Brisas Sierra Mar: Great place super clean

This was our first time to brisassierra siara mar and we had an amazing time . The place was very clean and the people were super nice . We liked that the resort was spread out and lots of entertainment . There are a lot of stairs but the elavater relieved that . We had a pig roast on the beach with dancing , lots of fun . The beach was very private no locals.the food was very good we had bbq fish at lunch and buffet at dinner and the alacarts were awsome . Lots of nice people and an amazing sta [... read more]y we will return next year!!!!!!

Hotel Versalles: Excellent Hotel in Santiago

Great place to stay in Santiago, I would go back for sure. The view from my room was simply amazing. The pool area is great. The staff is very friendly and helpful. Cleanliness is top notch in the rooms and all around the hotel grounds. Very positive experience.

Carisol los Corales: Quiet and friendly

"Amigos Carisol - los Corales" these are two hotels for the price of one that share the beach area. One is able to use the two hotels' facilities and walks are accessible between the two resorts from the inside (making it safe) or from the outside road. It is located inside of a National Park, giving the opportunity to hike, bike, walk or horseback ride. We were there in February and the soil was very dry as it had not rain, therefore, it did not look lush or pleasant to the eye, which was ok!.  [... read more]The mountains are on one side and the Sea on the other side of your peripheral view. The rooms are kept very clean, the grounds are maintain, ensure to bring water shoes due to corals and stones on the beach. All of their employees are friendly and work hard, people enjoyed their presence. The food was good and had a variety of choices, the dining rooms and lobby areas are clean. Not able to comment on the nightly shows that are share between the two hotels (e.g. one night at Carisol and the other at Los Corales) because we retired early at nights. Due to the fact that it is located on a National Park and at the border of Guantanamo, there is no night life or markets around it, the nearest city is Santiago de Cuba at approx. one hour. There are a lot of retired couples and singles that are repeated customers, some have visited for the last three and some for up to ten years and stay from one up to three months to enjoy the sun, they all know and enjoy each other, nice to see! Unfortunately, the resort is open only from November to March or May after that they close for the rest of the year. This is a place for the person(s) that wish to rejuvenate and gaze at the sky full of stars at night, it is not for everybody, take the experience and enjoy it as it is, Cuba! This was our first visit to this resort in Santiago de Cuba, we certainly enjoyed it and were pleased with the service and location of this three star resort that it does make you say: I will come back!

Carisol los Corales: Hotel So So, Weather Great

Just returned from our second trip to this hotel, last time we stayed on the Los Corales side, this time on the Carisol side. Both are similar. The hotel is in need of repair, especially walkways and lighting (take a flashlight). Don’t go here if you want a 4 or 5 star hotel, but if you want great weather, friendly staff, ok food and drinks for a cheap price then this place is for you. Lots of retired people go here for a month. The pools on either side of the hotel are clean and nice, but th [... read more]e tiles and concrete around the pools could use repair just like the walkways. There is a Kids club building beside the pool that is used for washrooms and towel distribution, however not much activities for the kids. The beach is beautiful and the water was warm. Lots of shade and lounge chairs. There is a lot of coral rock in the water so you will need water shoes. There used to be a lunch snack bar at the beach when we were there in 2012 but hurricane Sandy destroyed it. The 1st week they had a little grill that served hamburgers and hot dogs but they closed it and had a wonderful girl named Suramy delivering hamburgers and hot dogs from the restaurant. There is a bar at the beach (open 10am to 4pm) so you don’t need to walk far to get a drink. Water sports include kayaks and peddle boats that you just take out anytime they are available. The hobby cat rides are free but you need to book in the morning at about 9:30. There is also snorkeling equipment included. You can book diving trips ($) that go out morning and afternoon. You can walk the beach for quite a distance, but once you leave the hotel area there are many locals that are asking for clothes, soaps and food. This area was hit hard by Sandy so if you have any clothes in your closet that you don’t want anymore take them with you to give away. The rooms are old but clean and an OK size for sleeping (hard beds). The bungalows are twice the size and I recommend them if you are travelling as a family. You can book one for 10 pesos a night depending on availability. The room safe is 2 pesos a day. We got one because the patio door only had a bathroom passage lock on it which we discovered when we locked ourselves out of the room and the maintenance guy just stuck a piece of wire in the patio door lock and opened the door. The closets in the rooms are OK, but take hangers with you ore you will be living out or your suit case for your stay, which is OK for 1 week but not 2. There is only 1 small desk / dresser other than the closet, which only has enough space for 1 person to put shorts and T-shirts etc. Our AC worked great, however a lot of other people complained about theirs. Our bathroom was small, clean, functional, good water pressure and lots of hot water. Rooms are hit and miss though, some have a musty smell, mold, AC’s don’t work and sewage smells in the bathroom, so it’s hit and miss. Go back to the front desk ASAP and request to change. The food is for the most part good, you won’t starve however you need to get to the buffet within a half hour after opening or you might miss the good stuff. A note about the bread, it is to die for my hats off to the baker as there is a good variety and lots of it. For breakfast you can always get eggs , omelettes and bacon from the grill. The pizza at the pizza restaurant is good. They wait your table, no takeout which is too bad. The ala carte restaurants in the evening are OK however we only went to the seafood restaurant as it was on the Carisol side and the Cuban is over on the Los Corales side which is a bit of a hike in the evening. You can only book the restaurants for that evening in the lobby from 10:30 am to 11:30 am and you have to decide what you want to eat when booking. We were always at the beach at that time so it wasn't very good for booking. The staff are all friendly and for the most part try to go out of their way for you. Some that are fantastic and need to be mentioned are Suramy who worked in the pizza restaurant, lobby bar and delivered food to the beach, Maiby at the pool, David at the buffet restaurant, Francisco at beach bar, Ranaldo at the lobby bar and Mida in house cleaning. The cleaning around the hotel pools, walkways, public washrooms, grounds, beach and lobby is poor at best. Garbage cans, floors etc should be cleaned a couple of times a day instead of every 2 or 3 days. Also someone should clean the animal poop off the walkways as it is a hazard in the dark or if you’re not watching out for it. There are a few excursions to on but good luck to finding someone to book them with. Hit and miss. A must do is swim with the dolphins it is good and only 35 pesos. Oh and if you like to bicycle this is the place as the bikes are in decent condition and the roads are almost traffic free and scenic. To wrap up if you want fantastic warm weather (30 day 20+ at night), no bugs (take spray anyway) and go with the expectations of a 2 star hotel then you will have a great time. For the money you won’t go wrong. As a side note don’t book at the Costa Morena down the road pay a little more, as we met a couple that spent a week there and a week at Carisol and they said this hotel is like a 5 star compared to that one. We had a great time and ill go back in February or March again. Enjoy!

Carisol los Corales: Not bad

Good weather and a fun cat cruise. Breakfasts were good. Stick to the grill for lunch and dinners. Some dishes otherwise not kept hot. Really good coffee. I would return for the right price only.Thanx

Carisol los Corales: Very nice resort

This place is beautifull, I stayed in a bungalow by the beach. Well kept and clean and very quiet. The grounds are well maintained, but dry as not much rainfall. There are animals roaming around at night, mules and horses, and some dogs. The beach is nice and the snorkeling is great , saw some nice colorfull fish. I did not go in the pool, but looked very nice and clean. The meals were good. but you had to get there in time as the food went fast. In some areas such as the grill for eggs and pizz [... read more]a, needs more staff, as there are line ups. Only one complaint is trying to change money at desk, very hard to get. I complained to the manager that no one would get tips. He understood. All in all ,would return.

Brisas Los Galeones: Great find!

I loved this hotel. The staff was amazing, the food was very good and plentiful, the rooms were pleasant and very clean and best of all, because of its small size (only 35 rooms) it was very intimate and like being with family. I would definitely go back.

Carisol los Corales: retirement home

The hotel is filled with old Italians from Toronto and Montreal. They hog all the orange juice in morning, they cut in line for morning omlettes & bacon (the only really good food there) many of them are very rude. The resort is run down its 30 years old and farm animlas roam freely. 70 year old Italians (men and woman) flaunt there rental cuban brides quite shamelessly. Some of the bartenders will not serve you if they suspect you will not tip. The coffee is fantastic and there are ripe coconu [... read more]ts everywhere I drank 5 a day. The snorkelling is amazing around the restort, they have good flippers but there masks and breathing tubes are pretty cheap. If you want to eat fresh seafood ask any lifeguard and they will sell you fish, lobster or octopus. The swimming pool is spring fed and amazing. Its also supposedly the sunniest hottest spot in cuba 5 to 10 degree s hotter than varadero at all times in the winter. I would recomend this resort to people who are avid scuba divers or to people who want peace and tranquility with no night life.

Carisol los Corales: nice and relaxing

I have been to a lot of resorts and i have to say the grounds on this one was clean and beautiful. The staff for most part were very friendly and always willing to help. The rooms were small but hey, all you are doing is sleeping anyways. The pool was a good size so you are not bumping into people. The food was ok, better than I expected. Adonis was awesome cooking very delicious pizzas and spaghetti. The ocean is just a two minute walk away and the beach is clean and sandy. We do not drink alco [... read more]hol and it was no problem getting a virgin drink or coffee or soda. One thing I would do next time is change my money at the airport as the resort kept running out. Other than that my wife and I loved this resort and hope to go back again soon.

Hotel Casa Granda: Glorious holiday

While planning a holiday to celebrate our 43rd anniversary, my wife and I had the extraordinary good fortune to be in the capable hands of agent Bev Johnson of Tripcentral in Orangeville Ontario. Our hope to commemorate such a momentous event in our lives in a very special way was fulfilled beyond our expectations with a most exceptional holiday at Casa Granda Hotel in Santiago de Cuba. As promised by Ms. Johnson, the service by HolaSun was impeccable and flawless. The transportation from airpor [... read more]t to hotel and back was timely, professional and most efficient. The hotel was clean, well appointed, with all modern amenities. The management staff were all courteous and accommodating to our every needs. The food was always well presented, varied in selection, delicious and plentiful. The service in the dining room and the bar was friendly, polite and professional. And if at times the music was a little loud, it was after all a celebration. Even at our age we still enjoy a good time especially during a celebration such as ours. The hotel location being across the street from Parque Cespedes, the hub of the city, was truly a front row seat to observe Cuban life at its most colorful and exotic. Thank you Tripcental and Bev Johnson for a memorable moment that will last a lifetime. Roland and Sandra Kirouac Orangeville Ontario

Brisas Sierra Mar: Simply Fantastic!!!

Everything about our vacation was fantastic Our drive to the hotel was great - the roads have been redone so it was very smooth! The hotel is beautiful and comfortable. The food was good and satisfying - better than other resorts we've stayed at The beach is beautiful - tons of sand has been added and they've built beach huts for added shade and beauty The shows we're fun and entertaining - a good mix for night time entertainment. Recommend: do the moped tour. Rent them for a day and go on your  [... read more]own - it is so worth it. Horse back riding is a wonderful experience as well. Go into Chivrico on a Saturday night and take part in the local party. What makes this hotel so nice is that it is situated on a mountain and the people there have been coming for many years so everyone is friendly and it's easy to make friends.

Carisol los Corales: Mosquito's in the room!

Pros: Food was great, a large selection for vegetarians. For a 3 start hotel, the food was indeed delicious; a variety of potatoes and great Cuban food. Raul the bartender at Carisol pool side was very personable and friendly. Felip was great service at Los Corales at the reception. Cuban cappuccino <3.. I need not say more. Oh.. and the bucanaro beer.. heavenly. Toured Santiago city via the worker bus. ;) Cons: Mosquito's in the room! Really!? We stayed on the second floor of one of the buildi [... read more]ngs.. but during the night we got bit by either bed bugs or mosquito's, even with bug repellent applied! Grrr! The beach was a bit rocky, but if you walked along further towards the mountains one would find an area with a lot less rocks. Lots of pestering in and out of the resort :s. I feel sorry for the country. Maybe our business is profitable to the communist regime and not the actual citizens! Will still travel there because I made some great Cubans friends. But may not stay at a resort even thought it's reasonably priced.

Costa Morena: Great people.. cozy place

I had a great experience in Cuba due to the excellent attention I got in Costa Morena, people are very commited with the guest and they make the vacation great. I did enjoy the food and the hotel was good in general.

Brisas Sierra Mar: Had a Great Trip

Sierra Mar is always a pleasure. Small relaxed and enjoyable. Cant wait to go back. Staff is always friendly and will go way out of there way for you. Been there several times and will definitely be going back again

Hotel Versalles: Good Value for Money

Clean rooms, pool clean. Food was average. Cost of drinks inexpensive. Good value for money. Close to city center. Evening entertainment was very good. Very quiet and relaxing. The staff was very friendly

Brisas Sierra Mar: Chilled, enjoyable and friendly

Older crowd so great for those who are looking to relax. Staff was friendly and helpful. Food was what you would expect from a 3 star but the grill by the beach had some tasty manga. Great snorkeling and the most magnificent views! All in all an absolute steal for the price. Had a great time!

Carisol los Corales: Tranquility base

Fabulous large pools great service great cuban coffee on an oceanside beach ideal for long hiked in the Sierra maestro mountain range.best of all you are only minutes away from the vibrant city of Santiago De Cuba

Carisol los Corales: Ok resort

Food was terrible. Poor sanitation, but better than off the resort. Grounds were clean. Staff very friendly and most able to communicate in English. Pool and pool area super. Swim up bar great. Bars were awesome.

Brisas Sierra Mar: Incredible cultural experience in the villages

Resort staff are very friendly and attentive. Best entertainment in Cuba! They have kept it authentically Cuban. Magic show is great. Our kids loved the resort for the two weeks in December 2014. If you love horseback riding, local life, snorkeling, scuba and just relaxing this is the place. We are returning in December with the kids!

Brisas Sierra Mar: Truly enjoyable

My husband and I just returned from Brisas Sierre Mar and we had a wonderful time, loved the snorkeling. Enjoyed the paddle boats, bikes and kayaks. Food was tasty and there was certainly enough variety to be had.Rooms very dated but clean. Staff could not have been nicer both in the hotel and on the beach. Entertainment was super... Our first visit there and planning on a return trip in the near future...the view from our room was spectacular and the sunsets were breath taking..