Sol Palmeras: Sol Palmeras

Best part of this resort was the food. They have their own bakery so the bread, buns. croissants ect. were amazing and made daily. Omelets made to order in the morning, pasta chef in the evenings along with whatever else you can think of to eat. Beaches were great, hotel staff very good. First room we had was awful, broken shelves, broken door, small. We upgrades to a bungalow, which was much better. Centrally located. Would I stay there again... yes I would.

Playa Caleta: Amazing beach!

We were housed next door at Playa Caleta which shared the beach, the pools, and restaurants. The nightly entertainment was good and there was lots of live music in other areas. Our room was clean but lacking things like the chairs on the balcony, and the hangers in the closet which we finally got on the third day. The dining room table cloths were dirty but service in the dining room did improve after many people complained. Overall the holiday was excellent for the price. It would be better [... read more] if people were not allowed to smoke and leave their butts all over the beach.

Barcelo Solymar: A very fun trip

Ok so... This is good resort for young people, not so much for people with kids. Its pretty easy to comehere alone and make friends. I got a while bungalow to myself. Besdies a leking AC, it was an awesome place to call home base. The resort itself is pretty solid. The resort is being renovated and the upkeep is pretty good. If there was a mess, staff clened it up usually within 10 minutes. The buildings, grounds, and pools were well kept from what I saw. The staff are very kind a [... read more]nd hard working, and deserve a ton of credit. The beach was basoloutely amazing and I loved it.White sand and clear turquise water. The food was decent, and I have to sy Cuba is slwoly cathching up in terms of variety and quality. thye TV servuice was ok, I usually watched Showtime. The internet ws 1$ for a 1 hour wifi card which was decent and it worked ok in the lobby. The Gym onm this resort needs the following: an adjustable bench a chin up bar a squt rack with lympic bar and plates

Playa Vista Azul: Great resort!

We loved our week at ocean Azul. It was a beautiful, clean resort with great service. The infinity pool is so beautiful as are the beaches. Food was so-so, always something to find though. We really enjoyed our breakfast and lunch at the privilege restaurant. Dinner was a little dicey and had to go to the buffet after a couple of the a la cartes. No one went hungry though and overall we loved it! Would recommend.

Gran Caribe Playa Caleta: Not our best experience

The Playa Caleta and Puntarena experience this trip was disappointing in many respects. While the food quality was somewhat better than usual, the hotel experience was not. Upon arrival we were told there was a laundry problem and that our beach towels would not arrive until the next day. 4 days into our trip, we were still waiting. Thankfully we knew enough to bring some of our own but first time visitors would not have known this. Bedroom linens were also missing due to the laundry issue. [... read more] The daiquiri machines were broken as with many other drink machines, grills and appliances. There seems to be no appetite to ever fix these and as non-drinkers, gets really tiring. There was also a deplorable lack of toilet paper and most women's washrooms had none after 10:00 a.m. This resulted in me carrying our room toilet paper around the resort everywhere. The hotel lobby didn't stick to posted store hours. Almost half of the beach chairs were missing. Finally, the gracious service we normally receive from the lovely Cuban staff was completely missing. With very few exceptions, waiters ignored the dining room guests and bar attendants were grumpy. This was by far the worst experience we've had in Cuba to-date and the current hotel owners should take notice. We are considering a hotel change the next time we return.

Club Tropical: amazing resort

nice resort very good location nice resort very good location nice resort very good location nice resort very good location nice resort very good location nice resort very good nice resort very good location

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: First experience with all inclusive

Rooms were clean and met expectations - no hot water for 5 days did not. Lobby was attractive though 5 tour reps commandeering tables all day, everyday left less seating for guests to enjoy the atmosphere. Food was good, a la carte restaurants were great, especially Sakura! Pools ok...everything seemed bunched together; very little opportunity to sit in shade or away from all the noise of pool area.Fountains and hot tubs were not running during our stay- too bad. Service was pleasant and he [... read more]lpful. Beach was close and beautiful! Overall good first experience and know what to look for next time...

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: So disappointed

The resort itself was beautiful...and thats where it stops. The food was horrible, the buffet had bugs (like infested), you couldn't sit down with out swatting several away. The plates were dirty, if you could find a plate. The bathrooms by the buffet were missing the toilet seats for a few days. We had no hot water after our first day till our last day. And when we did get water it trickled out and you would barely get wet. The drinks, we seldom got what we asked for. I stopped having any drin [... read more]ks after Sunday (second day, as I couldn't stomach there basic selection...no strawberry daiquiri's , plain bellini's ..and the mojitos were a mix that would settle at the bottom of your cup ).There is more but I think you get the drift.

Sol Palmeras: Fantastic stay

I was impressed with this hotel. The staff at this Resort made our stay very enjoyable. I traveled alone with my daughter who is in a wheelchair, the front desk staff made our trip. The staff made sure that we were on the ground floor in a newly renovated room which had a walk in shower. Everyone was very friendly and very attentive to my daughter and myself. The food at the buffet was so so we dined mostly at the El carts. The grounds were absolutely beautiful and very easy t [... read more]o maneuver around with they will chair there was a ramp leading right to a beautiful beach. We would definitely recommend this hotel and we will definitely be staying at this hotel again.

Melia Marina Varadero: Melia Marina Varadero

This was our third time visiting this hotel and a few things had changed the buffet wasn't as good as previous years and our room had a musty smell and the furniture were damaged and the lamp shades stained.the service was better than ever ,the entertainment was excellent .The beach grill wasn't operating and the marina and some of the shops were closed .we had a very relaxing week and still enjoyed the hotel and would recommend it but may or may not return because of the many steps and wal [... read more]king as having arthritis problems .The meals we had at the restaurants were lovely .but the people are what make this hotel so nice ,the staff are wonderful

Palma Real: Party Real

This place is under new management so its gonna be a beauty when they sink some pesos into the renovations. There was 12 Bowmanville Bandits travelling together. Most of us really enjoyed the variety of food and drink especially the gasolena and Spanish coffee. The gardeners were always working hard trying to keep the cups outta the flower beds. Not sure where to start about entertainment...its quite a show in the main lobby bar area so get there early and enjoy your cup of tea. The beach is jus [... read more]t a short stagger across the street so bring your topped up bubba mug for the stroll. Staff are wonderful for taking pics/videos and the maids go above and beyond you make your stay most pleasurable. All said and done I wouldn't spend 8K on the place but for 700$ its a steal. Be sure to hit up the gas station pollo joint, just like KFC but only better and Calle 62 is close 2nd for BBQ pollo. If your on a budget and don't mind a little action and loud music this place is right up your alley. GAS ON

Starfish Jibacoa: Needs work

The resort has a couple of new managers, Daniel the PR guy and I think her name is Mary she is the resort manager. Anna Marie is the new Transat rep. All of them are very nice and seem to be fighting an endless battle. For the last month there has been a gastro intestinal outbreak at the resort. They are trying their best to get a grip on it. I can see why this is happening but all concerns seem to be falling on deaf ears unless you actually file a report with the transat rep. Cubans aren't the  [... read more]most hygienic and they don't practise it in the dining room either. They wipe the tables and placemats off with used napkins that the guests have used. We actually witnessed this. One meal , I pointed out to the kitchen manager that all the clean lunch plates still had wet food on ,( I am not stretching it when I say), almost all of them. He sent them back to be re washed. Needless to say there were no dinner plates for that meal but we used the smaller plates. Hopefully they continue to monitor this issue. The dogs and cats were culled because it got so out of control on the resort. I must say that the food did get better this time around. Both of the pools were open but I can see the new wading pool closing soon due to the liner is lifting. The resort is still dealing with the black mold issues in the rooms. They will come with bleach to scrub it but only if you ask. I don't think any of this had to do with the hurricane but they do say it does. These aren't hurricane related issues. We received a survey and Reid and I both completed it individually as did my sister and her husband. We were truthful but not bitter. We made comments and hopefully they can deal with the most important issues at hand. We also replied to the question if we would come back. We said no. I would talk to the transat rep first before I sent anyone there until the gastro breakout is resolved. We arrived Friday February 9th. That night.....the water pipes for the resort burst. Because our rooms were right beside the now under construction pipes, we were without water every day of our stay until we left on Friday February 15th. We had water in the evening but we never once were told that there would be an interruption. We didn't have beach towels available until Wednesday of our trip. My sister resorted going to the gift shop and bought towels for the four of us. We were given two bottles of water when we arrived and then we were told to go to the bar or buffet to have them refilled. I got new unopened bottles from the bar but my sister was told that there was no more and they filled hers from the tap. Issues yes. Are they going to fix the issues? I don't know at this point. I know it may sound kinda odd but I am not bitching really, just saying what's going on there. Our transat rep did get our late check out comp'd for 3 hours for us. That was good of her I think. I also talked to Daniel the PR guy and I asked him when they were going to get the name of the resort straight. He had no idea that it is advertised as Villa Jibacoa. It is Villa Tropico. Villa Jibacoa is the name of the community it is in.

Starfish Jibacoa: I wouldn't go back

We arrived after 10 pm, were given our rooms and sent out to wander around in the dark unassisted to find them. The walkways are very bad, uneven with large holes in them so it wasn't the safest trek. We booked a bungalow and were given a unit in a row of 5 attatched units, which they tried to tell me was a bungalow. Uh, no. Our bathroom light switch was broken so no light, I brought the lamp from the room into the bathroom. Our phone didn't work and neither did the TV, which would have been nic [... read more]e to have had when I was stuck in due to sickness. Bathroom light and TV were fixed finally on Thursday, we left Friday and they were informed on Saturday, the day after we got there. They would not move us to the accomodations that we paid for and were actually rude about it. Other people had complaints about how rude they were treated and their refusal to accomodate. The food in the buffet was very repetitive and very little fresh fruit or vegetables. I ended up very sick, vomitting for an entire night and severe diarrhea the following 2 days, I was lucky, my husband still has diarrhea and we have been home for over a week. Many other people on the resort were very ill for days. We were also a little put off that a hat was passed around for tips at the evening entertainment and a very hard sell for a DVD after one show. We did not bring money to the shows as we have never experienced this before and when I told the fellow harassing me to buy the DVD that I didn't bring any money he said" You have money in your room?" and wanted to come with me to get it. So very tacky. The pool was nice and the bartenders at the pool bar were excellent. Don't expect any shade to sit in on the beach as the chairs were all out in the sun with no little grass umbrellas as shown in the pictures. I know they suffered through the hurricane and clean up and damage was extensive and I did try to keep this in mind but there was just so much negative that had nothing to do with that. I have to say that this is the first 3 star resort that I have stayed at that i would never go back to. Sucks when you save up for your 1 and only vacation of the year and it is such a huge disappointment. I would not recommend this hotel to a friend!

Playa Caleta: Amazing resort !

I loved this hotel !!! Sure the food wasn’t great but what do you expect with the price ?! Lunch was good !! It was fun staff was friendly rooms were nice ! I will for sure return . I’ve traveled a lot in my life and this was by far my best vacation ! I wouldn’t recommend it tho to an older couple looking for a quiet place to relax ! I’m 28 so I feel like it’s more directed towards kids and partying !

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Huge disappointment

The grounds of the resort were very well kept and the weather was wonderful but that was the only positive part. Some of the staff were very rude and 24 hour snack shack and bar was out of most items most of the time. We arrived late and had to go to bed hungry. Out of the 7 days we were there We had no hot water for 6 Of them. Rooms were nice but took forever for them to make them up each day. We did complain but never got any satisfaction. I would definitely NOT recommend this resort to anyone [... read more].

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: Great Resort

We've been to Cuba many times but this was our first time staying at Ocean Varadero El Patriarca. We were very pleased with the accommodations ~ the room was very clean, comfortable and our Housekeeper was AWESOME. Having arrived during their Winter season (mid January) the temperature was a bit cooler than we expected but still better than shoveling snow back home... The grounds were very well kept including the pool which was very clean. The beach wasn't the greatest as they had just e [... read more]xperienced a cold front with winds that caused the tides to wash the sand out to sea but by mid week of our stay, we were able to enjoy that area, thanks to the hard work of staff working tirelessly to restore it. Buildings are laid out very well ... all close to the pool, beach, buffet and restaurants. The Staff members were all so friendly and accommodating. We plan on returning to this resort ... hopefully again this year.

Occidental Arenas Blancas: Not too bad

This was a decent resort. Rooms are definitely dated, but liveable. The Beach is absolutely beautiful, but you need to get there 1st thing in the morning if you want to get a lounge chair to sit on. The pool is a great spot to sit and relax and enjoy the fun daytime entertainment. The staff at the pool bar are wonderful and friendly. Much better than the other bars. The evening entertainment is hit and miss, but what you would expect. The buffet is amazing!! I enjoyed the food immensely. Di [... read more]d not enjoy the service at all. People are very unfriendly and like to ignore you. Buffet staff do not allow you to keep your glasses and remove your plates before you are even done with them. Not a very enjoyable experience. We will not be returning.

Hotel Los Cactus: Best Resort Yet

This was our 3rd time to Cuba we had already fell in love with Cuban people and culture now we have found the resort we would love to return to. The staff could not be more accommodating we had a wonderful room was clean and had a great view the food was so good the a la cartes were all amazing, pool was large there was never big line ups for drinks or food never ran out of anything. Our Trans sat rep Carl in Cuba was very helpful with any minor problems that arose were addressed immediately. We [... read more] could not be happier with a resort and we are already planning our next trip back to Los Cactus !!!

Iberostar Origin Bella Vista Varadero: Amazing resort

Beautiful resort, kept very clean, the staff was super nice and helpful, the bar/ restaurant on the eleventh floor was the best. I would highly recommend this resort and would love to go back. Beautiful beach

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Nice small Resort

The people that work here are super nice ! Beach lovely! Friendly Travelers . On the flip side no hot or warm water in the suite . Left to travel home to Canada to sleep in a very cold airport for 15 hours with no Sun Wing reps for 6 hours children were sleeping on the floor it was awful they gave no blankets or pillows ,molded bread to everyone nice perk ! So we have a chance to win $500 bux i would think Sun Wing would just give out all the passenger's $500 just for total confusion . We could  [... read more]not get to our luggage walking zombies 24 hours later we got home .