Melia Las Dunas: Perfect vacation

This is a lengthy review, but we returned to MLD in February of this year after a couple of years of absence, and we have been impressed. We've got a room in villa 24 which was under renovation couple of years ago. Everything was clean and in working condition. The bathroom was about half renovated, with some items being new and others just kept up. We would warmly suggest to have the bathtubs replaced with walking showers if possible with a future renovation. This would add more value to the [... read more] rooms and more comfort to the travelers. Our room maid Carlos genuinely cared for us to love our room and went beyond his duty to make it happen. The grounds were as well kept as always, with splendid vegetation and even a bit of passing wildlife to enjoy. It was nice to see the pop-up coconut stations were the gardeners would entice us with fresh cut coconut water every day. We are not necessarily restaurant people and between the buffet and grill, we've found all we wanted every day, and some more. We've heard from friends returning from recent trips to the Caribbean that they've missed either fruit, food, deserts, or even cutlery and cups. We have not experienced any of the above. There was plenty of seafood, meats, cheese, fruit, sweets and ice cream to choose from, no shortage indeed. A nice touch to see sushi offered a few times as well. Many thanks to our preferred breakfast egg station ladies (sorry for not asking their names) and our dinning room helpers, especially Suyen, for their attention and care that we are satisfied and the food is cooked to perfection. Another very nice surprise was to see that the wi-fi is included in the price and available in rooms, restaurants, bars, and the traditional lobby. Best way to spend an evening keeping in touch with dear ones at a glass of wine or cup of coffee. Amazing service at the lobby bar, nicely stocked, and bartenders open to creative ideas (coffee made "special"... haha). There was entertainment every night and we've enjoyed especially the Esencia music playing couple. Lucky enough, we've got to listen to them twice during our 10 days stay. The fashion shows were also fun to watch early in the evening. We were not travelling with kids, but could not stop to appreciate how much time and care it was invested in the little ones at the resort, even though the kids club was under renovation. The ladies were busy from morning to late evening, with unwavering energy and creativity to make the kids happy. And last but not least, the beach was as amazing as ever. We had good weather, a bit windy in the afternoon, but not enough to keep us and others away from the sand and water. Free fun watching the pelicans patrolling and the seagulls making friends with people. Cayo Santa Maria offers long beaches and we clocked over 20K steps every day, a good way to stay in shape while lazing for so many days. We were definitely spoiled and enjoyed every bit of it. Many thanks to all that worked to make our trip an enjoyable experience, and looking forward to going back as soon as possible.

Sol Rio de Luna y Mares: Been here several times. Love it.

We went for 2 weeks for the first time, and had a wonderful time. We heard there were several food shortages due to covid, but didn't find this to be the case. The food was the same as usual, just not much fish this time. Feb.14th was a fantastic lobster dinner. The Luna side is still closed for renovations, but the Mares side has been all updated and is beautiful. All new bathrooms, huge shower stall instead of tub, sinks with plugs, etc. Really impressive! The staff was wonderful as usual, and [... read more] we renewed several acquaintances. Internet was free. Just go to reception and get a login password. I didn't know this, and didn't bring a phone or tablet as their internet was not very reliable or free in the past. Hydro went out more than usual, but we were told it was country wide. Not very many people on the beach, as Luna is still closed, so no problem getting lounge chairs. Beach restaurant has been re-furbished/renovated and there are now flush toilets at the beach. Covid has brought a lot of changes, with so many resorts closed for 3 years. Their store is about 1/4 of the size, mostly liquor, very few souvenirs, and the vendors don't come to the resort anymore. We didn't know this had changed. My husband went to Guardalavaca Market and it was much smaller than usual.Possibly the vendors have had to find other employment with resorts being closed so long. There are no cigars due to an extended drought. I understand the rice rations have been severely cut for the Cubans. I have no patience with people who complain about the food when the locals are going hungry. The resort employees are better off, but even they haven't worked in 2 1/2 years. We were unable to bring a second suitcase even if we paid extra. We usually bring one bag of clothes and toiletries to give away. I took fewer clothes than usual so I could bring some to give away. It's fine to tip with cash, but if the shelves are bare, it doesn't matter how much money you have. Russia's war with Ukraine has impacted Cuba adversely, and covid and the dry weather have not helped. This is the first time there haven't been tons of cigars available. No one at Trip Central seemed to know what currency to bring. They take Canadian dollars for everything, but it is based on US dollars.Things in the store are priced in USD, then converted to Canadian money and that's what you pay. (I suggest bringing more small bills like $5s and $10s rather than $50s) You generally pay for excursions with credit cards, and they won't take any which are affiliated with American banks. You don't have to bring USD or convert to pesos. You can exchange Canadian bills for loonies and toonies for tips, but the staff have to change it back to bills before they can use it. Their banks will not take American bills, so don't waste time buying American money or tipping with it. The entertainment was good, but not spectacular, and the activities staff tried really hard to engage the guests. Everyone loves Jose the waiter at the Lobby Bar. He's worth his weight in gold for this resort. There's a 24 hour snack bar with a limited menu, and maybe not as many "a la cartes", but that was often the same food as the buffet, just served by waiters, with smaller portions. Other years we used to go to the buffet for a top up. Lots of pork, spaghetti, great omelettes, bread, great soup, rice pudding, etc. We expected food shortages, but it was about the same as usual. Buffet has been renovated also, very clean, didn't see any bugs. Every year I take yarn with me and make scrunchies for the female staff. These go over very well. This year I also made earrings for gifts. They really appreciate anything you give them. Can't wait to go back next year.

Melia Peninsula Varadero: Do not go to this hole of a hotel

just keep looking. consider dominican republic or perhaps communist china before this hotel. food is crap, service is a dirty word, buildings are in disrepair, and the employees could not give a shit.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Supply Chain Issues

I would have liked to have visited this resort pre-covid, as I think it would have been a much different experience. We experienced significant shortages in food and alcohol, such as; vodka, whiskey, gin, butter, potatoes, pasta, red meat, bacon and seafood. There wasn't a lot of variety in food, due to shortages. We expected some of this going in, as we have been to Cuba before, but it was much more significant that we expected, where there were several days where butter was a rare find. It  [... read more]seemed the only thing that was readily available was rice, cabbage, eggs and a lot of vegetable dishes. Most of the drinks were rum drinks, as whiskey, vodka and gin were non-existent, and the rum drinks didn't seem as strong as previous visits to Cuba. The resort is beautiful and spacious (though seems care and routine maintenance has slipped recently), and the staff was wonderful, friendly and welcoming, as is often the case in Cuba. The only other negative experience was the sand fleas on the beach. Numerous people around the resort, my wife included, has a significant number of bites on their legs, and many were walking around with red, swollen, extremely itchy legs. Make sure you take bug spray if you intend to visit the beach.

Melia Las Dunas: Post Covid, a reason for mediocracy

Love the layout of the resort, and of course, the beach is amazing. We returned here with friends based an awesome experience in 2018. Although the rooms were clean, they are in great need of renovations. Only half the guest room phones are working (ours wasn't). Stocked guest room fridges is no longer, despite being advertised; only response was "sorry". Was informed upon arrival that half the resort was closed, and then found out that the wonderful little shopping piazza was closed too; ver [... read more]y disappointing. The bar offered limited domestic beverages only; a few international items added 2-3 days before our departure. The food is what we expected; nothing great. I applaud the effort, but think they would be better off to featuring their own specialty items only; eg. ketchup garnish on a caprese salad does not work. The staff are very friendly and accommodating; they made the trip! The doctor's on site, especially Nurse Carlos and Dr. Miguel were amazing!! They were extremely attentive; cannot thank them enough. Thanks to all the hard working staff trying to make the best out of a difficult recovery.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Very disappointed

Unfortunately this property is billed as a 5 start when it isn’t. Don’t be fooled by the pictures that are clearly from years ago. The resort is run down. Patio doors don’t lock properly. AC didn’t work in first room and not much better in the second. Hot water was not consistent and from one day to the next not sure what towels we should get. Not sure why we paid for Royal service. Butler wasn’t seen unless we went looking for him. Not once did he ask how things were going.  [... read more] Food was very disappointing. I know it’s Cuba but the buffet was heavily lopsided with Rice. No labels on anything. Plates were always in short supply. A la cart meals were better but very limited. Don’t even need menus because you really had only 2 choices at every meal. Pork or chicken. The Italian restaurant had one pasta dish. And almost raw pizza. Breakfast was the best meal. But can’t live on omelette for a week. Bar service was essentially beer and rum. Whatever drink you ordered it was substituted with Rum. Staff do their best with that they have. But for what everyone pays it’s time to be honest and downgrade this resort to a 3 star and let customers decide to go knowing what they’re going to get. From the rooms to the limited drinks and food to the resort being generally run down this resort needs to make some significant investments in the property and their staff. They are quick to help and many of them bent over backwards. But the constant requests for money, earphones and even cell phones is telling. They are paying poverty wages but taking 5 star revenues. My advice is go somewhere else.

Melia Las Dunas: Great Holiday😁

We found the resort very well maintained, clean rooms, well manicured grounds but the best was how friendly the staff was. We found the buffets abundantly stocked, lots of fresh fruits and salads. If I had anything to criticize it would be a lack of bathrooms at the beach. It was a super holiday and I would definitely go back.

Melia Internacional: Lived up to expectations

The staff were exceptional ; well run. Well appointed rooms. The only complaint was the internet.. Loved the ribs and the omelettes. The snorkelling and the catamarans trips were exceptional for us.

Melia Jardines del Rey: Amazing time

Me and my father went to the Melia Jardines Del Rey Jr resort. Our trip was great. The staff were awesome and very out going. Yonatan faure Fonseca is the guy to see for beach fun and for engagement in the evening activities. As well as Manuel Zamora (beach guys) and Thalia in the lobby buffet at supper, can't miss her. Also keep an eye open for Yudermis in the lobby, she is amazing. 😆 I would recommend building 15 as it is centrally located in the large resort. We went on the on the 50 f [... read more]oot catamar and took three stops including snorkeling, lunch on a small island and Pillar beach. Ernest Hemingway's old beach that he would go to to rejuvenate his mind and help with writing. I did not know that Pillar was the name of his boat. The sand at every beach was almost as white as snow but not. The resort was of a good size but most of the restaurants and pools were off the main drag so that made it easier as I have a physical disability. The ice cream shop is a very good stop, multiple times a day. Lol The resort grounds were being worked on daily to improve it's appearance as I did look older than 8 years. Did I say how lovely the beach was. The not so good My bedroom had a tub that you needed a stepping stool to get into. I noticed the sand fleas more then my father did. They were especially bad when the wind wasn't blowing. The food at the La Carte restaurants were ok but very skimpy on the veggies and potatoes. The deserts brought back our child hood days eating baby food. Rice pudding or some sort of starchy pudding with a baby spoon. It all tastes very good though, so I don't know if I would consider this a negative thing. About 3/4 the way through our trip the resort was running low or out of rice and Coke, but the water and toilet paper were plentiful. What was also plentiful was the groundskeepers, a special thanks should go out to them. For keeping the grounds looking so pristine and improving it's overall appearance everyday. Yes, I would recommend this resort to my readers. Note- I wouldn't recommend coming to Cuba just for the food. I would suggest bringing spices, clothes or daily supplies to pass out as tokens of appreciation. They work extremely hard and deserve to be recognized for it.

Paradisus Rio De Oro: Beautiful Resort

Beautiful resort...very clean and excellent staff. Food was very good in all the restaurants. The spa was amazing with its own private beach. Daily entertainment at the pool and never had a problem getting a chaise lounge at the pool or beach. Yoga was good and felt very safe going for a run outside the resort. The resort is designed with no high rise buildings with elevators..instead with small units with minimal or no walk up.

Melia Cayo Coco: Melia Cayo Coco was a Paradise for us.

The entire resort was absolutely amazingly wonderful in all areas. The staff, from the gardeners to the managers were all so helpful and full of empathy for everyone, especially their older guests. The food, buffets and a la carte were out of this world. The service we received from all the waiters and waitresses was surely something to behold. The cleanliness of the entire resort was truly something to behold. Our room was especially comfortable, close to the beach, pool and the lobby. We we [... read more]re very pleased.

Melia Buenavista: Nice quiet Resort

It is a lovely resort, the pools are beautiful. It was so nice to have a quiet pool and another one which played music. The beaches are spectacular! 3 different ones to choose from. Our room was beautiful and over looked the pool. We enjoyed the outdoor showers. It would have been nice to have one buffet restaurant on site but we did venture over to their sister resort for lunch one day. Unfortunately, their supply lines are still suffering since COVID and they ran out of a few food item [... read more]s as the week went on. (bacon, milk, crepes)

Melia Jardines del Rey: Beautiful Resort

The place is amazingly beautiful, very open with good landscaping. The beach is amazing and the water is clear. Good friendly staff with good services at most of the time. We love the coffee bars with good choices of cappuccino, espresso,... The show at night kept us well entertained . Our hotel room was quite comfortable and the maid service was good. The major problem was the shortage of room towels. We didn’t have bath towels supplied for a few days, but the maid did make the e [... read more]fforts to get it and bring to us in the evening after our complaints to the customer services. The food was adequate. I survived well with the salad bar, fruits, rice and fish. The internet at the resort was, in my opinion, too slow. You have to log on and wait and wait...sometimes up to 15-20 minutes.

Melia Jardines del Rey: Fantastic time

I read many of the reviews prior to going last week, and think it’s important to share my experience. From our arrival on Sunday morning close to 01:00 until we departed the following Saturday at 21:00 all the staff was attentive and helpful throughout the week. The staff from the front desk, the gardeners, the cooks, the room staff, the cleaners, the bartenders etc, all the Cuban people try to make your visit enjoyable. Our hotel room was clean, comfortable, had fantastic air conditioning [... read more], and the maid service was outstanding. Our shower had great water pressure in the morning with lots of hot water, but in the evening the water pressure did drop while everyone in the building was trying to get ready for dinner. Our TV did not work, but I did not travel to watch tv, so it was never reported to the resort. The pools are fantastic. I will admit, that we spent most of our time at the same pool, but I can say as we walked around the comments apply throughout the resort. The staff were polite, courteous, and helpful. The pool was clean and there was activity for anyone who wanted to join. There wasn’t added pressure to join for those that didn’t want to. The pool bar was over the top friendly and helpful. The kids pool looked amazing for all ages. The beach is absolutely beautiful with many options for swimmers and snorkelling. The challenge is you have to move around to find the right area as some areas have a coral bottom within 5 feet of entering the water which is hard on the feet. However, you can find areas that are great for kids. A great beach bar. The food was adequate. Out of the seven days, the buffet had a couple of days that I had to survive with chicken and rice, but 2 other days with pork ribs, steak, chicken that was very good. We tried two of the restaurants, the Italian, and the Mediterranean which both were good. We did find a restaurant called Lenny’s that is a small cab ride away that is 100% worth the $25 USD for lobster, chicken and rice on a beautiful coastal point. Unfortunately the only negative for me was how some people treated some of the workers when they didn’t get their own way. Example 1 was when someone asked to go into the breakfast buffet at 07:55. When the staff said we don’t open till 8am, the traveller lost their marbles. Example 2 was at one of the restaurants where a group of 9 arrived, but their reservation was for 6 and the restaurant couldn’t accommodate the additional people. The person was aggressive and totally disrespectful to the staff member. The last example is to those that feel the need to take 20 + pieces of bacon to clean out the dish, or stand in line and order 6 omelettes at a time. The coffee shops are amazing, and a great option for an espresso or cappuccino. If never sat in the auditorium for the shows in the evening, however I could see and here them from my vantage point and they looked and sounded fantastic. The lobby bar was great as well with many staff that were accommodating to all. The internet at the resort was in my opinion horrible. You have to log onto a provider with a long username and password which kicks you out frequently. A reminder that tipping in loonies or toonies are difficult for the staff to redeem. But there is an opportunity to buy them off the staff for bills.

Melia Jardines del Rey: Beach is great, rest not so much

They say you don’t go to Cuba for the food, and boy was that true. Yes the beach and water are beautiful, but there are other countries you can go to for great beaches. If you hunted you could find some half decent food, but between the line ups and the buffet literally running out of food at 7:30 at night when people haven’t come to eat yet. People coming out with rice and carrots cause that’s all that was left. Breakfast only had eggs on the grill - again huge line ups to get eggs. No ot [... read more]her options. The a la carte not much better. Anyone who says the Italian is good never ate real Italian food. Every restaurant has rice pudding for dessert. The whole resort needs work. We were on the second floor and our building had no lights in the hall the whole week we were there. Toilet paper is another issue. As the day goes on all the resort bathrooms start to run out of toilet paper. Lobby bar area is the worse, so make sure to carry Kleenex or TP. Also, most of the buildings facing the ocean smell swampy or of bad septic. Don’t bother paying for ocean view rooms - they smell the worse. On another note, we went to Lenny’s for lobster dinner definitely worth the car ride and $25 us meal. Also did the boat adventure where you get to drive your own speed boat with a 40 hp motor. Lots of fun. Yes this resort is not that expensive, but if you are set on Cuba I’d pay a bit more and get something better….or make sure you bring some toilet paper.

Melia Peninsula Varadero: Amazing time

We had a great time myself Tracy and jeremy have been there 3 times we enjoy it get staff there am have met many friends. My friend Donna her first time she enjoyed it. It is a very clean resort and well kept likes how the tractor went down and cleaned the sand. Room staff amazing very friendly and willing to help you out. Food was great as well would so go again .

Melia Jardines del Rey: Hotel review

Workers friendly, resort clean pool lovely, ocean awsome. Rooms had water and toilet paper, however washrooms around resort very often didnot have toilet paper, soap or paper towel. I know people don't go to Cuba for the food but they do go with the expectation of being feed and some variety. Food supply was very low and not sufficient to always get a proper meal. The alacarte resturants did not have what was offered on the menu and most if the service was very poor. I have been here  [... read more]before and it was a wonderful resort, i don't believe anywhere in cuba has food supplies right now

Melia Jardines del Rey: Beach was Amazing

The beaches never disappoint in Cuba. Resort is a bit dated and needs a fresh update. Chairs had no cushions in lobby so a bit uncomfortable. Toilet paper and paper towels we scarce in main washrooms. Our room was located on the beach and there was a strong smell of sewer outside the building.

Sol Palmeras: Great and relaxing

Great hotel and recommendation from Wendy at TriipCentral. Quick and short trip from airport, transfers were all great. Hotel was everything we needed this holiday trip. Super friendly staff, clean rooms and picture perfect days spent on the beach. I’d highly recommend this great family friendly resort to others.

Sol Cayo Santa Maria: Newly renovated resort

The nicest room I have seen in my many trips in different area of Cuba. The workers worked hard to embellish the landscape. The staff was friendly and attentive to our needs. The food was good but little selection. It’s Cuba, it’s to be expected. The beach was amazing Overall it was an enjoyable trip