Iberostar Origin Playa Alameda: Great Vacation

We recently stayed at the Playa Alameda in Varadero. All in all it was a great vacation. The staff are friendly and helpful. The first room we were given unfortunately had a bad mold smell and was quite damp. After a few days we were able to switch rooms. The second one we were offered was excellent. Very clean and bright. The resort is a great size, not too big. Night life was great. Lots of activities offered. We would go back!

Los Delfines: Nice cozy resort

First time at this resort. The staff was friendly but the front desk reception wasnt very informative. The food was good and lots of selection, a'la cart was really good and the waiter was very entertaining. The room was down the road with our own private pool and our room wasnt cleaned for the first two days with no fresh towels or toilet paper. But despite all that I liked the location and the price. Will book again there next year.

Royalton Hicacos Resort and Spa: Not bad!

It was a nice place always have to consider that Cuba is poor, the staff was good, the food was good, No Kleenex, you have to ask for face cloths, no coffee pots in the rooms no elevators all stairs Overall it was ok was on my bucket list glad I went

Gran Muthu Imperial: Awesome

This place was totally amazing we would go back to it in heart beat. The service was excellent the food was fresh always. The o People we’re always very happy and friendly. The grounds were spectacular. The weather was beautiful and very hot.

Melia Varadero: Nice Resort

Resort grounds are a bit on the smaller size than most Caribbean resort, but this hotel did the job nonetheless, we upgraded to the level section which is recommended, we wanted something we got it, service was fast and always available, spoke to other guest not on The level and their experience was different mostly due to weather out of 10 days we had sun for 3 so a lot of days we were inside which the resort interior is small as well so it led to busy common areas. Our experience was nice it w [... read more]asn't the best location or resort I've traveled too but it did the job. Beach areas are okay but it is not on the main varadero strip and it has lots of rocks in the ocean which is not the case on the main strip. Pool water was always freezing, they seem to pump cold water daily in it.The food was great no issue there, this resort have amped up the cuba bad food rep, we ate well all week. Look I'm not picky we've managed and it did the job but truth be told the above are facts and should be known.

Starfish Jibacoa: Great value

Our second year at the resort saw some improvements especially with the beach loungers. There are plenty of them now and they are in good condition. There also seemed to be a better meat selection this year with good pork readily available for many meals. Our main reason for selecting this resort is the great snorkeling right from the beach. Unfortunately the weather was not as cooperative this year but the reef doesnt disappoint when it is accessible. As one of only two resorts in the area i [... read more]t is much better base to explore real Cuban life not just through the eyes of a tourist resort. Local restaurants including the unique Tower restaurant provide a great break from the basic resort fare. We also took a tour through local villages including a short ride on the Hershey train. A great way to see "real" Cuba. Anne Marie, the onsite Transat rep is an excellent resource for all local exploring opportunities. Be sure to take the hiking tour over the mountain behind the neighbouring resort. Wear good hiking shoes as the first part of the hike is short but quite steep. This is not a 5 star resort but it is good value especially if you put some of the savings towards a couple off site meals. It is generally clean and has a great friendly staff. Grounds are well maintained. I would recommend this resort to anyone who is looking to explore Cuba amid beautiful natural surroundings. If you are looking for the ultimate party or pampering experience please select a different resort. We will both be glad you did.

Melia Las Dunas: GREAT GET AWAY!

GREAT HOTEL Beautiful beaches, great pools, all staff were friendly and very helpful. No shortage of food or beverages. Nightly entertainment. Rooms were clean and close to everything. Looking forward to my next vacation and we will definately stay at the Las Dunas.

Muthu Playa Varadero: Not good

This was the worst resort in all my years travelling to Cuba. First they booked my sister into a room that was deplorable room 2006 they moved her then I arrived they booked me in the same room safe off the wall and no door lol. No beer in your room towels are non existent no hot water for three days the grounds are lacking attendance the burgers are hit and miss I had one exploded on me from not being cooked. The buffet is lacking waiters you wait to get a table that is dirty place mats and you [... read more] wait for cutlery the wine is non existent The coffee was good at the cafe my cleaning laser was awesome oh the hallways are dark dirty holes in the wall doors falling off Paint is non existent I wouldn’t recommend this resort

Memories Miramar Habana: Very pleasent. Great staff.

Beautiful grounds. Nice swimming pool. Food usually good. Easy to get anywhere. Close to the ocean. Safe. Clean. We would go back again. Room service would have been nice or a coffee maker in the room

Hotel Roc Casa del Mar: Great 2 weeks!

This is our second trip to oceans! We did 2 weeks this year... we can’t say enough about the beach! So clean! a very well laid out resort. Very large, lots of walking but easy to get around. No complaints about the food. Staff are wonderful always there to fulfill your needs. Rooms are clean and fresh smelling but the beds and pillows need an up grade. Great bang for your buck. We would return. The catamaran trip was also fantastic!

Melia Internacional: best in varadero

a north american style hotel with cuban cost. easy to get around, clean pool and buffet with something for everyone. short walking distance to town. great service and drinks. a pleasant surprise in an otherwise iffy country

Iberostar Origin Playa Alameda: Not a 5 star by any standards

Grounds clean and well kept Food is best we've had in Cuba Workers do the best they can and truly make a big difference. Friendly and work very hard Towels are rare as is toilet paper Beds are hard and thin. Linens not so clean. Pillows are pancakes

Starfish Jibacoa: Love it

Love this resort it's our 5th time there beautiful beach and nice and quiet. Food is Cuba so go in with realistic expectations I always found something to eat. Rooms were clean but if going definitely get a villa as opposed to a room

Hotel Bella Costa: Only place in Cuba I’ll stay at.

I’ll start with the food. It’s the number one reason this we stay this resort. For Cuba, that is hard find. Next is the staff. Always eager to meet your needs.😃 smiling and treating me like family. I always stay in the villas, so I don’t know what the rooms are like? The furthest villas are not very good, do to loud noise from service equipment and the views are not good. But all the others are great! Service staff are also very good! I was surprised the management, was hands on a [... read more]nd always available for conversation. Not all days were tanning days, but all days were good days! I like the wide range of costumer ages and places of origin . We all seem to be there for the same reason. My next visit will be longer!!!

Paradisus Rio De Oro: Excellent Resort: Much Better Than Expected

This was my first time in Holguin and my partners second. As it was our anniversary, and her 2nd time at the resort -- we requested and were graciously authorized for a upgrade to the villas-- . essentially a bungalow with a nice patio out back facing the mountains and a walk way. The grounds were beautiful and well maintained. The food at the resort was very good, much better than we expected. However, the vino tinto (red wine) was likely the worst we have ever had at any resort although so [... read more]me of the wines available for purchase were quite good. There were some things not available, such as bananas and grapefruit -- which I understand is a logistical thing so let us move on. The beach and water were excellent albeit certain areas of the beach were somewhat treacherous to get into the water so we entered the ocean further up the beach -- which is why I only gave 4* for the beach. The pools are definitely 5* and we especially enjoyed the swim up bar. We found that all the staff were wonderful, especially Manager Emile (a fellow guitarist), Eduardo in the pool bar, Marisol, who seemed to be everywhere and Roberto at the beach bar all went above and beyond in their duties and should be highly commended. As a musician, I had the distinct pleasure of performing Cuban tunes such as Chan Chan, La Bamba, Guatanamara and of course Hotel California (not so Cuban however people always asked for it) with Alex, Vlady and Manuel several times (Echo Band) -- who are incredibly talented musicians. Cuba is such a great country for music going as far back as The Buena Vista Social Club musicians. I was unaware that scuba diving was available free at this resort; however, when I was told of this by bar patron Mark, I immediately signed up and was able to complete a great dive amongst some beautiful coral and fish life. Be sure to bring your diver's certification and log book. The gym facilities were very good albeit I did only work out twice. There are weight plates and an assortment of dumbells and of course your typical machines. Be sure to go to the beach area behind the spa. The management invited Cheryl and I to a special by invitation only dinner at the Beach Bar restaurant on our final evening where incidentally they also have live music during the week from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. by Alex's band. We must say that this special dining experience was fantastic! The chef went out of his way to make an incredible six course dinner which we enjoyed while listening to a very talented solo musician playing her nylon string guitar. We would highly recommend you stay at Paradisus Rio de Oro and please tell the aforementioned people hello from Larry and Cheryl and that we highly recommended them. To give you an idea of the exchange, I received 39 CUCs for 50 $Cdn. Have fun and drink responsibly. BTW if you have any old cell phones you plan to get rid of, bring for the locals.

Vila Gale Cayo Santa Maria: new hotel has growing pains

Here is our experience: at the buffet the staff is disorganized and the food wasn't good. We are not picky, and didn't have high expectations, but a lot of the food was inedible. And it's amazing how many different ways you can serve cut up hot dogs :) Bring your own salt and pepper, ketchup and hot sauce if you like it for flavour. The last night there were some extra condiments offered, so perhaps they are on the way to providing something better. Also, I saw someone with peanut butter, tha [... read more]t may help with more food options as the bread is good. The 24 hour snack bar only had a portion of the items on it's menu, never had pizza for instance. We did not go to an a la carte restaurant as we had heard it wasn't very good and you waited a long time for your food, but no first hand experience. The room was very nice, although oddly, the shower doesn't provide much privacy so if you were traveling with a friend or relative and were shy about nudity, you may feel uncomfortable. It's not inside a private room. I was there with my husband so no problem for us. The best rooms in my opinion would be in building 4 or 5, on the second floor, (or 3rd if you want more exercise) Get ones with "odd" numbers, that way your balcony faces the sunset. The other buildings are either too close to the construction next door (#'s 1, 2, 3), and the others (6, 7 and 8) are quite far from the lobby and bars (nearby beach bar and pool bar close at 6). there are a lot of other rooms in a huge building above the restaurants and lobby, but I'm not sure anyone uses them yet, so I cannot elaborate. I'm not sure there was even half the capacity of the hotel filled. Thank goodness, as they're not prepared for full capacity. There is a coffee maker in the room and mugs, but no coffee, so bring your own ground coffee, sugar/sweetener, creamer and spoon. If you like tea, bring your own bags and a mug as the only mugs are really small, just for coffee. Also, bring a roll of toilet paper to carry around as often the public washrooms were without. The beach is beautiful. There are lots of chairs and shade. The beach staff is friendly and help you set up and brush the sand off the chair. They also come around often and take drink orders. Regarding drinks, the beer is plentiful and good, but there was no white wine and every night they ran out of red wine. We took to hoarding some red wine early evening for a night cap on the balcony - ha! We've traveled a lot and been to many all inclusives and this one had the most problems, including many other small ones I haven't mentioned here. Hopefully, it will all improve with time.

Club Amigo Atlantico Guardalavaca: Not quite as enthused as I once was.

We have been going to Club Amigo for quite a few years and I'm afraid as a senior couple with mobility issues we may not return.We found the resort is just to big for us.I exhausted myself getting around this year. I felt sorry for the dining room staff as I'm sure they were doing the best they could with what they had but there were were shortages. No potatoes or fresh orange juice, no buns at the snack bar for hamburgers. The food was even more bland than usual. Also it was very evident that t [... read more]he resort is catering more to locals. The street parties they hold on Guardalavaca Boulevard are very loud. The entertainment was really good this year and they had a couple of great bands. The biggest thing though is the flight times from Halifax which are very poor.You don't get to the resort until around 11:30 at night if you are lucky and returning you don't arrive at Halifax until 4:00 in the morning.

Iberostar Origin Daiquiri: Good value for the money!

This was our second visit to Iberostar Daiquiri, stayed last January with a group of 5. This year our group consisted of 9, visiting in February. We returned to this resort because of the things we liked. The beach, white sand, close to the shore line, lots of umbrellas, small resort so not so many people on the beach. The food was good, perhaps even better this year as the resort was full and functioning at maximum capacity. Buffet was better than a la carte restaurants. Lots of choices for fr [... read more]esh fruits and vegetables. Many dishes prepared fresh, excellent fish, offerings of beef, pork, chicken grilled fresh, pasta stations, pizza made to order. The restaurant offered different items each evening, sushi night, features such as mussels, crab, etc. Fresh bread daily, pastries, desserts, incredibly good icecream. Most of the rooms have been given a refresh, newly painted, new mattresses, pillows and draperies. New furnishings in the reception, and around pool area. However the resort is older and it does show in many places. The staff are very friendly and accommodating. the entertainment was some of the best ( I have been in Cuba many times). Every night a show in the theater, dancing that was very well done. In the lobby bar and area each evening they provided some form of musical entertainment, bands, vocalists, dancers, etc. As well as poolside live entertainment, music, contests, etc.in the afternoon. Bar service excellent, they went the extra distance by topping frothy drinks with hearts or happy face. Service not dependant on tipping (as was my experience at hotel in Varadaro - no tip, no attention). They did however run out of certain products (liqueurs) later in the evening (did I mention the hotel was full). The excursions varied, some well priced and others over priced. Trip to Pillar beach, one of the most beautiful beachs in Cuba.Pay 5cuc for hop on hop off bus or private transportation with lunch thrown in for 50cuc. Best value for money and a must to see is Buena Vista Social Club performance for 35cuc (includes transportation and drinks). The best of Cuban music by far. A NEW excursion this year at an off site Spa, good value for services at a fraction you would pay for at home. My only criticism of the experience and is not unique to this hotel. When I first arrived (late at night) and checked in, there was no record of my room preferences or links to people I am travelling with. The three rooms given were not even in the same building, let alone where we would have preferred to be. I identified this at check in and was told it would be two days before we could be moved. This is a common issue, not unique to this hotel. After a conversation with the hotel manager the next morning she was able to facilitate a room change that was acceptable. With a short turn around vacation (7 days), one does not enjoy spending an extra day or days to unpack and begin enjoying the resort. I would definitely recommend this hotel, good value for the money. This area is quite isolated, great for a beach vacation. If interested in shopping or touring, a different area of Cuba would be recommended.

Aston Costa Verde Beach Resort: Fair resort

We arrived to the older and dated rooms but upgraded to the newer section which were much quieter and worth the few extra dollars.Food left alot to be desired in the main dining areas but this is Cuba. Grounds were pleasant.

Club Amigo Atlantico Guardalavaca: We would go back to this resort!!

This resort was great. The food was great at Benny More restaurant. We ate a sit down breakfast and lunch there every day. The wait staff there was amazing!! The rooms were neat and clean with a great ocean view (Villa). We really enjoyed the 24 Hour Pool Bar. Always had hot snacks available. Beaches are beautiful!! Chairs were always easy to find. Pools were clean. The only complaints we have are: 1) people reserve beach chairs first thing in the morning, then don't come to use them until [... read more] 3PM or later 2) money was taken from 2 sets of luggage in one of our rooms 3) front desk refused to send a golf cart when we were checking out early in the morning (our Villa was the furthest one from the lobby) 4) a lot of local Cuban people use this resort (most of them were friendly). 5) safes are not included with the room charge (Varadero rooms give you a safe to use for free)