Melia Jardines del Rey: below average, not a 4*...maybe 3*

Well what was NOT GOOD.... 1) Thursday Feb 16 2017 we arrived and didn't get a beach towel until Saturday. 2) Every bathroom you went to on the resort it was hard to find any toilet paper. 3) Tuesday our building (#2) had NO water and then the whole resort had no water until 3pm on Wednesday so all the bathrooms were unbearable to go into because of the smell. 4) A lot of bugs in the room and there was some mold due to water damage in the bathroom. Now what we liked...... 1) amazing sta [... read more]ff 2) beach was amazing and the beer was always cold down there.

Melia Jardines del Rey: Great Resort

The resort was beautiful. The beach was amazing and views were great. The room was pretty good, although it could've been cleaned a bit more thoroughly. Food was alright but I wish there were more options and more condiments (salad dressings and ketchup). Overall we had an amazing time and I would recommend this resort.

Melia Cayo Santa Maria: Melia Cayo santa Maria / 2 stars

The grounds were fine . Beach was amazing. Rooms clean but dated. Staff were friendly for the most part however there are many areas requiring attention: insufficient hot water. , water pressure , Lack of fresh beach towels , procedure for booking al a carte dinners , variety at buffet unless present when it first opens. We both came down with an intestinal bug from this resort . They would be better off not offering wifi at all rather than promoting a service that works so poorly . This r [... read more]esort is in an impoverished area ; not having access to an abundance of supplies or services, however they are also competing for the same tourism dollars with other resorts all over the world so they must look for ways to improve on the product that they deliver ..

Melia Jardines del Rey: Very Nice resort but needs improvements

Great: Rooms: always clean, stocked fridge every day and cleaning staff was very attentive Staff: under the circumstances all the staff that we interacted with were kind, attentive and accommodating and super friendly. Beach: most beautiful beach in Cuba! Bad: The resort was at full capacity and could not handle it, there were no towels for most guests and no beach towels almost every day we were there, thank god I did bring my own. Food: we all know you don't go to Cuba for food, howeve [... read more]r the food at this resort was subpar even for Cuban standards. It was repetitive, undercooked and ran out very early. The al a carte restaurants were slow, had no ambience for the theme they were trying to advertise, and again understaffed. Facilities: because of the capacity of the hotel, bathrooms at most of the public facilities were either not working, had absolutely no toilet paper, soap or paper towels. One toilet for the entire beach for two days is just unacceptable. The resort lost power (not uncommon in Cuba) but it knocked out the pumping station for some of the buildings and we had no water for two days. Entertainment: it was ok, but for Cuba again it was subpar, their extravagant shows are awesome, but the shows here were boring and lacked enthusiasm from most of the team. The animation team had more entertainment value then the shows did. I would recommend this hotel in low season, not high season (February/March)

Melia Cayo Santa Maria: Wouldn't go back

Grounds and beach were beautiful. Understaffed so many of the servers are not friendly. It's clear to see that management is bleeding the property. Ceilings falling down, furniture and fixtures breaking. Toilet seats in public washrooms are scarce. Had to use a flashlight while reading in bed because lamps were shorting out. No water two evenings and no hot water most of the time. Buffet ran out of plates constantly. We could go on and on. We never complain but for the price we paid, it was  [... read more]a really unfortunate holiday.

Paradisus Varadero: Overrated resort

Beautiful hotel , and grounds , fairly good beach , service wasn't as good as other 5 star rated resorts in Cuba . No towels for beach and towels were not replaced in room after cleaning. Employees didn't smile too much . Made you wait in a line up for breakfast buffet . Very surprised and disappointed as usually paradisus resorts are amazing . The Melia las Antillas and the paradisus del Mar service was excellent ! Disappointed and would not return .

Melia Jardines del Rey: Beautiful Cuba, Average Resort

We just returned yesterday from a one week stay at the Melia JDR in beautiful Cayo Coco, Cuba. We stayed between Feb 15-22/2017. This was my sixth time travelling to Cuba, second time to Cayo Coco (Previously stayed at the Melia Cayo Guillermo). Travelled as a couple in our mid-late 20's. I had booked this trip three months in advance when reviews were positive and the hotel was rated #6/12 resorts in Cayo Coco. Fast forward to now it being #10/12. Let's break this into the Positives and Negativ [... read more]es. Positives: Quick bus transfer from the airport - we arrived late at night and the ride took only took about 20 minutes. Modern facility - only a few years old, wicker furniture in the lobbies, marble, nice looking public areas. Quick check in - they rounded us up into a conference room, gave out room cards, bracelets, offered money exchange, received a welcome drink. Great experience. Staff - 90% of the staff are great and smiling. As with anywhere, there are a few of the bunch that probably shouldn't work in hospitality. Beach - BEAUTIFUL! Yes, people do "reserve" all of the more comfortable blue beach loungers early on (despite a sign stating they cannot do this so if you are ballsy enough and notice no one has been there all day just move their stuff, they cannot do anything/staff will not penalize you for doing so). Pools - Two large pools, each with a swim up bar. Drinks - FROZEN pina coladas/daquiris. Hard to come by in Cuba, as they are usually the consistency of cold milk at some resorts. Bar staff were great, but yes we do tip often. Rooms - our room was nice, modern, fresh. Stayed in bungalow 14 on the second floor. Room 14217. We requested this block ahead of time and they were able to accommodate. Send room requests to their Facebook page a few weeks before departure. Price - We paid less than 1000$ per person in February for one week all inclusive. Can't be beat. Excursion - We did the full day Jeep Safari and loved it! Negatives: Towels - Unfortunately, as in other resorts in Cuba, beach towel service is less than ideal. It's just more noticeable at this resort as it is the largest resort in all of Cuba. We got lucky and exchanged our towels three times during the week. There is no set pattern to when they will get fresh towels, and you may go 3+ days without a towel. For the most part bath/room towels were restocked daily. Water Pressure - No good. Some days no water, some days only cold water. Again, the shear size of the resort explains this. Food - Been to Cuba 6 times, the food here was definitely the worst we have experienced. Now, I never went hungry and we always found things to enjoy. However, the buffet could not keep up with the demand, and most of the food in the warming stations was cold. Al La Cartes - Again, we got lucky and didn't have a wait to book our reservations. So for us this was a positive. However, it was common for wait times to be around an hour to book, with most reservations being at 830 or 9pm. The food itself wasn't great, and for the two of us, by the time we sat down, ordered, and ate, it was a 2+ hour experience. Very slow. Service in the french was good, staff in the italian were less than kind. Conclusion: For the price we paid, we really can't complain! We used the day pass to check out the #1 rated Melia Cayo Coco, and actually preferred our resort for a lot of things. Would I go back to Cuba? Heck yes! Would I return to this resort? Probably not. I think 1200 rooms is too big, probably will cap it out around 600 or so. They just can't meet the demand of this many guests, however they are trying to implement some changes which is appreciated. TIPS - Send room requests via the resorts Facebook page a few weeks in advance. Book Al La Cartes right away. Go to your welcome briefing. Exchange money at front desk if line up at bank is long. Expect the WIFI to be crap, there's no fixing it. Try the restaurant by the pool for lunch, the fried chicken is tasty. Bring a BUBBA! Save the environment from those plastic cups. Bring a converter if you plan on plugging anything in. Bring bug spray AND after bite- I got eaten alive even though I used it religiously.

Melia Marina Varadero: Beautiful Resort

I visited in February 2017. Grounds, pools are well kept. Beach is not close to the resort but ok if you don't mind a walk. The studio apartment that I had was well maintained, clean and overlooked the marina which was lovely to wake up to the view of water and boats. The main food buffet had a couple of issues with waits to get in at meal time, sometimes plates would take a while to appear. Food was reasonable, there's always plenty. My main issue was not enough shade at the beach and at the po [... read more]ol. This resort is top notch, and the staff and people of Cuba are very friendly and always pleased to make your visit pleasant.

Melia Jardines del Rey: Beautiful Beach!

Cayo Coco beach is simply lovely! The staff at Melia Jardines Del Rey are top shelf! Amazing staff remember you and what your drink of choice is after only meeting once or twice! What is so sweet about the people of Cuba is how they greet each other when they arrive at work! They actually hug and kiss each other! The property is quite large so if you have any mobility issues, you may want to consider looking at a smaller resort. The pools are very nice and there are lots to choose from. The rest [... read more]aurants that serve hot lunch are very good. The chicken wings are fabulous, but you may have to wait to get a table. The buffets are your typical fare. The a la cartes are just ok, nothing of particular notice. Bring bug spray, the mosquitoes are vicious! And don't forget the Benedryl, you won't be as itchy!

Melia Peninsula Varadero: Melia penninsula varadero

We were happy to find ourselves at this 5 star resort. Our room was large with a king size bed, but best of all was the walk in shower with a rain head. It was wonderful. Also we were only about 500 yards from the beach, easy walking. The food was good and we experienced all the different restaurants - Italian, French, Cuban and Japanese. We enjoyed sitting down go a well laid table with china, glasses for wine and water, and to be waited on. We found the resort well laid out and would r [... read more]ecommend this to all.

Melia Peninsula Varadero: Fun in the sun!

Here are some pointers for first time visitors to Cuba. The weather was perfect every day as expected. The people are just as nice. Polite and so helpful. Expect line ups at customs but other than that travel is normal. The shuttle buses back and forth are convenient. No need for taxis. Our resort would rank between 3.5 out of 5 as compared to a standard North American stay. Our room was clean and well maintained and staff were excellent. Expect service to be slow at times as the pace of life in [... read more] Cuba is not so rushed. Just chill out people! As you may have heard the food can be suspect. Well it was! Pick your poison and stick with it! Make sure you see your resort rep to give you all the resort info and tours available and suggestions for fun the sun. The only other thing we would mention is access to the beach and water. Our party had a disabled member and was unable to make it into the water. Although we were able to access the beach and loungers there were no stairs or ramp to get to the water. The beach was two tiered with a four foot drop so seniors or disabled be warned. So enjoy the sun, heat and all you can drink and don't forget your sun screen. we're still peeling! Cheers!!!

Melia Las Dunas: Lovely visit

Melia las Dunas was a typical Cuban resort. The food was not fancy but it was good. The room was clean, the staff were friendly, there were plenty of drinks and options for dinners. The à la carte restaurants were a great treat- lovely atmosphere and food. The beach was fantastic, the pools were clean and we enjoyed the activities. It was a great place to take a family vacation.

Melia Cayo Coco: Beautiful resort!

Melia Cayo Coco was amazing. We arrived at noon, greeted with a glass of champagne and escorted to our room within an hour. The resort grounds were well maintained, beautiful pool, beach and friendly staff. The Italian restaurant was exceptional. We had a great week and enjoyed the nightly entertainment. We would definitely recommend this resort.

Melia Marina Varadero: The Resort "grounds" of the Resort is fantastic. However, they should hire more English speaking Representatives to help their clients. Most of the workers speak Spanish, therefore, they tend to ignore English speaking guests. I see a lot of communication barrier, during my one week's stay.

The hotel is nice! The nightlife is not well coordinated. You have to be "fishing" for the nightlife location. The guests have to look for their own chairs during the night life shows. If you dress properly for the night shows, you could soil your nice cloths by sitting down on dirty objects or chairs.

Melia Cayo Santa Maria: Very nice small resort

Rooms could have been cleaner and light fixtures could have been brighter for reading at night. The pool and beach area were very nice. The buffet restaurant could have had more of a variety in food. The other restaurants were ok. The staff were courteous.

Melia Cayo Santa Maria: Fairly nice resort

The rooms in the resort could have been a bit cleaner. The electrical fixtures attached to the bed were in bad shape and didn't work. The resort was small, 300 or so guests but it had nice meals, restaurants, etc and the staff were courteous. The pool area and beach was excellent.

Melia Peninsula Varadero: Unforgettable trip!

We absolutely loved our stay at this resort. The rooms and the grounds were clean. The staff was friendly and always ready to help. There were fun activities to do during the day and at night. Oh, and the beach was beautiful!

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Relaxing Holiday

We recently stayed at the Paradisus Del Mar and had a wonderful relaxing holiday. Upon check in we were pleasantly surprised to be upgraded to the Royal Service side of the resort. The weather was perfect and we did enjoy the relaxing atmosphere although at times, it was too quiet! The only negative comments would be, it was a very subdued and reserved adult only resort..not a party place if that's what you're looking for and the food was good but not great, which we've come to expect with Cuba [... read more]n food. All in all, we had a nice break in the warm hot sun while back home they had snow + cold temperatures!

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Not a 5 star resort

Resort beach is excellent. Food is horrible!! Apparently the resort was fully booked and the service was like a 3 star or lower hotel. Rooms were not that great for a 5 star hotel. so all in one we would not return to this resort.

Paradisus Varadero: Great resort

Grounds were beautiful Staff very accommodating Rooms were kept clean Only issue was my husband cut his foot pretty bad and they didn't even have a bandage at the resort There first aid kit was very limited Overall great holiday