Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Thoroughly enjoyed myself, but do not like the Cuban Universal Currency price gouging on tours etc

Of note, i am ex military and have travelled the world and stayed in many places of various repute in my 32 years, retiring as a senior officer. This review is in mind of those experiences. Be prepared for up to a 90 minutes bus ride to and from your hotel! Bring European conversion plugs for 220 to 110 volt. None to be had in Cuba! The hotel was a 5 star by Cuban Standards which I found very nice. It would be about a 3 to 4 anywhere else and I got the overall sense that it was on th [... read more]e cusp of a downward spiral in quality. My main complaint that lowers the rating is the poor maintenance of the facilities overall....major holes in boardwalks to beaches and on stairs that were never fixed and were in fact dangerous, potholes at the main entrance, broken furniture, etc and no sign of any repair men during my stay. Noted previous repairs were done haphazardly and noticeably half baked efforts. I enjoyed the food immensely and it was 5 star by Cuban Standards. A lot of broken coffee and other machines were noted. The staff were excellent. Definitely 5 star by any standard. The beaches were fantastic as were the pools, bars and service. Activities at the hotel were not well advertised, consequently we missed opprtunities for scuba lessons for example. The room was a Spa suite which was excellently laid out, very clean and well appointed. The only drawback was towels not changed daily and a broken drawer. The beds were okay, but not excellent or up to 5 star standards. We did the Catamaran/Dolphin tour and the Santa Clara tours....I enjoyed and recommend both. Though I'm told that the snorkeling was a bit of a yawn by those with more experience. The Dolphins were great. As I like seeing how the real people live and a bit of their history, the Santa Clara city and history/factory tour is a must for those of the same ilk. The Cuban Universal Peso is a major drawback. The current rate in Canadian puts it at the scam level. Consequently, tours that would cost you approximately 120 USD a couple in Mexico will cost you closer to 220 USD in Cuba. For instance we went on two tours costing about 220 in CUC, which equalled nearly 480 CAD on our credit card......I'm at a loss as to how that figures given the rate was supposed to be around 1.46 CAD, which is also ridiculous. I guess they are trying to be higher than the Euro. Regardless of the drawbacks, I enjoyed the trip. I will go back again, but maybe to a newer hotel and definitely no less than a 5 Star. Esenachos definitely needs better maintenance, however it is good, its clean and in relatively good order for the bang for the buck at present. In a couple years I expect it's quality will erode. Look for a newer 5 star if a few minor issues will bother you

Iberostar Selection Holguin: Modern clean Room/Resort on fabulous Pesquero Beach

Iberostar Review We enjoyed our 2 week stay here, hands down! Front desk check-in and greeting was very friendly, professional and fast. Assigned room was so comfortable and modern with wifi service, charging station, and a spectacular ocean view!  An additional screened patio door made it perfect for us to enjoy the ocean breeze anytime! Housekeeper Yanelis, kept our room immaculate with all amenities supplied. Accommodations Director Nestor was always present, very personable, and help [... read more]ful in assuring complete guest satisfaction.   The ocean front expansive having two very diverse beach areas. First beach, close by, shallow and nicely sheltered from surf on windy days. Second beach, clear water and absolutely fabulous for snorkelling and water sports. Electric cart shuttle always available and convienant to take us where we wanted. We enjoyed our 4 km, safe, leisure walks along the public pathway of beautiful Pesquero Beach.   Dining room host Uranemi, polite and helpful with our menu selections and reservations. Food of excellent Cuban fare! The good variety of fresh buffet selections and cooking stations were very appealing and tasty. Yainet ready with our morning coffee and glass of sparkling water. We were pleased with our many al la carte meals especially the delicious Lobster Entrees and Milena’s top notch service. IceCreamBar was close to the beach and the server here made this a cheerful and fun stop. Thanks to Arthur and team. “Campari on the rocks, two sparkling waters on the side” yes, BeachBar bartender Henry always showed a lot of class! Swimming Pool lovely, with many comfortable lounge areas and water levels, plus a juggling bartender, wow! Beverage/bar service manager Robert...right on! GM Diego frequently seen around resort, always approachable with a good sense of humour, staying on top. We will definitely return!

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Great Resort - Second time!

Laguna Azul is a great resort. We were there for a second time March 2020 and last year April 2019. Been too many resorts in Cuba and Dominican. We found this resort a perfect size. Lots of beach/pool chairs. Never had to save chairs either time we went. Buffet is good for Cuba food. Very clean resort. Friendly staff. Looking forward to returning next year. They do offer VIP for I believe an extra $10.00 a day per person - looked into it and don't think its worth it. Does not offer th [... read more]e things that I would find beneficial. Really look into it before you purchase. I seldom if at all seen people actually using the perks it offers.

Iberostar Waves Paraiso Beach: Solid 3 Star Resort

-Buffet & a la cartes have a very limited selection, but are high quality. Minimal after-hours options. Shopping centre provides free made-to-order food which is a bonus. -This is one of the lowest levels on a resort compound so you get minimum access to facilities, but have access to all the popular/fun things, so there's no point upgrading. -Resort seemed very understaffed while we were there, so we had no drink servers and bartenders with no cocktail knowledge. Brazilian restaraunt didnt ha [... read more]ve enough servers so we left after the long wait. The folks there were working hard though. -There are only a few bars so without servers it was a pain to get drinks. -Beach was the best we've seen on that coast, lots of waves and strong riptides though. Many people were rescued by life guards.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Unbelievable resort!

White sands and crystal blue beaches as far as the eye can see.....the resort staff were all fantastic, very friendly and always helpful. The grounds are kept in immaculate condition, as are the beaches. We had no issues with hot water, ac, power or bugs although in some spots there are a few (mostly bushes). There are snack bar/restaurants at the beach and poolside that serve great lunches, as well as cigar bar, cigar shop, cappuccino/latte/coffee maker, fully stocked bar. I came in with hi [... read more]gh expectations and can honestly say they were met and somewhat surpassed. I would recommend 2 weeks here as there is a lot to experience at both beaches during both low and high tide, as well as paddle boats, snorkeling, catamarans, kayaking, volleyball etc. There are no locals on the beach nor any other guests from other resorts. Just peace and tranquility.....you will not be disappointed. Can't wait to be back soon!

Iberostar Waves Dominicana: Excellent Resort, Fantastic Beach, Great Location

Overall: excellent quality for money The Room: Ours was in the middle of the building, second floor facing the pool, we could see the ocean from our balcony too. We could hear the entertainment in the evening but never found it too disruptive. Our room had been updated sometime in the last few years. I wish the bathroom had been bigger or that the toilet was separated but it wasn't a huge issue. The bed was comfortable enough though still on the harder side. The Food: The food was fine, a  [... read more]lot of variety but things were often not labeled correctly. Quality was good but not amazing. The a la carte restaurants were also ok but not amazing. I had no stomach issues at the resort whatsoever from either the food or the filtered water they serve. The Beach - AMAZING what a fantastic location and great swimming. It does drop off fairly quickly for folks travelling with little ones but it's a nice sandy bottom. It can get rough but we swam even on the red flag days. Despite the signs, everyone reserves chairs so it's best to get out in the morning and do so if you want a prime spot in the busy seasons like march break. The beach vendors can be annoying but are generally respectful when you say no. We also felt comfortable leaving our bags on our chairs while swimming. The Staff - helpful and friendly regardless of whether you tipped or not (though we almost always did.)

Iberostar Origin Playa Alameda: Resort was Good, Food not so Much!

The Resort was very nice, but as an overall experience, I would only give it a 4-star rating. The food 3+. The Reception area was overwhelmed with those checking in, checking out, exchanging $, etc. The majority of the staff was great, the entertainment was good; there was not shortage of things to do. The old cars were fun to see and to drive in. For more info, see blog sent to Trip Central. My sister, mother and I feel we should be reimbursed for the inconveniences about the room,  [... read more]and the injuries sustained by my sister. We look forward to hearing from you.

Iberostar Waves Paraiso del Mar: Fantastic Resort

This was our 6th visit to the same resort - cannot say enough about it buildings are beautiful and very clean - grounds are immaculate and landscaped well - large resort area to walk around in addition to the large pools and ocean the are great. Food as always excellent. Was very easy to book with trip central and all travel arrangements were good and on time

Iberostar Selection Varadero: Excellent resort

The Iberostar Selection Varadero was so lovely in all the ways that matter. It's a very nicely designed setting that actually has character and is easy to get around. It's a nice size so that there's space for a variety of amenities, but it's not too big so that you feel lost or that you're in an impersonal environment. The food is high quality and it's clear that the hotel takes pride in providing good food, and a variety of it, for guests. The service at meals was very good. Servers are hel [... read more]pful and communicative. The staff and performers are so friendly and attentive. They make the atmosphere very pleasant. There's a community oriented feeling about the place, as it seems that everyone is there to create a fun, safe, laid-back experience. I highly recommend this resort to people who are looking for an easy, pleasant, and comfortable stay. I don't recommend it to people who are planning to party hard for their vacation, because it's not that kind of vibe at this hotel. At least, it wasn't when I visited.

JOIA Paraiso by Iberostar: Beautiful resort

Everything was great. The employees were extra caring and helpful. The rooms were very nice and very clean. The maids were super at there job and always left flower pedals and little animals made from the towles. The butlers were extra caring and always got anything you asked for in a very fast and efficient way. The restaurants were very well set up and very clean. Lots of food choices and excellently prepared and served and very good tasting meals.

Iberostar Origin Daiquiri: Needs upgrades

The hotel itself needs many updates each room ( and we saw three ) has something that is broken or does not work properly......our room had no hot water Btwn 5 to 8 pm the shower was broken and the AC had no control for temp so it was either super high or off which was not pleasant ......the staff was amazing and super friendly

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Absolutely Amazing Resort

I would rate Every Employee 10 plus out of 10 The BEST customer experience I have ever encountered The Cuban hospitality was amazing, their smiles, friendliness was out of this world. I loved my massages by Luis. Will I go back - ABSOLUTELY

Iberostar Selection Varadero: Great place for families!

We really enjoyed this hotel. We were impressed by the well-maintained grounds, the excellent entertainment staff, the cleanliness of the hotel rooms, the comfortable beds, and the excellent effort put into making the food as varied and enjoyable as possible. We loved how calm this resort was, as well as the daily schedule of activities for kids! The beach was beautiful, but doesn’t provide many opportunities in terms of snorkelling (you have to go out farther in the ocean on a catamaran, w [... read more]hich we did and loved). I highly recommend this hotel!

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Great pools

The beds are terrible. Some new mattresses would be great. A week on those beds is a killer. Pools and beach are beautiful. Food is typical Cuba. Always find something to eat but don't expect gourmet food.

Iberostar Origin Playa Alameda: Pretty good for Cuba

People at resort very friendly and nice. Food was the best I ever had and I have been to Cuba at least 6 times. It was kind of weird that they ran out of French fries, chicken and coke a cola. The breakfast were great with a large asortment of baked goods and breakfast items. Entertainment was good. The coffe was great as well.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Beautiful Vacation

The hotel was very nice,the food was quite good and the service was very good. The beach is excellent,but there was limited number of shelters,which is always the case at any resort. I am not a pool person, so I did not spend any time at the pool, but they looked good. I think one had slides for kids. The room was clean and nice. The fridge was restocked daily. The entertainment in the theater was excellent, although some found it to loud. There was a entertainment team at the beach as well. Re [... read more]ally enjoyed sailing and snorkeling. I recommend snorkeling by the point. There happened to be lots of fish and star fish.

Iberostar Coral Holguin: best in Cuba

This is as close to a 5 star that you will find in Cuba. Service, cleanliness, modern with 3hrs/day/person of free wifi. The food is better tahn most other Cuban resorts, but still not 5 star, shortages, lack of spices still exist, presentation however was great, the skae restaurant does outdo itself, possibly 5 star level. The Coral section, with perks, and adults only is so quiet and peaceful, while the rest of the resort is more family oriented, evryone seemed to enjoy the pools. The staff we [... read more]re so freindly and helpful, well trained.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: LOVELY RESORT!

We just returned from a week at the Iberostar in Cayo Santa Maria. It is a large, spread out resort which is very well kept, beautiful gardens, large clean pools. We had a room on the ground floor in building 21 which is fairly close to the reception/ lobby/ buffet etc. We had a large room, with a large balcony, a king size bed, flat screen Tv , stocked refrigerator. The large bathroom has a separate shower and bathtub. There are beautiful tennis courts although there was some confusion obtainin [... read more]g rackets to play with. If you really enjoy tennis bring your own equipment. We really enjoyed the food at the buffet and a la cartes. The beaches are simply beautiful. The closest Megano beach has a two great bars and a simple but delicious lunch BBQ. The staff is super friendly and helpful and any issues are dealt with promptly.

Iberostar Origin Tainos: Great spot

This is a very pretty resort, with a great beach and swimming pool, as well as gorgeous trees and nice landscaping. The food was better than I've had in other Cuban resorts - lots of choice, nice fresh veggies and tasty hot dishes. The service was very good - all staff friendly and helpful. I loved the outdoor entertainment in the Courtyard area in the evenings and went to a couple of shows in the "club". My only complaint is that I did not have hot water for a shower the whole time I was  [... read more]there. I did report the problem a few times, and there was some effort to correct it. However, it turned out a water pipe problem close to my room was the culprit. They were working on fixing this during the week.

Iberostar Waves Punta Cana: Amazing resort

Wonderful resort with beautiful grounds, amazing beach and wonderful restaurants. Grounds were meticulous. Staff were very friendly. Entertainment Shows were very good . Our rooms were very clean. We were celebrating our Anniversary and received champagne in our room for our arrival as well as dinner reservations at the Italian restaurant.