Tryp Cayo Coco: Great resort, just needs a little tlc

I would like to first start off with noting that I did enjoy my stay here and would most definitely come back again! Hopefully with a few small improvements (such as the ones I list below) this place can be great once again and function at it's full potential. It's not that far off from doing so either. Now on to my observations which I have also posted on Trip Advisor (along with photos): Room: The room had everything we basically needed. The beds were also fine, a bit firm for our taste, but [... read more] did the job. (Note to management: They should be replaced soon for what it’s worth). The room was also kept clean by our maid and she always made sure to give us a bottle of water each day along with fresh towels and sheets. We greatly appreciated this! Rooms also have a fridge which we kept our water in and any drinks we bought, but for management’s sake I think it would be nice to consider filling these fridges up with at least a soda or two and put the bottle of waters in them. Just a thought. My only pet peeve with the room would come down to the bathroom. The bathtub in our room easily needs to be replaced as there were some rust spots, and something needs to be done about the hot water. It always seemed like between 5 pm – 7 pm that there was basically no hot water. Now I’m a realist and I understand that this is the time many (if not all people) take a shower to get ready for dinner so I didn’t complain, but I just want management to be aware that something needs to be done about making sure hot water is constantly being provided to all the rooms. Food: Overall when it came to the food me and my partner found more than enough items to snack on and not go hungry during our stay. At breakfast you can find items such as eggs, French toast, crepes and omelets. There also plenty of fruit and juices to eat and drink. You can also have espresso or a cappuccino, but I preferred to get these either at the hotel lobby bar or the 24 hour snack bar (both very close to the buffet). For lunch and dinner you can also try grilled meats (chicken, pork, beef, fish, squid, crab etc.), as well as fried rice made with egg, pasta and pizza. Overall the food was more than enough for the two of us, but this is not the place for someone who wants more then what I described above. If you want a greater selection of food and condiments then you need to go somewhere more Americanized (i.e. Mexico or Dominican Republic). That’s the reality folks. But if you enjoy fresh food and fruits, and can do without the condiments (or don’t mind bringing your own), then you’ll be fine. I always say Cuba is one of the few places still where their food is fresh, gmo free and all that jazz. Might as well enjoy it while it lasts before it changes in my opinion. Beach: Without a doubt the beach in front of the hotel was amazing, and I spent most of my days here with my partner. I couldn’t have asked for more. There are also coral reefs in front of the hotel (about 15 meters away) so if you have your own snorkeling gear then be sure to bring it. You’ll get to see some neat fishes (especially if you bring some chum with you). Pool Areas: There are 2 main pool areas. One basically sits in front of the main building facing towards to the beach (this one has a swim up pool bar), and the second one is off the right side which is known as the quiet pool. I personally didn’t spend any time at the quiet pool, but it looked like a nice area to be in if you would want some peace and relaxation. Entertainment: As previous reviewers have mentioned each night there was a children's program that starts at 8:30 pm. usually some kind of dancing competition. This was then followed by a show for the adults which would start at 9 pm. Out of all the shows we had seen the Michael Jackson one was the best! Definitely make sure to be there when that shows on for that day, you won’t regret it!

Melia Caribe Beach Resort: beautiful resort, disappointing outcome

We stayed at the Melia Caribe between April 17-24, 2016. It is a beautiful resort with exceptional grounds and attentive staff. Unfortunately just upon arrival and while we waited for our room to be ready, we were harassed very quickly by a rep who wanted us to view The Level; an exclusive part of the resort$$. We had paid very good money to be there and were stunned at how they did not even let us see the resort first before already trying to upsell us. In our state of travelling all day, we ag [... read more]reed just to get rid of him. Unfortunately, it did not end there. Every time we stepped into the lobby to navigate to the restaurants, lounge or casino, there were more reps ready to hound us again. After a day, we changed our minds about wanting to join the breakfast seminar on The Level and when approached by the rep again and explaining ourselves, he became very angry, told us that we had wasted his time and he could have been talking to other potential guests. The worst part, he proceeded to call me a “Puta” while walking away. Now Spanish is not our first language but we do know what the word means. We have his name (as they all wear name tags) but will not throw this angry man under the bus as we know the DR is not Canada and it is more difficult to obtain jobs. Needless to say, we were upset for a good day after that and very uneasy whenever approaching the lobby as (I) feared running into this guy again  This relentless selling is the reason we will not book a Melia resort ever again. This is unfortunate because the resort is immaculate, the grounds stunning and the food, exceptional. Also, the seagrass was a huge disappointment as we are very much beach people and did not appreciate swimming in a salad bowl. All in all, this was not the best choice of resorts for us.

Starfish Cayo Largo: Secluded Beauty

I have just returned from Cayo Largo - Sol Pelicano. We spent a great week swimming in the ocean, reading and relaxing. Or room was terrific (4929) and the beach spectacular. The grounds were well kept and the food was pretty good. Unfortunately, the access to the swimming pools was limited with no hand rails into either pool and no steps into the children's pool.

Sol Rio de Luna y Mares: Back Once Again

Everything was great except the 4 hr. delay at Hfx Airport with Air Transat ! The hotel and grounds are great, we asked for a room on the Luna side and got it with ocean view, food seems better than last yr., only other complaint was that it was a windy wk. April15 - April 22nd 2016, would go back in a flash.

Melia Puerto Vallarta: Wonderful week!

We have stayed at the Melia before so we knew it would be a great week! Only complaint is the Wifi in the lobby - REALLY BAD! No email - no skype and very slow if anything on the internet. So leave your computer at home and enjoy this lovely resort!

Melia Nassau Beach Resort: Great resort

The resort was clean, well kept and large! The staff and service was amazing. The Melia staff were friendly and went out of their way to make our stay s memorable one. The location is amazing and there are a few pools as well as a hot tub plus the beautiful clean, sandy beach. We stayed in The Level and we had an ocean view- it was spectacular!

Zel Cozumel: Fantastic Resort!

I thoroughly enjoyed the Melia. Wonderful fun and hard working staff, comfortable and clean room, the beach is a dream, beautiful waters, great snorkeling, lots of activities for people to do, tons of shopping options in town which is within a very short distance, loved the atmosphere and the people! I plan to return to the Melia next year. I met some wonderful people.

Dreams Sapphire Resort and Spa: Amazing Resort

The Resort was better then the picture. staff friendly, grounds clean. Room out of this world. The hole experience was superb. I would recommend this Resort to everyone to go, for a wedding to just relaxing.

Melia Jardines del Rey: Terrible food

Hotel was OK for cuba ,not worn out ,no water in the hotel for a while day. Staff was rude ,not friendly at all . people bathjng in the pool because of no water . entertainment was also terrible, last time I go to Cuba :(

Sol Cayo Santa Maria: The best staff

We have travelled to Cuba many times and the beach and staff are always amazing but this resort topped the list in these areas. The food was typical Cuban resort for the buffet but their al la carted were amazing and also offered the beach bar and a pizzeria which were amazing. Entertainment and entertainment staff were well organized and put on an amazing show ever night with something different each night of the week. Would travel again to this resort. Probably the cleanest of any older resort [... read more] we've been to. I felt comfortable in bare feet

Memories Cayo Largo: Gorgeous beaches!

Our overall stay was amazing! Such a beautiful setting and so relaxing. The fridge in our room never worked and the air conditioning could only be set at high. We never had any problems finding beach chairs or umbrellas. Food was a bit repetative but plentiful.

Starfish Cayo Largo: An enjoyable stay

The property at the Sol Pelicano resort in Cayo Largo, Cuba is dated, but it is well-maintained. The grounds have a desert-like terrain feel to them with some very beautiful vegetation, such as flowering bushes. The rooms are clean and in good order. The windows and doors to the balconies and terraces have locks and they come equipped with air conditioners. Unfortunately, because the air is so humid in Cuba, the bath towels don’t dry too easily despite the A/C, but if you request a change in t [... read more]owels you will be provided new ones. There is cable TV in the rooms, but the choice is limited for English-speaking travellers, as most channels are in Spanish. The public areas, such as the bathrooms are clean and well-stocked for the most part. On one occasion, the women’s washroom near the salt water pool (bonus!) and the snack bar had run out of toilet paper and the towel bar had run out of clean beach towels. The resort property was devoid of litter; however, the beach was slightly polluted primarily with cigarette butts. This was due to disrespectful tourists and bears no reflection on the staff at the Pelicano. The food at both the buffets and the a la carte restaurants were more than adequate, but the fine dining restaurant could step it up a bit. Gordon Ramsay would not have been impressed. Bananas, real orange juice (not the drink they say is orange juice), and a milk alternative for the lactose-intolerant at the buffets would be a nice addition. Introducing authentic Cuban cuisine to the beach resorts would be refreshing. There were line-ups at the egg and pasta stations, and there was a line-up to use the toaster as well. The toaster did not work very well and eventually broke; it needs to be replaced and there should be more than one. Rooms come equipped with security safes, but unfortunately there was a fee to use them despite the trip being “all inclusive”. A new 1.5L of bottled water was provided daily and you didn’t have to ask for it. The staff were friendly, particularly the men if you were a woman. Some staff members did not seem to speak English well or at all; many were fluent in Spanish (obviously) and French, which did pose a bit of a problem if you, as a traveller, have limited Spanish or French skills. The resort was quiet and never felt overrun by tourists. There was a clothing optional beach, which was amusing when you first stumble upon it as you walk along the beach, but it quickly becomes old news unless you’re prone to prudishness. Overall, the Sol Pelicano is a very good resort. I would recommend it to others looking for a quiet, stress-free vacation and I would stay there again.

Paradisus Rio De Oro: Pardisus = Paradise

Everything was beautiful! Great food, great entertainment, friendly staff, beautiful beach, very relaxing! I would definitely go back again. We met many people who had stayed here multiple times. Hola!

Melia Varadero: Beautiful Varadero!

Melia Varadero Resort: We travel twice a year and this is not our first time to Varadero, but it is to this resort. We upgraded to the Level and were glad to do so...mostly for the food and service. We found the food to be inconsistent and the breakfast buffet was less than appetizing - there was an odor that put me off of anything they offered, but my husband liked the omelets, and the service for them went fairly quickly as there are 2 stations for the omelets - one a pan omelet and one is a  [... read more]flattop grill on the other side of the bar.... The level offered a continental breakfast which was far superior to the buffet with wonderful meats, cheeses and specialty breads not offered on the buffet. Lunch was best at the grill by the pool. As Level members, you could go to the steakhouse for lunch, the service is slow, the food is OK...but do try the stuffed squid, one of the best I've ever had - the cook on it was superb! Alas, we tried them again the next day and the cook was somewhat off, but they were still delicious... That's the thing with Melia - the inconsistency of the food... one day it's spectacular and the next was mediocre... do have the chicken curry and the pork at the Fuerteventura...this was our favourite place to eat.. we first had the lobster, then we tried the other food and decided the lobster was for the "newbies" LOL - you will always start with the lobster, but do venture out and try the other food. The best dessert by far was the Panecotta there, but again, the next day...not so great! The beaches are kept wonderful and the Level people have an area blocked off just past the bar. I think they used to serve food at that bar - but not when we were there. Only by the pool. The service in that area on the beach is fantastic, to the point of when your towel moved, the gentleman would come and fix it for you and dust off the sand from your chairs! So nice! Varadero beaches are very nice. It does have a few rocks so bring your swim shoes. The room was average, and as level occupants, I would have liked to have seen a coffee maker instead of a kettle - but I ordered room service every morning for my coffee, awesome coffee! Room cleaning was top notch - very clean! I have to say that they do not have a box of tissue in the rooms...I had a cold so I really needed more that the single pack of travel tissues they leave for you...LOL I was blowing with toilet paper...a little rough! Weird at the level service... The service at the regular bars on the compound are not great. We found that if they came and asked you for a drink by the pool in the morning and you said no thank you, that they would not ever return to you that day and you would have to go to the bar to get a drink...no swim up bar either! Which brings me to the pool, it is not heated but in the heat we were in, it was just fine by me! Someone had mentioned that it was very clean...we did not find that... it was OK but there was a bathtub ring around the upper pool where we were, so not great but very good! I asked about a bingo game or other games around the pool and was told that they did not do this.. MANAGEMENT!: Take Heed! You must start up a game of sorts every day so that your guest can win a small bottle or token of their trip...this is the very first resort I have been at that did not do this. was very disappointed as I love games...not good at them, but I still love them! They do have a lot of entertainment around in the evenings (not games) which I thought was super fantastic...put a smile on our faces every night.... All in all I've given them 4 stars as the check in was fantastic (level) and the people are so friendly...some food was great...we tipped a lot... I spent $200.00 in 5 days there, just in tips. I do believe that if you can afford to go on a vacation - you can afford to tip...I'm sure these people do not make the same kind of money we do in Canada. They really need the extra $. The room was comfy with a beautiful view and again the people really are helpful. So sorry if I sounded negative on this review - I tried to give both the good and the bad...the bad really wasn't too much of a hindrance...this is a lovely place - would I return? No, but I never do! Too much to see out there in the world...

Melia Cayo Santa Maria: Beautiful resort

beautiful resort, clean property, friendly staff, great service, beach is amazing. Great for a relaxing vacation. more options on the buffet would be nice. The worst thing for me was the 90 minute bus ride from the airport

Melia Jardines del Rey: Good Value

We enjoyed the resort, though very large, it was well spread out. Staff were great. Very good entertainment in the lobby at night. Only half the buffet was open, which was ridicules for the amount of guests. It made for a very bad dining experience. The Ala cart restaurants were very average, and a little disappointing too. We don't go to Cuba for the food, and we didn't come home hungry.

Melia Jardines del Rey: Perfection.

5* no doubt! An amazing place! Great service, grounds and staff. Food was very good, both variety and quality. Beach is very long, stay to your right, paradise awaits you! I strongly recommend this resort to anyone, we will be returning very soon!

Melia Las Dunas: Great week of R&R at a very nice resort.

Before reviewing MLD, I must give a shout out to Trip Central in general and especially to Debbie Maguire. Extremely satisfied. The resort had everything my wife and I were looking for. Clean and comfortable rooms, great pools, long walkable beach, and the ocean. You can always find things to nit pick about, but overall it was a very pleasant stay. The staff were mostly pleasant, the grounds were beautiful and the food was good with lots of variety. If you wake up and can't get back to sleep, yo [... read more]u can go to the lobby bar where you can get any beverage you desire including some of the best coffees I've ever tasted. We will certainly return.

Melia Las Dunas: Excellent resort!

This was our second time at Las Dunas and we throughly enjoyed it. Lots of activities and entertainment or just relax. It is a big resort, so you can end up walking a lot, but the gardens are just beautiful. It is nice that there is an adult section with pool that is separate from the family pool.

Melia Jardines del Rey: Beautiful pool

Overall this is a beautiful resort ,friendly staff beautiful pools and great drinks. Buffet was very disappointing to say the least. A la Carte restaurants were good all around. Rooms very comfy and kept super clean. Evening entertainment was impressive for Cuba .