Fun, comfort and pleasant

Everything was acceptable. Suite was clean and comfortable, no complaints. Yoga palapa needs work maybe replaced. Yoga is a very popular actively and yogis like to continue their practice on vacation. A better yoga palapa would be beneficial.

A really nice week at the Paradisus Rio De Oro hotel

This property is 25 years old and so there are some areas that look a little tired but they really try to keep things well maintained. Staff we found to be friendly and helpful. Yes, food variety is an issue but we never went hungry. If you are looking for prime rib and shrimp then probably best to avoid Cuba for now. Fantastic beach. Wifi service in and out. Beach bar repeatedly ran out of rum; that was disappointing.

Nice but...

We had the pleasure of staying at this resort from February 22nd to 29th, and we must commend Sunwing for their excellent service. Additionally, Tripcentral and Sandra provided invaluable assistance. Addressing some concerns raised in previous reviews about shortages, we found that while there was an abundance of beer, wine, and rum (although not of the highest quality), some of the more premium beverages were only sporadically available. We did notice a bottle of Black Label whisky vanish wi [... read more]thin minutes. To ensure a consistent supply of your preferred drinks, we recommend bringing your own. Regarding dining options, while the food quality was commendable, the variety in the main dining room was somewhat limited. For instance, we encountered the same cheese presented in different forms to create diversity. Eggs were available for only two days, after which they appeared in liquid form, the contents of which were uncertain. Like many others, we found it advantageous to bring our own spices, including salt, pepper, and vinegar. On a brighter note, the theme restaurants exceeded our expectations. We particularly enjoyed the charming beachside restaurant and bar, Santa Maria, which offered breathtaking views despite a somewhat restricted menu. The resort grounds were aesthetically pleasing, with a pristine beach and abundant marine life, perfect for snorkeling enthusiasts like ourselves. However, while the natural surroundings were impressive, we found that the maintenance of the hotel grounds could be improved. Public areas were pleasant, albeit with a limited selection of shops offering merchandise at premium prices. The main bar near the reception served excellent coffee, a delightful perk for caffeine enthusiasts. Our accommodations were clean, spacious, and equipped with efficient and whisper-quiet air conditioning. While the television quality was subpar, it met our expectations. We experienced a brief power outage upon returning from the beach before dinner, presumably due to an unforeseen incident. Additionally, there was a day with no hot water, which we attribute to a temporary issue. Overall, our stay at the resort was enjoyable, with highlights including the friendly service, picturesque beach, and satisfying dining experiences, despite some minor inconveniences.

Top Notch Resort

This resort is outstanding in every way. Beautiful grounds, outstanding service, rooms are lovely and the food was really good. They have 4 Ala carte restaurants all of which are really good. We upgraded to Royal side and that takes everything to another level! The beach was amazing!

Beautiful Resort

The grounds are kept impeccable. The staff are genuinely the warmest and lovely people. The bar by the pool served incredible food … hamburgers, pizza and grilled chicken. The rooms were kept very clean, a water leak was addressed and fixed the first day. The animation team was wonderful and the shows stunning and genuinely entertaining. The daily activities were varied and well attended. The only downside is beyond control and that is the shortages of certain foods. I will comment that t [... read more]here was one evening where top company officials were present and the buffet food was extraordinarily outstanding, where the balance of the week the food was a struggle. This is one of the best resorts we have been too.

Beautiful Resort

The grounds are kept impeccable. The staff are genuinely the warmest and lovely people. The bar by the pool served incredible food … hamburgers, pizza and grilled chicken. Thee rooms were kept very clean, a water leak was addressed and fixed the first day. The animation team was wonderful and the shows stunning and genuinely entertaining. The daily activities were varied and well attended. The only downside is beyond control and that is the shortages of certain foods. I will comment that  [... read more]there was one evening where top company officials were present and the buffet food was extraordinarily outstanding, where the balance of the week the food was a struggle. This is one of the best resorts we have been too.

Loved all of it ??

My experience at the Rio De Oro was amazing! Although there were a few things not available the people and the atmosphere made up for all of it. The grounds at the resort were beautiful, well kept and there was lots of little places to find some tranquility if needed. I can’t express enough how much I enjoyed the staff. They were so friendly an accommodating. I will definitely be returning in the near future. Thank you ?

Needs Work

This is our 4th time there the grounds are still beautiful. The villa we stayed in was ok however the bathroom needs work. I prefer the bungalows. The buffet: I found a piece of wire in my mashed pumpkin which could have turned out very dangerous. It looked like it was from a bbq brush or something like that. The service at the beach restaurant was terrible I had to ask for our menus after sitting there for 15 minutes or more. Then I had to find the waitress to order our food. And they didn’t [... read more] bring our dessert that we had ordered. The manager seemed in distress because the waitresses just left. The service every where else was fantastic in the restaurants, the pool bar (Lorenzo) and the pool restaurant (Leo). The lobby bar very good service as well. The entertainment was very nice loved the violinist!! We will give this resort another try and then decide from there if we will continue to come here.

Beautiful setting

Everything was clean, well kept, and staff were friendly and accommodating. However the situation in Cuba is definitely getting worse for the residents. Shortages are to be expected by visitors too, but there is no reason to complain. We had two days of no eggs for breakfast and there was no white wine for the entire stay. Many guests grumbled unnecessarily. This is Cuba today. Sit back, relax, enjoy what there is, and know you are helping their economy by tourism. We had a wonderful time.

Resort is declining

This was our fourth trip to this resort. We went there twice before Covid and obsoletely fell in love with the resort. The grounds are lush and beautiful, it was quiet and peaceful, the food was great with lots of selection, the staff were friendly and attentive. Then Covid came. We returned last year knowing that things would not be the same but we were committed to the resort and its staff. We were right in our assumption and there was a definite reduction in food selection but not in quanti [... read more]ty. We were never hungry. The staff worked hard and everything else still seemed to be in place. However, upon this years return we noticed a remarkable change. The resort itself is definitely showing its age. We heard lots of complaints from other guests regarding the quality of the rooms and utilities. The food selection was even less than the previous year and the quality of the food had diminished as well. No French Fries, no Ketchup, no Salad Dressing, no potatoes, no Limes, no bananas and the list goes on. Certain things they would have one day and then not the next. We understand the issues that Cuba is having and i could get around the previous items noted. What i could not accept was the lack of service. This is not a country issue this is a resort issue. The service was horable compared to what it used to be. Let me be clear there are staff that still go over and above but it used to be all staff went over and above. We would literally be ignored at the pool restaurant and the Beach restaurant. One time after waiting 10 minutes at the Beach Restaurant my wife had to go up herself to get a menu and the waitress after seeing this still ignored us. This is something the resort itself can fix and it had better take notice and fix it if they have any inclination of staying a 5 star resort. I hope Melia pays attention to the reviews and acts upon them. This was a fantastic resort that i would have happily recommended to anyone. Unfortunately, not so much anymore.

OUTSTANDING HOTEL

Paradisus Rio de Oro is great, the grounds are kept immaculate, the food is really good at the buffet as well as the ala carte restaurants. The infinity pool is amazing. The staff at this resort are so accommodating they all went above and beyond to make our holiday great. We have been here many times and hope to return many more. We took a horse and buggy to Guardalvaca with Adrian, he took us through the village, stopped at the market and then he took us through a tour of his village. We ha [... read more]ve taken the bus to this market before but the horse and buggy was much nicer. The rooms are quite large with 2 decent closets and the washrooms are nice with a large walk in shower. This resort is large enough that you can escape to the quiet if you need to but small enough to be within 5 min of anywhere you want to go. We have been to a couple of other resorts in Cuba but we will go no where else now!

It was a fantastic resort

I would give it a score of 9 on 10. The restaurants that were on reservations only were excellent except for the Cuban resto. The buffet and cafe restos were very good. Personnel was fantastic and very helpful. the beach was not what I expected very disappointed

Royal Service lives up to its name

At Paradisus Rio de Oro, the Royal Service is worth the extra money. It is essentially a 65-room boutique hotel adjacent to the much larger main Paradisus complex. Guests are able to use all the facilities of the main complex as well as the following key benefits of Royal Service: a private beach with a bar; a private pool area with 3 small separate pools that are adjacent to 2 bars and the private restaurant; all meals at the Royal Service are a la carte; food was excellent at all 3 meals with  [... read more]attentive staff; a daytime and an evening butler service that would also arrange meals at the main complex; a very large and well appointed room with a fridge stocked with water, beer and soft drink; free wifi in the room, around the pool and restaurant; beautifully landscaped grounds with lots of butterflies and birds. We also enjoyed several live shows at the main complex that started at 930 pm and lasted 45 minutes.

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.

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.

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!

Great hotel & vacation resort

Paradisus Rio D'Oro in Holguin is a great hotel. Grounds are clean, tropical and safe, with a lovely beach. The staff are excellent, service always good. No bugs, beggars or hawkers. This area is very safe. The pools are lovely, clean and relaxing. We stayed in Royal Service and the upgrade was nice- private pool, beach, restaurants. Butler service and special perks were nice- but it is an expensive upgrade. Food was always available but shortages do occur ( we were never hungry!). Bacon & egg [... read more]s for breakfast, burgers & pizza for lunch, buffet always had grilled fish and a pasta bar. Bars were well stocked and service was always prompt. Note- We are not "foodies" but several guests were disappointed in the lack of variety of food available- the shortages are a concern in Cuba.

Very nice

This was our first time to this resort, we typically go to another resort near by. We met Amelia and she went above and beyond to give us an exceptional experience. Rooms and food very good, the chef in the buffet at the meat/fish station was very good - LOVED the hamburgers he made. The downfall to the resort would be the beach - it is a little small and has limited area that people enter the water at. Majority of the days was rough and therefore we did not have that beautiful clear blue wat [... read more]er that we typically have at the other resort. It is very nice if you would like a quiet resort to go to.

Best Resort

Can't complain about anything. Everything was perfect 🥰. My room had a really bad smell however they switched my room as soon as a room was available. Food was excellent and the service was excellent.

Great Resort

Overall, good resort however, it needs a lot of updates, chairs, cushions need to be cleaned and updated, rooms need to be cleaned properly, dust on the furniture. Rooms smells old and damp, moldy. Grounds, spa, beaches were wonderful and had the best massage with Chachi. For a tropical place, was so surprised there were no fresh fruits, only papayas and star fruits. Also thought we would see yuka and plantains also. Did love the fish however the over cooked all the fish and mea [... read more]t, all is overcooked. Lots to eat, but I do not eat pork or beef but loved that the had lots of seafood. The staff were all were helpful and professional. They only need to update the rooms and cushions etc and a bit of paint and maintenance to the structures. Grounds are beautiful.