Large hotel

Great staff and services. Large place. Busy. Beautiful beach. Units close to the main building will be noisy at night from late nite entertainment... so if you like quiet stay further away from the main hotel lobby. Some infrastucture problems like low water preasure in shower or toilets. But overall a gd resort.

Famulous resort - let me tell you why

Hotel staff superb, friendly can't do enough for you, clean rooms , hot showers, beaches likely best in Cuba, all the boating available, snorkeling paradise, great food & seafood especially. Short bus trip to resort & we loved there jazz & tenor singers, just before the diner hour. Also appreciated our travel agents help from the Swan's - yes we would come back in a flash!! signed Derwyn Sandy, Brad & Julie SWAN

I would not recommend this hotel

Not only did it take 4 hours to get our room; when we finally did there were NO towels and or pillow cases. This was the case with many guests who were staying at the resort the same week. It took several calls to the front desk to finally get them, there was no compassion on their end. New/clean beach towels were also a hassle to get, if you were lucky and patient enough to line up every morning before 9am. The resort kept running out of mint (for Mojitos), beer and various items in the a la c [... read more]arte restaurants. My only positive comment is that the food was decent in respect to Cuba standards.

Poorly managed resort, unacceptable for a Melia resort

There were SO many issues with this resort, here are a few examples: Check in was completely disorganized for no reason, handing out maps to some people and bracelets to other people, when everyone needed both. This is not complicated yet they made it so. They gave us a map of the resort that had the wrong info on it (ie the snack bar location is wrong) There was a huge line up to get into the buffet at dinner every night, once we waited 30 minutes to get in, not great when you are traveling [... read more] with a baby. There were often no clean tables inside the buffet, we had to clean the table ourselves, at breakfast and at dinner. There were no clean utensils or plates inside the buffet on many occasions, had to eat with our fingers a few times because waiting for staff to bring clean utensils was useless. Had asked the waiter at the buffet for tea (because you can't just get it yourself) in the morning multiple times without getting it, only to be told the 3rd time the buffet is now closed. Had asked the waiter for OJ in the morning 3 times only to watch them bring it to other tables in the vicinity but not ours. Again, would have gotten it ourselves but this is not an option. Line up to get pasta 45 minutes long and the guy making it taking his sweet time with a smirk on his face. Had asked for a crib in our room for my 2 month old daughter, instead got a pull out couch for her. Aside from being less than safe for a baby, I also could not cover her with the mosquito net I brought and she got eaten by mosquitoes overnight. Poor thing covered in bites. They staffed the bar on the beach with 2 bartenders. No matter how fast they worked they could not keep up with demand. I counted 45 people in line for a drink at one point.... no idea why they only had 2 guys working the beach. All of these issues boil down to poor management, plain and simple. I know Cuba has limited resources but the above issues have nothing to do with this. I have been to Cayo Coco before and this resort was shocking. I would never go back to this resort and would never recommend it.

Great vacation

This was my second stay at Melia Jardines del Rey. The good: Beach is stunning, lots of lounge chairs at both beach and pool. Hot and cold drinks were great. Food was surprisingly good. Entertainment was amazing. Some staff went out of their way to be helpful. The bad: the restaurant managers have poor customer service and don't appear to be well trained. As a result, too many lineups for food and drinks at most restaurants and bars. Staff seems overwhelmed and not happy, this is sad as I be [... read more]lieve Cubans are generally happy people.

Cayo Coco, Cuba

Nice long beach. Some snorkeling but limited from our experience. Nice pools but not heated - a problem when the weather is not hot. Food was as expected for Cuba. A la cart restaurants were mixed. International Bistro was our favourite. Drinks were basic. Rooms were ok. Pillows were not comfortable. Service was good. Would recommend if at a budget price.

Just ok....

I travelled with my family of 4 (2 kids, ages 4 and 7 years old) December 29 - January 5, and knew what to expect when going to Cuba. We don't go for the food, so the expectation wasn't very high. The resort was exactly the way it was presented in the pictures (which was refreshing), however there were several things that needed improvement - and I'm guessing it was only because its a busy time of year, and staff just couldn't keep up. 1. no clean pool towels until day 3 - thankfully I  [... read more]brought the kids towels from home 2. washrooms were almost always less than desirable - cleaning staff didn't use cleaning products, just paper towels to clean them (which I witnessed on several occasions) 3. often times there was no toilet paper in the stalls - but available upon request 4. kids feet/toes were getting little cuts on them when swimming in any/all of the pools (almost every kid at the pool had band-aids on their feet/toes (so strange) 5. There were no activities during the day for the kids at all - the kids club was always empty and nothing to do, other than a slide and a swing set that my daughter cut her finger on So to be fair, we didn't eat at any of the a la carte restaurants (and the people that I spoke to that did, said the food was fantastic), because we heard the wait was much too long for my young children, so I'm only able to review the food at the places that offered buffet style and the 24 hour snack bar. 1. the food was almost cold or overcooked and mushy, or undercooked and pink and not edible 2. there was almost always no condiments, including ketchup, syrup, and butter 3. the line ups for any thing cooked to order, were at least 15 minutes - omelets and crepes 4. bread in the morning was almost always hard (stale) So overall, I probably would recommend the resort for families, because it has potential and it was very nice. The transfer to the airport was quick and easy, and the beach was stunning. Despite all the small inconveniences, we still had an enjoyable time, however I would never travel during the holidays again. I'll wait a week and go when the resort is less busy and the staff can keep up.

Nice place a few service issues

The resort was clean and fairly new and in good repair after the hurricane in October but the bar service was often slow. At the Trattoria al a carte we waited two hours for our order and were told "Dont atart a war" when we asked what the hold up was.

Well rounded resort with great beach!!

Top notch service from all of the staff - it is such a pleasure to order something and not have to ask 5 times. I never once had an order go missing at the beach, the lobby or in the restaurants. And for Cuba, the food was actually pretty darn good. I wasn't expecting that, having visited before, but this hotel was considerably better than expected. The beach is spectacular and the beach drink service was pretty good. There are lots of chairs, but usually all gone by 9:30 a.m. Great swim [... read more]ming for all, including small children. There are lots and lots of palapas so you can find shade if you need it. If you like the pool better, they were spectacular. New Year's Eve was an all out affair with amazing drink stations and entertainment, including a bag delivered to my room with all the New Year's hats and noise makers. Aside from New Year's, the evening entertainment between 6 and 8 was stellar - an amazing a cappella group, the Cuba equivalent of the 3 tenors (amazing!!) and several Cuban bands that were simply a joy to listen to! Rooms are clean and well appointed - maid service was a little hit and miss with the coffee not being replenished and no facecloths or handtowels a couple times and nobody to be found to ask about it, but the towel animals, flowers and quick service made up for that! And I never managed to actually get a beach towel in 3 days - there is only one towel hut for the entire HUGE complex and no towel service at the beach. People were hoarding their towels instead of turning them in for laundry and the result was the the minute there were new towels, they would be gone in less than 15 minutes. The only other issue was check in which was very confusing - they herded us all into a very echo-y room and then read out names - couldn't hear a thing and even more difficult when your name is a bit of a challenge. There was no order to it- they could have just had a line up and as each person came up, they could point to their envelope - same thing with the passports. All in - the check in from arrival to getting to the room (i.e. waiting for the golf cart to take you to your room) took more than 1.5 hours. You could halve that just by putting some order in the process. All in though, this was a very enjoyable, well-rounded resort and great value for the money!

Wonderful resort; great facilities, attentive staff, amazing beach

We had a wonderful time at this resort in December 2017. It has only been a few months since hurricane Irma, and the staff have hustled to get the grounds looking lovely again. I would guess this is one of the nicest resorts in Cayo Coco. It's not perfect, as nothing is in Cuba, but much of the resort is beautiful. The staff were attentive and friendly, we tried to tip them at least a peso every time we used a service (and they depend on tips to survive in Cuba). The entertainment staff is esp [... read more]ecially talented, and there was an excellent variety of entertainment in the theatre and lobby each night. We discovered that it is best to get to the lobby early to get a good seat. One suggestion for the resort would be providing more seating in view of lobby performers. The food was okay; they do the best they can with what is available in Cuba. As the regulars know, you dont visit Cuba for the food. We enjoyed the Cuban themed and Tex Mex restaurants. The food at the Mediterranean restaurant was disappointing. My favorite food items during this week became the rich cafe Cubano ordered from the lobby bar, the fresh made flaming bananas with rum and crepes from the main buffet, and the coconut ice cream (when available). I recommend getting a flaming hard coffee in the lobby in the evening. The drinks and liquor at the resort were always top notch, although we had some difficulty getting a mojito (due to lack of limes and mint?) The best part of this resort is the beach; beautiful white sand and shallow, clear turquoise waters. If you walk a ways to the far right hand side of the beach you can walk far out onto a sand spit littered with seashells and coral. It was quite amazing. We could have continued walking for quite a distance around the sandspit though we were concerned about the tide coming in. I wish I had realized it earlier but the staff on the beach takes guests out snorkelling at 10am (We paid for a seperate catamaran snorkelling trip). I greatly enjoyed my time here and plan on returning as soon as possible. Jennifer

Beautiful resort

The resort was great especially since they had only recently re-opened after the hurricane. Staff were amazing, very friendly. Entertainment was phenomenal. Food was terrible but that is to be expected. It was hot and didn't make anyone sick. Always had hot water from the shower and clean bottled water. The beach was full of beautiful shells and coral for the first 10-15 feet or so in the water which was not pleasant on the feet without water shoes. Pools were nice and clean but grout was rou [... read more]gh and left our kids feet bloody when they were playing tag in the water (running around not just wading). Drinks were delicious with lots to choose from. Cappuccino was very good. Check in procedure was flawless and our room was ready. Maids were very helpful when our kids were unwell. They were quick to clean and did a great job. My sister had a room for her and her husband and two kids and they didn't receive a cot until the 3rd night so they slept 4 to a bed. Pull out couches must be limited as we had one for our two kids. No beach towels for a day or two but I do not think that is a resort issue. Beach staff stack all beach chairs and will bring one to you when you find your spot so you aren't wandering aimlessly. Kids activities were amazing. They loved the kids show every night and treat children very well. Sent the two kids to the kids club in the mornings which allowed adult relaxation at the beach. Kids club is open 10-1 & 3-6. They will take them for ice cream, swimming, bowling, to the beach, etc. So they aren't stuck at the club. The kids club has a playground, splash pool, outdoor and indoor toys. Tennis courts are beautiful, bring your own equipment. Paths can be slippery when wet but staff were quick to squeegee them off. Staff seemed to enjoy being there.

Amazing resort!

We had an awesome week at the Melia Jardines Del Rey in Cayo Coco, Cuba. The ocean, the beach, the people are all amazing! The food has less variety, but this is understandable because of them losing crops due to Hurricane Irma. But, I tell you, they do the best they can with what they have. They are amazing people. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we are planning to go back in February, if we can get another good deal.

Very good resort

I was previously at the resort in May of 2017 and just recently returned in early December after opening a month previous after the hurricane. Much was done and in great shape. They have done a lot since then and pretty much everything was back in shape other than the grounds which were very close to normal and gardeners were working hard to get the grounds back to normal. The service was very good, food was good the resort was clean, and the entertainment was fun and good.

Melia Jardines del Rey

Hotel was half open as fixing still happening to part of the resort. All was excellent with all other services, pool, beach palapas are more abundant than before the storm. Beach is now twice as wide somehow than before so it is improved remarkably. Food was quite good for Cuba and service at lobby bar was incredible, best I have seen in 12 visits to Cuba. Went with friends and dying to go back with sons in 3 to 4 weeks to same resort.

Amezing!

Amezing! This is the third time in Melia Jardines del Rey .Lobby huge lots of room to sit down to enjoy your favorite drink and good music. Restoran food for every one lots of choice. Room was very clean. Amezing beach. Very friendly staff 😊

THE GRAND RIVERIA PRINCESS IS A FABULOUS RESORT, SECOND TIME!

THE GRAND RIVIERA PRINCESS IS A FABULOUS RESORT, SECOND TIME! The Grand Riviera Princess was amazing! The meals, drinks, rooms, pool, beach and staff were wonderful! This is our second time there and we will be going back again! November is a great time to go, no mosquitoes, and no hot stifling humid weather! All of the staff go out of their way to make you happy, the service was excellent, the meals were superb, and the resort was fantastic. I don't know how anyone could complain about th [... read more]e resort because everything was perfect. Special thanks to Claudia Polimna Mondragón, Community Manager, Susana at the Bar Tequila, and Wilbert at the Plaza Bar, great job serving drinks!

Nice resort

Really nice resort, good food, amazing beach, great people , good service, wonderful weather (hot really hot but nice to spend at one of the five pools )we had a great time . We love to go again maybe next year

Too many flies and mosquitoes

The resort was beautiful, but there were too many flies in the restaurants and buffet area also mosquitoes were everywhere !!!!.. food was terrible and smelly. Dont recommend this resort at all..........

Good resort

Overall outside was clean.the cleaning of rooms could be much better compared to other resorts that I visited. Depended on who cleaned your room as there were different attendants. Would expect better for thethe high price range I paid.

Less than 4 Star

The resort was built in 2014 so the rooms were big, fairly clean - no bugs or roaches visible. It had good air conditioning and decent water pressure. The Beach was amazingly beautiful as expected. We had a 14yr, 17 yr and 21 yr old with us and this resort did not come close to any 4 star expectation. The pools were dirty, the bathrooms by the pool were closed for a couple weeks - guess where the urine went? !! My younger son cut his toe on loose, cracked pool tiles. The food was just okay, [... read more] the service was worse. I asked for two extra bottles of water for our rooms and the gentlemen asked for a tip first. There were NO DAILY ACTIVITY schedules that were provided and no visible advertisement, there was this " nightly entertainment" but it was so disappointingly lacking that I would say it was non existent. We were in our rooms by 10:00pm every night watching television. We would NOT go back, and NOT recommended. It's 3 star on a good day.