Melia Cayo Santa Maria: Our favourite resort for "down time" and sunshine.

We have now been to this resort three times. This time we returned in numbers. Six adults and two children over a two week period. The staff are genuinely lovely and very kind people. They aim to please you with their service. Most staff will go well beyond expectations. That's if you are kind and respectful to them as well. The embargo affects some things, but we are not bothered by substitutions. Generally very clean. Beautifully landscaped, amazing beach. There is a small biting midge (nosee [... read more]um) around. (They like some people more than others)

Club Amigo Atlantico Guardalavaca: Beautiful beaches

Our trip was fantastic. We did the Jeep and Dolphin excursion and was awesome. The Cubans are wonderful as always. Not sure if it was the timing of our vacation but not much was opened and that wasn't great. Met some wonderful new friends. Went to a Cubans house for New year's and it was a great experience. No bell boys on duty when we we leaving and that made it difficult to get our luggage from the Villa to the front lobby in complete darkness and I wasn't impressed with that. Especially  [... read more]at 5:30am.

Resonance Blu Varadero: Beautiful Resort

This resort is huge. The grounds are beautiful & the beach & pool are amazing. Staff very friendly for the most part. Front desk staff could work on being a little more friendly & smile more. Food in buffet was just okay. Melisa, Alianet & Arlenys, thanks for the amazing lobby service & warm smiles. You made our vacation so nice. Our room was nice & our room maid was amazing. Thank you Josemary.

Grand Muthu Cayo Guillermo: Nice resort with poor service and food

The hotel and the pools with the beach are fantastic. The bars and bartenders are great but the food was very poor in diversity at the buffet, difficult to get your 3 meals à la carte as availability is limited and the service ( coffee, water, soft drinks...) was lacking. We were there from January 3-10 and we had only 3 days of good weather. Not many activities or things to do in Cayo Coco.

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Santa Maria: Wonderful resort!

We stayed at the Sanctuary for a week on Jan 3rd and would book again. Grounds were well maintained. The beach was awesome and we could walk for miles. Couldn't ask more of the staff, they were outstanding from the maids to restaurant staff to butler! Food was okay; we've had worse.

Melia Marina Varadero: Melia Marina Varadero

Terrible service and terrible room Every single day had a problem with toilet and ugly customer service. It was 1 star hotel not 4. Waste my money and time. Impolite waitress. Dirty and noisy elevators.dirty kitchen and many negative things.

Dhawa Cayo Santa Maria: Had a lovely time

The grounds were great. Have never seen such beautiful foliage.So much care was taken every day with the gardens. One gardener took the time to give us a tour of his herb garden. He was so proud of his work and rightfully so. It just made our day.The public areas were clean. The rooms were clean. The food was fine. Some days our choices were limited but one would never ever go hungry. I don't have anything negative to say about the staff; all very pleasant and helpful. One lady in our group left [... read more] her sun hat on a beach chair. The following day we were back on the beach when a member of the staff that had served us the previous day came up to us and gave the lady her hat. He had remembered her and had put it aside for her. Talk about service. We were quite impressed. My one negative comment was not a word of english was spoken on our trip from the airport to the hotel and back to the airport from our hotel.

Paradisus Los Cayos: Unfortunate Experience

Note: This is the first time I've ever thought I had to warn people, and write a review. So think what you will - - I've myself read way too many 5-star reviews which had no substance...making this place seem amazing. Review posted originally on tripadvisor. Looking back on the trip it dawns on me that I must've mistakenly purchased a trip to a 3-star hostel, but sadly that would have been a better experience. Arriving during evening hours, we were greeted with a lobby that smelled of sewag [... read more]e, and cranky front desk workers. I tried to request a room with two beds but was told to be quite while they went on about random tasks. Eventually we were handed a ripped up paper with a room number and two cards, and told to be on our way. With no bellboy available we had to drag all our stuff to the third floor, only to find out that the room had a single bed. Repeat. This time a floor higher the room had two beds. Perfect....until morning when we were woken up by the most disgusting sewage smell coming from the shower. (The employee we got to check it out, almost threw up upon entering our room...so ain't lying here) After wasting more time to move rooms, we got a good one this time. It smelled of a sports bar, with a piss stained toilet cover, a clogged shower, broken mosquito net, and three lights that did not have a switch to turn them off (maintenance came in and had to rewire things...) This took a while since every time you need serious help, no one seems to know English. I had one guy pretend not to speak English, then few days later approach us while doing customer care survey...spoke decent English. Now is a good time to mention that while this is a very new hotel, the materials used in its construction were very subpar, and everything is slowly falling apart. Anyway let's continue. After finally getting settled in, we dropped by the snack bar restaurant for some breakfast. After ordering two omelets, we watched for an hour as the staff served a cuban family of four plate after plate of food. We never did get ours. This was our first day and a half. Here is a light summary of the rest: - Dirty plates and glasses everywhere. Was served rum with sharp plastic pieces floating inside. Parents have fun with this. - Generally food was ok - but much of it was either undercooked or burned to a crisp. - Bars were either tended by skilled bartenders, or random people who got in through connections. It was a weird lottery tbh. You can either get a really nice drink, or a gin and tonic that's just sprite and ice. The rum selection was nice but consisted of 99% Havana Club variants. - Beach was very nice as usual of Cuba...but not the best in the surrounding area. A few min walk can get you to a nicer place -- especially during stormy weather. I could keep going, but I think I've covered enough. Oh wait, the day before leaving -- our room got robbed. Nothing large to delay our departure, a pair of pants etc...(easy to get away with) Triple lock your stuff up, you never know. If you do end up going here the beach bar has the best chef, so enjoy that. =)

Hotel Roc Casa del Mar: great staff and nice hotel

this hotel is big and nice, the staff is great the pools are nice and clean. There is some problems with the hotel cleaning staff need to learn how to clean the rooms properly, not enough chairs anywhere in the resort at the beach loads of pagottas but no chairs to sit in, not enough chairs at the beach. We went for New Years spent a lot of money which I can say was not really worth it. The hotel new how many people were there for that time and only gave out about 100 hats and stuff for new  [... read more]years and not enough seating for the bands. It would be a great resort if they upgrade the things wrong. Half the time no beach towels or towels in room/

Memories Flamenco Beach Resort: Never again

Memories was so much different then 5 years ago. The staff was rude and we had upgraded to Diamond club and paid the extra $ Our bed sheets smelled like mould. We Couldn’t even book à la cart for the first few days the diamond club restaurant was awful. The diamond club beach Loungers were broken. They ran out of food they ran out of ketchup, they ran out of french fries they ran out of hotdogs. The only good thing I can say about this hotel was where it was situated on the ocean. It was ve [... read more]ry disappointing my daughter had to sleep with a T-shirt over her pillow so she didn’t smell that dank smell. Everyone we spoke to was very disappointed with the hotel staff and the hotel amenities and the overall hotel Atmosphere. It’s unfortunate that the stop was overworked and they all seemed like the head of their life. Nobody was helpful and no one made us feel like our well earned money was put to good use

Grand Memories Santa Maria: Good memories

The resort was a good experience! The entertainment and the accessibility of the cays help make up for any thing that may seem off! Enjoy the beach and make sure to befriend plenty of staff. Don’t go for the food or you’ll find yourself eating mashed potatoes and bread for 7 days. Tip 1: walk on the beach not on the sidewalks-take the bus! Tip 2: mosquitoes aren’t the only thing biting so remember to bring deet spray and after-bite! All in all, we had a good time!

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Incredible natural beauty and beaches

Ensenachos is a great family resort with mind-blowing beaches and gorgeously lush landscaping. You feel really immersed in nature here.The staff are wonderful and the rooms are spacious with great beds. The food is good (being mindful that this is Cuba and they don't always have access to everything we have). We've been here twice and no-one in our party has ever been sick. You ome here for the beaches, safety, nature and reasonable prices.

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Santa Maria: Great value for money

The value for money of this resort is the shining star. We enjoyed our week away, relaxing on the beautiful beach and moving to the pool most afternoons. We visited from January 3-10 and while a small storm brought four windy days, it was still warm and enjoyable. Beach: The beach is stunning, powdery sand with luscious teal water and a long sand bar. We would reserve our chairs about 7 am with no issue but I would recommend doing so for shade and comfort. The bugs seemed to affect everyone di [... read more]fferently but it was very manageable by 1) using bug spray, 2) leaving the beach by 4-5 pm, 3) treating with after-bite or after-sun to soothe the itch, and 4) taking an anti-histamine to reduce swelling and itching if needed. Pool: clean, lots of chairs, solid amounts of variable shade. Swim up bar. Room: our room was clean, no issues with water pressure, air conditioning, or balcony, plus a great view from the 3rd floor of building 60. While I had no doubt in the cleanliness of the sheets and towels, they weren’t “bright white” clean. It was frequent to see stains despite fresh sheets and there was marks on the walls. It’s definitely no Mexico 4 star but it’s Cuba and I’m sure these are some of the best accommodations. Location: I wouldn’t visit Santa Maria again due to it’s distance from “real Cuba”. Employees live 45 minutes away on the main land and there’s no town closer. There is a mall next to the resort good for gifts, trinkets, and off-the-resort restaurants. Excursions: we attended the Rum, Sugar, & Cigar tour and do not recommend. It was expensive for essentially a visit to an old sugar factory facility and a demonstration on rolling cigars. This is not a drinking tour. Snorkelling: Due to the windy weather, we weren’t able to go, but apparently the snorkelling just 1 km away is fantastic. The boat hut on the beach offered to take us for 10 CUC a person for 45-60 minutes of snorkelling time but on a less windy day they said it would be better. I would recommend that if you have the gear. Food: For breakfast, the buffet was great with a lot of options and good service. For lunch, we tried the buffet but didn’t love it, so we mainly enjoyed the grills at the beach or pool. Option of chicken, fish, burgers, or hot dogs usually. All great options. Our week wasn’t super busy, so sometimes only one of two would be open, though they are only a one minute walk apart. For dinner, we tried the Grand Memories buffet. Typical buffet food, nothing more. There was a pasta, fried rice, and meat cooked to order stations. Didn’t try these as we went to the a la cartes the rest of our evenings. The a la carte in Sanctuary changes menu every night. Food was ok. It’s Cuba. Biggest issue was warmth of food, a lot of our meals would have been so much better if they were delivered hotter than lukewarm. Snack bar in Sanctuary is open 24/7 though you have to ask if you want anything more than pizza. Drinks: the pool and beach bars were great, the lobby bar frequently over poured. There was a drink menu but expect that one ingredient they won’t have that day. Try again the next day. Transfer: was about 1.5-2 hours depending on stop points (ours had to stop to use washroom), beer on board 2 for $5, enjoyable scenery and guide. Other details: on the west side of the lobby is a small building which emits a sewage stench. Avoid using the lobby bathroom in the northwest corner and you can avoid this stench almost entirely. Some dogs and cats can be found wandering the facility as is typical for these islands. All seemed friendly though. The adult only aspect was sometimes not enforced. I once saw a butler refuse a small child and parent entrance to the pool area because they inquired, but frequently saw children and parents taking a walkthrough the resort or beach area without consequence. Better signage would help with this. In summary, this was a very nice getaway. It’s not 5 stars but it is clean and comfortable. The price was unbeatable. The beach alone was worth the plane trip.

Grand Memories Santa Maria: Ok trip

We arrived New Year's Eve just before midnight. Check-in was decent. Dropped our bags and headed to the theatre for the countdown festivities. It was a great start. The villa we were staying in seemed abandoned with only a few rooms to rent. The first and second level were not lit up and it seemed a bit sketchy and dark in the stairwell. We asked to be changed to a different villa to feel safer with our kids. The second room seemed very run down with AC not working. The Manager Ricardo was quick [... read more] to upgrade to a suite, which we were pleased. We had a villa between pool and beach and it was very convenient. Food was boring and lacking flavor. I survived on omelets and hash browns and bananas. Staff is quite friendly. Biggest problem was lack of beach chairs at beach and pool. It seemed it was deliberate so as to upgrade to diamond club for beach chairs. Great weather hotel needs much TLC.

Valentin Perla Blanca: Excellent time

We stayed at the Valentin from Dec 15 -25. This was my 5th stay and the 3rd for my brother. This resort again did not disappoint! The grounds are immaculately kept and flowers were in full bloom. Our rooms were cleaned to perfection each day and were done by 2pm. Alyis and Yorlado in the Privilege Club took care of any questions or concerns that we had. They were amazing we thank you! We were notified days before our departure that there would be construction going on and that 1/2 the resor [... read more]t would be closed and the evening shows would be held in the lobby. Aside from the acoustics being poor for the music in the lobby and it being on the loud side it was fine and you never heard any construction at all. The Christmas Eve show with a full orchestra was absolutely amazing and so well done! Bravo! Parts of the resort is starting to show a little age but they are maintaining and fixing bit by bit. Now for the food, as you all know with the embargo things are hard to get in Cuba. If you think your going to get a huge variety of food each and every day, each and evey meal at any resort then your kidding yourself. I do not eat any red meats at all and have many food restrictions and I never went away hungry. There is a lack of salads and some fresh vegetables on certain days. They make do with what they have and most certainly have very talented chefs. In your specialized restaurants if they did not have one of the dishes on the menu that particular night the gave you a choice of a differsnt dish. I suggest you take advantage of the restaurants these meals were awesome and beautifully done. The lobster/beef dinner for the privilege club was delicious as usual and the get together for repeat customers was very enjoyable again hats off to the chef!!

Melia Jardines del Rey: Lovely Resort

I thought the hotel itself, rooms, entertainment and bar service were very good. The ground keeping was very well maintained and the beach was stellar! My only complaint was the food service. Because this hotel is so large and caters to so many people, we found the breakfast and dinner buffet service very, very, very chaotic and busy. At times you could not get a plate or a bowl for ice cream or a glass for the fruit smoothies. It was a long wait to get though the special food lines like made [... read more] to order chicken or fish even the french toast very very slow. The food also was very repetitive and we ate the same things for 10 days. The exception to this was on New Years eve. Because tables were pre-booked it worked well and the spread was a 10/10 including lobster and shrimp. They did a fab job here. This all being said we would return to this Melia resort as we felt comfortable there.

Club Kawama: This was not the resort for us

My wife went to Club Kawama Dec 23, 2019. for one week. The hotel inflated there price for the xmas holidays as do the rest of the resorts. The room they gave us on arrival was at the furthest point away from the lobby. The room was completely stripped . There was no bed spreads. no lamp shades. no remote for the TV, no remote fore the AC unit, no shower curtain, the window locks were broken, no phone, and there was no hot water. The general condition of the room was poor. this room was uninhabi [... read more]table. We went to the front desk to ask for another room and were told to come back at 11:00 am the next day. The next day we went to the Hola tour rep. (josa), and explained the condition of the room. Josa went to the resort manager and arranged another room. The room they took us to was closer to the lobby and in better condition, but there was no phone and no water at all. So, Back to the manager again. Finally they put us in a room that had the essentials in it but still no phone. apparently there are no phones in any of the rooms at this hotel. The next problem was getting fresh towels. we only got fresh towels every two days. The food was good if they didn't run out. The buffet restaurant was to small for the amount of guests they have. They purchased the resorts on ether side of them and closed those buffet restaurants. You had to line up just to get in the buffet, they would let so many guest in, then close and lock the door until more room came available. There was only one cook station and lineups were long. they ran out of food constantly. there was no butter at all, they just didn't have it. The Italian restaurant had no pasta at all. We have been to Cube 11 times and it is to be expected that things are not always perfect, and we are not overly fussy but this place is bad.

Melia Cayo Coco: Terrific vacation over Christmas

Family vacation with our 21 yr old son and 19 yr old daughter. The resort was perfect! The resort is on the quiet side and was perfect for relaxing. On the flip side, the kids always had something to do and had fun in the evenings at the billiards bar and disco. Loved that the resort was only 20 minutes from the airport. Highlights: Live music at the pool for an hour at 9:00am and 5:00pm every day, champagne and oj in the lobby every morning, foam pool party one afternoon, evening entert [... read more]ainment in the lobby, and Christmas Eve champagne toast in the lobby, and dinner. Overall: The beach is spectacular and the staff is amazing - some of the nicest, friendliest people I've come across. The food was really good and there was a lot of variety. The a la cart restaurants were good too. On our last night we ate at the Mediterranean restaurant and for a small upcharge I ordered the lobster and it was well worth it. The Mediterranean restaurant was our favorite. We stayed in the older part of the resort and our bathroom was really dated. We only had warm, not hot, water most mornings (maybe the resort was at capacity?). That said, we always had hot water in late afternoon when we were getting ready to go out for the evening. Beds were comfortable. The location of our building was terrific! Right in between the beach and the pool and close to everything, so it was perfect for us. I would prefer to stay there again based on the location alone. There were a lot of activities to do throughout the day, but for the most part we just chilled at the beach or the pool. It was the perfect vacation for our family and we would go back there again.

Memories Paraiso: Overall great experience

Clean pool well kept, lacking balls to play with and chairs at times, clean beach, lacking lawn chairs at times, room cleaned daily. Everything you could possibly want for a cheap sunny vaction. Bar service ran on Cuban time at times. Friendly staff. 24 hr pizza :) wooohooooo

Playa Caleta: Stay away

This hotel has undergone management changes and it’s gone completely downhill. Food and drinks are awful. No cocktails, only mixed drinks. Bars often ran out of beer. Public toilets have no toilet paper ever. One pool was green when we arrived. The other pool was ok. Grounds were clean. Found some employees rude, others were nice. Hotel was 90% rowdy Russian tourists. Seems to be the norm for this hotel. I would never go back, no matter the price. You get what you pay for.