Sol Turquesa Beach: Beautiful but aged

We just arrived home from a 10 day trip to Memories Holguin. For the first time in 13 years of travelling 6 out of 10 days were bad weather. We had to find a spot to relax and the unfortunate part is there is no comfortable place to sit and relax. All the furniture is old and the cushions are flat and the tables are too low to play cards. The grounds are beautiful and lush and the food was OK we discovered the beach buffet and received great service with no line ups with limited food selection.  [... read more]The beds are terrible there is nothing left of them and my sister in laws mattress had the springs sticking out the side. Overall this hotel needs ALL NEW FURNITURE!

Sol Turquesa Beach: Can't walk up stairs! This resort is not for you.

Now to be perfectly clear, yes there are some 68 stairs from the bottom of the magnificent pool tiers (beach to foyer) but depending on where you are located you could avoid them. Knowing what I do now I would request a room in the 1, 2, 3 or 4 hundred series bungalows. All rooms appear to be the same but these ones were constructed earlier I was told and do not have stairs although there are slightly inclined cobblestone walkways. The 5, 6, 7 or 8 hundred series bungalows are only available via [... read more] stairs or by having a shuttle drive you to and fro around the entire resort. There is no access around the west side of the resort other than stairs. This is our second visit to this particular resort. We went before when it was the Serinus Terquesa. In my opinion it was a 4+ rating then but I would say maybe a 3+ now. As the resort ages many maintenance issues are arising. We spent the first 4 days without hot water. Others in our party had room door issues, safe doors missing, patio doors not securing, drainage issues etc. If you caught the issue soon enough and reported it directly you had a good chance of getting it repaired quickly. The front desk people seemed to try their best but language and number of staff members appeared to be a great hampering. It would seem to me that knowing there were plane loads of people coming at predetermined times the resort would supply the necessary staff to handle the confusion but alas it is not so. We had one person checking us in between a constant barrage of telephone call interruptions. The buffet was as expected from when we last visited Cuba. What food was supplied was well prepared to my way of thinking although at times you couldn't tell the difference between lunch and dinner. Fried pork chops, fried beef slices, fried fish, and paste. Breakfast was queue after queue for omelet or pancakes and toast. I never saw cereal or danishes at the buffet restaurant. I guess my biggest peeve of the holiday is when the buffet restaurant stopped the coffee and hot milk service in favor of a dispensing machine. Not only did this create an addition queue but it only served coffee as it was programmed. Black, black with half cream or all hot milk. There were no variations. As a result people were getting wise and trying all sorts of combinations like filling their cups with black coffee and then filling another with hot milk and pouring a bit of one into the other and so on. This created a mess and by the time you finally got up to the machine it could be empty or there would be no cups. It was a disaster as far as I was concerned. The beach was exquisite and always kept tidy. The bar service was very well organized. The rooms were kept very clean and tidy by the very friendly staff and the nightly entertainment was sufficient as were the excursions. "Memories"; maybe not what the resort had hopes for but would I go again? Knowing what I do know now.....yes.

Playa Pesquero: Good family fun

The resort is a little run-down but overall good. Great pool for kids. Ok food. We would recommend this place as the best choice for Cuba. Kids club staff were great. Order the strawberry milkshake with vodka!

Paradisus Rio De Oro: Perfect for comfortable relaxing stay

Overall this meets a high standard as an adult only resort. Excellent food options with experienced and helpful service. Beach swimming is difficult, but beach area is fine. Outstanding pool with mutilple seating choices. Good grounds.

Club Amigo Atlantico Guardalavaca: Nice Resort but...

Not enough staff to keep up very large grounds. Rooms were OK some had need of care like any resort. Food was not good, same all the time and little selection Some bars better than others. NO bar on beach and the beach was Public so locals were always at your side. Not comfortable situation. The Cafe staff were wonderful! Had a good week but would viist another part of Cuba next time.

Club Amigo Atlantico Guardalavaca: Very friendly, accommodating staff.

This is an older hotel but the staff kept the buildings and grounds very clean. They could have paid a little more attention to small details such as making sure that there was always toilet paper available in the common areas and having the hand dryers working or paper towels in lieu of that. The staff members were always very friendly, and very kind and helpful.

Sol Turquesa Beach: Exactly as Expected

We spent some time reviewing this resort so our expectations were set. There are many stairs and the resort is large, we expected that. Not a big deal, but mind your we are people that go to the gym on a regular basis. The food was typical Cuban food. I have been to Cuba 4 times and the food here was of the best, but again it is not cruise ship dinning so don't expect that. The entertainment did exceed my expectations, there is so much talent to see but I like that sort of thing. We never had to [... read more] fight for a place around the pool. I would go back and I would recommend to my friends. We had a great time.

Club Amigo Atlantico Guardalavaca: Average resort

Did not like all the smoking expeciately the cigars in the lobby drinks where to strong lack of ice cubes lucky to get two small ones per drink long line ups for food not enough grills for the amount of people shows starts to late no hot water In the mornings for a shower mosquitos in the rooms got eaten alive food was just edible employers were fabulous very friendly beach was beautiful

Playa Pesquero: very good resort

The grounds were excellent, spacious and lots of green space. The staff was friendly,hardworking always willing to help. Rooms were clean as well as the common areas. The beach is awesome. The food was very good, especially at the a la carte restaurants.

Sol Turquesa Beach: Average very old resort

Very old & tired resort. Very slow bad management, poor service from check in onwards. Sunwing should pull away from this resort chain. I would not recommend this chain or go there again. I love Cuba but would stay in Cayo Coco in the Melia chain.

Sol Rio de Luna y Mares: Great 1st Trip to Cuba

Based on what I've typically heard of Cuban hotels and food, I wanted to adjust my expectations before going on this trip and simply go with the purpose to take in and enjoy/appreciate the beauty of the people, the land, and of course the beautiful beaches. Upon arrival to Sol Rio, I was very pleasantly surprised. As we checked in and headed off to discover our surroundings for the next few days we continued to take it all in and were happy with our selection. Hotel: it is true, the building and [... read more] rooms could use of some TLC, a fresh coat of paint would do wonders for this place, however aside from this I'd say the grounds were very nicely groomed and landscaped, and overall the layout of the resort was well distributed. Our room was in the Mares section, which I liked because there was almost always more lively than the Luna section, but because the whole resort is connected you can hang out in which ever areas you prefer or are in the mood for. Food: We found there was always a good variety of food, and enough selection that will make everyone happy. The food wasn't bland, but nothing a little salt and pepper couldn't fix if you needed it. Our favorite a la cart restaurant was the French, but we only tried 3 of the 6 or so available. I do not recommend the Mexican restaurant although the location it self was nice overlooking the pool and views to the beach. Overall: Give it a try, go with an open mind. Cuba does not have all the resources you are accustomed too, but the whole purpose of visiting a new country is to get a feel for the tastes and cultural flavors of that region and its people. Immerse yourself and consider that despite any blandness you may find in the food, it is still better than what the workers have to enjoy on a daily basis. So be appreciative and respect what this country has to offer and immerse yourself in the lush beaches, countryside and warm friendly faces.

Club Amigo Atlantico Guardalavaca: The best relaxed resort

Club Amigo is a very relaxing resort, with lots to do or not do which ever your choice is. We have gone to this resort 8 times now and will go back again. Anytime we have ever had a problem, the employees have always taken care of us right away. Beautiful surroundings, trees, beaches and rooms. An very inexpensive trip for the ones that can't afford too much but will be impressed with 5 star surroundings in a 3 star resort. Well worth the trip.

Don Lino Hotel: Great resort for the price!!!

This resort is great for the price. The grounds are kept clean, rooms are basic they were having water issues while we were there but we made do as long as we had warm water. Staff are very friendly. The new buffet restaurant opened while we were there it's beautiful. The food was good for Cuba always something for everyone just bring your own ketchup and hot sauce and your good to go. Beach is nice but u need water shoes your better off going to playa Blanca 15 min walk or 5 min horse and buggy [... read more] ride. The restaurant in front of the beach has great pizza and seafood. Marlin restaurant just down the road has great lobster. Overall it was a great week minus the rain and awesome place to travel with kids will definitely be returning.

Don Lino Hotel: Was ok, but could improve...

Food quite not that good! The rest was not bad!very calm and pleasant. The Catamaran trip was a problem. The agent responsible with it didn't give us life jackets. Was very windy and rainy, very dangerous!!! people were mad at him, they said would write bad reviews.

Sol Rio de Luna y Mares: Resort was Good .

The beach was beautiful . No issues getting chairs or shade area's if need be . restaurants were all very good for Cuba .Disco and entertainment was wonderful Rooms are dated and are in need of repairs But very clean . The buffet was the only complaint , very repetitive they need to change it up occasionally . Lineup 's for pasta bar and meat station were 20-30 minutes nightly . they need to find a better solution to accommodate the many guests that choose to dine at the buffet .

Club Amigo Atlantico Guardalavaca: Not as good as it used to be.

My wife and I have been to Club Amigo 20 times but after this trip we may never go back! It was always a fun place to go to but something has changed. The swim-up pool was green for two days until it was treated. The Santa Maria snack near the swim-up pool was often running out of fish, spaghetti, and fries daily. The 24 hour sank bar was a much better option for lunch but they got as bad as the other snack-bar towards the end of our second week. We went there as the line-up for the upstairs buf [... read more]fet was halfway down the stairs, lunch and dinner. The food wasn't too bad, we always found something to eat and one could always get a good breakfast! Some of the older staff had been moved, (don't know where). They had a lot of students working in the snack-bars who should have been trained better. I can't say anything about the entertainment as we didn't go to any of it. We have gone back many times as the staff were always made us welcome. The hotel is under new management I was told. I raised my concerns with the new manager, so we'll have to see if he listened!

Club Amigo Atlantico Guardalavaca: Amazing place and people

Had a wonderful time. The place is amazing with a bazar right on the grounds. Easy to get around. The beaches are so beautiful and no complaints about the villas. Good food, good friends! Will definitely go back for a fourth time!!!!!

Aston Costa Verde Beach Resort: Attractive resort

We enjoyed the variety of restaurants. The food was good, buffet usually included lots of variety, attractively presented. We particularly liked bar near the pool, and the restaurant near the beach. The pool area is very appealing with lots of loungers and shady spots. The landscaping generally is very appealing. The beach is nice, though usually rather crowded. We loved being able to snorkel off the beach. Staff are friendly and helpful, though lineups (to book restaurants etc) can be long and  [... read more]slow, and information re. opening times was inaccurate or contradictory at times. Beware of rooms around the atrium area; they can be very noisy in the evenings. Rooms are large, pleasant and very clean, and our request for a mattress topper (to help with a hip problem; the beds are very firm!) was very promptly anwered with a super comfy foam pad on the bed.

Sol Turquesa Beach: The Staff at Memories make the trip!!

My boyfriend and I stayed at Memories Holguin the week of January 14th until the 21st. We loved the resort and morn than likely will return. The Food. The breakfast was not that great but we got by. Not a fan of any buffet. The a la cartes were great. We did the Cuban, the Italian and the Seafood and really enjoyed them. The Drinks. No shortage of water in the room which was great. The wine was not too bad. We had a few different cocktails and they were excellent. The coffee, not a fan. But love [... read more] the cappicino and the different Spanish Coffees. The Beach. No problem getting chairs in the morning. There was a bit of seaweed in the water. But I liked the beach anyway. People complained about all the stairs, but there were some really unfit people there and maybe they should change their lifestyle. I loved all the stairs, in addition to all the running and swimming laps in the pool this was a great addition to our workout routine.. People, get off your butts and move!!!! But do be careful of the marble. It can be very slippery. The Bugs.. I got bit a lot. Now on the other hand my boyfriend had none and we were together the whole time. So bring bug dope and something for the itch. Problem solved... The Room. Loved our location away from everything. You had to walk a bit but that was fine. Our maid kept our room spotless. The beds were a bit hard, but I did not get a sore back at all.. The shower had little pressure but we are in Cuba and really does it matter? The Staff. They were amazing!! I have been to Cuba 22 times and have to say that these people worked really hard. They were very efficient and always had a smile on their face. I want to say the entertainment staff were top notch and we fell in love with Taimi. I would return to this resort just to see all these people again. It was a great experience for both my boyfriend and I...

Club Amigo Atlantico Guardalavaca: Beautiful grounds!

I was in a villa from Jan 1 to 8 as well as last year in march. I loved the grounds,weather, beach. whatever was natural was beautiful. For whatever reason the rest is not: Room: Walls are chipped and then painted over. Nobody thought of fixing the wall before painting it? Drawer set did not have a single knob. To open drawer you had to be inventive. hair dryer did not work in the room. Tv did not work in the room. ( I complained at the reception and nobody ever came to fix it, I didn't bother [... read more] again as I don't watch TV ) Next: 24 hour restaurant .. is not really 24 hours. They will close it every evening for " specialty restaurant " and send you to the other restaurant. The other restaurant will just be closed at the same time anyways. You could walk up to a bar by the square pool and ask for fries, and be told that they don't have any fries. ( turns out they do, but don't want to fry only for you!!) My wife waited 15 minutes at the swim up bar to get a drink and she was the only one at the bar !! For some reason, the dude found it cool to ignore her..She was even calling him out loud.. head down and he kept looking at his sink doing dishes. Continuous lineups at the restaurant ( for whatever reason.. ) Once in there you'd see 8 or 10 tables free, but nobody cleaning them up, while the hostess doesn't let others in .. Couldn't understand that. I understand that 3 star is exactly 3 star and I didn't get bothered by these things, we had fun anyways. However I don't understand that some of these things which are easily correctable are not corrected or even inspected before guests are in the room.. Entertainment stuff does not follow their own schedule posted .. ( My niece wanted to play beach or pool volleyball ) but nobody was there. There was one day out of 7 where volleyball was played either at the pool or by the beach. Returning guests are supposed to get lobster dinner but even getting that was a hassle and you were made feel like you are asking for something for free when it's the resort who set the rule, I just wanted to take advantage of it. Locals will approach you on the beach to either offer drinks ( for a fee) or just plain beg money or things from you. If these things don't bother you, this is fantastic place! 4 pools, long beach, white sand, drinks included.. sun and palm trees.. perfect. This was the cheapest 3 star at the time.. and I'm not sure it's worth 1000$ per person in peak season even with all in.