Melia Jardines del Rey: First Trip to Cuba- Pleasantly surprised

This was my first trip to Cuba and was not sure about what to expect.Everything about this resort exceeded my expectations. The food was fabulous, people exceptional and grounds, pool and beach beautiful.

Muthu Colonial Hotel: could have been an amazing resort

The Colonial Resort is incredibly beautiful. Our room had a magnificent ocean view. We thought it was perfect except for one MAJOR flaw. We couldn't get hot water for showers and in two(!!) instances there was no running water at all! It was disgusting and unsanitary since people had to use the facilities while they were out of order. We are aware of the problems of Cuba and its infrastructure but this is UNACCEPTABLE! No other resorts in Cayo Coco had this issue. To make matters worse, the hote [... read more]l management was very apathetic and unhelpful when we complained. Trip Central should not include the Colonial Resort in their packages until they resolve this problem.

Memories Caribe Beach Resort: home away from home

We stayed at Memories Caribe Feb 22-Mar2 2015. This was our second visit to this resort. The staff at this resort are simply amazing!! The friends we met while at this resort in Sept 2014 were all still working at the resort and it was so nice to be welcomed with warm smiles and hugs and kisses upon our arrival. Caribe is a short bus ride away from the airport, and check in is done on the bus which is very convenient. We had requested a room in building 17 with a king bed and a balcony and these [... read more] requests were met. The rooms could use a fresh coat of paint but they are very clean and the bed and pillows were comfortable. We never had any issues with hot water. The beach is amazing and we were fortunate to have a low tide day so we could go for a long walk on the sandbar. The pizza at the beach was delicious. Food at the buffet for breakfast and dinner was just fine. We had lunch at the beach or snackbar and never went hungry. Our a la carte dinners at the Mediterranean and Asian restaurants were fantastic. A trip to Pilar beach is highly recommended. The layout of the resort is great, very easy to get around and just a short walk from the main area to the beach. Overall I love this resort because of the staff and the beautiful beach. I look forward to returning again.

Memories Flamenco Beach Resort: really nice!

I would recommend this resort for sure. Buffet was delicious! Absolutely no issues with the food. 2pools one that has swim out bar, both are good size.service was excellent!!rooms are good size and clean. Resort is perfect size! 24 hour snack bar is great and lounge bar is good size, lots of outdoor seating.Beach is more of a natural beach with coral, but after first 15 feet clear water.Overall would 100%return.

Hotel Playa Paraiso: nice and clean!

the rooms were clean, and comfortable, the staff was friendly and helpful, the food was -- well there was a variety. the resort itself was paradise. only 15 min to the airport. the entertainment was awesome. it truly was a great holiday.

Hotel Playa Paraiso: Simply Amazing!! I'll keep going back

Hello, My Girlfriend and I stayed at the Pestana Cayo Coco resort the week of Feb 20th to Feb 27th. We had a fantastic time at the resort with very little to no complaints, so first of all, thank you for that! There were three members of your staff that my spouse and I would like to mention to you. These three individuals stood out in our minds the entire trip and they each went above and beyond to ensure we were having a good time and were more than kind for the entire duration of our trip.  [... read more]Please see more detail of these experiences below. The Snack Bar The first night we arrived at Pestana we were hungry and ready to party. It was late so we went to the snack bar and met Adeile and Daniel. These two staff members greeted us with smiling faces and were ready to explain some of the resort to us as well as the drinks available and were of course more than happy to get us some food. We had a great time chatting with them and stayed out at the snack bar until well into the morning the night we met them. We asked them what their schedule was and for the remainder of our vacation we made a point of going to the snack bar on the days they both worked. Even when people at this spot were acting obnoxious both Adeile and Daniel were nothing but patient and kind with everyone. They kept smiling and giving guests high fives ... continually showing everyone a great time. These men work very hard and work very long hours. When we left we made sure to go and say goodbye to them and I can honestly say that I was very, very sad to say goodbye to these gentlemen. There are not enough positive words I can say about these two men. They were kind, gracious, and genuine. They started their shifts mid-day and didn't stop until early in the morning the next day. AMAZING GUYS!!! Adeile (I think I am spelling his name wrong) worked behind the bar those nights and he spoke excellent english, which was a huge plus for us. Daniel was working the floor taking orders and serving food and he was very kind and fun to chat with as well. The Dinner Buffet Next up was a gentlemen we met during the dinner time buffet. His name is Maikel Neira. We sat in his section early in the week and after he served our table once we made a point to find seats in his section night after night. Maikel was incredibly attentive and made the extra effort to get our drink orders right (my boyfriend doesn't like ice in his drinks and if Maikel forgot that he would go back and change it. It wasn't necessary but it was kind and that is what stands out to us) There were SO MANY rude tourists visiting while we were at Pestana. They complained a lot and I witnessed quite a few rude people disrespect Maikel (and other staff) by yelling or just generally being rude. Maikel kept his composure and remained calm and understanding no matter who was treating him like dirt. My heart broke watching other Canadians treat him like that and I told him that it wasn't ok for people to talk to him the way they were. He didn't have the best english but he tried really, really hard to speak and understand it. He never brushed us off and he never answered questions with "I don't understand". He always had a solution and he always made sure to check on us even when the dining room was packed with people. He was another staff member we found to be quite genuine and made a great impact on our vacation and experience eating at the buffet. He deserves recognition for all of the hard work he does especially during some of your busiest hours! The kind acts of these staff members are one of many reasons we will return to your resort and we truly hope they will still be employed at Pestana and we can visit them once again.

Tryp Cayo Coco: Tryp Cayo Coco

Not at all good. Restaurant food was not what we read on menu service was terrible! It was my birthday not even a wish. After my husband complain twice to lobby & customer service then they did a cake and gave me a champaign bottle that I left for the maid.We had no hot water after the third day they fixed. Again because we complained.The weather was beautiful and beach. We gave 3 hundred dollars for tips but we shouldn't off that was our call.

Hotel Playa Paraiso: Amazing Resort

Snack bar was open 24/7 and so was the lobby bar. Staff were very friendly and the beach was beautiful. My husband did a lot of snorkeling on our beach and saw several beautiful creatures, a stingray, starfish, barracuda and lots of other beautiful colourful fish. Rooms were also good and kept tidy but the mattresses were quite uncomfortable.

Hotel Playa Coco: Great resort

Excellent staff all over. Great dining room service and food, including a-la-carte restaurants. Absolutely enjoyable beach. Great entertainment, including the piano-bar. Lovely rooms. Negatives: tennis court under long-term repair; shower water was lukewarm.

Iberostar Origin Daiquiri: An Older Resort on a Beautiful Setting

Room: We arrived late evening and were without the use of a toilet that flushed until afternoon of the next day although I reported the situation immediately. Others had similar experiences. The room was clean and the cleaning staff friendly. Grounds and Beach: A beautiful white sand beach surrounded by well cared for surroundings. Restaurants: The buffet food was very good with many choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Cooking and serve staff very good and friendly. The bake shop produced [... read more] excellent bread and cakes. Their sweet rolls were the best I have tasted. Lots of fresh fruit was available as well a good selection of fresh salads. The Italian Restaurant served an amazing pasta dish as well as chicken. The Beach Restaurant was well stocked with a variety of hot and cold foods throughout the day. Entertainment: My wife and I enjoyed the nightly shows. My favorite was the magic show. Final Thought: Other than the initial check-in experience we had an enjoyable vacation. However, I fail to understand why the management are not more pro active in making sure the rooms are ready for occupancy prior to the arrival of the next guest. The toilet was a simple fix,

Hotel Playa Paraiso: Fantastic

The hotel is very modern and clean. Lots of choice for food... Food was excellent for Cuba! Beach was gorgeous...so was the pool area. Very clean!! Bars were amazing and staff were super friendly. I enjoyed my stay thoroughly and would go back to Pestana again!! Gorgeous resort.

Melia Jardines del Rey: Great Resort

Had a great time, staff very receptive to any issues we had and landscapers working every day to green up the resort. I would recommend they shave down the coral for the first 20 feet entering the ocean, would improve the beach tremendously !!!

Hotel Playa Paraiso: resort was lovely but

Well I will start with nice room, beach, food pretty good staff were nice but overworked. Shortage of towels in room I pretty much had to pay to get a washcloth or fresh towels. resort washroom never had any toilet paper you always had to look before entering .was not impressed with the shows except the 70's one, never a bar tender to serve you had to wait in long lines for drinks. Needed more dancing music around the pool rather boring atmosphere. shortage of staff I found they just pretended t [... read more]o not understand because they didn't have time to help.

Hotel Playa Paraiso: Excellent Value For The Money

Arrived Feb 26th for a week staying in building 11 top floor with partial ocean view as requested 20 minutes from the airport. Checked in at 10:30 a.m. and brought suits/towels/sunblock in our carry on. Room wasn't ready until 3 p.m. [no biggie] so we checked our bags and off to the pool we went. Beach/pool had lots of loungers BUT if you wanted a preferred/shaded area be at the beach before 7 a.m. and the pool before 7 a.m. Spent one day at the pool which is super convenient to everything, the  [... read more]rest of the week at the beach. Beach was beautiful with lots of sites/sounds and really enjoyed snorkeling at the reef just off the shore. Lots of couples/families/seniors with fewer of the college crowd. Room was well appointed with nice shower, air, cable tv and fridge with a 2 litre bottle of water [keep your empty and fill at the lobby bar]. Food was the best we've had in Cuba which was good by our standards and we stay at 5 stars in Vegas. Never did any a la carte as we don't like being scheduled and heard the buffet was as good as any. Did like the beach restaurant for lunch. BBQ pork, chicken & fish, salad bar on a balcony with wine & beer. Beach snack bar was good for fish [yum], hot dogs [good] and burgers [ok]. Buffet always had something but beef was always tough and the bacon undercooked [so we brought a plate to the omelet guy and he cooked it some more for us]. Buffet opens at 6 for dinner and is a zoo between 7-8 BTW. Wine beer with meals bring packets of ketchup/vinegar available at fast food places if you want. Pool 24 hr. snack bar had fries [yum] poutine, dogs, burgers, pizza & sandwiches with a full bar overlooking the pool. Lobby bar great in the evening for coffee and entertainment and we usually were in our room by 9-10 and ready for breakfast at 7 in the morning. Generally spent 10 pesos a day on tips. One for the room and brought some stuff for her as well. Sailing [free] and beach/pool chair guys as well as restaurants all one. Bar guys 1-4 a day. Hardly any bugs but did manage to get bit at dawn getting chairs. Recommend the vip room departure at the airport 25 pesos..nice if you're lazy [we are]. So, very relaxing low key stay. What would we do different? Water shoes for the beach and maybe building 10 ground floor. Closer but still quiet and those top floor hikes at the end of the day/night are a killer. Hope this helps we will be returning!!

Hotel Camino del Mar: Amazing Beach, Great Service

The beach and service were excellent. If you picked the right foods, the food was great. The house red wine was excellent and the mixed drinks were not too sweet. The beach restaurant was excellent. As we seen on our first trip to Cuba, the hotel needs a little work. Water pressure was low and if you wanted hot water, it was best to shower in the afternoon. It was fun fishing off and swimming around the boardwalk but the boardwalk really needs repair. We snorkeled on a local reef and there were [... read more] plenty of fish and different corals to view. We also traveled to Pillar beach, and we would visit this beach again if we every return to the area.

Melia Jardines del Rey: Beautiful resort

The resort and staff were superb but once it is fully open there will not be enough room on the beach or in the lobby for everyone. The buffet restaurants had enough variety for everyone. Service was a little slow but staff are still new.

Muthu Colonial Hotel: Unbeleivable!

The only reason for the one star rating is that something must be checked off. I cannot imagine how this resort is allowed to remain open. Space would not permit a list of even a portion of the personal safety issues such as rotted out handrails, decks and supports; broken concrete and tile walkways; exposed electrical wiring on the grounds and the rooms; open holes and vaults on the grounds; trip hazards galore. In one week the resort was without water three times and individual rooms many more [... read more]..toilets everywhere were full and smelled awful. This event was apparently not uncommon. When asked about hand-washing and showers the staff suggested the pools were a good alternative. Since guests were not allowed in the food prep area, one can only imagine how food could be prepared and dishes washed without water. Dishes available after these episodes, clearly had not been cleaned properly Cross-contamination at grill stations was obvious, raw beef, pork and chicken all handled with the same one utensil and then the cooked items were handled again with the same one utensil. I witnessed irrigation water being used to wash fruit....Dirty dishes were gathered and clean utensils dispersed in one operation by the same person. The same wipe cloth was used for surfaces and food equipment. The beach is beautiful and clean...the only beach shower for rinsing was filthy....so where did people have to rinse? (see above) Tissue in the washrooms was generally not available (volumes could be read into this) I and others were ill at this resort... the cause was clear. The staff is generally attentive and warm. I feel that the issues at this hotel are related to leadership and greed. Manage the operation properly. Close the facility, do what is needed and "then" invite guests. I feel that I received extremely poor value for my time and money and I shouldn't have to feel that for taking a holiday.

Melia Cayo Coco: Amazing Resort

This hotel is a must if you are going to Cuba. The lagoon rooms are spectacular and if you are at the very end one like we were you are in the center of it all. Beach is like no other, crystal clear water, white sand...and long beach to walk for miles. The food is always good...meat and fish cooked as you order it. BBQ grill on the beach is excellent, but you have to be prepared to wait in line as you order your fish and meat. The grounds are immaculate, not many flowers in February, but always  [... read more]kept clean and clear on a regular basis. Staff are so kind and helpful. We didn't go to the pool because the beach is so amazing, not as crowded.

Iberostar Origin Daiquiri: Amazing Resort

I loved this resort. It's size makes it easy to get around. The people and the grounds were great. The beach was beautiful. The pool was small, but never full. The food was excellent and the drinks were perfect. I will be back :)

Melia Jardines del Rey: New resort with great potential

The resort was new and it is going to be huge! The half resort was open during our stay and the second half is scheduled to be completed in May. I know there were a lot of reviews wondering what would happened to the public areas when the resort is fully operational. From what I've seen, they're building another lobby, as well as the second pool. I would imagine there would be a second buffet built as a part of the second Phase. But I do anticipate a problem with the beach. The beach was at near [... read more] capacity when we were staying there and only half resort was open. Where the other 1000 people would go on the beach remains a mystery. The food was good, there was lots of it, certainly not the same selection as in Mexiso or Dominican but noone was starving. They definitely need to label their dishes in Buffet, otherwise it becomes a guessing game. I was disappointed with a layout of Beach Restaurant. It is setup as a makeshift buffet and during busy times there is a huge line up of people circling the table with chafing dishes! The service was hit or miss. Englist is definitely a challenge for some servers, especially at the main Buffet. Overall, we enjoyed our stay and would go again.