Vila Gale Cayo Santa Maria: Beautiful resort

The grounds, pools, facilities, entertainment were all great! Our room was spacious with wonderful views. Our bed was extremely comfortable. Room housekeeping was very good. Buffet and Restaurant areas were nicely decorated with ample areas to enjoy a meal. Omelette and stir fry stations were great! Staff were very courteous and helpful when asked for assistance . Beach and its facilities was excellent. Water was beautiful and calm enough to enjoy swimming . On the down side….. variety [... read more] of foods offered could be better but we understand Cubas situation regarding food sources and imports etc. General cleanliness in common areas could have been better…..eg elevators, common washrooms. Wifi service was very erratic. I was rarely able to connect even with new codes. Regardless of these deficiencies we did enjoy our holiday!

Iberostar Origin Playa Pilar: Sweet and Simple

Room-Swim out suite with personal Plunge pool building 7 Pool on front side/beach party on back side. Private but not the quietest. Suite was amazing, 2 bathrooms,double sinks,2 tvs only one worked. Lights in closets but not working.Air conditioning worked great!No issues with water at all at any time. Plunge pool was not cleaned once not clean nor usable. Reported and requested but not addressed. Maid service-basics completed daily, had to ask to make sure water restocked. Friendly service. [... read more] Buffet-Typical Cuba menu, rice,chicken,fish,papaya, pineapple some days. We did not go hungry and love Cuban food. Since covid. Lots of shortages. No milk a few days,no beef,no variety or consistency. Best chocolate ice cream. Al la Carte(Gourmet) Very nice, good food,great service Lobby bar- Poor service, seemed very unattentive and disinterested in any requests. No consistency with coffee or mixed drinks. Each mojito and coffee made differently and often did not have what you previously ordered. Front desk- Sometimes okay service. Again showed disinterest in what you were asking. Did not receive our wake up call, when we mentioned this were told l,sorry no bellboy until 7. The entire resort had a major house fly issue. Hundreds in buffet, lobby areas. Pool- Clean, fairly small but sufficient. Pool bar seemed great. Music played from 10am-430pm daily extremely LOUD. Entertainment- We did not attend but heard great things SPA- services reasonably priced, wonderful staff 24 hr Snack bar- Most times offered only one thing. One day was a giant bun with a half a piece of cheese. Only fries 1 day out of 7, hotdogs no bun one day, deep fried chips one night Main Buffet- great,friendly old school happy welcoming Cuban service from Ideky and Luis. They made our trip. Boardwalk- Different than we are uses to but loved the wildlife and nature. Pelicans, fish,great white herons,amazing snorkeling,lots of fish,starfish Pathways-Low lighting at night Mostly sounds negative however overall this resort had everything WE needed. Most of the things didn't bother us or affect our over all trip. We felt the impact of covid on the people of Cuba and the economy. Shortages,lack of resources for workers, understaffed.

Melia Varadero: Beautiful Resort

Overall amazing resort! The staff were over the top helpful, kind and extremely friendly. The resort was incredibly clean and room service was top notch. The food was very good with lots of variety. The beach was simply beautiful. The only downfall was the wifi, limited to lobby area or very close surroundings. Would definitely recommend this resort without hesitation!

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Love the staff!

This was my 5th stay at this resort and what keeps me going back is the staff. We stayed on the Royal Service side (we we upgraded as repeat guests). The shortages in Cuba can be felt with the food selection. Although we were never hungry, the variety was lacking this year. We were happy to have Yusmila back at the resort, now at the Royal Service bar. We did have a butler and although he was good, he was not as attentive as some we have had in the past.

Starfish Jibacoa: Nice Resort

We really liked the place, For a 3 star in Cuba, it was great. AC worked fine, lots of hot water. Beautiful beach, great snorkeling. Fantastic Spanish coffee. Food was better then we expected. Most of the personnel were extremely friendly and helpful. We will go back

Playa Luxury Cayo Las Brujas: Great time!

We had a great time at Angsana! This smaller resort was the perfect place to unwind. Stunning grounds, beach and pool. Staff were incredible and food was plentiful. We had a couple of ongoing plumbing issues with our room that didn’t get resolved quick enough.

Resonance Blu Varadero: Beautiful and neat

We really liked the superior garden view room, it was a nice size and we actually had a king size bed instead of two doubles. It wasn’t really a garden view as it was a major path with palm and coconut trees. Still a nice view. The room had been updated with a walk in shower, no tub. The buffet wasn’t great. Due to the war, supplies are not getting to them. Butter, bread, flour, sugar, pasta were difficult or impossible to find. I am severely allergic to peppers so couldn’t eat anythin [... read more]g from the buffet except meat when available. The cook set it aside for me so I could eat something. I had a protein diet for two weeks. The staff were pleasant but we didn’t really have anyone warm up to us like we are used to at other resorts when we stay for two weeks. Our room was always cleaned and staff responsible were awesome at getting us water, towels etc. The beach was nice. There is a drop off about 2 feet out from shore but fine if you are sure footed.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Family get-away

Everything was wonderful. The staff are exceptional. They work so incredibly hard to make sure everything runs smoothly. The pools were awesome too. They gave us relief when the waves in ocean were too strong to swim in.

Royalton Hicacos Resort and Spa: Severe issues and not at all acceptable

I wrote a severe critique of this hotel/resort that can be found at Tripadvisor. The link is included. I have also provided the full text below for anyone not wanting to click the link. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g147275-d270082-Reviews-Royalton_Hicacos_Varadero_Resort_Spa-Varadero_Matanzas_Province_Cuba.html It's my opinion that Tripcentral did an inadequate assessment regarding the flights both too and from the resort. The rep, Louise Endean should have realized and communi [... read more]cated the fact that check-in and check-out times were way out of sync with the flight times and thus 2 of the 14 days were partially wasted and caused needless difficulties. Clients should not arrive exhausted and then be made to wait in tropical heat for most of the day before their room is ready for occupation. (see Issue #4 below) It's also apparent that she had limited knowledge of the actual resort and should have counselled me to stay somewhere more restful as per my needs for a quiet and relaxing vacation. Because of Ms. Endean's apparent inexperience with Royalton Hicacos, I can assure the readers of this review that I will not use Tripcentral 'experts' again to book future vacations. The full text of my review follows: EXHAUSTING ORDEAL NEVER TO BE REPEATED “I spent 2 very expensive weeks at this hotel. By the 11th day of 14, I couldn't wait to leave. Four major issues, any one of which is a deal-breaker. 1) Noisy beyond belief. From the rumble of huge laundry carts past your door at 6:30 AM, you'd think there's either an earthquake happening or a huge thunderstorm setting in. The tiled floors and pebbled concrete echo the noise all along the structure. The housekeeping staff, gardeners and repair staff yell to one another from one end of the bungalows to the other. There is no decorum or consideration for guests still sleeping. (It's like living in a barrio bajos (slums)) The doors on the bungalows do not close quietly. They must be SLAMMED to get them to close and lock. Planning a siesta for the afternoon? Forget it! The noise goes on all day to well after midnight when drunken, noisy guests return to their rooms or new guests are being brought to their rooms. At best, you might get 5 hours sleep. Walls are paper thin, you can hear your neighbors scrape their chairs across the floor or open and shut the dresser drawers, drapes. The sliding doors rumble like thunder. When I think of high-end hotels, I think of blissful quiet excapes. This hotel doesn't even come close. It's a cacophony non-stop. This is not a hotel to go to for a rest. The only way to get some rest is to bring sleeping pills, a set of earplugs and/or drink yourself into a stupor so you can pass out. 2) Unsanitary conditions. I brought a hand-held UV light with me, like the type housekeeping services uses in my country to check on cleanliness. I wish I hadn't. Bright glowing stains from bodily fluids were everywhere, Walls of the bathroom, on the toilets, waste buckets and worst of all, on the pillows and beds. Though the pillow cases are changed daily, the bed sheets and mattress protectors are not. Lift the mattress protector and shine your UV light on the bed and prepare to vomit. Human stains, old and new, are what you're going to sleep on. The down pillows themselves are covered with fresh pillow cases but the stench of the mold and mustiness seeps through easily. So do the bedrolls/bolsters. Again, you're sharing your pillow with hundreds of guests who were there before you. Serious advice, use a towel over your pillow to avoid waking up smelling rancid and foul. Wear pyjamas and socks. Check the fresh towels every day that get delivered to your room. On at least 2 occasions, I got manchas de mierde (check google translate for that one) on my towels, sometimes lipstick and often rust. Not sure you'd want to wipe your face on some of those stains. I had to call to reception to get mine replaced. Took them over an hour to get that done. I never once heard or saw a vacuum cleaner anywhere at this resort. Do not walk barefoot in your room or anywhere else at this resort other than the beach. Further unsanitary observations: birds fly freely inside the buffet area, crapping into the light fixtures, alighting onto the buffet areas and pecking at some of the food. Flies are settling onto food everywhere. The cushions in the reception area are never cleaned. Chairs around the bars are seldom wiped down. 3) An abominable lack of fresh fruit. During the two weeks I was there, I never saw: lemons, oranges, grapefruit, bananas (this is the only Caribbean island I've ever been to with no bananas), no coconut, no plantain, no limes, no nuts. What is available is raw, unripened pineapple, so tough you can barely cut it with the dull knives they give you, unripened tomatoes, unripened watermelon, unripened starfruit, fruit juices so watery that they're more akin to ther runoff from slicing them open. They have no flavor. Other foods fare no better. Baked beans are done in catsup, not tomato sauce. The tilapia fish taste like mud, the pork is so tough that when you chew it, it chews back. There is no bacon anywhere. Having complained to Jose Martin, the hotel manager, his reply was "I haven't seen an orange in 7 years. I'm from Spain". That was the extent of help I received from him. Excuses he has, solutions he has none. 4) One last caveat about travelling to this hotel. Check your flight times and compare it to the check-in/check-out times for the hotel. I got delivered here by SUNWING at 10:00AM but wasn't allowed to check-in until 4:00 PM. If you're not ready for it, that's 6 hours without air-con, suntan lotion or lighter clothing. You are walked around the sweltering complex and then left to your own devices until your room is ready, if you can find it. Front lobby staff are surly and command you to sit down and wait. After 6 hours of profuse sweating, I felt like I was born in my shirt. It's the same on exit. Check-out is at Noon and if your bus arrives at 7:00 PM, be prepared to sit around while front desk staff do nothing for you. For all the attention you got when arriving, you can expect to be disdainfully ignored when you leave. Whatever her name, whether Luzia, Luzora or Lucifer, the older woman at the front desk was particularly rude and dismissive. If Hicacos is the best that Varadero Cuba can offer, then you can be assured it was the last trip I will ever take, not only to Hicacos but to Cuba. I heartily recommend avoiding this island altogether. p.s. I never heard a single cricket ot tree-frog in the evening. Again, the only Caribbean island where I've never experienced this. Something really wrong with that.”

Iberostar Selection Esmeralda: Good resort

For the most part the hotel and the grounds were well taken care of. Staff and grounds keepers were very polite and always greeted you. Sometimes you had to ask the cleaning staff to make sure the floors were cleaned, but for the most part they did a good job. Make sure to tip them the service will be better. Room safe locked on me once and A/C gave out a couple of times, the technician was not always available. The beach was absolutely AMAZING, one of the best beaches I've seen to date. Enterta [... read more]inment staff had music and activities on the beach which was nice. The beach grounds men did a very good job at cleaning up any washed up seaweed and tried to keep the sand clean. Food was pretty good, alot of meat options but not alot of vegetables. Also not a lot of fruit. But you definitely won't starve. Dining area could use a good clean up after each meal as sometimes the floors and table mats were dirty. The entertainment staff were great, very friendly and always interacting with the guests and making sure everyone was having a good time. Shows at night were pretty good as well, mostly when the guests were involved. Overall it was a good experience for a fairly new hotel.

Hotel Los Cactus: A Lovely Resort

This is my fifth time being there, and I will continue to go. The staff are helpful. The landscape is lovely and so is the beach. Some of the rooms look old and we did not always have hot water but they tried to accomodate our requests.

Roc Barlovento: R and R

We have been to Roc Barvolento a few times. The grounds are kept relatively clean, as are both pools. It is the right size hotel for us, we don’t love large resorts. Our room was clean with hot water! The walk to the beach is a short one and the beach is incredible. If food and fancy drinks are a part of your enjoyment thenCuba is not the place for you. The hotel had limited choices for alcohol, and food is hit or miss most days. The country has limited supplies and they do what they can. Th [... read more]e location is in the Main Street so you can walk around downtown, rent a scooter or head over too a near by town called Santa Marta .

Villa Caprice: Starfish Cayo Largo

Lobby and reception /great, my room and housekeeping /great, buffet- food was great, salt water pool/great, except pool concrete walk surface is very poor, activity troupe /great, Best feature was the staff-helpful, kind and considerate. I would go back.

Iberostar Coral Esmeralda: Most amazing trip!

I won’t lie, I read reviews whether it’s from trip advisor or from fan Facebook pages. I will always do my research. I’ve been to Cuba 6 times and I have experienced the good, bad and the ugly. Coming into this trip, knowing how hard it is for them to receive stock for food, booze, and other items I knew to not expect much. When I tell you I was blown away.. this trip exceeded my expectations. From the grounds, the rooms, the staff, the beaches even the food .. I was surprised. I wen [... read more]t with a group of 4, This is a 5 star resort in Cuba. The staff go above and beyond to exceed your requirements. We came out with many friends who have kept in contact with us. The rooms are great. You either get a king bed or two doubles and you push them together it becomes a California king (amazing) yes you get a fridge no it’s not stocked so bring pop or coolers from home not the end of the world. They must give you a bottle of water every day. If we didn’t see it we went right to the butler and it was in your room by the time you got back. The buffet we ate for breakfast and dinner and we had breads, bacon, fresh egg omelettes, and fruits. If you like peanut butter, butter, maple syrup bring small packets no biggie. Dinner we didn’t think it was repetitive. You had your choice of fresh grilled beef, chicken, pork, fish, burgers or hot dogs. You had different side dish options all were great. For lunch we kept with the snack bar. We had wood oven margarita pizzas, or hamburger (with buns) or even pasta one day. It was all hot and amazing. The a la cartes we did the only two open Cuban and Mediterranean. We really enjoyed the Mediterranean. Drinks. Strong but you get used to it. Yes you have to think of things to have but I always asked for the bartender surprise or if you go to the snack bar ask for the Luis drink (gin lemonade). We didn’t notice shortages as they adapt to it. The entertainment at both resorts were great and hilarious. The day staff is the same as the night staff and they work hard to include everyone. Yes the bus ride from the airport to the hotel is about 1 hour and 30 minutes but it’s okay I didn’t mind it. we would recommend the VIP lounge in the airport on the way home if it’s a mid day flight or later. Had the air condition and inclusive booze and food. Big question would we go back…. 100% Luis, Uni, Yoem, Danny all the lobby bar workers and entertainment staff .. thank you for a memorable week.

Villa Lindamar: Excellent customer service, great food and friendly staff.

Villa Lindamar is a very private and enjoyable hotel with friendly staff and great chefs. The food was great and the variety of fruits every day was delicious. They offer 2 a la carte dinners per week and the restaurant by the beach is spectacular. Mike and Yuri and the most amazing waitress in that restaurant, and the food is very delicious. The Front desk and entertainment staff like Russo and Carlitos are lots of fun to be with. The hotel butlers are especially accommodating and helpful as we [... read more]ll. The rooms are very comfortable and private. I will recommend this place to anyone who is looking for a great getaway!!! Villeda's Family.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Diamond in the rough

Beach pool rooms all great. Food needs to be worked on and more drink choices, coffee not as good as I thought and no cream. Staff were amazing and friendly. Overall we had a great time!!! Would go back when things get straightened out after covid etc

Paradisus Varadero: Great beach

Just got back from a week long stay. Place is spread out so it doesn’t seem crowded. The food is repetitive and boring, but it is Cuba. The beach is beautiful and seems never ending. The staff were friendly and helpful.

Valentin Perla Blanca: Great Getaway!

There was a breathtaking view as we entered up the lobby steps, looking past the wonderfull bar out to the ocean beyond. The staff members were pleasant, friendly and always willing to help. Food was much better than expected and gave us enough options to avoid the boredom of eating the same things. Rooms were clean but need some upgrades and TLC. The pool was a nice area and kept clean, with a variety of areas to sit and relax. The pool workers provided cushions which helped as the chairs are a [... read more] little worn out. It was not too busy anywhere as the resort was only at about 20% capacity. Overall a worthwhile experience!

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Would be happy to return

VEGAN?: I managed to keep to a plant-based diet. There was always a ton of fresh fruit (guava, watermelon, papaya, pineapple, and occasional bananas), fresh and cooked vegetables (greens, tomatoes, carrots, beets, peppers, cucumber) and legumes (lentils and/or chickpeas). To be fair, I can't guarantee that there was no cross-contamination or minute quantities of dairy and animal broth in some of the cooked vegetables and legumes, but I did not see or taste it. I would normally ask for confirm [... read more]ation, but in this context (different culture, language barrier, staff too busy), it's not reasonable to expect a reliable answer. Don't expect tofu, fake meats, plant-based milks or peanut butter. FOOD IN GENERAL: I ate exclusively at the buffet. The food was bland; I expected hot sauce and savory condiments, but the condiments were limited. Regardless, I was satisfied despite some people complaining. The bread was great, and guava is amazing. It's awful to see people taking large portions only to throw it all away; they should make those people live on the street like regular Cubans for a day. DRINKS: I only had red wine (and coffee). Both were fine. CLEANLINESS: Everything looks clean on the surface and I felt comfortable eating at the buffet. I did see twice a cockroach on my table. Birds come in once in a while as the doors are wide open. BEACH: Awesome. Not quite enough chairs. The outdoor rince stations/showers don't quite work well. Tourists who litter should be immediately redirected to Guantanamo. POOLS: I never even tried the pools but I preferred the beach anyway. Not enough chairs. STAFF: I made friends I was sad to part with. ROOM: Nothing fancy but nothing scary. Not much water pressure. Clean. Comfortable. Bottles of fresh water are included. WIFI: Free. They give you a login limited to 10 hours, which you can renew freely. Speed was sufficient. GYM: Pretty small. Limited equipment. Lots of broken stuff. At least it was cool (A/C). COMPARISON: We were transferred to Melia Peninsula for a night due to a delayed flight departure. I'm grateful for this transfer because I saw how much better Laguna Azul was. Melia Peninsula is too spread out, and its buildings feel unsafe (direct access from the outside, and signs of prior forced entry). Also, Melia had the exact same food at the buffet, but in trying to appear fancy, they had forks instead of tongs for the food (yeah, great for picking up individual strands of lettuce), they had tacky lighting, the staff applauded as you entered (please), and they didn't allow you to carry your plate outside. Melia Peninsula is lipstick on a pig, while Laguna Azul is convenient and practical, and it doesn't pretend to be anything it's not. On top of that, Melia Peninsula allowed rude Russians to skip the reception line ahead of people waiting 30-45 minutes. Now I know to never book at MP.

Hotel Los Cactus: Old but clean good resort

Small resort, I guess around 200 rooms, old but well-kept and clean. Amazing staff, food is good with variety. Light evening entertainment included. I guess due to the lesser number of rooms, they are able to look after the guests in a better way. No food shortages was felt, plenty of meats, seafood, veggies etc., unlike in the big resorts some didn't have butter and cheese.