Royalton Hicacos Resort and Spa: Heavenly Cuba -royalton

Great people , great beaches Great pool. ALL Staff was amazing . Only poor part was lobby bar was a bit slow serving drinks. Atmosphere was great except no music playing alot :( not use to that in a Cuba resort.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Great facility

Facilities were great, room was as expected for Royal side of resort. Food was extremely disappointing. We paid for Royal service which supposedly included import drink but all there had was rhum. No burgers, we don’t have this, we don’t have that was the commun response. No entertainment around pools, overall I will never go back

Hotel Playa Paraiso: First trip post COVID

I was pleasantly surprised as I kind of expected less. After hotel closure for almost two years and very little tourist traffic, everything was operational, and safety precautions taken to very reasonable extend (not overdone, not underdone). We had a good stay, perfect weather and water and beach and Pina Colada. Works for me.

Iberostar Origin Playa Alameda: Great holiday

Grounds lovely and well kept. People are warm and friendly.loved the beach and swimming. Food good but bland. Fish always nicely cooked. A couple of mornings they had no eggs. There was a great Cuban band that played on the outdoor square— loved their music!!

Gran Muthu Imperial: I loved it!!

Clean, big rooms with nice pool, garden or ocean view, it doesn’t matter where you are on the resort sunrise and sunset is beautiful. Everything you need is near by so no need to walk lots except to get to the beach where it’s a five min. walk All the bars on the resort are awesome they make the best drinks…. over all I had a great experience at gran muthu imperial! Great job guys keep it up and cheers to Brian!🍹🍹🍹🍹😂

Brisas Guardalavaca: Good as always

Hotel and staff are great .Entertainment not as good as it used to be . I'm sure it's because of covid. Hope it comes back.Lots of cubans at the resort enjoy themselves which I'm sure is the only way they could stay open.Canadians just starting to travel.

Club Kawama: GOOD VALUE FOR MONEY

Wendy got us a deal for 14 days at Club Kawama at the amazing price of $1345.00 (all inclusive.) Don't think you can do better at this price, for 2 weeks in the sun, including air from Ottawa. However, there were certainly some things we were not happy with, but not unexpected, at a star resort. I have tabled the pros and cons below: PROS: - (1) The fantastic VARADERO BEACH and ocean; the same at a 3star as a 5star. (2) SWIMMING POOL - just great; it was large, had a walk-in hot tub, shallow [... read more] and deep ends, so I could even do some laps if I felt energetic, also, my partner and I are not agile and really appreciated the large steps plus hand rail used to enter. (3) THE LOBBY BAR FOR CAPPUCCINO - following the dreadful coffee at breakfast (see below), it was such a treat to relax at the lobby bar for our morning cappuccinos. They were just great at any time of the day. (4) SERVICE - generally, the service was good. In particular, Ray and Orlando were always available to lend a helping hand; the waitresses at the lobby bar were professional and always served with a smile. CONS:- (1) FOOD - always a contentious subject. We did not go hungry, but the daily menu at the buffet could not exist without rice and chicken. We should probably forgive them for the lack of variety though as the resort had only recently reopened after Covid. Only one a la carte restaurant was open and served a pleasant change of pasta and pizza. (2) DRINKS - again, there were many items not available due to the pandemic. On our first day, we ordered a rum punch and received rum mixed with seven up. Stick to a cold beer and you would be fine. The wine was drinkable, just. (3) COFFEE - I have given this its separate heading as most of us love our morning fix of caffeine. Why is it that every resort in Cuba seems to be unable to serve decent coffee at the buffet? Trust me, the coffee here at the buffet was like dishwater and virtually undrinkable. (4) ROOMS - they were spacious, but that's about all. Our maid appeared to finish cleaning the bedroom and bathroom in about 5 minutes. We found some small items on the floor under the bed which had been there for weeks. We both suffered from many large insect bites and we wonder if there were bed bugs. Water in the shower was usually luke warm. We did not go to watch TV, but unless you knew Spanish or like watching CNN all the time, you were out of luck. (5) CUBAN GUESTS - because this is a cheap hotel, it seems that local residents are able to visit for 2 or 3 days at a cost of about $10.00 per day. I am happy for them. However, at the time of our stay, there were times when there were many large Cuban families who 'took over' the restaurant and pool area. I recommend that you check the Cuban holiday schedule before booking. (6) COVID 19 SAFETY - every hotel is recovering from the pandemic and it was evident that this was a priority at Kawama. For example, bushes and trees were being planted, outside balconies were being painted and there was much work to do. However, I think that safety procedures have taken second place. A mask mandate was not enforced and there was little evidence of cleaning and disinfecting. IMPORTANT - my partner and I have had the 2 vaccinations plus the booster shot, but we have both tested positive for Covid since our return. My partner started to feel unwell during the second week and I think I caught the virus from her on the last day of our vacation. We visited the on site doctor on our second last day to have our 'negative tests' done. The process took about 5 minutes and cost us US $50.00. We had to return some 6 hours later to receive the signed test confirmations, which must have taken not more than 2 minutes to complete. I must be careful how I phrase this, but let's say that I was surprised that we both received 'negative' confirmations. I will leave it at that. CONCLUSION - if you need to escape for a week or two in the sun and the beach and pool are your only priorities, Club Kawama represents very good value

Iberostar Origin Tainos: Starting to lose it's appeal !

Just returned from 2 weeks at Tainos. We've been there 7 times before. It is a beautiful, small resort. The beach is what we go for, and it never fails to amaze me. Absolutely wonderful. The staff are very kind and helpful. Almost like family after our repeated returns. The resort is starting to show its' age. Good use some paint, lamps in the rooms, etc.. Not terrible, but a little TLC would go a long way. Covid restrictions are strictly adhered to. Masks required in restaurants. Not obligatory [... read more] in lobby ( but highly suggested. ). Not required outdoors or on beach. All staff, and most patrons are very watchful of maintaining distancing. They have stopped stocking refrigerators in rooms, which we missed considerably. The food was worse than I have ever seen. We never expect much for food in Cuba. I am not a fussy eater, but this time it was much was than previous trips. If possible, bring some food of your own for snacks, etc.. The really serious downside for our trip this time was that one of our suitcases was damaged and items stolen at the airport. This has never happened to us before, but it is most disheartening. Certainly not a fault of the resort, but something to consider when thinking about Varadero now. We are trying to get compensation from Sunwing now. We'll see how that goes !!! All in all I would give a 3 1/2 star rating and I will think seriously about going back to Vardero due to the airport issue.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Making new memories..

It was so nice to catch up with old friends again. From the porters to the Valets to the bar staff all were friendly, professional and helpful. There were some shortages on certain days but we never went hungry. Our villa with it's outside hot tub was a blessing on the cooler days. It was a comfortable syay, obviuosly they were not at full capacity yet but we did not want for anything. Will definitely return for a 5th visit !

Brisas Guardalavaca: Great vacation

We stayed in the villa and just loved it. Beautiful beach, pool and room. The food was way better than expected. French fries and ketchup was our go-to snack! Cons: No wine even at the a la carts. There were a lot of Cubans on vacation or day pass which was fine but they left garbage everywhere...we found ourselves picking up cups and straws daily

Gran Muthu Rainbow Cayo Guillermo: great potential

The resort is beautiful, the grounds, beach and pool. The Cuban staff are amazing, friendly and helpful. They have no issue with the LGBT guests. As a resort devoted to LGTB, it is larger than I expected. Most of the guests were LGBT, there were also straight couples. It was very open and we felt very comfortable being a gay couple. The food was a bit disappointing, but you should never go to Cuba for the food. The vegetables were fresh and crisp. There was limited variety and pretty mu [... read more]ch the same dishes daily. Occupancy was low which I hope was due to Covid. On the less positive side, the hotel manager told us they consider this a party hotel. Unfortunately, this meant very loud parties at the pool until very late, up to about 1 AM. The volume of the music was accompanied by large flashing theatre lights. As the majority of the rooms are overlooking the pool you were subjected to the noise and lights which prevented sleep. There are other areas of the resort that would be much better for these parties. You can see this was a major issue on many of the reviews. We did complain and hopefully they will soon see this as a problem. If you want late night parties, this is your place. To be able to go to a resort this large and be completely open and at ease, this is a great resort. As it is very new, it has some room too to improve, but these are minor overall. Overall, I would recommend this resort.

Hotel Playa Paraiso: the beach is amazing

The beach was amazing, clear water, perfect for swimming. Cons: bad drinking water, have to ask for a bottle of water each time and explain why you drank the bottle of water which was given to you yesterday. And it was one bottle for three people. Dirty dishes, some were not even when with traces of food leftovers. Rooms are not cleaned, only Hart shaped towels. Wifi is only at the lobby and you have to request your access every day

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Varadero: Amazing staff, pool facilities, & beach!

Positives: - The staff at this resort are absolutely amazing. The butlers (Rene & Mario are amazing!) will bend over backward to help you and are always around asking if you need anything. The bartenders, wait staff, groundskeepers, pool maintenance workers, entertainment and all other staff we encountered were super helpful and kind. - The adult only beach is beautiful and well kept. I did find that the flag system was perhaps a little off as it was yellow on other beaches but still green  [... read more]on ours and the current/waves were pretty rough. - The pool area is really nice and along with the grounds is immaculately kept. It can get a bit louder in the afternoon so if you desire quiet head to the beach. - Free wifi is a nice thing to have, though sometimes slow it worked fairly well for us and we were able to easily video chat with family members at home. Negatives: - The food is okay, we certainly never went hungry. There are often things missing and are definite shortages that are noticeable. However, if you are wanting any condiments you should consider bringing them as they are often unavailable (i.e. salt, pepper, ketchup, mustard, butter, etc). - The rooms are in definite need of some love. The doors are rotting, our shower overflowed always as it wouldn't drain, the toilet didn't always flush, the fan was falling off of the ceiling, our patio door lock was broken and there were holes in the top of the patio doors where bugs could get in, the cabinet where the mini fridge was was broken, lots of paint peeling etc. We were at this resort 8 years ago when it was managed by Riu and it has not changed at all. - There is no buffet at the Sanctuary side and often times the options at the restaurant there are very limited. Additionally portion sizes at the a la carte restaurant are very small. - On the weekends (Thursday to late Sunday) there are many locals that visit the hotel which is in no way problematic with the exception of meal time. We found often times those visiting would hoard food (taking full plates of items), wait in lines to get food for an entire family of six, push their way through lines aggressively.

Resonance Blu Varadero: Great staff amd booking agent Nicole

A but dated but in good condition. There were a few food shortages amd creative substitutes, but it is more respective of the Islands challenge he's at this time. Beautiful beach, clean rooms. Nice shower.

Melia Internacional: The best in Cuba!

Modern facilities, clean and well appointed rooms, impressive food quality and attentive service. All staff taking steps to safeguard from Covid by use of masks at all times which was reassuring for all. Would be nice to see more lounge areas with a bit more diversity in the drink program, however, all in all a great set up with friendly and attentive staff.

Melia Buenavista: Very nice resort

It was our second stay in this hotel. First 8 years ago. After two years of Covid, rooms require upgrades and renovation. Grounds are amazing. Service too. Very friendly and helpful. Ocean and beaches beautiful. Food is testy and fresh however choice is not that great. Overall, great stay. Will come here again.

Gran Muthu Imperial: Expected way better

Good: Beach, views from room, coffee and good service for the most part. A little strip mall just outside the resort to buy your souvenir's. Bad: Food, terrible, no bread, no bacon, no toaster to even toast your own. At the reservation restaurants: what was on the menu was not what they had to offer guests. i.e., ordered chicken breast, got leg, wanted beef got lamb, chicken was cut so weird making it hard to eat due to bones at every bite. just horrible food, the worst I ever had in C [... read more]uba, many shortages of everything. ugly: resort permitted smokers to smoke literally everywhere, no enforcement even as people were eating at the snack bar, people smoking, vaping, even cigars. Dress code for restaurants not enforced either, said long pants, saw many with shorts and sandals. Never stocked the fridge unless we called, one day, no bottled water at all. I called and they promised to bring, they never did. I had to beg them for everything we needed. don't ever expect beer in your fridge, they will never provide this unless you demand it. once a guy brought water which I was missing, he handed me the bottle, I waited, he didn't offer the beer, he had it, I had to ask before he handed over two cans, maybe he wanted to keep for himself. I don't appreciate the smell of insecticide every time I went to main buffet in morning. I have been to many resorts and never experienced this or it was done very discreetly, bugs(cockroaches) falling all over the place being swept up by servers. disgusting!!! This so turned me off of ever eating there again so I stuck to the outside snack bar for literally everything. this resort is NOT a ***** star, at most 1.5. I will never return to Cuba again. This was my third time and, I wasn't excepting miracles, it is Cuba after all , but I was hoping for what the other two resorts provided me , maybe I should have lowered my standards., I know Covid has affected all resorts in some degree.

Playa Luxury Cayo Las Brujas: Excellent resort

Angsana is a great resort to get away for a a quiet laid back vacation. The place is very well kept. The beach is a smal cove with a sand coral mix and well maintained. People complain about the food in Cuba, the food here is pretty good to me. A few items not around due to supply issues but no big deal. All of the staff and employees are great. They couldn't do enough for you. Masks were worn at all times covid protocols were observed at all times.We will be back.

Tryp Cayo Coco: Good times but a few hiccups!

As I’d previously read prior to going, the staff are generally very kind and helpful! The food was great and the views amazing! The few hiccups we encountered were that our room keys demagnetized EVERY day and randomly. As we were in building 9, it was a small trek to go grab new keys at all times of the day and night. The pool by the bar is quite gross and dirty. The nightly entertainment crew is fabulous and we enjoyed dancing afterwards with a DJ. The disco bar isn’t open and there was no [... read more] cave bar experience available on the Tuesday we were there. They did run out of certain foods fairly quickly and the buffet is only open during very specific times. Grab some snacks if you think you’ll be hungry during the times they aren’t open. The à la carte dinners were great and we had one offered for every evening we were there. They also run out of certain alcohol such as vodka early in the day and don’t have mojitos :( Overall we had a good time!

Iberostar Origin Daiquiri: Enjoyed our stay !

The beaches and the people of Cuba have always been our draw to that country. Although the buffet was small, it was always full of fresh foods and was delicious. The variety was not immense but the staff and service always made you feel at home. There was always a stir fry bar, a beef/ chicken/ pork bar, a pasta bar and another one full of cooked items. The workers served the food to your plate and were always masked. We are thinking of going to the same resort next year with family and friend [... read more]s.