Tryp Cayo Coco: Amazing!

A group of us went here for a grad trip and we absolutely loved it! The food was really good! The beach was also incredible and you could snorkel right off the resort. I would for sure recommend Tryp!

Melia Jardines del Rey: Jus awesome

Was just awesome ,enjoy our stay ,would definetly recommend this resort , there with a party of 8 ,and be sure to see us back in 2017 . Thanks for making our stay amazing .thanks again , food was awesome the staff great ,the rooms and maids were incredible ,, drinks we soo good lol .

Muthu Colonial Hotel: Hotel with a charm of its own.

The hotel is getting old...needs some repairs but they are constantly working to repair around the resort....it is so charming...like a little Cuban/Spanish village with cobblestone walkways, arched doors and windows, amazing vegetation, nice beach with sandy bottom beach, rooms were kept clean, service was very speedy...loved it all except the food ...there wasn't much to choose from..very limited but half the resort was closed due to low season.

Melia Jardines del Rey: Very nice hotel and clean

Hotel is very new so especially clean. Staff were exceptional. Food is average. Best musical shows in early evening in lobby with great musicians. Service was verry quick for any problems or small repairs. Overall a four.

Melia Jardines del Rey: Amazing resort, lovely staff

It was our first time in Cuba, loved resort and staff. Buffet was excellent. The only negative was Sunwing cancelling our late afternoon return flight and having to leave by 7 a.m. It took a day away from our holiday

Hotel Camino del Mar: Great Resort! Needs some TLC

There are many things making this resort a great spot. The grounds are well-kept and quaint, the beach is stunning, the staff are kind, the AC in the rooms was well-functioning, the water pressure was great, the entertainment staff were determined to make sure everyone was having a good time. The drinks were okay; many tasted watered down, especially those with fruit juice in them. There was no fresh juice on the resort, all from concentrate. The quality of the drinks was also inconsistent from  [... read more]bar to bad, but once you figured out which bartender made which drinks well, you were set. The grounds are gorgeous, the buildings look tired. The beds were uncomfortable at best and the sheets had some stains and cigarette holes. There were also no clocks in the rooms (or anywhere on the resort, really) which is unfortunate considering how many things (meal times, shows) on the resort are based on arriving on time. The food left a lot to be desired. There was perceivable variety but many choices lead to intestinal discomfort for many of the travelers we were with. The fruit, fresh rolls and pastas were lovely. The desserts were attractive but bland. The gym was locked a few times at 7am when it alledgedly opens. All in all: this resort is not super luxurious but could be with a coat of paint, better beds and bedding and some better food options. If you come with snacks from home and reasonable expectations, your vacation will be wonderful.

Memories Flamenco Beach Resort: Resort great - Beach not so great

Resort was great - clean rooms, great food. No complaints in that area. The only negative things we found were the beach was full of coral. We only swam once. It was a big disappointment and there were never any chairs at the beach or pool. The other annoyance was the line ups at the bars. I often went to the store and bought a can of Crystal to avoid the lines and they don't wait on you as first come first serve.

Melia Jardines del Rey: Lively Resort

For the 7 days my girlfriend and I stayed at Melia Jardines del Rey we had a great time. Staff were friendly and helpful. The food was great and the three A la cartes we attended were great. The two pools were never to busy, always had something going on by the pools and swim up bar was awesome. The only part that was not perfect was the beach, which was rocky but if you walked out a bit you would get to a sand bar which was only up to my waist. With shows each night there was plenty to do for 7 [... read more] days on the resort. I would definitely recommend checking out this hotel.

Hotel Playa Paraiso: good family resort

Bus rode was fourty five minutes there as we were dropped off last but much shorter en route to the airport as we were last to be picked up. Beach was very nice. Thos resort is in between two other resorts abd the beachon this resort was superior to the adjacent memories and melia. Beach bar only had rum and diet coke was difficult to find. Always had enough towels. Priority club ocean view was beautiful. Was unable to get king bed but pushed two doubles together. Very nice bathroom and windows  [... read more]and doors sealed well. Food was excellent as far as variety was concerned. Staff was very friendly. A la carte redtaurants not mich better than buffet in quality. Specialty drink bar near front desk was nice. They had early morning champagne available and cookies. They were able to male specialty coffees. While there were no-smoking areas we were bothered by cigarette smoking on a regular basis likely secondary to the hotel being at full capacity.

Memories Caribe Beach Resort: Awesome beach

Had a fun time at the resort. Staff was friendly food was to me above average. To me the hotel is a little dated. Have to step up the cleanliness of the hotel especially the rooms. The mosquitoes are crazy at this resort. The beach was probably one of the best I've been too.

Hotel Playa Paraiso: Great resort

This was our first time to Cayo Coco and were not sure what to expect but we're very pleased with what we found. The resort was very well kept, the staff were friendly and the food... The food was Cuba. We always find plenty to eat where in Cuba. The beach was also excellent especially in front of our resort. There were areas of rock in the water but it didn't hinder swimming when you stayed to the right of the beach bar. We took some snorkelling gear which kept us in the water for hours. It was [... read more]n't really great snorkelling but the were lots of friendly fish.

Memories Flamenco Beach Resort: A titch unhappy

Was so glad to go back to our happy spot. Our room was to have a king sized bed..didn't happen. Our room, 6002 was very tired and all the dressers and head boards had way too much "stuff" on them and looked very grungy. Option to move was not there as it was sold out. My bed spread had stains on it and was very wrinkled, not a good look. We asked for extra pillows and got them within hours. Our consierege was the most wonderful man ever, Yousel. What a caring person. I called him way too many ti [... read more]mes or "chirped" at him but he was so kind. I was sweating so much one night that I took the pillow case off so I could get a clean one and found my pillow to have black mould on it. Three out of 4 pillows had this. Our sink backed up, no way to get the plug out but my husband figured it out. Bathtub was the same, we called and got it fixed. Patio door would not lock, again Yousel got that fixed. I felt defeated and stopped complaints as I did not want to be one of those "people". Yousel, Giselle and her team plus the amazing Janet at the diamond club bar were what made my trip. I am so sad as last year, it rocked. Sunwing...pull up your socks. The wonderful staff can only do so much with what you are giving them to work with. I blame you.

Melia Jardines del Rey: On Its Way to a 5 Star Rating

Absolutely fantastic vacation! The resort was large and clean, and there was always some sort of entertainment going on. Food was okay, as to be expected for Cuba. There was lots of coral on the beach, but water shoes made this only a minor inconvenience. Only complaint was the service - there seemed to be a shortage of staff to deal with the large volume of guests, and there was often a long wait for table service at the buffet restaurant and bars. Also the maid only replaced our towels twice e [... read more]ven though we left them in the shower daily - she often just picked them up and hung them to dry. With better service I would definitely rate this a five star resort. Even so, this was definitely the best Cuban vacation I have had out of four trips.

Memories Caribe Beach Resort: FUN & great staff

I am handicapped and i took my mom to Cuba for her 85th birthday.. Our rooms were great handicap rooms close to the lobby and pool ... Bell boys were excellant about taking us to and from locations in the golf carts.. the rooms were big and clean and great AC! The food was good, lots to choose from and they had SALT, PEPPER, BUTTER, Ketcup and Mustard!!! I was impressed! LOVED THE BREAD.. i wish i had taken jam, but the cheeses and ham cold cut was wonderful. I loved the pool .. but only one spo [... read more]t with stairs .. and the beach was so perfect!!

Hotel Playa Paraiso: So-so

I believe they were under staffed. We had to wait in lines at the bars to get our drinks. Room was worst part of the trip.. toilet seat was broken, no hot water and the room was just worn down period.

Memories Flamenco Beach Resort: Relaxing,Comfortable Resort but Inconsistent

Travelled to Cayo Coco and the Memories Flamenco in April 2016. Our 9th down south trip, and all have been to “4-star Budget” type of resorts (Cuba-Mexico-Dominican), so my comparisons are in line with realistic expectations. Just so you know the preamble. Getting There: Travelled via SUNWING. Quick flight of 3.5 hours from Halifax. Arrived ahead of schedule. Airport was small and easy to maneuver. Took about 40 minutes to go through the whole process of customs/finding bus/loading, etc bef [... read more]ore we departed. The bus was filled with Flamenco customers, so was direct trip to resort. Took about 15 minutes to get there door to door. The Memories Flamenco Resort Layout:The resort is well laid out for the most part, with your lobby at the entrance, pools and restaurant in the middle, and 3-story buildings surrounding the outer areas. We had Building 6, which we felt was ideal, being in the middle of everything. It’s a mid-sized resort, with 600+ rooms. There were nice walkways going to all parts of the resort. It was a bit dark in some areas, and could use better lighting. The resort grounds were very nice, clean, and well kept. The garden staff must work hard, because the plants were plenty, and it was a picturesque environment all around. Restaurants (Large Buffet and A la Cartes) were all in one area, between the lobby and your room. Closest to buildings 6 or 4. There is also a 24 hour snack bar right next to building 2. In behind the snack bar is another smaller buffet, open at specific hours. I enjoyed the Lobby Bar and Theatre setup. It’s all adjoined, and set up in a way that you can meet others easily. While it was bustling (the resort was full when we were there), I never felt it was too busy service wise. The drinks were ok, but not great. I stuck with beer and rum for the most part, because I felt their tropical drinks weren’t very creative. Looking at the Room: The rooms were an ample size, and our 2nd floor balcony had a nice view of the gardens. Because of the vegetation between buildings and the beach, there are VERY FEW oceanview rooms. It might say oceanview, but from what I could see, I don’t think many actually had the view worth paying for. I found the maids to be very accommodating where they could. Most spoke some English, and were very pleasant. We tipped 2 or 3 CUC each day. The beds were hard, and the pillows were terrible. However, our maid found us extra pillows which helped. Towels were had most days, however Beach Towels were not. We were not able to trade them all week. Not a big deal, but fresh towels would have been nice at least once. The in-room safe was free, which was a bonus. One issue we had was the patio door. It did not lock. Didn’t do anything about it as we were on the 2nd floor, but someone could have come into our room I guess There was water issues one day. It went from a slow trickle overnight to no water for about 8 hours one day. Once they fixed it though, it was good for the rest of our stay. Electrical is 220 volt in the rooms. Lots of plugs in the room, and they all accept our standard plug or round type (it’s a combined outlet that accepts either kind, so you don’t need the adaptor.) Check your electrical device though, because if it does not run on dual voltage, you’ll fry it. NOTE: DID NOT SEE ONE BUG IN OUR ROOM, OR EVEN IN OUR BUILDING THE ENTIRE WEEK. NOT ONE! BEACH AREAS: Much has been said about the beach area, and the lava rock/Coral that plagues it. Yes, it is a nuisance in some spots, but it won’t ruin your vacation. Hopefully I can explain it clearly. The beach is divided into two areas, sectioned off by a boardwalk/small pier that has been built over the worst part of where the coral/lava rock resides. Looking at the water, you turn left to the quieter but rockier part of the beach. This is where we spent most of our week. This is where the “Diamond Club” part of the beach is located, (which doesn’t really give you anything more-but that’s another issue) and that is the rockiest part of the beach. By rocky, I mean there is a stretch of rock that divides the beach and water. Lots of beautiful sand to lounge on, and lots of beautiful sand to walk on/or swim in the water. Its getting from beach to water in some areas that is a nuisance. If you turn right off of the boardwalk, you’ll get to the sandier part of the beach. There is some rock still there, but much less, and it’s easier to enter the water. This beach was much busier of course, and MUCH louder, as this is where the animation team does their thing during the day. Various activities, beach volleyball, contests, loud music, aerobics, etc. If that’s your thing, than this is the spot to be. If you have kids, this would be the spot to be. Especially with the sandier entrance to water. Once in the water on the entire stretch of beach (and its quite long), it is absolutely gorgeous, off-white sand and beautiful aqua coloured water. There are two bars on the beach. One is situated on the boardwalk and open to all. The second is located in the Diamond Club area of the beach. This is only to be used by DC members. (Different colour of bracelet.) However, we sat just outside the diamond club area and were served to our beach chair by very accommodating beach staff. THREE POOLS OFFERED UP: The resort had a nice pool area. There is a downhill grade from lobby to the beach, so the pools are tiered. The upper tier had the largest pool and is considered the “quiet pool”. It was nice, and a bit deeper than some I’ve been in down south which is nice. Lots of huts around the pool, although every chair was gone for most of the day. The swim up bar was tier two, and directly accessible via steps from the larger pool. Here is where your action took place. It could get loud, with the animation team running activities through the day. It was a nice pool with lots of room to get in to or away from the swim up bar if you wanted. The swim up bar also had an outside the water serving area for those not wanting to get into the water. Water temperature by the way was nice. Very clean. Well taken care of. Although there were quite a few loose tiles in the pool. Careful where stepping. The pool here had a volleyball net setup, although I can’t comment much on the activities throughout the day as we are more beach people. It was fairly loud though, as we could hear it from the beach at times. We did have fun in their once a week Foam party though. A neat gimmick that got everyone in a dancing, party kind of mood. FOOD AND CUBA…NOT THE GREATEST: Although our last trip to Varadero to the Royalton Hicacos was very good in terms of food quality, the Memories Flamenco really lacked in this department. Now, don’t get me wrong, you won’t starve, and I didn’t get sick. I found some things through the week that were quite good. But it was very inconsistent. You won’t starve, and you’ll find things you like. It just won’t be the wow factor or a part of the trip that is memorable. But hey, beats having to make meals for the week or clean up, or go for groceries, etc. NIGHT LIFE: The shows were typical down south fair. The dancing, the traditional music, a Michael Jackson show. They work hard to entertain you and are very friendly when doing so. You’ll enjoy it. The after the show Karaoke they had in the theatre was fun. I found it a fun place to go out and mingle, however there was no disco opened. I could see where the disco used to be, but no longer operating. There is one at the entrance of the Melia JDR resort which is a 10 minute walk down the road. It’s a pay for your own drinks place though. Not a busy nightlife here at the Flamenco, but I liked it. OFF THE RESORT: There is a double decker tourist bus that goes back and forth across the island that is worth an outing. It costs 5 Cuc for the day and the driver gives you a ticket for your return. There is a posted schedule in the lobby, and the bus either goes left towards a market area near the airport side of the island (We didn’t go this way) or right to the gorgeous Pilar Beach on the island of Cayo Guillermo. It was a fairly long ride to get there, but it was worth it to discover Pilar Beach. WOW! Absolutely gorgeous. One of the softest sands I’ve ever felt. If you love beach life, this is a must for you. It’s the stuff that postcards are made of. You can walk for a half hour each way on the beach. It’s beautiful (off)white sand and has that tropical aqua water in all its glory. There is a restaurant located there, and they have free (clean) bathrooms. If you want to stay on the beach for a while, you can rent a beach lounger (the blue canvas type) for 2 CUC or rent a day bed for 10CUC (Which includes a couple of drinks. There is a small market area just a short walk from Memories Flamenco. If you walk out the entrance and turn left, it’s a 10 minute walk MAX. The market has a few vendors set up selling typical tourist wares. The prices are reasonable, and you don’t typically negotiate unless you buy more than one of something. This resort is really a 4-Star (not the 4.5 that certain travel agencies give it), based on its inconsistencies, its food/drink quality, and the beach being a bit of a nuisance with the rocky areas. This resort opened in 2012, which is hard to believe because it really looks like it could be 10+ years old based on its condition. Still though, it was clean, enjoyable, we experienced solid service, and we had a great week. If you’re looking for a cheap vacation, and a place to relax without having to worry about the daily stress at home, this is definitely one that will fit the bill. If you have slightly higher standards though, than this may not be the best choice for your vacation. Keep in mind what you’re paying though and balance out what is important for you.

Hotel Playa Paraiso: Amazing Relaxing Vacation!!!

Travelled from April 8th to 15th and this was the best trip to Cuba thus far. The resort is small but, exactly what we were looking for and more. No line ups at buffet, no overcrowding on the beach. The grounds, rooms, lobby, restaurants are so clean. The staff are so genuinely friend; not fake in any way! The entertainment was the best we have seen in all our trips to Cuba. THE BEACH WAS AMAZING!!! We have found our GEM! we will return. Thank you to Angela, our Tripcentral advisor, who was so p [... read more]atient with me in answering all my questions and concerns so that making the choice of going to Pestana, stress free!!

Starfish Cayo Guillermo: Perfect family holiday!

have travelled globally and extensively for over 30 years. If you embrace a culture and its traditions and people for what they are (not what you expect), this is a truly wonderful experience! The staff was amazing and so kind to the grandchildren. The food isn't the same as at home, but that's why I travel; great experience for kids to learn that sometimes, you can't 'order up' and get what the grandmother gets for you! -- excellent choices and always something delightful! (the kids went beyon [... read more]d their comfort zones and learned to expand their dietary likes -- plus the pasta, pizza were excellent. Also, the baker on the resort is fabulous! Great choices, hot and fresh! Our accommodations were superb . Imagine our delight when we arrived to 2 connected ocean-front villa rooms-- 2 huge clean bedrooms, 2 t.v.s, and 2 bathrooms! Beds were exceedingly comfortable and the pillows were lovely. The washrooms had no problems, air-conditioning was excellent and quiet, t.v. had just enough choices in several languages but not so many that the kids wanted to stay inside. the cleaning staff was superb. And, of course, to see the sunrise over the ocean was superb! Nighttime shows were very professional. Yes, sometimes the hotel ran out of a particular thing .. rum, coke, wine or mint but it was always available in a day. Folks, you're on holidays!! Kick back and try something new! All in all, simply a wonderful holiday! Thanks to all! I guess bottom-line, I have to say, $ for $, this was one of the best holidays I have ever experienced. TripCentral did an amazing job of booking us at an amazing price.This is not a resort to go to (nor is Cuba the place) if you are rigid, demanding or only willing to eat/drink/do what you do at home! We will definitely return next year and are bringing more family with us!

Hotel Playa Paraiso: Nice resort!

Hotel was kept very clean. Grounds were nice. Rooms were small. Many times there wasn't toilet paper in the public washrooms and the hand dryers didn't work all of the time. The beach was beautiful but we did not care for the huts as they were way too crowded.

Melia Jardines del Rey: Great Resort

We enjoyed 2 weeks at the Melia Jardines del Ray Mar/Apr '16. From the lobby front desk to the restaurants/bars the staff were friendly and accommodating. The food was good. The beach was nice to walk. We spent every day at the beach and came prepared with water shoes to walk over the coral. Resort was clean.