Grand Memories Santa Maria: Trip from hell

My husband and I visited this hotel for the first time in 2012. We fell in love with resort and it really set the bar high for all of our Cuba vacations and so we decided to go there again with our kids 8 years later. I call this the trip from hell for several reasons. The first being there is a major safety issue at this hotel. If you chose to visit this hotel, I recommend you pack a flash light or two as the stairway and hallways are not always lit up in the evening. The pathways on the resort [... read more] grounds are also very dark. The second safety issue is the septic tanks and manholes. You will find some of the septic tanks and manholes do not always have their covers on. In fact, some of the covers are removed and placed right next to a big open hole. My son had the misfortune of falling into a septic sewage due to the manhole cover being removed. His curiosity with the lizards got the best of him and he wasn’t paying attention to his steps, one step backward and he fell right into raw sewage! When I addressed the manager, he took it quite seriously but I’m still not happy with this as it could have been prevented had they used proper procedures. Another issue I have with the hotel is the cross contamination of foods. When I went to the buffet and the pizza making station, the cooks would often use the same plate and spoon to pick up and place your toppings for fresh pasta or pizza. Being a vegetarian, I would get disgusted with having my food come into contact with meat. The hotel guests also use the same serving spoons to pick up cheese and cold cuts or rice and beef stew.. I had to tell a hotel guest that a vegan or vegetarian person doesn’t like this practice. I would also like to mention that there are a lot of cockroaches in the buffet. You will see them crawling on the walls behind the meat and pasta stations, crawling on the buffet area where your food is.. I was disgusted and didn’t eat much for a week. We paid for an ocean suite and when we got there, it was a standard suite and very dirty. Once we complained and got the ocean view, there was a huge difference. These rooms are updated and more clean. Getting a hot shower at peek times won’t happen so be sure to shower before 4pm if you want hot water. The only thing this hotel has going for them in nice staff and a gorgeous beach.

Marazul Hotel: No cockroaches, even they wouldn’t stay here

Well it’s very old dated and falling apart the food is bad . But there was rice and beans and chicken every meal. No spaghetti bar, no alacart restaurant. The swimming pool is brutal smells like sewage at the pool and snack bar that never had any food, the main bar or only bar in the lobby had terrible service and no mixed drinks. The front desk people were friendly. And helpful. Virtually no entertainment, mostly Cubans staying at this resort with children. fantastic beach [... read more]. Free shuttle to town, elevators worked a few days no bell hop. It was a very cheap vacation. We love Cuba would not stay at this resort again.

Hotel Rancho Luna: wow . here we go

I will keep this short, 3 complaints, food, rooms and drinks,,every night was mystery meat crazy looking food and tomato soup for the pasta sauce, only one burner worked on the toaster, no big deal because you have to find the butter, never mind looking for jam because there was none. snacks was little pizzas ugh and tuna sandwich which the cats did not even eat. The rooms safe never worked and the air conditioner controls where F%#ked,,The drinks wow no blender drinks not even a Mojito..no mint [... read more] to be found...All in all good times

Hotel Rancho Luna: wow....never again the ace

I will make this short, 3 complaints, the rooms, the food and the drinks, air conditioner did not work properly,,safe did not work,,food where should i start every night was mystery meat,,pasta was like tomato soup for sauce , toaster burner only worked on one side, didn't really matter because it was always hard to find the butter and of course no jams to be found, drinks,,no blender drinks ,not even a mojito's to be found..no mint omg. Snacks was crazy little pizzas ugh and tuna sandwich whi [... read more]ch the cats didn't even eat ,,all in all good times.

Hotel Villa Cuba: never again

This trip was a second one this year to the same resort . First one we have delay of 6 h for the departure and we lost a lot of precious time but the resort was nice so we decide to go again after 8 months. Second trip was very disappointing since there was no towels in the rooms , food was less variety and always something missing. On top of that the hola sun representatives should book our paid trip to caves Matanzas for Wednesday, we waked up early and when bus stop our name wasn’t on the l [... read more]ist. After that repetitive was nowhere to find all the way until we left . I will never go to the same resort again. One more thing, this resort is listed as a family resort but group of 60 people from Quebec was naked on the beach doing improper things for kids view.

Hotel Los Cactus: Exceptional Value

This was our 3rd visit this year and we plan on repeating that next year. We consider the resort to be our hone away from home. As usual the staff were very accommodating, friendly and respectfull. There is always room for improvement though, to highlight a few areas that could be better, the grounds are not very well lit, with numerous lights out on the walkways. Yes they are replacing lights but to me it should be priorized over Christmas decorations. Frankly I am tired of hearing the "embarg [... read more]o is responsible" it seems to be a catch all for a variety of problems. All I can say to that is other resorts seem to have sufficent lighting. The hot tubs are never hotter than luke warm, they look good but should be set at a higher temperature. Our room was good as usual but replacement shower heads would improve my rating. Food, well that remains a problem in the Buffet area. The variety just isn't there, I just can't eat pork every day. The beef wasn't too bad but not served very often. Chicken is okay but served poorly, ie the chicken is hacked into pieces rather than serving sliced or boneless. Pasta okay served warm at best . Breakfast okay but I don't consider sliced hot dogs and hamburger meat as breakfast items. Bacon wasn't served as I know it just slices of fat with a little ham on it. The omelettes are very good, Take your own tobasco or hot sauce to add some spice as most Cuban food is bland. Not to forget the 2 a la cartes are great The Itailan restaurant serves an excellent filet mignon and lasagna, the Cuban restaurant was also quite good, shrimps, pineapple chicken pork etc Entertainment was good, the pool clean but cold, the sauna hasn't worked for years but you can still get a good massage. The fitness area is okay but not much equipment working. Basketball court is great the tennis courts need some repair and for golfers the course is handy opposite the hotel. The beach is spectacular, clean white sand, the water is warm and very inviting, lots of equipment, paddle boats, sail boats, kayaks etc, beach volleyball and so on. We had a great time and are looking forward to going again in January, if the food is not to our liking we go into Varadero where a variety of restaurants thrive. I would recommend Varadero 60 for a night out just a 7-10 cuc cab ride away. 30 visits and still going if that tells you anything!

Valentin Perla Blanca: Loved it

We had absolutely no complaints about our stay at Valentin Perla Blanca. We were a little nervous because of some of the reviews we read but we had no issues. The drive from the airport to the resort was great, you get to see some of the Cuban countryside and how they really live. Check in was quick and we were able to get into our room when we arrived at 1:30pm. The resort itself was very clean as well as the rooms. We enjoyed the food at the buffet each day, never had any issues with flavour o [... read more]r variety and they always had plenty of sauces to choose from if you wished. We didn’t spend much time at the pool as we went to this resort because of the beaches but the pools looked beautiful. The beaches were perfect and service on the beach was amazing. Overall we have no complaints and only one suggestion to future guests: book your a la carte meals the day you get there if you can or the next day. We waited a few days in to book them and were only able to use 2/3 as the restaurants were booked by the time we tried to make reservations. Otherwise, no issues whatsoever. We will be going back!

Be Live Turquesa: Excellent Vacation

If you are looking for a small to mid size resort with a beautiful beach and pool area this is for you. I would rate the resort as modest perfection. The beach is the best I have seen anywhere in the world, white powdery sand, beautiful aqua coloured water, spotlessly clean as far as the eye can see. The pool is large and clean, lots of chairs. You can walk the beach for miles. The food is basic but good. I am not a picky eater so there was always lots of choices and you should never go hungry.  [... read more]Bars are nice with all staff going above and beyond. We had a renovated room which was very nice, walk in shower was a nice bonus. All and all one of the best holidays I have ever had (30+ times to the Caribbean.). Please don’t go expecting a “ brass and marble” fancy resort, the excellent staff and beautiful surroundings make the resort special. You can’t walk to town but cabs are right outside the resort, super cheap. Worked with a Cuban connection to arrange a day trip to Havana. Hamlet Gonzalez Denis, he is on Facebook, set us up with a driver/tour guide who spoke English in a mint 57 Chevy, beyond fantastic. All and all a fantastic holiday! Thank you all, we will be back to Cuba as soon as we can save up some pesos!

Muthu Playa Varadero: Had a great time

We enjoyed the friendliness of the staff. The pool was clean and the bars were open when required. We enjoyed the barbecue. The staff members responsible for housekeeping were friendly and made wonderful designs with the linens. Swans with the towels. Thank you.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Needs some work

It was ok. Food was poor, even in the restaurants. Most staff were nice and friendly. Be careful they tried billing me 3 times for the same service. I kept asking for a receipt but they always had an excuse.

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: Great Cuban resort

We spent 11 days at El Patriarca, and enjoyed it very much. It's a large resort with tourists from many different countries. There were lots of Russians and French Canadians, and not too many English speaking guests there while we visited. The resort is made up of many two story, twelve-plexes. The room was nicely decorated and was always kept clean. Towels and linens were clean and soft. Beach is very nice, with a rocky area nearby which makes it interesting to walk. The resort was full  [... read more]so it was not possible to get chairs at the beach after 9am, but there was usually room at the pool. The food was surprisingly good for Cuba. They had trouble keeping up with the numbers at the buffet, so we sometimes had to wait to get in. Entertainment was very good, and the music in the lobby in the evenings was exceptional. Overall a really nice resort for the price.

Playa Pesquero: A great , friendly resort

Due to the fact of the "Thomas Cook bankruptcy", (no British Travellers) , Playa closed HALF of the resort. rooms. That really didn't affect us because we got great accommodations closer to beach, restaurants , clubhouse. Meals were great . Rooms were well looked after. We had a great holiday.

Valentin Perla Blanca: Love the resort

Unfortunately , I could not enjoy it as the passenger on the plane next to me had a terrible cold and cough, as I have no immune system I came down with it and turned to pneumonia Also SunWing says to not consume your own alcohol on the plane , this guy drank large bottle of Harvey s Bristol crime and then opened another The resort have been to before Quiet , very clean Great staff

Paradisus Rio De Oro: Relaxing resort

Stayed in a suite, lovely but almost dated. Very clean. Beautiful mature grounds and plantings, zen like. friendly staff, excellent al la cartes, buffet dining a little repetitive. Beach is close with snorkeling and scuba diving close buy. Large pool. Overall, beautiful and relaxing hotel.

Blau Varadero: Great spot

We have been there about 15 times, great beach, many refurbished rooms, good food for Cuba and amazing staff. Hard to be disappointed here. Resort is about 15 years old but still in good shape. There is a bus or train if you want to go to Varadero for some sightseeing or shopping.

Hotel Caracol: Caracol

As the previous time hotel grounds were nice and clean. More than enough variety of food for not too picky person. Entertainment was better 4 years ago. Beach cleaned every day. Other public beaches in the area very dirty almost dengerous to walk on. Both buses I was traveling in with quite dirty apolstery.

Muthu Playa Varadero: Great resort

Our stay here was great, we had a wonderful time. The pool area, beach, food, entertainment and most of all, the friendly and attentive staff, four star+. The bus service to Varadero for 5 CUC's that you can ride all day was a nice bonus to see the area.

Hotel Bella Costa: Nice

L’hotel est propre, la plage très petite, la bouffe, c’est Cuba, faut pas trop en demander. Le personnel amical et serviable. L’animation est faible. Mes besoins primaires étaient comblés, bon lit, eau chaude, mais bouffe souvent froide. Est-ce que j’y retournerais, oui mais à très faible prix. Bonne vacance à vous!!!

Iberostar Coral Holguin: First Class Destination

Tranquil and beautiful resort within a resort. The rooms are spacious and comfortable. They all face the private Coral pool, which is a few steps away from the rooms. The second floor rooms have very private and comfortable balconies. The rooms come with a male or female "butler" who is available to assist with tasks that would take time away from your vacation (such as booking dining reservations or excursions). The Coral restaurant provides a fine dining experience every day. Maria and the  [... read more]dining staff provide excellent service and high end menu choices (better than most hotels in Canada, IMO). The idea that Cuban food is boring is a dated stereotype. The food is not spicy, but it is tasty. As a bonus, excellent varietal Chilean wines are served with dinner and the bottle is left at your table. If you're in the mood for something different or quicker, there are several choices at the main resort. The Japanese restaurant is fun, but for the most part, you can't beat the Coral. There is daily morning and evening housekeeping service, if you want it. The evening service will replace your beach towels, which is a nice touch. Lots of loungers with proper pads, which avoids the unhappy dynamic you get into at the resorts down the beach where rudimentary loungers are in short supply. There is a quiet reading area off the Coral lobby (with books "donated" by other guests) if you get a rainy day, but there are few of those during winter. We had ten perfect days this year. The weather in the Holguin area is reliably warm all year, so you know what to pack for your perfect vacation. The Coral is an adult-only luxury experience. It does cost a little more, but the Tripcentral format makes it very easy to compare and for my money, the Coral is well worth the extra.

Paradisus Rio De Oro: Beautiful resort, feels like paradise

The Royal Service area was wonderful. We enjoyed the villa we were in. It was surrounded by lush gardens and had a pond area at the patio. The villa was spacious, beautiful decor and the outside shower was amazing. All the grounds very beautiful and the private beach area was lovely. The staff were so nice, they aim to please, lovely people. They make the holiday. The food was excellent, presented very well. We enjoyed the Mediterranean, Japanese, Beach bar restaurants. They had a pig [... read more] roast one day which was nice for lunch. Horse back riding and a sail on the hobbit cat were fun. The service at the Royal was wonderful. We were a group of six and they accommodated us with no problems. I highly recommend this place for a very relaxing holiday.