Iberostar Selection Playa Mita: Iberostar Playa Mita is the best!

Iberostar Playa Mita is a magnificent resort. While one reaches the resort by landing at the Puerto Vallarta airport, the resort itself is 50 land kilometres, but yet ta world away, from Puerto Vallarta and its hustle-bustle and cheek-by-jowl accommodation. It is not even on the protected waters of Banderas Bay, but faces the full fury of the Pacific Ocean head on, defiantly, on its own westward facing beach, where the breakers, even on a calm day,can reach heights of 1-3 metres. The fury of t [... read more]he ocean belies the calm within. The staff, perhaps as numerous as the clientele, seem devoted to maintaining the entire resort as an objet d'art, which it is. I am an avid scuba diver. One of the best kept secrets of the Iberostar Playa Mita is the fantastic diving offered by the waterside operation of Dressel Divers. Access to some of the best dive sites I have ever seen does not come easy, however. The dive boat can only be reached by a ride with a skilled operator on a jet ski in the seven-second interval between one big breaker and the next. The ride is worth it, You will visit dive sites with millions of fish and other sea creatures that few people know about and that cannot be reached by any other means. If scuba diving is not your thing, Dressel Divers offers whale watching (in season - late November to early March), snorkelling and bird watching excursions too. If the breakers are too big to gain access to the tour boat from the beach, Dressel staff will take you to a protected launch site at Punta da Mita, a short ride away. The bird watching excursions will take you to the Marieta Islands where you will see blue-footed boobies, curious shore birds, with, yes, blue feet. You are not likely to see them elsewhere, except, perhaps on the Galapagos Islands. I should not have written this review. Now you will all go there and it will not be my secret any more.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Wonderful experience

We went for the beach, and it is the best ever - very long. Beach attendants could always find you a place in the shade. Beach bar waiters were active and drinks were generous. Bring a travel mug. Beautiful buildings & landscaping. Rooms clean. Some exceptional service, mostly very good service, but some not. Food very good, but remember this is Cuba, and not up to a 5 star elsewhere.

Iberostar Selection Bavaro Suites: Iberostar Bavaro Punta Cana

We are repeated guests at this resort. What draws us back again and again are great gardens and trees, guests leaning towards mature people and families..The accomoditation in villas is quiet and very nice. The food is good and the beach is fantastic. Service - fast, efficient and always with the smile. We liked it as well because it is an older, established and relaxed resort.

Iberostar Waves Rose Hall Beach: Iberostar beach

This resort overall was very good. There is one buffet and 3 a la carte, the food is good with a wide variety, there is something for everyone. The beach is beautiful although if you don't want to be bothered by Jamaicans selling stuff, do not go early morning or after 5pm or so as that is when it seems they are allowed to be there...during the day you only see them at the ends of the beach resort past the pier, and after the grand resort. Rooms were clean and bed was quite comfortable, no p [... read more]roblems there. There are a few little shops, try not to forget the necessities like sunscreen, bug spray (is going on excursion). As quite expensive, I purchased a bottle or off bug spray for $20 us, gulp! And troat losanges for $12 us for a pack...although halls were ok price...

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: For Cuba it was great!

This hotel was a 4 star for Cuba for sure. The rooms were humid but the air conditioner did work. The beds were low and hard but you were able to sleep on them. Food was good (last time I stayed in Cuba I had a hard time eating) There was hot water every time I showers. The pools were super warm and clean. The ocean and beach were amazing. Staff was a little slow but I was always able to get a drink. Staff were also friendly. Check in and check out we're super easy. I wouldn't recommend the hote [... read more]l for those who have difficulty walking. Although the resort is condensed I was traveling with some women with back pain and there is a lot of stairs to the lobby etc. If your looking for a good place in Cuba I would highly recommend.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Light bulbs anyone?

March 28-April 4th 2017. A fine resort with lots going for it. Two superb beaches. Megano is good enough but Ensenachos beach is wonderful. The sand is like talcum powder. Take your snorkel and mask and swim with the tropical fish. They are used to being fed bread and bananas and will come out to meet you near the shore at the end of the walkway. Take a quick catamaran trip from the beach, lots of fun. Keep an eye out for the resident iguana. He's big but friendly. Food: You don't go [... read more] to Cuba for the food but the resort was OK. get your food cooked while you watch instead of the buffet stuff that isn't hot. The a la carte restaurants are much better but avoid the Japanese one. Rooms: Nice clean room, well appointed. Nice big walk in closet where you keep all your stuff and they leave it alone. If you like hard beds, you won't be disappointed. Our fridge didn't work and I let them know and it was fixed almost immediately as when we came back to the room it was working. Great service. Pool: The posted hours for the pool are 9-5pm. At 5 PM it's still very hot out and you want to stay in the pool. Not a problem apparently as people just stay. Change the hours to 9-8pm and all will be happy. We went swimming at night (quietly) as they light up the pool and it looks so inviting. There's something about swimming at night under the stars and moon. No one bothered us as we weren't bothering anyone. Service: In fact the whole place has great service with the exception of reception. They don't seem to be too fond of actually doing their job and will not go out of their way to help you. Good luck with money exchanging. They seem to have issues getting small bills at the reception or at the bank downstairs. If you think of it, go to the lobby bar and exchange large bills for smaller at night. maid service is excellent. We left gifts on the pillow each day. once we put out hotwheels cars and she went out of her way to thank us as she had two young boys. Excursions: Take an excursion trip on the big catamaran. They take you on a nice cruise and sail for a bit too. Two snorkeling visits, one on a wreck and the other on a shallow reef. Lots of beautiful fish to see. The dolphin centre is pretty good as well but the food not so much. The half day trip to Remedios is also good. they take you to the town to view a church and the market and you go on a steam train to the sugar factory museum. Expect that one to take most of the day despite the half day description. Lighting: I don't know what the deal is but the entire resort has a shortage of light bulbs. There are bulbs missing or burned out on the walkways to the beach, in the building chandeliers, in the second floor ceiling walkways of our building, in the actual pillars in the main lobby, in the spot lights on top of the building facing the back....everywhere. I've went through the reviews before going down and noted someone said bring flashlights so we did. Very good idea. Summary: I heard grumbles on the bus excursions from other people at other resorts. You won't be grumbling if you go to Iberostar Ensenachos. The staff are wonderful, the facilities are pretty darn good and the beaches are amazing. Bring lots of sunscreen...

Iberostar Waves Punta Cana: Very relaxing

The resort was very quiet and comfortable. The guests seemed to be more in the senior age group which suited us just fine. The rooms were very clean and comfortable and the staff was very pleasant and helpful.

Iberostar Origin Daiquiri: Best place in Cuba!!

From start to finish we had an amazing trip! We love this resort. The weather was great the whole week,not a drop of rain. The food was incredible. But what we like most about this resort is its staff! They are so warm and welcoming. It's definitely in need of a few repairs as it's an older place. We hope to go back next year again.

Iberostar Origin Playa Pilar: Unique Location!

The location is superb and special. The triangular deltaic space of the resort surrounded by beautiful coral cliffs on shorelines of east and west sides have made it a unique location for those who love feeling of natural surroundings other than the resort facilities. You have then chance of watching both sunshine and sunset. The beach is on west side, different than classical long sand beaches, but specific in look as you can see combinations of sand beach and cliffs. Timber trails are built  [... read more]to access more fine sandy waters. They have overal done a nice job on landscaping of the beach area. There is a nice small Island about 2 to 3 km north of resort that you can go by sailing boats from beach area at $25 PSUS per person including round trip boat, lunch (good shrimps and lubster included) and 4 drinks. Don't miss this, it requires at least 2 to 3 hrs. You would really enjoy walking on the beaches and snorkeling of this Island. The lobby area is very nice, large and modern, bars are excellant, the rooms are clean and relatively large, but like most Cuban hotels, mattresses, pillows and sheets are not so great. Air conditioning and ceiling fans give you good selection of ventilation depending on taste and season. But as resort is relatively new, the plants and trees are still short and the gardens specially on paths between buildings are not so green yet. Staff are welcoming and smiling most of the time. Pool area is well planned, large and clean. The water was very transparent and clean first few days, but was darker last two days. The Japanese restaurant is a good experience; the French restaurant is a nice one to try as well. Overal, you would have a unique experience and recommended to try this resort.

Iberostar Selection Bavaro Suites: Great Vacation at Iberostar Bavaro!

Stayed the week of March 27 to April 3/17. There were six in our group. The hotel is very clean and the grounds are beautiful. The beach is one of the best I have been to. The rooms are a good size and fairly updated. The bathrooms are on the small side. Shower leaked due to the door not fitting properly and didn't stay closed. Our maid, Juanita did a suburb job with cleaning our room. She is a wonderful lady. She works hard and deserves to be tipped. The bartenders at the beach bar we [... read more]re great, Michael, Francis, Santos and Ernestine. Michael makes a great "dirty monkey". Again, tip all the staff, they are great. We enjoyed all of the restaurants for the most part. The Italian was good the first time, not so much the second time. Japanese restaurant chefs put on a good show and the food was good. Buffet was really good except for "Dominican night". All of the meat was really dry. Breakfast and lunch were great. Lots of selections. Didn't spend much time at the pool. It was smaller than most Iberostar I have been to. Entertainment team are fun. All of us really enjoyed ourselves and it was a great trip. Would return in a heartbeat. Solid 4 & 1/2 star.

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Ok resort now but not a five star

This is my third stay at this resort. Our first time there was great. Second time we noticed things broken and not getting attention. This stay the same things we noticed last time are still broken, maintenance doesn't seem to be a priority. The outside grounds are still well kept and lovely. The main lobby is so nice to sit and enjoy, however, it also needs attention. You can see where there has been heavy rains at times and ceilings have been damaged. Our room was ok , little issues but no [... read more]t a lot to complain about, the dining area is ok, food is ok but seems to be the same most days, Japanese el la carte is my favorite, Italian not. Entertainment is so so. however there was a band one night called 5th Avenue that was amazing. Shows are the same over and over and mostly all Spanish and difficult to understand even the English, but its Cuba...Elvis from Keswick, Ontario, Canada entertained us one night for a bit and that was enjoyed but the Canadians. The beach and the lovely staff everywhere is still my favorite. I just love the Cuban people.

Iberostar Selection Paraiso Lindo: Fantastic!

Beautiful resort, beach to die for, multiple salt water pools, amazing food and service, fun show's every night. Only 30 minutes from the Cancun airport. This is one to book for your next family vacation.

Iberostar Origin Playa Alameda: Nice resort

The resort was nice, the staff was wonderful and the food, both at the buffet and à la carte restaurants, were good. We upgraded to the romantic package which was definitely not worth the money. We were in the renovated section however the rooms were extremely dated. The mattress was not very good and there were a couple of coils that would poke you. The water pressure in the shower was nonexistent and the water was lukewarm at best most days. The beach was very nice.

Iberostar Origin Playa Alameda: Perfect for family with kids!

Well cleaned room,beautiful pools with bars. Resorts has mini club for kids to play and a small pool for toddler that was fantastic. All staffs were very welcoming,smiling and always happy to exceed guest need.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Ensenachos - Wonderful week in March

The resort is beautiful. I don't think I've ever seen such a beautiful pool, beach and grounds. I stayed in the Adult Spa section. I loved it. The rooms are clean and spaceous. The balcony is also quite large when you have a corner unit on the 2nd floor. The service is exceptional as well. They go out of their way to ensure you have everything you need and want. I'll be going back probably same time next year with my family to celebrate my engagement. Can't wait.

Iberostar Origin Playa Pilar: Awesome resort

For a fairly new resort the grounds was very nice. I can't say enough to justify how friendly the whole staff was, right from the front desk to the cleaning and grounds keeping staff. The food was amazing, with an extra shout out to the Japanese A-La-Carte restaurant the food was delicious and our chef was very entertaining. If I had to say anything negative it would have to be the lack of a beach, but in saying that there is Pilar beach which is just a short 10 minute walk from the resort, and  [... read more]the best part is that while you're there I don't believe that you would feel any safer in your own home. I would recommend this to anyone looking to relax in a friendly environment with good food and drink, I will definitely go back.

Iberostar Waves Dominicana: Great Resort

The resort is fantastic. The grounds are clean, the beach is amazing, the gym is awesome (the amount of equipment is incredible for a resort and the fact that they had group classes is almost unheard of), the food was good, and the service (front desk, house keeping, dining areas) was second to none (other than one morning where service was slow). Everyone was very friendly and the staff were able to speak English very well making things easier when I had questions. The room was clean and didn' [... read more]t smell musty at all. I plan on going back next year. The trip was awesome.

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Seasoned Travellers Review

I'm that guy who researches every resort 10 times before actually booking anything....and I'm that guy who looks for the best deal before actually making that purchase. My wife and I have travelled all over the world so we have seen the best and the worst. All in all...you can trust what you are about to read. Never having been to Cuba before, we wanted to get there and see it before the doors open up to the Americans and Cuba as we know it now will quickly change. We have all heard the stories [... read more] that the food is lousy and everything is run down. That's true at any destination all over the world as you can find the best and the worst anywhere. So, let's talk about the Iberostar Laguna Azul. Flight: Flew down on Cubana Air which is an older airline but has great deals because they don't pay the tax at their own airport like other airlines. Remember...everything is owned by the government. It's a 3 hour flight from Toronto so it was a cheap flight there and back. Nothing in flight...close your eyes and 3 hours later you're there. Hotel: Quite large with 5 a la carte restaurants. Very clean...no bugs or anything "icky" anywhere. Bathrooms were nice. You all know that getting a chair first thing in the morning is incredibly hard unless you get up at the crack of dawn right? Not here. Even at 10am you can still get the best seats by any of their amazingly beautiful pools. It's Cuba...who the heck wants to sit by the pool when you have one of the most pristine beaches in the world a few meters away?? We picked Building #20 only because I read in someone else's review that this was a good building. They all are great but #20 is the furthest away but closest to the beach and is the quietest and right by it's own private pool and private eating area. Beds are really hard but other than that, the room was beautiful (and I'm pretty picky about the room I stay in). Restaurants: If you're there for a week you get 3 a la cartes to choose. Pick Japanese, Italian and Romantic. We weren't overly thrilled with the Cuban Restaurant. The buffet is fine...and I mean just fine. Everything pretty well tastes really bland. The desserts every night look amazing, but if you put on blind folds, you would swear you were eating the same dessert 3 times. The stations are a little more compact so you're constantly bumping into one another. Pick a table outside (still enclosed but the outside wall is a screen hanging down to keep the sun out but allows the breeze in) as there's a great tropical breeze and far more personal space. You have to look for this as it's over by building 19 and 20, but there's a great outdoor Pizza station you have to try. There's even an ice cream building as you walk to the beach with really great ice cream (yes...I did this everyday...don't judge me) Entertainment: No one talks about this in most reviews, but let me tell you the entertainment here was absolutely 1st class...incredible...wonderful talent and we never missed a single night's performance. (Take a sweater as sometimes there's a breeze blowing through) The talent each night was as good if not far better than any cruise ship entertainment. Was really blown away and we weren't expecting this at all!! I have been a musician for 30 years so again, I'm pretty picky about the entertainment at any resort. Excursions: If you like snorkeling, you'll love this resort. Walk out to the beach, turn left and walk down about 400 meters to the next resort. Right on the beach you'll see a rack with a lot of lifejackets hanging out. This is where anyone can book a snorkeling session for a mere $20 CUC/person right there off that same spot. A Hobi Cat will take you and your wife or family out to a reef which is about 1 km right off shore. It stays with you and they throw food into the water to attract some of the most beautiful tropical fish you will ever see. There's bunch of these Hobi Cats all tied off together and after about an hour, they take you back to shore. Cheap and a wonderful hour right off your own beach area. I went 3 different days it was that good (take your own snorkel gear you can buy at any Costco) Going into Havana is a must. Yes, it's a bit of a drive, but this is a MUST. I also read about this private tour and I booked it. You can travel by bus for about $80 CUC/person and wait for others all day for 12 hours...or...you can email this young man and get a private tour for $70 CUC/person. He comes with a driver and you spend the day in a '57 pristine Chevy. His name is Joan (pronounced like Juan). He's a young man of about 30...married with a 5 year old son and he's married to a doctor. His English is perfect and his knowledge is the same as any university professor. There wasn't a subject or a building he didn't know every aspect about. The driver doesn't speak English but then again...that was part of the fun. He takes you to a restaurant for lunch called Hostal El Canonazo (it's right beside the biggest fort in Cuba) and it was one of the best places we have ever eaten at. For $34 CUC total, we had the assorted plate which gave us 2 good size lobsters, chicken for 2, steak for 2 along with vegetables and Cuban rice. Drinks were $3 CUC so our whole meal which would have been over $150 Cdn at home was about $40 CUC and the entertainment was again, stellar. Here's his contact info... Joan Rodríguez Falcón Cell: +53 52621309 falconcuba25@gmail.com I'm as cheap as they come and instead of $140 CUC ($70/person), I ended up giving him $200 CUC...the day was that great. Even the spa at Azul is incredible and super inexpensive. Couples Massage is $80 CUC TOTAL...not per person. We rarely ever go to the same place twice, but we're actually planning on taking our 3 adult children and their spouses in the fall. Staff are outstanding...food is far better than I was expecting...entertainment 1000% better than what we were expecting and the rooms and the resort itself was really clean, safe and fun. You will NOT be sorry at this resort...and again...I'm really, really picky about where we stay. We got 7 nights for $1,008 Cdn flying Cubana Air. Room Tip: Try and get a 3rd floor only because it gives you a better view. For a quieter area, ask for Building 20. Stayed March 2017, travelled as a couple

Iberostar Selection Bavaro Suites: outstanding resort

There is nothing to complain about!!! Everything ( I mean e v e r t h i n g !) was perfect. Paradise on earth. Very friendly staff. The food was excellent. Extremely clean. Beautiful garden. Lots of space at the beach and the pool. Enjoyed the peaceful breakfast at the beach.

Iberostar Waves Paraiso del Mar: Great hotel

The hotel aria is great: the pool nice, rooms are clean and the restaurants are perfect. The hotel representatives are professional and friendly. The beach has rooks and when we stay in hotel on the last week of March the ocian has a lot of weeds.