Memories Caribe Beach Resort: Amazing resort

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Memories Caribe Beach Resort. We opted for the Premium package and were not disappointed at all. The buffet food was excellent, with a great variety and never any shortages during our stay. The à la carte restaurants exceeded our expectations. The entertainment was fantastic, especially at the Bellini venue. The beach was the most beautiful I've ever seen in my life, and having food and beach BBQs served directly on the sand was a wonderful touch. This was ou [... read more]r fourth trip to Cuba, and this resort is by far the best we've experienced. We will definitely return in the near future and highly recommend it to others!.

Iberostar Coral Esmeralda: A Cuban Gem!

This resort exceeded our expectations. The swim up rooms were wonderful. The pool spotless. The food was good. And as usual, the staff members were pleasant and helpful. Always willing to do more. The butler service (Carlos and Ariel) went above and beyond to accomodate our every wish. The beach was clean, thanks to all the hard work of the beach staff. The gardens were lovely and well cared for, again by staff members. And the calm and quiet was extremely welcoming. We believe this was one [... read more] of our best Cuban holidays, and we've travelled to Cuba probably 15 to 20 times over the last 10 years. And of course, Nicole Deforest from tripcentral.ca ensured we had a seamless holiday, from our luggage to our seating on the airplane and the location of our rooms.

Royalton Cayo Santa Maria: Lovely resort!

We very much enjoyed Royalton Cayo Santa Maria. It was our first time at this resort and we would return. As far as a Cuban resort goes, this is the best we have stayed at in Cuba, we've been to several others in Veradero, Cayo Santa Maria and Cayo Coco. The pros: Beach is spectacular Service is fantastic, lovely people. Butlers are waiting for you and happy to assist. Food was above average for Cuban resorts, they have condiments, salt and use some garlic marinade at the beach th [... read more]at guests raved about. We always bring chips and snacks for the room, it makes all the difference. Rooms were quiet and AC worked well. We were on bottom floor building 10, totally fine, no bugs in the room. Would choose this location again, found it convenient. Resort wasn't at capacity, so getting beach and pool chairs never an issues. The resort is for people that want quiet, no loud thumping party music, music by the pool at reasonable level, music on the beach, for a few hours, not all day, and lots of 80s music when we were there. Seems they cater to their crowd, which is an older clientelle. They accept CAD happily. The cons: Smokers, they can't at home, so they do here and they have no regard for others in their vicinity. Lots of butts left in the sand on the beach too, just ignorant travellers. The travel time to get to the resort is about 1 hour 45 mins. It's a long bus ride. Take is as a tour and listen to the tour operator and it becomes quite a bit more interesting. We asked about a cab ride, it was $100 CAD or $80 USD, same amount of time, but they would get you out of the airport faster than the bus waiting for stragglers. There are no-see-ems, or sand flees or something, not mosquitos. I didn't see or feel bites, but I came home with a lot. Husband has none, so they have a blood type preference. We travelled for a quick weekend getaway, it was what we needed. We travel quite a bit, wouldn't stay in Cuba for a week, but for 3-4 days, it's a great refresher on a top beach in the world, doesn't get much better than that. I will comment on Diamond Club as we typically book this level if we can at other resorts. We didn't miss it here. The Diamond Club people used the regular side of the beach more than their dedicated section. Service seemed great with out it. We weren't there to drink, so didn't care whether we had top shelf liquor. No lines at check in to need any priority service. We liked our room location, but if a top floor is a preference, you may have a better shot at it with Diamond Club. Certainly they reserve those for returning guests. I did all the things to get a top floor and they said they were full, even though they weren't, so they do protect those rooms, which is good in a way. If you are planning a trip to Cuba, make sure you are able to accept the challenges their country faces, with a little understanding, you will appreciate what they are offering and have a great time.

Royalton Hicacos Resort and Spa: Very Nice

Staff and facilities were excellent. Room clean and well equipped. All resort staff went out of their way to be friendly. Beach is beautiful. Food was OK. Unfortunately, I got diarrhea late in week and we only ate at resort. Wife was fine.

Hotel Playa Coco: Great vacation

We had a fantastic vacation with our 2 kids. The staff is phenomenal. Goes above and beyond. No shortage of anything I was looking for. Excellent food. Beautiful beach. Will definitely be back for another stay one day!!

Hotel Mojito: Amazing

Best food and drink I ever had in Cuba. Variety of fresh and flavorful foods and lots of alcohol in stock. Everything is maintained and servers want to do everything to make you happy. Leo Garcias, entertainment staff, told me to vacation here and it was absolutely amazing

Melia Las Americas: Amazing Cuba Golf Trip

What can I say Sandra D was amazing from the beginning to the end , helpful, knowledgeable and always available. It was a pleasure dealing with Sandra. Sanda was very nice to deal with, helped us out with everything and every question we had.

Blau Arenal Habana Beach: Lovely and Small.

I stayed at the Blau Arenal for a week in early December 2025. It was a really nice experience, I loved almost everything about the resort. The staff were exceptionally nice and well trained. The grounds were spotless and the rooms were clean and the A/C worked very well, despite the often blackouts. When there was a blackout the generator would come on instantly, so it really did not matter that much. One big plus was that the WiFi worked very well, for me this was a first after having b [... read more]een to Cuba 12 times previously. It was also free! The resort is situated on an absolutely beautiful stretch of white sand beach, as good as Varadero. In fact, now that I know of this beach there will never be a need to return to Varadero. Havana is only a short half hour shuttle ride away. The shuttle costs US$10 for a return trip. Two negatives I had for this resort. One was the food, it was often almost inedible. The problem was not the quality of the food but the cook or cooks. They used absolutely no spice except handfuls of salt. No garlic and not even black pepper was used. There was a total lack of creativity as far as the food was concerned. Breakfast was a little bit better because they had eggs and fresh rolls. A few minor tweaks to the food, such as adding a touch of sugar to the oil and vinegar salad dressing, maybe adding some garlic and a touch of soya sauce to the stews, etc, would have gone a long way. The heavy dose of salt was a heart stopper. They have lots of eggs so they could have made a mayonnaise for example. They have tomatoes so they could have made and offered pizzas and spaghetti and meat sauce, the two easiest solutions but I never saw that,rather there would be over cooked spaghetti but no meat sauce. There was also no snack bar, so no hamburgers or hot dogs for late at night and also no french fries, a pity. Another negative at this resort was the fact that the quality of the alcohol was not the best but it was still more acceptable than the food. Despite all the negative things I have written about the food, I don't think I will ever go to another resort in the area other than this one. Next time I will just bring my own peanut butter, some hot sauce too.

Grand Aston Cayo Paredon Beach Resort: Not as expected

As explained by management this resort has only been open for three years and some items are still not working or available ( room ceiling fans and No coffee pods for in room coffee machines) and they did not have a location for morning coffee service. We were fortunate to get an upgrade to the Club section which turned out to be a blessing (thanks ? Felix) which gave us access to the club restaurant and pool area with better meals and services making our stay better. That being said there wa [... read more]s a vast shortages at the other bars and restaurants of both food and alcohol choices. Of the four specialty restaurants only the Selena meant our approval,well the main buffet was only good for breakfast. During our 10 day stay there was problems with the infrastructure, water shortages and all common washrooms not working properly which was unacceptable. The beach was “Cuba “meaning Fantastic and kept very clean all the time, that is the main reason we go to CUBA !! Well this resort has potential, it needs to get on top of it’s infrastructure and supply problems and it is doubtful if we will return soon.

Memories Flamenco Beach Resort: Quite Incredible Resort

The grounds are so tidy and mature, blooms everywhere. The service was amazing, very helpful, fast and friendly. The staff were as good as they could be, always lots of smiles. The Premium section of beach was not as good as the main area, but no shortage of chaises and palapas. The pool was very clean and well marked as to depth. We were surprised by the variety of food, especially in the a la cartes. We had salmon three times in the week.

Melia Costa Rey: Great staff

I had a great time. This was my 5 vacation to this resort .Beach was 5staras usual .Rooms clean ,Patio door hard to open,one call to front desk immediately resolved.Hot water wasn't plentiful. Can beer in room was in short supply, but lots of good alcohol at 5 locations.

Iberostar Selection Esmeralda: I&AS

Our second time to this resort within a half a year. Needless to say, we enjoyed it just as much as on our first visit (see my June 2025 review). Hotel and beach are fantastic. Could not have asked for better surroundings and service. A special "Thank you" to Israel, who looked after us so well, and to O'Neil, our travel agent at Trip Central, for his excellent service in planning our trip. We liked it so much, that we plan to return next spring.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Surprise in Cuba

I had given up on Cuba a couple of years ago because of the declining resort conditions and the food. But a friend encouraged me to try Varadero, and another recommended Paradisus. When we arrived, the first day was rough—four hours waiting for our room and underwhelming buffet food. But the second day was already much better. From there, things just kept improving. We found ourselves enjoying the resort more and more each day, and with the incredible weather we had, we ended up deciding we’l [... read more]l definitely be coming back next year.

Paradisus Rio De Oro: Good Hotel

It depends what you book. You can book basic room, junior deluxe, deluxe and royal service. If I come again, I would book at least junior deluxe suite. We had A C broken and it took few hours to be fixed and then after fixing it , I had to call again for someone to come and clean up the mess. All my stuff in the bathroom by the sink was wet. The resort is quieter than others, and it is older (more than 20 years old) Our beach was small and rocky (good for snorkeling). You could go to the ne [... read more]xt resort beach and swim there. People complain about beach chairs, that there was not enough of them. Food and entertainment were great.

Memories Flamenco Beach Resort: Beautiful resort

The hotel was awesome.needs a little paint job here and there.dining room and food were great.we don't mind cuban food.lots of variety.would recemond hotel to anyone 4 star in my rating.looking forward to next April to go again.

Grand Aston Cayo Paredon Beach Resort: A message to the manager

I come to Cuba often, but, this is my first time staying at Grand Aston. The resort is newer and nicer. The food and service are both reasonable. However, one thing makes me unhappy and doesn't make sense to the hotel, which can and should be improved. As I'm going for water sports, I sent the resort an email before leaving Canada to request a room on the first floor, but did not receive a reply. A fourth-floor room was assigned to me upon check-in. Even though I mentioned that it does not have  [... read more]to be an ocean view room (I purchased ocean view), I still could not get a first-floor room after 3 days. It is not only causing me inconvenience, but it is also causing extra work for clearn laddy because I will bring a lot of sand into the building. I don't believe the hotel's excuses for why it could not find one. Bottom line, if the hotel truly cares, no one will believe it couldn't find one. During the night, I noticed that more than half of the lights in the first floor rooms were off. It is unbelievably frustrating that the hotel will not do something that is good for both sides.

Iberostar Origin Playa Pilar: OUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME

For context, this is our 5th time returning to Iberostar Origin Playa Pilar (Nov 29/25-Dec 6/25) in the last 3 years. It is now our "segundo hogar!" (second home). Pour a drink and kickback this will be a long review and can hopefully give you an expectation of IPP. It is perfect for us but may not be for you. In the past four years we have also been to much more expensive all-inclusive's in Antigua, Jamaica, Cozumel and the Dominican however we always return to IPP. We always book using Tripcen [... read more]tral.ca and choose Air Transat. The Trip central website is excellent to use, and the aftercare provided by your personal travel agent is amazing. Air Transat is a financially stable airline and we have found there check in, boarding and on-time service delivery exceptional. We always but the Option Plus package that provides for priority boarding and an extra 50lbs checked bag. Because we have been 5 times, we have made lasting friendships with many of the staff who we talk to throughout the year. ill talk more about this later in the review. Please read the previous reviews and apply copious doubt as to their authenticity as some of the comments are ridiculous. LOCATION This is one of the most confusing subjects for some. IPP is located on Cayo Guillermo which is a 45-minute bus ride from Cayo Coco airport including several stops at other resorts enroute. It will likely be the last stop as its located near the top of the Cayo. The resort itself is on a sheltered bay unlike the other resorts that are on the east side (look at Google maps). The main feature of the waterfront is an elevated boardwalk with Cabanas. This is where we spend most of our time during the day. There is a convenient bar right in the middle. Access to the water is from the pier or by the water sports building. The water itself is crystal clear warm Caribbean water with a coral and sand bottom. You can walk out 500 meters at low tide and still be knee deep. There is sand behind and around the elevated boardwalk however it is on top of coral. It is not like a conventional beach where your kid can dig a hole to China with their bucket. there are plentiful loungers as well and Beisel and Andres will help you with picking the best spot, they are the best! If you still arent happy with the IPP beach, the good news is Playa Pilar beach is only a short 15-minute walk up the bay or a $5 cab ride ride. There is also a trail in behind the watersports building you can take. I highly recommend meandering along the coral and in the water during your stay. Playa Pilar beach is stunning and is much better than Varadero. When there you may want to rent a palapa for $5, beer $5 and there is a restaurant where you can get a lobster lunch...Never had it but I have been told it is $30 and exceptional. FYI, Canadian and American currency is generally interchangeable. If you are told $5, you can pay either....just my experience. FACILITY Iberostar Playa Pilar is approximately 10 years old based of what I have been told. Cosmetically, in some areas it is worn. There are broken tiles and hardware throughout the property but the staff do their best to keep the property very clean. I have been told that the property is jointly owned by the Cuban gov't and Iberostar (Spain) and supply chain issues are very complex. A solid investment would make this resort spectacular. During our stay we had several minor issues that were promptly taken care via the amazing Olivia Hernandes, Customer Service manager. During our visit, there were approximately 120 guests, and the capacity is over 800 people. There were zero lineups or waits for anything! One of the main reasons we come here is because it is so quiet! The grounds for the property are kept in great shape by workers like Yaniel! They work exceptionally hard and are extremely friendly. Please make sure you say Hola to them if you see them working. ROOMS This visit we were in an Oceanview Junior Suite in building #4 (416). The OJS is a very cheap upgrade and definitely worth it! They are a good size, clean and the bed was decent. We were hoping to get building 11 however a family of 30 took precedence over us, no big deal! Compared to many other resorts, IPP is very well designed and you are not far from the main building or beach regardless of which building you are in. RESTAURANTS The main building has the buffet restaurant which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is a large space and anytime we have been there during our 5 visits, it has rarely been even close to half full. There is a 24 hour snack bar located down behind the beach. You can get an variety of sandwiches, hot dogs (good!), hamburgers (not good) and fries....and an ice cold beer! There are several ala carte restaurants and lucky for us, Olivia had pre-scheduled 4 of them for us on our arrival: Japanese (2x), Mediterranean and Creoli. The Japanese restaurant is a bit of a show and a lot of fun! The food in the ala cartes is very good! FOOD As previously mentioned, IPP definitely has supply chain issues however they have definitely improved over our past 5 visits. Yes, you can go to other islands and be a gluttonous slob and eat till you explode. When you are at home, do you have 3 meals a day? 3 egg omelets with bacon every morning? Probably not....IPP has enough choices for just about everybody. I am a picky eater and always find enough to eat. I usually lose a few pounds each visit and this time I lost 5....which was a surprise. You need to lose weight too and you know it! Allthat being, bring said, bring condiments from home if you like mustard/ketchup/jam, salt and pepper etc. as it is rare to find those. If you have never been to Cuba, don't believe it when people tell you the food is terrible....they are likely comparing quantity over quality. Yes other islands have massive buffets with a hundred choices, but this isn't 1970 Cuba, you will survive. ACTIVITIES There is a watersports building at the boardwalk where you can use a paddleboard or a hobbie cat. You can also have one of the staff take you snorkeling to a nearby sunken ship off the coast of Media Luna Island. For $60 we went snorkeling and finished off on Media Luna with a lobster lunch and a few beers all included! There was no rush and it was very enjoyable afternoon! Johnny and Eduardo were great to deal! You can see Media Luna Island from the boardwalk. The pool is a very good size, clean and with a swim up bar. There is a spa onsite where you can get a massage and lounge around their private splash pool after. There is also a small gym located in the spa. EXTERNAL ACTIVITIES IPP is located on an isolated part of the chain of islands. Moron is the closest town, and it is 90 minutes away by car. This is where most employees live and are bused from everyday (2-hour commute!). You can hire a driver and do a city tour if you wish. We have not done this yet but may do so in the future. We did go Scuba diving at Coco Diving Centre which is only 10 minutes from IPP. We did a 2 tank dive on the Acuario and Servimar reefs and had an "interaction" with a 9-foot silky shark! We also saw some 2-4 foot Blacktip reef sharks. If you want to see my shark video it is on IG at john2266 . It cost $110 for 2 dives which is exceptional compared to what we normally pay on other islands. Every week, one of the local hotels hosts a party night at the nearby Plaza Hemmingway! Transportation, booze and food all included! If you are at IPP, this is a must do! MONEY/TIPS/GIFTS Do not worry about converting your money to Cuban pesos. This would only benefit you if you were travelling outside of the resort system and throughout the non tourist areas of Cuba. Canadian and American money are the norm. I brought US $1 bills and $5/$10/$20 CDN for tipping.....yes you can also tip with CD loonies and toonies, but the staff end up having to trade them with other tourists for paper money as they are worthless in Cuba. I don't mind taking the exchange rate loss and budget accordingly. For reference, the Cubans we have befriended over the years have disclosed to us that their monthly salary is the equivalent of $25-$35 a month! Most of us make more than that in an hour at work so please keep that in mind. Also, the employees will never have their hand out for a tip, they are a very proud people and grateful for anything offered. Because we have befriended many staff members over the years, we know what their needs are and bring clothing, medications, sports equipment etc. for them. We also bring full cases of assorted gifts and stuff they would not be able to get themselves. Even if they have money, it is impossible for them to get some things. If you visit IPP, take the time to get to know some of the staff! STAFF OK, almost done and saving the best for last! The staff are amazing! Olivia Hernades (Customer Service manager), Beisel and Andres (Beach), Yaniel (grounds), Luis (security), Jorgito (lifeguard), Anarelys (manager) Oney (cigar bar) are just some of the great staff members Iberostar is very lucky to have! CONCLUSION IPP is the perfect resort for us, it checks all the boxes and grounds us in what is important in life. If you want to party, drink and eat like a fool, stay away from my IPP! If you want to relax and have a serene time in paradise your next stop is trip central to book. The staff are the real reason we keep coming back! The waterfront and cabanas over the turquoise water help too! I only hope that upper management at Iberostar take my comments into consideration and give this property the care and investment it needs.

Iberostar Origin Playa Pilar: Somewhat tired, but well cared for resort!

This resort is well cared for by friendly staff. It appears due for renovation, however all areas are clean and tidy. Was fairly empty when we were there (less than half full), which made for easy use of the buffet and snack bar. Buffet food was good for breakfast, okay for lunch and dinner. Not a lot of fresh vegetables (my first time in Cuba). Two a la carte restaurants, Japanese was quite good, the other switched between Mediterranean and Spanish, although the food for each was quite similar. [... read more] Theatre onsite was seldom, if ever used during our week long stay and no night club, so after dinner the place was a ghost town at night. Beach cabanas were quite nice and the bay the resort is located on was nice, but quite shallow (so safe for those who dislike deeper water). Catamaran rental for snorkeling and lobster lunch at Cabo Media Luna (2km away) was a highlight of the week.

Melia Cayo Coco: Pleasant stay at the Melia Cayo Coco.

A Truly Exceptional Stay From the moment of arrival, the sheer beauty and meticulous upkeep of the resort grounds provided an immediate sense of serenity and luxury. Walking through the public areas was a delight; every space was thoughtfully designed, impeccably maintained, and exuded an atmosphere of sophisticated comfort. The commitment to excellence continued right into the private sanctuary of the rooms. These were not just accommodations, but havens of tranquility, featuring superb d [... read more]esign and spotlessly clean interiors that made relaxing effortless. Culinary experiences were clearly a highlight. The dining options were exceptional, offering delicious, high-quality cuisine with attentive service that elevated every meal from a necessity to a pleasure. Furthermore, the array of unique features and amenities available truly set this resort apart, adding layers of enjoyment and convenience to the entire vacation. This combination of outstanding facilities, flawless service, and beautiful surroundings ensured your stay was nothing short of extraordinary and truly exceptional in every regard

Memories Paraiso: Grand Memory Santa Maria

The service at the restaurant was extremely poor—if you don't tip, the waiters won't serve you. The number had a broken air conditioner—I had to have it repaired. Service is not well in restorant and beachbar.