Hotel Los Cactus: Decent resort

Overall: The resort is decent enough to have a relaxing vacation. The crowd is mostly older people and not so many young people and as a result the vibes of the resort are more calm and slow. In terms of luxury, the resort is nothing insane. Amenities: The gym and games room is usually empty but they have lots of equipment if you decide to use them. The pool is a great place to relax and there's always music playing so it's nice. The jacuzzi's were never warm enough to enjoy so I barely used [... read more] them. Activities: There are shows everyday. I enjoyed the dances. They are very entertaining to watch. There's also daily bingo which is fun if you're into it. If you go to the beach, there is a water activities stand. There you can go for kayaking, snorkelling and a bunch of other stuff. We did the snorkelling and it was very worth it. They take you out on a catamaran and you snorkel for as long as you want. It was only $40 CAD/person which beats the price of doing it through the excursion which is $100 CAD/person. Also we didn't know how to swim and it was still lots of fun! Food: The buffet food is subpar. It's good enough so that you don't starve. Definitely go at the beginning of the meal time so you get fresh, hot food because by the end everything is cold and most of the good stuff is run out. Luckily, there's lots of options for food since it's a buffet. The Cuban restaurant ran out of all the good dishes in the first hour so we had to settle for some other dishes but these were still better than the buffet dishes. The International/Italian restaurant served the best food on the resort. Highly recommend reserving this restaurant if you go. Drinks: There are plenty of spots to go for drinks at this resort. The drinks here are good enough. They aren't watered down. Near the end of the night they will start running out of stuff but it wasn't too big of an issue for us. Beach: The beach is amazing. It's kept clean and there's lots of space to relax. Staff: The staff at the resort are amazing. All the chefs, waiters, receptionists, maids and bartenders we encountered were so friendly to us. Make sure to give money for tips because they deserve it.

Playa Vista Azul: Great resort!

Was very happy with this resort. Beautiful grounds and pool area and beach do wish they had more activities at beach and pool and that there was a bar on the beach. Food was edible. Rooms decent evening entertainment was great! Front desk staff seemed miserable however the rest of staff fantastic!

Muthu Playa Varadero: Good bang for your buck

Hotel lacks towels (beach towels), most staff was friendly, ran outta tequila at the bar and didn't restock, were out of butter most days, buffet was decent for Cuban standards. Omlettes were good but only had tomatoes for it 1 day out of 7. Rice and beans very good. Lots of pork amd seafood which I don't eat either, but was always able to find something to eat. Chicken sandwiches at the snack bar were very tasty but they never put enough chicken in the sandwiches even when u ask. Never went int [... read more]o the pool but it looked nice. I'm a beach girl, was at the beautiful beach everyday, even our last day when it was a lil chilly (20°C) but I was still at the beach. Thinking of coming back to this resort with the kids in a few weeks. Only real downfall was the $20 cab rides to town to go out for dinner other than that this resort was pretty decent!!

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Amazing resort!

We were a group of 24 including kids and we had a great time at Iberostar Laguna Azul. The grounds were kept, lobby is spectacular and the pool and beach was a short walk from the rooms. Dayana was very attentive to our daily routine and kept our rooms tidy. I would definitely recommend for anyone looking for a getaway that includes an awesome beach and resort. Food is a bit better than your average Cuban resorts.

Iberostar Origin Daiquiri: Nice place

Great staff. Food was not so good. But then again Cuba never is good for dining. Rooms were clean very nice beach as well as grounds. Entertainment should cater more to crowd........ .........................

Memories Flamenco Beach Resort: Not Great

We went in with low expectations as it is Cuba and we didn't want to be too optimistic. However, we unfortunately would not recommend this hotel to anyone we know. We travelled with our 2 year old and requested a crib 4x before arriving - we did not get a crib the entire stay even though we asked every day we were there. Our room had a broken AC unit and we asked every single day until the 6th day we got a room change, FINALLY. Everything is pulling teeth. The front desk people must be ex [... read more]hausted from everyone complaining, but their attitude made us feel like they didn't care about our needs at all, and WE were a bother by asking for basic needs. The first night we got there after a long day of travel, we went to the buffet which was an absolute CHAOS, no tables available or plates for 20 minutes. When we finally got a table and I asked for spites for our table to drink and they laughed. No sprite. I was like okay do you have any juice for my 2 year old? Orange juice? No. Apple juice? no. Any juice? no. We found out they don't do any juice at night only at breakfast. YIKES. The food was okay, we were never hungry. But you do eat the same things every single day. The wifi is complete garbage but we expected that. The first night I went up to the front desk to ask if they could help me connect to the wifi because it wasn't working and again they laughed and said yeah it doesn't work sometimes. My husband and I got completely eaten alive by the bugs in the bed sheets. Not sure if they were bed bugs or sand fleas but it made sleeping impossible. Combined that with no working AC. We did not have a great time while in the room. I think that's completely unacceptable. Not once did they apologize or try to make things right. We always felt like we were an inconvenience or a burden for asking for help. Everyone we met at the resort said this is not a good hotel at all, we bonded over the suffering together. Everyone said the motto of Memories Flamenco is that the front desk will always tell you to come back at shift change, that way it's someone else's problem to deal with. Overall we made the best of a not great situation, but will not be returning to this hotel in the future. I would much rather pay a few hundred dollars a person more and go somewhere with better resources and customer service.

Melia Cayo Coco: Great Resort

Hotel was very clean. Staff always working to keep up. Great place. Food was very good especially for Cuba. Rooms a bit dated but clean. Staff amazing. Beautiful pool. Beach was amazing. Never had an issue finding seats. Would definitely go back.

Gran Muthu Imperial: Great time

Booze, warm weather, good staff, nice beach close by. What else do you need. ...........................................................................................................................

Memories Cayo Largo: Lovely Resort

I was happy to see the resort and grounds just as beautiful as I remember when it was the Sol.. Of course the big setback now is the beach in front of Memories Cayo Largo has been washed up over the years , which is no fault of the resort. It was still beautiful , just not as much of it , and can no longer walk the beach from resort to Paraiso and Sirenis…. The hotel provides shuttle trains to these beaches and also provides buffet lunch which was very good! The ocean in front of resort can [... read more] be quite rough.. 5 of the 7 days was red flagged.. The lifeguards were always there and attentive. Still very much a stunning location to enjoy Mother Nature at her finest. Wonderful Ranchero restaurant overlooking beach which had great house band play during lunch. The buffets were quite good considering the food shortages in Cuba right now. Always choice of fish, chicken,pork, beef and assorted vegetables. Pasta bar and pizza bar quite busy for dinner.. which is a good sign. The snack bar by the pool had the best Spanish coffees and Pina Coladas, as well as good sandwiches and burgers . My room was fine. Hot water, A/C TV all worked fine, and had a lovely balcony . Very friendly staff..everyone employee I encountered was so cheerful and helpful . One negative thing I can say is that there were flies all over the buffet tables and the food was basically uncovered for the duration of meal times.. Perhaps food should be covered up and have an employee serve the food to the guests..?. I remember Memories Caribe did this during Covid precautions .. As far as Covid precautions went..can’t say there were any .. business as usual ..very few masks were seen and no social distancing .. This was not an issue for me at all .. In general, the resort was very clean.. always tp in the bathrooms and beautiful flowers everywhere.. I really enjoyed the saltwater pool… and I’m not a pool person . Very nice vibe and various activities going on in the afternoon. I enjoyed my stay very much . Wonderful place to unwind and enjoy the surroundings. I feel my trip was very good value.

Muthu Playa Varadero: sun get away

As per Cuban standard the hotel was not chosen for food or luxury accommodation. Sanitation was poor Masks not required and we were only patrons wearing mask in confined areas. No hand sanitizer in buffet or indoor areas no cups at outdoor bars and just hand wash rinse on cups at coffee bar. Limited or no supply of expected food at buffet no butter, jam or peanut butter. No potatoes of any kind, no bacon or sausages and no French fries Hot foods were barely warm Room amenities -ant or  [... read more]nit problem on surfaces of bathroom and bed tables no hot water entire stay. Terrible sewage smell from toilet and outdoor areas as well. No bath towels available and no wash cloths. Had to dry with hand towels. Tipping for everything is expected. Tipping maids well and bottled water was quite satisfactory in the room Plus side to the stay was 7 days of glorious sun, sandy beach and beautiful ocean. Always lounge chair available at the beach and pool. Always something at the buffet that would be satisfactory to eat such as bread rice and salads. Desserts the same but always plentiful Recommendations if you go Take towels wipes and sanitizer Take personal cup for coffee and cold drinks Take bug spray and sun screen

Memories Trinidad Del Mar: ONE WEEK STAY AT MEMORIES TRINIDAD

Long trip, 2-3hrs from Santa Clara to the resort. But beautiful scenery and get a feel for rural life and small villages in the interior of Cuba. The overall experience turned out to be decent after a bit of a rough start. There were short comings regarding paying extra for the "Diamond Club" service. 1. While we had an ocean view room, we did not get a king bed which is strange since the resort was far under capacity, we had 2 twins 2. The civer sheet on one bed had what appeared t [... read more]o be dried blood on it. It was never changed during our stay, surely the chamber maid should've have noticed. 3. There is no exclusivity for diamond club patrons at the beach and rarely did the staff come to see if any of the individuals there wanted a drink. Overall not a big deal since we all enjoyed the walk to the beach bar, but why advertise the service if you aren't going to provide it. Frankly, I don't care about the area being identified as "exclusive" or "special" by ropes or barriers (that just draws unwanted attention), but surely they could dress up the raised beach beds with cover sheets and sheets for shade. 4. We did not receive a welcome drink when we checked in as advertised. Gabriel was an excellent professional manager. Humberto at the front desk needs to smile and be more friendly, we did not receive a good first impression when we arrived. 5. The servers were generally pleasant throughout, however, they don't understand how to serve upgraded clientel in a exclusive setting ie in the dining room. I would have to ask for the Salt and pepper and tobasco every single morning, even though the same staff served us daily. Anywhere else it would be at the table already or shortly after sitting. Only one of them was very friendly and outgoing (a male by the name of Reimer), the ladies serving us only occasionally smiled and did not appear like they wanted to be there. We tipped everyone everywhere throughout the resort everyday regardless of the service. 6. They only offered the a la carte restaurant one night the whole week. That was disappointing. The meal was decent so it would've been nice to have 2 more nights of a la carte as advertised for the diamond club upgrade. We went into town to eat. Positive points: Private car from airport to resort and back. Well kept grounds. Beach is beautiful as is the ocean. Relatively clean. Although I picked up many empty beer cans and plastic cups daily walking the beach. if you really like snorkeling, cienfuegos is much better. Lots of lounge chairs (but the resort was no where close to capacity). Food selection and quality was better than expected for Cuba. Staff at the outdoor sports bar were all excellent, especially Rachel, Aila and Islander (not sure if I spelled their names correctly). Water sports crew were all excellent. Claudia and Manuel at beach bar were very accommodating, attentive and friendly. The outdoor BBQ lunch held on the beach was great, they should do that twice a wk. The dinner reservation fellow was very friendly and spoke good English. Also helped with ideas of place to go and things to see. The pool was decent, although a bit chilly (got better as the week went on), the hot water spouts were great. Never ran out of toilet paper any where which was a pleasant surprise (we brought lots of our own in case - gave it away). The pizza at the snack bar was good, staff there also very good. The evening shows were well done for such a small resort, it's unfortunate there weren't more clients attending. The store x2 and pharmacy are decent, we used all 3 of them. The selection of upgraded liquor was probably the most notable benefit of the Diamond Club service. Although sometimes they forgot to serve us from that selection, we would have to remind them. Bring bug spray and anti-itch products for the tiny sand flies that come out when the wind dies down - everyone had lots of bites and they are very itchy! But the gorgeous beach is worth it. Be nice if they had the funds to fog every few days.

Starfish Cayo Largo: Beautiful

We stayed at this resort for a week...and the beaches and water are stunning...The beach at the hotel has been eroded but there is still plenty of room for your chair and umbrella...The beach guys were always helpful setting up...they do work hard. The hotel is not a 5 star but we found no issues at all with the room...it was basic but we were not there to spend time in the room...Gardens were well maintained and always a smile from everyone who worked doing this... The hotel staff was AMAZING. [... read more]..we have been to more than a few islands and this resort was stellar for their staffing...everyone seemed happy and engaged in wanting to make our experience a good one..The food was OK nothing special but would be nice to have fries and ketchup..The pizza was terrific but could have used a bit of shade while eating there...Overall we would go back again...it is worth the trip...

Occidental Arenas Blancas: Amazing staff, nice hotel but poor management

Arena is a nice but dated hotel in a great location. The pools are huge, well maintained with deep and shallow areas suited for both adult swimmers and little kids. Beach area is really nice but beach chairs are mostly broken. Food is very poorly managed, lineup for one little tiny grill that is only hot enough to cook an egg with a very small surface...unfortunately we had to feed the food to stray dogs in multiple occasions since it was raw chicken or pork and was not safe to eat. The gril sta [... read more]rts only after the buffet opens so most people feel fed up lining up and just resort to other very limited options. My boyfriend got very sick. No food safety check is done by management since it was on multiple occasion we noticed uncooked meat was served. Staff are really nice but they could only do so much...our room was well ventilated but very dated, one small towel each and it was impossible to change to a fresh one. We tipped the maid well but she said she is not allowed to give fresh towels. No place to exchange beach towels! We used wet towels in 7 days and everytime we asked they said maid does it if you place them in the room but maids were saying they have no access to beach towels and refer us back to the reception...this is of course not staff fault and you could see the greedy management behind it trying to cut cost and corners. Ground was very well kept. Beach bar was closed...snack bar had no food but ham sandwich with one layer of mystery ham Overall we had a positive experience but we noticed a big negative change that was not staff fault.

Starfish Cayo Largo: Amazing experience and beach

I didn’t expect much from this trip at first, but it had to be one of my favourite trips. I needed rest and figured I’d take a last minute vacay. The staff was my fav part. The beach was a 10/10. The staff made my experience feel safe, I felt taken care of, they always were on-top of every inquiry made. I am def visiting again.

Iberostar Origin Daiquiri: Great hotel

This was an amazing trip to Cuba. The hotel had plenty of food and was right near the beach. The beach was clear and you can see the fish. The service was amazing and staff were kind. The room was a bit dated. But it definitely worth the money and price.

Starfish Cayo Largo: Great time amazing staff

At first introduced with hospitality and kindness. Many staff members went out of their way to assist or answer questions. The guests had a great sense of humour. I will be back. Mike. Aka. Miguel

Valentin Perla Blanca: Great get away

Everything was great. Water runs short sometimes (for the shower and the sinks). Wasn't much of a problem though Great beach, good drinks, fun entertainment, and lovely staff. Bugs can get a little bad, but that's everywhere 😂

Melia Las Americas: 5 star resort!

Every aspect of the hotel was clean and the staff very friendly. We were happy with the food and the specialty restaurants were a nice addition to our stay. Lots of beach chairs at the beach and the pool at any time of day. We have no complaints or suggestions to make our vacation better.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Good resort

The beach was amazing, you could walk for miles, safe and no seaweed. Plenty of beach chairs and an employee was there full time organizing chairs and helping people move chairs as required, etc. Drinks were ok, not the usual beach drink quality you get at other places but the beer was good and it was cold. Service at the buffett was great but patio service was horrible, workers need training on service and in english. The resort was clean and attractive. The food was fine, we never went hungry  [... read more]and it was what we expected. Overall a strong 3 because of the great beach.

Royalton Cayo Santa Maria: Lovely resort

This was our second time at the Royalton, Cayo Santa Mari (Adults only) resort. We enjoyed it so much the first time we decided to gift our adult children the vacation for Christmas. We were 8 and were well served by all. Received a nice beverage when we rolled in Michel our butler took care of it all. It was great from day 1 to day 7, convenient late check-out and everything in between. Omer was our second butler and they were attentive to our needs and assisted with any questions, dinner  [... read more]reservations and transportation to adjacent resorts. Thank you, gentlemen. Our room was wonderful, clean, and fresh towels everyday (p.s. they do not have face cloths) This is a charming (small) resort, with well kept grounds due to the hardworking gardeners but my favorite was Luis he would bring me flowers and say hello every day. This site is lovely, has two pools, one for relaxing and the other were you will meet the entertainment team, Lis is the best and has a contagious smile, loves music . But it all gets more breathtaking when you see the white sanded beach and crystal-clear water. Every day José was at the beach, he set us up with a beach chairs, swept off the sand, placed my towel and table under a palapas. Another, service I didn’t expect. He ran back and forth, providing as many guests as possible with the same A+ treatment and yet again, another employee with a contagious smile. The food is very good. The beach bar and grill made great quesadillas, Enrique/Norge served up fantastic drinks, the sunset grill was our breakfast spot (open 24 hrs), with the sweetest waitresses Beatrice and Marysol. The cuban grill spagetti bolognaise and the fish and chips were my fav. There are two other a la carte restaurants that we visited for our supper which had equally great food, with tasty soups and mains. Overall, we had a great group experience , its an excellent small, clean and perfect to celebrate a quiet, relaxing family vacation. The staff at the Royalton are all great and the General Manager Alejandro is very present, welcoming and ensuring that he spoke to guests daily.