Iberostar Coral Esmeralda: Great vacation spot, lovely, warm people

We had a great stay here! it’s a small resort but very new and kept super clean - the beds and pillows are very comfy, and the rooms are giant compared to other resorts, which is actually a nice luxury should you want some time away from the sun. Wifi was available across the entire resort, and we even got a bar of signal on the beach - great if you’d like to stream some beach music Entertainment staff was nice and tried to get the party started, but given the size of the resort and  [... read more]the general demographic, the shows would start at 9:30pm and end by 10:30, so there’s no disco after. Lobby bar open 24/7. Food was really good considering it’s Cuba, and the buffet > a la carte restaurants, but it was nice to get a change of scenery. Beach has the softest white sand and the water is great, and they rake the seaweed on the beach. Honestly, The sea weed is not a big deal IMHO. Service was lovely and the staff was attentive - bring a couple of books and some games and you have a proper vacation ahead of you!

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: Nice resort.

This hotel has been taken over by new management so they are hiring a lot of new people and working on the grounds as the hotel is outdated. However, the rooms were very clean and spacious, the pool was nice and the beach was awesome. I cant say much about the food as I expected it not to be good. I had 3 good dinners. The breakfast buffet needs some work. Couldn't stomach it the last day. The staff are awesome and very friendly. This hotel.just needs to work on their menus. Of course there are [... read more] a lot of shortages on certain foods due to Covid. Bring condiments as there weren't any.

Blau Varadero: Beautiful resort

As usual the Blau did not disappoint!!! I've been going to cuba for many years, the blau is top 3 resorts. If you love beaches, beautiful people and amazing bread, pizza, the best black beans and rice...then book the Blau. Also, covid 19 rules are followed. All workers inside and out wearing masks, and everyone has been at least triple Vax, it's the law in cuba, keeping their people safe.

Iberostar Origin Playa Pilar: Relaxing vacation!

Had a great trip. The room and ocean view were amazing. Food was good with very attentive staff at the buffet. Food was served by the staff which was nice and your hands were sprayed with sanitizer before entering any dining areas. All staff were masked. The grounds were well maintained and well laid out. There were plenty of chairs and palapas on the beach. We didn't use the pools but they were nice. Yenia in customer service was amazing and helped us with all our requests. Every staff mem [... read more]ber was friendly with a ready smile. The animation team always had something on the go. The drinks were great and red or white wine were always available. The only thing missing was tea but the coffee was great of course! The covid antigen test was easy to have done at the hotel.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Paradisus Princesa Del Mar

We had a great holiday this resort is well taken care of a beautiful pool and beach area. We went on Feb 26th for 1 week the hotel was at 20% capacity so you had your pick of beds on the beach and the pool. If you like shade there are not too many shady options at the pool. We liked the food at the a la cartes we did the Japanese, International and the Italian twice. The buffet is good and the staff at this resort are all amazingly helpful and always smile. Our room was comfortable with lots o [... read more]f hot water and the air conditioning worked well. There were some shortages due to Covid from what we were told no ketchup, chicken the last few days of the trip, no Gin or Vodka only Cuban liquor. It did not ruin our holiday depending on what you drink.

Iberostar Origin Daiquiri: Daiquiri is like coming home!

Just got back from 10 glorious days of sun, sand, & total relaxation….Although i have been to the Daiquiri many times, this was my first solo trip there, & it was amazing! People are the best here, & treat you like family…. Beach is just as stunning as ever, not at all crowded due to the closed resorts… it was fantastic! Food, as always, was terrific, service impeccable. I had to change my reservation 4 times due to Covid, but it was well worth the wait! Seriously needed to recharge my bat [... read more]teries after 2 years of no travel, & it was highly effective! One thing that repeat travellers should know is that the CUC currency has been made obsolete! Most resorts will take Canadian money, but it’s treated as American! The stores are urging people to use credit cards…. If you have American dollars for tipping, the Cubans appreciate it! Enjoy 😎

Sol Varadero Beach: Great resort!

The rooms were clean and modern with AC! I did think the buffet was better then any a la carte, the food was not the best. Beach view is beautiful! Not a party resort but great for relaxing and enjoying a drink! Not a lot of young age group population (19-25) still had a great time though.

Tryp Cayo Coco: Amazing staff

The hotel grounds were beautiful with the gardens, palm and coconut trees. The pathways require some work although walkable they are a safety concern. The food at the Italian, bbq grill and restaurant by ocean and Mediterranean were excellent. The staff go above and beyond to serve you. The ocean is the best beach and sand is amazing. The pools are beautiful and spacious. Plenty of lounge chairs. The rooms have been repainted but be prepared that they are not 5 star motel standards. Free int [... read more]ernet in lobby, buffet, bar, etc. They do not take Cuban pesos. The economy is bad. They want Canadian money or American money. You can tip in coins but they can’t use them so be prepared to exchange coins for bills during your trip. 5 loonies for $5. Covid protocol states that you must wear your mask when within 2.5 meters of others not in your group. In areas serving food as long as you are sitting at your table you don’t have to wear your mask. They serve all your food even at the buffet. When the housekeeping staff clean your room they wear they mask but you are not permitted to be in the room without wearing your mask. This is done for both your and their protection. We did a rapid Covid test the day before leaving. Cost is $25 US. The exchange rate is very high.

Iberostar Coral Esmeralda: Iberostar needs to address supply issues

This hotel is brand new and very nice to look at. Rooms are lovely and the beach is great if you want to walk a long way. However, we encountered significant supply issues while we were there at the end of February. We were told on arrival we couldn't drink the water and yet there was not drinking water provided in the room and this problem persisted throughout our stay. Our room also had a half roll of bathroom tissue and this again was very difficult to get stocked, There were nice dispe [... read more]nsers for soap shampoo etc, but these were empty. Our room was finally stocked properly five days after we arrived (presumably when a shipment came in). I'm all for Iberostar trying to eliminate the use of plastic water bottles and this is a great initiative on their part, however the fact remains that guests do need access to the basics, including clean drinking water and they need to sort out how this will be achieved.

Paradisus Rio De Oro: Wonderful Stay

Paradisus was a wonderful place to holiday . Although an older resort and taking into consideration of the last 2 years of Covid restrictions , our stay could not have been better . Staff, food, accommodation was all amazing . They are very conscious of Covid and have very good practices in place . We felt very safe . Will definitely return .

Iberostar Coral Esmeralda: Wonderful all around!

Simply delightful all around. No complaints. Magnificent beach, resort, food and service. Strongly recommend. It’s a resort to relax. The staff were wonderful at all times. It’s all new and in good condition.

Melia Las Americas: Just as we expected

The hotel was as we expected. This was our fourth time and we like the facility and the golf. The Level does provide a little more convenience. My wife and son were with me and we had a suit which included a bed for my son in the living area. Overall it is what we expected. Food is typical of Cuba and lacks flavour. But we found it to be acceptable.

Iberostar Coral Esmeralda: Wonderful Getaway!

This brand new, small, adults only hotel (opened Dec. 2021) is beautiful. The whole resort is made up of only 7 buildings containing 18 rooms each. The rooms are modern and spacious, beds are very comfortable and bathrooms are huge with a separate tub and large glass shower. Daily housekeeping was great and our room was always clean. For the difference in price, we recommend booking the ground floor swim up units as you get your own pool chairs and umbrellas while the other l seating and umbrell [... read more]as around the pools can be limited and the sun is very hot in the afternoons. However, the second floor ocean view rooms are also lovely and quieter as they face the back and ocean. The grounds are beautifully landscaped and will only get better as the plants grow and mature. The main buffet has a good variety of food at every meal and the service is always wonderful. There was only one of the three a la carte restaurant operating during our stay, alternating between the a la carte restaurant menus on different nights. This meant that we could only get 1 a la carte reservation during our week stay. Hopefully this will change as things continue to open up. While the food was good, with many options available, and you will never go hungry, do not expect the 5 star food creations you might be used to at resorts in other destinations. The snack bar is open 24/7 and you can get room service from their menu, comprised mostly of Americanized options such as burgers, pizzas and fried chicken. The cigar bar, although nice and staffed with the most wonderful people, did not yet have cigars (due to Covid and licensing delays). We wished this had been clear as we would have brought cigars with us. There is no where to buy cigars close to this resort. The daily/nightly entertainment team is wonderful and will motivate you to participate in dance lessons, bingo and trivia. The massages are well priced and very good, and the benefit with booking a massage is the ability to also stay at the spa for the day and use the jetted tub, sauna and steam room. The spa area can also be booked (free) for a private 2 hour period. The beaches in Cuba are stunning and this one is no exception. Different shades of blue in every direction. There are a good number of beach chairs and palapas available but if the resort is full, you may be stuck without a palapa. There is a beach bar and you can have drinks brought right to your chair. On calm days, they also offer free catamaran rides. The best kept secret of this beach is a small secret beach and lagoon! If you walk to the right, all the way to the end, you will reach the point where the ocean meets a lagoon with sandbars (when low tide). Depending on the tide, you may have to walk and climb on rock and it is imperative to bring foot wear and be solid on your feet in order to get there. The lagoon offers a shallow area where you can see, feed, swim and snorkel with various fish and crabs. We did not attempt to swim to the sandbar as the currents appeared strong and we did not have any life vests and are not the strongest swimmers. Must also keep in mind that this is far from the resort and no ability to get help/warn anyone if anything happens. It is however worth the trek there, even just to view it! We really enjoyed our week at this resort and feel it will only improve the longer they are open. If you are looking for a calm and relaxing vacation, this is a great option. It is a very secluded area and currently the only resort open in that area for the time being (others being built).

Melia Las Antillas: Great resort

Staff are phenomenal, the buildings a bit dated but very functional, food is we have to remember is Cuban but they really tried. Very few resorts offer all you can eat lobster at the Buffet Restaurant but this one did on 2 or 3 occasions. Because of Covid and the lack of guests, some of the amenities that we normally have here were limited, as restrictions lift more and more have become available. Enjoyed the beautiful long sandy beach and clear ocean water. All staff wore masks and there  [... read more]was hand sanitizing stations everywhere. Enjoyed using the bicycles every morning, as well as the "Hop on and off" bus on the Varadero peninsula.

Memories Flamenco Beach Resort: very nice resort

The hotel is well kept. As people always indicate, its the Cuban people that keep you going back. However, there are little excuses for running out of stuff and hearing, No Vodka for 2 weeks we were there, no gin, no champagne, Everyone I know drinks vodka, everyone at some point. No scotch unless your diamond, really? Our friends stayed at a resort not too far so we met for lunch. There hotel had everything and everything was available to all. Our room was well kept, our cleaning person was [... read more] excellent. Our room worked well, great location and everything worked. The washrooms have an attendant pretty much all day long. They need one as something always goes wrong. My wife had to stand guard at the snack bar woman's washroom as I needed to utilize the restroom. The food is food, the ala carts are good, italian was very good. The buffet food is bland, the meat like leather, but there is some good stuff. Breakfast is breakfast, omelets, toast, fruit and juice. Our servers were fantastic young ladies, 2 weeks builds relationship. Service is good, if your a good tipper you get much better service. Period No getting around that. The front desk is helpful. BE NICE. it goes a long way. The management needs to take better control of organizing this hotel. Our room was ready at noon but we had to fight to get in at 4 o'clock as our luggage was all by itself for 4 hours in the lobby. The greeter told us it will be watched until you check in. Not true, I've travelled enough to know, take your own responsibility. We complained to the Sunwing rep, she listened, wrote everything down but I'm sure it went nowhere. Overall you need to be nice to people they will do whatever you need in response. We filled a carry on with much appreciated medicine, coloring books, crayons, books, stuff for little girls bathroom vanity requirements etc.

Melia Internacional: Amazing

Melia Internacional is a large resort with very friendly staff. Resort will not disappoint you. It is located right on the beautiful beach with beautiful pool as well. Beside buffet we tried Italian and TexMex meals were excellent. Buffet has a lot choices for anyones taste. Breakfast cook making omelet etc. is one of the friendliest people you will ever meet. There is nothing bad we can say about this resort. Walking distance to Varadero town to explore to brake the routine is good as well. W [... read more]ife and I would like to return to this resort again.

Gran Muthu Rainbow Cayo Guillermo: Fabulous second trip to Rainbow

This was our second trip to the Rainbow, and it did not disappoint. The resort was running at about 20-25% capacity which has pros and cons. Lots of elbow room at the pool bar and loungers, but not enough people for the entertainment staff to put on fun activities. As with most Cuban resorts, the friendliness and commitment to service makes the week enjoyable. Drinks were typical, better of course at the lobby bar. We found the way to go was to ask the bartenders to make their favorites and  [... read more]experiment. Lots of fun. The loss of millions in foreign currency due to the pandemic has severely impacted the ability of the resorts to source imported ingredients. This meant the chefs were challenged to be creative with the ingredients available to them. They deserve kudos for turning rice, beans and pork into great dishes. The buffet had less choice than in 2020 , but truly it didn't matter. Always enough to eat and plenty of alternatives. The Covid protocols were obeyed and sensible. I didn't see a single "issue" all week. Covid test for return trip was easy and well managed. The hotel honoured a large group of returning guests (24 of us) one night with champagne and special menu items. This is of course a "gay" resort. Our group was hetero, but we had a blast with our new friends (both staff and guests). I could call out specific staff for excellent service, but really they are all excellent. I am told the general manager treats the staff very well and as a result, the staff have fun serving the guests and it shows. Rooms are great, we went sailing one day, and scuba dived at CocoDiving (a $10 cab ride away). Highly recommended. 4 of the people in our party signed up for massages and swore they were the best they had ever had. We are planning to go back in a month as a couple.

Memories Jibacoa: Busy like veradero

The food was delightful. OmG try the steak at the a l a carte!! Wonderful pool. Very large room. A very beautiful well kept resort deserving 5stars. Sadly too many jellyfish and rough waters to snorkel. We prefer a quieter resort and sadly memories wasnt. We would go back to it though as we found many quiet spots to hide out in.

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Great trip great value

Iberostar was a lot more then I expected.beautiful lobby,fantastic staff Rooms a little old but clean and beds were perfect. Lots of hot water and good pressure for showering Bathtub a bit hard to get in and out of for us old farts. 16th block was perfect for view of pool and ocean. Not too far to walk to lobby. We had 4th floor Was a great view. But lots of stairs cause the elevators were either not available or slow. Italian and Japanese restaurants were really good. We brought litt [... read more]le things to hand out to workers. They really appreciated it (dollar store reading glasses, baby items. Candy, gum, aftershave, tooth brushes and paste sewing kits). Never had to fight for a lounger around pool, we always picked side far from the kids area. All and all it was a perfect resort for the money

Melia Costa Rey: Amazing

Fifth time to Pullman and loved it as much as the first time. Great staff, great food, wonderful accommodations. Beach is amazing. We were on adult side but if you have children lots for them to do. Games, foam machine and lots of activities. Night club disco . You name it they have it Total R and R.