Iberostar Coral Esmeralda: Sadly Not Good...Avoid Cuba

Everything was as expected for the price EXCEPT the food. I'm the world's least picky eater and it was just BAD. Constant shortages of basic items (eggs, potatoes, toilet paper, Coke). Avoid Cuba rn!!

Hotel Camino del Mar: Should be closed!

I booked my trip with you in approximately September to depart on December 7th for 7 days to Hotel Camino Del Mar in Cayo Guillermo Cuba. I booked at this hotel about 8 years ago and loved it, so I didn't have any reason to investigate or ask about any problems. We have been at the Hotel Camino Del Mar for 18 hours and I am utterly disgusted with this place. Our arrival . Welcome drink - brown powdered juice with rum . Wait an hour for the room to be ready . Walk the entire resort to fin [... read more]d 1 other couple . The place is empty! . At 1:00 the restaurant opened for lunch - 1 meat 1 rice and 2 other selections - I left and went to the 24-hour snack bar . Nothing was available at the snack bar but a chicken sandwich - this consisted of mixed skin, fat, grizzle and a piece of white meat on a dinner roll with a slice of cucumber. . One whole side of the pool is green with algae and fur . Bar .. again no mix available but brown powder juice -beer only We get our room . No one helps us with our bags . We had to carry them up 3 flights of stairs . This room was not what we asked for! It should have been an ocean-view king bed. This room had 3 twin beds. . The balcony door did not open- the lock was all broken and jammed . There is no hot water in the entire resort! We arrived at the resort around 12:30 lunch and there was hardly any food until dinner at 7:00 pm Dinner -7-9 . One small table that Consisted of brown rice, fish full of bones, pasta with no sauce and a couple of other small things that I don’t know what they were. Everything was cold! No wine, or coffee with dinner only brown powdered juice with no flavour. WE WERE STARVING! Night time entertainment . When we came out of the dinner at 7:20 - it was pitch black outside!! No lights in the entire resort except the lobby!! We had to use our phone flashlight to navigate ourselves back to the room without being hurt. No entertainment at night or anywhere in the resort We went to bed at 7:45 pm out of no choice of our own. Morning Breakfast. I woke up and went for coffee at the wonderful espresso bar. NO COFFEE! That was it! I went to the manager and asked him what he was going to do about this situation. We did not pay $2,000 for this! He said we could move to the resort next door called Iberostar Daiquiri. We could get there by paying for our cab or bus. We also could walk as it was a kilometre down the road. We dragged our heavy luggage down the road and walked into the Iberostar where we were greeted and treated like we should have for a Cuban all-inclusive resort. I applaud Iberostar for saving the guests who were all booked at Camino Del Mar.

Melia Cayo Coco: Amazing resort!

Had a wonderful time, food was pleasant not as they say about Cuba food. Staff was great we didn't get the staff to ask for money or our belongings like in other hotels that we have gone to. Beach was beautiful, and sandy.

Iberostar Origin Playa Pilar: Always a great time!

This is our 7th time in Cuba, third time at this resort. We have always been successful with our travel in Cuba, beautiful people and great weather, a few drops of rain are refreshing. Food in Cuba can be hit and miss, come with an open mind and willingness to be open to new cuisine. This resort does not have typical beach, however the water is calm allowing you to see the starfish and other sea life. Please remember we are the guest, the starfish and most shells are living and should not [... read more] be removed from their homes.

Grand Aston Cayo Paredon Beach Resort: Nice resort

Hotel is new, kept clean. Pools are also nice and clean, beach fantastic. If you don’t go there for food I would highly recommend it. Refreshments available at the beach and by the pools. Very good value for the money.

Memories Caribe Beach Resort: Nice resort for the price

The hotel is updated but clean. The food was very good which I was very surprised. I would give 4/5 for the food. The beach is amazing for sure 5/5. No wine but not important for me as they had lots of other choices (beer, pina colada, strawberry daiquiris, vodka, rhum and more).

Melia Jardines del Rey: return guests

After 4 long yrs ,i finally got back to Cayo Coco. beautiful island ,The quick vacation to unwind and enjoy sea & sand. Jardine Del Rey is one of my favorite places.I have stayed at several hotels on the island. The thing that keeps me returning is the customer service.The staff is attentive,kind and welcoming. The resort is large and beach is long and plenty of room ,to roam ,and walk for a mile,in each direction. plenty of sun huts. Bar on beach ,beach restaurant at beach for light  [... read more]lunchs,and 3 pools,snack bar at each pool, and an ice cream parlor on the path to the beach. Lobby is large and plenty of area to sit.. A bar as well as a coffee specialites. The food is a hit & miss....i had fresh eggs and bacon each morning,fresh bread there as well was ,fruits, cheese & 3 sliced kind of meats ...pancakes,and omelets to be ordered. as well as smoothies of many chose of fruits and dry cereals and patries ..... there was as well alot of other items that i was not familiar with in the buffet? Lunch and supper pretty much the same,vegtables were not a great variety. but there was lettuce,cucumbers and pasta salad and grill station you could order chicken ,pork or fish fillets ,or pasta dishes .and again great assortment of cheeses and 3 kinds of sliced meats. I was satisfied but as well disappointed as there was so shrimp, lobster served in any of the a la carte, ( my son was at this hotel in October and the food selection was excellent ,shrimp, lobster,and even sushi..... seems to be a storage and demand issues with the food.. but again I do not travel to Cuba to expect Cruise ship menu...I ate well and ate more than I do at home..Never been ill from any of my trips to this resorts. Prenty of red wine,beer on tap,and rum drinks..I did notice that they were serving a sparking white wine ,champagne,,and not a dry white wine. there was no variety of soda ,just cola ,not the fanta or ginger ale or sprite .and the juices were all a powder mix, the mini bar was refilled each day with only 1 beer,,,and odd because there is always at least 2 guests to a room ,left a note for 2 but again only 1 was left .,if you needed more water bottles left in your room you had to ask for it .again no problem . our room was kept very clean each day,plenty of towels and hot water .. 24 hrs snack bar seem to run out of food ..and no great variety..the kids just wanted french fries and no luck .. The after hours 11-2 am)party life was a hit with out young group of 20 yr olds .they enjoyed themselves as well missed breakfast every morning,! to each its own! i would recommend this resort but if food is your top priority..you might be disappointmented, but the beach ,the staff is worth it ..in my opinion ..Cuba is not an expensive vacation ,you want top notch ,you choose Turks & Ciro ,or Aruba or other high price vacation . Life is full of choices .

Valentin Cayo Cruz: Excellent Resort!

Valentin Cayo Cruz is a very, very nice resort, new, very clean, elegant and very well maintained! The personal is nice, polite and ready to help, or advise. There were many gardeners taking care of the plants that are not yet fully grown up, but I expect that they'll look beautiful in a couple of years. The food was tasty and they had a bit of everything... Not a lot of salads and fruits, but they weren't totally missing. There were two things we did not like: 1. A lot of mosquitos i [... read more]n the evening - I did not see them fuming, or if they did it, it wasn't effective... It was almost impossible to stay in the lobby area because of mosquitos.... 2. Coffee was really Bad... Actually, I was wondering if it was coffee, or a bled of a small percentage of coffee beans and some other beans... It had no coffee taste, or aroma and it was just vaguely smelling like coffee... That was disappointing for me, because I'm a coffee lover and I wasn't able to take more than 2, or 3 sips of that 'coffee'. Anyway, the resort is really beautiful and we enjoyed our stay! I'll go again anytime (however, I'll bring my own coffee and AeroPress...)

Grand Aston Cayo Paredon Beach Resort: Club Oceanview

The Club Section was a wonderful experience. We have been to many resorts in Cuba and the food was exceptional best we have experienced as well as the service from Carlos he could not do enough for you. Separate dining room for all meals and poolside service. We arrived at 11am and our room was ready late check is 2pm. Beautiful infinty pool close to the beach. I would definitely return.

Melia Cayo Coco: Melia Cayo Coco

Positive: have been several times so familiar with resort; staff very friendly; very close to the airport; is a small adult only resort; could always find lounge chairs by pool and beach; beach and water are absolutely beautiful. Negatives: getting very dated and tired; room towels greyish and worn; food was not good which I guess is understandable given food chain disruption: often no white wine or sparkling: limited tropical drinks; water pressure is very very poor for baths and toilet

Grand Muthu Cayo Guillermo: AMAZING RESORT ALTHOUGH FIRST DAY WAS SCARY

Our stay last Nov.25 to Dec. 1 was very memorable. Day 1 was nightmare because after the afternoon chill in the pool, my son and pregnant wife got injured. The bathroom tempered glass of our hotel room shattered when they took shower. Blood was everywhere. They were whisked by ambulance at 7:00 PM to the nearest hospital in Moron which is 1 hour 30 minutes one way trip. My son got 5 stitches on his left foot and my wife's right hand got bandaged plus ultrasound to check if the baby she's carryi [... read more]ng was alright. We got back 1:30AM. Hotel shouldered the bills and we were upgraded to their best suite. Sea healed their wounds quickly and the rest of the days went great. Our enjoyment was not really 100% due the incident but we are willing to come back to enjoy 100%. We missed to do other stuffs like dolphins. lobster dining in Sendero(there was no available lobster that time) and more beach fun. My wife will be having her baby by February. Would you be able to give us a special offer to go back? Thanks.

Grand Aston Cayo Paredon Beach Resort: Beautiful time at Grand Aston

The rooms were quite nice being a new build everything was quite nice. The beach was great and the staff kind and attentive. We had a tough time with food the first few days we were there but found some great food at the beach bar. They have a nice paella. And often have fresh fish which helped.so having a good lunch helped. The coffee from the bar and the little cafe were very good. They were having a hard time getting thing in like eggs and such. If you’re not a picky eater you’ll fi [... read more]nd something. Often times toilet paper in the front lobby was lacking so we just carried some with us. The pools were very nice the action team tried very hard! The circus show was quite good other wise the entertainment was ok. If you want a relaxing low keyed vacation this is a good resort. If you want great meals and lots of action perhaps not this place. Over all a good vacation

Memories Caribe Beach Resort: Great Resort

The resort is older but we had no problems. We always had hot water, the food was good and the drinks were very good. The beach is amazing. The bugs were a little annoying but they are like that everywhere in Cuba right now.

Melia Cayo Coco: Nice, small resort

This resort is small and easy to navigate. Rooms are close to ocean dining and pool. Rooms are old but adequate. Water supply is the biggest issue. Many people were complaining. Food was okay we did not go hungry, but you can see the shortages. Entertainment starts too late. The shows don't start until 930. We never made it to any. We have been here before it has its pluses but I don't know if we will return.

Tryp Cayo Coco: Great Resort

Great location, friendly staff, food selection was excellent considering what Cuba is undergoing. Rooms were cleaned and serviced everyday. Beach was phenomenal- early in season so crowds were at a minimum. Would go back in a heart beat!

Memories Caribe Beach Resort: Too many issues

The positives: 1) Weather, 2) Beach and 3) Staff; The negatives: 1)Bugs - flies and mosquitos; 2) Moldy rooms; 3) Useless A/C (hence moldy rooms); 4)Food is very repetitive, and covered in flies; 5) Drinks/Koolaid (as expected); In regards to rooms, some people seem to have ok rooms, but the basic older rooms were awful. It was like sleeping in a cave with feeling of moisture everywhere. The resort looks very pretty and on the outside looks ok, but we likely won't return. I think  [... read more]many of the bugs and dampness issues are result of building the hotel on marshy swamp land. Recommendation if you do go, upgrade your room, it's more important than upgrading to the "Diamond Club".

Melia Cayo Coco: Frequent Traveler

Great resort, clean, very comfortable, lovely staff, spacious rooms, comfortable beds, no complaints in this area. lovely quiet beach, plenty of chairs. Plenty of food, however, in the buffet area, if food is to be kept hot for serving, it is not.. vegetables are cold, . resort need to pay attention to making sure the food in the self serving holders are kept up to a much warmer temperature. squash or mashed potatoes are not good cold. ( just an example). If you have I-phone, connectio [... read more]n is not easy for wifi .. sometimes you receive CTV news on TV in the evening or morning. . I had only for 2 days. however CNN is available, but as a Canadian, I prefer CTV news. Entertainment should be geared to the age group at the resort. as a senior, not interested in hard rock. this is Cuba, prefer to enjoy the Latino music.

Memories Flamenco Beach Resort: It was a good place to stay

The grounds were fairly well kept the rooms were clean the pool was nice the beach was amazing .The entertainment was great.If you get the chance go to Lenny's for their lobster shrimp it was fantastic.The downside not very much hot water.Ran out of eggs at the buffet for 2 mornings ,ran out of mix alot ,ran out of ice a few times but overall for the price was worth it made alot of great memories .

Iberostar Coral Esmeralda: Iberostar Coral Esmeralda

Having just returned from a wonderful vacation here, I can report that by far, the good far out weighed anything negative. The ride from the airport is long (about one and a half hours+-) and that can be a turn off for some. It went by quickly with a great guide on the bus. The rooms were nice, clean, quiet...the grounds were well maintained, the beach was fabulous - the water warm and beach cleaned daily of any seaweed that may have been washed ashore overnight. The food (after reading lots  [... read more]of negative comments about the food in Cuba) was surprisingly very good. I always laugh about the comments that the food is repetitive. Sure, if you are inclined to eat 3 kinds of fish, 3 kinds of pork, beef, various salads, vegetables, pastas, ice cream and so many pastries EVERY DAY and every meal at home...lol. Well, you might find it "repetitive". But reasonable people, respectful to the food shortages in the country and the sincere desire to satisfy their beloved tourists, will be pleasantly surprised and I guarantee that you will not lose weight! Drinks...well, yes, they had a day or two of no Cola but that was about it. Any kind of liquor you wanted was available. Spanish Coffee...amazing Cappuccino (complete with the Starbucks style foam artistry), cold beer at every bar...no problems whatsoever with quality or quantity. The resort itself is new (two years this month I believe) and I would say it is of the more modern style. We generally prefer traditional resorts and find the newer modern ones cold, I didn't feel that way about this place. Modern but warmer than most. We had a second floor ocean view room that we paid extra for and I am not sure I would do that again. We did have a view of the ocean and a nice sunrise view but it was reasonably far away from the beach and probably not worth it for the most part. I did not see the top floor mega suites in person but, they looked really nice and only two per building..either facing the sunrise/ocean view or, to the inside of the resort. If you need a giant suite..go for it - it looked really nice. The low floor step into the pool rooms were very nice too. I am not sure how much extra. None were available when we booked. You lack perhaps a bit of privacy since most can be seen from the sidewalks but, you can step out of your room into your private area pool which are all connected to the main pools. Very cool and I think most people who had those enjoyed them. I think you can't go wrong with any of the rooms. When you are at the Coral level, you can freely go to and enjoy the many amenities of the attached Esmeralda main family hotel. It has a great lobby...huge pool, and other features not available in the smaller Coral level. We went a couple of times and enjoyed it (much louder and full) but were happy to be on our more peaceful and smaller Coral Level side. It was nice to be able to experience both whenever you wanted. Other 'stuff' to do. Well, there is a small 'village' for shopping within a 10 minute walk but many of the stores were closed and those that were open had the usual tourist trinkets, booze store, small grocery store (with crazy high prices), a nice spa and not much more. It made for a nice short excursion. There is also a very nice and newly built (not yet fully opened) Dolphinarium but no dolphins there yet. You can walk (or ask the hotel to drive you in one of their electric carts) there to see it for free right now. It is not yet open but they will let you walk around and see some huge turtles, rays etc. now. We did not take any outside excursions so I cannot comment on those. There is a deserted beach in that area too (a bit farther from the Dolphin area) for those so inclined too. Best of all for last...the staff are incredible....ALL of them...if I started to name names, I would fill the page...from the wonderful people at the buffet, the grounds keepers, the bar tenders at all of the bars, the life guards and staff on the beach, the front desk staff, management, the spa staff, the chefs and cooks, the amazing entertainers especially Jose Luis who entertained us nightly and often through the day in the lobby with great sing alongs etc. .... I KNOW I missed some and that's why I said 'ALL'....I did not find anyone who wasn't genuinely friendly and fun. Awesome people! Overall...we loved the week and had a great time. We would recommend this resort to others without hesitation if you like the amenities as described. We do like the Iberostar brand and this one does not disappoint (us at least). In all of Cuba, go with an open mind and slightly lower expectations remembering how much you paid. Trip Central and our rep, Tammy Beamish were great and thorough with reminders and email updates. Also, if you enjoy the staff and connect, you will be blessed with meeting and learning from awesome people. If you are the type who goes on vacation to snap fingers at people, demand and look only for the negative and not the overwhelming positive...well, you should probably stay home (from everywhere lol). Enjoy life.

Hotel Playa Paraiso: Good company and millions of mosquitos

In a company of 5 we visited Playa Paraiso Nov 19-Nov 30 , 2023. PROS: Resort people (waiters and bar tenders) were great Rooms were clean, beach towels in the rooms Our room in building 2 had wifi Food was not in a great variety, but was tasty. Especially pork leg at dinner time. Once in 12 days we had lobsters and giant shrimps (shrimps were served 2 days after as well) Drinks were good. Not the cocktails (sometimes ingredients were not available), but hard drinks. Wine was 2 types of wh [... read more]ite and 2 types of red. One of each type was good, the other was not. Weather was great Beaches were great, as always, lots of chairs available all the time Great entertainment in the theater, but not everyday great. Some days was great, some - not so great. CONS: Mosquitos. A million of them. Week before was rainy and water was standing in the greens on the way to the beach. Resort people were spraying something in the evening. It did not help much. Take repellent with you. And something for the bites. Air Transat return flight was delayed 2.5 hours. Because it depended on the flight from Montreal, which arrived late. Other than that flight was good. No bikes, no ping-pong tables. We did not find snorkeling place except catamaran ride, that stops at reefs for 40 min for 25 CAN per person. (It is free without snorkeling stop) Music and entertainment at the pool was awful - bad and very loud music, stupid rico-rico... Cappuccino in the lobby bar was made with powder milk. Lady in the gift shop (don't know her name, but she was going outside every 15 min for a cigarett) was selling bug repellents from under the table. They were not on the shelves with price labels.