Mar Del Sur: not too bad needs lots ofimprovements

rooms were grungy bathrooms by the pool and bar were very dirty no toilet paper and no paper towels people were very friendly food was the same every day not many choices to choose from and they only let so many people in the dining room at a time the out door patio had cats and dogs runny threw it and chickens there was chicken poop all over the floor outside cats were sraying on furniture not very clean at all

Club Kawama: OK

What I expected for a 3+* and price we paid, food ok, our room was close to highway, noisy, no hot water in our block, told front desk, they did nothing. We still made the most of it and enjoyed ourselves.

Starfish Jibacoa: Beautiful Charming and Secluded Resort....

We traveled as a group of 8. I had a room in the new building, it was lovely, bright, clean, and the beds were the most comfortable of Cuba that I experienced. Many many mosquito's...even though you don't notice them...bring bug spray! The pool could have been topped up with water but it was clean and free of algae. The beach superb with the best snorkeling, kayaks, peddle boats available at your leisure. The bartending staff all had their own little characters, some good some not. The same coul [... read more]d be said for the lobby staff. The entertainment fairly local and the night parties low key...so we made our own!!!! Worst food I have ever eaten...food was not chilled or heated properly in schaffing dishes...stuff that could spoil left out for hours. Lack of cleanliness and hygeine observed. Pickles recycled into omelets and fried rice...??? This one change will certainly make a HUGE difference to their success. For those reasons I would not return even though I enjoyed the resort tremendously. Oh...last note: all 8 of us got viral gastroenteritis.

Hotel Bella Costa: Needs a little tlc

The rooms need updated with new bedspreads, the building has leaks every where but the pool area and the grounds are well kept The service made up for rooms The food was great The entertainment could be better in the evening All and all was pretty good

Starfish Jibacoa: not bad until people got sick

the resort itself was what we expected, clean rooms secluded etc... until people started to get violently ill! about half way through the trip starting Wednesday night and into Thursday, at least 40 people that we know of, started throwing up and got major diarrhea. The resort tried to pass it off as a possible flu bug, but we all knew differently. Its not likely over 40 people would fall ill like that at the same time period and there were rumors that people were not aloud to get water from the [... read more] pool bar after the incident. Needless to say the doctor at the resort was very busy. Our rep at the hotel had no answers and just took everyone's name down. Was not impressed with how everything was handled by the resort or Transat Rep. We all lost half a week being violently ill. I really hope Transat looks into the issue and makes things right with its customers, unlike sunwing I have never had any issues with Transat and hope that they can rectify the issue.

Muthu Playa Varadero: Good resort but you get what you pay for

The resort overall was great - rooms were clean, entertainment team was excellent, the shows they put on were all very good. Food wise, there was always something for everyone however it was very inconsistent (the same dish 2 days in a row tasted completely different). Beach was beautiful as is expected in Cuba, but there were way too many men and women on the beach trying to sell stuff and yelling all day long which kind of ruined the peacefulness. Hotel was close enough to the town to take a 1 [... read more]0 peso cab ride for up to 5 people which was great and also very close to several night clubs for those looking to party at night. Only major complaints about the resort were 1) we were only given ONE water bottle for the entire week and when we asked for another one, we were told to ask again in the morning which we did and then were told by the same lady that we had to buy it in the shop and 2) dirty towels weren't always taken away but rather the housekeeper would fold them and put them back in the shower on several occasions. It was ok for us because we brought our own towels but for other guests it was a major pain and quite disgusting. Other than this, I would definitely stay here again for an inexpensive getaway (under $700) just keep in mind that you get what you pay for!

Hotel Bella Costa: Resort could use some major renovations.

The staff at the hotel were great, and surprisingly the food wasn't too bad. The restaurants were well kept, but the rest of the hotel is in major need of renovations. The weather was poor during our stay and everything leaked. There were puddles on the floor throughout the hotel and there was a lingering smell of mold. The bathroom in our room was in disrepair, as the celing was falling down and the enamel in the tub was peeling away. On the plus side there was always hot water, our room was fr [... read more]ee of insects, and the cleaning staff definitely did the very best they could under the circumstances!

Hotel Bella Costa: Not what you think!

This is absolutely not a 4 star hotel. Water leaks all over the hotel, including the buffet. Massive holes in the ceiling dripping all over the floor. Bird droppings all over the chairs in the buffet area. The beach was nice off to the left hand side but the right was full of garbage and un-kept. We were very disappointed with the overall state of hotel. Very run down and we spotted mold in the buffet as well as the Italian restaurant on the ceilings. Food was awful. Everything was under cooked  [... read more]including the rice..The one good thing was the location of the hotel. Close to town and the bars. I could go on with a list of other things but no need. Just do not waste your time and money.They shut the power off on us twice during our stay. I will not be returning there. And i do not recommend this place to anyone.

Starfish Jibacoa: Disappointed

I have been to Cuba 9 times all over and unfortnuately this resort I would have to say was at the bottom of my list to date. The staff were good in general and the location was perfect for our needs (we were 6 adults two children). Unfortunately the weather was rain and cloud for almost the entire trip (nothing anyone can do anything about). My plan was to do a lot of snorkeling, but the red flag was up everyday. We therefore took advantage to do a lot of day trips (to Varadero- Catamaran, Matan [... read more]zas-Hershey train+ giving away 75 lbs of clothes to locals), and Havana (sightseeing/shopping), horseback riding in local mountains, etc. On the last evening before departure everyone in our group fell sick (both ends). Something we ate/ drank at the buffet was not right (potatoes seemed to be the common ingredient). Was not impressed as this was the first time I had ever been that sick in Cuba - very careful what I touch / eat/ drink. Example of things I noted: cook used same spatula used on for raw meat to serve cooked hamburgers, food not on ice, etc. The positives: great location, grounds well kept and expansive (if you do not mind the extra walking), most personel kind, attentive and compassionate. Entertainment: very little ( main dance hall under renovations) but we made the most of it and the organizors tried real hard to get everyone involved; notwithstanding the weather- hats off to 'Yonder'.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Very good resort

The resort itself was five star and the service was great. The only thing missing was beach facilities. The beach bar was only open on occasion and the washrooms were a long walk from the beach area. Beautiful beach

Punta Peninsula Varadero: Blau resort

The staff were great. My room ...the phone and tv did not work. The beach was closed 3 days and water sports were only allowed for 4 days. Food was okay ...chocolate ice cream and pizza at the lighthouse was yummy. Cuban dinner was great! Bathroom lobby had no soap and was out of toliet paper a lot. Lots of mosquito's and sand fleas ...the price is going up because of American dollar...not worth it at 2000plus vs Mexico where you will get sun and better food. As the price goes up for Cuba...the  [... read more]value goes down vs other resorts. In food and weather.

Resonance Blu Varadero: Rainy Days at Memories

When we first arrived at the resort we thought it was beautiful. We were greeted with drinks and picked out all of our el a carte restaurants for the week and then settled into our room. We were close to the beach which was nice, but it rained for the majority of our trip so we dint get to enjoy it much. The buffet at the beginning was awful. Cold food and not much to choose from. We found that it got better as the week went by. The service was good and we never had to wait long for drinks. They [... read more] lacked in the mojito department. Never had mint behind the bar. We had 3 hot showers out of the 10 days we were there. on our last night they let us use a room that had hot water. We found out that they knew what buildings had hot water and what buildings didn't......making us wonder why would they put people in a building without hot water? We spoke to other guests who had moved rooms several times because of this issue along with other issues and said its not worth the hassle, every room they were moved into had the same problems. We just tried to make the best of it and dealt with having cold showers pretty much every night. Room service was ok. They didn't clean our room one day and didn't really go out of their way in terms on cleanliness. It was my first time to Cuba and I am in no hurry to go back. For me, it doesn't compare to Mexico or Dominican in regards to accommodations and service. If I were to go back to Cuba I would try another resort or somewhere other than Veradero.

Grand Memories Varadero: Exceptional customer service

From the minute we arrived we felt like VIP. From the speedy shuttle to our private lobby, quick effortless check-in, gorgeous view of the pool, private 24 hour lounge, 24 hour room service, our own exclusive Sunwing rep for the Santuary only, our own restaurant availble for breakfast, lunch and unlimited bookings to all the restaurants and our private butler service available at the sanctuary lobby. Management was always available on hand for any concerns you might have and I really felt like t [... read more]hey listened to their guests. All the servers we had were exceptional and did their best to accommodate any requests. Additionally I loved the nightly live entertainment they had at our lounge bar. All the bands were amazing with a range of types of music, each night was something different!!! I would return to this resort in a heartbeat and would recommend to any of my friends and family.

Melia Las Americas: Great value

Hi, We went to the Sol Melia for the golfing! There was a huge group of us and we all stayed at the resort, in the hotel and in the cottages. The staff were super friendly and accommodating. There is only one elevator per wing, so get used to taking the stairs, and the first flight is a big one! I'll try to break this down into sections to see if it works: Facilities / Grounds: Much bigger than I expected, fantastic beach, pool area and the lobby is perfect size. The pool was not heated and w [... read more]as always abandoned - it looked perfect but was chilly. The beach was nicely set up with palm shades and easy access to the bar. Entertainment by the beach was good - i was told. We were always golfing! We were able to walk around, it was very nice and clean and well maintained. Cleaners were good (one day our maid forgot towels, but she apologized as she realized she forgot them when she saw us the next day). Overall a great visual, clean and pleasant facility with lots of room. Food: Always a hit and miss in Cuba - the buffet was pretty good. We found stuff we liked - panini press :-) - and stuck with it. The burritos and fresh cooked grill menu were great. The sandwiches at the club bar were great as well with passable french fries. Bring your own salt if you want some - the humidity just clogs the shakers... or you are forced to open the bottom! The a la carte was hit and miss. We had a large group so it was probably locked down - surf/turf - stay away. The japanese - is nice rice and not bad. The italian place was the best with nice thin crust pizza and good pasta. You won't starve at this place, they could have had a bit better fresh fruit, but then again, it was early January. Golf: Great little course - we played 7 days. Bring your own beer if you can, it's actually a bit pricey on the course. They charge a lot for carts but you have to use a cart as there is a lot of distance from Green to Tee. You will have fun on this course, you can score well and if you are a casual golfer it will keep you engaged. Varadero: only a 10 CUC drive away in a fun Cuban taxi - we got lucky in that we got some nice rides. The Beatles bar is fantastic, great bands and reasonable beer prices. We also went to the CAVE - but not worth the drive, and cover. Stay at Beatles. I would definitely go back to this resort if I was golfing. Otherwise I'd probably go to Melia Cayo Coco adult only - food was better and a bit smaller, more private.

Melia Las Antillas: Okay Resort if you get a good price

Food at the Buffet was very good for Cuba. Fresh, good selection. The staff at the buffet were the very best: Carlos, Thomas and Man'lin in particular. Bar service was a bit inconsistent. The Lobby bar was always very busy, bartenders were overworked and a bit cranky at times. Orlando was an exception. What a great guy! The pool bar never opened on time and had a couple good bartenders but also a couple who never cracked a smile all week . There were no washrooms near the beach, the nearest bein [... read more]g at the pool bar. The Men's room was closed and has been for quite some time so the ladies 3 stall washroom turned into a very busy washroom for both male and female at the same time. This pretty weird and put a lot of people off especially as it was the only washroom for pool, beach and Conoco restaurant. The beach itself was beautiful, plenty of chairs and had lifeguards, security and a fellow helping with chairs. The beach grill was under construction but should be operational shortly and great for beach goers (if there were a washroom) There were 3 ala carte restaurants. We found the food and service to vary widely. The Cocono was questionable food quality, cleanliness and inconsistent service. I recommend skipping that one. The Italian restaurant food had mixed reviews between excellent and awful and had poor service and the romantico restaurant had excellent food and very good service by all accounts. All 3 restaurants had excellent musicians playing live dinner music. There was a very smelly and foul looking water feature in the middle of the resort that needs to be dealt with in my opinion. Overall the property had very friendly staff (aside from a few surly bartenders) but showed signs of aging. A lot of work was being done while we were there to make improvements. Overall I would say it was on okay place with no MAJOR issues but I would return, or recommend to a friend only if it was on a bargain price.

Grand Memories Varadero: Worst resort I've ever been too

No lights at night on pathway by building 20(pitch dark needed phone flashlight to see path) dirty sheets, pillows smelled of mildew, garbage floating in pool, no new or clean towels, buffet horrible, friends both got really sick transferred hotels after a day and half. Either bed bugs or sand fleas not sure but multiple bites. Management does not want to acknowledge guest with complaints probably because all guests we encountered were unhappy and couldn't wait to leave.

Melia Marina Varadero: Awesome vacation in an awesome resort

Nice and friendly staff! Great rooms! Decent food, good supply of drinks, amazing beach and pool.. Overall a wonderful experience! Downside- internet is available only in lobby.. But upside- you are there on vacation, so it's good to leave your devices and have more fun time for each other!

Muthu Playa Varadero: Worst Resort and Service Ever!

Terrible, stay away, dirty room, broken mattresses, rude and lazy staff (95% of them as a few were very nice), terrible food, power was out for 7 hours, room was flooded on second night, would not go back if trip was free.

Starfish Jibacoa: No good

We cannot control the weather, it rained the entire week. Our room leaked from every corner.they offered to change us rooms but We had paid extra for the room we were in because it was our honeymoon. We took the day trip into Havana and that was good up until the shopping bit. We got off the bus in an area where there were lots of tour busses and walked to a restaurant called O'Rillieys that was to be our meeting spot when we were finished shopping. We were given an hour to wander and shop,2:30- [... read more]3:30pm we did not go far from the meeting spot because we were in a neighborhood where I didn't know where I was and there were lots of people trying to ask us for money. So we went back to the meeting spot at 3pm I went to the bathroom we had a coffee and our tour guide knew we were there. 3:20pm we decide to talk to our tour guid he said we are waiting for more people to come back I said ok we are just stepping into this store right across the street for a few min. He said yes ok, so my husband and I , a few minutes later, leave the store and there is no one to be found. We cannot see anyone from our tour, our guid is gone so I start to panic. I have no idea where I am surrounded by people who only wanted our money. 2 boys (21-27) with the bicycle taxi tell us they will help for cheap. I say ok, I say to the boys we are trying to find the buses and they say ok. I get on one bike and my husband gets onto another bike. We were separated and that got my nerves even more high strung. We found the area of the busses and I told my husband to find the bus because time is of the essence right now. The boys say the taxi was 50$ each!!!!! I could not believe what I heard!!! We only have 40$ CUC on us so I gave them that and they wanted more I had 50$ in American 1$bills and they saw that and grabbed it from my hands. I was so angry but nothing was worth more then our safety. This is how people go missing. Careless tour guides. I see my husband and I start running towards him. We try to ask other bus drivers and other tour guides if they were going to our resort and they wouldn't even listen to us, willing to leave us behind. Then we saw some of the other tourists from our bus waving us down. As soon as I saw our bus I started to cry I couldn't believe that we would be ok. I was so angry and so happy. We got back to the bus. 2 men asked us if we were ok, I said no. The tour guide was looking for us and he got back shortly after we did. I said thank you for looking for us- he says "I wasn't looking for you I was having a beer" I thought this sarcasm was very uncalled for. He did not apologize. When we got back to our hotel he asked us to tip the bus driver. I was shocked. I said we don't have any money from the taxi we had to take!!!! I complained to our transat rep and all he said was right down everything that happened. So I did. We paid 50$ each to go on this trip. We got nothing back. I will never go back to Cuba. I have been to that resort and been on that Havana trip 8 years ago with my family and it was completely different. A lot better back then. I'll never waste money on Cuba.

Occidental Arenas Blancas: Terrible resort

Grounds were shabby (broken tiles etc), hotel was leaking water all over floors, food was cold and mediocre, hotel was full of cigarette smoke everywhere, party central (drunken, loud boors), front desk staff unhelpful.