Aston Costa Verde Beach Resort: Amazing place and people

This was not my first time at Aston Costa Verde. The staff are amazing! I travel with my son and sometimes with friends. My son and I have major food allergies and the staff are amazing at helping us eat what is safe. I can’t wait to go back! Rooms are always clean and if something isn’t working they are fast to fix it!

Gran Muthu Almirante Beach Resort: Wonderful resort

Very easy to navigate, staff were all so friendly, food was good and very clean and well cared for grounds. White wine shortage but beer and red wine sangrias sweet delicious. Bar staff at the pool were friendly and entertaining and the rooms were spotless every day.

Grand Memories Holguin: Still Under Reno

I visited on December 20, 2023. Only 1 buffet was open, there were only about 3-4 bars open, and no BBQ/Grill. The only food options at the snack bar were cheese sandwich, hot dog, and tune sandwich. Would like more food variety if the buffet is unavailable.

Playa Costa Verde: Very poor food quality and variety

Went in December 2023 with kids and vegan friends. The food was not good, poor quality, all too salty. Meet and fish are available, but absolutely no vegetables, only cucumbers, no EGGS entire two weeks of staying. Breakfast only pancakes and fried bread. Staying with kids was difficult, no food for babies. The beach quality 3 out of 5, lots of stones in the water, but water color is amazing...nowhere I saw such a beautiful sea. Wide beach with many of shadows. In the evening no concerts, just l [... read more]ive music Overall ressort is very nice, territory is full of palm trees, convenient location of dinning, lobby and rooms. But, probably we won't go there again.

Sol Rio de Luna y Mares: Excellent vacation

This week just came back from 7 days in this resort. Everything was just excellent! From the very beginning: very skillful bus driver, then great experience and followup help of check-in and welcoming, very high quality service and fantastically pleasant stay! It is one of Cuban pearls definitely! The people are very friendly and personnel does just amazing job! Many thanks to all of the staff! Fantastic management! Not mentioning here some food shortages so many times mentioned in other com [... read more]ments; the situation in and around Cuba as well as the position of Cuba is well known and respected. In given circumstances Cubans and this resort do everything possible and even more than that. On the last UN general assembly only two countries voted against and one abstained on resolution condemning the illegal economic and trade embargo against Cuba imposed by the US in 1960. A total of 187 States voted for the resolution put forward each year against the embargo. UN General Assembly calls for US to end Cuba embargo. The food and drinks are of absolutely highest quality given the initial resources and the circumstances. So, it is great, healthy and very tasty, refreshing and energizing, well made with love and care. (Those whining about food etc. should go to Turks and Caicos all-inclusives or Florida ones and see what they will get there and for what price, let’s be honest :) ) Great and many thanks to all the people of this place and resort!

Playa Costa Verde: Cheap and cheerful

This is the third time I have been to this resort but things in Cuba have changed . Food quantity is short on buffet Eggs were only available 3 mornings out of 7 . Chicken was almost non existent and green salads like leaf lettuce romaine. No Bananas at all . Bar had no Pina coladas or other . Rum punch was usually the only other go to besides beer. The resort itself was in great need of maintenance, lighting ,grass maintenance. We don’t usually visit in December so could be because they have no [... read more]t geared up for the busy season yet. The weather was warm and sunny like always . Cuba needs a lot of help with the fuel shortage.

Brisas Guardalavaca: Excellent Resort

Have enjoyed many trouble free and completely satisfying vacations at Brisas. However, when things go wrong an hotel’s flexibility and willingness to make changes and special arrangements are highlighted. On my most recent visit the management and staff were extremely helpful and supportive as I coped with a serious health issue. Providing transportation to the local clinic, doctor’s visit to my room, daily follow up by resident nurse, offer to have meals delivered to my room, late check out a [... read more]nd keeping tabs on my condition and needs (extra blankets). This is an hotel whose management and staff ensure that your needs are their priority regardless of the circumstances. Thank you.

Playa Pesquero: Very Nice Resort Given the Circumstances

Everything at the resort was well prepared. They are suffering though due to the country's state of affairs. The resort only had eggs one day out of seven. According to the locals this was because the county's current leader is diverting all funds to the military and there is nothing left for non essentials. No one in Cuba wants anything to do with Cuban Pesos so don't believe the travel websites (including this one) when they say Cuba's currency is Pesos. They only want Canadian or US currency [... read more] in bills (no coins).Even the currency exchange booths at the resort and airport won't take it. The currency exchange websites say 1 Canadian dollar = approx 17 Cuban Pesos but in reality if you try to use it at a market thay want at least 150 Pesos in eqivelent to 1 dollar. We did enjoy the resort. It is well laid out. The help is very friendly. In fact our daughter is contimplating going back in April with a friend. I recommend taking a 2 hour horse and buggy taxi excursion from a local. They will take you places you wouldn't normally see and our driver only wanted $25 for the three of us. We gave him $100 because of the excellent effort he made, the time spent, and he was training a new driver.

Paradisus Rio De Oro: Good resort, but not amazing

Swimming pool and beach are very good .food adjust like 4 star hotel. Room is big， But the drain in the bathroom of my room was clogged, so I moved to another room, and the drain in the sink was clogged, but they fixed it later.

Playa Pesquero: Amazing resort

I stayed in resort for a week. Just came back. I liked this resort very much. It is clean, well maintained. Large grounds, lots of trees and greenery, one buffet restaurant, 3 restaurants for lunch amd dinner and 4 al-a-cart restaurants. Service is ok, Food is ok, not so great but good enough. We had eggs only one day. But you can tell that they are doing the best they can, they are very innovative and creative in representing the food. Pools are very nice, there are 5 or 6 of them, I’ve bee [... read more]n to many hotels in Cuba but I have never seen this many pools. It is good value and good family resort. I will go back March. Loved it!

Gran Muthu Almirante Beach Resort: Great time overall with a sour ending

We enjoyed our stay at this resort and met many friendly staff members Great beach and pool area as well There was one instance on our last day that unfortunately sour our experience when customer service forced our daughter and son in law staying on a separate room to pay for a towel that they never had to start with . There was only on bath towel in the room from the first day they got there. Room maid said they were short of towels and so they just made do with one towel all week and  [... read more]yet they demanded payment on check out for a second towel that they never had.

Gran Muthu Almirante Beach Resort: Beware

Beware the Extortioners and Thieves We had a decent time at the Grand Muthu Americante until the last day when we were extorted by the house keeper, customer service, manager and the representative from Air Canada vacations. On the 1st day at the resort our room had no bath towels. On the second day I returned to the room after breakfast to our housekeeper and informed her we had no bath towels. She said that they were out but gave me an extra blue beach towel and said they would get us a bat [... read more]h towel when she had one available. We came back that evening to one bath towel. The rest of the vacation we had 3 beach and 1 bath towel thinking this was the best we were going to get. Then on the last day (perfectly timed) as the bus is arriving to take us to the airport we are confronted by a customer service rep saying that we stole towels and owed them $30 USD. After explaining the situation the customer service rep goes to the Muthu rep at the bus and tells him that they are not to leave until we pay. We repeatedly told them to search our bags, each time they decline. We repeatedly asked to talk to the manager, Ramon, who is in a “meeting” and refuses to come talk to us. The bus is now completely loaded and waiting on us. It’s only at this point that the Air Canada rep(Oscar) gets involved and tells us just to pay them so we can get going. We tell them to pull our bags from the bus and we will take a taxi. They refuse. Now holding our luggage hostage. This is when I clue in that it’s a clever rouse. Out of frustration I open my wallet and offer cash to settle it. They refuse demanding Credit Card Payment. Now what are you going to do? The bus is waiting, they have your luggage, you’re stuck! In the end we had to pay. Moral of the story… when you get to the hotel take an inventory of everything in your room, report everything to the front desk and take notes of names and times you went to them and bring a credit card that you don’t mind cancelling…. To be called thieves and deal with mediocre food and drink was totally not worth it.

Paradisus Rio De Oro: 10th Anniversary at Paradisus

We came here on our honeymoon and wanted to return on our 10th to celebrate. We weren't disappointed. The resort is absolutely lovely, very natural, no plastic palm trees here. Even the expansive lobby is gorgeous. The resort is in a nature preserve area so everything is beautiful. The resort itself is not enormous, which is nice; you can get around without having to hop on a bus to get to dinner (like at some mega-resorts) and you actually have the opportunity to meet people if you choose. T [... read more]his time, like last time, we found ourselves amongst a group of folks who were just wonderful, and we spent a lot of time at the pool and lobby bars with them, but if you don't feel like socializing, no big deal. We got a Junior Suite, which is one of the little bungalows that house two rooms. These rooms are nice, with an outdoor shower (love 'em) and chairs out back in a little "yard" where we reclined and watched the stars one night (no mosquitos there somehow!) There's bottled water and beer in the fridge for ya; the cleaning staff did a wonderful job. We had a few minor issues - our door lock didn't work, but they had it repaired as quickly as they could. This isn't even really a negative for me. It's the real world; s**t happens. Don't feel like it reflects on the Rio de Oro. The staff are remarkably friendly and warm; if it's an act, they're all very good at it (read: I don't think it's an act, for most). The entertainment is excellent, especially the live Cuban bands. There's a lot of live music here, which is amazing. People were helpful and gracious and sincerely thankful when tipped, and never felt like tipping was necessary for being well-treated by staff. That said, tip, and bring needed goods, for the love of all that is holy. Folks need it. Some folks may not love the beach, because they want one of those miles-long white sand beaches in all the brochures. The Rio de Oro's beach has been eroded naturally over the years so it's a big shorter, and there's coral and rocks. For us, none of this was a problem at all. It's a gorgeous ocean and there's sun, what more do you need? The pool is great as well. It wasn't overly crowded the week we went so we had no problems getting chairs and spots at either. We were here to rest, so we didn't do any off-site excursions but by all reports from friends, they were great (snorkeling, driving Jeeps, beach lunches, etc). Food is a big complaint when people talk about Cuba but food in the Holguin area is generally pretty solid. We were happy with every meal we had. Cuba's fuel shortages and other challenges, including the ridiculously long-lasting US embargo, have meant that it's hard to get, well, things in general, so you have to be forgiving of that (and if you're not, why are you in Cuba?). So one day they might not have something at the buffet; the next day, they have it. The first hamburger I had was pretty bare-bones but tasty; the second was loaded up and also tasty. The chefs here always made due with what they had and it was always good. The food at the buffet was always good especially the omelette station at breakfast. The a la carte restaurants were all excellent, and they threw in an extra reservation for us because the resort wasn't packed. Even the wines were pretty great. The Rio de Oro is several decades old. There's a few signs of wear and tear, but there's also signs of constant improvement, despite economic and social issues in the country. They re-roofed the beach restaurant while we were there, and were doing all kinds of other work. None of it was distracting or problematic; when they closed the beach restaurant they replaced it with a beachside barbecue which, honestly, was fantastic. Talking briefly with the (newish) General Manager, they are working to update the place one step at a time. Not to sound too spacey or abstract...but this place just gives me good vibes. It feels good. It's quiet, friendly, and lovely. We'll be back agian.

Playa Costa Verde: 3rd Time at PCV -- Major Disappointment

Overall, this was not a good trip. This was my third visit to PCV, this time travelling with my husband and each of our mothers. We booked back in October for one week Dec 6-13. Settle in -- this is going to be a thorough review ;-) Rooms: I requested an “accessible room” for our mothers as they are each in their late 70s and have some mobility issues and safety concerns. They did not have one ready upon arrival, so, on day two, we had to move the moms to a very run-down (albeit “accessible”) [... read more] room. The front door and the deadbolt were both very difficult to open (sticking). The mirrors in the bathroom were all broken and chipped around the edges, as were the tiles. There were large, thick spider webs collecting bugs in the corners, and there were no blankets on the beds. As for our room, we paid for a king bed, but got two doubles. Front desk staff informed us that there were no king bed rooms, but we could check in with them daily to see if any would open up. Preferring to avoid the hassle and not wanting to move all our things mid-trip, we decided to stay put. The electrical outlets in the room did not work properly -- either pumping little to no current, or far too much current (causing my hair dryer to overheat in seconds). Overall, the room was clean. The mattresses and pillows have been upgraded since my last visit, and were quite comfortable. Towels and sheets were clean. AC worked really well. Balcony was large and comfortable. Fridge and TV worked. We went without hot water for 24 hours, and our water was shut off completely for about 12 hours one night. We were also locked out of our rooms without warning. Apparently the staff replaced the batteries in all the door locks, which meant we had to go to the front desk to reprogram our keys. We had no warning this was going to happen. Thankfully, our housekeeper let us in after breakfast and told us what was going on. Food & beverage: I was fully aware that the islands are experiencing food shortages, and I also know that you don’t travel to Cuba for the food. That said, in previous years, I’d never complained about the food, and no one ever went hungry. I can’t say the same for this trip. We had eggs on our first morning, and never again. There was no bacon or sausage or other breakfast meats. There were crepes (made with powdered eggs, I presume), but no toppings -- no fruit, jelly or syrup. There were packets of butter for bread the first few days. When that ran out, we were given chunks of lard disguised as butter. The rest of the buffet consisted of the previous night’s dinner. Lunch was similar at the buffet, serving remnants of previous meals, little to no fresh fruits or veggies. If you could get fresh fish at the hot counter before it ran out, that was tasty. Pair it with some rice and cooked cabbage, and you could call it a meal. The snackbar had fried fish from time to time, but it ran out very quickly. We were only able to snag some once on our last day. One day for lunch, the snackbar only served a ham and cheese sandwich, which came with one slice of cucumber and a few strands of cabbage on the side. No butter, no mayo, just dry white toast with a slice of bologna (what they call ham) and a slice of cheese. Other items at the snackbar sometimes included a tuna or chicken salad sandwich, Hawaiian pizza, ham and cheese pizza, hot dog and “chips,” which we couldn’t identify -- fried plantains perhaps? Buffet dinners started out as what I’d expected, but declined daily. The pasta bar was fantastic -- but the woman working it was sick (even lost her voice) and was seen coughing and hacking all over the food. I’m quite certain that’s where we picked up what we now know to be Covid. The fish station was good, too, but quickly ran out of supply. The rest of the buffet was mediocre at best. Still, if you weren’t “picky,” you wouldn’t go hungry. There seemed to be a shortage of flatware, glasses and cutlery. On numerous occasions we served ourselves ice cream on a hot plate, which we ate with a fork. But the ice cream was delicious! Desserts were what you’d expect; lots of pastries and squares, jello and rice pudding. The Italian restaurant was not worth our time. The food was cold and bland. The pasta station at the buffet was better. The Japanese restaurant was AMAZING. Raul, our chef, was delightful -- interactive, comedic, just a ton of fun. And the food was spectacular! We had rice with veggies, chicken, beef and shrimp -- all cooked with sauces (garlic, soya, etc.). Steakhouse was not open. Cigar lounge did not sell cigars. Clean drinking water was in short supply. Now, if you’ve ever been to Cuba, that may not come as a surprise. Each room was supplied with a 4L bottle of water, which was meant to last two people for 7 nights. We are not wasteful, and we are not greedy. But when I tell the front desk that my husband is sick and needs to hydrate, I expect to be given clean drinking water. Instead, I was told “I’ve made the report, and we’ll see what we can do tomorrow.” Not good enough (sorry, not sorry). Adequate amounts of clean drinking water is not a luxury, it’s a necessity -- particularly if you’ve picked up a virus. Even the bar and buffet began serving tap water mid-way through our trip, telling us they had run out of bottled water. Beach: Gorgeous. By far, the highlight of our trip. You’ll find a beach bar, restrooms and lots of non-motorized water toys. There was always someone there to help us find a spot along the beach and set up our chairs, which was a nice touch. If you’re allergic to bug bites, though, watch out for the noseeums (they mostly come out at night)! I didn’t have any trouble with them, but I saw lots of people covered in welts. That’s not a reflection on the resort, that’s just Mother Nature doing her thing! Pool: The pool was as I remembered. Considering it had been shut down for renovation, however, I wasn’t all that impressed. It certainly didn’t appear to have been “renovated,” but we weren’t bothered by that. We were just happy it was open. The activities around the pool weren’t what I remember. There used to be poolside bingo (I even won a bottle of rum once!), obstacle courses, and all kinds of silly fun games at the pool. This time, there was 3 pin bowling and velcro darts (I think). No prizes and very few participants. The so-called dancing lessons consisted of a group of workers forming a private circle to entertain themselves. And the aquafit class was little more than two workers waving their arms in the air to music. The swim up bar was lacking supplies as well. The frosty machines weren’t running, and the bartenders weren’t interested in creating tasty fruity beverages. Our options were beer, Cuba libre, or rum punch. Most of the staff were personable. Jesus, on the other hand, was quite sarcastic and rude to guests on more than one occasion. Smaller pool next to main pool is currently under renovation. One jacuzzi is fully drained, the other is filled with cold water. Service: Most of the staff were wonderful. The lobby servers, and bartenders were all fabulous, as were the housekeepers. The front desk staff, on the other hand, left something to be desired. They were short-tempered and seemed genuinely annoyed with guests. They were dismissive and unhelpful. But they certainly snapped to attention when their blue towels went “missing.” Suddenly, two staff members were right there, preventing us from boarding the bus to go home, demanding to know where our mothers’ beach towels were. Spoiler alert: the towels were left in the room. Our Sunwing rep was fantastic, very helpful, fun and always eager to please. The tour guides and bus drivers were also great. Entertainment: Or lack thereof … we spent 7 nights, and only saw two shows -- one in the theatre and one in the pool. It would have been helpful to see a schedule of when and where shows were happening throughout the week. Resort feedback: Provide a board of some sort in the lobby to let guests know when they can expect to see which evening shows Provide a 48-hour weather forecast (wind, rain, sun, etc.) at the front desk so guests can plan their days Communicate with your guests about scheduled maintenance and service disruptions Tips for guests: Bring your own food (cured meats, protein bars, chips, nuts, peanut butter, condiments, spices). Have lunch at the restaurant down by the beach! Have dinner at the Japanese restaurant (more than once!) There’s a hut by the pool where you can trade your used blue towel for a fresh one Do not trade Canadian or American dollars for pesos - there’s no need. You can pay for everything (including tips) with a Canadian credit card, debit or debit Visa, or CAD / US cash. (They don’t take credit cards that are affiliated with the US -- Amex, Capital One, etc.)

Club Amigo Atlantico Guardalavaca: Not bad

Rooms 5* Service 4 * Beach4* Staff friendly beds 5* Food 3* Overall 3* *** Good Good good +++ Not bad not bad not bad not bad Friendly staff specially at the reception counter ?????+++++***** 3* 3*

Aston Costa Verde Beach Resort: Great Time!

Returned to Aston Costa Verde for the second time...again, a fabulous time...mainly because of the resort staff...they remembered our group from last year and welcomed us back. Had a great repeat customer dinner. Remember, Cuba is struggling since covid and are having supply issues...Beach, pool and staff were amazing...Food was lacking in some things, but that is happening everywhere down there....we went for a relaxing time at the pool and beach and were not disappointed...will go back again

Playa Pesquero: Resort is very good.

Hotel is very good, clean and comfortable. Service staff are all professional and friendly. Territory is well maintained ,a lot of green spaces. Pools and washrooms are clean. Beach is beautiful, a lot of free space.

Playa Pesquero: Very good resort!

One room that my party stayed in was great 6221. Zero complaints. My room which was 4905 wasnt great. No coffee machine, warm water (not hot) power went out twice, water ran out, toilet didn’t fill up properly. We had to fill a bucket to flush sometimes. Beach was amazing. Food was pretty good. We aren’t picky. No French fries, ketchup or burgers, great pasta, omelettes etc. chicken sometimes available. Overall trip was great. A lot of walking but shuttle is available to pick you up upon re [... read more]quest which I didn’t realize until half way through the trip. Overall still 8 out of 10. Also new chairs for the pool were delivered on our last day.

Playa Pesquero: Wonderful Family Holiday

This resort did not disappoint. The beach was perfect - a somewhat sheltered bay with sandy beach and some rocky areas to snorkel. Hobe Cats and Pedal Boats were great! Hotel was well maintained and staff were wonderful. Grandkids (14-5 yrs) loved the sports area, ice cream hut, and 24hr snack bar (especially the cheese balls). It is Cuba - so if you are picky about food - bring your own condiments and necessities. Staff did a wonderful job of offering as much variety as they could with what th [... read more]ey have available. If you drink gin and tonic - bring your own. Worst part of vacation was rude guests who felt they were more important than anyone else, and thought they should be able to get everything they could at home! By far this is the best resort we have stayed at in Cuba in our 6 visits. Bring bug spray - you don't see them but they leave itchy bites, and a face cloth or loofah. Daughter & Son brought instant oatmeal (without milk) for one picky eater and peanut butter for another. If you like 'snack foods' and 'candy' bring those as well. Massage was worth the money!! One area of improvement would be Theatre Shows - other resorts have had better shows.

Paradisus Rio De Oro: Amazing resort❤️

I absolutely love this hotel, and the service, the whole stuff of the hotel absolutely amazing! Very relaxing, but then again, there’s so much fun with entertainment crew the DJ they’re all trying to make the holiday as fun as possible…the SPA facility is absolutely paradise, the whole crew, very friendly and welcoming!