Memories Jibacoa: Best resort we've stayed at in Cuba

- beach was rocky but the snorkling was fantastic - pool area was clean with lots of shaded areas - rooms were a bit run down but they were clean. - it was a rainy week but there were lots of tv channels to choose from to occupy the time at night - it's not a far drive from varadero or Havana if you want to get off the resort - the frozen drinks are disappointing but the food was generally very good. The omelette bar and rotisserie section were always consistently good. - it's a smaller resort s [... read more]o you're close to the beach and the lobby. - the synchronized swimming show was one of our favourite animacion shows. Much better than any other show I've seen in Cuba. - It's a quiet resort. You won't find any partying here, which is exactly what we were looking for. - There were some issues with WIFI but this was hands down the best internet I've ever had in Cuba and very reasonably priced.

Memories Jibacoa: Memories Jibacoa - good

Resort was clean. Grounds well maintained. Units spacious and well kept. Lots of hot water, good water pressure. Housekeeping did an excellent job. lots of stairs in main building to access buffet, lobby, piano bar, everything else was easily accessible. Front desk staff need some people skills. All the other staff were friendly, helpful and welcoming. Food and mixed drinks were ok. Not the top of the line but still good. Menus did not change a lot day to day. 1 hr from Havana. 1 hr from Varader [... read more]o airport . Location was more country, which we liked. Pool was huge, only 1 pool - weather was not good so I can't say if pool gets crowded. Beach was good. Again weather prevented us from snorkelling or swimming in ocean. Access to ocean was rocky. Need water shoes. Piano bar great. Evening entertainment good if outside, weather moved it indoors which I did not enjoy.

Sunscape Curacao Resort: Great value for the money - relaxing vacation!

My husband and I went to this resort with two other couples from Jan. 10-17, 2016. It was a very relaxing yet fun vacation. One great thing about this resort - NO WRISTBANDS! Was that ever a nice change. They had security on site asking people to give room numbers if they didn't recognize you. Free Wi-fi in lobby. Good sized Casino if you're into that. Food: really good at the a la cartes but slightly repetitive at the buffet, but all in all you can still find something to eat. We are not that  [... read more]fussy, and never went hungry. We ate off the resort one night, and be prepared for Canadian restaurant prices. Food is good and very safe off the resort. There are also chain restaurants in Curacao (ie. McDonald's, Subway, KFC). The water on the island is safe to drink. Beach/Pools: The beach is very nice with a break wall to calm the tides coming in and makes snorkelling/swimming easier. When getting into certain areas of the beach, beware of coral at the beginning, but you can walk around this. Once in, it's beautiful! The snorkelling is amazing and is the best we've done from any resort we've visited. We could even feed the fish right out of our hands! The pools and areas around them are always kept clean. We had no issue at all. And although the resort was at full capacity, we could always get a beach/pool chair. Granted, we're early risers but during the day even saw empty chairs. Yes, people saved them, but this didn't bother us. We did the same. The beach is long enough for a nice walk. Getting towels was never an issue for us. Bars: They seem to rotate their bartenders often, so finding a favourite one to tip exclusively was a bit hard. Most were friendly, but not over the top. We found the female ones to not know the drinks as well as the male bartenders, but just tell them what you want, and they'll gladly make it for you. The only issue we might have had, which isn't a big one, is that down at the swim-up bar part, they don't serve you as often as most resorts we've been to. The drinks are good, and have "drink of the day" everyday. They serve a lot of premium alcohol such as Crown Royal, Bailey's and Jack Daniels. Amstel is the main beer there, but run out often because we found the local beer they served not as nice (called diNos). Service: We never really wanted for anything; if we asked we got it. Most staff were extremely courteous, happy, and genuine. Just treat them like a human being and you will get the same in return. Be a good guest, you'll get good treatment. We loved Yvonne and Raysa in the Coco Cafe, the coffee bar there. There were also some staff in the buffet restaurant, World Cafe, that were excellent. You will get a "Bon Dia" no matter where you go. Rooms: The rooms were always kept extremely clean and tidy, the beds were very comfortable, and very few, if any, bugs. Really, we were there to mainly sleep in the room, so not much time was spent there. There is a free in-room safe which worked for us just fine. We were in room #2218. There was a plumbing smell when we first got into the room and on a couple of days there, but just running the bathroom fan, a/c and flushing got rid of it. It wasn't bad enough, or even frequent enough, to bother getting another room. Again, we don't spend our time there, and this was NOT an issue for us. We tipped the maid daily with chocolates and US money. If you need anything, just write a note and we never had a problem with getting it. All in all, a wonderful, relaxing, fun vacation. We would come back in a heartbeat!! If we had any cons, here they are: Need more upbeat music after breakfast. They had parlour-type cover songs (ranging from BeeGees to current songs) playing over the speakers, which is fine, but even island type music would have been nice afterwards. Lobby bar is small (we walked by it two times not knowing it was there!), but it's a smaller resort so no biggy. The only problem we had for a la cartes was at the Italian restaurant-the wait time there was over 2 hours! They initially said 30-40 minutes, but they don't seem to service the tables as fast in order to have proper turnaround. Recommend: Either reserve the free shuttle into town (must be done a day ahead) or do like we did and just use the public bus. It's $2/person each way. Takes you straight into Willemstad. They run constantly, but just be sure you look which bus you're getting into to get back to your resort. We felt completely safe on and off the resort. Plenty of shopping, restaurants and things to see. Rent a car for a day or two and explore! We met a couple who did this and found a beautiful beach and restaurant to eat at. Wish we had done the same. From Sunscape, there's about a 5 minute walk to Mambo Beach where there's more boutique stores, restaurants and a really nice beach. You must pay to use the beach, but it's cheap. You're paying for the upkeep of the beach.

Memories Jibacoa: Great, quiet resort in a beautiful setting

We chose this resort mainly due to its proximity to Havana, however after spending a week there it was obvious it has much more to offer than just location. The setting is gorgeous, sandwiched between beautiful green mountains and crystal blue sea. We aren't the type to sit on the beach all day everyday so having the option of going on hikes, snorkelling (there's a coral reef about 5-10 metres off shore and long walks along the mostly unspoiled beach were a huge plus. Now everyone knows the food [... read more] in Cuba, particularly on all-inclusive resorts can be hit or miss, but the food at this resort was a pleasant surprise. There was always something good at the buffet and the à la carte restaurants were also quite good. The only down side was that some of the drinks (piña coladas) weren't quite on par with other places we e been. There is however a small restaurant about a 5 minute walk from the resort with excellent piña coladas at a very reasonable price. The resort is quiet and never seemed too packed, even when it rained and the service was good. We will definitely be returning to Memories Jibacoa.

Hotel Bella Costa: Better than expected

If you are going to travel to Cuba and enjoy yourself, you have to lower your expectations. Visiting Cuba is quite different than a holiday in North America. We did enjoy our stay at the Bella Costa resort. We had an ocean view room in the villa part. The room was very dated and needs work but we had no major complaints regarding our stay there. We had excellent maid service. Judy was our maid. Electricity in Cuban resorts is 220 volts. So take an adapter along if you plan to recharge electroni [... read more]c items. The room had a working fridge, hair dryer and TV (poor though). Two or three English channels are available on TV (CNN, CTV Montreal and a Chinese channel). The beds were okay. The patio doors required you and Arnold Schwarzenegger together to open and close. Very difficult to move either way. The food was actually not bad at all. Lots of variety. We found the omelettes to be a good choice for breakfast. Fried and boiled eggs were available too. For the evening meal we enjoyed the pasta. They have excellent pasta cooks. We did dine at 3 restaurants. The Italian one was excellent. The entertainment at night was excellent. Terrific dancers. The beach is well above average. You can walk for many kilometers on awesome fine sand. There is no problem getting a lounge chair on the beach if you just want to relax and people watch or listen to the waves pounding. But you should go in the water and enjoy the rolling waves give you a nice lift and ride. Much fun. The staff at Bella Costa is very good. If we had any requests, they were dealt with promptly. The swimming pool area is quite nice. We spent a lot of time there visiting with other Canadians and enjoying a drink. In the afternoon, they have games near the pool bar and anyone can participate and have a chance to win a bottle of rum. Of course the entire resort could use a major overhaul but it isn't going to happen. I would have to say that 2 of the downsides to going to Cuba are these. First, you have to buy their stupid tourist currency (the CUC). The exchange rate is brutal, near around 58%. It will cost you about $158 to buy 100 CUC at the hotel. You might do a bit better at a bank in Varadero. You can not buy CUC in Canada. CUC are a ripoff. The second issue is that use of credit cards in Cuba is very limited. NONE of the stores or flea market stands that I visited took credit cards. This is an old and tired resort. But that does not mean you can not have a good experience here. We did. If you are going to Cuba, I think you will have a good experience at the Bella Costa resort if you do an upgrade room choice. We paid an extra $60 each for the ocean view villa room and it was worth the money. Changes will come slowly to Cuba with the lifting of the US embargo. The ways of doing things there will not change quickly. The system is locked in the past and of course it is hampered by the Communist control and thinking. The impact of the changes will be both good and bad. I suspect that the resorts will resist the Americanization and Canadianization of their businesses. They have a good thing going right now. They are busy places and the workers enjoy a standard of living (due to tips) that is well above that of the average Cuban.

Sunscape Curacao Resort: Fantastic resort!

We had a great experience at this resort as a family with 2 small children. The food was great, beautiful kid-friendly beach with hardly any waves. We enjoyed the variety of food and there was always something of please everyone. The entertainment team made sure that the guests were kept busy the entire time - virtually every hour there was an activity going on, plus a fabulous kids club. We are seriously considering coming back th this resort the next year. Curaçao is a beautiful island with v [... read more]ery friendly people, you will not be disappointed!

Memories Jibacoa: A Cuban Experience

A very quiet, smaller resort with a beach offering a good snorkelling experience. Nightly entertainment, spacious pool, clean rooms, sufficient lounge chairs, beautiful grounds & the helpful staff met our expectations. The food choice was monotonous, after a week's stay. Heavy rain caused flooding in some ground floor rooms, so definitely would suggest 2nd floor rooms. Diamond Club vacation perks didn't prove worthwhile...other than the excellent oceanfront room location. The close proximity to  [... read more]Havana allowed for a city tour & enjoyable Buena Vista Social Club concert. We noticed Havana is prosperous now and is flourishing with tourists! All rooms proved a short distance to pool, beach and dining options.

Hotel Los Cactus: Tired resort

The grounds are beautiful. The beach is absolutely gorgeous. The restaurants are good. However, the rooms need some major TLC. We were upgraded two days in and then it was better but the junior suites are horrible! The staff were very helpful.

Memories Jibacoa: Beautiful resort

this is our 4th time Jibacoa, first time since its changed hands to Memories. Very impressed. Lots more shade pergolas around the pool. Food was fantastic. Can even purchase australian wine now, yay! Love the area and the peace and quiet this resort offers. Staff very friendly and understand english perfectly. Rooms, resort and public washrooms very very clean.

Hotel Bella Costa: Nice Trip!

This is our 3rd time to Cuba, so we have a wee bit of experience with the island. Travel time was DE29 to JA05 Overall the resort is very nice. Good quick check in, nice lobby bar, elevators that work, staff are fantastic. Nice beach area and the lay out of the resort is really nice. We were a couple, no kids that traveled over the Christmas Break. Pros & Cons Food- Probably some of the consistently better resort food in Cuba. Perhaps its because it was New Years, but they did a pig roast, then  [... read more]the following day had ribs, pulled pork, bbq available by the pool - that was WONDERFUL - thank you so much for that. The next day they did a HUGE pot of paella - I loved that they took the time to do these special dishes for the guests. The pasta and egg stations were very good - they really should have 3 or 4 of them set up as they are high demand. The inside restaurant had wonderful staff, good choice in food and drink. Some food just wouldnt stay warm - heat lamps kinda suck. The meat was mostly overcooked, but from a resort POV, I think they are safer to serve it like that then trying to offer some rare...to much risk. LOVED the fresh orange juice bar - what a STUNNING idea - every resort should have one! There were a few areas that bothered me: a nice decorative piece of fruit beside the lunch meat was COVERED in ants. That kinda killed my appetite...but it was only once that I saw that. The outside eatery was ok. I have never seen that many birds at an outdoor eatery ( and I like them....) but this was a bit much...there were 100's of them flying and unfortunately pooping on everything. It was good that they had the food really covered up and keep separate, but they did have fruit flies trapped in the food areas on some days. HUGE love for the pizza offerings. Again - just excellent!! That lady should have some serious back up and a few more ovens that work. It was a very welcome change and it was very fair quality! good job! Pool- clean, lots of chairs and pool bar staff were excellent. Towels didnt come some days until much later, but we made due. Bathrooms - I really impressed with 2 things - all of the toilet seats and the paper products/soap were always filled and ready to go. That's a first for me. They constantly had staff checking on them. WAY TO GO! :) Rooms: We had the 3rd floor "garden view" that looked over the garbage shack. That was a little disappointing, but the ocean could be seen from our room....and if you were sitting in the patio chairs, you didnt see the shack etc. I loved the size of the patio and we spent some time out there before dinner and in the evening. It was a quiet place away from everyone and was much appreciated. Great sunsets and we even saw a group of parachuter's jumping out of a plane one evening! Cleaning staff were really nice and did a fairly decent job. I would have preferred that they sweep better (sand of course) and that they had sheets that fit the king size bed, but, overall, not bad. If we needed anything extra or replaced, they were happy to provide it. We were able to get a king size bed, it had a fridge and a few good channels for tv. Beach: pretty clean, lots of garbage bins. The slope of the beach is a bit awkward as it leans down a bit much. Chairs were ok to get...we went early, but as the day went on, it was hard to get one. Some people didnt respect other's space and items, but that's not the resorts fault. Glad for life guards and staff on the resort...I saw one gentlemen assist a couple that had a cane and needed chairs, he ran right up to the pool and scooped them a few really nice lounges. Way to be awesome buddy...so nice! We enjoyed the beach very much - and you can walk for quite some time down it so great for exercise. Palapas could be a bit repaired and others could be built down the beach so there are many more for guests. Shops: Nice to have a good choice of items to buy - cigar prices were better than town, staff were knowledgeable about them and they were stored well. Liquor and snacks available, hours of the shops were kept and the staff were great. Loved that they had some cold beer and Santa Carolina wine available :) Items were reasonably priced if you didnt want to hit the markets in Veradero. We didnt use the internet, but massage service wasnt too bad and the price wasnt to bad as well. Lobby Bar: Lots of staff, great choices of drinks - loved that they had live music and champagne available. Some snacks in the rounded alcove were available as well. I really wish they had big ceiling fans or screened windows to promote air circulation inside of the area. It would have been much more pleasant on the hot hot days. Again, staff were really nice and always ready to help. Entertainment: Lots of dancing - For New years, they did random draws and gave gifts away. They provided loot bags for everyone at dinner that had party favours in them...just an extra little something that was quite fun. The champagne flowed and was a great tasting sparkling wine. In spite of me catching a cold, I really enjoyed myself. Lots of dancing and fun. I loved that the resort let the staff have some fun, enjoy some drink as well...It was their New Years too... :) and...in spite of the huge mess everyone made with the confetti, glasses etc, it was cleaned up just about to 100% the next day..they really kept the resort clean. Al a Cart: Japanese - not bad...great service and the food was pretty darn good for Cuba! We love sushi and this was really surprising at how great they did. Again, good wine, decent food and lovely atmosphere. It was a nice break from the buffet. Wish list: Switch to reusable cups at the resort - less waste, less garbage on the beach. Stop with the straws unless requested..they were everywhere :( People are jerks and litter - again, not the resorts fault, but it would help in the long run. Maybe tidy up the beach restaurant of the birds...just a few too many making a mess. I would wish for sheets to fit the bed...but thats about it. Sorry for the huge review, but its probably our last time in Cuba for a long time. The Bella is a pretty darn good resort...glad for our time there!

Breezes Bahamas: Best Vacation!

Anybody that has anything negative to say about the resort is crazy! It's a little outdated, but who cares... The Breezes is amazing, its now my 2nd time there and I have nothing bad to say. The resort is very clean, everybody is friendly and welcoming, the food is delicious...something for everybody, The ocean is breath taking...What more can I ask for !?!. I can't wait for my next trip. Thanks for an amazing vacation!!!

Hotel Bella Costa: this was a small resort but out side was very beau

the hotel lobby was very nice ,the rooms were old and musky,the grounds were beautiful,the beach was outstanding ,the food was a bit better then expected.the staff was all great to deal with .our sunwing rep was very very affeciant,no problem changing money.there were bugs if you know what I mean ,but I get it is a hot climate,we moved to grand memories resort the following week which was aweful would have gladly returned to bella costa

Rooms on the Beach Negril: Home away from Home

Very spacious rooms and good ac. Beds and linens were top notch. Beautiful marble bathrooms and floors. All the staff were friendly and always ready to help with anything. Location, beach and sunsets were 5 star. Our room needed a new door on to the balcony and a working safe. Fridges were an extra charge but they didn't have any available. Also, the king size bed we were promised turned out to be a double and a single. The onsite restaurant was comfortable, convenient and reasonably priced.

Hotel Bella Costa: Great family trip

The beach was beautiful. Not too many chair savers either! It was about 10-15minute walk to the hop on hop off bus. The nightly shows were great! They had a kid shows before the main show. The facilities were clean and nice. Our housekeeper was great, but my sister wasn't as lucky. She had problems getting clean towels and water wasn't given every day as advertised. Food in the buffet was good.

Hotel Los Cactus: 2nd time.Had a great time.

Everything was good. Grounds are beautiful. The service was very good. The food was what I expected. You have to make the best you can with the food and remember that you are in Cuba and not at home. The Italian Alicart was really good.

Breezes Bahamas: Amazing winter getaway!

The hotel was nice and fun ! Very bright colours, perfect with the bahimian vibe. The lobby is small but friendly . Hotel is very clean with the staff always cleaning some area. The staff at the hotel was amazing - super friendly, helpful and enthusiastic. There is an open bar where you can get almost any kind of drinks - obviously since it is all you can drink the quality is average but still quite good ! We preferred the main dining room which was buffet style - the food was pretty good for an [... read more] all-you-can-eat style and there were multiple varieties of food . Again the staff was very attentive and the service was excellent . The restuarant we went to ( the Italian one) had a slower service time and not as satisfactory so we preferred the buffet. The beach and beach activities were amazing . We went swimming and kayaking . The pools at the resort were great too ! There were seats underwater to lounge at and there is an open bar by the pool/at the pool where you can swim up to get your drinks. In addition to pools there is a jacuzzi which we found perfect in the evening but it sucks that they put a close sign by it at late night . There were also hammocks set up around the resort and beach area which we loved ! As for the hotel rooms they were pretty decent ! Big room, but small balcony . Room and bathroom was clean and some amenities were provided as well (hair dryer , shampoo and conditioner, body soap etc). It was great to have a safe in the room as well . Overall, it was an awesome first time experience at the Bahamas ! Thanks Breezes !

Hotel Los Cactus: Amazing Resort!

I went to Cuba with five other friends, and we stayed at Breezes Varadero for a week. We all a fantastic time! All of the staff were extremely friendly, courteous and willing to do anything for you. There was always something fun as well, from volleyball, bingo, casino night, live entertainment, dance lessons, beach activities...the list goes on. All of the other guests that we met and became friends had a wonderful time too. I would recommend this resort to my family and friends.

Hotel Los Cactus: Great time!

The grounds were neatly kept, the room was tidy, the staff was friendly and the food was good. The beach was not too crowded, but the Atlantic was freezing! as compared to the Bay of Pigs which was warm. Just a 2 hour drive to Havana--we took a one-day tour there that was quite good. The hotel gives a fair rate for Canadian--65%, which is better than the USD exchange.

Hotel Los Cactus: Great resort in right suite. Awesome beach

We were in one of the garden suites (B216) quiet, ac worked, perfect for my wife and 18 yr old son. AC issues in other units I heard and hotel rooms were not great. Beach awesome, staff very friendly and location perfect. Food very good for cuba. We lucked out with the New Years eve buffet with lobster and crab. Overall was great but I can imagine not so much in a rlsuite without AC working well or in 1 of the dark and stanky hotel rooms.

Hotel Bella Costa: The resort was a huge disapointment

We requested adjoining rooms and balconies of which neither was available. Our rooms were really not appealing-the bedding was gross and the bathroom had a clogged sink & the toilet did not flush properly. Towels for the beach were hard to secure. Very limited lounge chairs on the beach.