Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Beautiful surroundings

Lovely rooms, beautifully kept grounds, friendly service, adequate food, fantastic beach, large clean pools, WI-FI access-reasonable cost per hour, entertainment was good to excellent, specialty restaurants varied in quality from fair to very good. Although this is a five star hotel in Cuba it is not equivalent to a five star hotel in Canada and if you visit Cuba you have to keep in mind that there will be differences. The hospitality is wonderful!

Paradisus Varadero: Definitely will return !!!

This was a beautifully laid out and very well maintained resort. The size of resort was perfect, everything was in good proximity and easy to walk to. The A La Cart restaurants were very, very good and there was a 24 hour snack bar on site that we ate 70% of our meals at. The pool was beautiful and could see the beach and ocean from pretty much anywhere you stood, the landscape is awesome !! Staff was great, helpful and always offering you something. Definitely, will return.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Great hotel

The hotel is very nice. I found the food good and loved the idea that I could book all the a la cart on line This saved me from lining up and waiting to book a restaurant. Alot of people complained that it took forever to book at the hotel. Some of the staff was not the friendliness I found and slow. The rooms were very clean and we had no problem with the housekeeping. The mattress was not the best and the rooms could use a face lift. The entertainment was very good but could use more music an [... read more]d stuff around the pool during the day. I found the resort very quiet doing the day a little more music and more staff involvement with the guest would have been great. Beaches were great and plenty of room to relaxes. We had no problem getting a lounger by the pool or the beach. All and all the resort is good but could use an update and the staff could use more training on guest relations. Also it was very hard to tip we could never get dollars at the hotel bank. Every time I went they said the smallest bill is 3 cuc. Your question if I would recommend this hotel can go either way depends on the person if your looking for alot of stuff to do and activity during the day then I would so no.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Fabulous service,food and rooms

Went with 3 girl friends for a fun week. The food was fantastic, the service exemplary (special shout out to Javier in the lobby bar). One of the group had a seafood allergy and all the restaurant staff absolutely assured her that there would be no cross contamination. The vibe was very chill and it was definitely an older crowd than I was expecting but a fabulous week at a beautiful resort. Would definitely go back.

Melia Cayo Coco: Nice resort

Firstly do not take airline Cubana. The plane was in need of repair, the lights didn't work then the starter wouldn't start. Took over an hour to get the plane in working order before take off. As for the resort its older but in good shape. The mattresses are very hard, feels like your sleeping on plywood but the rooms were clean and nice. There was good variety of food. Most things were very tasty Staff was very pleasant and informative Exchange rate from CAD-CUP was .67 to .75 depends o [... read more]n which staff member at the front desk gave you the money. But when we came home the rate for the whole week was .76. Beware of that ! Beach was beautiful, shells were coming up a lot because of the wind and waves. Never had an issue to get a chair by the beach or pool. Never line ups at the buffet or bars. Entertainment was great 80% of the people were an older group - 50plus I would recommend this resort if you want peace and quiet.

Melia Marina Varadero: FANTASTIC RESORT!!

This is the second time I have been to Melia Marina resort in Veradero Cuba. The resort is beautiful and so very clean. The staff are friendly and helpful. I had a wonderful time...........again and would highly recommend trying it. I know everyone complains about the food in Cuba but it was good and there is always something to find that you will like. Walking over the bridge to go to the beach did not bother me in the least but if you are looking to be right on the beach this is not for y [... read more]ou. The drinks were great, the atmosphere awesome and I met some wonderful people. 5 stars!!

Sol Palmeras: Nice Resort!

This Resort was very Nice! This was my 4th time to Cuba and the Sol Palmeras was by far the best resort I have stayed at so far in Cuba. It was very clean, even the bathrooms. The buffet had a great variety and for the most part the food was hot. Fresh Omelet bars at breakfast and Fresh Meat Cooked to your liking at Lunch and Dinner. I do have one complaint with the main Buffet the hours they were open were not the greatest, breakfast was from 8-10 however I did notice they were usually open [... read more]ed by 7:30. lunch was from 1 - 3 pm, Dinner starts at 6:30 and was open till 10. They did not have a 24 hour restaurant. We arrived after 10pm and wanted to get something to eat and had to wait until 1130 at which time they had sandwiches at the lobby bar but were not very good. The evening shows that we took in were good, however most shows do not start until about 9:30 which we found a little late after spending longs days at the beach, pool and site seeing. They also have entertainment in the lobby that starts before the shows and continues on while the shows are going on. Every night there is something new! The staff is very friendly and helpful. There was stuff going on at the pool and beach everyday. However if you only speak English it is sometimes difficult to understand what is going on as some staff did not know English as well as others did, and when announcing Activities and shows it was pretty much just in Spanish. Other resorts we have visited used English as well when announcing activities. Roland who I believe is the new Entertainment Manager is good and bringing in some English and he really tries to get people involved. The first part of the week we were there it was a little quiet. As the week went on it seem to get better. We found it very difficult to get smaller change ie 1 dollar peso's to tip with. You could get 3 and 5 peso's but 1's were hard to get. We stayed in one of the 2 storey Bungalows in zone 1 it was close to everything. The exchange rate is not very good for the Canadian dollar, it was at.73 cents. US was .87 cents but there's not much you can do about just thought twice about spending money

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Awesome Resort

This Hotel is amazing, the staff are incredible, the food was fantastic and the beach and pools were perfect. We had an amazing time here and will definitely return in a heartbeat. The rooms are very nice and everything worked well.

Melia Las Dunas: Resort has gown down

We've been to this resort two years ago and found it quite nice then. For that reason, we decided to go to that same resort this year in February. PROS: - Beach was amazing - relaxing pool was nice (adult section of the resort) - service for drinks at pool and beach - very decent bedroom - bedroom always clean (maid changed towels and sheets when we asked her to) - beautiful gardens CONS: - night entertainment not published anywhere, therefore we didn't know what would happen 100%  [... read more]of the time - not a good variety of food at the buffet (got sick half of the week). The same food is served day after day for the whole week - no toilet seats in most bathrooms of the resort - no water in the whole resort on our last day

Melia Jardines del Rey: Large Beutiful Resort--Amazing Beach

Jardines Del Rey is a large property consisting of 26 apartment style buildings; three floors in each. (stairs only) Our room was large and kept VERY clean. The maids were most friendly and very much appreciated the gifts or tips we left each day.You will do a lot of walking to get around, but the grounds and staff are both very nice. There are large golf cart type vehicles to help you get around if needed. The pools are spotlessly clean and vary in depth, to suit all types of folks. The beac [... read more]h is VERY NICE, it is wide, sand is beautiful, there are lots of palapas for shade and lots of beach lounges. Servers come along regularly to see if you need drinks. Sunsets on the beach were amazing. Airport transfer to the resort was perfect--15 minutes or so. You are then taken to a room for a brief meeting and instructions. Your passport will be taken away and copied, but they return soon without issue. If your room is ready, you will be given keys right there and you are good to go. If not (like us), you must check in later with the desk staff to find out when. This seemed to be quite a chaotic process, as many folks are checking, others are trying to change rooms and others just trying to get info. The staff seemed overrun at times. Most staff can understand your questions and provide an understandable answer. This resort is very popular for French Canadians, so English is somewhat of a third language here, although staff always tries to be as helpful as possible. There were no English maps of the property, only French and Spanish. In addition, there are a LOT of smokers here. The lobby area, although open, is often smoke infested, especially in the evening. We are sensitive to smoke, so often had to move about to avoid the clouds coming around. There is one large Buffet area--split into 2 sections. There are always line-ups at the grill stations. We found the food to be fine, although we are not at all fussy eaters. Dishes were varied, there was always something good to have. Many of the dishes were served lukewarm, seldom hot. There was one microwave if you needed to heat things up. Coffee is NOT available for lunch or dinner in the buffet. (breakfast only) We found this disappointing. We went to four different restaurants in the evening. Bana (Oriental) was our favorite. There are a number of animals wandering around, horses, dogs, and a lonely donkey. The donkey is saddled once in a while, and taken to the beach by a guy, who lets you take pictures or get on the animal (for a tip) We felt bad for donkey, as when "not in use" he is left out in the blazing sun with little to eat or drink. Lobby entertainment was varied and good. The evening shows were OK, but nothing to write home to mother about. We did not do any excursions, just enjoyed the amazing surrounding, weather, beach and pools. Melia does allow you to visit and spend time and have meals at their other resorts along the coast. This can be arranged at the desk, and you can go on the hop on-off bus (5 cucs) to get there. We did enjoy some time and lunch at another resort 1/2 hour away. LARGE RESORT BEAUTIFUL BEACH SUPERB POOLS

Melia Las Antillas: Great Resort

First class facilities. Food was excellent. Only criticism was the Wi Fi reliability and the lack of rooms with double beds on upper floors. The staff at this resort were exceptional, from the resturant to the outdoor activities. The three a la carte are amount the best we have ever dined at.

Tryp Cayo Coco: This resort was awesome for the price !!!

The hotel was aged , the rooms were clean , the maid service was great ,the food was very good ,the grounds were well kept and the service was very good , the entertement and the beach were awesome !!!!

Melia Las Antillas: Good time

Just got back from a week stay at this resort. We stayed in the concierge suites. Well worth the extra money. Entertainment, food, room service all 4 star. They could improve on specialty drinks, nothing was frozen. Beach was fabulous. What made our trip special were the Canadian and Cuban friends we made. Would definitely recommend this resort.

Melia Cayo Coco: The right place

The hotel and grounds were always clean and uncluttered. Lots of seating and shading available around the pool and at beach side. Beach areas were always kept litter free and tidy. Plenty of different eating and drinking areas aside from the main dining room. A great assortment of dining experiences throughout the hotel grounds, something for everyone, with very tasty self-serve or made to order meals. You should not go hungry or get thirsty. The staff could not be more accommodating. Any reques [... read more]t will not be ignored, they are polite and attentive. Lots of beach activities and excursions are available. The only downside we experienced was running out of water once in a while during showers, certainly not a deal breaker. We feel we received very good value for our dollars. If Cuba is in our near future, this will be our destination.

Melia Peninsula Varadero: Clean but needs improving

This hotel is advertised as a 5 star however I would rate it a 3 star. Clean overall, booked Elegance package and our room certainly was not the junior suite you see online. Major issues: poor lighting on the resort walkways at night and the buffet service was extremely slow and lackluster. Difficult to find a clean table with cutlery and servers very inefficient and non existent. Expect to sit for 2 hours at the A la cartes. Beach great however can be dangerous if you don't go down the slope sl [... read more]owly. I have stayed at Melia resorts before and this one is definitely sub par. Used to be Tryp peninsula and those signs still exist on the resort grounds. Hotel is old and needs a major overhaul and makeover.

Melia Las Antillas: Great value for the $

The hotel was nicer then expected. Very clean and good service. There was always plenty of shade at the pool,or beach. Food was typical resort food, a little bland for my taste, however how can you complain about having delicious lobster for 4 of the meals! Lobby bar drinks were the best and mojitos from the mojito bar were always spot on.

Paradisus Rio De Oro: Always happy to return to the Paradisus😀

This was our third visit to the Paradisus, and we still return home with the intent to return the following year. The staff at the resort really try their best to keep everyone happy. Many will often go out of their way to ensure that your stay an enjoyable one. Although the variety of food after 12 days can become a little tiresome, it does not disappoint. I would say that it was seemingly better than last year. Of course, the 4 A La Carte restaurants are at your disposal to add extra var [... read more]iety. Book in advance if you want your time preference. The rooms are always clean, and the service is top notch. The beach is situated on a coral reef, so if you expect to wade out and still be in shallow waters, this is not the beach for you. It is, however, a snorkler's delight. The pre-dinner/show entertainment this year was definitely better than the nightly shows in my opinion.The Cuban guitar trios, pianists, violinists and vocalists were all a delight to listen to. I cannot say the same about the shows. All in all, this adult only resort remains our Cuban holiday resort of choice.

Tryp Cayo Coco: Will not be returning

There was so many things wrong with our stay I'm not even sure where to begin. I'll start out by saying we are very laid back, easy to please people. Our expectations were not high for the price we paid. However I was shocked with how unsatisfactory our stay was. We had actually booked our vacation at Tryp but got bumped to Sol a few days prior to leaving. So not off to a good start. Once we got there we were told it would be half hour wait for the room. When we came back they said another hour, [... read more] and then another. I would have minded the wait so much if it weren't for the fact that we hadn't slept since the day before and I'm a nursing mother and needed to get to the room to pump. Which leads me into my next and biggest complaint.- FOR ALL NURSING MOMS VACATIONING WITHOUT THEIR BABY WHO NEED TO PUMP- an electric breast pump will not work at this resort. Even with the converter we brought, there wasn't enough voltage to power the machine. This meant I had no way of keeping up my supply and had to rely on the one extra set of batteries I had packed to last me the whole week, which of course was ridiculous so I had to significantly reduce the amount of pumping sessions. It was painful and honestly very emotional for me. Food was not good and never readily available. Drinks were way too boozy in the tiny plastic cups unless you sat at the bar to drink them from a real glass even then they were sub par at best. Beds were incredibly uncomfortable. we often found ourselves very bored with nothing to do other than sit at the pool or on the beach. Very pushy for tips. The one pro was that the beaches are BEAUTIFUL. I definitely will not be coming back to this resort though.

Sol Varadero Beach: Outdated resort

The hotel grounds are nice but the hotel rooms are out dated and need a major face lift. The public washrooms are unsanitary, no toilet seats in the ladies washrooms and no toilet paper to be found anywhere. The fridge in the rooms are empty of refreshments . On the positive side the beach is very nice. One day the main pool was closed to the public the maintenance man was painting the border around the pool.

Paradisus Rio De Oro: Beautiful resort

Beautiful rooms, pool areas and beaches. Food was amazing and lots to choose from. Service was wonderful. No complaints at all except for men having to wear pants to the buffet at night, which is pretty minor!