A good time was had by all!

The hotel was beautiful, clean and well maintained. We really liked that the rooms were in 3 story buildings as that meant you always had a connection with the beautiful grounds. The staff were friendly and attentive. The beach was gorgeous! We have just a few areas for improvement: -The sheets did not fit our king size bed and always came off in the night! -It was hard to get small change for tips - this is important because just like anywhere else, the staff rely on tips to supplement  [... read more]their income -The food was uniformly good but not outstanding

Don't waste your money there

Arrival: from the moment you arrive, instead of giving each couple a personal greeting, they actually tell everybody to leave their passport on the counter at the reception (totally against any security advice on protecting your passport) and tell you to come back at 4:00 pm, even if it's just noon instead of telling you to come back in a bit to see if your room is ready. They expect you to leave your luggage right in the entrance for hours until your room is ready instead of offering to store  [... read more]them in the luggage room. Without saying it in so many words, they literally tell you to get lost until 4:00 pm and roam around the resort. Even if you have swimwear in your carry-on, you can't get a towel as the pool staff expects you to exchange the ones from your room, which of course, you don't have access to yet. No warm or hot water whatsoever in our room until the 4th day, some people were without for 10 days. Most vacationers you talked to on the resort had the same problems. On the second day, you call to request a coffee packet for your coffee maker as per instructions on the card in your room and they tell you, no coffee packets left at all on the resort, without offering to try finding some; funny enough, cleaning ladies find you some the next morning. No whitener or milk for your coffee; they don't even sell milk at the store. We had to go get some from the restaurant. No facial tissues in-room, not enough lamps for lighting in the room. No paper to wipe your hands in any of the machines in the public washrooms around the resort. No air conditioning at all, no fans and no windows in the à la Carte Bamboo restaurant. Food was generally good but you often did not get what you order from the menu at the Racket Club restaurant as they don't have it. Whatever and wherever the problem, the excuse is always the same: it usually works or we usually have some. The only ones contributing to help you enjoy your vacation regardless of the numerous problems are excellent cleaning ladies like little Yami, day shift and and her colleagues, Yaima, evening shift, restaurant staff like Rigo from the buffet restaurant, Dayleen, Maria Eugenia and sometimes Vallin from the racket club. We met people on the bus on our way to the airport when we left and they stated the 3 and a half star rating hotel was excellent as they didn't have any problems at all. This hotel is sub standard and definitely not a 5 star as rated. Will not stay there again.

Not a five star resort

Our room was okay but never cleaned until at least 4pm every day. Smelled like cigarette smoke but bearable. There's a coffee pot in the room but they never refilled the coffee. The food was the same every day. The a la carte restaurants were mediocre at best and the meat in all restaurants was always over cooked and dry. I would only give this resort a 3 star, certainly never a 5 star. Most of the guests were English speaking but most of the staff had extremely limited English.

2 Star Resort at Best

We think that the resorts in Cuba should have different ratings....like rate them compared to each other...and in comparison to resorts elsewhere like for example, Mexico....In the comparison this resort may have rated high for Cuba but in comparison to other resorts of the world this is a 2 star maximum. The rooms were ok. Not at all fancy, but ours was clean and had all the necessary requirements. However since there was no track installed at the bottom of the closet door, the door kept falli [... read more]ng off or getting stuck. House keeping was good once we left a gift for the cleaning staff. The sheets didn't fit the bed so in the middle of the night we had to get up and put them back on. Most mornings we woke up on the mattress cover. The food was awful. I was not able to eat much of it. The drinks were watered down at the pool and the coffee everywhere tasted like dish water. In order to tolerate it, we had to order cappuccinos. Even then it was only bearable. The service was very inconsistent from place to place at the resort. The dining rooms requiring reservations all served the same food prepared just a little differently. The dining rooms also had no bar, only wine was served. They didn't have coffee either, which was very strange and staff would not go get any if asked. One of the major offensive activities on the resort was the cigarette smoking allowed everywhere even in the restaurants. Not a resort for non smokers or those with allergies. This should definitely be mentioned in the Resort advertising. The beach was amazing other than for the cigarette butts everywhere. Ocean swimming was great. For the amount of money we paid for a 2 week vacation it was very disappointing. We will never return.

Below standard

I know it’s cuba but in no way should it be labeled a 5 star there are positives and negatives I’m not going to go on about it ,just be warned ..........................................................................................................;...;.....................................................................

First experience with all inclusive

Rooms were clean and met expectations - no hot water for 5 days did not. Lobby was attractive though 5 tour reps commandeering tables all day, everyday left less seating for guests to enjoy the atmosphere. Food was good, a la carte restaurants were great, especially Sakura! Pools ok...everything seemed bunched together; very little opportunity to sit in shade or away from all the noise of pool area.Fountains and hot tubs were not running during our stay- too bad. Service was pleasant and he [... read more]lpful. Beach was close and beautiful! Overall good first experience and know what to look for next time...

So disappointed

The resort itself was beautiful...and thats where it stops. The food was horrible, the buffet had bugs (like infested), you couldn't sit down with out swatting several away. The plates were dirty, if you could find a plate. The bathrooms by the buffet were missing the toilet seats for a few days. We had no hot water after our first day till our last day. And when we did get water it trickled out and you would barely get wet. The drinks, we seldom got what we asked for. I stopped having any drin [... read more]ks after Sunday (second day, as I couldn't stomach there basic selection...no strawberry daiquiri's , plain bellini's ..and the mojitos were a mix that would settle at the bottom of your cup ).There is more but I think you get the drift.

Huge disappointment

The grounds of the resort were very well kept and the weather was wonderful but that was the only positive part. Some of the staff were very rude and 24 hour snack shack and bar was out of most items most of the time. We arrived late and had to go to bed hungry. Out of the 7 days we were there We had no hot water for 6 Of them. Rooms were nice but took forever for them to make them up each day. We did complain but never got any satisfaction. I would definitely NOT recommend this resort to anyone [... read more].

Nice small Resort

The people that work here are super nice ! Beach lovely! Friendly Travelers . On the flip side no hot or warm water in the suite . Left to travel home to Canada to sleep in a very cold airport for 15 hours with no Sun Wing reps for 6 hours children were sleeping on the floor it was awful they gave no blankets or pillows ,molded bread to everyone nice perk ! So we have a chance to win $500 bux i would think Sun Wing would just give out all the passenger's $500 just for total confusion . We could  [... read more]not get to our luggage walking zombies 24 hours later we got home .

Good resort

The food food for us. The beach is nice. Beautiful Varadero peninsula if taking double deck tour around . But there are too many mosquitos in the lobby and flies in cafeteria . The facilities are lack of maintenance. A la carte is not as good as we thought.

Not impressed by Cuba or the resort

First Cuba. Everything I read before I went talked about the poverty and neediness of the country. I found all of that to be true and it colored my impressions of the entire trip. The resort. Again, I was warned, a five star in Cuba isn't like a five star in other locations. Oh boy, that is true. In my opinion, the resort, although clean and maintained, was worn out and unimpressive. Again, as warned, the food was mediocre to bad. The main pool was crowed and noisy. We were able to get a [... read more]n upgrade to Royal Service and that pool was much less crowded. The Royal Service beach area had lots of chairs and shade, plus a bar. The general beach area not so much. Beach is pretty. Pools in both areas really cold. Would not suggest paying for Royal Service. I view this destination as a budget vacation and you get what you pay for. I would not do this again. Although I saved money, I found too much lacking for my tastes. I would suck it up and find more funds and go somewhere more upscale and not Cuba.

Nice Resort

The hotel was nice looking. Grounds were very clean, beach had some debris in/on the sand. Beach bar needs work! Workers are arrogant, and only serve you if u have money in your hand. I had a VIP room and it was nice. Food was shady the first few days but after that it was good.

Very disappointing

This resort would have potential if under different management. - the staff were friendly but NOT helpful - the food was horrendous - tips were asked for and expected everywhere - the facility was rundown (for example the pool grout was dirty) - basic supplies were limited (no toothbrushes or lighters for purchase) On a positive, the beach was beautiful!

Great place, horrible food

The place itself is amazing! So beautiful! And so big! And the gym was pretty awesome too! I was shocked as to how much it had in it. And the entertainment was good too. Always had lots going on, but Sunday was low key and quiet. But the food? Omg, almost the same stuff breakfast lunch and dinner. And we were only there for four days, thank god not a week or more. Change it! Cool with some spices! We have been to four stars that have been better. Oh and the bugs! As soon as the sun goes down, pu [... read more]t long pants on! My husband is still dying from itch and we got home feb 5th. Mine aren’t as bad but he isn’t sleeping. That’s not the resorts fault, just a warning as the big repellent didn’t work for us. Other then the food, the place was great.

Not a 4.5 Star.

Trip Central agent said the Paridisus del Mar was comparable to the Royalton Hicocos. This couldn’t be further from the truth. First the good.....the service and staff were good. No complaints. The entertainment at night was surprisingly good. Wifi signal was actually strong around the lobby and pool. The bad....The food at the buffet was bland and boring. No creativity. Same meals everyday.the lineups were also frustrating. Not enough experienced food servers were present. The restaurant [... read more]s were good. Not great. The after hours snack bar was freaking terrible. I know Cuban food on resorts is not the greatest but the snack bar was so amateur and offered little. The grounds were really nice to look at but upon further review it was in decay. The main fountain in the square was dry and falling apart. The basketball net was apparently broken. The disco was flooded almost a year ago which is a shame but no work was being done on it. So no disco. There is only one gift shop. If you run out of suntan lotion then the resort will charge you 20$ for a small bottle. The lineups for money exchange were also frustrating. And the resort ripped you off royally with the exchange. I could go on but the overlying theme here is the details that make a 4 or 5 Star we’re not cared about. If you can get this place for 1000$ Canadian for a week then you’ll be happy. Anything more and regret will fill your soul. Lol. Just a side note - if you see great reviews or even good reviews for this place then they surely were by paid review writers. Yes. That actually is a job.

Don’t stay here unless it’s Royal Service

We absolutely regret not staying in the Royal Service section. It was like two different worlds. The buffet, service, literally everything was far superior in the Royal Service section and the rest of the resort was severely lacking. Definitely NOT a five star and far inferior to other four stars in Varadero. Food was the worst I’ve ever had in Cuba, and having been to the island before we knew what the food was like. Very dissappointed with the resort and service, but enjoying time off the re [... read more]sort was our saving grace and made this trip memorable.

Certainly not a 5 *.....

My mother and I stayed at the Paradisus Princesa Del Mar from January 26 to Feb 2, 2018 and we were both very very disappointed!!! The hotel is definitely not a 5* by any standards. They advertised International drinks but didn't have any of the drink either of us drink here at home. No good vodka, no Bailey's and none of the regular shooter type drinks we are accustomed to at home. They didn't even have frozen drinks such as Pina Coladas! Not only did they not have beverages that w [... read more]ould entice us to stay at the bars etc... any time we were at the 24 hour restaurant, they lacked half the food mentioned on the menu!!! No fries, No poutine, no pizza, no chicken wings....all things they clearly state are available 24 hours a day!! Our room service was provided by Lydia, who was sweet and friendly however, she missed doing our room on 2 days??? We would come back in the early evening only to find that nothing had been done :( As well, the service anywhere on the resort is SOOOOO SLOW!!!!!!! i understand this is Cuba and things are a bit more relaxed... I can handle that but when you are standing at a bar for over 20 minutes and the staff have not even glanced in your direction yet...it gets pretty frustrating..... I could go on and on about the lack of seating throughout the resort, the lack of beds by the pool, the bad service, the untidy washrooms etc... but i think most travelers are getting the idea. I would never go back there nor would i ever suggest this resort to anyone!!!! Stay away unless you want to be frustrated and ignored!!

Great resort

What a well kept and layed out resort! The staff is very friendly and attentive. We also liked the daily entertainment. The performers were amazing! The piano bar, however, should start having an actual piano player much sooner.

Beautiful resort with ocean front room. Great! Weather, not so great!!

We enjoyed one week at the Paradisus Princesa Del Mar this January 20-28. We requested, via our agent at Trip Central, a top floor room, with a King Bed and a room situated in a quieter area of the resort. We got all three requests. Our room was perfect located in building 4 on the top floor and was overlooking the ocean. We were literally only steps to the Beach. Our maid Yesiney who looked after us everyday was fantastic. The room was spacious and it had a king bed with a sitting area just [... read more] inside the balcony. There was a fridge with drinks and two beer (the maximum we were told) and we worked around the beer issue and it was corrected by the third day! All of the workers at the Resort were friendly and most spoke some, or a little English. The resort is very large, but building 4 seemed to be in close proximity to everything. My wife enjoyed the aerobics and yoga classes held in buildings beside the main pool each day. The main buffet restaurant is lacking in space. There were only 6 stations and they were all cramped together. The Buffet served basically the same food day in and day out. That was our only concern with this being classified as a 5* Resort which in way s it was but the Buffet was at a 3.5* level at best. But, this is Cuba remember so take the good with the bad. The weather while we were there was not good unfortunately and those before us had even worse weather and those following us were expecting the same poor weather we had. This consisted of very high winds, rain, and average to lower temps. We only made it to the beach 3 out of 7 days due to inclimate weather. On the nice days the beach was great but watch out for the Portuguese Man O war (jelly fish) as we observed probably 1000 lying in the sand the first day we arrived. On the nice days you would see 5-10 floating in the water which was not a problem, but on the bad days they were everywhere so people could not swim when the weather was bad for fear of being stung. The resort did have the beach cleaned and dragged every morning. The beach was beautiful and there were ample beach chairs for everyone so saving spots was not necessary. However, the beach bar was closed the first time we went over to it, apparently they ran out of cups! It re-opened within an hour. This resort was extremely quiet, not noisy like a lot of other resorts. Even by the main pool the Island music was kept to an acceptable level and wasn't pounding.As an adult only resort I found the clientele older and more reserved. There wasn't huge amount of late night partying going on. The weather may have had something to do with that also! Finally, we have one large complaint and this is in regards to a one day Havana Tour we booked for our stay in Cuba. We attempted to book this tour via Trip Central with our agent and through our provider Sunwing. For u/k reasons our agent could not access this trip on Sunwing's site. So, we went ahead and booked on line through Amigo Tours. When we started our trip we realized we paid more than double what other people on the tour paid. In fact we paid $146 as compared to most who paid only $70 each. We brought this to the attention of the tour guide who said she had seen the discrepancy in the price we paid and was going to tell her supervisor who in turn would call our Sunwing rep. We waited a full day before we talked to the two Sunwing reps at our Resort about this problem. They both said they knew nothing about this issue and no one from the tour company had called them. As was expected! They told us they were going to look into what they could do about it on their end and we never heard another thing from anyone with Sunwing after that. Typical. We decided we are going to call our CC company and report this as an internet Fraud and try to recoup at least half the money we were over charged through them. I suggest anyone traveling to Cuba only book with their provider once you are at the Resort.

Paradisus Needs Help

Over all the Resorts is OK ..Most all staff are very accommodating . Check in is not till 4 so that needs to get fixed . Main Lobby Bar service poor , due to under staffing . Products not available at all during week , Amaretto ,Kahula to name a few .. Food was fine , Tasty but again long line ups to get food cooked .. needs to be fixed . Rooms are huge and are fine . Clean and staff very good . Over all at 3.5 at best not a 4 star location . Breakfast opens at 7:30 too late should be 7am .. Lun [... read more]ch the same 12:30 needs to be 12 .. Over all a good place but lacks staffing which would fix the line ups