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.

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.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Hotel should be closed

With a heavy heart I write this review. I am a repeat guest since opening and I will not be returning. I have proper expectations of food but I do not expect to be served spoiled meat on 2 separate occasions. The other protein choices were all fat and we were unable to eat them. There is one working cart so plan on taking all your bags to Your room on your own. The van for Coral guests drives so fast he knocked us off the road twice. All of the beach chairs on Ensenachos beach should be replac [... read more]ed. They are mouldy and broken.The pools used to be very clean, this trip they were moderate at best. The small pool with the hot tub was filthy and was definitely unsafe to swim in. Sadly the only positive is there is way less garbage littered around the beach and walkways. It is a real shame such a stunning property has been allowed to fall into ruins.

JOIA Bavaro by Iberostar: Joia Bavaro by Iberostar - Nov 26 to Dec 03, 2025

This was our first time to this resort. The Joia is a beautiful, well kept resort with excellent service, beach, Food, cleanliness, and accommodations. There were a few minor issues like toilets too low, no wand in shower, insufficient ventilation in bathroom, aging beach lounger pads, and the number of loungers by the pool and on the beach. During our week long stay, you had to get up early to get a decent lounger. Unfortunately, there were those who claimed their lounger first thing and did n [... read more]ot show up for a couple of hours. We observed many returning customers which is an indicator of the quality of this resort is. We found the staff to guest ratio to be one of the highest we have ever encountered during our 20 plus years of travelling to the Caribbean. The price was on the high side, but if you appreciate the finer things this resort has to offer, then it is worth the higher price. Overall, a great relaxing week and we will definitely be returning.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Heaven

What can I even say… it’s always amazing to go back to that beautiful beach and the incredible staff who make it feel like home. Every time I leave, a part of me stays there. That beach is unreal, and the people are even more special. It breaks my heart when I see negative comments about Cuba — knowing what those people are going through, they still show nothing but kindness, warmth, and smiles. Nothing is missing. Everything is perfect in its own way. If someone expects something differen [... read more]t, then simply go somewhere else and pay more — but don’t put down a place filled with so much heart. I was never hungry, never uncomfortable… just grateful. I can’t wait to go back. ❤️?✨

Iberostar Selection Esmeralda: Nice, compact resort

Nice, compact resort that was a little far from airport. With a beer in hand, looking out over the vast turquoise blue waters from the causeway to Cayo Cruz wasn’t a hardship! The new development on the island still leaves some of the island untouched and ready for exploration. It is this, plus great food and service, that made me return (and will return again!). See you soon

Iberostar Origin Daiquiri: Piece of Paradise

We had a truly memorable experience at Iberostar Daiquiri. It’s an extremely family-friendly resort with beautiful architecture and stunning grounds. You’ll notice many repeat guests, especially Canadians, which speaks to how special this place is. The Cuban staff is professional, dedicated, and genuinely attentive. Our room was clean, spacious, and offered an unforgettable ocean view. The bed was very comfortable, and the bathroom was modern and functional. Housekeeping did an excellent job  [... read more]throughout our stay. The resort has mature, lush gardens that are meticulously maintained by the gardening team. Walking through the property is a pleasure on its own. Yanis and Marlie were in charge of the kids’ entertainment, and they were amazing. They speak fluent English and organized many interactive and educational activities throughout the day—percussion lessons, arts and crafts, kids’ trivia, and more. Their energy and personalities really made a difference. The adult entertainment team was also extremely talented. They put great passion into their daily events, making the days fun and engaging for everyone. The food was one of the highlights of our stay and deserves special mention due to how important it is for many travelers. The buffet always had plenty of variety, and everything was fresh and well-prepared. Fruits: papaya, guava, star fruit, sweet lime, watermelon Natural juices: guava, papaya, pineapple Other beverages: cola, lime soda, orange Fanta, espresso, cappuccino, cocktails (mojitos, daiquiris), beer, red & white wine Breakfast: freshly baked bread, pancakes, eggs in all forms, cheeses, deli meats, homemade donuts, syrups, honey, cream cheese, and more. Lunch & Dinner Highlights: Fish grilling station Pork and chicken breast grilling station Pasta station with a dedicated chef Burgers Seafood (calamari, shrimp, baby octopus, clams) Cuban dishes: rice & beans, fufu, pumpkin, mashed potatoes Soups: Cuban beans soup and vegetable soup Salads & sides: olives, artichokes, beets, carrots Desserts: guava pie, Cuban bread pudding, rice pudding, mousse, cakes, delightful pastries Ice cream flavors: guava, vanilla, mantecado, soursop, chocolate, strawberry A special thanks to José Miguel, our waiter, who always kept our drinks topped up and made sure our kids were happy and comfortable. The beach was like a tropical paradise—clear water, soft sand, and perfect for relaxing or spending time with the family. One of the best parts of the resort. --- ? Final Thoughts Iberostar Daiquiri exceeded our expectations in every aspect: staff, food, entertainment, and natural beauty. We look forward to returning and highly recommend it to families seeking a warm and welcoming Caribbean getaway.

Iberostar Selection Riviera Cancun: Wonderful vacation

Beautiful resort very accommodating staff and a chill atmosphere great food choices,spotless hotel great pools and beach front with daybeds ,first come dinner no reservations required great coffee bar open 24hours

Iberostar Selection Esmeralda: Beautiful resort

The resort was beautiful, the price was extremely reasonable. Good service, nice room, grounds were so nice. I would recommend this place. The food was decent a little more produce would have made it better.

Iberostar Selection Holguin: Awesomeness!

Loved my return visit.I was there in 2019 when it was brand new. Iberostar has yet to dissapoint! Clean, consistent standards all around, staff amazing and helpful always. Rooms are class act. No phone service in room , didn't worry me. Food amazing for this country.The only poor experience was that a request from the reception desk for a cab that could get us to a market in Holquin, resulted in a non English speaking driver, and his young "interpreter", who could barely speak English herself.He [... read more] had a very substandard cab with really bad suspension . I hurt my back from the banging. Dropped us off in a largely closed down area. no market to be seen. They had no idea what we were saying. The resort is super, thank you !

Iberostar Selection Esmeralda: Amazing resort

The hotel was very nice, clean rooms and the surroundings very well maintained. The staff at the resort very friendly and always ready to help of you are in need of something. The food was decent but the drinks at bars need a lot off improvement. For 5 stars hotel it was very poor choice of drinks They have not a decent beer or a pop drink The room fridge empty I am a bit disappointed in that matter.

Iberostar Selection Rose Hall Suites: Amazing Experience

We were apprehensive about going to the resort so soon after Hurricane Melissa but the experience we had was amazing. Food was good, staff were helpful. A couple of small issues dealt with immediately

Iberostar Coral Esmeralda: Dream Vacation

We booked for our anniversary and had a dream vacation. Swim up pool room is a must and Iberostar Coral Esmeralda will be our forever resort ! The staff from back of house to the front were amazing!! The food was great and the resort is very clean, quiet and felt like we were family! Trip central helped us long the way and we will book with them from now on! Thank you !!!

Iberostar Selection Coral Cancun: Cancun Getaway

My Wife and I recently had the pleasure of staying at Iberostar for a much-needed vacation. Our goal was to recharge, relax, and reconnect, and we accomplished just that. This hotel truly has everything a family or couple could want. It's clean, well laid out, and the beach is absolutely beautiful. The white sand, stunning ocean, and comfortable lounge chairs made it a perfect spot for lounging. There are vendors that stroll up and down the beach, but they do not harass you. The beach also felt  [... read more]very secure with a consistent police presence. From the moment we arrived until the time we departed, the staff were exceptional. Everyone was warm and welcoming, and it was clear that they are happy to be working for Iberostar. They genuinely want to make sure their guests are well taken care of. One standout was Darling, a chef at La Barca, who went above and beyond to ensure we had everything we needed. A small example of her top-tier service: I prefer Greek plain yogurt, and when Darling noticed that the buffet didn't have any, she made sure it arrived at my table. The next day, Greek plain yogurt was available at the station. This level of service truly impressed me. The adult pool servers were just as attentive, always ready to move umbrellas for shade, serve drinks promptly, and greet us with warm smiles. There were several restaurants to choose from, though we found the Italian restaurant to be less impressive and only dined there once. Our favorite was the Mediterranean restaurant, where both the service and the food were outstanding. One area for improvement at the resort would be upgrading the wine selection included in the package. For the price of the stay, the quality of the wines should be better, and guests should not have to purchase bottles separately. The evening entertainment was ok, with events every night that provided a nice activity after dinner. During the day, we participated in pickleball, yoga, and visited the gym. A special shout out to Gabriel, who led our pickleball sessions. Gabriel truly cares about his guests and goes above and beyond to ensure a positive and memorable experience. He even took the time to teach me how to play pickleball. Our room was clean and serviced twice a day, with notifications from the app when it was ready. The housekeeping team was attentive and did a great job, though the rooms themselves were just okay. The hallways had carpet that appeared dirty and could use some attention. Lastly, the concierge team was fantastic. Alessandro, our contact, was very friendly and helpful throughout our stay. Looks good. Also, tipping isn’t necessary but very much appreciated. They don’t make much and a dollar or two is welcomed for sure. I would usually tip the housekeeper (40 to 50 pesos a day) about $2.50 US. Waiters/Waitresses about the same. Overall, the resort is definitely worth visiting. The exceptional staff, beautiful beach, and various activities made our stay memorable and rejuvenating.

Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada: Beautiful Resort

My family of 6 stayed at the Iberostar Waves for 1 week in Nov. 2025. The grounds were impeccable, the food amazing and all staff was very pleasant. I stayed in a room closest to the evening entertainment, which was loud but didn't keep us awake at all. I would definitely recommend this resort.

Iberostar Selection Esmeralda: Amazing Cuba vacation

We had a wonderful week at this resort. It was sparking clean and the food was good and plentiful. The deserts were really tasty. The pools were clean and welcoming, the beach was beautiful (even with the seaweed) and the people who work there warm and helpful. We will for sure go back to this resort.

Iberostar Selection Paraiso Maya Suites: Fabulous

Excellent food,grounds,service, cleanliness cannot type anything else †****†*************************************************************************************"*****"*""""""†***********†****††****"**†""""""***********************"*"""*""""************

Iberostar Selection Holguin: Love the resort

it was the third time we stayed at this resort. Hurrican Melissa did some damage to the roof at the Reception & Lobby bar,but it was repaired while we were there. The rooms and grounds were in good order.

Iberostar Coral Esmeralda: Good Resort

This is my 2nd time at the resort in the same year.The food and drinks were just as good.Unfortunately the ocean was cold and a lot of seaweed because of the hurricane.They have more entertainment in the eve, a dance troupe also the pianist and singer.the rooms are really nice also the staff are very friendly.Would return.