Totally relaxing - just fantastic.

This was our second trip here and we could not wait to arrive! The grounds and public areas are beautifully landscaped , very lush with flowers & greenery and the walkways are super for strolling for longer hikes. Exterior outside lighting was well thought out. alll amenities are easily assessable. The food is absolutely super at the buffet and all the restaurants. Just too many choices! The rooms are clean and comfortable and we found all the staff to be super nice and friendly. You must have a [... read more] spa day. Very accomodating with any requests. But hey, the beach is where we like to spend our energy & it's never a problem to get a lounger. This area of Cuba is positivelty #1 with us. The very best! Our weather could not have been better! Make sure you check out the area of the Wedding gazebo - just beautiful!.Example: What did you think about  this hotel? (grounds, public areas, rooms, dining, features, etc.)

Great getaway

The hotel was nice, staff was great, the food was good. We ate at the Japanese and Mediterran and was happy with both. Book your ala carts early as they fill up fast.We took our lounge chairs that were by the pool and dragged over by the steps to go to the beach and had a great view of the beach and the ocean

Very romantic

Wonderful time! Gorgeous resort! Amazing staff! Will be back on September. Loved it! Beautiful grounds, food definitely five star. Stayed in royal service will upgrade to ocean view next time, rainy days are spectacular on deck.

Absolutely amazing

The beach was the best from all the places I have stayed at, the staff was wonderful always friendly and couldn't do enough to help you. The room was nice and big and always kept very clean and air conditioned worked well as very hot week as we stayed from Apr 21 to May 01. Food was great at all restaurants. Would hightly recommend this resort if you are looking for a quite and relaxing time. Will definetly go back. T

Fabulous

We just returned from a week at this resort. This was a great resort with very friendly staff. The food was fantastic. Our room was newly renovated. The only thing that was a disappointment was there was no door on the washroom.

Enjoyed our week but improvements needed to be a 5

This was our second trip to Cuba, the previous year having been at a 5-star in Varadero. The grounds and layout are very nice and the food was good - no complaints there. The room we had however was dated (which is not that bad) but more importantly there were little annoyances like the bed was not comfortable, the shower was tremendously small and shower head did not work, and the blind for the window on the side of the bed did not cover the whole window - we actually had to hang a towel to in  [... read more]order to prevent sunlight from entering and to ensure privacy. We thought about complaining but we were so frustrated with the level of understanding (everyone just smiles and says 'yes') that we decided not to bother and just make due. There is evidence of lack of maintenance here and there around the property (hot tub out of service, broken external shower by beach, lack of paper in some common washrooms, many lights out, missing pillows on chairs at auditorium, etc.) Again not a big deal, just not things we expected to see at a 5-star. Our biggest disappointment was the entertainment; the daily activities were never announced and evening shows were low quality. There was definately some talent on some nights, but the shows were poorly produced in terms of sound, lighting, and choreography. It was also frustrating because you never knew where to sit in advance to get a good view. They did not use their stage facility consistently; some nights the shows took place in the lobby next to the stage, some times to the right of the stage, some times in front of the stage, then on the stage. Finally, if you are looking for a nice sandy beach with warm water, this is not really the place. There is lots rock at the edge of the water. For snorkelers this is properly advantageous. The buffet food was OK and the better food was of course at the 'a la carte' restaurants. It was easy to get the reservations we wanted but then again we booked on-line from website (highly recommended). The only other food comment we have is that the drinks were very inconsitent from bar to bar. We proably had a simple Pina Colada 6 differents ways, with only the pool restaurant making them good. To end on a positive, weather was great and people were always very friendly.

Perfect yet again!

Just returned from our 7th trip to our little slice of paradise. When you have found perfection why keep looking?The staff, the grounds, the management, the food, perfection! The pool had work done last year but, is once again peeling so it is slated to be closed and tiled this summer. They are on top of everything. We had a beautiful, renovated room, close to everything which was just amazing in the 11th block, corner room upstairs. Had a massage at the spa so very relaxing and absolutely stunn [... read more]ing surroundings. As stated we will return next year without hesitation. For us this resort is truly a cut above and the Cuban people so kind, loving and sincere. If you are considering Cuba consider the extra dollars it is well worth it.

"Private beach" well worth the upgrade!

This is a beautiful resort, set in relatively untouched Cuban wilderness. We stayed in the "Royal Service" side of the resort, which is essentially it's own small private resort within the larger one. It is definitely worth spending a little extra to be in the Royal Service - this area has its own lobby, several bars, a restaurant/outdoor terrace, and a pool, all with with an unbelievable view of the ocean. It also has two private beaches - we sat out on on one almost every day BY OURSELVES. Our [... read more] own private paradise! The main area of the Paradisus is also nice, and as it is larger it is "livelier" (although overall this is an older crowd and not a place to go looking for lively nightlife). The beach area is not as nice though, and the access from the resort is not ideal. It has a nice pool with swim up bar, and a buffet restaurant with excellent food... this is also where the "themed" restaurants are. The food was amazing! Having been to Cuba before, I was expecting the food to be okay at best, but it was really very very good in all of the restaurants we ate in. One difficulty we had is that, as one of us is vegetarian, it was difficult to find good vegetarian options at the a la carte restaurants, and was sometimes difficult to explain our needs to the staff (who were exceptionally kind and helpful, but not all of whose English was up to the challenge).

Still a winner

Excellent food quality and variety, service, friendliness of staff, clean spacious deluxe Jr suites, impeccably kept grounds,spacious pools and a beach where you're not hassled by vendors all day. Nothing to detract from a perfect two week stay.

An ausome holiday experience

This was our second trip to Paradisus Rio de Oro, and a 2 week duration compared to a one week stay 2 years ago! The accommodations, personnel and facilities are superior and we WILL return [ God Willing]. The meals are varied and superior in both quality and presentation and in our opinion it is the personnel that provide the SPECIAL TOUCH and that includes the gardeners to the top management!!! They go out of their way to make you most welcome and are only too happy to make your stay a special [... read more] experience..

Simply a Wonderful Peaceful Resort

First of all the Staff are AMAZING! Frankly we have never stayed at a Resort with such wonderful, fun loving staff. The staff get an awesome 5 star class and go over and beyond their duties. The grounds are beautiful, We stayed one week at the main resort and one week at the Royal. We enjoyed both. The Royal is very peaceful. We didn't enjoy the Royal Restaurant as much as the Main Buffet, but the Main Buffet is a two minute ride from the Royal. We really enjoyed the Main Buffet with so many cho [... read more]ices of food being cooked right in front of you. The Ocean and Beach are breathtaking. I know why so many people just keep coming back to this resort. It is one in a million!

FANTASTICR ESORT

We were there for a week during the school March Break. So, the place was full. We didn't feel the crowds were an issue though. We had absolutely no problem getting dinner reservations for our restaurants of choice. There were plenty of beach chairs. However, if you did want a specific area, you did have to do that early rise and secure with your personal items routine. This is an issue everywhere you travel to. It is not easily resolved. The cleanliness of the resort is excellent. In and outsid [... read more]e of the rooms. The staff are super friendly as we find all Cubans are. Very warm and wanting to practice their English with us. The snorkeling was spectacular. We have taken snorkeling excursion offsite at other resorts. This was far better than any of those and you could just walk right of the beach to the reef. It was beautiful! Even though I am younger than many of the visitors to the resort, there are concerns regarding some safety hazards around the resort. Many areas are not well lit up. We met several people who had fallen and were bruised and scraped from tripping over small ridges, etc. Lights at the base of trees in the major traffic areas would be beneficial. The major complaint that I had, was with our hotel transfer at the beginning. We knew that it was supposed to be a 50-60 minute drive. We love that, as we get to see a bit of the countryside and information from our guide. We were with Air Canada Vacations on this trip. When are bus started out, we found out that we were stopping at four hotels. Ours was to be the last stop. Almost two hours later, we arrived at our destination. It would have been professional to be made aware of this before booking so that we could manage our own expectations of the holiday. A few days into our trip, we spoke to the Air Canada rep. He was sorry that it worked out that way and explained that it would be better on our return to the airport. We were to be the last picked up and therefore our departure time would change. We were to check with "the book" the day before our departure that would show our change. We did that. But, no change was made. So everyone was waiting at 7:05 am for our 7:15 am pick up. Our bus arrived at almost 8:00 am. It would have be nice to be notified about this pick up time and perhaps had some breakfast before we left. So, poor communication on Air Canada's part. This is not reflection of the hotel at all. Our disappointment was with Air Canada Vacations. The Paradisus Rio de Oro was a great holiday in a beautiful location.

Fantastic resort

All round excellent resort. I give everything 5 stars with the exception of the food which I would rate as still good. Some public areas could have been slightly cleaner but this was only a minor thing.

Perfect trip

From the moment we arrived at the resort I was very impressed being met by one of the hotel staff and a glass of champagne. We sat in the lobby while he checked us in, we didn't even have to go to the front desk. Everyone was very friendly, our room was clean, the entire resort was well kept up and the food was excellent. I would definitely return.

Paradisus Rio De Ora

The room we had was beautiful and very clean I took my mother as I had been here before. My husband felt it was very safe place to take her. They meet all are needs over and beyond. This was my mothers very first vacation in 74 years first times she saw the ocean and palm trees . I knew from being there before it was the best place to take her. The staff in all areas are very respectful,caring,I could go on forever. It's a great place for couples. I will be going back again I thinkofitas my home [... read more] away from home

An Great Resort

The food selection, taste & preparation was amazing. The resort was spacious & clean. Beach gorgeous, great for snorkling and exploring! Never a problem getting shade and the people were so welcoming & helpful.

Exceeded expectations

This was my sixth time to Cuba and the first for my boyfriend. From beginning to end we had a fantastic time. The staff were always very friendly and extremely helpful, the grounds were meticulously maintained and beautifully kept. We lucked out and had beautiful, sunny days and it just rained at night. The beach is rocky, which suited us just fine because it was amazing for snorkelling. The beach itself is gorgeous and the water the most stunning blue-green colour. The location of this resort i [... read more]s right by an incredible reef teeming with life that the catamaran trips take you to go snorkelling at, or you can swim there yourself from the beach. The pool was lovely, although we didn't use it at all as we are beach people. The rooms were very nice; however, there was one issue that plagued us the entire time: cockroaches. We did not complain to the management about it--we were in the tropics, after all--but it was obviously a problem as they sprayed our room without us mentioning it at all. Unfortunately, the spray did absolutely nothing and we had cockroaches every day and every night. A huge one greeted us by sprinting across the floor when we got to the room on our first night, and we saw them day and night. It was a bit unsettling and we had to be extra careful when packing to go home. That, however, was the singular issue we had. As for the restaurants; well, the food was simply wonderful. This was the first time in six Cuban trips that the food was really something to write home about. The variety of foods was overwhelming and great. The specialty restaurants did an excellent job and we had no problems booking them. The Japanese was the standout for us, meal-wise and entertainment, too. The teppanyaki style was accurately duplicated and delicious. Our transfers to and from the resort were right on time and check-in and check-out went without a hitch. The bars and staff were very accommodating and quick, though they did pour with a heavy hand and if you are a lightweight you need to specify that you don't want too much alcohol in your drink. There was always food and drink available, and also a gazebo with bottles of champagne and wine on ice and snacks in the evenings in the lobby bar to just help yourself. The entertainment was fair; they did a decent job. This was by far the nicest resort I've been to in Cuba and we have been talking about going back pretty much since we got back. Also, we received a booking bonus from Trip Central that gave us access to a premium lounge in our departure city airport, which totally started our trip off right. All in all, this was an absolutely wonderful vacation.

"Best Vacation Ever"

I have traveled to Cuba before.. 3 times actually.. but this resort exceeded my expectations!! We know the beaches are beautiful and the weather always good... but the rooms and those beds!!! soooo comfortable. Out of the additional restaurants you could choose from, the Japanese and the Mediterranean would wonderful .. and this is a resort you can go back and tell your friends "The Food was FANTASTIC" the Spa is a must go too.. I can't say enough good things about this place, you just have to g [... read more]o to believe it.. I will be going back next year!!

Excellent Resort - would highly recommend!

The Resort was very clean. Staff were very friendly , Service was very good. Beach at Sol is nicer but Paradisus was not bad. Room service is offered 24/7 - that is a real perk. The a la cartes were all good. The spa was great - we stayed at the spa on our last day before departing the resort - highly recommended.

Paradisus Paradise

The public areas in the resort are the best of any resort I've been to - open air with water features and lots of space with sculptures etc. The outdoor grounds are maintained beautifully. The food is excellent with lots of variety. Having an open-air dining room is a big plus - much better than an air conditioned room. The pool and beach dining areas were also excellent. Another big plus is having the pool close to the beach. I like having the rooms in small buildings instead of one large build [... read more]ing. The rooms are certainly adequate with nice balconies. Even although the resort was full, it never felt crowded. The size of the resort was perfect. Huge resorts don't appeal to us. Staff was great and always pleasant.