Great resort for a quiet Veradero vacation

This was a smaller resort than we've stayed at in the past which meant less selection in terms of food and less nightlife, both of which we were fine with. Rooms were basic but clean, and air conditioner worked fine. Safes cost extra - 2 CUC per day, which is the first time we've seen this. One thing we would have liked to have known in advance is that the only place to change money is at the front desk and it's cash only. We weren't prepared with enough Canadian cash, as all other Cuban resort [... read more]s we've stayed at had a regular bank with the ability to use credit or debit cards to change money. We had to go to a mall 3km down the road to change money.

A Cuban 3 Star

This was our second time to this resort, the first being 2 years ago so there were no surprises. The good; The beach is as good as it gets in Varadero, 5 stars here. The food is typical Cuban. Plenty of it and very short wait time for food cooked on the spot. Staff were friendly after you got to know them but they didn't go out of their way. The rooms were clean and once we talked to the maid things got even better. The resort is small( which is what we like) from the entrance at the lobby to th [... read more]e beach was under a 4 minute walk or less than 400 meters. I think there are about 240 rooms. The pool is ok about the size you would expect on a small resort. The bad; The resort is small and old. It's seen better days. They are doing up grades like new pavers around the pool and entertainment areas and while we were there they were replacing all the TV's The food is typical Cuban, bland and usually not very hot. The bars were constantly out of "stuff" I.e. The lobby bar, "Le Mojito" could not make Mojitos must evenings because the were out of mint. For some reason that I don't get. They don't pay attention to the little details. I could give numerous examples but one small one... They usually didn't but the lights on on the long halls on the back of our building (#4 near the lobby) so we were constantly walking to our room and entering in the dark. I could go on but this is a 3 star so you get what you pay for. I'd go back. The beach is fantastic, you can get anywhere in a few minutes, the food is ok. We didn't need 6 or 22 a la carte's. The beer was cold and free. And the rooms were clean but tired.

A relaxing and pleasurable experience

The most memorable part of this resort was the staff. They were very warm, sincere, hard working and anxious to make my vacation as good as it could be. The grounds were impeccably maintained. We experienced some strong winds and rain one day, but within 24 hours all the fallen leaves were raked up and the place was spotless again. Rooms were clean and the A/C and plumbing all worked as it should. The food was good but certainly not gourmet. There was enough variety that you could always find th [... read more]ings that appealed to you. The beach and pool were both fabulous. Entertainment was very good as well, with several talented live bands performing genuine Cuban music. I'd recommend Terquesa to anyone.

Amazing resort, amazing country

The resort and their staff were amazing. Cleaning lady was very impressive and the food was delicious! Looking forward to going there again ! The $5 bus tour was worth the experience. Also Havana is a must is when visiting Cuba. Its such a beautiful place, however, avoid people selling cigars independently on the streets, they take you in an excluded location and to me that's very sketchy! Other then that it's a beautiful place to go on a vacation.

Great resort

The staff at this resort is what makes it a great place to stay. It is a smaller resort, only room for 400 people. Great choices of food, main restaurant, or italian, cuban, or mexican. Get to make new friends all the time. They are building a gazebo for wedding at the pool. I have stayed here 3 times and would go back again.

Average resort.

Food and beach was absolutely amazing. Aesthetics and upkeep could use a little work. We had a leaking air conditioner in our room that finally was fixed on the last day we left. Pool did not look absolutely clean or maintained. A section of the pool did not have water in it and appeared abandoned. There were other areas that looked liked they had been working previously but were abandoned.Upkeep of property definately could use some TLC.

Be LIve Turquesa - can do better!

This resort has sooo much potential to be 5 star but they seem happy to stay 4 star. The front desk reps need to be retrained in customer service - a simple smile and pleasant demeanor goes a long way. My major disappontment is with the food - having a good meal was 'hit-and-miss' but mostly 'miss'. I did my research and knew that Cuban food was pretty bland but it was the food prep, handling & hygiene that was appalling: no fly traps to get rid of flies when there is open food for extended peri [... read more]ods of time in buffet hall, soppy and soogy food items that are brought out at every meal just to get rid of it, scales left on fish fillets...

Be Live Turquesa

The resort was okay overall. clean rooms, hot water, working air-conditioning and the food was good however the selection was very limited. The resort lacked in the service area. Front desk process was extremely slow and staff not overly friendly with the exception of a very few. Beach was excellent, pool area was a little run down. I would recommend this resort for people travelling on a budget who are used to basic accommodations.

Good if you like Cuba, nice beach & all inclusive

The beach and sea are perfect. You can eat good here (good for Cuba conditions), draft beer is perfect, local wine are poor, bars are OK. Hotel rooms are old but passable, the only important irritant was the low constant noise from air conditioning. Evening shows are very simple, not as seen in other Be Live hotels.

Be Live Turquesa

Excellent resort, food was great, service excellent, accommodation very comfortable. Would go back again and again. Loved it! Recommend travellers take small gifts to the staff, they are very grateful.

Amazing vacation!

Very nice quiet resort. Not a party resort more older couples. Not many kids but weekends they rent rooms to the locals and cuban study week we were invaded by very many young cubans. I would recommend going but not on their study break!

Will return great resort

4 days ago. Great resort old but clean. Friendly staff just like family. Will be returning. clean room but not fancy. love the staff there are always happy to help with no expectation. We were there for 10 days and will return. A nice place to relax. Good food and plenty. We never had to wait at the buffet. The À la carte restaurant (there is three) but our favorite was the Mexica (+++ for the waitress). Lesaro super for anythings at the reception. The beach is fabulous and always enough chairs [... read more] and shade. No problem to reserve a spot for a few pesos. thanks again to the staff for a great vacation hola

Highly recomended

We have travelled regularly to tropical destinations in the last years staying in 5 stars rated resorts to more modest ones. Where we were happily surprised with the Be live Turquesa was the amount of return clients we encountered during our stay, some of them for the 7th time... After a few days we understood why.... The resort itself is modest in size, the rooms dated but clean and freshly painted. You will not find smoke salmon and shrimp cocktails at the buffet restaurant but the difference  [... read more]is in the service and wonderful friendly attitude from the staff of all levels. We never had to wait in line at the restaurant where your meat or omelets will be cooked to your specifications, and the variety of food is surprisingly very impressive. The bartenders remember what you drink and the staff remember you after the first day. The beach is absolutely fantastic, and there is always plenty of clean chairs in a shady area if the sun is too much for you. The pool is refreshing and the entertainment is tasteful and professional. You are at a close distance of Varadero where you can do some shopping or easily take a day tour to Havana safely. We highly recommend this place and take this opportunity to thank the wonderful persons we met there Ola Lasaro, Maria Louisa and Yony(life guard).

Akumal Bay and Wellness Resort

My wife and I spent 1 week from March 5th to 12th. This was our 2nd visit as we were here the previous year 2014. The resort has been totally renovated since our last visit. We enjoyed the improved dining experience as there are many more a-la cart restaurants with great food! The sushi bar was another hi-lite as we often didn't feel like a big lunch and would have a fresh assorted sushi plate with a few tall cold beers while overlooking the sea. Service was amazing and the grounds well kept. A [... read more]ll the rooms have been updated and had jacuzzis on the balconies. There are no beach towel restrictions so guests took as many as they wanted. This caused problems since some people would place towels in the beach palapas and on sun beds around the pool. This made it difficult to find a free palapa unless you were diligent and hit the beach before 7 AM most mornings.This towel game although is common in many resorts. We were very impressed with all the changes from last year. It appears a lot of thought was put into the design of everything from walkways,restaurants and rooms to the great service by the staff. My wife and I will definitely consider returning next year as long as the prices don't jump dramatically now that this resort has been upgraded to a 5 star.

HOME AWAY FROM HOME

We just returned from our 3rd visit to this fantastic adults only resort. We love the Melia Cayo Coco because of the staff. They welcome you as if you were family. From year to year, they recognize your face and are so happy to see you again. The food at the Melia Cayo Coco is outstanding. The chefs take pride in cooking the food to your liking and are always replenishing the trays with fresh food. The beach has beautiful white sand and you can walk for miles. The Animation staff offer activitie [... read more]s throughout the day. You can do Patank (Bocci ball), dancing lessons, painting lessons, crafts, archery, rifle shooting, bingo, aqua aerobics, volley ball and various other games. You'll hear Pepe yelling out "cocoooooonuts" every day. The Animation staff put a lot of hard work in the run of a day. The lobby is a great place to hang out before and after your supper. There's nightly entertainment at 9:30 and there's a disco that opens at 11:30. We like to hang out at the Billiards bar. Silva is the best bartender ever! We're looking forward to our 4th trip next year. Go…you won't be disappointed.

A complete disappointment !

I echo my companion's comments....m.cole. This was my first trip to Cuba and was looking forward to my trip. Unfortunately, this resort certainly was not a four-star, given the price we had paid. In addition to my friend's comments, I would like to add ..at new year's they ran out if champagne; ran out of real glasses to serve drinks, etc. I did enjoy my massage and some of staff. Many of the bar staff seemed overworked and unhappy. My highlight was my trip to Havana, old town of veradero and th [... read more]e lovely people we met at the resort.

Don't waste your money

I will be candid, as I have been in the past. It will be a reflection of my experience – good and not so good. I love Cuba and the Cuban people. We stayed at this property from Dec 27th to Jan 3rd. I have been to Cuba several times and do not expect a lot. In fact, I was in Varadero in April, 2014. There were more complaints at this property than you can ever imagine. I thought if I paid a bit more than the last time and went up a “star” it may be OK. We paid $1,700.00 each with Air Transa [... read more]t. It was a total waste of money and we were made to feel like they were doing us a favour. This vacation was more stress than I needed at the end of the year, when one is tired and simply wants pay and let someone else do everything for you. Not so at Turquesa. I spent over $100.00 on tips, so that was not the problem. We arrived at Be Live tired and hungry after a late afternoon flight out of Hamilton. By the time we showed passports, paid $14.00 for a safety deposit box, etc., and get shown to our room in the dark, it is now around 9:00 p.m. We asked for a second floor room and were told there were none left. We were shuffled off to a room in the 5th block, entrance under a stairwell. When they opened the door, we took one look at the place, which had cracked walls, was dark, dingy, a cot made up for God knows whom (obviously not for us), we simply walked out. I asked to be moved to another hotel, as this was certainly not worth $1,700.00. Of course you are told there is no space anywhere as all the hotels are booked solid (smile). We were then shown to a second floor room (one suddenly became available). This room was a lot better. We dropped our stuff off and just needed a drink or some form of nourishment by this time, and went to the front desk to find out where the restaurant was. We were told it was closed. We asked where we could grab a bite to eat and they said nowhere (we had been travelling for 9 hours by this point), and I said that was impossible. Apparently, we had to wait an hour for the snack bar to open. I said that was unacceptable and that, surely on a resort of this size, there has to be a kitchen somewhere to get a coffee and some bread for a toast or something… Because I was not going to move, they then arranged for someone to make us up a plate of food = some stale fruit and a sandwich (as a special favour). We then went back to our 2nd room (#126) to find that there was no soap to wash our hands and no hot water. I went to phone the front desk to ask for assistance and the phone did not work. So I walked down the stairs (now pitch black as there were no lights on the stairs) to the front desk again to ask them to do something about the water. At this point I thought there was no hot water in the hotel, but others told me they had hot water. There was no bottled water to drink. I was too tired to walk back to the reception again, so went to bed exhausted. In the morning we tried to put our money and passports away, but the safety deposit box did not work (I’m familiar with all types of locks). The toilet did not flush properly. The bathroom window latch was broken and could not close, resulting in mosquitoes coming in when you put the lights on. The bathroom door could not close at all. Mold on the curtains. Balcony door does not lock (which is why I wanted a top floor). We were in a rush as it was Sunday and we had planned on going into town for Sunday Church and, because the safe did not work, had to carry all our money, etc. into town with us. We came back around noon and I asked for another room where things worked and I also asked the front desk to give me my $14.00 back as the safe did not work and likely would never work. They were not equipped to do this, as I gathered, because they are not equipped to giving money back. I got my money back. They were then very hospitable and showed me two other rooms. One right behind the Italian restaurant toilets and near the nightclub - lower level, and the other one upstairs. The only thing I wanted at this point was a shower – I checked the hot water and there was none. Why bother moving all our stuff again so I went back to the front desk and asked if they could simply FIX some of the stuff in our room - at least the phone in case of an emergency. Day 3 still no hot water, phone, etc. I finally met with Michelle, our Air Transat representative, and shared some thoughts on the standard of care and how they misrepresent their properties to us in Canada. This was certainly not a 4 star or a 3 star when nothing worked and we had not had a shower yet. She was very apologetic. I have to say that they have a very good representative in her. She apologized on behalf of AT and asked what they could do for us. I said give us back 3 days of our time. She did stir up some waters and, amazingly, the water was fixed, we got a bottle of drinking water, soap, shampoo/conditioner. Yamile, from the front desk, came over personally and fixed the safe (with the proper lock) and brought another phone that worked. I asked for a bulb so that I could climb up and change the light outside before one of us fell down the stairs and broke a leg, and that too was fixed. Finally on day 3 we got to shower. Malika, the customer service manager(?) from the hotel asked to speak to us and took down notes of all the things that did not work and also apologized on behalf of the hotel and asked what they could do for us. I explained to her that we, in Canada, like her, also work full time and save to go away for one week of vacation. When 3 days go with fighting for basic necessities, how can you give us the time back. I told her how much we paid and she seemed shocked. We did not see the beach till the 3rd day because we had to be in the room getting it fixed. She was a very sweet girl, and, frankly, I felt sorry for her. I would not like that job. She said that the hotel would like to offer us a late check-out, seeing as we would be leaving around 4:00 p.m. and did not have to wait in the lobby. Michelle from Air Transat also let us know that a late check-out was arranged for us (at no extra cost) because of all the disruption. We had to simply activate our room key on the morning of departure. Michelle also offered me 25 pesos from Air Transat towards any AT stuff. I told her not to insult me and to give it back to her boss for a coffee. Dec 30th we were awoken in the middle of the night by loud voices and a man shouting in Spanish on a walkie talkie and someone responding right outside our door. A man and a woman shouting and a lot of confusion. Of course we did not dare open the door. I asked the front desk what the trouble was outside our unit the next day and she said nothing. I said I would like to know what was going on and she called the head of security and he said he was not aware of anything. To which I responded that I was letting them know there was trouble outside our unit that night. They were not in the least bit concerned. On the day of our departure (smile) I went to re-activate our room key and was told that there would be a charge. I said No, we had a free extension. Of course they did not believe me (I was apparently lying) and called the front desk manager (who comes around from the back with authority) she said: No, check out is 2:00 p.m. so it was a fight again… this constant begging was way beyond my ability. We got to the lobby around 3:00 p.m. (as we got a call from the front desk), why prolong it. Michelle from Air Transat advised that the bus was on its way from the hotel up the road and was running a bit late. No problem. We had asked for a bell boy to get our suitcases and he locked them in the luggage room. Well, the bus arrived and we could not find the bell boy (who is the only one who has a key to this room) - UNBELIEVABLE. The bus operator comes into the lobby and advises my “senior” travelling companion (who had never been to Cuba before and was sooooo longing to go there and see Havana) that the bus would not wait for us. This unnerved her and put her into a panic, as she thought we would miss our plane if we did not get on the bus. At this point I could not find our AT Rep. and went to the Can Jet Rep. and the other local Tour operator and told them our predicament. They said the bus will not leave without us and I asked them to go and deal with the diva on the bus, which they very kindly did on our behalf in Spanish. The entire front desk was in full view of this, but not one of them moved to go and find the bell boy. Fifteen minutes later he shows up and the bus driver was now hopping and the diva equally not happy. GOD HELP ME!!!! Get us out of this place. We tried to get some pesos for tipping and were told they did not have any. Not true - as we saw them put a stack of pesos away. I see from previous reviews that a manager, Filip Hofman, has come forward to respond. It is unfortunate that these people are nowhere to be found when they are needed. They simply send their staff to face the music and hide behind the curtain. This is not the way to run a business. Especially when you have such competition within walking distance. Where are the owners of this place. They need to greet their clients with open arms and ensure that rooms are fit to live in (I am sure theirs are) and should train their staff accordingly to manage a hotel. Guests should not have to fight for each and every little thing upon arrival and stay. Miraculously everything worked after we screamed, which leads me to believe that it is possible - so why make tourist go to those lengths when they should have everything working, ready and checked, prior to arrival, especially at their busiest time… Owners/Mangers please note that you are not doing us a favour – we pay to come there, which means we are entitled to food on our arrival and should not have to beg for it. Note: there is no regular tea in this hotel at all (I had taken my own – but not enough for a whole week). I t

Not bad for the price

grounds and rooms were decent and clean but the service was poor , both at the bars and at the front desk. the companion plus club was not acknowledged. Bars constantly ran out of wine or mixes. the food was fairly good.

Would not go black¡,

I have never Been to Cuba before and I chose a 4 star because I didn't want a substandard place to stay. That idea went out the window when I got to the room. Shower hardly worked, room looked like it needed cosmetic work. I'm not going back to that hotel ever.