Relaxing Vacation

This was our 12th vacation to Cuba, 2 adults and a teen. Nice new hotel, very comfortable beds and pillows, nice ocean view from most of the rooms, well maintained grounds, plenty of chairs at the pool and the beach. Food at the buffet was average, Japanese a la carte better than the others. Suggestion to add ambient music to the a la carte restaurants, as there is no atmosphere to go with the specific of the restaurant. They did a great job with the decks at beach to avoid the rocky areas, howe [... read more]ver there is no beach to walk on at the hotel, but Playa Pilar beach is within 15 minutes walk. Pool was nice and clean. Nice people, good service. Overall, a very relaxing vacation.

Iberostar Playa Pilar: Excellent Service

We stayed at the Iberostar Playa Pilar on Dec 29, 2017-Jan 5, 2018. Here is a summary of the good points and those which could use improvement. The Good: • Service was excellent all over the resort. From the check in to the chamber maid to bartenders to bellhops. The staff here are friendly and good at their jobs. • As soon as we got off the bus, welcomed us with a cold slushy drink. We asked for a cot (and actually got one without asking a bunch of times). • Reservations for the  [... read more]a la cartes were painless to obtain. • Resort is close to Playa Pilar which is a beautiful beach. Lots of ways to get there (bus, walk on the road, walk along the coast). • They did a great job of the New Year’s party: gave guests party bag with horns, hats, etc. and lovely entertainment. • Entertainment in the evening was good. Staff brought drinks to you while you watched. • Japanese a la carte was excellent – delicious food and a fun time. • When the sea is calm, you can snorkel off the resort. The Less Good: • It is Cuba, so food isn’t good. We found the things we could get by with but aside from the Japanese, we didn’t really enjoy the food. We were glad to have brought snacks (Pringles, etc) • The weather wasn’t good (cold and windy) so there isn’t anything really to do if the beach and pool are not happening for you. It’s a function of location. Perhaps the entertainment staff could put on special games or something when weather isn’t cooperating. • The beach at the resort isn’t good as the boardwalk blocks your entire view of the sea. • There is a tonne of trash on shore (still recovering from Irma). • There store is nearly nonexistent so hopefully you don’t forget anything. • Mosquitos or sand fleas are terrible. You don’t feel them biting you and the next day you discover they have feasted on your flesh. • The airport is terrible in Cayo Coco. Line ups to get food are unmanageable (try to eat before you go and take snacks from the resort if possible). Not enough seats in the airport for all passengers.

Lovely resort

Overall, I thought this hotel was such great value for the cost. The checkin was quick and very friendly, we were upgraded, I presume, based on some hotel vacancy. Our room was so spacious, open and airy, had all the room amenities and comforts, better than I expected. We also had a good view of the ocean and resort grounds. The resort had much foliage even after the hurricane, you didn’t see any damage or much loss. The beach was lacking some sand in areas but there was still some good sandy  [... read more]parts especially walking towards playa pilar beach; the walk there was beautiful. The food was better than expected, it was a bit repetitive and limited but at least we had the a la carte dinner options. We had many delicious drinks and cocktails options including prosecco, Spanish coffee was delicious! The main highlights of the resort were friendly service and positive, welcoming attitude of the Cubans/staff, nicest people! And the other highlight was the entertainment; the horror and pool shows were amazing-5star entertainment!! I would return and recommend this hotel to anyone.

Utterly amazing

Best hotel I've ever stayed at in Cuba.. rooms, food, entertainment all the staff and the shows! The pool, the swim up bar .. ocean.. beautiful. We will be looking go back, but with our entire family! Very soon I hope!

Outstanding resort

We stayed at ocean view for 1 week. Hotel is brand new ..all furniture and infrastructure are new. We are pleased with the service they provide . Staff are very friendly. Well kept room and they clean it for us everyday. Food is amazing . Different varieties everyday for the buffet. Fresh grill fish, shrimp and lobsters. Seafood lovers you will enjoy it very much. Ocean view is fantastic ..water is clear .. I can see fishes swimming without going snorkeling. One only downfall is lots of mosquito [... read more]s.. be prepared to bring repellent..lots of it. We got bitten once we landed at the airport. Tiny mosquitos going for your arms face anywhere they can find blood. Other than that..I would recommend this resort.. we had wonderful time

Enjoyable but...

Small size resort- perfect for finding your way around with ease. I dislike resorts that require shuttles to get around! Food was excellent- I am vegetarian and was able to find something at the buffet daily. The restaurants were very good too- definitely recommend the Asiatic! Spent most of my time at the beach or off doing excursions...not necessarily by choice but because the main pool was CLOSED for 4 days of the week we spent there. This is absolutely unacceptable to us. Customer service st [... read more]aff offered to transfer us to another hotel- not an ideal option as it is such a hassle for us. As a result of the pool being closed, the beach became increasingly popular and it was tougher to find a lounger but still... loved the crystal clear, shallow water - beautiful. 20 minute walk to Playa Pilar beach done once- stunning beach and water but not worth going multiple times since the resort beach was very similar. Did the Jeep safari, sunset cruise and snorkelling excursion to Isla media luna- all great trips. Be warned...when you drive the jeep, the terrain is a true adventure! Overall, nice resort and food but I will visit another resort in the future due to the pool situation not being addressed promptly. This is a make or break feature for us.

Iberostar Playa Pilar

Traveled April 13-20, 2017. It was our first time to this resort. To Start, the bus ride to the resort was amazing. Up on arrival to the resort check in was fast and very smooth. Down fall was there was no one there greeting us. Other Cuba resorts greet you with drinks before check in. They had staff there to bring our bags to the room and they were fast at doing this. The rooms were very clean and tidy. The resort grounds were very clean. They were still planting greenery and painting.  [... read more] The pool bar staff was the best. They were always quick at getting your drinks ready. The food was amazing now complaints. We were able to book three restaurants. They had a new steakhouse which was ok, we also book the Japanese however do to a mix up (our ticket had 7:30pm reservation but they lady had wrote 6:30pm on the sheet she gave to the restaurant. So therefore they could not get us in however they moved us to another restaurant which was fine. The entertainment was kind of boring. The lobby music was very low key and the show were ok. The music was very low in the day time out by the pool. The resort is beautiful and I believe with a little bit of work and experience there resort will actually be a 5 star. They still need to work out a few issues.

Great week in paradise

We traveled with a group of people 15 of us all together..the resort is two years old .. Rooms beautiful we had bungalow 3 perfect ocean front view.. Rooms where kept nice and clean mini fridge restock daily.. Buffet was over all good .. Great pizza station pasta meat and fish .. Also for lunch they have a beach grill great fish and chicken wings.. Lobby bar made amazing drinks .. Staff was grat friendly and helpful .. Beach isn't the greates but they have playa pilar 10 min walk or take the bus [... read more] for 5 pesos all day .. Shows a must see .. Over all a good resort traveled end of april

Awesome resort

The rooms were great, service was great , the only down fault was the amount of activities that there were during the day! It would of been better to have more excitement but other than that , no problems at all with anything and it is very nice and well organized

Iberostar Playa Pilar

Just stayed at thos resort and I would recommend it to everyone. Food, service and cleanliness was excellent. We will go back very soon... Our second time booking with trip central and would recommend then too everyone also... Had very good service , Thank You for making this vacation a special one , once again...

Amazing Cuban resort!

This is my second time at this resort and I loved it just as much. Many of the staff remembered me from my first visit and were so nice. Loved the pool, the restaurants and the entertainment. I am not a beach person but the layout of the beach at this resort is laid out really nice. Would definitely go back there for a third visit.

Great Staff, Great Resort

First trip to Cuba and this resort definitely appeared the best as we passed others on the day we arrived. Oney, the bartender at the cigar bar makes the best drinks and we didn't even go in the pool because the ocean cove that was at the edge of the resort was beautiful and warm! The food was even okay! The best was anything that was made fresh to order for example the fried fish station at the buffet. But by far the most impressive thing was the kindness and happiness of all of the staff. Ever [... read more]y single staff member had a smile on there face and would say hola every day! Great experience! And so close to beautiful Pilar beach as well!

Lovely New Resort

We enjoyed the lovely amenities of this resort. Nice buffet meals with tasty selection of fruits and veggies, rice and beans, fish, meat and cheeses. My one critique is that meat and fishes were somewhat overcooked and therefore dry and lacking taste. However there were lots of other options like cold meats. Yummy omelettes were available each morning made to order and superb. There were a la carte eateries where one can reserve for a particular evening. There was also a hamburger and fries eate [... read more]ry a few steps up from the boardwalk. Great hamburgers. Alcohol and non alcohol beveridges were available in abundance. Cuban people are LOVELY well groomed, pleasant people who always seemed to be smiling with their eyes. Conversation with them revealed positive, grateful ambitious people. Most travel daily two hours by bus each way from the nearest town, but do not complain. There seems to be an "Attitude of Gratitude" among staff. The grounds are well kept with several pools, lounge areas, gym and spa. A board walk borders the water front. The water is a magnificent aquamarine which depending on the wind/breeze can show at least three shades of that color. My only disappointment was that there is no beach between the waters edge and the resort. I enjoy being able to walk the beach. Pillar Beach is nearby but requires a hike or bus ride up the highway, neither of which I enjoy. The resort has several guest hotel units spread through the resort. Access to theses is by well maintained walkways bordered by well managed garden beds. We had a very pleasant stay

Wow amazing resort

A very family oriented hotel, we had a great time and would recommend this resort. The staff was exceptional and happy to help. I would go back in a heartbeat. A big thank you to the staff you absolutely made our stay very memorable.

Spectacular Cuba resort! The best yet!

What an amazing, breath taking resort. Hands down, the best cuba resort I've ever herd of and been to myself. Would recommend this to anyone! VERY modern and clean! including the rooms, bathrooms, resort bathrooms and everywhere on the resort. Two of the el a carts were breath taking, japeneese and gormet were my favourite. You walked in feeling like you were at 5 star restaurant for both places. Food at both restaurants were very very good, that's comming from a foodie myself and 3 people as we [... read more]ll. The mediterranean al e cart was my least favourite as they used food from the buffet and it was not mediterranean cuisine. Another downfall for me is that there is NOT your typical beach. It is man made and the sand area with lay down chairs and huts are behind a beautiful boardwalk ultimately blocking your view of the water. There is no real beach here which was huge for me. There was steps that you could enter the water with from the board walk but there was a tiny area with sand that led into the water, which was were the sail boats and paddle boats were. Which were by the way free and so much fun to go with a group of people on!. On the bright side you are a 20 min walk from one of the most beautiful beaches in Cuba called Playa Pilar. You so have to pay for drinks and your beach chair. But it is WELL worth it and that's were you get your REAL beach. It is unreal and just absolutely amazing. Overall a WONDERFUL experience and amazing resort, one of the best I have been too. A must go!

Beautiful Resort ,Awesome People

We were at the Iberostar Playa Pilar for our second time.Staff are amazing ,they do everything they can to make your stay fun and memorable.The rooms are clean and comfortable and the air conditioning works great. We booked an Ocean View but when we arrived we were up grated to a Jr. Suite with an amazing view of the ocean.We ate all the restaurants and the food was good, especially at the Gourmet and Japanese Restaurants.The buffet had a lot of variety of food so it was always easy to find som [... read more]ething to eat.The board walk at the ocean is so nice.They have comfortable beds and chairs to enjoy the beautiful view of the ocean and a bar that makes great drinks. Pilar beach is only about a 15 to 20 minute walk from the resort and is one of the most beautiful beaches we have ever been on.Oh and yes! The entertainment is fantastic,great pre shows and main shows.Can't wait to go back.

We loved Playa Pilar!

I have only positive things to say about Playa Pilar. The design is very contemporary and clean, the staff are great, and the entertainment options are many. While there isn't a long sandy beach on the property, there's a beautiful beach only 5 minutes away. Having said that, I quite like the resort beach. The bar is fun and there are plenty of lounging opportunities in both the sun and the shade. Thanks to TripCentral's Karol for setting us up! Two thumbs up!

Unique Location!

The location is superb and special. The triangular deltaic space of the resort surrounded by beautiful coral cliffs on shorelines of east and west sides have made it a unique location for those who love feeling of natural surroundings other than the resort facilities. You have then chance of watching both sunshine and sunset. The beach is on west side, different than classical long sand beaches, but specific in look as you can see combinations of sand beach and cliffs. Timber trails are built  [... read more]to access more fine sandy waters. They have overal done a nice job on landscaping of the beach area. There is a nice small Island about 2 to 3 km north of resort that you can go by sailing boats from beach area at $25 PSUS per person including round trip boat, lunch (good shrimps and lubster included) and 4 drinks. Don't miss this, it requires at least 2 to 3 hrs. You would really enjoy walking on the beaches and snorkeling of this Island. The lobby area is very nice, large and modern, bars are excellant, the rooms are clean and relatively large, but like most Cuban hotels, mattresses, pillows and sheets are not so great. Air conditioning and ceiling fans give you good selection of ventilation depending on taste and season. But as resort is relatively new, the plants and trees are still short and the gardens specially on paths between buildings are not so green yet. Staff are welcoming and smiling most of the time. Pool area is well planned, large and clean. The water was very transparent and clean first few days, but was darker last two days. The Japanese restaurant is a good experience; the French restaurant is a nice one to try as well. Overal, you would have a unique experience and recommended to try this resort.

Awesome resort

For a fairly new resort the grounds was very nice. I can't say enough to justify how friendly the whole staff was, right from the front desk to the cleaning and grounds keeping staff. The food was amazing, with an extra shout out to the Japanese A-La-Carte restaurant the food was delicious and our chef was very entertaining. If I had to say anything negative it would have to be the lack of a beach, but in saying that there is Pilar beach which is just a short 10 minute walk from the resort, and  [... read more]the best part is that while you're there I don't believe that you would feel any safer in your own home. I would recommend this to anyone looking to relax in a friendly environment with good food and drink, I will definitely go back.

Iberostar Playa Pilar...WOW!!

We had the opportunity to stay at this resort March 20-27th and all in our group agree that this property is amazing! The staff are second to none and can't do enough for you during your stay. The food at the A-la-carts was great and the buffet always had a good selection to choose from. We enjoyed fresh battered fish and risotto at the beach grill as well as chicken wings and burgers at the Ranchon grill station. There was always entertainment to enjoy at various places about the property [... read more] and great bar service everywhere. We enjoyed the board walk to lounge on and also the beach and pool areas to swim in the warm water. The room was well appointed, it has a large walk in shower, minibar, safe and flat panel TV. Always kept spotless and fresh by the great ladies looking after us. Go and enjoy this little piece of paradise for yourself !! Cheers Dapa81