Club Amigo Marea Del Portillo: Happy Campers!

What can we say about this resort... good food and great people in a scenic location... we didn't expect much and were pleasantly surprised. Thank-you to Mayelin (Manager) in particular. She and her staff went out of the way to accommodate us and make our stay most enjoyable. Food: its classic Cuban but better than most (been to Cuba every year). Tasty fresh baked bread every day-wow! Fresh eggs- best I've had ever (and I lived on a farm). Being where they are, food seems sourced fresh locally.  [... read more]Best Shrimp dinner I've had in years at Cuban Restaurant. Tasty cucumbers- no seeds, no burping-lol. Potatoes are to die for- sorry to my PEI peeps. 'Home made' soups were fantastic. Selection is minimal but something for everyone; the Chefs can be proud of their cuisine. Note: Pizza and fries at snack bar were great, but you sometimes had to wait a while- Cuban hang time! Scenery: hey, we're talking resort nestled at the foot of the Sierra Maestra mountains on one side and the Marea del Portillo bay / Carribean ocean on the other. There are small waterfalls nearby - 6-8 CUC cab ride there and back; worth it. Friendly animals here, there and everywhere -lol. (sow, horses, goats, cows, iguana's, geckos, etc.) roam the streets occasionally. If you have the time and money, there are many excellent excursions you can take. We went simply to relax, get some sun and enjoy meeting people. At the time we went, the guests were mostly folk 50+ but there were a few families and younger couples having a good time. There are two resorts: one above (where we were in the 'superior' rooms) and one below (with option of hotel room or Cabins). We had a look at both and not much difference. Lower resort is older and better for people with mobility limitations. We went to beach - not the greatest but great to walk along... we prefer poolside. Clean room, had plenty of hot water and pressure (Hint: may have to leave tap on for a minute to get maximum heat). Daily activities and nightly entertainment available for those who wish to partake. Not fancy schmancy but they try hard and take pride in what they do. The musicians are really good! Please-please tip them; they earn every dollar. They all do - don't be cheap; they appreciate it. PS: if you have the room in your luggage (up to 50 lbs) bring extra clothes and give them away... really needed and appreciated by all. Note: to anyone heading down there, if you have extra used pool cue, ping pong paddles or balls, they could use some extra as their supplies are limited. Hope this review helps. Whatever your choice of resort, enjoy your hard earned vacation! Paul & Mary

Club Amigo Marea Del Portillo: Love this place

This quiet and rural location is beautiful beyond description. The people are so nice and there are many opportunities to explore outside of the resort activities. If you are looking to have an experience with Cuba this is the place to go.

Club Amigo Marea Del Portillo: Fantastic as usual.

This was our 3rd trip to the Marea del Portillo, but our first time in a standard room (rm 114) as we usually book the Cabana VIP option. For those not in the know- Standard room/Cabana are at the lower and older part of the resort in the Marea section. Anything that says Superior is located at the Farallon in the upper and newer part of the resort. The standard room we were in was almost right in front of the little store on site, in between the main lobby and the pool area. There’s no denyi [... read more]ng it’s smaller than the Cabana, especially the shower (pretty tiny) however we had no complaints. We had a king bed, working A/C and a place to wash up. What more do you need? The standard rooms have more 110 v outlets than the Cabanas I find. You have a back door that literally opens to the Caribbean Sea. Anyone who complains needs a reality check. This trip we stayed January 17-24, 2018. The first couple of days it was a bit cool (by Cuban standards) however I’ll take the 20c vs the -14c we left in Ontario. To comment to the negative reports from December (and prior) re: cold water showers in the standard rooms, this is in direct relation to the climate change and the cooler weather. The water is heated by solar panels, if you have no sun, it’s not warm. This is NOT the fault of the resort. If you want someone to blame, blame ourselves for ruining our environment. You are in a different country with different (and much more environmentally friendly) methods of heating. There isn’t one giant hot water heater to service the hotel, that is simply not feasible when you have nature to do that for you. ProTip: Shower in the afternoon. Our routine consisted of getting up between 7-8am, got some breakfast and went to enjoy either the pool or beach for the heat of the day (on the days we weren’t booked for an excursion). Had my afternoon nap because why not?! Then had my daily shower between 3-5pm for optimal warm/hot water. This may fluctuate after Daylight Savings Time kicks in on March 11th. Also bring your own pillow, you’ll thank me. The new construction of the snack bar was a bustling busy area and they certainly made a lot of progress. People who were critiquing the speed of the construction- I challenge you to hammer in multiple layers of palm leaves on the roof in 30+c weather, with the sun beating down on you… oh and using make shift hammers. One gentleman was using a wooden block as a hammer. Give your head a shake! These workers were working damn hard, show them that respect or you pick up a hammer and lend a hand. The temporary Marea snack bar now has overnight fries (11pm-7am) and little pizzas, ham cheese sandwiches, hotdogs and burgers, fries (12-5pm). The snack bar moves to the Marea beach bar at 11pm. This is amazing! Although I can’t wait to see the finished snack bar, it looks awesome. Much like any resort in Cuba (1-5 stars) the food, yes, can be repetitive however with a little innovation and creativity you can spruce some items up. Example: bacon and cheese sandwiches for breakfast. I laid two pieces of bread with butter and slices of cheese flat through the little toaster and tossed some bacon from the grill in the sandwich and voila. Or for the spaghetti/tomato sauce- break up a hamburger up into the sauce OR spaghetti/butter and bring down some garlic powder- garlic butter pasta. Think outside the box. Yes, there are dogs on the resort. Yes they are super cute and friendly. No I would not say they were “flea infested”. Yes, I did feed them because unlike some others- I have compassion for ALL animals. Don’t be so selfish and hateful! There are salamanders, little lizards, horses, goats, pigs, beautiful birds, cats/kittens, frogs all over the resort- are you going to complain about them too? This is CUBA. Not Canada. Sheesh, there are no pleasing some people. I find the rude people more of a nuisance than the hungry animals. We encountered a group of young ladies from Quebec (although location doesn’t matter, there were rude Ontarians as well) who were just horrid. Rude to the bartenders, left a huge mess around their area on the beach (to which WE cleaned up since the hard working Cubans have enough to do than clean up after these disrespectful jerks) and when you think of Millennial stereotype- these ladies fit the bill. Fortunately, they are the minority. Most guests are kind and generous. Off resort this trip we did the 3 Towns Tour excursion and we had a blast. I forget the name of the young lady who was the tour guide but she was just fantastic! I hadn’t seen her before but anticipate future excursions with her knowledge. It only cost us 20cuc each. Well worth the money. We stopped at one ranchers house and they offered food and drink from their land, allowed you to explore their property and inside the house. Very humble and kind people. The homemade cheese was to die for! We have done the El Macho tour previously, also an eye opener and well worth the cuc price. We did the horse adventure last year and it was a blast however if you’re not used to riding a horse, expect some sore thighs and naughty bits for a couple of days after. HAHA We went to dinner to both Ferlins and Danys. The food at both was fantastic and you’re getting a huge beautiful meal for 15cuc or so and this includes shrimp and lobster! We love both restaurants equally and recommend them both. I haven’t tried the Miramar (closer to Pilon) but it’s on our bucket list. Taxi prices fluctuate but can be 5cuc per trip to either Ferlins or Danys. Dirt cheap. We also took the horse and buggy (had Henrys’ buggy, he’s super sweet) to the little waterfall for 8cuc there and back. They wait for you while you explore the waterfall too! Such kind people. This trip we did not go to Cayo Blanco as we didn’t select the VIP option, however we have been twice before and will be returning in April. It never disappoints. Highly recommended. If you’re looking for a unique gift to take home, please see Adriel on the resort. He’s often found over by the Repeaters Wall. He will paint you a personal 8x10 canvas, or paint on a rock or if you’re a repeater guest, he will paint a scene on the wall. Prices fluctuate but he’s such a lovely and talented young man- why not support his craft? Another request: PLEASE DO NOT TIP in Canadian nor US dollars. No one will turn away a tip, lord knows I wouldn’t however please be aware that the employees are NOT ALLOWED to change your CAD/USD to CUC/CUP pesos. So your CAD/USD is pretty much useless. Our chambermaid was so shy but asked if we would exchange a $20 CAD to Cuban pesos for her. Which we did because it’s not her fault people don’t know this limitation they have. You can exchange your CAD at the little bank located at the airport the night of arrival or you can exchange at the hotel lobby desk. We didn’t want to wait in the line at the bank on the night of arrival, so we just exchanged at the lobby desk. We had about 40cuc leftover from our last trip, so fortunately we had a CUC tip for the gentleman who carried our luggage to our room. He was very grateful and so happy! The Sierra Maestra airport is the size of a Tim Hortons so be patient, they are doing their best with what they have. When you have a plane with 200+ people arriving, while another 200+ people are up in the departure waiting room (which is just a glorified sauna as only one A/C unit was working upon departure) it can be overwhelming but it’s pretty impressive that they can have two planes within a couple hours time turned around with 400+ arrival (Toronto and Montreal planes) and 400+ departure (again Toronto and Montreal) in such a small space. Grab a Cristal beer at the little patio and just breathe through the process. The people who “hurry up and wait” are still going to the same place you are whether you’re at the beginning or end of the long line. There is a reason why Marea del Portillo has so many repeat guests. Is it a 5 star, no. But if you want to walk on the beach, feel absolutely safe, not worry about theft or being hassled, you will also encounter so many amazing people who work damn hard for you to sit back and get hammered on the all inclusive – then this is the place for you. There is no denying that prostitution occurs however it’s also visible at other resorts and oh no; God forbid in your own damn country. My point of view- if they are two consenting ADULTS then it’s not my damn business. Kudos to the sex workers for taking advantage of those willing to pay for their services. This resort does not advertise as a “kid destination”, although children are welcome however don’t complain when it’s been clear in MANY reviews that this type of activity occurs and you bring precious Billy to the resort. My first trip to Cuba was to Holguin and I hated it there (Club Amigo Guardalavaca) and I’ve been to the Marea 3 times (4th this upcoming April). It’s got its own magic and charm. Take the plunge, you’ll fall in love too.

Club Amigo Marea Del Portillo: Nice

Pro: Condition of room, resort and grounds was great. Staff and guests were nice. Been here five times and the resort has improved - view is great, however ..... Cons: Their policy of midnight to 2:00am disco should be reviewed. Loud in many of the rooms, unlit, poorly attended and not in tradition of quiet restful resort.

Club Amigo Marea Del Portillo: Farallon VIP section

My Mother and I are repeat visitors to the Farallon, my self over 10 visits and my Mother over 20. We enjoy the area where this hotel is located and the employees are wonderful. My issue is that each year seems to take more and more VIP items away. We pay for the VIP package and are probably not going to do it next year, if we go again. The resorts large boat was out of commission so there was no sunset cruise, they were taking people on a bus to see the sunset, thank goodness we have seen it m [... read more]any times and passed on that excision (that we paid for) this boat is also used to take people to Cayo Blanco for the day, for this excursion they had a small boat that sat 12 to 13 people maximum. My mother and I were fortunate we were on the first load to go to the island but it took quite some time to get everyone over and I understand the on last load the captain said it was the last one and he jammed 22 people on that small boat. There were not even enough life vests on this boat for 12 to 13 people let alone an overloaded one of 22. Again, this was an excursion that we pre-paid for in our VIP package that, if we go to this resort again next year, we will not be taking.

Club Amigo Marea Del Portillo: Relaxing Resort

I have been here 8 times,they are doing some work around the hotel.it suits me,good staff,clean rooms.Lots of room around the pool,with plenty of loungers to sit and soak it all in.the beach also has plenty of room for everyone.all in all will be back again this year.

Club Amigo Marea Del Portillo: Great Value, Nature and Hospitality

My husband and I, in our seventies, visited this resort for a week. It was our ninth trip to Cuba. Out of those nine trips, I felt that this resort was the best for nature, scenery and outdoor activities. The staff at the hotel were great, but the food had a limited variety. For example, the fruit was limited and the menu was repetitious. I really liked the resort and what it offered but Sunwing was a nightmare. We were six hours on the tarmack before we left Toronto to arrive at the r [... read more]esort at 4:00 in the morning. My husband is partially disabled and needs a wheelchair. The Sunwing air staff stood at the top of the stairs of the plane, chit-chatting, while he struggled to get reach the bottom (they knew he was onboard and should have been watching out for him). The Manzanillo airport is very unorganized and people with disabilities should be made aware of the difficulties there. If my two daughters had not been with us, we would probably still be standing in the airport (there is little seating specifically in arrivals as you are waiting for your bags which is a very unorganized process). My husband had told Sunwing about his disability and there was not enough done especially since the trip was extremely long and the airport was so haphazard. In summary, if you have a disability don't fly Sunwing. We were given vouchers but

Club Amigo Marea Del Portillo: Good Value with Amazing Nature and Scenery

I have never been to an all-inclusive resort, nor to Cuba, but I thought it was decent value for the money. The staff are very friendly and the entertainment, especially the Cuban band with the flute and sax player IS AMAZING. Everything is pretty clean, the excursions are good (the trip to the island, the horse adventure and the 3 towns tour) There are beautiful mountains surrounding the hotel, lots of gorgeous small farms and local life and great opportunities to hike in nature. The f [... read more]ood is ok- it is mostly the same every day (not great for sure, but I am not a fussy eater) The beer they have is very heavy, and they don't have the finest alcohol, but there is a lot of mixes so you can find something to drink. The beach is good but get a beach chair early as they will be gone. We had a lot of problems with Sunwing (the flight going out was delayed 7 hours, we got vouchers which were a bit hard to use, and I feel that the Sunwing rep at the hotel is a bit overworked as she works for 2 sites). You can use both these hotels which is a nice thing- more restaurants, etc. If you like nature and want pretty good value- I think it is worth it. Make sure you watch that band (you may have to go to the other hotel but if I go back I only want to watch them....)

Club Amigo Marea Del Portillo: Amazing rezort

I was very happy with the resort and grezt people and workers. The rooms were cleaned very hood every day. Enjoy going to the resort when both hotels are open. Food was okay but as a repeat guest I overlook the menu

Club Amigo Marea Del Portillo: Good for money

Hotel is basic, three stars. Beach is excellent, ocean warm. If you have no great expectations it is ok. We like it. Mountains are green. Staff is good. Country is poor, so do not expect any luxuries.

Club Amigo Marea Del Portillo: Great times !

Travelled with a group of 8, we all had a good time. People were kind and rooms and resort was clean. Weather was great as well Enjoyed listening to the bands and shows! Would like to return again Cuba we will see you soon

Club Amigo Marea Del Portillo: Amazing Resort

I thought the grounds were beautiful there was live crabs crawling around and big ones too. There was animals like horses,pigs, and even bats around the grounds, wow crazy stuff. The hotel cabana was great and the staff there was good, very safe place there was security staff on the grounds 24-7.. ,

Club Amigo Marea Del Portillo: Good Resort

Resort was great, rooms were clean, staff is friendly. My daughters friend who was homesick, gave free horseback riding whenever they .wanted. Beaches were clean as well. Overall I am with the Marea as I am a repeat visitor. My daughter has family near the resort it is very handy visit them all.

Club Amigo Marea Del Portillo: We had a great time

There were 8 of us in total including two younger kids (11 and 9). The resort is certainly showing it's age but it easily makes up for it with the staff. The staff and the excursions really made this a fun vacation. We all felt very safe both off and on the resort. I suggest renting the scooters and exploring the neighboring towns on your own. We got to meet some amazing people that way. Food was really good and the soups were outstanding. All in all a great vacation

Club Amigo Marea Del Portillo: Totally and completely amazing.

The hotel was very well maintained. The grounds were kept in immaculate condition. The walk ways were washed and cleaned on a daily basis. Everything was so wonderful. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The food was fantastic. The variety was good, lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. There was something different at every meal. The homemade soups were mouthwatering. The homemade breads were just fantastic. So fresh and such a variety of breads. I am looking forward t [... read more]o making a return trip.

Club Amigo Marea Del Portillo: Quiet & Very Warm

We had the place almost to ourselves. Food Good but not Great. Sand flies very hungry. No tennis balls at the resort. Local lobster Very Good. Excursions well run and organized. Bread and buns excellent but no butter the last 2 days. We all had a really nice time 20-60 year olds.

Club Amigo Marea Del Portillo: Beautiful Views!

This was a beautiful resort, the Farallon Hotel rooms all have excellent views of the ocean or lagoon and mountains. The buffet was very nice, good selection and always something to eat. The wine this time around was pretty horrible but bottles are available for purchase and that saved the day. There were fewer iguanas than in the past but still around and hungry for lettuce! Cayo Blanco was fantastic, excellent beach and wonderful lobster lunch. You can't beat the Jeep Excursion to the wat [... read more]erfall - best jeep ride ever! Up into the heart of the mountains and 25deg slopes. Wild!

Club Amigo Marea Del Portillo: Good holiday

Really enjoyed meeting the people at the resort.Many repeat guests who were very friendly and outgoing. Rooms were adequate and very clean as well as all common areas.Food a bit repetitive but we were never hungry. Went on excursion with another guest couple to the mountain village and was welcomed with open arms by the locals! It was the highlight of our trip. The sunset cruise was fantastic and very memorable, got some great photos.

Club Amigo Marea Del Portillo: lots to do !!

great scenery, tours, weather, friendly staff, nice tourists, entertainment, Elena, bars, beaches, music !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Club Amigo Marea Del Portillo: Once in a life time experience that I want to do again

this is a beautiful place with amazing staff. The food was great and so was the service. You are right by the beach and I highly recommend v.I.p. can't wait to go again next year. I miss this place already.