Playa Pesquero: Overall--Very nice resort

All in all this is a very nice resort with really nice staff, good food, etc. The only setbacks were: 1-No concept of having customers form a line or "queue" at check in. Frustrating when people arrive in busloads, tired, hungry, don't speak fluent Spanish, etc., etc. only to have others seem to think they can walk right up to the counter for immediate service. What can I say....most humans are ignorant of civilized etiquette and efficiency/orderliness is NOT a strong suit for many, partic [... read more]ularly outside of NA, including PP. 2-Your "reservation required dining" privilege requires some fairly strong discussion about what "all inclusive" means. It means....I paid for this in advance, now is not the time to tell me that your nicer restaurants (not buffet) are "full". On further pressing I received the reservations included with the booking. OF NOTE: NONE, ABSOLUTELY NONE, OF THE "RESERVATION REQUIRED" RESTAURANTS WERE EVEN CLOSE TO "FULL".....HALF FULL AT BEST THROUGHOUT THE EVENING, EVERY EVENING, EVERY DAY. This was consistent for the entire duration of our stay (12/25/19-12/30/19). I speculate that this is a "cost savings measure" as the cost to provide table service vs buffet is quite a bit more......However, that is what I paid for in advance and will never accept any excuse for not receiving what was paid for without reimbursement. 3-Room temp was just barely comfortable. Didn't even dawn on me that the AC wasn't working properly but that may have been the cause. However, these are relatively small issues. The resort, including the food, was very nice--especially by Caribbean standards. Would go again.

Hotel Roc Casa del Mar: Absolutely no hesitation going back

For those of you that have been to Cuba, the constant complaints are food. This is not the case with this hotel. Now I should point out that we stayed one week at the hotel from December 26 – January 2. We had two rooms and people per room. Being that this was peak, there where lines for the egg station, pancake station and waffle station. At lunch and diner, we also had lines. But why the rush? You are on vacation. In addition, for lunch you could also eat at the beach. One beach bar  [... read more]offered Paella with whole BBQ fish, the other offered Chicken, pork and fried fish. Both where excellent. The staff was great. They really worked hard to keep you happy. The rooms where clean. The location is private; no vendors on the beach. The entertainment was fantastic. They could improve on the number of beach and pool chairs but isn’t that the case with every hotel you have visited. Being we where at peak season, we expected that chairs would be limited. The beds could be softer. Finally to put it this review in context, I fly over 100,000 miles/year. Overall, we where very impressed.

Iberostar Origin Playa Alameda: Great for kitesurfing

Great location on Varadero peninsula for kitesurfing. Not too many other kiters. Room was ok but sliding door didn't lock on our room and next room. We kept valuables in safe and didn't worry about it.

Gran Muthu Imperial: Great place for a vacation

This resort located in Cayo Guillermo. Took 45min for bus ride from airport. Just minor things needs to improve. Bed sheets were dirty and smelly. Some people met in the resort had the same problem. Shower room was okay but had water leaking problem. I needed to wipe the bathroom floor after shower because water was all over the bathroom and almost reaching to the bed. Insufficient amount of towels so did not change the beach towels for three days. But other things were good. Staffs were all ni [... read more]ce and friendly. Food was not bad and special menu for new year's eve. Fun games and performance.

Hotel Bella Costa: Great service, clean room with exceptional staff, good food and plenty of it.

Although the hotel is in need of some TLC you can see there is some work going on to improve things overall. However, my friend and I had a great stay at the hotel and enjoyed every minute of our stay there. I would stay there again in a heartbeat and already planning a return visit at the end of this year. Thank you.

Iberostar Origin Daiquiri: A delightful week away with my girls :-)

This was our first trip to Cuba, so we kept open minds. Truthfully, I was on a tight budget, so it was my only choice for a Caribbean get-away with my three girls (ages 20, 18 and 16), and I am so glad we went :-) The white sand powdery beach was GORGEOUS!!! The staff at the resort were so helpful and friendly, especially the Dining and Entertainment staff!! All we heard about food in Cuba was not true: everything was fresh and delicious, especially if you are willing to try some of t [... read more]he more local offerings (papaya, guava, fish). There was always fresh bread, cheese (the best Emmenthal I've ever had!!!), eggs, bananas, chicken, rice and beans, salads, etc. We celebrated New Year's here and the staff outdid themselves - what a fun night!! The champagne was flowing, the dinner was great (booked time slot at the buffet) and the party was a blast! The resort itself was very clean and safe. The staff were accommodating when I asked for our rooms to be changed because of water and safety issues (no hot water in one room, musty smell in both rooms, lock on one door not working). The common areas of the resort and the pool are great (always clean!), but the rooms are a little tired and in need of some upgrades. The toilet in one room needed to be fixed three times during our stay, but it was looked after same day, so clearly making guests comfortable is a priority. Water pressure between 4:00 and 6:00 pm was poor (clearly EVERYONE showering!!), so we waited until after 6:30 to shower most nights.I could nitpick about the repairs needed on the resort grounds (like the tennis courts, some of the paths to and from the beach), but in the end none of it took away from the great time we had. One issue that has nothing to do with the resort but worth bearing in mind when you travel to Cuba: the WiFi is spotty at best, couldn't get more than 15 minutes of access a day. If you have "roam like home" or equivalent and need to stay in touch with folks back home, that is the better option. A heart felt thank you to the staff at Iberostar Daquiri for making a girls' get-away for this "Mama" a bucket-list item I can tick off with the fondest of memories!!!

Iberostar Origin Bella Vista Varadero: Very nice resort

Rooms were very spacious , comfortable bed. Towels needed to be renewed and /or washed better. Food was good . In general very nice hotel enjoyed staying there. Will recommend it . Needs a little more activities at the beach. New Years dinner was very good and animation also.

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Varadero: GREAT RESORT!

My wife and I stayed following Boxing Day for 1 week. This Adult only resort is attached to a family resort that was very busy. The Sanctuary was not as busy and was very quiet and relaxing. Big pool and area with an outside bar, restaurant and inside luxury bar. All these were very good and not crowded. The adult only resort restaurant is a sit down and not buffet style for all three meals each day. The inside bar is open 24 hrs and has live music each evening. Our room was clean, a goo [... read more]d size Jr suite with a tub and separate shower. A small patio to sit on is also a plus. Our room was quiet and we were looked after by excellent housekeeping and a butler! Keep in mind that all guests at the Adult Only resort may also use the main buffet and all restaurants and pools of the family resort as well. One plus of the Sanctuary is the 30% discount at any of the extras such as massage and pedicure. Finally, Sanctuary guests have their own (quicker) check-in counter that avoids the long line ups at the family resort check-in.

Club Amigo Mayanabo: Mediocre at best

So, going into a 3 star resort in Cuba, there are obvious things that are to be expected. Surprisingly enough however, the food was quite great. I’d avoid the breakfast honestly, but both the buffets and restaurants had some great stuff. Thing is, there are a bunch of factors that negatively impacted my stay. Keep in mind too that the bus ride is a minimum of 3 hours long and it’s real bumpy. Now, the “non-suite” rooms were gross with bugs in the floating ceilings (and the AC leak [... read more]s water allll over the place), we had to pay for water and safety deposit boxes, the service was poor with a constant bad vibe from aloof employees, there was a lack of amenities and overcrowding at certain spots (huge line ups at the reception, bars and buffet). Also, the on-site store hours differ so much to what’s listed: it happened on more than one occasion that I’d go to purchase something during their opening hours but there’d be no employees for hours (they also don’t sell matches or lighters of any kind so come prepared fyi)...And, the entertainment is quite awful. Don’t expect big shows like at the 4 or 5 star resorts. They don’t follow the listed schedule, the music is extremely loud (and I go to raves, mind you), and they take foooorever to set up the band! They have these chairs lined up in front of a stage but if the weather happened to get a bit sketchy, the show would abruptly end and you’d be left with no evening entertainment. The pool also doesn’t have any chlorine and the water looked murky and gross. What’s also important to mention is the disgusting cappuccinos the Snack-Bar make! They use an espresso machine to brew and froth milk, but they’re rarely cleaned which result in huge nasty milk curds in the coffees......Lastly, there are clubs nearby that play music till like 3am and can be heard from the rooms... Basically, if you’re paying under 900$ for a trip here, I guess it’s worth it for the beach but don’t get ripped off.

Muthu Playa Varadero: Great, Good and the Not So Good

Great - Staff! They were all fabulous. Everyone that we met (besides the front desk) was so funny and made us feel welcome. The beach was excellent Good - Location was good. Away from downtown and the resort felt secure The not so good - The food. Sorry guys but it was horrible. Everything including the alcohol tasted like it was watered down. *If you are going to Cuba don't expect good food from this area. We talked to others from the "better" hotels and they said the same thing, food was b [... read more]ad* I will only recommend this hotel based on staff

Muthu Playa Varadero: Room, 2302/ 1207

The resort and food was amazing especially the New Years Eve party the Managment and staff had worked so hard for accomadating everyone. The sand was wonderful and clean. So much too enjoy!! The only thing was we had to change rooms 2x, and when you get into the resort at 3:30 a.m. you want too have a good rest! Not here. The mattress was more then WORREN OUT. Springs were coming threw. Moved too another room the next day @ 1:00 p.m. and it was not ANY BETTER.. THE NEW MANGER OF THIS RESORT REA [... read more]LLY NEEDS TOO LISTEN TO THE COMPLAINTS of the guests and not have a DEAF EAR. This is not a 3* nor a 4* with its room service. very out dated. Plus the REPS, selling the resort packages really need too know the resort themselves as well!! I put my complaint about my personal hygiene that was stolen by the house cleaner and the MANAGER nor HOUSE KEEPING MANAGER DID anything for me!! Yet I gave away 5 bags of baby cloths from size 3 months to 24 months and 11 pair of good shoes for little children. We had a 7 day all inclusive and within those 7 days no one said anything to me. Pretty sad! Keep your personal belongings LOCKED UP at this resort. Plus 7 pair of new safety glasses were given too the grounds men. Too many complaints you heard about the beds and people moving out of building 1. Hope this helps the rep selling our package as well. You have too see it yo BELIEVE IT!! REGARDS DEB

Valentin Cayo Cruz: Valentin Cayo Cruz - New And Beautiful

I can’t say enough about how much I love this place. The staff is so friendly - special shout outs to Manuel on the beach - what a lovely young man and the staff at the lobby bar.New Year’s Eve celebration was incredible - lobster, big new year’grab bags to help ring in 2020, disco, live entertainment. Food is above Cuban standards for taste although lacks variety day to day. The a la cartes are nice. Architecture is beautifully stylish. The beach is perfect - warm water, very few sand fle [... read more]as, great beach bar and make sure you do the 12km walk to the point - good workout and beautiful! If you’re single and want a divine relaxing time - this is the place. Thank you Valentin Cayo Cruz for helping me start 2020 in such a wonderful way!

Club Kawama: Amazing Vacation!

I am going to leave an honest review as I read many conflicting reviews before I stayed at the resort. First thing the food is not that bad. I have been to Cuba in the past (5 star) and the food was better here. Yes you might have to look around the buffet a bit, but I did not starve. The specialty restaurants were great, especially the Italian. The grounds are beautiful. When booking you have to remember you are staying at the oldest resort in Varadero. They are fixing up the resort buil [... read more]ding by building. I didn't realize the size of the resort until I arrived, it is approximately 5 blocks long, so this is going to take some time to complete. You can see the work that has already gone into the restoration and that is still going in. I did read a comment regarding pillows, we did take our own, but during the week our pillows were replaced with new ones, that were just like the ones we brought from home. Overall the grounds and building are absolutely beautiful and full of character. Once the restoration is complete this will be an absolute favorite of mine. Another comment I had seen was regarding staff. The bartenders, bell boys, security staff and the maintenance staff were great. Very friendly and willing to help with anything or just have a chat. The restaurant staff were my favorite. The only complaint I really have is the front desk staff. They were rude and made you feel like you were an inconvenience to them. I only had one good experience with the front desk staff with Vivian. Overall I would return to the hotel, we had an amazing vacation!

Blau Varadero: Excellent experience!!

What a great relief that Cuba can be so awesome. We travelled Dec 27-Jan 4 and it was fantastic. The food at the buffets was fresh and plentiful. Chef grilled meats and fish everyday at lunch and dinner buffets, great veggie dishes and sides and excellent juice bar and fruit stand. We never waited for chairs either at the pool or the beach and the staff at the bars were great and friendly. Great nightly shows and fun poolside activities. We would certainly recommend the Blau and thank everybody  [... read more]for the great New Year's Party.

Melia Costa Rey: Another great week!

This is the second year in a row that we’ve visited the Pullman over New Year’s. We had such a good time last year, we had to do it again. The best things about the resort are the staff, the beach, and the fact that they really know how to throw a New Year’s party. The buffet is pretty decent, and the a la carte restaurants are very good, especially the French and Italian restaurants. The airport is very close, which means you don’t spend an inordinate amount of time commuting to and fro [... read more]m at each end of your stay. The rooms are nice enough, nothing fancy, but comfortable. The one negative is the wifi, if that matters. It is expensive, slow, and unreliable. That said, we’d go back again!

Muthu Playa Varadero: Friendly and clean

Love it there, clean, safe, and food is good. Love the ocean it's the most beautiful water. Always something going on thur out the day . A live show every night . Lots to do Lunch bar by the ocean is a great lunch spot!

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Needs a bit of work

This place was suppose to be a great place. Both my parents and friends have been to this hotel a while back (6 years) to be exact. A lot has changed since then, cockroaches were seen in the Cuban restaurant alacart, the coffee bar and even in the hallways of the hotel. The food was average and most of the time the food was better at lunch over dinners. With the multiple pools it gave you options to go to different areas of the resort (quiet or party) scenes. The one think that I will rave about [... read more] is the beach, it was beautiful and very clean. What the resort needs to change it can be done and I know they have the people in place to make the changes. The staff was excellent our maid (Suia) was one of the best we ever had. The customer service (Kennzie) helped us out in every ask. Last but not least our pizza amigo who we had a good laugh everytime we seen each other. What you have to remember is that it is Cuba and not Aruba or Antigua. All in all it was an average trip nothing to write home about. Jon

Hotel Playa Coco: Excellent Value Continues

This was my 8th visit to Hotel Playa Coco, the 7th consecutive year going for two or three weeks in December. This duration was 14 days, at a very reasonable cost of $1207. The excursion was arranged through Trip Central, with Hola Sun as the tour operator. Both were excellent, as was the airline, Air Transat: on time, and a pleasant, comfortable flight, both ways. The room was spacious and clean, with ample water pressure and warm water. A new bottle of water was provided daily, and the maid [... read more], Irma, did an excellent job. The AC worked well, when needed. A digital safe was provided, free of charge. The 110 volt outlet in the bathroom worked fine. There was an excellent quality mattress. The grounds were kept in good shape, and both pools seemed clean. Too much noise [overly loud music] around the large pool, but the small pool was quiet, with a well-equipped pool bar, operated mainly by the congenial Tammy. The beach, per usual, was lovely: beautiful white sand, and aqua water. Ample shades and chairs were available. It was too noisy around the beach bar, but quiet enough, if you moved further east along the beach front. An attendant was available to help with beach chairs. The buffet was quite good, generally speaking. The new food manager, Yailen Cancanon Arvelo, did a superb job overseeing breakfast and lunch. For breakfast, there was always plenty of yogurt [strawberry or natural], fresh fruit [papaya, melon, orange slices, watermelon, guava] and a lovely selection of cheeses [imported from Europe]. On 4 or 5 occasions, there was delicious whole wheat bread, and the white bread was quite good. The butter is excellent. Of course, one can order fried eggs or omelettes, at the cooking station. Freshly grilled meats and fish were available at lunch and supper. At breakfast and lunch, servers Kirenia and Mercedes provided excellent service. I'm sure that the other servers were equally as pleasant and helpful. There is a pizza restaurant by the beach, behind which is a 24 hour snack bar, featuring burgers, fries, hot dogs, etc. It's a new, nicely decorated, enclosed room, with outdoor seating as well. Bartenders Juvi and Jorge do a fine job. The Lobby Bar is open 24/7, and the newer Beer Lounge was open from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM, and featured air conditioned comfort, and bottled or canned beer. The Ice Cream Parlour is open from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. WiFi service was quite good, at a cost of one CUC for an hour. The Lobby Staff was polite and helpful, as was the Public Relations staff. There was a variety of nightly entertainment, with a newly constructed amphitheater. The buildings are older, and could use some upgrades, but as indicated, my room was fine. One might complain about the currency exchange [13 to 14 CUC's for $20 Canadian], but I suspect this is a main way the Cuban government derives income, in valid currency, in order to purchase supplies for the resorts. Other than tipping, what are you going to buy?? And please do tip the workers: such helps them immensely. Gifts are also appreciated greatly. I'm happy to, once again, recommend Hotel Playa Coco. Harley Whitlock, Brantford, Ontario

Melia Peninsula Varadero: Wonderful experience

Clean, good food, friendly and respectful staff. I enjoyed my stay here. Of and the massage guy...wonderful job! The location of the hotel is great. The tour guides were excellent and funny . Overall, it was a great experience.

Iberostar Origin Daiquiri: Not what we expected

We were surprised by how run down the rooms were but the staff and the beach made up for it. We were happy that we brought our own catsup and mustard with us to have on the burgers and with other foods. Unfortunately our children don't like sea food so it took them a couple of days to figure out what they could eat.