Iberostar Origin Playa Alameda: Enjoyed the resort.

This was our first visit to the Iberostar Playa Alameda and we enjoyed the resort and all it's facilities. The employees were always friendly and the hotel was well looked after. The size of the resort was perfect with around 350 rooms situated in eleven - 3 story buildings. The layout of the resort made all the facilities such as the beach, pool, restaurants, courtyard and theater easy to find. Everyday there was a variety of entertainment from 7 to 8:30 pm in the outdoor part of the lobby bar [... read more] followed by the house band in the courtyard. We will return!

Starfish Jibacoa: No reason to go anywhere else

9th time in cuba. 5th at villas jibacoa. Arriving there is like coming home. Great snorkeling right off the beach. With it being halfway between havana and veradero and having 2 great lobster restaurants within a 5minute walk why go anywhere else??

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Great getaway

Staff and personal were nothing but exceptional. Last couple days the weather was suspect and they went above and beyond to cater to everyone within the resort. Food was ok not great but above average for Cuba. Beach was clean and had an abundance of chairs and room to lounge around. Very large pool with swim up bar that never went unvisited lol. Highly recommend for the perfect getaway to relax and enjoy the Cuban culture.

Grand Muthu Cayo Guillermo: A good time with some minor annoyances

The facilities are nice and have been redone from the bottom up within the last 2 years but neglect is starting to creep in. Our bathroom and shower worked perfectly but I heard complaints from other buildings about problems (Request building 3 if possible, we found it to be in the perfect location) The beach and pool complexes (including the kids water section) are accommodating for all on sunny days although people 'reserve' seats and don't show up. If its a bit of a breezy day it's very easy  [... read more]for things to blow away, if you know what I'm saying... Food service doesn't start until 1pm for lunch and 6:30pm for dinner in the buffet so people with children should prepare accordingly. Expect long lineups for fresh cooked foods in the buffet. There isn't enough staff at the hot stations to keep up with demand. If you don't mind sticking to the hot trays of food lineups won't be an issue. There are a ton of rice and pasta dishes, but you will get sick of all of them within a few days. Outside of that the a la cartes are good and service is acceptable. For a Cuban resort it is better than most but you need to generally lower your expectations for Cuba in general. A Cuban 4, but a Caribbean 3.

Melia Peninsula Varadero: Great place for Kids and Adults

Overall a good quality resort for Cuba. We have been to Cuba to various areas over a dozen times, so we had a reasonable expectation. The beach in front of this resort is great, lots of beach for napping/tanning/playing, the Ocean has a nice shallow walk in to the Sandbar for the kids, and the bar and water sports are close by. There was lots of shade huts as well. it was a short walk back to Pool bar or Beach Bar for Lunch or snacks. The Kids poos was the hit of the week, very large, slides are [... read more] great, and nice and shallow for thoes that wanted it. Our kids had a blast there, my only disappointment was the bar there did not have beer, so I had to walk to the lobby bar... The rooms were nice and clean. We had the family suite with the bunk beds, and contrary to what i've read, they are plenty sturdy and safe for the kids to sleep on. The bathrooms are upgraded and everything seemed to work in the room. The staff were mostly helpful and provided good service, there are always the few that seem to not want to work so hard, which is frustrating. We were there 1's week of March 2020 which is not their full buys season yet, so they are not fully staffed either, so sometimes it seemed they were a bit under staffed. The food was about what we've expected as far as quality and basic options. Lately there have been shortages on certain supplies and unfortunately for us, they had no cheese so we could not have Pizza at the pool grill :(:( that was probably the biggest disappointment. Also we had no buns for the burgers for a couple days either, so the kids were a bit disappointed with not many options of what to eat. But we always found something to eat and never went hungry, Cubans are very good at improvising with what they have. Our trip to Varadero was great, Yes they pack the Bus that goes there ($5 each, kids 6 and under free) but it's part of the experience! Just be aware that the horse and buggy rides are priced per person! they will say $10 per hour and will not mention the per person fact until you arrive at the destination. And when they want to take you to the private restaurant, while it is lovely, it is very overpriced.. But overall we had a great week, great weather and i would still recommend this resort.

Sirenis Tropical Varadero: Another Great Vacation!

This was our third stay at Labranda and it certainly was another Great vacation. We had a large group of 23 and we were received with smiles and top notch hospitality. This resort is absolutely stunning, the beaches & grounds are beautiful. The staff are always friendly and making sure you are having a good experience. We truly love this resort and are planning another visit in the very near future.

Starfish Varadero: A great place!

This was the first time staying at The Starfish Varadero, as it was recommended by a co-worker who has stayed there many times. We chose a bungalow as we were taking our granddaughter. We were impressed with the size of the bungalow as it was the largest “room” we stayed in, in all our 13 trips to Cuba. The main bedroom had a king sized bed, and the foyer room had a pull out couch. There was a coffee maker in the room which was a bonus and coffee was provided. There were two patio areas, w [... read more]ith chairs and chaises for us to enjoy. The resort is expansive and there was much to see and do. Many of the staff members were ready with a smile and a greeting. The 24 hour snack bar served basic meals at all hours. Nothing fancy but welcome to receive at our late arrival and early departure.  Food was plentiful at all meals, never any shortages like other resorts we’ve been to. I have diet restrictions and I always found something to eat. The pools were more than adequate. The expansive lounges provided at the quiet pool were a treat. The activity pool also had a good selection; at the beach there were always enough for the guests.  We never had to worry about toilet paper not being there when using any of the public restrooms. For Cuba this was a first. I never had to pull out my plastic bagged toilet paper even once.  The scheduled meeting with the Sunwing rep was a half hour late. He was more interested in selling trips than telling us of the many amenities of the resort, of which we found out through word of mouth from other vacationers. We were first in line at reception upon arrival, despite our greeting we were not acknowledged nor attended to, other guests arriving 5 minutes later, were served first. This meant we had to wait even longer for help with luggage and to be shown to our bungalow. The bathroom shower had two temps cold and tepid. (a quirk for our room) We asked that the curtain be fixed as one quarter of it was hanging off the rod. It wasn’t, so getting undressed in the bedroom was not an option. One patio door was very difficult to open. The maid had to be asked for an extra blanket and pillow for our granddaughter. We brought towels so not getting the extra one for her didn’t really matter. I’ve read some complaints about bedding not being changed lol I certainly do not change my bedding at home on a daily basis so why should I expect it while on vacation. We look forward to having the full bodied Cuban coffee but this is the first resort we visited in Cuba that the coffee was weaker than usual. Massages at the resort 80 Convertible pesos, (“Expensive Lucy” especially so after the exchange) on a trip to the Varadero strip saw a sign boasting 15 Convertible pesos. This just might be the place we go to twice in Cuba! We discovered a Cave tour just down the road from the resort. This was extremely interesting and informative.

Vila Gale Cayo Santa Maria: Nice resort poor management

The brand new resort was opened in Dec. 2019. Pros: -Room and common areas are great. -Beach is fantastic. -People are friendly. Cons: -Understaffed operation ; They kept us stood for three hours for checking in as well as a la cart restaurants. -We got bed bugs as a result of poor cleaning. -Food quality was poor as variety are so limited. -Entertainment programs are so boring and repetitive. All in all the package is not the greatest and do not recommend this resort.

Melia Las Americas: Very nice resort

grounds were neat and well kept; proximity to the golf course was fantastic; the room served its purpose, nothing fancy but was sufficient for its needs: beds, bathroom, a safe, closet, nice view of lake and golf course from balcony and was cleaned nicely each day. my largest complaint is the food in the buffet, we went to Havana for a day and the food we ate was fantastic! was authentic and tasty and gave us no issues whatsoever. so the question is, why doesn't the resort serve authentic Cuban  [... read more]food rather than try to cater to American/Canadian food items? we visited Cuba to view Cuban culture and eat Cuban food, not for their attempt to recreate McDonald's type food. as well the service while not totally terrible it was the indifference shown when they ran out of certain types of beer and drink mixes, which of course should not happen. overall we were satisfied with our visit but at times were disappointed over certain issues which are completely avoidable.

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Varadero: Sanctuary - March 2020

We just got home from a great week. Food was tasty and the beach is lovely. You’ll have to get up early (6:30) to save a shady spot. Most staff are wonderful, but like anywhere else, some are not. Our room was somewhat run down with visible black mold on all the lampshades and our door wouldn’t lock for a couple days until they fixed it properly. The shower door hinge was broken and water leaked out onto the floor, but we always had hot water. The chairs on the patio are just cheap plastic.  [... read more]Beds are firm but comfortable. There are no unobscured views of the ocean. We were a on the third floor, facing the beach but could barely see the water. The maids did a great job cleaning. Air con was nice. We saw a huge cockroach in a drawer on our last morning, but that could happen anywhere. We enjoyed having Cava (Spanish champagne) at every meal. They also serve real Baileys but you have to ask for it as they keep it hidden. They were out of sparkling water for most of the week, so mojitoes weren’t available. Breakfast in the “Paraiso” restaurant is the best. Great coffee and cappuccino, Smoked salmon, European meats and cheeses, pastries, eggs made to order. They run out of some items so be patient. We ordered room service once (included) and it was quite good. Matthew delivered it to us with cheer! The a la carte meals were hit and miss. Stick with chicken and pork if you are picky and avoid the buffet at Grand Memories (it’s a zoo there). On Cuba day (Wednesday) Sanctuary puts out a huge lunch buffet outside by the pool. It was delicious! We had to wait in line for quite a while as we didn’t time it well. The Asian/Japanese restaurant was one of our favourites. We got our 3 hours of free wifi which is supposed to be offered to all guests staying at least 7 days but you have to specifically ask for it. Worked fine in the cigar bar and reception area. Entertainment was top notch. Look for “Chino” by the pool or on the beach. He is an awesome guy and gives a great massage for a tip. Remember to offer gifts and tips to staff that don’t normally get them (towel exchange, gardeners, beach staff). We were told that the maids sell a lot of their gifts on the black market, but at least there is a bit more of a supply for the locals. They have a major shortage on personal care and household supplies. Toilet paper was always supplied in the room, but elsewhere on the resort, there was none. No soap or paper towels either. The ladies bathroom by the main restaurant was closed so we just used the men’s. Butlers offer the convenience of booking reservations for meals and services and answering questions. Ours was pleasant and efficient but not overly friendly. We heard that others had better experiences with theirs. We did like the small, quaint feel of the resort. The grounds are well kept with lots of foliage and flowers. The average age of guests was maybe around 50. It’s quiet and relaxed with many of Canadian and European guests. I’m not sure this resort deserves to be Varadero’s highest ranked on Trip Advisor. Having said that, we would most likely stay there again. Word of advice...just don’t set your expectations too high.

Gran Muthu Imperial: February Fun

Very hardworking and cordial staff. Willing to go the extra effort for us! Some still need to work on understanding English. The room staff did not understand what was requested. A concern about the often broken glasses not being swept up promptly, enabling the possibility of injuries to staff and patrons who are often barefoot. Resort was beautiful!

Melia Marina Varadero: disappointing resort

The room was very modest, but still was OK. It's more a question of slow/non-existent service, lack of availability and poor food. - There was no juice or milk on the resort, even at the restaurants. They had only Fanta; which is just sugar and water. We have two kids and they drank water the whole time. There was mango juice at the buffet the last two days. - The lobby bar, the beach bar and the snack bar all ran out of Cola for three full days... really?! We're in Cuba. A Cuba Libre (rhum & [... read more] coke) without cola is just rhum. - The pre-prepared food at the buffet was cold at all the meals, not sure it was very safe. - The service was exceptionally slow (and we were tipping, so we had much better service than most travelers there who weren't tipping) and pride of service was lacking (except for a few people who provided good service) - The resort labels itself as the Melia Marina, but as soon as you step outside on the Marina side, nothing there is included in your stay. We quickly found out when we sat down for an ice-cream and had to pay out of pocket, it would have been nice for the hotel to state this when we checked-in or mention it in the booking. - We also had a few episodes of some staff members trying to make money off of us with their sad stories, only to find out the next day that these stories were rehearsed and they used the same thing again with us the next day (not remembering they had approached us the prior day). Our flight ended-up being delayed severely and we were given a room at the Melia Peninsula for one night, that resort was much more impressive. The staff at check in was fast and helpful, while we were at the buffet, the manager came to introduce himself and ask if everything was enjoyable; we had no towels in our room as our stay was last minute, he made a quick call in front of us and within 5 min, we had towels in our rooms. The bar tenders were extremely productive and you didn't wait much. I would not stay at the Melia Marina again, and it made me reconsider ever going back to cuba at all. But our short experience at the Melia Peninsula is making me reconsider as I could consider trying it for a longer stay.

Villa Natura: Nice resort at a great price!

Villa Iguana upgraded our room to a bungalow (no extra charge). A pleasant surprise. Resort is somewhat spread out, so required a fair amount of walking to reach some of the facilities. Food is typical Cuban - mediocre at best. Lettuce salads don't exist, fruit pretty scant, coffee ho-hum. Pizza, burgers and fries at the bar were good. Cold beer, free-pour drinks. Beach at resort is pretty much non-existent, but the Eden Resort next door allowed us to use theirs-a beautiful small stretch o [... read more]f beach. Free shuttle service to the marina allowed us to travel by boat to the incredible beaches of Sirena and Paradis. There are two lovely salt water pools at the Iguana. The staff are so friendly and always helpful. All in all, a great holiday with perfect weather. We had the pleasure of booking with Jennifer M.at Tripcentral. She covered all bases flawlessly and offered great advice. A real pro and highly recommended. Thanks to Tripcentral and Jennifer. Would gladly use Tripcentral and Jennifer for any future travel plan.

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Beautiful resort!

We had a lovely stay at the Iberostar Laguna Azul resort. The hotel rooms were very clean with fresh towels and water refreshed daily. Some rooms were dated however that added to the Cuban atmosphere which we thoroughly enjoyed. The resort staff were all friendly and helpful. The buffet wait staff was amazing - especially Elizabeth and Raoul. There were lots of variety for food - fruits, breads, pastas all delicious. The beach was beautiful - very clean and well maintained. This trip was the fir [... read more]st time for my mother and she loved it. The evening shows were all fantastic and worth a watch. The a la carte restaurants booked fast and the food there was very good. We would definitely go back!

Blau Varadero: A great resort

We just got back from vacation(March 1to 8,2020) and was at an adult only resort, our first one. Don’t get me wrong, I have 4 kids, 10 grand kids so I don’t mind kids but it was quite nice having no little buggers whining and yelling, just a lot of people at ease and really enjoying the atmosphere. Having said that, the resort was large, clean , had a very large pool.From the pool area, there was a short walkway, to walk through perhaps a three minute jaunt to get to the beach.Nice sandy bea [... read more]ch, a bar and small restaurant for burger,fries and salad.Never had a problem finding an empty lounge chair or two, this being a first for me at any resort and I have travelled every year for at least ten years.The room was comfy and very clean,refrigerator was stocked daily, never had a problem with lack of hot water. The ac was ok ,not cool but not hot just comfy. Ok would have enjoyed a bit cooler but when it is 90 degrees and you come into room and it’s 72, cooler would be better. Just me....Let’s talk about food, the buffet was ok but not the greatest.Spaghetti was available daily, lotsa fish, chicken, salads.deserts,ice cream so everything was there. It was just how the food was prepared made it sometimes look unappealing.Coffee was not available in the buffet room at dinner???Speaking of coffee, if you don’t have a coffee machine in your room and you are an early riser, you had to get up,walk through the lobby, walk past the pool area, down the walkway to the beach and get your coffee at the beach cafe, a ten minute walk.Perhaps a coffee machine with coffee in the morning in the lobby would be a good idea??? Overall, the stay was quite good and I would consider doing it again.

Villa Marina: Relaxing Getaway

We had a great, relaxing week at Villa Marinera. We were looking for an economical, small resort, just to unwind and enjoy the warmer weather, this place provided exactly what we were looking for. The rustic cottage was clean and comfortable, shower had great water temperature and pressure. There is a mini fridge in room (not stocked), no coffee maker. No a la cartes, buffet offerings were decent in selection and taste. No juice available, juice box available at extra cost. No useable beach [... read more], free boat shuttle to an amazing beach -playa sirena- which has bathroom facilities, bar and restaurant (extra cost). We really enjoyed our stay, as for the price we weren't looking for or expecting any extras or 'luxury'. It was a lovely place to relax, unwind and enjoy the weather.

Melia Las Americas: Wont be disappointed

Booked the level room and was huge compared to other resorts. Very friendly staff, amazing beach and enjoyed the food. Already considering our next vacation there. Oh did I mention that golf was included!

Gran Muthu Imperial: Very relaxing resort

This resort is very relaxing and was just what I needed. The staff are so friendly and kind. If you walk past the rocky section to the right of the resort you can walk for miles. The food was not the best but I did find options that I did enjoy eating. Overall it was a great vacation. I went by myself as a single female and felt very comfortable at this resort.

Iberostar Origin Tainos: Reasonably descent Resort

February 19 to 26th, 2020. This was our 2nd visit to this resort on a last minute booking as our other choices, including the Melia, were fully booked or way beyond our budget. The hotel is descent enough for Cuba, clean and reasonably maintained. While the rooms do need a good make over the staff are quite friendly and eager to serve. Any problem with plumbing or AC is very quickly attended to. Our favorites among the staff were undeniably Chef Vincente and lobby lounge waitress Yadaisy who we [... read more]nt out of their way to accomodate us. Alcoholic beverages were grossly watered down unless you drank beer all day!! However the beautiful white sand beach and turquoise water made up for much of any disappointment we felt with this resort. Advisable to give Cuba a miss in January and February as the weather can be quite unsettled. We had 3 days of rough weather and choppy seas unfortunately. Even Scuba diving is off unless you make the 3-hr trek to the Bay of Pigs!!

Melia Peninsula Varadero: New experience

The Melia peninsula was a mixed bag of good and bad. I could easily tell they spend a lot of money and effort on the grounds and booze, but nobody who worked there seemed to understand English or had a welcoming attitude. The bank refused to cash in my American money which I purposefully brought as I mistakenly thought it was welcomed form of currency. There was no Cuban music or much entertainment the whole week. The restaurants are just more food from the buffet which was bland or salty. They  [... read more]had very good French fries and americano and espresso.They kept the room clean and tidy everyday but one time I thought they just reused the same bedding. They were supposed to refill the room bar but if you didn’t take a certain thing they would take it away and not replace it. This was annoying as I wanted to enjoy the cans of beer but at a later time. The wifi was only available in the lobby and there were limited working plugs. I missed my rep meeting after the arrival because it was scheduled for the morning but my arrival wasn’t until 3am so I slept in. As such I missed a lot of pertinent information that would have made my stay better and the rep wasn’t available much after that. When I asked to go on an excursion, I wanted reassurance that I wouldn’t be left alone in the city and was assured I wouldn’t be, which didn’t turn out to be true. Later when I brought it up to the rep she passed the blame on to the tour guide and basically made fun of me for complaining saying nothing bad happened to me. I didn’t like the smoking everywhere on the beach and outdoors or the constant loud dance music. Also everyone seemed to want a tip. Other than all that, the heat was amazing and the ocean was great. It was interesting to see Havana. I probably wouldn’t go again though.