Adequate

Very large resort. Three story buildings with no elevators. Grounds finally mowed after reaching about 15" in height. Bar staff alright but sterile. No atmosphere. Had to have permission from manager to change channel therefore subject to eternal commercial for Iberostar. After 2 hours waiting for flight, 4 hours on flight, an hour waiting for bus to leave and a one hour bus ride, it would have been nice to get a welcome drink. Mini fridge should be re-stocked every day not every second day. All [... read more]-in-all a very nice resort with good food and good buffet and maid staff but lacks feelings.

Resort new but lacking alot of food. Complaining to Chef and Manager didn't help.

I complained while at the resort to one of Managers - Elenanis about the horrible food about was told to speak to the Chef - Domingo about the food to see if he could cook something I would like.. I requested a la carte instead and was told that was not possible. The following day I spoke to the Chef and was told he cooked with whatever that was provided. I complained that there was no pizza, fries, cereals, bananas, potatoes and vogurt ? I was told there was a shortage due the embargo. I don't  [... read more]buy that answer, what a waste of money. Luckily for the guests I had asked for French toast and from then on they provided it daily. I do not recommend this resort unless you are on a diet and wish to lose weight. . Both of us were bitten by No see ums bugs and sand fleas. Please avoid this resort.

Review

First of all: GET MY NAME RIGHT!! Also you sent me a survey that would not translate and was entirely in Spanish. Therefore I gave you minimum ranking in all categories as I had no idea what you were talking about.

Amazing vacation

This hotel was amazing. Our family had a fantastic time. The entertainment was incredible, it kept everyone engaged. The rooms were spacious and clean. Lots for everyone to do The staff were very friendly. Only thing I would change is the food it wasn’t great but we didn’t starve. The Japanese restaurant was a must do

Family loved it!

Just came back this week from the resort. Had a wonderful experience. Two adults With a 3 and 6 year old. Not a single complaint from the kids or adults :) both beaches beautiful, we got creative with the food and everyone always had something to eat at the buffets. Desserts were delicious and a big hit with people. At the busiest of times we never stood in line for the eggs and stir fry and pasta more than 2 min. Pool was incredible, night entertainment great! Kids LOVED the mini disco, as well [... read more] as daytime kids club. Kids club staff were AMAZING and we left the kids there twice because kids asked us to! Kids above 4 are included, but had to pay for our younger kid which was totally worth it to get some adult time for us. Splash park was a hit, even the parents were in there playing with their kids. The resort is walkable, even to the far ‘big’ beach was 10 min or so. There are frequent carts Driving people around and we took those for fun cause my younger kid thought it was fun. Or a single bug bite all trip including mosquitos :) we never put on bug spray. Not sure there is anything I’d change about the experience, for what we paid we had a fabulous and truly memorable time. Thank you Iberostar!!!

The best so far very satisfied going back

This hotel had everything I needed.From the amazing staff.The cleanest resort or hotell ive ever been at they clean 24 7.Rooms were spotless.24 hr security.Great children's area pool and splash pad.Great sports area and gym;The electric carts that whisk you to all parts of the resort where perfect for my 86 year old mum.The food at resteraunts was excellent.food at buffet was good.They had us at an upper floor when we first arrived mum couldn't do the stairs. But they soon remedied that front d [... read more]esk staff great.there are two beach areas the first is shallow and sheltered perfect for elderly and small children.THe second beach has deeper areas and surf.great staff at beach.Just for info its a hike to second beach and the shuttles to second beach stop at 4.i will be going back to this resort next year for shure .best ive been too in cuba yet .Loved it.

VERY DISAPPOINTING

Terrible service, no quality Canadian food/alcohol, maid did a great job, room was quite nice, beach was terrible, grounds were badly kept, for a one year old resort, it looked 20 years old, horrible problem with bug bites, all 20 members of our group got badly bitten, a la carte food and service was good, buffet selection never changed and service was non-existent

New, Modern Hotel with Good Service, Good Food and Lively Entertainment

We travelled as a group of 7 – my husband and I, our 11yr old daughter, and 4 seniors. We’ve been to Cuba and the Costa Verde/Playa Pasquero area multiple times, but first time to Iberostar Selection Holguin. First off, I’d like to thank Eliana and Leandro for answering my countless questions, even prior to booking the trip! You both made the decision to book and the planning process for our group easy! Speaking of customer service, I’d been told that when the hotel opened, they on [... read more]ly hired experienced staff and it really shows. Everyone knows what they’re doing and a solid 95% have excellent English language skills. We also saw many familiar faces from previous trips to other hotels in the area! Check In: We arrived a bit late after some weather in Toronto caused a delay, but were greeted by all the entertainers and even “Starky” as we got off the bus. Check in itself went smoothly, even after needing to change one of our room assignments. Shuttles were ready and waiting, and we were in our room in no time. Upon arrival, our maid Yelenis came and introduced herself then gave us the extra towel for the new room (3 of us). Rooms: We stayed in room 25201 – just to the side of pool and kids area. A bit far from the main lobby and most restaurants, but not a bad walk if you cut through the pool. The room itself was fresh and modern. Careful in the shower – the floor tray is very shallow and it’s easy to flood the bathroom. TV stations are limited and seemed to change partway through the week. Just a heads up for parents - my daughter was watching Disney channel the first couple days while getting ready for bed…but then the next day (and then after) it had changed to a Spanish feed and we lost all but Showtime (had HBO earlier) and CNN for English channels. Around the Resort: This place is huge… all the buildings are very spread out so there is a lot of walking or calling the shuttle. Shuttles usually come quickly when called – we only had a couple times that they didn’t come within 5min. As others have mentioned, there are mosquitoes and other biting bugs – now, I’m not talking about swarms of them like you’re camping in the Muskoka wilderness, but the resort surrounded by natural brush and there are some naturalized areas in the middle of the resort as well so there are definitely going to be mosquitoes in the morning while it’s cool, and evening when the sun goes down. While we were there, they were mowing the overgrown lawn (was a good 1.5-2ft tall grass in some areas) so I would expect that will help, but I would recommend a dusting of bug spray before you head out at night for sure. By no means is this a ‘vacation spoiler’…just be aware, know that’ll you’ll be spending a lot of time outdoors, and simply come prepared. Restaurants: The main buffet was good as expected... as I’ve said before, we don't expect 5 star gourmet selections, we are realistic. There was a good variety of food every day along with the ‘usual’ items so you can always find something. Every meal there are fresh cooking station – omelets, pancakes, French toast for breakfast, then lunch and dinner had meats and seafood, pasta and pizza. I was also nice to see Yanet (formerly of Blau/Fiesta Americana Costa Verde) on the omelet station in the morning! One word of caution… the coffee at breakfast is STRONG! I usually love the Cuban coffee at breakfast, but it was far too strong for me this time. My husband liked it, but the rest of us had Americano or lattes instead for breakfast. 24hr Snack Bar – Small menu, but definitely hits the spot for lunch or midnight snack. “Chicken Delights” aka fried chicken strips were a fan favourite with our group. I also enjoyed the pizza. Japanese – Dinner and a show! The chefs are great with the crowd. I enjoyed the vegetable tempura and teppanyaki selection. While not as flavorful as other teppan restaurants I’ve been to, was quite good. Steakhouse – like many have said, they don’t actually have steak on the menu. I had the pork and my daughter had the veal, which looked pretty much like steak anyway! Both were really good. One of our group had the “XL Hamburger”…not sure what the regular sized one looked like, but this one definitely wasn’t XL.. was just like you’d get at the snack bar, so skip that one. Gourmet – I would say this one was my favourite. I had the sirloin here, and even though they cautioned that it ‘wasn’t the best cut of meat’ it was actually really good! They also had a chocolate mousse for dessert that I highly recommend if you’re a fan of sweets Café – First Cuban resort that actually had iced tea on the menu! You can also get blended iced coffees in a variety of flavours and lots of other specialty coffees you’d find at certain major fancy coffee chains. Room service – we had to try it! Was easy to order and they came quickly (within about 25min). Food was fresh and a decent temperature as well. The driver brought it right in to our room table for us – proper plates and cutlery too. Fun and Entertainment: The entertainment staff – there are so many of them and there’s almost always something going on. My daughter loves taking part in all the activities around the pool, so we always take this into consideration when looking at places to go. The magic carpet is hilarious to watch and the kids love it! Special thanks to: Sol and Katy every morning at stretching and aqua Zumba. Charly, Lianetsy, Felix, Franklyn, Nairobis, Leonardo…and SO many more for all their energy with dancing lessons and various activities, day and night. …and a big shout out to Andreas – thank you for spending so much time playing ping pong and pool in the evenings! Beach party on Saturday night was fun – the only downside is the foam came out near the end and a lot of the little ones who would have really liked it had gone to bed already. My suggestion would be to have a kids foam party during the day, or have it earlier in the evening. We missed the bulk of Cuban Day while off the resort that day, but Friday they made the paella again by the pool! Massage Therapists: Rahillio and Yamila are both great, caring and professional – thanks for all your help in taking care of our family and making the trip much more comfortable, especially for one of our family members who would otherwise be in pain due to travelling and all the walking at the resort! I recommend taking the ‘promotional sample massage’ – you won’t be disappointed! Pools: We stayed at the main pool. Very rarely did I see anyone at all in the activity pool. Water temperature was a bit cool, but quite comfortable once you’re in on a sunny day. We spent most of our time around the pool during the day. Check out Giovanni’s juggling at the bar! Beach: I thought I would love the small beach at the hotel since it’s so shallow, but unfortunately we were only there for about 10 min when my daughter had her back covered in sand fleas. If you’re planning on being in the water, you have nothing to worry about… but unless you douse your kids in the saltwater first, be prepared for bites as they play in the sand :( We mentioned this to one of the hotel staff and they said they knew it was a problem, especially in the morning. We had no major bug issues in the evening at the beach. On the other hand… while a bit far, if you take the shuttle over to Pasquero Beach, it’s fantastic. Beautiful clear water, no seaweed, no bugs and soft sand. Now that’s a beach! Overall we had a great family getaway and will be back!

Very nice family resort

It’s a brand new resort with young energetic people working. Lots of open space between living and activity buildings and golf carts are always available to take you there if you find walking challenging. There are two beaches; the closest to resort has shallow water also some people were bitten by sand flies. But the further beach is quite nice. Cafeteria and specialty restaurants quite good for Cuba. Entertainment staff always kept my granddaughter quite busy. Wish they had a Canadian TV sta [... read more]tion given that there were three Chinese stations and no tourist from China. I would like to take this opportunity to warn potential traveler when booking Air Transat package through Tripcentral.ca. On Tripcentral.ca website this package was advertised for one price per person. But on second page it was summed up for two people. After agreeing to purchase the package I noticed the price being higher per person then advertised. When I brought this to Tripcentral.ca attention they informed me that the price is at the point of sale and cannot be changed or canceled. Misleading advertisement remained on their website even after being informed.

It was ok

The room and the food were excellent spread out over too large area. It was a long walk across a bridge to the large beach minimal beach bar no beach barbecue there is no spa the employees were very pleasant and polite small beach had a nice bar Henry was very good and lots of joking around

Very classy

Top knotch facility located on many lush acres Lots of ambience Exceptionall well maintained Staff well trained, very courteous and work tirelessly to please Relaxing and accomodates all age groups

Nice resort

The grounds are big but easy to get around with a little leisure walking and golf carts are readily accessible anytime! The food was good! No complaints and that’s with having a restricted diet. A la cartes were very good! The rooms are great as well! Staff were very friendly from front desk to maid. It’s Cuba not Canada (spoiled?) Only thing that really needs attention is the No See Ums! Very bad for some people!

Nice Resort Bad Food Poor Watersports

The report itself was quite nice with good rooms and accommodations. Amenities are quite spread out and a bit of a hike to everything. Folks that don't like to walk will always be looking for a cart for a ride. The close beach is OK with the water being a little on the murky side. The hotel staff seems more interested in getting tips to move chairs out to the beach when you arrive then having them set up and making the beach inviting. The chairs are stacked up away from the actual sitting [... read more] area so guests have to wait for the chairs to be moved down as they were not easily accessible. Very few people where at this beach due to the fact that it did not look open. The second beach is quite a distance to get to. While you could grab a golf cart to get you down there, I personally do not want to rely on someone else to get me to the beach. This beach was very nice. Same deal with the chairs though, beach staff would not allow you to grab a chair to set up for yourself and as soon as someone left the chairs would be stacked up again. The sail boats and sailboards where only available on 2 out of the seven days we were there. Staff said it was due to the prevailing conditions, but where pretty much the same the entire 7 days we were there. They would also not allow guests to take out the boats on their own. This was a 1st for me as in the past I have always been able to captain my own vessel...even at other resorts with trickier launching conditions. While I have been told that you don't go to Cuba for the food, I was quite disappointed with the food. The fruit was not very tasty and the meat was over all tough. People where definitely right on this one.

Nice hotel

Having never been to Cuba before I would say that the resort itself was very nice. The rooms were great and the staff was really amazing. They did their best with what they were given ie. supplies, food etc. What was not great were the Noseeums. They were horrible. The food was ok but need more fruits and vegetables. The shows (entertainment) wasn’t great except the aqua show.

Good Resort

The hotel was very clean, the rooms are nicely decorated and beds are comfortable. The food was ok but the buffet had a variety of foods but similar variety every night. The food was not hot. The a la carts were good especially the Japanese and the Mediterranean.

Ok resort

Land much too big for the buildings that are there Food is typical Cuban Beach is much too far to get to Rooms are good Pool water is way too cold Service was friendly but slow Lobby bar service extremely slow Lots of areas make me wonder if this resort is a makeover from a previous one

Group of 28 had a Great time in Holguin.

Hotel was very clean, staff was excellent in every way. Hotel is just 1 year old so is in top notch condition!! Everything is in a walkable distance, and the entertainment gang are Fabulous..!!! Beer is cold and food is hot what more could you want.... Try this place out you won't be sorry you did. A Great place to spend your holiday.

Great people with an excellent Service

What an amazing hotel !To be honest , I wasn’t expecting anything like it , due to many things I have heard about Cuba . I really enjoyed my stay at Hotel , I would highly recommend it . The weather wasn’t good for a couple of days , however the activities and night shows were outstanding .

Good new resort

We liked the location of the hotel, on a cape, surrounded on several sides by the ocean. Large comfortable rooms, beautiful design, quality plumbing, comfortable mattresses and pillows. Clean resort, good service. The quality of food as is usual in Cuba, not higher than by 3.5-3.8. Entertainment is bad, it is better to go with your company so as not to be bored in the evenings.

Iberostar Holguin

Pros: -Very nice new hotel (1 year old) -Comfortable rooms and beds -Excellent service (hotel was half full) -Very friendly staff -Private beach area with shallow water for kids, well maintained -Excellent Animation staff -Beautiful area/scenery Cons: -Large property for only 600+ rooms -VERY poor selection/variety/quality of food at buffet (even for Cuba standards) may be because hotel had only 300-400 guests during our stay. Same 3 cooking stations with same selection for every m [... read more]eal! -Landscaping still very sparse (new hotel) Will be much better in a few years.