Memories Jibacoa: amazing resort for the most part

loved the location of this resort with the mountains in background ..loved the pool , loved the beach,loved exploring the reef , loved all the entertainment provided especially the nightly shows and wandering musical groups playing their fabulous Cuban music during the day ..resort is well maintained... rooms clean but only adequate and could use a sprucing up ..food was good for Cuba ...staff friendly ..maid surprised us each day with her towel artistry ..would for sure book this resort again . [... read more]....oh...main thing we loved is that it did not seem packed with people even though booked solid ..

Hotel Bella Costa: Best of the the "older/dated" resorts.

Everything was fine, friendly staff. Would have preferred better food options rather then sandwiches for the "late hours". Certain drinks were completely different when made by different bartenders, They need to be more consistent with the drinks. The entertainment staff was good, but could have definitely used more entertainers.

Memories Jibacoa: I'll be back!

This was my first trip to Cuba, and we chose wisely when we chose Memories Jibacoa. The staff was fantastic, our room was kept spotless, and we had great beds. Food at the a la carte restaurants was amazing. The "Animation" team was outgoing and fun. Everyone was very helpful, even to questions about what plants and animals on the grounds were (I'm a nature nerd). I would definitely go back, and would definitely recommend this resort.

Hotel Bella Costa: Bella Costa

First time in this hotel. Fourth time in VAradero. Came on March 6, 2016. Our room was garden view # 751, closed to the beach in two stories buildings. Hotel has the main building in the shape as three beam star.The resort has been built in 1993 and needed renovation. Cleaning service is average. Need to ask to refill water bottle in the room. There are wasn't big variety of the main dishes and fruits, only grapefruits, bananas, papaya. Buffet on the beach has better choices. There are not enoug [... read more]h umbrellas on the beach. The water part of the beach is great with nice white sand. Location of the hotel is perfect for golfers. Right across of the hotel is a nice golf course well maintained. This year was unusual low temperature 26-28C, perfect to get smooth tan and enjoy by walking along of the beach or explore Varadero town. I would rate this resort as 3(three) star hotel and it worths not more than $850 CAN.

Hotel Los Cactus: Go for the beach!

I'd been to Cuba twice before (including during the early 90s when the economy was at its worst), so my expectations were realistic (low). My agent had requested a quiet room for us, away from the disco. We were given room G154 and our friends had G254 (straight above us). The upper floor has a view of the ocean whereas the lower floor doesn't. The room had an odd layout in that it had an extra room with a couch, bar fridge, and closet - and that's it. Maybe it's meant to be a party room? The ba [... read more]throom was small but sufficient. We had two double beds with 3 (?) long flat pillows in total. The location was great - close to the beach, lobby, and pool. Our maid was great and showed a sense of humour with her towel art. She wasn't able to replace the cola in the bar fridge with diet cola for some reason (said it was not possible, even though there's diet cola all over the resort). She provided extra bottled water upon request (which we needed because I had read the water wasn't filtered so didn't drink any unless from a bottle). Of note - our return flight home was very late but check-out is at noon; we were given a room to shower and change in before we left (which was great), but I will say that I would've flipped had I been staying in one of those rooms (404, in the same building as the Italian restaurant) - although the layout was good and the bathroom bright and spacious, the musty smell was overwhelming. I noticed no smell in our own room - and even my clothes didn't smell musty when I took them out of the suitcase when I got home. Also notable - our room had both 220 voltage and 110 voltage, so no adapter was required. Room 404 (and presumably the other rooms in that building) had only 220 voltage. Remember to bring facecloths, as they are non-existent at the resort. Wifi - you can buy a wifi card for 2 CUC which buys you one hour (that you can use whenever). However, wifi is available only in the lobby and pool area. For a brief stint of our trip, there was no internet service at all (from the evening until the next afternoon). So, warn your loved ones in advance that if you disappear it's likely due to lack of service! Also note that sometimes the wifi card code doesn't work, and you won't get a replacement or refund. My friend and I also are not convinced that the cards provided a whole hour of service (seemed more like 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the card). But again, the cards are still way cheaper than getting set up with a roaming plan from home. Buying a card was sometimes a good way to get change, as 1 CUC is scarce (often got back a bunch of quarters if asking for 1s - this is not a resort issue but a Cuban issue we were told by our Transat rep). There is one pool that is seldom used, although staff tries its best to drum up participatory entertainment during scheduled parts of the day. It's a good place to cool off after you've had too much sun at the beach and can't find shade. Note that beach towels can be difficult to replace - the "clubhouse" is often closed and sometimes is out of towels. Food - the buffet is open for three meals/day and has enough of a selection that you won't go hungry. There is nothing there to rave about, though, except the bread - delicious. I'd recommend making yourself a sandwich (using the bread at the bread bar and not the buns at the sandwich bar) and accompanying it with a bowl of soup (we liked the cream of tomato if we added a bit of salt). The egg salad was our sandwich of choice. If you have a sweet tooth, you won't satisfy it here, despite all the sweet-looking desserts. Also note that there is not a french fry to be found at this resort (which isn't a bad thing). We didn't think the Cuban restaurant was all that great (although others we met thought it was), and likewise for the Italian restaurant (again, others really enjoyed). It's a nice change from the buffet, though, and definitely half decent. It's a drag that reservations are taken only between 3:30 and 5:00 in the piano bar, but you can book several days in a row. Our Transat rep recommended a restaurant in Varadero (Varadero 60) and described it as being in a person's home with top of the line cuisine. We thought it would be quaint to dine in a Cuban's home and to eat their gourmet food. However, it turned out to be a regular "fancy" restaurant (and not cheap). Moreover, 3 of 4 of us in our group had upset stomachs through the night and into the next day (can't be sure of the connection, though). From there, we went to The Beatles Bar which was also recommended by our rep. It was a fun time, but the band we watched had three different lead singers and sang hard rock (only 1 Beatles tune) - it was a nostalgic trip to the 70s though (or thereabouts!). The cab ride from the resort to the city is an event in and of itself. We took three cabs the one night and only one cab was equipped with seatbelts. The best cab driver we had was named Ernesto (although he may tell you his name is Al Capone) - he's a young guy who likes to have fun. Drinks - I'm a red wine drinker and had read on this site that the wine was undrinkable. So, I brought $60 worth of cheap wine with me, only to learn that the resort wine was better than the wine I'd brought. I gave away my wine as gifts. I didn't think the sparkling white wine was very good, though, and I didn't try the white wine (although my friend drank plenty of it). For entertainment - such as it was - we would gather around the piano in the piano bar and have a sing-song. The talents of the sax player and piano player are outstanding. Gift shop - you can buy trinkets and WAY overpriced chips and suntan lotion - so bring those goodies yourself! The very, very best part of this resort is the beach! Gorgeous, clear blue water with soft sand. You can walk a long distance and still be above water. Paddle boating and kayaking are included - we did both and really enjoyed it. My friends went snorkeling (for $20 CUC each) and enjoyed that as well as the catamaran ride to get there. Never had any trouble getting a lounger. You will not be disappointed in the beach! (I did get a ton of bites, but not sure from what or how to prevent.) So overall, the place was dated but clean enough, the food was repetitive but edible and sometimes quite good (lobster tail at the buffet Friday nights for those of you who like lobster), the pool was nice and never crowded, and the beach was amazing. This is a smaller resort with an older crowd (and awesome that it's 14+ years only). I would go back - although I think $1735 was a lot to pay (the downside of going over March Break - March 12 - 19) compared to what you could get in Mexico for the same price (but I far prefer Cuba over Mexico). Hope this review was helpful!

Hotel Bella Costa: We love you bella Costa! Xoxo

My review is: I recommend to any family with younger kids (3-14) to go. Enjoy the beach, games, shows, pool, hot tub, and above all get a villa suite. Absolute! Food was good. Staff was great. My 4 year old had a blast! For the price, I felt very happy with our choice. Very safe and made lots of new friends. Went late March. Whether was raining for a bit but overall warm and some real nice sunny days. Special thanks to Maria at trip central for all the work and help.

Sunscape Curacao Resort: Not amazing for us

We were booked for a week, and decided at the last minute to Upgrade from a deluxe garden room to a Sunscape Club ocean front room. This made all the difference.They say there are all kinds of extra benefits with the Sunscape club, which in truth doesn't amount to much, but that room is awesome, with a 120 degree view of the ocean. Gorgeous big balcony too. Food was good, nothing gourmet but just basic and delicious. The fruit and veg and salads are wonderful, so if you are vegetarian you will  [... read more]be happy here. Do not bother with their 'restaurants" - Japanese, Oceania, Italian- the service is not great, there are long waits, and the food is simply awful. The place to go is their big central buffet where there is a huge variety with some indigenous dishes as well. I simply cannot fathom why they don't offer a no holds barred Caribbean gourmet restaurant. Wouldn't that make sense? Go with the flow - go Caribbean! Also, regarding the rooms - it would make sense to install at least one towel bar! You are not allowed to put towels on the balcony - so where do you put them? Well this is not the only resort with this issue, just a general complaint. The sea water is crystal clear and comfortably warm, and although it doesn't look like it, there are plenty of colourful fish right within the protected area. You never need to worry about undertow here. On the downside, there is no such thing as a long walk on the beach. All the beaches are small. Weather was steady around 30C every day and no rain. The resort itself is noisy and busy with probably over 400 guests. The entertainment didn't suit us except for a few of the musicians. Lots of yelling, thumping music and line dancing. If you like a quiet retreat this is NOT the place for you! The noise easily drifted to our room so we had to close the balcony door. Service was generally excellent. The employees are friendly and helpful. Service in the restaurants is not so good. We went into town one day, which was a nice break. We also took a tour of the island which was excellent. It was far too hot to hike the national park. The Aquarium was wonderful, just a 10 min walk from the resort. We didn't try any of the town restaurants but if we'd stayed two weeks we would have. There are dozens. To sum it up, Sunscape is a great holiday if you want lots of noise, activity, and fun for the kids. Find another place if you are looking for a quiet retreat. Get the best room you can afford - ocean front is the best.

Jewel Runaway Bay Resort: Great family fun

I cannot say enough good things about this resort. This was our second visit and with the addition of the Waterpark, it even surpassed our first time. We have 2 boys 11 and 8 and they were constantly active and entertained by the highly engaged, enthusiastic staff. The food was excellent. The vibe is off the charts as the staff have a laid back, cool demeanor that is infectious. They are proud of their resort and their culture and they deserve to be.

Sunscape Curacao Resort: Great vacation

Weather was perfect. The rooms are clean and spacious. The food was good, lots of selection. Hospitality was great everyone very friendly. Great beach and pool. Great snorkling. Lots to do in the area.

Hotel Los Cactus: Totally adequate

A decent layout with one pool and the usual Varadero lovely sandy beach. Plenty of chairs in both places. A slightly hidden jacuzzi that actually works was very pleasant. The food here and elsewhere in Cuba is improving all the time. There was always enough good food for most tastes. Some of the staff were a little less friendly than in past years. The WiFi cards one can purchase for 2 CUCs per hour didn't always work which I found a bit frustrating. For me, the most irritating thing was the unn [... read more]ecessarily loud music and shouting by the staff trying to get people to participate in various events. Most people seemed to want to relax and not be aurally pounded into submission.

Hotel Los Cactus: Two years - two enjoyable trips!

My husband and I stayed at Breezes the last two years (during the Ontario March Break) along with two other couples. Having been to Cuba 10 times, I can safely say that the weather is always fantastic at this time of year. Two years ago we stayed in the Junior Suites and this year we stayed in the Gardenview suites. The Gardenview suites were definitely nicer and we had a great location in E block just around the corner from the pool and the buffet. The resort isn't too big though so you really  [... read more]aren't to far from anything. The Junior Suites are in the same building as the disco although the noise from the neighbouring resort is actually worse than the Breezes' disco. The food was pretty good. There seemed to be plenty to choose from, few line ups, and lots of good choices on the grill. We also enjoyed the a la cartes as well as the Air Transat dinner. The omelette line moved quickly in the morning and overall I would say that the food in Cuba improves each year. I think with any buffet you need to be careful what you eat but none of the six of us were sick and we had more than enough healthy foods to choose from. The beach is amazing! The water was a bit cooler than I remember from last year but still very nice to swim in. You do not need any beach shoes in this area. We went snorkelling right off the beach and saw a few fish, including a large barracuda, as well as some neat shells, etc. For about 20 CUC's (perhaps negotiable - we didn't go) you can get a cataraman ride further out to snorkel along the reef. If you enjoy walking the beach, you can walk safely for miles. The resort also purchased brand new beach chairs since last year. There was some damage to the shade huts from last year as there didn't seem to be as many. We were told that there was a storm a few months ago and some of them were ripped out. The beach volleyball court was also no longer on the beach. It was in behind the dune line but they were planning to move it back to the beach eventually. It too was damaged in the storm. In the evening we enjoyed some of the shows and hanging out at the lobby bar. We especially enjoyed singing along at the piano and on Karaoke nights. The tennis court(s?) looked nice as did the basketball court but we didn't try them out. We would go back to this resort! We had a great time!

Hotel Los Cactus: Wonderful week at Breezes

We were two couples travelling to Breezes, we had a fantastic time, the beach is beautiful, the staff is friendly. We really enjoyed the piano bar and visit the coffee bar every day. We look forward to coming back soon.

Hotel Los Cactus: Breathtaking beach!

Wonderful beachfront. Beautiful sand - no rocks, no seaweed. Clean all the way out. Accommodations were decent. Air conditioning was good. Maid service excellent. Food was average. Buffet had no variety from day to day. Of the specialty restaurants, the Italian was the only one worth doing.

Hotel Bella Costa: Bella Costa was awsome!

The staff are the best, very professional, helpful, knowledgeable and friendly. The food was great. Not a bad meal all week. Italian a la carte featured home made pasta. Yummy! Easy to book tours and close to many attractions. The beach amazing!

Hotel Bella Costa: Super Family Holiday!

Another wonderful stay in Cuba. This resort was older but had everything we needed for a super trip. We had garden view balconies so we could read and have a drink while the kids were still sleeping or while family members were getting ready. Beaches are beautiful. We spent the day there from 9- 4pm and then come up poolside for drinks and entertainment. My husband would go down between 6:30-7:00am to put our towels down to claim lounge chairs in the shade of the huts. Food was plentiful and del [... read more]icious. It always surprises me when people complain about Cuban food as being bland or repetitive. We have chicken 3 nights a week at home in Canada and my son eats Cinnamon toast crunch for breakfast everyday! You have choices of pork, fish, beef or chicken and many side dishes and cook to order items. We ate at all 3 restaurants and had no trouble getting reservations for the time slots we wanted. (Book early). The staff are always friendly and helpful. The one sticky point was trying to get change at the reception for tipping. Sometimes we got smaller bills at the bar. They have lounge entertainment after dinner and great shows in the evening at 9:30pm at the outdoor theatre. It's a great environment to be a part of. I want to go back. I'm already looking forward to my next March Break holiday. Cuba, here we come!

Hotel Bella Costa: Very Pleasantly Surprised

The Hotel Bella Costa was a very pleasant surprise. I read many reviews before finally selecting this hotel and I am so glad I did. It is a smaller resort, but in my opinion, for Cuba, it was quite well kept. Yes the building is a little tired and in need of some renovating, but it was nowhere near as bad as some people’s reviews implied. We had room 626 in the main tower. It was a lovely, big room, with a huge corner balcony. The view was fantastic in three directions. No mould anywhere and n [... read more]o bugs, other than a couple of teeny, tiny ants. And if you left nothing sweet out to attract them, you really didn’t see them. Our maids were great. Hello to Yvette. They always did a good job of cleaning the room, always leaving fresh towels and lots of toilet paper. We always had a fresh two litre bottle of water to put in our fridge every day. The bedding was quite tired looking and could certainly use an upgrade but it was adequate and clean. The only thing negative I can say about the bathroom was that the shower head was very low flow and for anyone with long hair, it would take quite a while to rinse all the shampoo out. However, on the plus side, there was always hot water. The food was certainly different than what we’re used to but, that‘s not to say it was not good. They had an awesome selection, and yes there were things I did not care for, but lots of things were very good. I gained weight so that tells the tale! Breakfast was always very good, made to order omelettes or the omelette lady was only too happy to scramble or fry you some eggs however you liked. There was always French toast, pancakes, fresh fruits, lovely fresh breads, cheeses, sliced cold meats, cold cereal, yogurt, fresh squeezed juices and croquettes among many other things. Lunch in the Beach Grill was always good with a salad bar, including lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. They always had at least one soup selection at every meal. I’m told that the main buffet had the same type of food out for lunch. Pasta salad was one of my favourites, as were the ribs, chicken and the made to order pizzas. They always had a great selection of fresh breads and buns and cold meats and cheeses. For dessert, the pineapple orange ice cream was a favourite. The only drawback at the beach grill was the birds, but you just learned not to leave your table unattended once you had food or drink on it. (We actually found them rather entertaining.) We tried two of the Al A Cartes, the Cuban and the Italian and they were both fine. I was told by others that the Japanese restaurant was good too. The Jimmy’s Buffet for supper was good as well. They seemed to have different theme nights and there was always something good to eat. The service in all the restaurants was very good, with the waiters, bringing coffee, water and your choice of wine in a timely fashion. People complain that the food is bland and to make sure you take your own hot sauce. News flash – they had hot sauce, Salsa, ketchup and mustard, etc. at the buffet. The beach is to die for. The white sand is like flour. They kept it clean and it was freshly plowed nightly. There was only one day that we had to hunt for beach chairs, other than that, there were lots. The pools were lovely and clean with lots of chairs. I never had trouble getting a beach towel. I had to wait one day until the laundry came, but no big deal. The nightly shows are okay. They were mostly dancing, with a Magic Show one night. The dancers and costumes are top notch. They could certainly give “Dancing With The Stars” a run for their money. Unfortunately, we missed the water ballet, but I heard it was great. They always had live music at nights in the lobby bar and it was interesting to sit and have a drink and people-watch. The drinks were always good. We found all the staff to be very helpful. We had no problems of any kind and would recommend this resort to our friends. We would certainly go back again.

Hotel Los Cactus: For the most part - very satisfactory

This is my fifth stay at this resort - beautiful grounds, beach, food at buffet, junior suites. Where it falls short: Needs a more efficient system to provide requested rooms; better bathroom odor; general room-cleaning could be better.

Hotel Bella Costa: Great Beach

Structure: The hotel is dilapidated. As you arrive if you are a non-smoker you have to run the gauntlet as there are smokers dotted around sitting at tables as you make you way to the entrance to the hotel. When sitting in the lounge water drips onto you from the air-conditioning above. When looking up the ceiling I noticed it was encrusted with black algae/mould. Rooms: Two guests asking to change their rooms mentioned that their rooms also had mould. On the first day I was to have a garden vie [... read more]w room but was given one with no garden but overlooking a courtyard and the hotel's air conditioning plant and tradesmen service area, room 263. As a result I could not open my sliding door as the noise from the aircon was way too loud and my room vibrated as if I was still on the plane. My room was switched the next morning to room 229 but to a flood damaged area i.e. water leaked all over the passage way floors. In my room I could see where pipes had previously burst. The smell of cigarette smoke wafted down the vents into my bathroom and I am a non-smoker. My unit was at the end so I could hear both the hotel traffic and the traffic along the causeway. The wind blew for 5.5 days and my sliding door rattled continuously and very loudly sometimes like a thunder clap waking me on many occasions throughout the night. I think with an upgrade in the aircon, eliminating the water leakages and mould everywhere and having a handyman check out each room for repairs would go a long way to provide further comfort to guests. E.g. the cupboard doors didn’t close and kept swinging open so I had to position chairs up against them. The room cleaner only sweeps the floor and no surfaces are cleaned. In the entire week I had no change of towels. The bed in room 229 was king size. I don't think they had king size sheets for it so they used other sheets and put them on lengthwise. As a result the sheet only came up to my waist and in order to keep snug at night I had to use a bath towel and wear my hoodie to cover my shoulders. I was also unsure whether the comforter provided was washed after each guest as it did not look crisp and clean, so was afraid to use this to cover my shoulders. The pillows are long, narrow, hard bolster style pillows. The surfaces in the bathroom were never wiped down. The toilet was cleaned and the toilet paper replaced. Dining: I noticed in the Japanese restaurant I was only offered one glass of wine and this came halfway through my main course although I had requested it when I placed my food order. The following day on the beach I noticed a wine trade going on between a life guard and either locals or guests - unsure. Perhaps that is why they limit the wine one is offered in the restaurant? They did try hard with the food given their limited ingredients. Once they offered champagne and a flower to guests entering the buffet restaurant which was a nice touch. The fish in the beach snack bar restaurant is very good at lunch time. The whole fish in the Cuban restaurant is delicious. I was recommended to try the lamb special at the Cuban restaurant but when it arrived it was definitely beef although the manager and chef denied this. I do know the difference between the taste of beef and lamb so I sent it back. Tipping: With the exchange rate so poor with CUC=C$1.33, I wanted to have some CUC1’s in either coins or notes as I was travelling solo. There is a shortage of CUC1’s on the island and everyone is given CUC3’s for tipping. CUC3=C$4 which is fine if you are spending $30 plus dollars on a meal but to have to fork out C$4 every time you want a drink or eat breakfast is a financial drain. I only lined up once for an omelette and the chef took his time about cleaning his station first and three times he twiddled with an existing CUC3 note– evidently indicating to me that if I wanted quick service, I would have to fork out CUC3. I did not want to subject myself to this again so opted out of omelettes for breakfast. The first night at dinner the waitress came up to me after pouring me water which I had waited for forever, ditto a glass of wine, and said to me: “I have two babies.” I felt like telling her so did I LOL! That was a turnoff as this was the only communication she had with me and evidently my tip was all she was after. It would have been far more comfortable for me to have paid tips up front like we do on cruise ships and this takes care of the jockeying for constant compensation. The staff at the bars work very hard to please. Fitness: I attended water gym at 12:30 – there was no schedule of exercise activities as they said they were fixing the board but that water gym is every day at 12:30 and yoga/stretching on the beach every day at 10:30. The following day I ensured I was at the activity station at 10:30 for yoga. Nobody came. Finally at 10:45 the instructor appeared and when I greeted her with Hola and asked her if there was going to be yoga she tore a strip of me and said I should first ask how she was, etc. She gave no apology for being late and keeping us waiting and she had been the one the day before to tell us to be there at 10:30. The next couple of days at 12:30 there was no water gym it could have been held earlier or later but unless you happen to be around you could miss it. I do understand the concept of African time and Cuban time so it would be more helpful to give an approximate time rather to avoid inconveniencing other people. The pools and jacuzzi are lined in rubber and there are airpockets everywhere in the water and it kind of creepy and slippery to navigate. Transportation: To reach the hop on hop off bus is a good 20 minute unshaded walk and luckily I am very fit. Those guests who are not had to take tuk-tuks to reach the bus stop. In town the locals sit at the designated roofed bus stops for the hop on bus even though they are not taking that bus. As a result legitimate bus passengers have to wait in the blazing sun whilst the locals sit in the shade. It would be a good idea if their government would provide shade for everyone waiting for buses. Entertainment: The evening themed show is supposed to start at 8:30 pm but on the four occasions I attended briefly, they only had activities for the children on stage and eventually after sitting in the wind for 30 minutes with no adult show in sight, I went inside so sadly did not get to see the shows and have no idea when they started. There were very good musicians each evening in the lounge during the cocktail/dinner hour.

Hotel Bella Costa: Good Resort

Rooms were clean, plenty of hot water and plumbing worked great. Housekeeping was polite and very helpful. Rooms had age related issues but quite bearable. Alacarte restaurants were great but the dinner buffet was terrible. Beach was fantastic!!!

Sunscape Curacao Resort: SUNSCAPE CURACAO WISH I WAS STILL THERE.

From the start to finish the hotel staff, food, amenities were awesome. The weather could not have been better and we enjoyed all the restuarants and never waited more then 15 minutes for a table. Our room had a ocean view and the sunsets were spectacular. Can't wait to return.