Hotel Vigia: Great resort for the money

I have been to Cuba many times. This hotel and Beach is an excellent value. If you are looking for a five-star this is not your hotel. But the people are lovely. The food is very decent for Cuba. The hotel is a little dated. But everything is clean and tidy. Everyone in Cuba is working very hard to fix the devastation of the hurricane. I have been to this Resort four times and will continue to return.

Melia Costa Rey: Great Resort with Kite Boarding area

Pullman has very well kept grounds and beach areas. The entertainment in the theatre and also live music acts in the lobby are top of the line. I have chosen the hotel for its beach where a section allows kite boarding towards an unpopulated end. They also have a Kite School on site. The service is great, even during times when the hotel was addressing a plumbing issue in our room. They follow up to ensure the issue has been addressed properly.

Hotel Playa Paraiso: Super Resort

Staff was great! Plenty of food. Rooms, grounds and pool is very clean. Felt very safe and comfortable. Very nice New Years Party... great entertainment. Absolutely nothing to complain about and I would recommend this resort to family and friends. I would definitely go back.

Melia Jardines del Rey: 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!

Hotel Playa Coco: Very poor Country!!!

Not what the pictures look like on the internet!!! Our stay at this hotel was okay I guess but not what we have ever experienced before. We had to wait 1 hour in a line of very impatient customers that were pushing and butting in line to register for our room as they had a party of 41 people a head of us and all the girls were waiting on them (3 girls) but what took so long was them waiting on their computer. Once we did make it to our room which was the farthest building away from everything [... read more] we didn't have an toilet paper, a shower curtain, a garbage can and our safe didn't work. Our kids stayed in a different room and they had the same problem but they also couldn't get back into there room overtime they left, I don't know how many times they walked to the front desk to get a different key so they could get back into there room. Out front of our building where we slept there was always a smell of sewage and they had the sewage tank cover opened the whole time we were there. We told them but they never did anything about it. As for the food it was okay - our best meal was when we booked at the Japanese Restaurant! We lived off of hot dogs at the snack bar, chicken, pasta, rice and bread. There wasn't much of a night life here. The beach was beautiful! There basketball & tennis courts were under water and not fixed up after the hurricane! I feel this resort was not worth the money I paid for my whole family to go too! Was very disappointed and will never go back to Cuba!!!

Melia Jardines del Rey: 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

Iberostar Origin Daiquiri: Great Resort!

The hotel was very nice. The colourful buildings provided a tropical flare that we enjoyed. The bar staff were amazing. The front desk staff were slow upon check-in. They don't seem to "ramp up" when a bus arrives which would be appreciated. My 13 year-old-daughter loved the place and it was very safe. We would definitely return again. Make sure you bring gifts for the staff there - they really appreciated Toronto Blue Jays t-shirts and Raptors hats. Bring lots of things to hand out and y [... read more]ou will make their day.

Tryp Cayo Coco: poor

food awful. went to a la carte had to leave food was that bad and went to buffet down stairs where we meet people who did the seem thing. we went back again for the italian night which resulted in same thing food was awful had to down stairs to the buffet again...the food in the buffet was fair but the same thing basically every night.. had to change rooms there was a smell beach was dirty

Hotel Camino del Mar: Awesome resort

Was at this resort from Dec 22 - Dec 29. I have been to this resort many times and was shocked after seeing the pictures of the devastation caused by Irma and was shocked again when I arrived to see all the hard work that the employees and tradesman did and are continuing to do, to get this resort back up and running in just a few short months. The improvements are amazing and the place looks beautiful. Lots of familiar faces which was nice to see and as usual was welcomed there with open arms.  [... read more]Thank you for listening to the clients, with the addition of many new shade huts and palapas. Pier looks great and they were just putting the lighting up on the last day of my vacation. Buffet's air conditioning was working great and food was plentiful and delicious. Did not make it to the International but went the Mediterranean for dinner one night and sadly don't have a good review here. It was not good. The steak was so tough that it could not be cut so therefore went to waste. The soup was tasteless and cold. Definitely miss the Italian, they may want to rethink the Mediterranean restaurant and go back to the Italian as I know I never had a bad meal there. Other than that one flaw, my vacation was excellent and would definitely recommend this resort to friends and family.

Memories Caribe Beach Resort: Overall very nice, with some great highlights.

As with any Cuban vacation, having realistic expectations is key to having an enjoyable trip. There were a surprising number of highlights from our week, from the absolutely spectacular beach, to the unexpected variety at the buffets, to the very impressive wine cellar and wine tasting experience. Being at an adults-only resort over Christmas was fantastic - no screaming kids anywhere! Previously this resort was family-friendly, but it is definitely adults-only now. Having traveled to many [... read more] resorts in many countries, I think it is fair to say that Memories Caribe met or exceeded all of our expectations because we weren't comparing it to a 4-star Mayan Riviera resort (which we have been to numerous times). We wanted something clean, nice, quiet, and comfortable, and we got all that and much more. THE ROOMS We stayed in the renovated "Superior Deluxe" room category. The rooms are generally very nice. Sure, they aren't perfect...paintwork, tilework, etc. isn't up to "professional standards". But the rooms look nice, are kept clean by staff, and are more than adequate. Some of our resort friends staying in the same room category had minor plumbing and electrical issues - but no one had major complaints. It is worth noting the bathroom/shower area is not separated at all from the rest of the room. Privacy isn't really an option - but you can always turn up the TV. We didn't have hot water (I believe the whole resort experienced the same issue) for a couple of days, but for most of the week everything worked fine. The overall layout of the resort was very pleasant, with numerous two-storey buildings plus some bungalow suites. We saw a number of wheelchair users managing fine, as there are no stair requirements for ground-floor rooms or any facilities within the resort. Yes, as with many resorts, there is some walking required to get from the rooms to the beach/restaurants/etc. There are no resort shuttles, but this resort is much smaller than others we've traveled to. A little walking never hurt anyone. THE BEACH Wow. Spectacular. The finest of fine white sand, very clean, and enormous. There is only one neighbouring resort on the beach, and there is lots of space for everyone to enjoy. Palapas and lounge chairs are in good condition....occupancy was relatively low so we had no problem at all with people "reserving" lounge chairs. The water is very shallow (I snorkeled out almost two kilometres and it was only 12 feet deep), but great for sitting/wading/swimming (particularly when the tide is in). Sadly, the snorkeling is not very interesting, as there is no reef (the dark areas on satellite photos are sea grasses). Sand fleas (the practically microscopic flies with a nasty bite) were torturous for some people (as evidenced by the welts on their arms and legs), but oddly enough we had no problem with them at all (despite playing beach volleyball every day). Many brought insect repellent, and it is a good idea. THE POOL Very nicely laid out and beautifully clean. The pool bar wasn't really in use as the pool was a bit cool, and for most of the trip the pool was empty. Lots of lounge chairs and places to sit around the pool, with great sun exposure. THE FOOD Yes, the food was a bit lacking in "flavour", which was often made up for with salt. But the variety of food at the buffet restaurant was really impressive. Lamb, rabbit, beef, pork, chicken, fresh fish and calamari on the grill, great omelette station for breakfast, carved pork for dinner....I really don't understand how anyone could not be satisfied with the variety of offerings. There were a few "downsides" to the food: Although I don't eat sweets, my girlfriend commented that while there was lots of selection, they just weren't very tasty. Also, the a la carte restaurants were mediocre at best. Nice venues, pleasant service, but the food wasn't the highlight. No matter...the buffet was close by! This resort has a great little coffee and ice cream "shop" which (according to my girlfriend) served excellent coffee. A novel little afternoon break spot, and very nicely laid out. The resort also has a wine cellar - something I haven't seen at a resort before. And what a great experience their wine tasting is! Get a group of people together and spend a few hours sampling wines from Europe and South America - definitely a highlight of our week. The piano bar was another great spot, for evening cocktails and live music. All performers were very talented, and some were superb (sax player especially). THE BARS As noted above, the piano bar is one of the highlights of the resort. Great cocktails on their menu (and premium brands if you upgrade to the Diamond Club). The sports bar was very nicely appointed...we spent an evening there and really enjoyed it. The 24-hour snack bar is outdoors, and was often busy well into the early hours of the morning. Staff were always friendly. Definitely no lack of venues to get your money's worth. ENTERTAINMENT We found the evening shows very enjoyable and well put-together. The dancers are talented and well choreographed, and everyone seems to put a lot of effort into their roles. Resort staff running activities were also generally very pleasant and enthusiastic. The magician who opened a couple of shows doesn't get the credit he deserves - he's a great magician and hopefully more people will appreciate his talents. EXCURSIONS Normally we rent a car during our vacations and explore our surroundings, but there are no villages (or anything else) on the island of Cayo Coco. We opted to take the full day catamaran tour, and it was excellent. Beautiful scenery, great snorkeling, a nice lobster/chicken lunch, and overall a really fun and relaxing day. I took a scuba diving trip through the resort as well, and it was also very well organized. The reef has been damaged by the hurricane (lots of broken coral and siltation), but was quite interesting nonetheless. The catamaran and dive boat were very modern and well kept - much nicer than I expected. Everything from the dock facilities to the roads to the airport are modern and nice...my only previous experience of Cuba was 17 years ago and things have definitely changed (for the better) since then. Of interest, there is a very small "tourist flea market" close by where you can purchase souvenirs. Most people take the public bus, but the flea market is small and the bus schedule (while on time) isn't very frequent. A MUCH better option is to hire a taxi to take you to the market, and then to Lenny's Beachfront Grill. The scenery alone at Lenny's is work the drive (perhaps 15 minutes from the resort), and their seafood platter and fish filet were absolutely delicious. If you're interested, it cost us $35 to take a "modern" taxi from the resort to the flea market, Lenny's, and back. The taxi waited for us, and the driver was very friendly. Friends took a bus to the flea market, then hired a classic cab for the ride to Lenny's. Sadly, Cueva el Jabali (the Wild Boar Cave bar) was not open during our trip. We were really hoping to take advantage of this unique venue, and I highly recommend checking it out if you have the opportunity. It is very important to note that while hurricane Irma did extensive damage to the entire island of Cayo Coco the resort, the surrounding resorts, and all facilities/excursions are fully operational and in great shape. Please don't hesitate to select this resort (or any other in Cayo Coco) based on concerns about hurricane damage. The Cuban government has done a stupendous job of repairing infrastructure and getting facilities back online.

Melia Jardines del Rey: 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.

Hotel Playa Coco: Good time!

Beach was beautiful, lots of beach chairs available. Staff were friendly and room was spacious and clean. Food was just ok. Some little unfinished things such as patio doors not locking still need to be fixed up.

Iberostar Origin Daiquiri: Recommend this resort to everyone.

This was my first visit to Cuba. We were very delighted with our choice. The grounds, lobby, beach, rooms and buffet were exceptionally clean and well maintained. The employees were the most friendly and very accommodating. The buffet had a varied menu for everyone's taste. We highly recommend this hotel to anyone who enjoys a quiet and friendly resort.

Iberostar Origin Daiquiri: Good Value

This resort is good value. They hotel is still recuperating from the hurricane. The food is very good and the staff are friendly and helpful. The lobby bar is open 24/7 for coffee, tea and alcoholic drinks.

Melia Jardines del Rey: 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.

Hotel Playa Coco: Incredible Recovery!!

I spent three weeks at Hotel Playa Coco in late November/early December in 2014, 2015, and 2016. I took a liking to the fine facility and the wonderful staff. Of course, I was eager to return this year, but was concerned about the condition of the resort, following Hurricane Irma. I had seen photos of the damage, and was skeptical that repairs could be made in a few short months. Regardless, I booked an all inclusive excursion with Trip Central, and was at Hotel Playa Coco from December 6 > D [... read more]ecember 20. In hindsight, I wished that I had stayed three weeks again. The resort was repaired and renovated beyond my expectations!! The 'trashed' lobby and buffet restaurant were beautifully restored, as were the rooms. There was new furniture, an LED television, and a lovely, high quality new bed in the room. In truth, the room was much nicer than in previous years!!!! The buffet restaurant featured all new tables and chairs, and was tastefully decorated. Ditto for the lobby. The old Beer Garden was rebuilt, but renamed Snack Bar Guantanamera. There is a lovely, new Beer House, next to the gymnasium, which is open from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM. The Ice Cream Parlour is still there, and there is a rebuilt Amphitheater. They are building a large restaurant [2 or 3 a la carte restaurants] and bar just off the beach, next to building 5. It was slated to be finished by late December. The pools were in excellent shape, and cleaned daily. Both feature a pool bar. Per usual, the food was very good, and the staff friendly and helpful. I am most willing to recommend Hotel Playa Coco, and look forward to my next visit there!! Harley Whitlock, Brantford, Ontario

Memories Caribe Beach Resort: Very good

Stay between Dec 16 to 23. Very good experience. 4.5 out of 5. Some small things: first night the room is not good. Get new room next day and no problem. The food is beyond my expectations as ppl said it is Cuba. The restaurant is a little bit disappointed.

Sol Cayo Coco: Best food, 2 amazing beaches

Beach and food are the most important factors for us. This Place was a winner for both. For someone who gets traveller's diarrhea walking to the mailbox, I was pleasantly surprised to feel fantastic after every meal which consisted of many different items as everything was so delicious. The buffet was incredible every time, the snack bars are awesome, and the resto is amazing. Bars are great. There is one calm beach with crystal clear waters and one wavier beach on either side of a small peni [... read more]nsula. Both are fantastic. In addition, our room in the 1200s was great by any standards, the rest of the buildings were great and the pools are nice. Good activities and shows, too, and they start on time which is a big plus. The only thing that was a bit uncomfortable was the tipping. We are happy to reward the great service that we received from the vast majority of the staff but it seemed like more and more was expected in terms of tips and items. I would imagine this is a product of changes in Cuba and not particular to this resort, but I hadn't felt as much discomfort with respect to this at other resorts in years past.

Melia Costa Rey: This is the best resort we have been to in the whole Carribean and Mexico

My wife and I have been to almost every area in the Caribbean, about 30 odd vacations. We cannot say enough about how this resort conducted business from management right down to the lowest level of employment. Rooms were spotless, food was good (example) lobster.cavier, it was my wife's birthday during our stay and I went to book a special dinner for us when I inquired about it they had already booked everything including a cake and champagne at no cost ( they must have taken her birthdate from [... read more] her passport) activities group kept everyone involved from morning until nighttime the evening entertainment was spectacular especially the tenors who could perform in any big stage in the world. The bars were well stocked and the bar service was professionally done. The beach was outstanding white and soft sand the seaweed was removed everyday. WE WILL BE BACK Thanks to everyone for making this a great vacation. (Please note we were not in the executive side of the resort)

Memories Flamenco Beach Resort: Memories... and Irma forgotten!

Ok... so I'm back in snowy country and am suffering post-Memories blues... And here's my report :-) First things first: Did we get 7 days of sunshine and hot weather? No. It was cloudy almost everyday and the temperature varied from the low to the mid 20s. To all who complained (Canadians are great weather whiners), I replied these words: Do you see any snow?. The beach was awesome although strong winds disturbed the ocean floor making snorkelling a bad idea. Staff was awesome as it always is an [... read more]d the food was delicious! I had beef, yes, BEEF once a day and it was also delicious! (See Enrique at the grill, in the buffet). Most of the resort shows no sign of Irma. Construction was going well (not at Canadian speed) for two beach bars (currently, only the Diamond Club beach bar is opened and it does serve everyone - there isn't a "special" Diamond Club beach as of yet) and it was, overall, an awesome week of unplugging from this world! Spent a day in Ciego de Avila, over one of the staff's place, had an excellent day and meal :-). Cannot wait to book my next visit, in the first quarter of 2018 :-)