Sanctuary at Grand Memories Varadero: Great resort

I will start by saying that over all experience is quite positive. Ocean. Something that compensates any negative thing I can describe below. Ocean is amazing. Beach is private for Sanctuary guests only. Quite enough space under the shades. No words to describe the water in ocean, we were spending hours there. Barmen from nearest bar made rounds to pick orders. Grounds. Sanctuary is a small part (adults only) of big resort Grand Memories Varadero. They grounds are very clean and t [... read more]aken care of. In fact the entire resort is very clean. Room. The rooms are quite big, but not really taken care of. Our room was really "screaming" for renovation. Walls, doors, faucets. Everything requires major repairs. However, room was cleaned daily and cleaned very well. Clean towels, clean bed sheets. Minibar refilled daily. Bedding is very comfy. Facilities. Again, no complains there. However, it is adults only resort. Wouldn't it make sense that pool would have swimming bar? I'd say absolutely. There is no. Quite useless hot tub on the middle and the bar is close, but not swimming. Food and drinks. Lets start with drinks. I can say it was great and I can't say it was bad. Drinks are unpredictable. One time you ask for lets say gin and tonic they make it perfect, other time you can't drink it. And it doesn't even depend on barmen. Same barmen does it differently. Otherwise, no complains. Coffee - only in bars. Whatever they give in restaurants it not drinkable. Don't drink water at restaurants. Ask for sparkling. At least you will be sure they didn't serve you tub water. Food is decent, but not great. We had all meals "a la carte". Breakfast is good. You may order eggs and its done fine. Very little dairy products: no cottage cheese, no cream cheese. Very little vegetables. Lunch and dinner are very much the same. I would expect from the resort of this level a little more variety. Four out of seven days they have lobster on menu. It was pretty well cooked. But no pasta on menu for the entire week. I'm not really picky, but I would take pasta once. Don't take beef, its not good and not cooked well. With fish is also some complications: once it was done well, another time really dry, overcooked. Overall, I can't say food is bad, but it doesn't even come close to resorts in Mexico or Dominican where I've been.

Memories Caribe Beach Resort: Great vacation

Great vacation! Hotel is clean, beautiful and quiet. Staff is very friendly and trying to do everything they can to make you happy. Food is simple but clean and fresh- grilled fish and meat every lunch and dinner. If you are not picky with variety of food choices you won’t be hungry. Beach and water- AMAZING! Definitely will come again.

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Varadero: Our Second Home

Hola - A perfect vacay at the Sanctuary! The best part of our vacay was enjoying our friendships with Hanoy, Jesús, Yurilays, Yeny, Yessy, Natali, Alex, Jose-Mario, Leo & Liusmila. Highlights was the Hobie Cat rides with Esteban touring the coastline and dinners by Yurilays and Chef Yasel at the Italian & Gourmet restaurants. My husband always enjoys discussing baseball with his buddies Hanoy & Alex and cigars with Jesús. Shout out to all the staff at the resort including the beach ar [... read more]ea, both beach bars and Casana for our fresh beach towels. We appreciate their friendship and the services they provide making this our second home. The Rock Band 5th Avenue is by far the best of the Sanctuary entertainment. They definitely rock and are extremely popular. In addition, the band who play at Retro night will have you singing and the Duo Group who play keyboard and sax are a crowd favourite. These 3 bands are not to be missed. They are definitely one of the reasons we always want to come back. We would like to thank Hilda for her assistance making us want to return for our 11th time to the Sanctuary! We will see you all again very soon.... Jim & Ali - Canada

Memories Caribe Beach Resort: Beautiful Cuba and Cuban people...

For the most part this was an amazing resort. It was not very full when we were there. No lines anywhere; food, bar, etc. Pool often only had 5 or 10 people around it. Same with beach, very sparsely used. We went late June. Not the busy time. Certainly the hot time! Rooms clean, food good to great, staff wonderful. No complaints... really, looking back everything was great.

Grand Memories Varadero: Cuba = Beach

Our family went with low expectations so we are not so disappointed. Here are some feedbacks we noted for the readers. pool: 1st day there was not clean, algae build up but got cleaned few days later, however I am still traumatized by the sight restaurant: only Gourmet restaurant was actually good (the only restaurant with lobster on the menu); Italia restaurant beef steak was too tough I gave up on 1st bite; International restaurant - need to dial back on the salt; buffet - staff do not  [... read more]consistently use kitchen gloves when preparing fruits, grills always a long wait despite "low season", fish scales weren't removed prior to grilling making it challenging to eat beach: absolutely breath taking, it is the main reason I would return to Cuba again, water is warm bars: liquor seems too diluted staff: staff are pleasant but few stays on the mind when they were impatient and lacking good customer service evening show: great dancers/performers kids club: friendly staff, safe, would have been better if it opens through lunch (12.30pm-2.30pm); kids never got to see Toopy&Binoo characters although advertised to be the main highlight room: ours was close to the beach but far from the main buffet so there was a lot of going back and forth, 3 storey building did not feel 4.5star more like an apartment complex

Memories Flamenco Beach Resort: Most amazing beach and water

Memories Flamenco was a great experience for our family of 6 adults. There ere some minor issues with power outages but other than that, everything was great. Food was good, rooms were clean, most of the staff were awesome and the beach and water was spectacular. Will definitely consider returning again.

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Santa Maria: Great staff at Grand Memories Buffet

The vacation was a very difficult one at the end of it all. I am disabled with a walking aid and we were put on the second floor to include 2 flights of stairs. I had asked on our arrival and I was told no and 2 days later as they saw I was struggling with the stairs , they offered to move us to first floor which was still one flight of stairs. I declined as we had already unpacked and it would be too difficult for me to manage packing all over again. Other than that, the staff were very frie [... read more]ndly. We put in 3 wake up calls and the only one we recieved was the morning we left, as I told them if we did not make the plane, it would be at their expense, as there was no alarm clocks in the room. Also sometimes it took 3 times to have a pick up by their shuttle service. The sliding door in our room was very difficult to open (seemed like the wheels on the door were worn out) and I reported it with no one coming to repair. The cable to the TV was broken and our tv was very limited due to the with not being connected properly. The maid service was excellent and they were extremely grateful for the gifts we had brought for the staff daily with their tip. The only dining room that I could manage the food was the Grand Memories Buffet and the service was excellent! I kept to a very simple diet and my husband who sampled all of the food, became very ill on the 5th day. Once home he was diagnosed with ECOLI (very serious). Our waiter, Rubin was the best! He would go the extra mile to help us and made sure his service was the best! Entertainment was very good when they had it. Some nights were just cancelled, as well as some of the excursions. One excursion we were able to do was the Catermeran and it was excellent! The crew were the best and we had a wonderful time. I would highly recommend that excursion! The entertainment staff were second to none! They were the best! We found Cuban people very friendly and appreciative. We did make some friends from Cuba and other countries. Our trip home was not pleasant with my husband sick and then the took my walker away when we went through clearance. (any other trip to include our trip to Cuba I had my walker until I loaded the plane. ) This added to our struggles. Then lastly, we had paid for VIP on our return, but with everything going wrong during this vacation, I could not find my receipt. Instead of contacting Sunwing to verify our payment, we were kicked out of the VIP Lounge. We could not find a seat close by and had to walk to the very back of the waiting area to sit. (with my husband having to run to the washroom and my self with our my walking aid.) We can not say this was the best holiday with so many issues. We have place a large complaint with Sunwing. Thanks Margaret Williams-Oram

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Varadero: Love the Sanctuary

It was awesome to have our butler girl book our restaurant reservations within an hour of check in and deliver the tickets to our room. The internet worked fast in the lounge and around the pool area. Our room faced the pool so we could use it in our room and balcony too. $1cuc/hr. Cuban food is back to the basics of wholesome fresh fruits, veggies, seafood and breads mostly and it's good! We received wonderful hospitality from all staff.

Memories Flamenco Beach Resort: Bad experience.

When we arrived to the hotel we were told that we got nice room. What we saw in this room was shocking and disgusting. The room was horrible. There was mould on the ceiling and walls. The floor was dirty and sticky. The bathroom condition was also unacceptable. There was mould on the shower curtain, dirty bath, and dirty tabs. The smell of the mold in the room was unendurable! After our complaining they transfer us to another room. It was much better but a lot of things didn`t work. The toile [... read more]t wouldn`t flush and my husband had to fix it, the plug in the bathroom beside the mirror was broken and I couldn`t use my hairdryer. We report it few times but it never got fixed. The cleanliness of this hotel is very, very poor. No drinks and water in the fridge. Got it just 2 times after complaining. Most of the waiters in the buffet is slow and sad, you have to wait for everything. Average food. We only liked the food and service in the snack bar. The beach is amazing!

Sol Turquesa Beach: Good value for the price...very green, huge property

Beach: clear water, white sand, some weed spots in the water, sufficient shade area Pools: 4 pools for all ages Service: kitchen servers are very friendly, bar servers only a few are friendly. Food: in June the hotel was more than half empty, food quality good, variety medium Room: large nice room, new mattresses, few times had issues with cold or hot water, later it got fixed Value: good value, reflects 4 stars correctly Location: one-hour bus drive from the airpor [... read more]t Lots of stairs or climbs, not suggested with mobility problems, beautiful green garden, bring mosquito repellents for nights, lots of walks. Not worthy to buy the diamond club package, not much difference. Clean, open dining places, but cats and birds are coming into the dining area.

Memories Caribe Beach Resort: Nice resort

My boyfriend and I went for one week and really enjoyed this resort. The only think that we didn’t like was the food, there were very little options and both of us are vegetarians/vegan so it was really hard to find things to eat. The staff was super friendly and went out of their way to help us out. The room was decent, it was clean and big, however, there were no doors at all for the washroom so there was very little privacy. The beach and pool were stunning and the water was the clearest Iâ [... read more]€™ve ever seen. Entertainment was also really great, the staff organizing the games made us had a good time and the shows at night were amazing. We went to the gym almost everyday and although the cable machine was really outdated it was a decent gym for a one week stay. The resort itself is so large and beautiful there is so much to see, apart from the food we would definitely recommend this resort. Also the security guard Manuel was so nice and helped us out. Also Ely part of the entertainment staff ensured we had a great time!

Resonance Blu Varadero: Not as good as before!

Some of the hotel staff like the one's we used to know from previous visit on the same resort is still awesome!!!, but most of them they don't even give you the time of day. The rooms are still the same but need some updates for sure. The pool are disgusting!!! There's plastic cups everywhere looks like they haven't clean it so we didn't spent anytime in the pool, I wouldn't even dip my feet in it Food at the buffet and specially at the lunch area by the pool side is disgusting!!! We order hot d [... read more]ogs and it looks like that they literally just roll the hotdog on the grill just to grab the grease of the grill and serve it to us, the hot dogs were pale and not even cook at all. When it comes to alcohol beverages they run out of beer and white wine at the front lobby and even some liquor too J&B to be exact. The food was so bad that we had to reserve Japanese food for dinner 4 nights in a row because that's the only decent food you could get. So to some this all up I wouldn't go back to that same resort ever again.

Grand Memories Santa Maria: Amazing staff, amazing resort!

Our stay was fantastic. The resort was very clean, the staff was very friendly and helpful. Only advice to future go hours, is to bring bug spray as the mosquitoes can get pretty bad at night but that was our only complaint

Memories Jibacoa: '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!

Grand Memories Varadero: Always my home away from home!

Only good to say! Will always be coming back 3-4 times a year. Missing the gang already. See you guys soon! Animation: the best in Varadero. Beach: wow! Food: It's Cuba! Staff: Love them! Amenities: Yeah!

Resonance Blu Varadero: Fantastic Time

Stayed here Between May 28 - June 4th, Great Time.... Rooms are very Clean i stayed in 24... staff very friendly ...never a complaint, the food right now is not the best but you are not going to Cuba for the food. Beach and the Ocean amazing!!!

Sol Turquesa Beach: Ok resort

The resort itself is nice, the rooms are big and clean. Staff are lovely. Lots of huge mosquitos on this resort. Must have been bitten maybe 30 times a night even with bug spray. Beach is nice but a lot of seaweed. There were staff working on digging it out while we were there. Food at resturants is mediocre, better off at the buffet. Resort is laid out pretty well, although i find the rooms to be quite far from main lobby and buffet, resturants etc. We were fortunate enough to be located pretty [... read more] close to the pool which was nice. Lots of stairs, i do not reccommend this hotel for elderly people or people with mobility issues. The resort is located in the middle of the forrest which is lovely but tons of bugs and wild cats roam the grounds. No disco at night and evening shows are the same across all hotels in this area. Water ballet, retro band, classic cuban singers and two beach parties located not far off the resort. Guardalvaca beach is close by and would reccommend taking the tour bus for 5pesos.

Sol Turquesa Beach: Great resort

Although our flight times got changed and that put a damper on our travel days...the resort was great. Quick check in and our room was huge We upgraded to diamond club and were expecting a welcome drink and a no check in service but we arrived late so the reps weren’t working but it was fine. We made it down to the theatre where the show was about to start and there was a bbq with fish and chicken. Best fish ever!!!!!!!!!!!! The pools were nice and the beach was great !!! Spent mo [... read more]st of our time there lol The food was good. The diamond club dinner was super romantic. Personal guitar player and cute lit up venue. All the staff was super nice and we had a great time !! Bring bug spray!!!!!!! The shows were amazing. The ballet show was mesmerizing ! And they even played the raptors game ! Thanks memories for great memories !

Grand Memories Punta Cana: Great Water Park

The hotel was nice , the rooms were well equipped and modern, pool area was good. The water park area is very good for the kids and adults. Limited with food snacks locations during the lunch hour at the Grand Memories but very good food areas at the Royal Hotel . We knew before were booked the hotel that the beach was not near but had the understanding it was an easy walk. This was not the case as it is a 10 min walk and with the great warmer weather we had ( nice sunny days with heat ) you ha [... read more]d to take the trolley car. Better to stay at the sister hotel " Royal Hotel" if you want the beach and more action.

Memories Jibacoa: 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.