Sanctuary White Sands: The best hotel I been to in cuba

I Don't usually write reviews, but for this one I had to I went from Dec 2 to the 9th and I kid you not the best hotel I've visited. I've been to Cuba many many times and honestly the last time I went I said that it would be my last time....but I broke my word and booked this place last minute as a birthday Trip. I just needed something afforadble and a place I knew the beach would be stunning. Little did I know it would be way more than that. The venue is gorgeous, I had a ocean view room and t [... read more]he staff were not only attentive but WARM and friendly. I have to give a special shout out to King in the animation team he made sure my birthday was extra special from the day to night and was always lively and just fun??!. Aime is the go to girl for all your needs she's super sweet and will give you the details on where to go and what to do, plus shes got some dance moves and a beautiful voice(go to karaoke its fun!?)?. Ulises was always checking in making sure my mom and I were good✨️, and Jaun Gabriel just had the sweetest kindest energy?. I know we go on vacation to experience the beautiful weather/scenery and just relax, and yes most resorts this is possible. BUT it really does make all the difference when the people who work there make you feel welcomed and taken care of like it's a second home. If you've never been to Cuba I suggest this place and if you have, but are on the fence DO IT! ...Safe travels for when you do! And I'm looking forward to when I can visit Sanctuary white sands again ?✨️? thank you for everything!

Melia Jardines del Rey: Was what we expected

Arriving on an early flight was disappointing to wait until 4 pm to get in the room and they told us that there were no towels and pillow case yet. During the week they didn’t change the towels or sheets and there were no washcloths! Luckily we brought our own and extra towel. The food was good for Cuban standards. Always a surprise what they had or had not. Lunch and diner was almost identical. The beach is amazing. Some places with rocks at the beginning but very shallow. We could walk 100 met [... read more]ers and still not waste deep. The people at the hotel were extremely friendly and not to get a tip!! About tips: us were told to change our Canadian money for Cuban pesos. The exchange rate on Google is not correct. It said for 100 CAD we would get 1700-1800 Cuban pesos but at the airport we got 8000 and at the hotel exchange bank even 8500. But they prefer still American or Canadian (coins). So bring Us$1 or CAD $1 or $2. Even a vendor at the street during a tour gave back the pesos, he didn’t wanted it. They can buy groceries with US and CAD. And during a tour at a restaurant we only could pay in USD for a coffee. So good to know. And some days at the hotel there was no water for a few hours and when we had water the pressure was low. Because it was low season there was no problem to get a chair at the beach or the pool. Are we going back? Maybe. Guess we cannot go elsewhere cheaper.

Memories Caribe Beach Resort: Amazing resort

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Memories Caribe Beach Resort. We opted for the Premium package and were not disappointed at all. The buffet food was excellent, with a great variety and never any shortages during our stay. The à la carte restaurants exceeded our expectations. The entertainment was fantastic, especially at the Bellini venue. The beach was the most beautiful I've ever seen in my life, and having food and beach BBQs served directly on the sand was a wonderful touch. This was ou [... read more]r fourth trip to Cuba, and this resort is by far the best we've experienced. We will definitely return in the near future and highly recommend it to others!.

Iberostar Coral Esmeralda: A Cuban Gem!

This resort exceeded our expectations. The swim up rooms were wonderful. The pool spotless. The food was good. And as usual, the staff members were pleasant and helpful. Always willing to do more. The butler service (Carlos and Ariel) went above and beyond to accomodate our every wish. The beach was clean, thanks to all the hard work of the beach staff. The gardens were lovely and well cared for, again by staff members. And the calm and quiet was extremely welcoming. We believe this was one [... read more] of our best Cuban holidays, and we've travelled to Cuba probably 15 to 20 times over the last 10 years. And of course, Nicole Deforest from tripcentral.ca ensured we had a seamless holiday, from our luggage to our seating on the airplane and the location of our rooms.

Hotel Playa Coco: Great vacation

We had a fantastic vacation with our 2 kids. The staff is phenomenal. Goes above and beyond. No shortage of anything I was looking for. Excellent food. Beautiful beach. Will definitely be back for another stay one day!!

Hotel Mojito: Amazing

Best food and drink I ever had in Cuba. Variety of fresh and flavorful foods and lots of alcohol in stock. Everything is maintained and servers want to do everything to make you happy. Leo Garcias, entertainment staff, told me to vacation here and it was absolutely amazing

Grand Aston Cayo Paredon Beach Resort: Not as expected

As explained by management this resort has only been open for three years and some items are still not working or available ( room ceiling fans and No coffee pods for in room coffee machines) and they did not have a location for morning coffee service. We were fortunate to get an upgrade to the Club section which turned out to be a blessing (thanks ? Felix) which gave us access to the club restaurant and pool area with better meals and services making our stay better. That being said there wa [... read more]s a vast shortages at the other bars and restaurants of both food and alcohol choices. Of the four specialty restaurants only the Selena meant our approval,well the main buffet was only good for breakfast. During our 10 day stay there was problems with the infrastructure, water shortages and all common washrooms not working properly which was unacceptable. The beach was “Cuba “meaning Fantastic and kept very clean all the time, that is the main reason we go to CUBA !! Well this resort has potential, it needs to get on top of it’s infrastructure and supply problems and it is doubtful if we will return soon.

Memories Flamenco Beach Resort: Quite Incredible Resort

The grounds are so tidy and mature, blooms everywhere. The service was amazing, very helpful, fast and friendly. The staff were as good as they could be, always lots of smiles. The Premium section of beach was not as good as the main area, but no shortage of chaises and palapas. The pool was very clean and well marked as to depth. We were surprised by the variety of food, especially in the a la cartes. We had salmon three times in the week.

Melia Costa Rey: Great staff

I had a great time. This was my 5 vacation to this resort .Beach was 5staras usual .Rooms clean ,Patio door hard to open,one call to front desk immediately resolved.Hot water wasn't plentiful. Can beer in room was in short supply, but lots of good alcohol at 5 locations.

Iberostar Selection Esmeralda: I&AS

Our second time to this resort within a half a year. Needless to say, we enjoyed it just as much as on our first visit (see my June 2025 review). Hotel and beach are fantastic. Could not have asked for better surroundings and service. A special "Thank you" to Israel, who looked after us so well, and to O'Neil, our travel agent at Trip Central, for his excellent service in planning our trip. We liked it so much, that we plan to return next spring.

Memories Flamenco Beach Resort: Beautiful resort

The hotel was awesome.needs a little paint job here and there.dining room and food were great.we don't mind cuban food.lots of variety.would recemond hotel to anyone 4 star in my rating.looking forward to next April to go again.

Grand Aston Cayo Paredon Beach Resort: A message to the manager

I come to Cuba often, but, this is my first time staying at Grand Aston. The resort is newer and nicer. The food and service are both reasonable. However, one thing makes me unhappy and doesn't make sense to the hotel, which can and should be improved. As I'm going for water sports, I sent the resort an email before leaving Canada to request a room on the first floor, but did not receive a reply. A fourth-floor room was assigned to me upon check-in. Even though I mentioned that it does not have  [... read more]to be an ocean view room (I purchased ocean view), I still could not get a first-floor room after 3 days. It is not only causing me inconvenience, but it is also causing extra work for clearn laddy because I will bring a lot of sand into the building. I don't believe the hotel's excuses for why it could not find one. Bottom line, if the hotel truly cares, no one will believe it couldn't find one. During the night, I noticed that more than half of the lights in the first floor rooms were off. It is unbelievably frustrating that the hotel will not do something that is good for both sides.

Iberostar Origin Playa Pilar: OUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME

For context, this is our 5th time returning to Iberostar Origin Playa Pilar (Nov 29/25-Dec 6/25) in the last 3 years. It is now our "segundo hogar!" (second home). Pour a drink and kickback this will be a long review and can hopefully give you an expectation of IPP. It is perfect for us but may not be for you. In the past four years we have also been to much more expensive all-inclusive's in Antigua, Jamaica, Cozumel and the Dominican however we always return to IPP. We always book using Tripcen [... read more]tral.ca and choose Air Transat. The Trip central website is excellent to use, and the aftercare provided by your personal travel agent is amazing. Air Transat is a financially stable airline and we have found there check in, boarding and on-time service delivery exceptional. We always but the Option Plus package that provides for priority boarding and an extra 50lbs checked bag. Because we have been 5 times, we have made lasting friendships with many of the staff who we talk to throughout the year. ill talk more about this later in the review. Please read the previous reviews and apply copious doubt as to their authenticity as some of the comments are ridiculous. LOCATION This is one of the most confusing subjects for some. IPP is located on Cayo Guillermo which is a 45-minute bus ride from Cayo Coco airport including several stops at other resorts enroute. It will likely be the last stop as its located near the top of the Cayo. The resort itself is on a sheltered bay unlike the other resorts that are on the east side (look at Google maps). The main feature of the waterfront is an elevated boardwalk with Cabanas. This is where we spend most of our time during the day. There is a convenient bar right in the middle. Access to the water is from the pier or by the water sports building. The water itself is crystal clear warm Caribbean water with a coral and sand bottom. You can walk out 500 meters at low tide and still be knee deep. There is sand behind and around the elevated boardwalk however it is on top of coral. It is not like a conventional beach where your kid can dig a hole to China with their bucket. there are plentiful loungers as well and Beisel and Andres will help you with picking the best spot, they are the best! If you still arent happy with the IPP beach, the good news is Playa Pilar beach is only a short 15-minute walk up the bay or a $5 cab ride ride. There is also a trail in behind the watersports building you can take. I highly recommend meandering along the coral and in the water during your stay. Playa Pilar beach is stunning and is much better than Varadero. When there you may want to rent a palapa for $5, beer $5 and there is a restaurant where you can get a lobster lunch...Never had it but I have been told it is $30 and exceptional. FYI, Canadian and American currency is generally interchangeable. If you are told $5, you can pay either....just my experience. FACILITY Iberostar Playa Pilar is approximately 10 years old based of what I have been told. Cosmetically, in some areas it is worn. There are broken tiles and hardware throughout the property but the staff do their best to keep the property very clean. I have been told that the property is jointly owned by the Cuban gov't and Iberostar (Spain) and supply chain issues are very complex. A solid investment would make this resort spectacular. During our stay we had several minor issues that were promptly taken care via the amazing Olivia Hernandes, Customer Service manager. During our visit, there were approximately 120 guests, and the capacity is over 800 people. There were zero lineups or waits for anything! One of the main reasons we come here is because it is so quiet! The grounds for the property are kept in great shape by workers like Yaniel! They work exceptionally hard and are extremely friendly. Please make sure you say Hola to them if you see them working. ROOMS This visit we were in an Oceanview Junior Suite in building #4 (416). The OJS is a very cheap upgrade and definitely worth it! They are a good size, clean and the bed was decent. We were hoping to get building 11 however a family of 30 took precedence over us, no big deal! Compared to many other resorts, IPP is very well designed and you are not far from the main building or beach regardless of which building you are in. RESTAURANTS The main building has the buffet restaurant which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is a large space and anytime we have been there during our 5 visits, it has rarely been even close to half full. There is a 24 hour snack bar located down behind the beach. You can get an variety of sandwiches, hot dogs (good!), hamburgers (not good) and fries....and an ice cold beer! There are several ala carte restaurants and lucky for us, Olivia had pre-scheduled 4 of them for us on our arrival: Japanese (2x), Mediterranean and Creoli. The Japanese restaurant is a bit of a show and a lot of fun! The food in the ala cartes is very good! FOOD As previously mentioned, IPP definitely has supply chain issues however they have definitely improved over our past 5 visits. Yes, you can go to other islands and be a gluttonous slob and eat till you explode. When you are at home, do you have 3 meals a day? 3 egg omelets with bacon every morning? Probably not....IPP has enough choices for just about everybody. I am a picky eater and always find enough to eat. I usually lose a few pounds each visit and this time I lost 5....which was a surprise. You need to lose weight too and you know it! Allthat being, bring said, bring condiments from home if you like mustard/ketchup/jam, salt and pepper etc. as it is rare to find those. If you have never been to Cuba, don't believe it when people tell you the food is terrible....they are likely comparing quantity over quality. Yes other islands have massive buffets with a hundred choices, but this isn't 1970 Cuba, you will survive. ACTIVITIES There is a watersports building at the boardwalk where you can use a paddleboard or a hobbie cat. You can also have one of the staff take you snorkeling to a nearby sunken ship off the coast of Media Luna Island. For $60 we went snorkeling and finished off on Media Luna with a lobster lunch and a few beers all included! There was no rush and it was very enjoyable afternoon! Johnny and Eduardo were great to deal! You can see Media Luna Island from the boardwalk. The pool is a very good size, clean and with a swim up bar. There is a spa onsite where you can get a massage and lounge around their private splash pool after. There is also a small gym located in the spa. EXTERNAL ACTIVITIES IPP is located on an isolated part of the chain of islands. Moron is the closest town, and it is 90 minutes away by car. This is where most employees live and are bused from everyday (2-hour commute!). You can hire a driver and do a city tour if you wish. We have not done this yet but may do so in the future. We did go Scuba diving at Coco Diving Centre which is only 10 minutes from IPP. We did a 2 tank dive on the Acuario and Servimar reefs and had an "interaction" with a 9-foot silky shark! We also saw some 2-4 foot Blacktip reef sharks. If you want to see my shark video it is on IG at john2266 . It cost $110 for 2 dives which is exceptional compared to what we normally pay on other islands. Every week, one of the local hotels hosts a party night at the nearby Plaza Hemmingway! Transportation, booze and food all included! If you are at IPP, this is a must do! MONEY/TIPS/GIFTS Do not worry about converting your money to Cuban pesos. This would only benefit you if you were travelling outside of the resort system and throughout the non tourist areas of Cuba. Canadian and American money are the norm. I brought US $1 bills and $5/$10/$20 CDN for tipping.....yes you can also tip with CD loonies and toonies, but the staff end up having to trade them with other tourists for paper money as they are worthless in Cuba. I don't mind taking the exchange rate loss and budget accordingly. For reference, the Cubans we have befriended over the years have disclosed to us that their monthly salary is the equivalent of $25-$35 a month! Most of us make more than that in an hour at work so please keep that in mind. Also, the employees will never have their hand out for a tip, they are a very proud people and grateful for anything offered. Because we have befriended many staff members over the years, we know what their needs are and bring clothing, medications, sports equipment etc. for them. We also bring full cases of assorted gifts and stuff they would not be able to get themselves. Even if they have money, it is impossible for them to get some things. If you visit IPP, take the time to get to know some of the staff! STAFF OK, almost done and saving the best for last! The staff are amazing! Olivia Hernades (Customer Service manager), Beisel and Andres (Beach), Yaniel (grounds), Luis (security), Jorgito (lifeguard), Anarelys (manager) Oney (cigar bar) are just some of the great staff members Iberostar is very lucky to have! CONCLUSION IPP is the perfect resort for us, it checks all the boxes and grounds us in what is important in life. If you want to party, drink and eat like a fool, stay away from my IPP! If you want to relax and have a serene time in paradise your next stop is trip central to book. The staff are the real reason we keep coming back! The waterfront and cabanas over the turquoise water help too! I only hope that upper management at Iberostar take my comments into consideration and give this property the care and investment it needs.

Iberostar Origin Playa Pilar: Somewhat tired, but well cared for resort!

This resort is well cared for by friendly staff. It appears due for renovation, however all areas are clean and tidy. Was fairly empty when we were there (less than half full), which made for easy use of the buffet and snack bar. Buffet food was good for breakfast, okay for lunch and dinner. Not a lot of fresh vegetables (my first time in Cuba). Two a la carte restaurants, Japanese was quite good, the other switched between Mediterranean and Spanish, although the food for each was quite similar. [... read more] Theatre onsite was seldom, if ever used during our week long stay and no night club, so after dinner the place was a ghost town at night. Beach cabanas were quite nice and the bay the resort is located on was nice, but quite shallow (so safe for those who dislike deeper water). Catamaran rental for snorkeling and lobster lunch at Cabo Media Luna (2km away) was a highlight of the week.

Melia Cayo Coco: Pleasant stay at the Melia Cayo Coco.

A Truly Exceptional Stay From the moment of arrival, the sheer beauty and meticulous upkeep of the resort grounds provided an immediate sense of serenity and luxury. Walking through the public areas was a delight; every space was thoughtfully designed, impeccably maintained, and exuded an atmosphere of sophisticated comfort. The commitment to excellence continued right into the private sanctuary of the rooms. These were not just accommodations, but havens of tranquility, featuring superb d [... read more]esign and spotlessly clean interiors that made relaxing effortless. Culinary experiences were clearly a highlight. The dining options were exceptional, offering delicious, high-quality cuisine with attentive service that elevated every meal from a necessity to a pleasure. Furthermore, the array of unique features and amenities available truly set this resort apart, adding layers of enjoyment and convenience to the entire vacation. This combination of outstanding facilities, flawless service, and beautiful surroundings ensured your stay was nothing short of extraordinary and truly exceptional in every regard

Melia Cayo Coco: A true gem!, clean & relaxing resort

Just got back and from the start to the end, this resort speaks all about friendliness, relaxation, beautiful beach, quiet, wonderful food, a true gem. Was so impressed with how well maintained the grounds, landscaping, pool, buffet, beach all well maintained. Adult only resort much older crowd 50s to 70s, no loud music, or loud animation. However, on the beach shore, there were some floating plastic garbage, very important that tourists respect the beach and water, and not to polute. A [... read more]la carts and buffet all lots of great options, good tasting food, no shortages, white and red wines were great, Beer, coke snd bottled water, Rooms clean Other negative are mosquitos Less mosquitos in varadero but you need good insect spray otherwise lots of bites, bring calomine lotion. Overall, 8 out of 10 will consider going again

Melia Cayo Coco: Highly Recommended

Melia Cayo Coco is a beautiful resort. The grounds are well-kept, the beach is free of seaweed and the rooms are cleaned daily. There are several bars and restaurants. There are plenty of lounge chairs at the pool and the beach. Staff are friendly and helpful.

Memories Caribe Beach Resort: Best Beach Resort!

Memories Caribe again was fun to spend time at and the beach just the best. Staff was able to accommodate my requests for my stay. Music at the piano bar was enjoyable. I do miss the Karaoke nights, please bring them back, they were fun and drew large audiences for the big stage area!

Memories Caribe Beach Resort: Beautiful Resort

Just completed my 15th trip to Memories Caribe since Nov 2022. The resort is smaller than most and easy to navigate. The rooms are very clean and the staff is amazing !! The food is plentiful and the variety and quality was good. The beach is a 10/10 and like a postcard !

Melia Cayo Coco: Good Time

This hotel is really good, everyone is very friendly and we did not go without anything the whole time we spent here. Food and drinks were good, people were awesome and the hotel is very clean. No complaints!!