Vacation

Staff was friendly and helpful. Beach was beautiful and snorkelling is absolutely amazing. The food was good and the a la cart restaurants are very tasty. The main buffet is good but very warm and needs air conditioning. Rooms are very clean but dated.

Great location to visit Havana

Well maintained rooms and grounds, beatifull beach with great coral reef for snorkling. Food choices limited and quality of food average. Service- hit and miss. Convenient location for beach vacation when you want to visit Havana.

'Brilliant' Resort with all the amenities one can possibly dream of..

Everything was as it was when we left it 3 years ago. Staff are amazing! Hotel manager, David a PR person who ensures everyone is comfortable! Weather, ocean, grounds and activities: tennis and yoga perfect!

My heart is always in Jibacoa!

Another terrific 1 week of rest and relaxation in my favourite Cuban resort. The staff go beyond my expectations every day to ensure that I am always spoiled and pampered. David Villar, the director general is a very pro active, kind and humble man who is always quick to give his team the full credit for their hard work. The food was outstanding in all locations , the bar service is beyond reproach. Returning guests are treated to a special repeaters dinner that is splendid with the service, the [... read more] great food and wonderful joyful atmosphere. I can only say Gracias to my many Cuban friends and extended family, Kiki, Sara and the overall team of professionals that make our visits so memorable. See everyone very soon.

Nice Resort

This was our first time to Cuba. We chose this resort because it was literally half way between Varadero and Havana and we really wanted to take a day trip to Havana. The resort is older and looks a little dated, but it was really kept up well. Actual keys for the rooms (no swipe card), a good buffet (don't go too late or most stuff will be gone), and a nice beach (lots of chairs and shade - no need to go early to "reserve" a chair). The staff were very friendly and helpful. We did the hike [... read more] from the lobby and took a private taxi to Havana. Snorkelling right off the beach is pretty good. Good resort; no complaints!

Memories forever

Hotel is a lovely spot for a peaceful week . Staff are the friendliest of all the places we have stayed in Cuba. If you like to snorkel this is the place to be . Bring Pringles ! The location is perfect , halfway between Varadero and Havana .Isolated but only an hour away in either direction for entertainment .

Great resort, great people

The resort was well maintained with a very friendly staff. Our room was made up in good time daily with not issues. Beach and pool were amazing with the hot cuban sun shade was at a premium but with a bit of planning spots could be found. The food was good we were always able to find meals that suited our needs.

Quaint Small Resort with Great Staff

The resort sits on a very picturesque shoreline with a beautiful lush backdrop of the surrounding hills.The landscaping is immaculate and the pool facilities very well maintained.The beach is beautiful white sand with coral reefs and great snorkeling right in front of the hotel.The tennis courts are in poor shape but the tennis instructor Alberto was great.The resort should consider turning the all purpose court into 4 Pickelball courts as many Canadians go to this resort and are looking for Pic [... read more]kelball facilities. The accommodation are very dated and a bit run down.Booked ocean view 6 months prior to arrival and ended up with pool side!The hotel shutdown the water system after midnight for a few hours for unknown reasons which was very frustrating.The entertainment was by far the best I have see at any 4+ resort!The bar for beverages had excellent service as did all the food venues!The food was at best just OK.The diamond club option was not worth the price!

Ok resort but amazing staff

On arrival we were told that the ocean front rooms we had booked six months in advance were not available. This was very disappointing to us we were looking forward to seeing the ocean from our balcony. We were given “Diamond club “ status as a token peace offering. This is a $15/day value that I would not recommend paying for as advantages are limited. Rooms and hotel in general are clean and in good shape. Water to the rooms was shut off between midnight and 0530 I’m not sure why but the [... read more]re was no warning and it seemed a nightly occurrence? Staff is amazing , Cuban people are so happy and friendly , family is very important. Alberto at the tennis court was very accommodating and patient with our tennis game and showed us how to play mini tennis.Food is good although one of our fellow travellers became ill on our last day and was prescribed an antibiotic when he returned to Canada. There were a lot of smokers at the resort so don’t expect the rules to be the same as in Canada. Recommend the old car tour into Havana with “Oddetie” sounds like “old lady” ask around for $25 cuc its an all day guided tour in a 1950 Chev. This tour is better.and cheaper than the Sunwing bus trip excursion. Hola

Home away from home in paradise

Many kudos to all the great people at Memories Jibacoa. A terrific well honed team of professionals led by David the newest and best director general ever. All my needs are met, the beach is like a slice of heaven. Great shows with super music and dance. Wonderful food and drink, always served with a smile. No one deserves as much pampering as I get at this venue. The free Havana overnight with Tropicana was a terrific perk. My thanks to Kiki, Sarah and all the wonderful folks that make my stay  [... read more]so heavenly. David will need a shotgun to get me off my beach. Gracias a todos y abrazos. Me extranan mucho. Hasta pronto.

In Love With Memories Jibacoa

Went to Memories Jibacoa February 24 to March 3, 2019, travelled as a group of six (three couples). This was my fifth visit to this resort, second for some and first for one couple. This is my favourite resort in Cuba (10 trips) and I am always delighted to get to return. The weather that week was just perfect; sunny and not too hot every day. The staff, from the front desk to the restaurants, the animation team, bars and the maintenance and housekeeping, are all wonderful. Our room was cleaned  [... read more]very well every day, with water restocked daily and we required nothing. The room itself was in building 9, room 2167, right by the beach, central to everything. Four of this group had been there in January 2017 and in just the two years since then we have noticed several upgrades, additions and improvements. There was a mojito bar most evenings in the lobby and they never ran out of mint. We looked forward to a pre-dinner drink there before heading to the a la cartes. The linens and towels are now embroidered with the company name and are great quality, including the face cloths. The beds are firm but comfortable and the AC worked great. There was music in the lobby in the evenings and the evening shows by the pool were fairly decent, especially the circus show strength segments—the contortionist and the athlete who did the human flag on a pole were astounding. There is a bar on the beach now with drink service. We had Luis most days and he was great and we enjoyed talking to him about Cuba as well. We dined in the a la carte restaurants for dinner most evenings and the food was terrific. The beef at the Italian restaurant was probably the best I’ve had in Cuba, and the Campana red wine was pretty good, and at the Cuban restaurant in the evening (beach snack bar in the daytime) they had a nice Cabernet Sauvignon. There was a bottle of rum given to my room for returning guests (I think 4+ times qualifies), and a dinner in the Italian restaurant on Friday night for returning guests, and the dinner was lovely and the musical entertainment also great. The meal at the International restaurant was also impeccable, both food and service. Did notice a lot of people just not tipping and was very disappointed to see that. I know it’s “all-inclusive,” but come on, people, a couple of CUCs here and there for drinks and meals and housekeeping and whatnot won’t kill you, and would be very appreciated by the recipients. These folks work very hard and deserve some appreciation, in my opinion. Unfortunately, three of our six got quite ill with stomach problems, fever and chills, and are still recovering. We know from the timing this happened on-site, and we understand that this can happen but it was very unfortunate as we lost two people (the new ones) for most of the week, and the other had a terrible time of things in the overnight hours and sporadically throughout the day. Kudos to David, the “rookie” (his words) manager, for arranging some food to be made and sent to our friend’s room when he was too sick to come out. His concern seemed genuine and his efforts were much appreciated. We took an evening to go to the restaurant just a few minutes away by foot on the road outside of the resort and were treated to extremely generous helpings of lobster, shrimp, pork and tons of side dishes for just 15-ish CUC each (plus tip), including a glass of wine. I would recommend trying it. I believe it’s called El Cacique, just past the little yellow bridge, left of the resort. My guy and I are familiar with the hill in front of the resort and did a walk up it ourselves which exits through a homestead/farm. A couple of CUCs to the couple there and you’re back out to the road to the resort no problem. There’s an amazing viewpoint up there overlooking the resort and water. I think the entertainment team does guided walks up the hill a few times a week. Do go if you have a chance. I spent six of seven days with my face in the water (too windy one day) and every single time I was lucky enough to see something amazing. I’ll see if I can attach a link to the underwater album. The snorkelling and diving right off the beach are the biggest draw for me. Thank you to Lemay at the dive shop for a great dive. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10161408255220109&type=1&l=73f8a2a56a There was a Cuban beach party and the pork sandwiches on those soft rolls and drinks in coconuts were a hit, and seeing Kiki and everyone dancing was a lot of fun. Long review, I know. Just want to be thorough. The warm greetings by the front-line staff (Kiki, Raul, the front desk ladies) make Memories Jibacoa feel like a second home. Always looking forward to going back.

Jibacoa - beautiful

The Breezes Jibacoa is a beautiful quiet hide away on the north coast of Cuba. Only an hour from Havana. The buildings are beautiful and not over the top. It is the people that make this such a wonderful place to stay. Is the food the best you have ever had - no. Is it the most modern place you can find - no. Is it a great place for a quiet, warm, comfortable, week away - yes.

Relaxing week

Great place to relax. A LA cart restaurants are very good. Lovely walking beach. Very well kept grounds. Rooms are clean and beds are very comfortable. Local restaurant up the road is a must place to go.

Disappointing at best

I am going to start with saying the resort was kept clean. The lobby bar staff were great and the VIP restaurants were great. The rest of the place was one big disappointment. The entire facility is old and tired. At bars it didn't matter if you were next in line, the Cuban guests always got served first. The so-called snorkeling right off the shore was disappointing, barely saw any fish at all. My agent told me the reef was 30 meters out, but it started almost at the shoreline and just mad [... read more]e any sort of relaxing swimming impossible. Most afternoons you couldn't swim in the water at all because there were hundreds of jellyfish blowing ashore waiting to sting you. The water in the rooms was non-existent through half the nights (without notice) and the shower heads were a dribble at best and so low you had to be less than 5 feet tall to fit under them. There was nothing extra in the rooms, not even a clock or alarm. My husband and I both got sick from the food in the buffet restaurant and lost an entire day. I have been travelling for over 40 years and never gotten sick before. We paid the extra for the diamond service, don't bother. The girl who was supposed to serve drinks in the diamond area mostly spent her days sitting in the shade chatting with the bartender and/or lifeguard. She would disappear for hours at a time. My so-called concierge, David, was impossible to reach. We were sick in bed and waited hours for him to arrive. Finally we just told the receptionist to please bring us some food to try to eat. We got dry bread with a miniscule hamburger inside, no fixings, and about 20 french fries. The hamburger was raw inside so we had to throw it out. I never even met him and he did absolutely nothing for us. Approximately 80% of the people there were over 70 years old, I felt sorry for the young people. Tips were expected for every little thing done for you, sometimes they would tap their tip jars before doing anything. I don't mind to tip if they take good care of you, but it shouldn't be expected every single time they did their job. The waitresses were good and eager to serve you, but one night there were people dressed up in costumes and they literally told you to tip them. I was embarrassed for them. Over all a 3 star place at best, and a big disappointment if you are used to 5 stars.

Nice resort

The staff were very friendly and helpful. They tried their very best to provide excellent customer service. Our room was kept very clean and the maid ensured that we always had fresh towels as needed and other supplies. I liked that there were no bugs or mosquitoes to worry about, the beach was lovely but there were a lot of jelly fish this year and we were only able to go into the ocean twice during our one week vacation. The red flag was out on most days due to jelly fish and rough curren [... read more]t. My husband and I picked up a flu bug while there and so a few days of our holiday were spent feeling ill, Not sure why as we normally don’t get sick on our vacation.

Wonderful vacation!

Felt like we were part of the resort’s family.... staff is so friendly, accommodating and attentive. Great location to maximize options for day trips. Food options much better than other resorts we have been to in Cuba! Special mention to Sunwing’s Rep-Marina Rodrigues, a special soul❤️A Real relaxing vacation

Friendly, Small Jibacoa

This was our first visit and we enjoyed our stay.The resort is not large, with only about 200 rooms and nicely laid out. There are 18 two-floor units, all within easy walking distance to the pool, beach and restaurants. The crowd tends to be older, mostly couples in the 55+ group. Pros: Friendly, helpful staff, all of whom spoke excellent English. Very good snorkelling right off the beach. Lots of beach chairs, palupas and shade, if needed. No need to rush down early to 'reserve' a spo [... read more]t. Like all resorts, this is frowned upon anyway. A la Carte restaurants excellent and not that busy, which surprised us. Buffet is above average for Cuba. Excellent location - you can actually get off the resort, unlike some all-inclusives. Hike up the hill behind the resort for a great view (offered every day at 9 am), visit a local farm or nearby restaurant for an authentic Cuban meal (only 15 pesos CUC). Havana is only one hour away. Hire a vintage cab for the day (90 pesos CUC) or a guided tour thru the hotel or Sunwing at 45 CUC pp. Wonderful entertainment - traditional Cuban acoustic (Buena Vista style) in the lobby before dinner and Tropicana style shows by the pool at night. Smoking, while allowed in designated areas, is minimal. We've been to other resorts in Cuba & Mexico where you can't escape the smell of cigarettes. No problems exchanging $$ at the front desk. Sunwing rep Marina is a joy. Cons: As often posted, rooms are dated and a bit 'beat up', but clean. Very poor water pressure - don't expect a good shower. Fitness club really tired - very old weight machines (likely from the Soviet era) were mostly broken. One of the two treadmills was out of service. Wished there was more yoga offered - only one class at 9am when breakfast was being served. The ocean and beach were plagued with jellyfish during our stay. Lifeguards would whistle everyone out for large portions of the day (we saw one elderly woman get stung, to much distress). Not sure if this is an ongoing problem at this beach or a random/seasonal occurrence. The beach and entrance to the water is a bit rocky. While great for snorkelling this is not one of those smooth, soft sand beaches for long, leisurely walks (it's hard to have it all).

Still love it, but resort needs update

Cons: Our ocean-view room needs upgrade. Bathroom: vanity is missing marble plate, mirror is rusty, floor has unmatching tiles. Bed is covered with plastic sheet, thus it feels uncomfortable and very hot. Food is 'hit and miss'. Pros: Our ocean-view room had a great view. Decor of the room is nice. Staff are friendly and helpful. Our rep, Mirena, is amazing!

Great resort,home away from home

This resort is like home to us as we have enjoyed six visits here. We really like the smaller , more cozy size of the resort. The staff is like family and their service is exceptional. We are very much looking forward to our next visit.

Amazing Resort

Love Jibacoa! The people, the food, the room, the service. Everything was amazing and clean. I was disappointed in the hot tubs. There were 4-2 in the Spa and 2 in the pool area. Neither were functional in spa area. In the pool area one was cold and the other had no whirl to the pool! it was just standing hot water. Good thing the pool, beach...AMAZING Calendar of ongoing activities keep you busy..Hiking,walking,volleyball, learning how to speak Spanish! Those are just a few things you can d [... read more]o while you are there.