Iberostar Origin Playa Alameda: By far the worst resort ever in my 25 years of travels.

I have never in my 25 years of travelling complained once about a resort, this is the exception!!!! From the first day to the very last everything went wrong from day to day.This is all I’m going to say because people would not believe what went wrong on our 14 day (every day)vacation at this resort starting with management and their lack of professional courtesy towards tourist. My wife and I do understand that no matter the hotel be it a 5 stars, nothing in this world is perfect and this is [... read more] understandable, you have to accept the good and the bad. We’ve done a lot of travelling and at ton of hotels including Iberostar which was one of the hotels we loved but all of this change with ALAMEDA. We were planning to go to Iberostar in Riviera Maya this fall but are now looking at alternative hotels.

Melia Marina Varadero: Good

Everything was great except for the food and mosquitoes. Food in the restaurants was the same as in the buffet with less options to choose. Line to get to the buffet was an bummer in the heat. Also, they might think about more entertainment options.

Iberostar Origin Bella Vista Varadero: Resort is beautiful, people are friendly happy smile kind polite

Hotel is good, rooms are clean and new, some area in one of building had dirty stairs, was disappointed last day I saw in kitchen counter cockroache oh that made me very upset, couldn’t eat after I saw, they need to watch that They are trying to keep clean, employees always warmly welcome but this things made hotel star lower , Security and beach is perfect Charlie, entertainment man is very nice, making people happy, I loved dancing on the beach , around the pool and evening in concert  [... read more]hall parties, music dancing makes completely relax your mind , I loved dancing and motivated others Overall I enjoyed it

Memories Jibacoa: WoW et WoW

Nous sommes allés Moi et ma femme couple 45 ans la semaine du 9 juin 2023 Nous avons adoré apportez vos épices apporter de l’argent canadien beaucoup de cinq dollar et échanger la monnaie contre cinq dollar papier, Car il ne peuvent pas déposer de la monnaie Nous y retournerons à cet endroit c’est certain Nous nous sommes fait tatoués à Varadero et nous sommes aussi allés à la havane l’hôtel est prêt de tous Nous avons adorés, c’est calme on se sent accueillis

Memories Jibacoa: Wonderful!

Would recommend this place to anyone looking for a relaxing vacation! Fabulous snorkelling on your very own reef, beautiful beach, lush grounds, and surrounding mountains. Truly, the best bread products of any resorts I have ever been to in 6 pre-Covid trips. Egg to order, fresh fruit, fresh fish grilled for you, plenty of choice, no complaints. The after dinner lobby music was great, they travelled between a la carts as well. Staff, professional and wonderful. Loved Heather Felice’s hone [... read more]sty and complete competence in all her dealings making sure we were looking for a lower key resort and all that entails. It was a perfect selection for me. Older resort, but lovely and very clean.

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Iberostar Laguna Azul June 9 - 12, 2023

Hotel was great. Read a lot of reviews and already had my expectations for the food to be subpar. I was more than impressed. Hotel and grounds are beautiful. Workers are working everyday keeping it up. The furniture is dated but everything worked. Food was better than I expected. Not a ton of variety but always something there. Egg station in the morning, pasta station lunch and dinner. Was scared to drink the water at first but after a couple days, realized it was good. They give you [... read more] 2 liters in your room each day. And I am sure you can ask for more if needed. We never got sick from anything. Even ate the ice cream and the alfredo pasta. We did the Italian and Japanese a la carte . Both were great. The Japanese was fun to watch and delicious to eat. I recommend both. But you have to book in early, 9am - 3pm is when the booking office is open. We slept in the first morning and never got to book the romantic one. But we still got 3 al a carte booked for our 4 days stay. Resort had good whiskey and liquors. Great fruit juices as well. Staff were super friendly and always smiling. We bought the Cuban money which was not needed. They prefer USD money. which we brought with us as well. Everything in the Cuban airport was also in USD currency. Beach was amazing. Clean clear water. We got a couple of buns from the buffet and took them into the ocean. just about 20 feet out (still standing) and there were a ton of tropical fish that came and swam around us. The resort offers free snorkel masks, but we never used them. Didn't need them as the water was so clear, you could see the fish no problem. I had never been to Cuba before, and I would go back. We are planning on going back next year and we are going to be book this resort.

Melia Marina Varadero: Worst vacation ever

I am not sure where they have the 5 star title from, but it is barely a 3 star hotel. Not sure where to start from but to say if you want to be disappointed definitely go to this hotel. Rooms were nit cleaned, sand on floor and baby bed upon arrival. All buffet and a la cart restraunts were sauna as no AC and had to eat sweating. All restaurants were full of mosquitoes and flies on the food. No small spoons in the entire hotel for a baby's mouth or desert. Had to line up for baby chairs as not  [... read more]enough. Had to line up for buffet several times. No clean tables without cutlery or napkins, service was terrible all around except the pool or lobby bar. Food warmers in the buffet restaurant not working so cold food was being served. Buffet floors were slippery saw few people fall from the grease. Public bathrooms had no toilet paper and no hand soap. Beach was never cleaned it was full of seaweed. Pool water was green and chunks of bleach everywhere including pool bar counter, not safe for kids. Pool bar was closed due flooding and pool bar had no beer had to walk to snack bar to get beer. At check out we got courtesy room due our flight was in the evening, this courtesy room was super dirty eithout toilt paper, also had no soap, no towels. We asked for towels at front desk, and we were told that in the whole hotel they didnt have any clean towels, if we wanted we couod fo back to our old room to use our own dirty towels, so we ended up dying ourselves with our own old clothes. In general this hotel is not well maintained and service is terrible so don't waste your money.

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Well kept on the outside- great views and beach

You need to know Cuba, always choose 4-5 star and don’t expect it to be like Canada, it is Cuba…it is that simple. Go for the beach, water, people, fresh fruit and don’t expect gourmet. I read various reviews …all worried as I was travelling with a toddler, so I brought what I needed for him and so my expectations were met. (Diapers, formula some snacks- all was good.) Hotel was decent, they probably just repainted the outside and the inside could do with a better clean and revamp, but  [... read more]it was all livable for our stay. Coffee was good as usual, sugar was not available( but I brought honey) sugar came in three days later… no big deal. Sweeter they had was actually better than what we have. I bring loads of stuff to give away and people are always happy with that. Things are more expensive after Covid especially at the airport. Buy at the hotel or at local places. I would suggest this hotel… it meet my expectations. No shortages or issues. .

Hotel Villa Cuba: Unfortunate

I love the cuban people, And it's such a beautiful country, So I wouldn't want to leave a review that makes things worse. Unfortunately things have changed since the pandemic, it's bad! This was my 2nd time at this resort, the last time was 5 years ago, things have changed significantly. The food is much worse, way less options. Only 1 Ala Cart, and a snack bar with almost NO options at all. The rooms and property have fallen apart. These things are all to be expected. The cuban dictatorship a [... read more]lways had a strong hold on the people, but they have recently taken over full control of ALL resort business. All I can say, it seems as if the wonderful soul of the Cuban people has been completely trampled. Not a smile, not even 1 happy person. I feel horrible slamming them, but this was by far the worst vacation I've ever had. I have very realistic expectations for Cuba, but they took away all the go to items. No fries, or hot dogs or pizza, no burgers, just an incredibly sad buffet. The room was in horrible disrepair smelled of raw poop, and had mild everywhere. Until the Cunban government allows the Cuban people to shine their spirits again, I'd avoid Cuba all together. I spoke to people staying at much nicer resorts that spoke of the exact same issues on my bus. There is no difference from the most expensive place to the cheapest place except for slightly nicer property, The government has literally ruined destination and worse, Ruined the beautiful spirits of its people. I was almost moved to tears, seeing a resort I stayed at only 5 years ago, in such a state. It was dark and raining whe I checked in, I was told a room number and pointed in a general direction. It took me 3 trips back to the lobby soaking wet, and 40 minutes to find my room. The signs were all blank from the name change, and it was not a great start. SUNWING has also declined alot, no food service anymore. And the flight times horrible, arrive passed dinnertime and no food on plane, almost a whole day no food, and then departure is so early u miss breakfast b4 your shuttle, and snow food on plane. Basically 2 days of ur trip you're expected not to eat. My maid was amazing, her name was Milady, she was the only person who seemed to hold onto what used to be. I spent some time talking to some cuban locals and they confirmed everything I am saying. That things were never great in cuba, But they've never been this bad. It's a cuban Doesn't start doing trade and opening up the market so that the cuban people Can sustain themselves, I fear the absolute worst for its people. I have been to cuba nine times, And sadly I would not return even if it was free. The mold in my room caused me to develop a very bad respiratory illness on my last day, I've been home 2 days and coughing non stop, doctor says I have Atypical pneumonia, from either mold or bacteria. My legs are destroyed from sand flea on beach, big what look like burns. It was wet season so it rained an hour here or there, but they had no staff to squeegee the puddles, so there were puddles everywhere on the paths and near the rooms, causing me to get probably 100 misquoto bites, all while they have a huge Denge Fever and Zika outbreak. The food was honestly a 2/10, rooms 3/10, property 4/10, and service 2/10. Overall, a generous 3/10. It honestly pains me to say this, But spend the extra little bit of money and had to the dominican republic instead.

Selectum Family Resort Varadero: Beautiful resort

This resort was amazing . I have been to Cuba 23 times and this resort was the best. It was spotless in all areas. The food was good. The rooms were big and spotless. Every worker was very polite and helpful in any way you needed them. I will definitely be returning.

Club Tropical: Compact hotel at a convenient location

Pros: Location is great, beach is well kept and clean. Some shows were well choreographed. Room was clean and the AC worked well. Got a nice beach view. Close to the flea market. Cons: Was on the 3rd floor, no elevators. NIghtly Entertainment was average. Limited cocktail mixes.

Memories Jibacoa: Beautiful resort!

I found the grounds to be very well maintained, picturesque and lush. Nice quiet, safe resort for a peaceful vacation. There was a high level of cleaning and disinfecting apparent. Staff in the dining areas were wearing masks and gloves. Food was delicious with lots of choices daily. The staff was friendly and very polite. The beach was amazing for walking, swimming, snorkelling and spectacular sunsets. Lots of live music to enjoy every evening. I would definitely return to this resort.

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Decent hotel

I had a bit better expectations, but the hotel was decent. The location is really good but the rooms needs work. The waterflow in the washroom shower is extremely slow and there is no actual shower just the shower head. Also, the bedsheets were not clean. Food area was in the open and there were flies, and birds eating from it. We got food poisoning. However, they did open the indoor buffet area a couple of days before we were leaving and that was much cleaner and nicer. The staff was extremely  [... read more]friendly and I cannot say enough good things about them. The shows at night were spectacular and there were several activities that kept us entertained. Overall, except for the food and average rooms everything else was quite decent. For a 5 star resort I had a bit better expectations but our stay was still fun. If I go back it will be only for the staff.

Hotel Los Cactus: Not the best 😕

Been to this resort 17 times, things have changed. Not for the good, didn't get the room i paid for, got a room overlooking the next door resorts service entrance and stinking garbage bins. Stayed one night got another room next morning, paid extra that room air conditioner quit in the middle of the night, next room, couldn't find the remote for the ac,4th room was perfect. Don't know why i was treated like this when there was less than 100 guests in the whole place, don't think that i will retu [... read more]rn unless things improve.

Sirenis Tropical Varadero: Amazing Resort!

It is our multiple trip to this resort over the last few years. Recently it was our second trip in this year (April 10th and May 29th we stayed for one week). The resort is very clean with very friendly and cooperative staff which happily helped us with some of our requests. Upon my request, as I am a professional musician I was granted the opportunity to have access to play the piano anytime that it was available at this resort. For this reason I would like to extend my gratitude to Mr. Ricardo [... read more] and Mr. Adriel. Entertainment always had lots of variety, as well as variety of food selection (our daughter is vegan and was quite satisfied with the food selection). Our room housekeeper named Lilian carried out her job well. The high speed Wifi was free for 3 hours and was always renewed (also for free) at the front desk with no problem. There’s a nice beach that was divided into two parts, one across from the main building and another one a few meters further, so there was more than enough room for everyone. There were lots of umbrellas next to the lounge chairs. There was a bungalow section with another swimming pool, beach bar, and Ranchon restaurant. We won’t hesitate to return back to this resort. The price was good: $745 CAD between May 29 to June 5. We strongly recommend this resort.

Hotel Los Cactus: Not the best 😕

I booked a super select run of the house garden view suite, my first room was a view of the next hotels garbage bins, got moved to a "premium room" for more money AC failed in the middle of the night, next room, couldn't find the remote for the AC, final room was great something I should have gotten in the first place its Sunday after by now and there were only about 100 guests. This was my 17th stay at this resort and maybe my last.

Melia Las Americas: Very happy vacationers

Food was amazing, great variety. Staff were making our stay vary enjoyable. Highly recommend for anyone who wants to get away with golfing options or any activities at the beach. Live performance was on daily bases.

Memories Jibacoa: A great adult only resort to stay in Cuba.

The snorkeling is excellent! Beautiful coral reef right there! Beautiful beach! Not a party resort. Very enjoyable. The staff are wonderful! Very friendly, welcoming people. Lots of fun games and activities. The shows at night are fabulous. Very professional! The grounds are well kept. The rooms are clean. Not a super modern resort but very pleasant. Well cared for. The food is good. You may not be able to get your first choice always but there is plenty to choose from. I always felt safe. Walke [... read more]d off resort. Took a vintage cab to a nearby beach, did not feel unsafe. It's a great resort!

Playa Vista Azul: One of the best EVER that we ever stayed at.

It was a very beautiful resort,we loved it very much,have been going to cuba especially varadero for 20 some years and found our gem,workers from inside to the outside were so so friendly,we will be going back to this one hopefully for many more times,you have to go for yourself to see,I did and no regrets.

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Varadero: AMAZING RESORT

We were a party of 8 from May 20-27,2023 This resort exceeded our expectations. Check in was quick and easy. Our butler’s Norvi & Jose were top notch & were always available to answer questions and help us find everything we needed. The staff were all amazing, kind and friendly as per everywhere we’ve been in Cuba. We spent every evening at the Rumba Bar (beside the pool across the hall from the a la carte, open 24 hrs), this is where all the live entertainment is and every night i [... read more]t was exceptional; highly recommend you won’t be disappointed. Recommended drinks at the Rumba: Spanish Coffee, Mojitos, Ice coffees, Coffee Martini, Pineapple Daquari, Sex on the Beach, Rum and Coke & Crystal beer. They did have vodka when we were there. All the bartenders were amazing and will make you pretty much whatever you want you may just have to give them the recipe. Special shout out to our bartenders Leo & Amanda we love you ♥️ We ate most evenings at the Sanctuary’s a la cart enjoyed the food was quite flavourful, this needs to be booked in advance so recommend if you have a specific time you like to eat to do this upon arrival with your butler. Breakfast and lunch are available everyday at the a la carte(no reservation needed)as well and was pretty good. My husband and I like our omelettes loaded though so we ate at the Grand Memories Buffet 5 out of 7 days as the Sanctuary A la Carte only offered ham, cheese and green pepper omelettes. Everything else at the a la carte was good, they had menu service and a small buffet with breads, plum marmalade, yogurt, cereal & tropical fruit. We also ate at the Santuary a la carte twice for lunch and the food was good. We ate 5 out of 7 days at the Grand Memories buffet as well for the variety. They had ham fried rice one day and I highly recommend it if you come across it being served! The Sanctuary also has a snack shack attached to the Rumba & Ala carte building outside at the right hand end, drinks were good and they had hamburgers(pork), the best fries and 2 days they had a chicken salad sandwich available. We talked to another couple that would order fries at the snack shack and take them down to the BBQ(only available at lunchtime)beside the beach bar(highly recommend) where they would load up on whatever protein was being made usually pork but delicious. There is also a snack shack at the Grand Memories by the pool, it was ok and a buffet style snack shack closer to their beach. I didn’t eat there so I can’t comment on the food but I do believe there was live entertainment most days. We ate at the Grand Memories Asian and Italian a la cartes the Asian was very good and the Italian was ok. The Beach: AMAZING as always!!! We had green flag everyday the water was calmest in the morning and just small waves in the afternoons crystal clear and gorgeous. We got to the beach every morning around 8 to 8:30 and were able to get 8 chairs together with shade. The beach staff were amazing, one fellow offered waiter services(wish I would have caught his name) he was friendly and quick!! It is a quieter beach you can faintly hear the music from the resorts near by. We had our portable speaker and played our own music. The only con for the beach was the sand was extremely hot so make sure to keep your footwear on to get to your chairs we love to walk on the beach so we walked barefoot along the ocean edge where the water cooled the sand. We spend 2 afternoons at the Grand Memories swim up bar pool and had a great time, drink recommend: Blue Diamond(pineapple juice rum and blue curacoa. We spent 1 afternoon at the Sanctuary pool only downfall was the lack of shade. All pools were very clean everyday!! We tried to take in the Grease show at the Grand Memories theatre but it is an open air theatre with only one opening, no breeze and no AC the performance was amazing as per usual but we had to leave due to overheating. We took in the Disco one night located past the theatre. We had lots of fun great music and lots of dancing. The Grand Memories does have a little shop(not always open) with Rum, Cigars, Cigarettes and typical souvenirs but be prepared the souvenirs are quite expensive compared to the cute little market shops located by the Grand Memories swim up pool and on the other side of the path as well and another just down from the beach buffet I believe there were 6 booths all together. The rooms were always clean and the AC worked quite well(needed the extra blankets located in the closets) The safe worked great. There was an iron and ironing board in the closet but I never tried them. I tried the hair dryer but it was quite rattley and gave off a burning smell so I usually gave myself enough time before dinner to air dry my hair, nothing a quick step out into the balcony didn’t solve lol. So I recommend bringing a converter plug and your own hair dryer if you like to blow dry your hair, be prepared though that you may still need to only use the low setting so you don’t overheat your hairdryer. We recommend using the shower in the tub(worked great) as the other shower will flood your bathroom and entrance. We always had at least 1 towel some days 2 and one day 3. If all else fails you do get 2 beach towels. We had a hand towel but used it for a bath mat. We always had 2 rolls of toilet paper but were prepared with travel packs of Kleenex (easier to pack) just in case. I kept the Kleenex in my purse and beach bag for the washrooms on the resort also just in case(needed a couple times) We always had 2 bottles of water. Our fridge had 1 bottle of coke and 2 cans of Crystal upon arrival we did not drink them so they didn’t restock those items. I would absolutely go back to the Sanctuary at Grand Memories Varadero. Thank you for the wonderful vacation xo