Paradisus Varadero: Beautiful beach

We stayed at Paradisus Varadero at the end of March 2023. A couple of things to be aware of. The resort has 3 booking options. Regular, The Reserve and Royal Service. We stayed at the Reserve section which is a bit more expensive than the regular one and the only difference is that we had a mini fridge and 2 beers + water supplied every day. A large dissapointment was that those who stay at the Reserve are staying far away from almost everything. The beach was far, the lobby and the main lobby w [... read more]as far and the bonvoy service was pretty slow to respond when we called for a pickup from our bungalow. Our AC did not work and toilet broke down the first day. These are the things we were not happy about. On the other side, the beach there is one of the most beautiful i’ve seen. The people working at the resort are amazing and everyone is always willing to help you. Taxi service is fast and it is easy to move around in Varadero. The food - buffet had almost always the same Food options. Chicken and pork was available most of the times. Overall a good experience, nice resort.

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: WORST HOTEL EVER!

Where do I start? This is the worst hotel I have ever stayed in! After complaining over one hr they decided to up grade us! NO DIFFERENCE!!! From curtains falling door not locking empty fridge on arrival not being able to get water to take with medication they door locks did not work so they could not program our keys! Room change in exclusive section!!!! JOKE!!!!! even worse! same problem locked out of our room clothing door broken could not open the door only 1/4 way! patio door locked autom [... read more]atically so we were stuck on the balcony, shower head broken no hot water! DO NOT GO TO THR BUFFET! Cockroach's all over! Even seen them on the food! floor, chairs! As for the staff, if you are leaving tips you are the best! I will never go back! also, while I was at the customer service desk, they were many many many couples transferring from this resort. Unfortunately, I could not do that, as I would've had to change airlines completely. by far the worst vacation of my life.

Melia Marina Varadero: Not as per expectation

Varadero is a good place and we expected a lot from the hotel as it was our first trip to Cuba, but we got both sweet and sour taste. Talking about the resort ,its a good resort located on the other side of the beach with a walking distance of 100-200 metres, with full on bar service. If you are an alcohol lover you are truly going to like the tastes of cocktails specially pina colada, the swimming area is good and well maintained, 24 hours snack bar is a good place to hangout. The resort has a  [... read more]24hours bar to chill with some authentic dance performances on few days. But the food of the resort is horrible.We stayed for a week and it was the same food all the days with just few add-ons/changes. The rooms didn't have sound proof glasses and we could hear all the noise inside the room. The inbuilt AC and the mini bar fridge created a lot of sound which was very annoying at night. Overall staff was cooperative but the food was a thing which led us down.

Royalton Hicacos Resort and Spa: Great resort

This is a great resort, the staff are very accommodating and really aim to please. The resort is clean and the beach is beautiful white sand the alacarte restaurants are good and the seafood is very good. Drinks are amazing lots of rum and local beer even some import beer and whiskeys. We will return.

Valentin Perla Blanca: Good time

Just want to start by saying that I had no issues the ppl are friendly and will try to help you the best they can . Pool and beach and both beautiful and Félix at swim up bar dandy guy and can mix drinks . Food is good you won’t go hungry , shortages on eggs one day bacon the other etc / no condiments bring your own . I over heard a few ppl say no running water in there room , before bell boy leaves check your water make sure toilet flushes and air conditioner works , in short a great resort  [... read more]but if prices exceed over 1300 for this resort I will not be going back , prices to Cuba are getting outrageous and I will be going elsewhere for 1600

Memories Cayo Largo: Awesome As Always!

Clean and well organized. Diamond Club is a plus! Everything as good or better than in the past - except for the lack of a beach. Shout out to Ivo, Miguel, Yosbel, Celia and Kirenia for outstanding service!

Iberostar Selection Esmeralda: New resort/ not managed properly

This resort was new but not managed properly at all. Like running out of sugar at one bar while there is more elsewhere..running out of wine and beer at different bars while there’s some at other bars. This is just managed improperly. Absolutely no condiments. None. Spoke to several people i met at the airport and those 3 resorts had all condiments. Why not iberostar Esmeralda? The a la Cartes are the same food as buffets..buffets usually had pork and chicken some pasta and rice . Some thin [... read more]gs i cannot describe as nothing had descriptions on them and looked foreign to us and not appetizing. Fruit….pineapple every day. Saw grapes one day and guava here and there..breakfast were the hardest to eat. Not a lot of variety. The yogurts don’t look right. The milk looked like the yogurts. Bread but no butter or any condiments as mentioned . They make great rice pudding! The furniture in the lobby is terribly uncomfortable as are the loungers but 2 of the pools. Like cannot lay in them uncomfortabe. Not sure what happened there. The loungers by the kids pool are comfy enough but the pool is 2 feet deep so we didn’t stay there. The mosquitoes are out in full force in the lobby. The sea weed was cleaned up daily but piles elsewhere..should have just taken away. Biggest issue was the actual booking with trip central. Be very careful while looking are resorts.. its deceiving. We booked what i thought was the iberostar Esmeralda Cayo Coco and that’s what it says in the actual heading when looking at resorts. But after booking realizing it was actually cayo cruz was not impressed. Talking to a few people there they made the same mistake;. Cayo Cruz in 1 hour and 45 minutes from the time you leave the airport to arriving at Esmeralda. Our bus stopped and one other resort which I’m sure adds 20 min to the drive.. the actual tour guide first said its 1 hour and 45 minutes long. That Esmeralda is way out there..and it was . The trip central girl said it as 1 hour…wrong. Worse i thought it was cayo coco which is only half hour away which is what we thought we booked again because of the headline under the iberostar Esmeralda .. wrong its cayo Cruz. So overall not impressed and will not return or book through trip central . One last thing big shout out to Christian at the buffet who has the nicest smile, very helpful and attentive.. many waiters and waitresses wouldn’t even make eye contact with people. The tables are not cleaned quickly enough and certainly not cleaned properly. They need to actually remove the placemats and clean under them after every customer ..the plates are not cleaned properly either and have grease residue..

Paradisus Rio De Oro: Another Amazing Stay!

We went for seven days in March 2023 on the Royal Service section. We were blessed with sunny days during the entire stay! We enjoyed their beautiful quiet and private beach. We also went to the main beach for snorkelling and for a catamaran ride. We started every day at the beach to finish at the pool. Both areas, on the RS side, are well maintained and excellent bar service was provided! Bartenders would go around to take your orders and would prepare the best tropical drinks! From mojitos [... read more] to piña coladas, all were delicious! At this resort, you will definitely find very good food and excellent service in all the restaurants! Even if beef, fish, and shrimps were not available, they always managed to prepare delicious cuisines. Their soups are so so good! Their hospitality were at the top! The entire area was well maintained and very clean! You will see gardeners working hard every day. The RS lobby is very well maintained and very clean. Our room service was impeccable; the maids with their beautiful art figures with the towels, the concierge people, and the butlers, with their quick response to our needs! From the jacuzzi set ups, restaurant and spa reservations, and to a variety of tips and advice! The bar fridge was filled every day and personalized according to our need. They have carts going around and the drivers are very nice and polite! What improved from our last visit is the communication about the daily activities happening at the main lobby. It’s now posted on a screen and accessible on the RS side. So, we did participate to a few this time around. What we missed, the classical and Cuban entertainers every evening on the RS side but it was okay, since it gave us a chance to connect with other Canadian travellers. Really enjoyed it! The entertainment was more at the main lobby and at the returned guests supper which is a definite must! We also went to the spa for a relaxing part of a day and massage! Aaaahhh... the best! Beautiful salted pool and private beach, it’s a must! The staff members are very kind and very attentive to your needs! We will definitely be back!! This resort is highly recommended! This was our third visit to this resort and looking forward to our fourth!

Dhawa Cayo Santa Maria: Not good at all

Just really bad..won’t return to Santa Maria..worst resort ! The food was bad, people sick, beach full of weeds, clean place nope ..I did enjoy the sun at least.will not return in Santa Maria not for a 1:45 bus drive to deceive

Tryp Cayo Coco: Nice place, rooms need updatingI th

Pools and beach were amazing! There were a lot of cabanas and lounge chairs everywhere you went. You didn't have to save chairs at 6 am with your flip flops. We got fresh pool/beach towels a couple times which was nice after they get sandy. There was great entertainment each night, you can always get a drink and something to eat 24 hours a day. The food is about what you'd expect, not the place for picky eaters, but you could always get bread and "eggs your way' at breakfast. Bring ketchup and  [... read more]peanut butter if you like them. There is no bacon or sausage for breakfast if that's your kind of thing. But there were some questionable meat/fish dishes and what you'd call chili. A few days there were potatoes like hashbrowns, one day there was french toast with syrup, and they usually had crepes made fresh. Cappuccino at the lobby bar was the place to get your caffeine fix although the "coffee with milk" in the buffet area was really good too. Lunch at the beach bar was pretty good, either a cheese sandwich, a hot dog on white bread or a proper meal of either Beef, Fish or Chicken with rice/beans, yucca and stewed cabbage. Be prepared for the response "uh, maybe tomorrow" with a smile and a shrug, if you ask if they have something or when the such-and-such will be open. Nobody seems to know or they have no way of knowing if they'll get hamburgers tomorrow for example. The resort was only at about 40% capacity so we were fortunate enough to be able to book 5 a la carte dinners at the restaurants. All of which were very good, although kind of similar. At least the kids could get pizza or pasta at 3 of them. A couple of days they made Churros by the pool and fries a few other times. Those were nice treats! The resort cats were adorable and hungry, we fed them all kinds of things, their favorite were the fish sandwiches from the snack bar at night. They even ate the cucumber! Do not take a ground floor room--Roaches.... we had to switch rooms the first night because of them. No questions asked, they did it right away. Rooms are very dated, the mattresses are from the 70's probably-- gross. The sheets and towels are clean and the A/C was ice cold in the room. We lost water in the night a few times because of the rain storms, but I think the whole island was out. You get what you pay for, do not expect a 5 star resort and you'll be fine. We took a classic car to the market and back for $15, and had fresh mojitos and lemonade while we were there from one of the stands-- so good! You can also walk, it's about 10 minutes or take the bus for $5 per person. Overall, we enjoyed it and the kids did too. They had lots of events for the kids to participate in, even though there were only a handful of other kids. Really good entertainment staff! We used the resort kayaks free of charge and there were also a bunch of paddle boats and a few small catamarans available too. We brought a ring toss game for the beach and pool floaties. I just wish they had more porters to help you with your luggage instead of dragging it all over the resort looking for your building, they could deliver you in a golf cart or something. We asked for one on check out day and he arrived a few minutes early with a giant golf cart, it was perfect, but we saw lots of people schleping their luggage all over the place all week. I think you just have to ask and tip.

Valentin Perla Blanca: Great resort!

We went To Valentin Perla Blanca during the third week of February 2022. We had a great time. The staff were very nice and helpful. We got the privilege package which we felt was worth it as it included: premium drinks, separate bar/lounge area, private concierge, a lobster dinner, a half hour massage, private area on the beach, a bottle of rum. We found the food to be very good and no shortages of any foods, alcohols or mixes. One issue we had was that in the public washrooms in the main buildi [... read more]ng, sometimes there was no toilet paper so we always carried a roll on us! The beach was wonderful and we spent most of our time there. We very much recommend the resort!

Mar Del Sur: Good resort

Good resort nice grounds and most people food was good always something too eat that I enjoyed decent pool beach is a bit far away (3blocks or so) excellent location in Varadero local artisans are amazing down 1st Ave a few blocks great gifts and souvenirs amazing bartenders hats off too idalia and reynard room service was good for a single guy I used ear plugs for the chickens crowing in the am met lots of nice people had fun and will return

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Santa Maria: Great staff and beach ... but ...

We where there the week of Feb 28 – Mar 7. Sanctuary Memories is one of 3 memories resorts that are end to end to end. Grand Memories and Memories being the other 2. Sanctuary is the premium of the three with Memories being the lesser and Grand being in between. We arrived at Sanctuary around 11pm and entered the booking desk area in the lobby. The lobby, lobby bar and booking desk where small and looked like something out of the 1990s. The lobbies in the other resorts were very large and  [... read more]very modern and welcoming. While we where checked in somewhat quickly, we were jammed into a small area waiting to get our room. We found out later that there was food for us, but the staff did not inform us. We were also told we would receive a welcome drink, which also did no materialize. Our bags were taken to our rooms by staff (perk of being at Sanctuary). There are 6 buildings that surround the pool. Building 61 is closest to the beach. The rooms are dated, but a good size. Each building has 3 floors. We where on the 2nd floor facing the ocean. While we could see the ocean over the trees, I’m sure the view from the 3rd floor is better. Yes … no elevators. Each building has 1-2 butlers that take care of any needs and make a-la-cart reservations. Our butlers were Jose and Dayan. Both are great guys and went above and beyond in their assistance. I asked what the difference in Sanctuary and the other resorts … Sanctuary has butlers, no kids and 20% off spa. The rooms are air conditioned, but for some reason towels and sheets where always damp. I confirmed this with many other guests. The bath tub is very narrow and the bottom of the tub being about 6-7” off the ground, which made it tricky getting in and out. The grab bar came off the wall in my hand. The staff, beaches, pool and grounds where great … everything else not so much. Noting that this is Cuba, my expectations for the food where very low … and the actual food was lower than I expected. Pork is the main meat with some chicken. I got tired of eating pork. All the a-la-cart restaurants did not have any choices … everyone got same meal … usually grilled pork. Sometimes, they had beef, but it was tough as leather. There is only 1 a-la-cart at Sanctuary, with the others being at Memories. You would think that being in a tropical climate, that there would be fruits abound … no such luck … there was only papaya and guava. All the juices served are made from powder mixes and tap water. They have 24hr snack bar, but only serve pizza (tomato sauce looks like tomato juice). There is a shuttle service between the 3 resorts. It is a 15-20 min walk from one end to the other. We felt the food at the buffet was better than the a-la-carts … more variety. There are a couple of food huts around the pool and at the beach, but they only serve grilled pork. The bar had beer and rum, not much else. No vodka. The lobby bar had mix for various mixed drink, but I couldn’t get a mojito anywhere. The ice cubes are made with tap water. Between the buildings and the pool is a walkway and bushes. Every night and morning there is a truck that goes along the walkway fogging the bushes for blackflies … they are using pesticide. You can smell and taste it. I feel the fogging pushes that bugs towards the pool. I ended up with bites all over my body. The on-site doctor helped with the itching. I had asked the front desk if there was a schedule for the so-called evening shows at the theatre and general ‘need to know’ around the resort. Neither was available. The odd night show they had was not acceptable entertainment. We had to constantly ask other guests and our butler about where things where and what was going on …. Including the towel exchange. Overall … I’ve been to worse resorts, but I’ve been to better in Cuba. Would I go back … NO.

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Amazing resort!!

From the moment we arrived at 2:30am, we were treated like family, the staff was phenomal. The resort was beautiful, the grounds were impressive and well taken care of. There was an abundance of food and activities by the pool during the day. I was concerned about travelling to Cuba considering all the comments that you hear about the lack of food but this resort did not disappoint, the three daily buffets were always well stocked and the 24 hour snack bar always had good food, hot dogs, fren [... read more]ch fries, chicken, etc. Their food was a little bland but we brought salt, pepper and hot sauce and that made it taste like home. There were lots of Canadians at the resort as well, which made it feel even more like home. I would definitely return to this resort. Thank you for making my first experience in Cuba memorable.

Melia Costa Rey: Great Vacation at Pullman

Staff were excellent. Food was surprisingly good. Grounds well taken care off. Room was clean. We were in Cuba last year and we saw a very significant improvement in all areas this year. Last year there was a lack in variety of food although entertainment last year was much better.

Iberostar Selection Varadero: Great experience!

What can I say? Iberostar Selection delivered in all aspects 1-Room was very clean and maid service was great, we got clean towels every day and water bottles refill every day 2- beach was fantastic and the water was a beautiful blue color, fantastic location 3- entertainment was good and drinks were plenty, never ran out of anything 4- food...you don't go to Cuba for the food but we found something to eat every day, especially the bbq fish and hamburgers were great, lots of fruits 5- Booki [... read more]ng with tripcentral and airtransat service was top notch 👌

Paradisus Rio De Oro: Cuba trip

Excellent resort Friendly staff clean room, everything on the resort close by, ala carte restaurants good,excellent service, beautiful beach, nice beach bar with restaurant, buffet bar food could be warmer

Grand Memories Holguin: All I can say is NO

I don't complain about resorts in Cuba because after all it is Cuba don't get me wrong, there are great places to stay and we have been very happy at other locations in Cuba. However when you have to pay $5.00 CA for a bottle of pop, (in our case diet pop) to be brought in because they tell you "there is no pop on all the island" and we don'tdring alcohol, its a bit much. All the staff at the resort were great and grounds are nicely kept. It was too windy 5 out of the 7 days to really take adva [... read more]ntage of the ocean. The hydro went in and out at least once each day and the 2 hour non-stop bus ride was just too much.

Melia Buenavista: Peaceful haven

Gorgeous hotel with three separate beaches. Huge rooms with outdoor shower and deep soaker tub inside. Two pools, main pool with bar and pizza grill, and quiet pool. Staff are excellent throughout resort, and we had two awesome butlers, Joan and Rey.

Playa Luxury Cayo Las Brujas: Wonderful Resort

We spent a week at Angsana It was everything we had heard from previous reviews. The staff is friendly and helpful the food was plenty and the drinks were top notch. If you are looking for a quiet adult resort this is the one for you. We would return to this resort in a heart beat!