Will come back!

I guess it all depends on what you expect. This was my second trip and I had no surprises. Same great and very friendly staff and cozy/convenient setup of the grounds. The only thing I did not like, was lack of umbrellas for the amount of guests at the beach. May be due to the fact that the beach was just "coming back" and they did not have a chance to make enough of them.. Generally speaking food is quite basic, but you will not be hungry and I was surprised to get shrimps, turkey and some deli [... read more]cious pork one night. Make sure to book your a-la carte. Grounds are clean and taken good care of. You can now get wireless internet at the main lobby and by the swimming pool. Due to all the above, plus some great people I met there (Paul, Amber, Greg, Vera - thank you!) - I had a blast. Will come back again (if my wife let me :)) Please do not forget to tip the staff - they are working so hard and make way less than we do here in Canada!

Go for it!

Villa Iguana is a clean, well organized resort, that spreads along the beaches of Cayo Largo. Stretches of white sand separates the moving colours of torqoi and deep blue waters from the long, wavering palm leaves and the green tropical foliage. Everything you need you'll find inside your bungalow, including a safe. Outside don't miss the hummingbirds flying between the flowers on your way to the beach, the pool or the restaurants, yes they have two restaurants in different areas and both very  [... read more]different looking. No overcrowding. The bar is by the pool and by one of the restaurants with an area for dance and entertainment. You'll love the shows and the dancers! But, in the end you'll have to go home. So, until next time...

Villa Iguana, Cayo Largo, Cuba

Chambres très correct, Nourriture très de base, pratiquement jamais de fruit ou légume frais, Plage presque inexistante au Villa Iguana à cause des tempêtes, zone trop dangereuse pour se baigner mais aucun problème, une toute petite marche et c’est réglé, Manqué d’eau et d’electricité sur les 3 derniers jours mais c’était généralisé sur l’Ile... C’est devenu du camping de luxe. Il y a juste des solutions. Endroit magnifique, personnel super gentil, dynamique et atmosphà[... read more]¨re entre les touristes absolument génial. J’y retourne sans hésiter tant que le prix reste très bas, car ça ne vaut pas plus d’$$$ même si j’ai aimé.

I was very impressed

I was there for a week in late March 2018, celebrating my 33rd bday, my 1st time in cuba, and it was my first solo-trip. The overall friendliness of the staff is most important in my opinion, and I'd say everyone at villa iguana was ok-to-great. This resort is just enough for me, the topless optional beach, i had good cleaning ladies, no bugs or major issues, a shop, some entertainment, no blasting music all day (usually only at the bar). I always managed to find a quiet spot if i wanted to. [... read more] On the website it says tennis, but there's no tennis. I was also impressed with the food, i wouldn't eat meat or dairy over there though just to be safe. I didn't get sick. Of course only drink bottled water, ask the cleaning lady daily, and also leave her a tip daily. Although, I'm surprised they didn't have a bigger selection of beer, so i was a little disappointed. Sure they have good house wine though, rum, vodka, cappuccino, coffee, etc. It's 16+ , sure i like kids but it's relaxing not having them in your way when you're drinking and smoking and have them running around bumping into you. Although, i don't really understand why people bother mentioning gay couples, i think i only saw 1 couple, false advertising for some. Nonetheless, the resort felt like a regular small gay-friendly town of-this-era to me. I'm sure everyone felt welcomed as they were at this resort. Sure i got exposed to naked dicks (mostly heterosexual ones), but i learned about them in grade school, so i can't possibly be "offended" by them anyway. But i was mostly-to-very satisfied overall. Yes i wasn't expecting much but yes I'd go back. Definitely beats working for your bday as well lol One major dissatisfaction is towards sunwing though, i arrive at YUL seeing that the flight has been delayed 2 hours even though i confirmed the same morning, waited at the gates and been delayed about another 1/2 hour with no info. I have NEVER seen a sunwing rep thru my entire travel experience neither at the airport, nor at the resort, nor on my way back. I really had to manage completely on my own, if it weren't for word of mouth and the receptionists at the resort i would of probably be still stuck in cuba. On my flight on the way back, we were delayed because obviously some other travellers got their times messed up. Sunwing personnel tells us it'll take 5mins. Ends up the airport personnel wanted to screw around with the travellers telling them the plane already left and that they were f***ed. Which was bull. Only one plane there man, the big white and orange one bro. Turns out we waited there 45mins untill the travellers got to the plane running, then another 5-10mins for the damn paperwork. Yeah, way to go sunwing. Sunwing wanted to make a 6 year old sign a paper saying she was intoxicated on the plane going to cuba. 6 year olds don't get drunk and don't sign papers... The mother was pissed obviously. Really bad impression of sunwing.

Villa iguana

i had very good room in front of swimig pool good location large room at ground floor with ercon with remote i was happy to get it.ocean was rough with water but weather was good 28 degree. food was o!kay generaly was good i met new friend iand it was pleasent vacation for me thank you vera

Can I keep it a secret?

I love this place! Even though the beach was nonexistent this trip, it's still a lovely spot. The pool is always well maintained, the food is good, the drinks are varied and plentiful. The staff are second to none.

Nothing special

Hotel overall is average with lots of things that need to be improved. First issue - the beach. I don't know if it existed prior to our stay but it does not at present time. If you are looking for the place with nice and clean beach - look somewhere else. Here you will have to take a bus in the morning (3 times within 3 hours between 8 and 10 am) and catamaran or boat and normally it takes around 1-1,5 hours to get to the really good beach. At this time if you will get the ticket at the lobby be [... read more]fore you go it's free of charge. But I found it very inconvenient because by the time you reach it you have only 2-3 hours left to enjoy it unless you want to miss your lunch at the hotel. There is bar at the beach but the price for the meal or beer is way too high - at Marina can of beer costs 1CUC and at the beach - 2 CUCs. Plastic chairs are not free and if you wish to use one you have to pay 2 CUCs/each. Second issue - waiters at the hotel's diner. There was one guy with the name Wilder. At the very first night when we just arrived from the airport and even didn't have a chance to exchange our dollars to local money we didn't give him any tips at all. On the next morning he did not come to our table even once to ask if we need anything. So we considered this behaviour absolutely unacceptable and rude and from that time on we simply moved out of his area of service. Cleaning service was good. Water was hard to adjust temperature and pressure was very low most of the time. Some fittings of the shower were broken so I had to call plumber to fix it. I was in Cuba about 3 years ago and stayed at Pelicano hotel that time. I noticed that service personal got spoiled with tips and now it's like "must" thing in here. No tips - no service. But it has to be "No good service - no tips". My wife told me that she doesn't want to come to Cayo Largo again.

You get what you pay for

Stayed at this resort Jan26-Feb 2. There is literally no beach and remnants of chairs, palapas etc. Are on the rocks where once I assume a beach was. The resort is small and not esthetically pleasing but the food was ok( albeit bland). The bar takes forever to get a drink and your service certainly depends on whether you tip or not. Pool was very small( especially with their being no beach) & often couldn’t a chair at it. If you’re staying in a bungalow, it may be more private.. but it’s n [... read more]ot near anything! Bring toilet paper if you’re going to use a bathroom at the airport or anywhere that is not your room.

I would not recommend this resort.

I never complete reviews for resorts so this shows my disappointment. I've been going to Cuba for over 20 years staying at 2* - 4*resorts so I know what to expect from a 3* resort. This is the first time to this island. As they say, you go to Cuba for the beaches and not the food. We chose this resort because it was small. We wanted to just go sit on the beach/pool and relax. I was extremely disappointed with this resort. Resort was overbooked so half of our group was taken off the bus [... read more] upon arrival and moved to the resort next door (equally disappointing). Some very upset people! Is there a beach or not is the question at this resort. Answer is unfortunately there is no beach at this resort and if there is a day where there is a bit of sand that you can put a chair on, it is a very small piece and everyone squeezes into the space. They give vouchers to take the train & then a boat (which takes 1 1/2 hours) to another beach but that isn't too convenient when you want to stay at your resort and relax. Services that they could open at this hotel are closed. The 2nd bar beside the bungalows and beach is never open. Hot tubs are beautiful but they don't have them filled and running. Maid took our sandals (2 pairs) on the 2nd day and we needed to get security involved to have them returned. She said they were on the bed and she thought they were a gift to her (we did not put dirty sandals on a white bed - they were sitting beside each other on the floor beside the door). Waited over 1 hour for a taxi to take us to the marina - went to the lobby 3 times to have them recall for the taxi. By the time the taxi stops at all the hotels along the road and they finally get to the end (Villa Iguana is the last resort on the road), the taxi is full and you have to wait longer. Food - I always find something to eat and don't expect a lot but at this resort the problem wasn't the quality of food - it was the quantity of food. Not enough food for a full resort. Dinner buffet opened at 7. We lined up for dinner at 7:30, got in at 7:50 and there was no food left. The main meat carving station just had bones left and they didn't have any more to bring out. Dinner at the Ranchon was closed that night. In Cuba I always tip for every meal but I didn't tip at this resort. Service at both buffet restaurants was extremely poor. We were finished most of our meals before we could flag someone for a glass of water. That continued all week. Only save for this resort is the service at the main/only bar at this resort. Excellent service there and from the young boy who makes the pizza at the bar. We stayed in the bungalows and they are new and clean. The only unfortunate part of the bungalows is they are at the far end of the resort so you are continually walking the road a few times a day to get to the bar/pool. Our room safe didn't work and we requested new batteries for it the night we arrived, again the 2nd day and again our 4th day. It was never fixed and we continually had to lock up our passports and money in our suitcases. No counter top in the bathroom (we had to put our toiletries on the floor). No hairdryer. The furniture on the balcony is too big and you can barely sit on the balcony with such big chairs. You have to turn the chair sideways to get in and out of the door. They are building a ton more bungalows but there is no way they can service more people at this resort. I absolutely LOVE Cuba but didn't enjoy this island or this resort. It is full of too many problems and not enough staff to handle it.

Good resourt

good room nice breach little cold but I am ok, good food. I already retire I go out a lot. I we do this trip again. The agent name Katty takes good care of me. She detail out what I and friend of me what we need to do and bring. Make a remind call the day before we leave and wish we have good trip. and tell us keep her office phone number if need a call. we will refer this agent to my family

Villa iguana

Needlesst to say it was horible I will never fly Cubana air ever in my life Hotej stsff was friendly but the food they served was horible The sky bags where rude to people No information what so ever It was a big free for all no body hade any information everybody was confused

Fantastic week!

We had a fantastic time. You go to Cuba for the friendly staff and beaches. The food was good at this resort and eatable for the week, but not great. This is our 3rd visit to Cuba and 2nd to Cayo Largo. We would stay at this hotel again, for the price is right. Things you should know if you're a fussy traveler. Pro’s - Friendly staff, everyone will bend over backward to provide and ensure you experience is great. - Beaches on the Island are beautiful - Room was clean and bug- [... read more]free, as we were on the second floor. - Exploring the Island by walking or ATV is a lot of fun - Hot water is solar heated - Drinks were good and not watered down Con’s - The resort has little to no beach due to the storms this year. However, there are other beautiful beaches walking or by ATV that is great. Just ask for a packed lunch They also prove and transportation by bus and boat to other beaches - Nightly entertainment is ok for 50+ as were all in bed by 09:30 pm lol. If you looking for more nightlife then this is not the resort for you. They do provide a bus to the other disco’s and party spots if you wish to party until 3 in the morning - Water pressure is weak - Not really wheelchair accessible. That goes for all the resorts on this island Tips: Asked for 2nd floor, the cats and crabs will enter into room on the 1st floor if you leave your door open too long

Great resort

Rooms were like a basic hotel room with updated decor which is all you need when your away south the food was good always something to eat there's a bit of a language barrier but we're in their country so that's on us beach was nice a little rough but could be the time of year. Pool was nice

Laid back and relaxing resort

We stayed at Iquana from June 23 to July 1. The hotel is quite small with gorgeous view of the ocean from most rooms. We stayed in a standard room but the new wooden bungalows look really nice and they are building more. The staff was great and we enjoyed the food. The beach was nearly gone and the ocean was too rough to swim in. We tried it once and were lucky to get out alive.We have the scrapes and cuts to prove it. I heard from other guests that the place was full in the winter and the bea [... read more]ch was gorgeous and swimable at that time of year. There were only a handful of guests-15 to 18 and there were far more staff than guests. There was still a show every night though and as always the dancing and singing by amazingly talented Cubans was wonderful. Roger the DJ was very gracious and made us feel very welcome and he played nice music at a wonderful pitch. The pool was salt water and very clean and a nice size. There were no activities at all in the day time so we visited other resorts and the paradise beach and serenias beach. We took the little train and then the boat to serenias which was fun. The beach at the Sol hotels was much better than ours and so we would walk there(about 20 minutes each way). We cut through the other reorts as the path runs all along them connecting resorts. Would I return yes. I loved the nature and unspoiled beauty of this island. The staff were very very nice as well. I would likely stay at the Sol hotel-one of them probabably the Sol Cayo Largo next time because they were more lively with activities and guests! But I am glad to have had this experience and we really enjoyed our time. If you are looking for a totally laid back vacation with no stress and tons of rest this is the spot for you. but if you enjoy activities and the luxury of being able to jump in the ocean any time , you may be disappointed. Fortunately we like to walk so our walks to the other resorts to swim in the sea were fine for us.It was a long walk in the heat though.

Villa Iguana: What a Wonderful Surprise!

This is an adults only, refurbished and expanding resort that was destroyed by a hurricane in 2002. It is located on the remote island of Cayo Largo del Sur, just 256 kilometers north of Grand Cayman Island. Everything is new from the furniture to the high end espresso machines. The new wooden cabins also face the stunning Caribbean and a long stretch of white powdery sand beach. The staff provide excellent service and many speak multiple languages (English, Italian, French and Spanish) We [... read more] have been to Cuba many times, but this resort checked off more boxes than any other Cuban resort we've stayed at. The food, the location, the service and ambiance were all excellent and exceeded our expectations. The food at the beach-facing Ranchon restaurant was fresh and delicious. We enjoyed lobster, fish, calamari, roast turkey, chicken, pork and a wide variety of fruit, vegetables and desserts. All the dishes were fresh and beautifully presented. The white and red wines served are from Spain and very palatable. Once the staff discovered it was our Anniversary, they went above and beyond to make the occasion memorable with table decorations and champagne. The ambiance in the Ranchon was stunning at both lunch and in the evening. Most rooms are ocean facing and have a wide balcony or terrace to enjoy the tropical sunsets. We fell asleep each night to the sound of waves and woke up to tropical singing birds. This resort just opened in November 2016 and is already winning the hearts of visitors just like us. Many fellow guests said it felt like a home away from home. We have stayed at 3 other resorts on Cayo Largo and Villa Iguana is the best by far!

Villa Iguana

New hotel, several bungalows still under construction. Still having some issues with the water supply, a free late checkout was provided for the disruption. Staff were very friendly and attentive to all our needs. Hotel was barely at 50% occupied, no lineups during our stay. Beach was fabulous. We will return.

A Real Gem!

This resort was everything and more than we expected! Our rooms, even though they were ground floor, had exceptional views of the ocean. The pool sparkled invitingly, the pool bar never disappointed. The food quality and selection was excellent in the buffet, snack bar and a la carte. And last but not least, the staff went out of their way to make sure our stay was as trouble free as possible.

Villa Iguana Cayo Largo

I was at the Villa Iguana from Feb 2-9 2017, and overall I would rate this hotel a 7 out of 10. I travel to Cuba a few times a year and have been to many different locations; this resort is no better or worse than any other in Cuba, but it is quite small compared to others (which is actually why I chose it this trip). Some pros: staff are excellent, very professional and friendly; beautiful pool which is kept immaculate; gorgeous room, the best I've had in all of Cuba (FYI, rooms 2022-2044 are c [... read more]losest to the beach, with the most beautiful view in the whole resort; they are also central to the pool, buffet and reception areas); resort generally is very quiet, older clientele, no loud music at the pool, and for that reason is very relaxing. Some cons: the resort is on a sisterne, and they ran out of water twice during our week there (not a big deal to me, but may be for some people; it was resolved quickly both times plus there is always hot water, which is a bonus); the bar ran out of beer one day, which I have never known a resort to run out of anything that is included in an all-inclusive package; beds are uncomfortable, but I find this pretty typical all over Cuba. A word about the food; I don't mind the food anywhere in Cuba generally, and here I found it overall to be quite good. The Chef and staff work very hard to please guests and made several delicious dishes. However, the variety was lacking compared to other Cuban resorts I've been to (could just be how remote Cayo Largo is), and I found myself growing tired of eating the same foods every day. It was tasty, just routine. A word about the beach: in case you didn't read any other reviews, be prepared that the entire beach at Villa Iguana is nude, as in you can't get away from it so be careful taking pictures! That is not my taste, and although I knew this before I booked, I didn't think it would be the entire beach, and it did get to be a bit much by the end of the week. As the beach at the Playa Blanca has completely disappeared now, people come from Playa Blanca to the Iguana beach and take palapas, so if you get to the beach too late they will already be gone. Instead, we spent 35 pesos twice during the week to rent an ATV for the day at the store up the street (very highly recommended, just start lining up by 8:15 in order to get one!) and went to Playa Paradiso and Playa Sirena, which is absolutely not to be missed; just kinda sad that we didn't really get to enjoy the hotel beach. It was also extremely rough water and had red flags up every day, which at Paradiso and Sirena there were green flags every day and beautiful turquoise, calm waters. You can also go into the town there and shop for cigars at the Habanos and trinkets at the gift store, see the turtles at the turtle sanctuary and visit the Marina for very cheap beer, mojitos and great pizza! So hopefully I have listed a few things to consider before booking here, but as I said, overall I recommend the resort and would likely go back myself, mainly to see the lovely people again. Happy travels!

Rough

I blame Gran Caribe for opening this hotel too early! It is very rough and unfinished. I would rate this place 2 stars, with the exception of the bar staff. They are 5 star people! I have never seen such a bunch of loving people in all my years of traveling on the cheap! If you go to this resort don't expect much and you won't be let down! Take the time to say hi to the bar staff and you won't be disappointed. They alone save this place.

Amazing how they treat you.

Hi Tammy As I am writing this; both me and my wife are still very sick. I am finding any and every site I can leave the following feedback. ……………………………………………………………. Someone is getting paid big bucks to promote Villa Iguana ; Truth is; besides the beaches and the warm weather Villa Iguana is a smelly place to stay; FACT: they turn the water off every night; “and so because of the rancid food,” you wake every morning with a toilet full o [... read more]f diarrhea and no way to flush it away, FACT; This place is under constant construction. there is a narrow road in front of your bungalow that construction trucks must use at all hours of the day and night. Try taking a nap; with dump trucks and hammering of nails. FACT; They seem to have no plumbing code; "no goose neck" in the drain pipes means you smell hints of a septic system all the time. FACT; My bathroom sink and bath tub would flood the floor every time you used the sink or tub. Fixed the sink myself. All 5 couples reported bathtubs installed wrong. FACT; they imply you are getting a bungalow but in fact each bungalow has 4 small hotel rooms in it . YOU get one room and the walls are paper thin with no sound proofing.> not very romantic. FACT; They say "all inclusive" ( another LIE ) I usually do all the tipping when me and my wife go out. .my wife and I spent most of our resort time together, >except for 3 times bring collapsible pails to flush the toilet in the morning using "a pail of pool water", bring anti-diarrhea medicine .. u will need it. bring ear plugs for sleeping > constant construction noise. ( if your are handy > bring your own plumbing tools ) ……………………………………….. ADD for Tripcentral; the flight was delayed 5 hours and we had to sleep of a cold cuban tile floor, in the airport custom area. Speaking with a frequent flyer to cayo largo, we found out that she had to do this in all 14 times she visited Cayo largo > the flight is always late and they will not land in Toronto between 2 AM and 6:30 AM to avoid an international charge > this should of been told to us by any competent travel agent, as it was a common practice. Tammy Please don’t say anything LIKE > your sorry this happen. This is why you select a knowledgeable travel agent > to avoid flushing money down the drain. PS: but we had to wait till we were back in Canada > because they don’t give you water a villa iguana to flush with.