Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Amazing resort!!!

Was a wonderful trip, the flight on time, the bus service, excellent service, and the resort , all in general Good Resort, service, food etc... Just I have one problem, everyday .., I have problem with the key (card), I have to sep up the new one

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: beautiful beach and pool area

Beach was beautiful, pool area was nice, lobby and main restaurant needed A/C or fans. Rooms were a little dated and in need of general repairs. Staff on the whole were extremely friendly and willing to help in any way. We stayed 2 weeks and found that during the second week our room was not always cleaned and for 3 days we had no clean towels and was told there were none available!

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Beautiful place

We visited Santa Maria Cuba from Sept 1-8th 2014. The resort is beautiful and the beaches amazing. The food was typically what we expected in Cuba. There is always something you can find to eat that you will like. The rooms were spacious and clean however the bed was so uncomfortable that my husband and I woke up numerous times through most nights in pain. The springs were digging into us. My husband went to the chiropractor when he came home. On a few of the nights we even took pain killers. It [... read more] sounds like we are exaggerating but we are not. We have been to various places in Cuba over the years (13 times visiting Cuba) and this was one of the most beautiful resorts we have stayed in. We are reluctant to go back to this resort only because of the bed. The staff were great too! I can't recommend this hotel because a comfortable bed is an important part of a relaxing holiday. So sorry.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Enjoyable vacation

Overall it was very much enjoyable vacation. The beaches are the best, but the ocean was too shallow and the water sometimes had like a swamp smell. There was nice snorkeling opportunities close to the beach: a lot of fish in corals, starfish and crabs. Good variety of watersports. Free shuttle available across the resort. Buffet style food was low quality however the barbequed food was extremely good: meat, fish, lobsters for dinner, king shrimps... Rooms were well designed, clean and relativel [... read more]y new. All rooms in spa and in family sections had the same interior. Out of three rooms my family used only one had some problems with noisy air conditioner. Two other were very fresh. Spa services were low quality but environment was enjoyable. I would recommend this resort as one of the best in Cuba.

Iberostar Origin Daiquiri: Very good resort!!amazing staff!!

Very good location,very good food.rooms are a bit old,but they renovate the bathrooms.the internet didn't work for the all week and same as everywhere in Cuba no wi-fi.overall experience was very good.

Iberostar Origin Daiquiri: 5th time there,

Just got back after our 5th time, heard there had been updates and wanted to give it a try after 31/2 years. The staff as always was amazing.! We got to know some of them and the welcoming from them was nice and made it feel good to be back. The room we had was defiantly a improvement, it felt fresh and clean . The bathroom was much nicer than before, new furniture,,decor made all the difference in the world. The disappointing part was the food. Cuban resorts are not known for the food, but the  [... read more]daquiri wasn't so bad years ago, this time I will say it was not even close to being improved....you will not starve by any means, but it will make for a long week indeed.maybe it was the time of year, we always went in jan/feb area when things are in full swing. A big thing we had issues with was stupid things like no toilet paper in the washrooms, didnt matter what washroom you went to always out of tissue. I carried a roll with me. Lack of latches or locks that worked in the stalls, couldn't find one!. Entertainment has come along way I will say though!! Much better than ever. The nightly band that played were awesome. And as always the beach was amazing and clean. It's one to see for sure! All in all the staff and beach is what would bring us back, but not so sure about the food and lack of attention on small but important details. (Fridge wasnt always with water, had to ask.) for this time of year couldn't beat the price, a shame really, love the people and the layout of the resort.

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Nice Time. Not a 5 Star

The hotel grounds are beautiful, lots of pools and the beach is just beautiful. However the hotel is definitely not a 5 star resort. We found that the cleanliness of the hotel was lacking for example no soap in the lobby washrooms, no soap for the cooks that are dealing with raw chicken and beef they would only rinse there hands which was a bit concerning. The beach chairs were a hard plastic which was very uncomfortable usually hotels have the mesh kind that are a lot more comfortable. The room [... read more]s are spacious however lights did not work and towels and sheets are clean but they have all have stains on them. Food wise is was just OK I'm usually not a very picky person and I usually always find something to eat however in this hotel I found that the selection was very sparse and was disappointed with the snack bar. Usually snack bars always have french fries or will make them on the spot but this hotel's snack bar only had pizza and sometimes burgers and if you asked for fries it was only made for room service ? which was disappointing. Overall our trip was nice would we come back to this specific hotel, probably not I'm sure it was once a 5 star but as it stands right now I would say its a 3.5/4 star resort.

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: amazing resort

Everything from reception to the gardeners, entertainment, food, cigar bar, was excellent. The staff was very friendly and ready to help you. The resort very clean and again the staff professional and quick to respond to your needs. Good job!

Iberostar Selection Cancun: Beautiful resort and overall relaxing experience!

This hotel was amazing! From the second we walked in, we were helped by the front desk. The food is delicious, especially the Japanese restaurant. Never struggled to get a lounge chair at the pool either! The hotel rooms were cleaned regularly and the mini fridges were filled with free beers and water everyday! We loved everything and would totally go back. Also, I know everyone is sketched out by the water and ice cubes, but at Iberostar, they make it from the same bottled water that they provi [... read more]de so we didn't get sick at all. Overall amazing experience. The Star Friends aka the entertainment team were unreal and so excited about all the activities and put on great shows at night. You should go here!

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Very good resort. Clean and excellent service

The hotel overall very clean, the staff are friendly. We enjoyed the stay and would go back. We enjoyed the varieaty of food daily. The buffet was organized and the employees were friendly. A family friendly hotel for sure.

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Amazing family vacation at ILA

Our family of 6 went to ILA from Aug. 13 -20 and had a wonderful vacation. Excellent food, wide variety of foods including seafood, chicken and pizza for our picky kids. Staff provided excellent service, beach is the best in Varadero. Would definitely go back for two weeks next time. Only negative is that you have to get down to the beach early to get your loungers under a palapa, which we learned after the first day.

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Beautiful resort!

The food was ok to really good! The rooms were spacious and comfortable. mattresses on beds were just ok. The greatest part of our experience was the staff. They were all fantastic! Especially Alex whom we came to look forward to seeing each day. he went way above and beyond to ensure a great time was had by everyone in our group. The nightly shows provided some really great entertainment.

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Ok Resort ...Service Poor!

Resort was great and the beach was amazing! But...the service was very disappointing. Poor service in the dinning area, we had to look for our own table and we had to waive at the waiters/staff for coffee or drinks. Overall, I did enloy myself but would not recommed to anyone and would not go back to this Resort.

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Had a great time

Visited Aug 15th to 25th. It's been a few years since I vacationed in Cuba. My last experience (not at this resort) was very bad and I have been nervous to return. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by our experience at this resort. Things started out a little disappointing as I had specifically asked that we not be put on the 1st floor, but that is where we were placed. However, the room was nice enough and we didn't have any problems with bugs that I thought we would on the 1st f [... read more]loor. We had also requested a view of the pool, but though many rooms overlooked the pool, we ended up with a room at the end of the building looking at a garden. I spend little time in my room so it really didn't matter - except there is no where to hang your suits or towels where they couldn't be taken. The only other disappointment was our coffee maker did not work. But we were right beside the pool side restaurant where we could get a delicious cappuccino every morning. We arrived about 10:30 am, and the rooms are not ready until 3:00. No problem, they give you your bracelet, a towel and store your luggage for you so that you can change into your suits, spend the day using all the services and come back after 3:00 to get your room. All worked very well and we had a great first day The pool is very large, kept clean and cold water was added in the afternoons -- the weather was very hot and even the ocean was warm by 3:00. There a many chairs at the pool, but they are very hard and uncomfortable. But we got the "pool guy" to bring us chair pads each day and that made them more comfortable. Had no problems getting a shady spot each day - but we were also early risers and got our spots picked out early. The entertainment group worked hard trying to get the guests to join in with the activities, which wasn't always easy with the temps being in the high 30's. There were activities at the pool and beach. Their English was generally good - at least much better than my Spanish. Service at all bars and there were 4 at the pool alone, was very good and you seemed to get the same service whether you tipped or not. Beach is soft white sand. We took long walks twice a day. The food at the buffet was repeated. However, if you don't eat everything every night it doesn't get boring. Try chicken one night, pork another, then lamb or fish. You could also get chicken breast and steaks cooked for you. There was a good variety every night and the taste was pretty good. It only gets boring if you eat a little of everything every day. Service in the buffet was very good. There is also a poolside buffet that was smaller, but still ok for us. Beside the pool buffet was a pizzeria and a hotdog/burger grill - both were very good. There is also an icecream stand right outside the pool buffet with up to 5 or 6 different flavours! We also ate at the Italian, Romantico and Japanese restaurants. All were delicious with good service and lots of food. We were not rushed through our meals. Would recommend the iced coffees at the seating space outside the lobby bar. Had them each evening after dinner. The person I was traveling with had some sight disabilities so we did not go to any of the shows and were to tired each day to stay up for the disco so can't comment on these things. We went on the day trip to Havana. It is a very busy day while they try to get everything included in one day. Enjoyed it - and recommend to anyone visiting Cuba. We also did the 1/2 day dolphin adventure and would certainly recommend this. From what we heard from others who went on the full day trip - our adventure was much better. We had a full 30 mins in the water with the dolphins, hands on the whole time. Couple of suggestions: Take insulated glasses with you - the glasses they use at the bar are very small - and they will happily make your drink in the glass you bring. Don't tip with loonies or twoonies - their bank will not accept foreign coin. The bank at the resort will easily change your Canadian into convertible pesos and will give you single pesos for tipping if you ask. Take ENOUGH Canadian cash with you. The bank will not give you a cash advance off your charge card, you have to do this at a bank in the cith & they don't have a bank machine. DON'T TAKE AMERICAN - THEY WILL NOT ACCEPT IT. You will need 25 convertible pesos to leave the country. Get this right away and put it aside for the day you are leaving. So......... Remember this is Cuba and a 5 star there is not a 5 star in Toronto. Go relax, enjoy and don't sweat the small stuff. You will have a fun, restful, exciting, happy (whatever you are looking for) vacation! I would return and have already recommended this resort to others

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Our Cuban Paradise!

Travel Dates: April 2-9/14 We just recently returned from our 6th stay at Iberostar Ensenachos. This trip was the best to date and each year it seems to get better. Upon arrival we knew the resort was full so we, group of 12, paid the upgrade for the Villa area. After staying in the Villas last April we knew what value we were getting and it was an easy decision to do so. We were in Villa 6501 a two bedroom Villa and it was amazing. Spotlessly clean and very quiet. We shared the Villa with frie [... read more]nds and it was so quiet inside you couldn't hear a thing. There was one bedroom upstairs and one down and both had King beds, fully equipped just like any other room in the resort with the bonus of the large living/dinning room area as well as a mini kitchen with large fridge and microwave. The was a lovely sunken jacuzzi on the huge patio as well. The view was of lovely shrubs and we could see the water from the upstairs bedroom. Only had one issue with the shower nozzle leaking and once reported it was fixed right away. The Villa area is so very quiet and the beach area was never busy, you could always have shade anytime of the day. The pool area was quiet and with the addition of the new Bali style beds a great place for relaxation. Nightly entertainment in the Villa lobby was great with two amazing musicians. You could hear them while you dined at the El Colonial or while sipping a drink in the newly added Lobby bar. As with last year, the butlers and all the staff at the Villas, you were treated very well. Yandry and Marichal were always there to lend a hand and do a great job. I found the transportation better this year with more "new golf carts" added along with the Van during peak times made for less of a wait to get around. You would still have to plan on at least 15 minutes before hand to get anywhere just in case there was a wait. No big deal for us. Misleidi was with us each day for breakfast and lunch. Very pregnant but as always a wonderful person to chat with. She loves her job and it shows. Janet is the Villa entertainment and she loves her job, never pushy but loves to engage with people, she was very fun to chat with. Food was just as great as it was last April. We had an authentic Cuban meal one evening that left us all wanting more, it was so delicious. A big thank you goes out to Elexi and the chef for that experience. I had a lunch time meal at the Megano snack bar one afternoon and the food was hot and very good. I arrived at 12:00 and everything was ready. The chicken was so juicy and the salad ingredients were wonderful. I also got to see Yuri, an amazing waiter and person. It was a lovely lunch there and the view and breeze while eating made me wish I had made the trek over more often. The beach there was super busy. Met up with DG Brenda, she is a very hard working woman always on the move trying to make each guest vacation one to remember. When I met up with her she and Cesar(another gift to Ensenachos) had just opened up the Villa beach snack bar offering light snacks for Villa guests that don't want to leave the beach. You can order yourself there or place an order with the wait staff that roam the beach to be delivered by the staff to your chair. Brenda has add new assistants to help her out as well in other areas of the hotel. There is a new front desk crew to help make things better. Lisbet & Yoanka are still there working as hard as ever to help make peoples vacations as great a possible. It was so nice to be great with a warm bear hug again by the wonderful bellman when I arrived. Alexi, Roberto, Angel as well as all the rest work very hard to get people where they need to be. Yes sometimes there can be a wait, just use that as an opportunity to chat with them, you will be happy you did. Brenda & Iberostar are constantly making improvements to this hotel. They are stalled while waiting on government approval and fund releases to get things moving. The staff at this hotel are some of the very best that I have ever come across. Very hard working and always trying hard to please everyone. Iberostar should be very proud to have staff as great as them. Thank you to Brenda, Lisbet, Yoanka, and all the other staff that make up Iberostar Ensenachos, you are all amazing and we all appreciate everything you do each year to make our vacation one to remember. See you again soon.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Did not live up to the Iberostar experience

I have stayed at Iberostar properties before and so expected the "Iberostar" experience. This property did not live up to expectations. The people (staff) were nice and entertainment was amazing but that was it. We always had an issue with water pressure in the shower and tub and food was an issue - no maple syrup for about 3 days, stale food at overnight snack bar, and little to variety of food - same offerings at lunch and dinner.

Iberostar Selection Paraiso Lindo: Everything good except the beach

Everything was pretty good except one night we had a lizard on our wall in our suite. We chased it away but it crawled into a crevice in the ceiling so we were worried it would crawl out while we slept & drop on our bed. Also, the beach was rocky & had too much seaweed.

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Was Ok

Resort was ok, but I wouldn't go back. It was clean, staff was friendly (for the most part), but the room we were in was very noisy due to the disco from the next resort over. As usual for Cuba, the Japanese ala Carte was quite good, but the rest of the food was terrible, especially the buffet. I ate bread, pizza and cabbage pretty much all week. My sister was sick from the food by the third day. We were in a "Spa Room" in the 1500 block, however, the hot tub at the spa was out of order along wi [... read more]th the air conditioning in the massage rooms. I would have more enjoyed drinking rum in the bar than I did the "Rum Massage". Oh and did I mention the toilet paper was more like tissue wrapping paper.....

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Great resort

Because of it previous great ratings -it has become very popular. the hotel was full the week of aug 10th 2014 and probably understaffed. we had to wait for the checking-in at least an hour-with everyone tired and pushing to talk to the receptionist -it seems at that time only 2-or 3. obviously not enough staffing and not well organized. That was our first impression !! and it was 30 degrees or more. For the buffet too many people waiting at the same time for omellettes - or other food that have [... read more] heve to be prepared at the moment like steaks or chicken breasts at lunch or supper. In this heat , especially in the summer months -we should absolutely recommend to the hotel -and probably all the cuba's hotels to install much more umbrella's on the beach and around the pools. THIS IS OUR ONLY WAY TO SURVIVE THE HEAT AND SUNSHINE FROM 11H- TO 16H00 !! WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE AN UMBRELLA EVERY DAY BECAUSE MY HUSBAND HAD TO WAKE UP AT 6H30 AND GO PUT OUR TOWELS ON THE BEACHCHAIRS BEFORE 7H00 AM ! WE HAD BROUGHT OUR COLOUR TOWEL FROM HOME SO WE CAN IDENTIFY OUR PLACE. we have witnessed a big fight between tourist's about the umbrella's - what a shame! to get so uptset in your vacation! which should be relaxed and calm. Afterall our trip was a great escape - for beach, and beautiful warm water,swimming all day, and entertainment at night. the servers were very helpful. My husband got to see the sunrise everyday -spectacular - and would have his morning walk. he convinced me to get up to see the sunrise on the beach- unforgetable!!

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: not bad

Food better than expected from Cuba, but cleanliness not so good (plates dirty). Service OK, but everybody looking for tips and trying to scam tourists. Do not get the Havana Trip from resort reps. They Charge 180$ for an 8 hr. trip with others. Take a taxi ride with Julio Cesar (drives older fiat) who will spend the whole day showing you Havana and adjust the route to your preferences for 100-120$. Booked a Spa room supposedly with ocean view but got a room facing opposite side with noise till  [... read more]1130 due to nightly entertainment shows.