eaten there three times but it was full for the third time we tried. We also really enjoyed the Italian. You can potentially eat at an a la Carte every night if there’s space. The beach was breath taking, was clean every morning and we always found chairs with a cabana for shade. The pool was busier on the windy days and chairs filled quite quickly. We just put towels out every morning by 8:30 at either the beach or pool and had great spots every morning with shade for our children. Our kids had a blast. They loved ordering their own ice cream and drinks. All of the staff was so friendly and really sweet to the kids. Our five year old loved the kids show and we took her every night. If you’re looking to enjoy the beach and the beautiful weather while not breaking the bank, the Sol Palmeras is a more than reasonable option. We felt like there were zero surprises when we arrived and that the reviews on here had done an excellent job of preparing us and guiding realistic expectations. We feel we got exactly what we were told we would and were very happy with that. My husband and I asked each other several times as the week went on, if we would return to the Sol Palmeras and every time we both said we TOTALLY would!!!

Melia Las Americas: amazing

poor service at the bars. not to many staff members can speak english. grounds were kept nice. staff always expect tips for poor service. lack of staff. staff always wanting to sell things on the side like trips to havanna. pools are not heated. lack of water in rooms. hit and miss.

Sol Cayo Coco: !Amazing resort

Clean grounds, nice pool, great beaches, clean rooms, great service, great people. Food is very adequate. Close to airport, only 10 min. Could use dressers in rooms. Tables & chairs in Lobby for smoking area.

Melia Jardines del Rey: Lovely resort!

Check in was quick and efficient. Our rooms were adjoining as requested and very clean. The buffet food was good but always the same options lunch after lunch and dinner after dinner. Omelette and pasta guys were fantastic and most were efficient! Entertainment was good as well, loved the band that was on tour. Our true loves, gardener Roy by the pool who is very knowledgeable and friendly and a very hard worker & William in entertainment by the pool. He is new but super kind and accommodating a [... read more]nd handsome as well!!

Melia Cayo Santa Maria: nice resort

beautiful and large beach. Great services. Good food. Will recommend to my friends. We ate at Continental and Bistro restaurants that were good. Enough palappas for everybody, anytime on the beach. Room was fresh paint.

Melia Las Dunas: My favourite place

The hotel was great staff amazing grounds were beautiful enjoyed every minute this was my 3rd stay at the melia and i plan on going back again great place for all ages raging from kids to teens young adults and familys

Melia Cayo Santa Maria: Beautiful resort but food less than impressive

Just back from a week at this resort. The staff here is amazing. Never once did you feel like you had to tip to have great service. Courteous, professional and very hospitable. However, the one thing lacking is the food. You are afforded 3 al a cartes which were OK but the buffet is terrible. No selections, empty containers and under cooked meat. We are definitely not a picky eating bunch but when Brussel sprouts and stale bread are your meal at a 4.5 star resort something is wrong. This is defi [... read more]nitely not a reflection on the staff but management needs revamp something. Been to Melia resorts before and Cuba several times and this is definitely one we will not go back to.

Melia Las Dunas: Pretty good considering...

Okay... I'll make this short... I've been to Cuba about eight or nine times so far. So, I know what to expect. Considering that they are still recouping from a hurricane, the grounds were great. If there was something that I would consider a con, it would be the lack of bathrooms. I have a 5 and 6 year old and if we were eating in the buffet and they had to use the bathroom, we would have to leave the buffet and walk to the main lobby. Also, at the Family Pool there was only one small bathroom [... read more] and in the men's side, it was just a toilet and a urinal with the urinal out of order. The food wasn't the best selection that I've seen in Cuba and very inconsistent. I only saw bacon 2 days and they didn't have french fries until the end of the week. Again, it is what it is but, in the future I would probably choose another Resort before revisiting here.

Melia Jardines del Rey: Completely satisfied

We got married here. The A-la-cartes were amazing, it was the most beautiful white sand beaches we’ve ever seen. If you’re a vegetarian there isn’t as many options as we had a few in our group. However if you are pescatarian you’ll be fine, lots of seafood and fish to go around. The staff is A++, little bit of a wait sometimes for drinks. Remember it’s island time, this isn’t a North American establishment. We recommend to upgrade to the elegance club. If not then bring your own beac [... read more]h towel. Also bring a bubba or small thermos which make the drinks last and create less bar visits. Rooms were clean, had toilet flushing issues but resolved immediately. The ocean water goes up to your waist, we felt super safe and let our kids (14 & 10) roam freely. We found a deal for $1100 in February, if you want to find things to complain about then you’ll find them. If you’re laid back and enjoy the best beaches, warm weather and amazing staff then you’ll definitely find that. You can also go to other Melia resorts for 5.00 per day. Oh and our wedding was 5 star treatment. If you get married I recommend going a month before for 4 days to plan it all out, this will allow more time to enjoy yourselves when you go with the group.

Melia Las Antillas: Pretty good

The room was very nice - 5th Floor Ocean View. The hotel is back far from the beach so the room overlooks the grounds of the hotel, the pool and then the ocean beyond the trees. The Concierge service was well worth it. Elizabeth was excellent and the lounge was a nice bonus. The buffet food was ok. You could always find something to eat. The beach burger bbq was very good. The a la cartes were also very good. The Concierge package came with lobster dinner. I would say this hotel needs some upd [... read more]ating, some of which was going on while we were there. The rooms were very clean and the maid was very good. All the staff seemed to do whatever they could to be helpful. Of course, the beach was beautiful. The hotel needs to add beach drink servers and cleaners. A lot of cigarette butts and smoking everywhere. The guy in the motorized cart driving up and down the beach selling coconut and pineapple drinks was annoying and we watched him cut his straws and leave the garbage on the beach. Some rooms overlooked the hotel patio which could be very noisy. The entertainment was good but somewhat repetitive. Note - there were two camels and an emaciated horse tied up in a field out front of the neighbouring hotel. I think they gave rides or something. Don't do it! Animals in poor condition.

Melia Jardines del Rey: Jardines del Rey - Cayo Coco March 2018

Pools were great. Beaches were spectacular. The rooms were spacious, clean with great water pressure in the showers. Drinking water was restocked daily. They were short on bath towels and bed linens. Overall the staff were friendly and helpful. The live, evening entertainment was outstanding and brought people together in the lobby area. The proximity to the airport was within 20 minutes and a very efficient check-in process was evident. Our breakfasts and dinners were all at the bu [... read more]ffet restaurant with the food being so-so. Some foods were over-cooked while others were undercooked. They were crowded and noisy with long lineups for prepared foods. One of us suffered food poisoning at the beach restaurant and lost a day in recovery. The beer and wine was great...which always helps. We would be reluctant to return to this resort but see that it has many fine features.

Paradisus Varadero: Excellent resort

We upgraded to Family Concierge and best decision we ever made. Nice facility with modern room .Well maintained facility. Our Butler, Pavel was amazing . Great shows and great food. We will come back for sure

Memories Cayo Largo: A great resort with great peopley

This is our second time at his resort .We had a great holiday and we are definitely going back. We love it there, the people who work at the resort are so friendly and want to make sure you are happy. The beach was beautiful, the food was great!!!

Sol Varadero Beach: ok resort

This hotel was ok...you get what you pay for....very close to beach, and one of the first few hotels you come across in Varadero, which means you can easily walk to town...Italian restaurant is the only one worth going to other than two buffet ones...but you have to line up at 8:30 am each day to reserve for the following day. Room was fine along with pools etc. Food at buffet was ok....they tend to run out of things of you arrive too late...get your coffee or tea from the coffee/tea nook out [... read more]side the buffet area first...good variety shows at night to watch. Internet cards suck as govt blocks all .com sites so you can see facebook but not post etc....bring your own phone plan.....also, they rip you off on leaving when you try to exchange your cuban money back to Can$$ at airport....expect 1:1....Better off rather than exchanging all your Canadian money to cuban on arrival, just exchange what you need for the day and save whatever Canadian you need on return...best excursion is jeep safari...but if you have a chance go into town to Marlin diving and ask for a snorkeling trip to Caribbean side of Island...better coral structures, fish and you get to snorkel much longer!!! Also rent a moped at resort..cheap and fun! My only complaint...we had alot of Russian/European tourists at the resort and every second person smoked...everywhere!!! likely less of this if you stayed at a 5 star.