Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: beautiful resort but i wouldnt go back

First time going to Cuba so i am not sure if my expectations were too high. The resort itself is absolutely beautiful. The beach is stunning, the landscape is great and the pools are wonderful. However we had several things that we felt could be improved upon. While there it was extremely hot and humid and the air conditioning worked sometimes and other times it didn't, it was extremely frustrating to have no where to go cool down and to try to sleep through the night without it. We had trou [... read more]ble with the power going out as well as the plumbing not working in our room. Every time i called the front desk they didn't seem concerned enough to resolve the situation, but maybe it was out of their control? Also, it stated that our fridge would be fully stocked and no one ever restocked it while we were there. We were provided one 1500ml bottle of water the first two days and then nothing after that. When i called the front desk they said it was after 5pm and i would have to wait until the next day (not the thing you want to hear when you cant drink the tap water, it is 35 degrees out and you are dying of thirst). My husband and i ended up taking a taxi into town and purchasing our own bottled water for the rest of our vacation. Not all restaurants were operating and the ones that were, were challenging to book so we ate at the buffet for most of our stay. The food was awful and it was the same thing served every single day (i understand they are limited in what they receive in supplies) I do have to say that the staff that worked at the restaurants and buffet were so kind and attentive and did the best they could. Overall, i will not be going back to Cuba anytime soon. This was considered a 5 star resort and i would only rate it as a 3 star maximum.

Melia Internacional: Very good

Malia international varadero Cuba is a very nice hotel clean well organized,stuff is welcoming and helpful. Food is good ,beach is clean,no mosquitoes a lot of flies though. What I liked most is the lead supervisor who went around asking if there is a problem or an issue to be resolved. We are a family of seven,all enjoyed The stay so much.

Melia Peninsula Varadero: Very nice resort!

The facilities were super clean, beach was amazing, staff super friendly, access to doctors, spa, gym, tennis, etc…couldn’t ask for more. Weather in CUBA has always been super nice every time I’ve been. This was my 11th time.

Paradisus Rio De Oro: Expectations met

A civilized, beautiful and well-maintained place with friendly stuff, a comfortable room, tasty food. A nearby beach will not disappoint even a picky guy. Pool water was clear, but I didn't swim in the pool. I came to Cuba to swim in "real water" of the Atlantic Ocean.

Melia Buenavista: A Beautiful Retreat

Overall Resort Score: 7/10 -older more mature guests, a few young couples here and there (including my husband and I), quiet and is more of a retreat. If you are looking to party and for a resort with activities, this is not the resort for you. -giant blue crabs start crawling and running about the resort right when the sun sets. Very scary and unpleasant for someone who is scared of bugs/spiders/crabs. I was surprised the resort did not catch them and serve them to guests. -the resort fumi [... read more]gates to help control the mosquito population. They even do it when guests are around. Given that it is a pesticide and Cuba has different health and environmental regulations who really knows if there are any long term side effects to breathing this stuff in. -every morning at breakfast your assigned butler will greet you before you go in to discuss any concerns you have and make your dinner reservation -neatly manicured grounds with beautiful flowers, palms and shrubs -the best coffee -mixed drinks are overly sweet and taste artificial. Ex. If you order a pina colada you are not getting one with fresh pineapple, its alcohol + a pina colada drink mix. -pools are clean. They had two pools, one was more lively and the other was more quiet. -learned that a doctor and nurse live on the resort on rotation; that's good -nightly entertainment in the form of live music and singing -everyone gets 5 hours of Wifi access daily. If you run out you need to go to the front desk to get a new login -the resort generates it's own electricity so you will not be affected by the daily blackouts local residents experience for hours every day. Beach: 10/10 -pristine, white sand, clean beaches. There are 3 access points for the beach at this resort -little to no seaweed -shallow water access, schools of fish even come to the shallow end -lots of beach chairs available any time of day, everyone is spread out -attentive butler service at the beach for drinks -daily yoga by the water in the morning Food: 6/10 -definitely not a 5 star spread. Cuba is a struggling country and it is clear in the food that they serve. If you are looking for a gourmet culinary experience this resort will not provide that nor am I sure any resort in Cuba will. Please come here with the understanding that you are visiting a 3rd world country who imports more than they export and has major economic issues. -need to book a reservation for dinner and not all restaurants were open/available -the resort ran out of flour 2/7 days of our stay and so they were serving hamburgers and hot dogs without the buns and did not have pizza available. If you don't eat beef and pork no snacks for you...not even fries. -asking for seconds or more dinner rolls at dinner seems frowned upon. You could definitely lose weight here lol. Staff: 7/10 -most of the staff are friendly -encountered a few rude staff members -highly motivated by tips and tips are expected for every little thing they do for you -most of the staff really try their best to give you great service Room: 6/10 -not very clean, good thing I brought a huge container of Lysol wipes -floors were not very clean -furniture was dusty -outdoor showers. Note: around the time the sun sets and into the night there is no hot/warm water coming from the shower head. So take a shower before the sun sets -called for new towels mid-way through our stay, we asked for two towels and only got 1 because the housekeeper said they don't have anymore available. What?! -extra hand towels we asked for did not look that clean -mini fridge with non-alcoholic drinks are not restocked unless you request it -sink faucet head is too low you are almost touching the sink, that's gross.... -bedding was never changed during our stay -little red ants in the room -you can order food and drinks to your room but regarding food it will only be the three snack items available pizza, hamburgers and hotdogs -furniture is old and dated Spa: 8/10 -the massage itself was 10/10 we did an aromatherapy couples massage and it was excellent -sauna, steam room and hydrotherapy also a must -one of the spa staff members, looked like a manager was a little moody. Everyone else was really nice -easy to book a reservation, lots of time slots available -clean but the change room had a urinal the overflowed which was pretty gross and the showers had a little mold So if you are thinking of coming to this resort, you are coming for the beach and for a quieter resort that is more like retreat. Hands down the most beautiful beach I've ever been to. I would actually come back just for the beach. At the end of my stay I did feel refreshed.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Relaxing and Enjoyable Vacation

Husband and I really enjoyed our stay at Paradisus Princesa Del Mar. Taking into consideration the challenges Cuba has faced with COVID and Hurricane Ian, we were happy with the selection of food, drinks and our accommodations. The staff genuinely go out of their way to make your vacation pleasurable. We plan to return next year.

Paradisus Rio De Oro: We Love This Resort !

It was so wonderful to finally be able to go back. My sister, brother and I have been travelling to Cuba for years. This was our 4th time to this resort. Staff are so warm and kind. Beach is fantastic ! Pool and surrounding grounds are well kept and pleasing to the eyes. Rooms are very clean with lots of attention to detail. These folks can be very creative with towels - LOVE IT. We really enjoy the food offerings here. Again - the creativity these people come up with in the face of lim [... read more]ited supplies is nothing short of amazing. Take a day at the spa if you can - it's incredible. Beautiful saltwater pool, whirlpool, sauna, a little private beach. The massages were heavenly ! Can't wait to go back !

Melia Buenavista: Amazing resort

Awesome place, super clean grounds, nicely kept, Staff extremely pleasant, all of them, chambermaid name Judy is the best we ever dealt with ( we travel 3 times a year for last 10 years) Buttler name Joan Martinez Ariosa —- we couldn’t ask for the better one as well. We will return to that hotel for sure ( group of 8 people).

Melia Buenavista: Amazing resort

Awesome place, super clean grounds, nicely kept, Staff extremely pleasant, all of them, chambermaid name Judy is the best we ever dealt with ( we travel 3 times a year for last 10 years) Buttler name Joan Martinez Ariosa —- we couldn’t ask for the better one as well. We will return to that hotel for sure ( group of 8 people).

Sol Varadero Beach: Beautiful Resort But........

The resort is beautiful, and staff work so hard to keep it immaculate and well manicured. The beach is also gorgeous. I cant say enough about how friendly the staff are and how hard they work. However there are definite short comings to this resort and the biggest is the food. The food is bland, and buffets are beyond repetitive. My initial thought was "they" simply did not have access to certain food & beverage items, that was until I saw them at other resorts and heard about very good food [... read more] at other Melia Resorts in Varadero while on a catamaran trip with folks staying at other Melia Resorts. We went 9 days with out any cola of any kind at our resort, so we were forced to buy some at the resort next door for a simple Rum & Coke. The liquor & beer selection was also extremely limited. Food was always cold with the exception of eggs made to order for breakfast. The 24 hour snack bar was no better with the exception of hamburger. Our West Jet representative Yoan did locate some coke and hand delivered it to us. Throughout the 2 weeks I was there I often saw Sr. Staff sitting with returning guests (identified by their arm band) and the Hotel Manager appeared to be there 24/7. That said I never observed the Hotel Manager speak to a guest. That said this was my 3rd trip to Cuba and went in knowing full well that food in Cuba is never great, and perhaps if I had only been there for one week it wouldn't have been so taxing. I recommend Waco's in town, we had a beautiful lobster dinner for around $25.00 USD.

Paradisus Rio De Oro: Amazing resort

We have been at this resort about 24 to 28 times. We arrived the first week it opened in 1999 and have been going ever since. This trip was expected to be very differennt but we were very surprised except for a few slight things it was just as wonderful as always

Melia Las Dunas: Melia Las Dunas hotel Cayo Santa Maria Cuba

Hotel is very nice and well positioned.Great bar, pool, beach access and restaurant facility .Lots of staff does not speak English well, little trouble with communication .Also level of friendliness drops significantly since changes with Cuban currency so people don't tip them as usual .But since hotels is nice and the beach I will definitively come back again.

Melia Cayo Coco: Amazing Resort!

We just arrived from Melia Cayo Coco on Sunday October 2,2022. This place is just amazing. Food is excellent, they even served delicious lobster on Cuban day, lots of seafoods and other selections of food. Cleanliness, friendly people and wonderful staff/employees are just a top notch. We will definitely go back again. Thank you Melia Cayo Coco!

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Not worth the hassle.

I used to be such a big fan of Cuba. Unfortunately I’ll never go back as it’s not worth the money or frustration. While the beach was nice. People were kind the resort was horrible. The buffet was the exact same for seven days in a row. While eating the rice I cracked my tooth on a rock that was in the rice. The only thing offered to me was room service from the same buffet. It was pointless. I was expecting a room upgrade maybe a message. But nothing. The rooms are ok but no bathrobes, li [... read more]mited towels, no coffe maker (but you will get the mugs). The bar is only stocked when you call and you will only receive water and 2 beer. I’m still waiting for the sparkling water I asked for on day one. The restaurants are good but they are not staffed so the reservations are limited. All of the hydra pools are without water. The wifi is VERY choppy and you are only given a certain amount of time. You have to keep calling customer service for move time. Sad. This looks and sounds like a 5 star online but FAR FROM IT. As my husband says it a good 3 star.

Melia Las Antillas: Repeat guest

The people in Cuba have changed they expect huge tips and expansive brand name gifts if you don’t get if for them you will see a difference in service after 14 years going to Melia las Antillas spoke my mind and i got blocked from the website they will never get my business again. Sadly one of the employees swore at me and harassed me for 3 days. Hotel management ignored my complaint very disappointed

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Wow!!!

Everything was great. Terrific. Excellent. Best 7 days spent !!! Staff was amazing. The hotel was awesome. It turned out to be the best trip in a very long time. Highly recommend to all friends and family.

Melia Cayo Coco: Melia Cayo Coco

All ground areas are very well maintained, public areas such as front lobby, lobby bar, swimming pool area bar, swimming pool are nicely organized. Dining areas also very well maintained but observed roaches in the main buffet restaurant. Evening entertainments were excellent. Resort garden areas are nicely designed with different plants to attract birds and I enjoyed seen them and captured good photographed. Beach is clean and there too; I shot some nice shorebird pictures. I believe, mosquito  [... read more]menace is a problem everywhere in Cuba.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Good Resort

The lunch and dinner buffet was the same every day. There was chicken, pork, fish an shrimp made to order. The seasoning was lacking but that’s Cuba in general! There is a clear lack in fruits and vegetables, there was no lettuce, tomato, onion, the only fruits were watermelon, guava, papaya, pineapple, grapefruit. That being it was still good compared to what we heard from people at other nearby resorts. There was a 24hr snack bar that had sandwiches that was good! The beach and pool were AMA [... read more]ZING! And the people were so kind and friendly!

Melia Varadero: Fantastic resort!

We’re very happy we choose this resort and had a great week in Cuba ! The location is fantastic, only a 10 minute taxi ride to downtown Varadero, which we went to 3 days for shopping, eating out, chatting with locals, and stopping for some Cuban rum lol! The rooms are simple, but clean. Beds comfortable. The A/C works very well, in fact almost too well ! The staff are beyond friendly and accommodating, and very very grateful for your tips. The food is the only downfall i can speak of fo [... read more]r this resort. The choices are very limited for breakfast, thankfully you can make a ham and cheese sandwich if you don’t care for eggs. Dinner at the ala Carte is very very good though. Pool is wonderful, lots of choice for chairs in the sun or shade, and the beach area and ocean stunningly carribean and just beautiful. Would definitely return.

Melia Las Americas: A home away from home!!

It has been at least six years since we stayed at the Melia Las Americas. This fine resort has been nothing but highly professional and helpful to its customers. They even have set up a v.i.p. lounge in which a photo of the frequent patrons is presented on one of the walls. We have, over the course of fourty years, stayed in all of the different rooms. It was heart warming upon arrival to see the staff, who immediately recognized us and set us up in an upgraded room with no charge.This res [... read more]ort is and will always be our home away from home.