Carisol los Corales: Wonderful Stay Again!

This was my 6th visit to Carisol Los Corales. It just keeps getting better! The staff are wonderful, and the grounds are always improving. I always have a wonderful room, with an amazing room attendant. It is always kept clean. Can't wait to go back!

Carisol los Corales: Great resort

This was my 4th visit and this resort did not disappoint. Always something good to eat. Lots of entertainment. Snorkelling off the beach was great. Rooms were in good condition. Staff always friendly and helpful

Carisol los Corales: Nice resort...the staff definitely go beyond to make the stay enjoyable!

Staff was amazing from the front desk and serving staff right to the grounds and maintenance staff. My feet had swelled due to the flight and a staff member (Quality Assurrance Representatve, a very lovely and caring lady who happened to be having a coffee in the lobby) noticed and was very helpful with her personal remedy lotion, expecting and accepting nothing in return. Great improvements have happened around the grounds. We did miss having pig on the spit but were happy to see the Johnn [... read more]y walker and fire breather shows. Entertainer Julio was awesome and actually thanked us for returning during his nightly introduction of the show. We went on the Sunwing Santiago de Cuba complementary trip, Julio as the guide gave a very detailed history of Cuba, and we enjoyed the fort as well as the cemetery where mother and father of Cuba, Fidel Castro and the Bacardi family are laid to rest, along with the changing of the guard ceremony, which was fantastic. The balance of the trip was in the heart of the city where we mingled fairly comfortably and ended up at the Casa Grande rooftop patio for a cervesa and enjoyed the panoramic view of the bustling city. Our pool bartenders and lifeguard, Francisco and Ivan, were absolutely amazing and could not have made us feel more welcome. With only an hour or two of rain all week and a steady temp of around 30 all week, Sanitiago de Cuba never disappoints. We feel overall good value and lovely small resort.

Carisol los Corales: i love it

great nature and great warm water perfect for snorkling fod is decent and rooms are good serviceos ok too. so many returner in this resort only thing i would like is more activity and more local music

Brisas Sierra Mar: We loved it

The Hotel was good, we wanted another bed for my son and it was arranged immediately. The rooms were cleaned well, water pressure excellent, hot water always available, public bathrooms well-maintained. Staff were very friendly, never obnoxious or assuming. Food was excellent, great choices, including meatless, always available. Fruit - great variety! The beach equipment (peddle-boats, etc. always accessible and in good condition). The only problem I had was the bugs on the beach, - regretted no [... read more]t taking the insect repellent with us. Water shoes is a must for that beach, as there are some urchins, etc. in the water, - great snorkelling though!

Brisas Sierra Mar: Brisas Sierra Mar - 4 years later

We first went to Brisas Sierra Mar in April 2015. At that time, the hotel was in a bit of disrepair: they had been hit hard from hurricane Sandy (IIRC?!?) a few years earlier, and the resort showed some signs of decay. Pool was in need of repair, rooms A/C went down, water interruptions, etc. Upon returning this year (2019), we found the place to have been significantly repaired, with the pool liner redone, new coats of paint all around, and as always the grounds were well maintained and the  [... read more]modest beach well manicured. We took daily hikes and bike rides, enjoyed snorkeling and swimming, attended a fiesta in the town below the resort, and in general enjoyed the atmosphere. The only slip-up was the water pump failed the morning of our departure. In Cuba, these things happen. One has to accept the infrastructure is old, and in general, never gets updated or upgraded. That said, a very minor inconvenience throughout s week’s stay. The staff were very kind and helpful. On the south shore, this resort has the best food - 4 years ago, and this year as well. We have been disappointed many times elsewhere, but Brisas Sierra Mar consistently had the best food we have experienced on the southern shore 5 times now. BTW - there are ‘shortages’ in Cuba: the situation with Venezuela and Chavez’s death has caused ‘trade’ problems, and no known solutions have been worked out as yet. Hopefully Cubans can see a better future with their prospects, and some element of predictability and sustainability comes out of it. Tourism appears to be their ‘golden egg’, and supports a ton of Cubans, on and off the resort. Please tip generously: the staff work hard, and they desperately need your tips to assist in making daily ends meet. We go to Cuba for their traditional music and dance, and are rarely disappointed. The shows on site are good, and the music, dancers, magicians and entertainers are well-rehearsed and are performing at a high level. The only downside is lack of PA/mics etc for singers (off the main-stage, but regarding acoustic performers around the resort) - unless they are very strong vocalists, they tend to be drowned out by percussion, and the odd instrumentalist (tres/violin/electric guitar) that bring an amp to the gig. To keep the playing field level, the singers deserve a mic, or the instrumentalists should forget amplification. They’ve been doing it acoustically for centuries - why re-invent the wheel? All in all, we really enjoy our time at this resort, and most likely we will return here. Absolutely stunning scenery, sunsets and sunrises, and the staff are the best we’ve encountered in all of the southern Cuba destinations we’ve been to. NOTE: if you travel to Cuba, PLEASE - bring a big flight case and fill the extra space with: shoes, kids clothing, adult clothing, and VERY IMPORTANT - BICYCLE TUBES AND/OR TIRES. Used 26/175 standard issue tires and tubes are like gold to the Cubans. Please, do what you can to help these people with some very basic items. Cheers, and happy travels!

Carisol los Corales: Fun in the sun

This was my second stay at this resort. This stay we had a bungalow facing the ocean! It was beautiful. The pool bar bartenders are the most friendly, fun bartenders you could ask for. Food is decent for Cuba, eggs and buffet for breakfast , pizza and pasta available at lunchtime as well as buffet and grill. Buffet and grill at dinner time. Showers were hot, although not much pressure. Wifi is available in the lobby. Would definitely recommend this resort to others, really can’t be beat for th [... read more]e price of it.

Brisas Sierra Mar: Very Special Resort

This hotel is in a gorgeous wild location - just ocean and mountain views, hence the name. Lots of amenities and activities, great food and thoughtful little additions to the experience. Snorkelling, hiking to waterfalls, cycling, sea kayaking all make for a well rounded vacation.

Carisol los Corales: Not so good.

Impossible to swim at beach. Only knee high water. Several swimmers had cuts on their feet due to stones and broken shells. Travellers should be advised beforehand that they MUST take water slippers with them. There was NO internet availability and this created a lot of frustration amongst the guests who wanted to keep in touch with their families at home and know what's going on in the world. The hotel staff and food were excellent and the grounds were very nice. Very difficult and expensive [... read more] to arrange travel into Santiago de Cuba. The HOLA travel reps at the hotel seemed to be not interested in collaborating and talking with the guests.

Costa Morena: Great times

I had an amazing time! This is definitely not a 5 star hotel by any means. But the place is clean, the staff are friendly. The staff take the time to get to know you and are always smiling. The locals are fantastic people to spend time with off the resort. Cant wait until we go there again!!

Carisol los Corales: The people is what made it amazing!!!

We arrived at the hotel ready for a great week. Well it started off not so great. They did not have our reservation so we were moved to the adjoining resort. We were suppose to have adjoining rooms, we ended up being 5 bungalows apart. We were upset at first but We made the best of it with what was given to us. The pools were great the beach was nice. Some seaweed but there were areas we could swim. But what made our trip was the wonderful entertainment staff. These 6 men got us involved in ever [... read more]ything. Made sure we were happy the whole entire time. They started at 10am and were right there at the disco till 2am. Those men would be the only reason we would return to this resort. The food was the usual for Cuba. I didnt starve. Fruit, eggs, and pizza and pasta.

Carisol los Corales: Worst Vacation Ever !!!!!

We have been to Cuba 12 times and fully understand the economic profile of the country. We are usually very patient and have never made a complaint about any of the resorts........until now. The Carisol los Corales on the Club Amigo side needs to be investigated and shut down. So many lies on their webside it's hard to decide where to begin. First of all the resort is not a 3 star... It barely makes a 2. It is not 1/2 an hour from the airport... It's over an hour (depending how much livestock is [... read more] on the road). The food at this resort is the same every day ! Some of the staff are nice...the rest act like they hate their jobs. No phones in the rooms. No smoke detector or wall lights in our room. My daughter was verbally assaulted on 2 accounts..My wife both verbally and physically assaulted. There is a prostitution ring run at the resort (not sure if the resort controls it but they stand by and watch it happen). My 14 year old daughter's verbal assault assault came in the form of a sexual proposition made by one of the resort staff. He tried to lure her back to his room/accommodation. We spoke to numerous other guests at this resort and had a variety of other complaints themselves. One couple had no water the entire week they were there. Nor would their room door stay shut even when they locked it. Most of the grounds and pathways are unlit and a number of people took falls on the uneven surfaces. In conclusion we cannot in good faith recommend this resort and are even considering contacting our lawyer to try and get a full refund at the very least.

Brisas Sierra Mar: Wonderful Family-like service

While the resort may seem a touch run down, the rooms have a lovely view of the Carribean from their balconies and staff and music more than make up for the lack of maintenance and occasional problems with the elevators. This is a place where many can have extended stays and build lasting relationships. Overall - a wonderful time!!

Brisas Sierra Mar: Unique Resort

This would not be the resort most people would like.If you want luxury accomadations,excellent food,lots of activities,white sand beach you wouldn't come here. If you want friendship,adventure, relaxation and the best weather and the most beautiful scenery this is the place to come. I have been here 9 times and each time has been a different experience.The staff are amazing,All the little hitches make it part of the experience.?Will the elevator work this year.What food will or will not be ava [... read more]ilable?This is the adventure and if you bring a bike (leave for someone)you can explore the villages around and cycle being perfectly safe.Great cycling with a challenge on hills. Take a chance and visit this resort.I will certainly be returning next year.What adventure awaits me!!!!!!!!!

Carisol los Corales: Beautiful resort

Before visiting Carisol Los Corales, I had read probably over 200 reviews to prepare myself. A lot of the reviews had me extremely worried - from bad food, to tons of mosquitoes and even one guy complaining they didn't have pepper. I was honestly amazed by how wonderful everything was for the cheap price we paid. Myself and those I traveled with were honestly questioning how they even make money with how much we received for our money spent. The entertainment they had scheduled was absolutely fa [... read more]ntastic. There's such a wide range of food available that it's impossible to not find a lot of things you'll like - but the part that I think most people have trouble with is trying new things. I had read reviews and heard verbal reviews from family and friends stating that you do not go to Cuba for the food or the desserts, but I was amazed to find that I thoroughly enjoyed almost everything. Their ice cream is in my opinion better than most in Canada, and their beef stew was DELICIOUS - and that's coming from a girl who grew up on a beef cattle farm. They had a wide range of excursions available for the visitors, so you don't just sit at the resort the whole time - although I kind of wish I spent more time sitting at the resort because it was absolutely beautiful. There are pools with pool bars that you can swim up to on both sides of the resort. The ocean in between is fantastic. The staff were extremely friendly and helpful. It was rare to see any unhappy visitors (I only saw one lady who was grumpy, but I think she was just a naturally grumpy old lady). The only thing I honestly had a hard time with was all the animals - a lot of them are healthy and happy, but a lot of the dogs do have fleas and other clear issues. There was one dog who clearly had mange, and another extremely skinny cat who I believe had worms. I found out recently that there are a lot of people looking out for her though, and she received treatment, cleaning and healthy food etc. I would recommend bringing whatever you can to help the animals (healthy treats, medication of any sort) especially if you are an animal lover. I could go on and on but those are the basics. The resort is beautiful and I'd definitely visit again, I'd just be more prepared next time. :) P.S. There is pepper, it's just white pepper. I wasn't bit by bugs at all, even without wearing any sort of bug repellent at any point.

Brisas Sierra Mar: Brisas Sierra Mar

Visa NOT accepted at the hotel as shown in the tripcentral info sheet. Almost ran out of money. Room assigned without consultation while on the bus Oceanview room stipulated, not provided. Our room overlooked the main hotel and parking lot. Earplugs used. Five flights of stairs, no elevator. Upon arrival, asked for a different room, as we have mobility issues. Front desk staff rudely rejected our request, both upon arrival and the next morning. They actually argued that you could see the [... read more] ocean if we craned our necks and looked real hard. We have been to Cuba a number of times and recognize that it is usually a bargain priced destination. The specific hotel incurred significant damage during hurricane Sandy and repairs have not been completed, which we understand completely, given the realities of Cuba. Call for more detail.

Brisas Sierra Mar: Amazing again!

This hotel offered a wide variety of food. The hotel staff are so very friendly and helpful. The pool is in good condition and well maintained by the pool staff. The rooms are comfortable and always kept extremely clean.

Melia Santiago: Very good hotel

For a center town hotel, it is amazingly accessible to many of the museums and attraction places in Santiago de Cuba, If you like to walk. The staffs are very helpful and professional. The room was clean and bed comfortable. The breakfast was very good with a variety of meal for every taste. The only thing, the coffee was not strong enough for those of us who like strong coffee. However when request espresso was promptly serve.

Costa Morena: Wonderful Resort

I am repeat guest at Costa Morena. No issues at all. Good food and cold beer was always at your finger tip. Clean Swimming pool. Clean rooms.. I would go there again. The lobby bar is always crowded. Not enough tables and chairs. Lobby Bar has to have ceiling fans, very hot at all times. The price is right. Cheers

Brisas Sierra Mar: lovely resort

Great great service and experience amazing Beach people. people working at the reception desk extremely helpful spoke well English. I greatly enjoyed Cuban people and their great and respectful attitude towards me.