Grand Memories Cayo Largo: It is what it is

Been there many times. Love the resort staff and that’s the main reason for going back other than the sun and beach near by. Hotel is in need of repairs and touch ups pool wasn’t blue, no fresh fruits

Memories Cayo Largo: A piece of Paradise!

The groups are very lush and well kept. The flora & fauna are endless, white sands, crystal clear waters with occasional waves (went in Dec). Very peaceful & relaxing Island to visit. Love the cats! Please feed them people and be kind as we are all God's creatures.

Sanctuary Cayo Largo: villa bellarena

resort was great-rooms spacious &well appointed . pool & grounds well kept. food was adequate if repetitive. staff very friendly. on bad sidebella isla not open so could not enjoy all features offered in sun wing brochure

Memories Cayo Largo: Very pleasing stay

The resort was very good! Staff was nice, even to us first-timers!!! Room was good, beds, not so much but the overall feeling was great. Sure, there was a lack of OJ, tonic water or mint for Mojitos but still, the sun, the sea and the company was really, really nice! Will go back for sure!!@!

Memories Cayo Largo: Redécouverte extraordinaire d’un beau site!

Nous avons redécouvert ce site avec des rénovations et ajouts. Cet hôtel et île est l’un des plus beaux aux monde. La température était toujours de 32 o et le soleil était au rendez-vous! Le personnel est tres sympathique, surtout plusieurs d’entre aux que nous connaissons depuis plus de 16 ans. Ils sont toujours contents de nous revoir.

Memories Cayo Largo: Sol Cayo Largo

Arrived June 14th for one week. The weather was amazing 31-32 and sunny all week. The beach was ok. We spent more time at the pool which is clean and beautiful. The room was nice and clean. The food was good. The service was excellent! Perfect place to relax.

Villa Marina: Peace & quiet. Beauty!

Spent 6 nights (late May) at this delightful resort, surrounded by relaxation 🌺. If you are searching for action, entertainment and direct access to beach, this place is NOT for you! Cozy medium sized sea water pool and wooden chalets for rooms, resto/bar (food was great but menu limited) on site. Several wondering salamanders, crabs! A boat takes you to and from Playa Sirena, the Marina is 1 min walk from resort. There was music played at an outdoor bar for dancing just next door, about 3 ni [... read more]ghts during my stay. If you choose any hotel in Cayo Largo, BRING GOODS for the staff. Used clothing, shoes, toothpaste, towels, toilet paper, sunhats/glasses, dollar store reading glasses, soap, razors....anything you can give as bonus tips to the people there who make 1 dollar a day for approx 12 hour days :( Once again, this is a quiet and small resort - do not book here if you are geared for parties and meeting large groups. Bring lots of sunscreen and bugspray..and be ready for low flying old army planes dropping fuel on you to kill mosquito eggs 😂!! Bank, wifi card store, souvenir store with goods - all in mini resort village. Taxis available to beach if ever you miss boat trips. The airport is 5 min to hotel!

Memories Cayo Largo: Back again

This was our 9th annual visit to this resort and unfortunately some things have changed for the worse. There is apparently a new General Manager, a new Head Chef, and a new Food and Beverage Manager. Starting with the positive, the food was slightly improved over previous visits, but there are some shortages. Given the difficulties Cuba is currently facing, this is not unexpected. However, quality and quantity is impressive. Now for the list of negatives. The beach maintenance is terrible. [... read more] Granted they are experiencing more erosion and seaweed than normal, but the mounds of seaweed are huge and the beach is no longer pristine. There are also new signs both for the beach and the pool stating that clients are not allowed to reserve chaises (loungers), but it is not enforced. Many beach chaises were "reserved" all week by the same towels and t-shirts, even overnight. Apparently tipping the beach staff overrides the rules. The new Food and Beverage Manager is everywhere. He hovers, and the staff appear to be nervous when he is around. He seemed very critical of the staff and we never saw him giving praise. Many staff expressed their frustration at being expected to do more with less and some even had 12-hour shifts extended to 18 hours, and were then expected back 6 hours later. The worst example is the main bar, which typically has only two bartenders working very hard to keep up with demand. On top of that, one of the two is now expected to provide table service to the patio, adding to the workload and stress. People in the past were quite willing to get their own drinks at the bar and take them to their tables, but are now being told to sit down and the staff will "happily" serve you! We have never seen the staff look so unhappy. We miss the genuine warm smiles. Every visit also includes a "returning guest" dinner. Every other time we have been to this resort, the General Manager and other Managers have attended this event early on to thank the returning guests for their patronage. Not this time; not one Manager was in attendance. It's a small thing, but marks another negative change. Lastly, the accommodations are in serious need of renovation and repair. The support beams over the balcony roofs are crumbling and there is exposed rebar in the concrete. A large chunk of concrete fell onto our balcony on our final night. Luckily, we were not outside at the time. Water leaked from the air conditioner and required a bucket to keep from soaking the floor. There are signs of water damage everywhere. Bathrooms too are in desperate need of an overhaul. Oh, and one more thing: why do guests need to wear bracelets when the resort next door is closed? In fact, we were never required to wear those annoying things during our first six visits. What changed? In conclusion, we cannot recommend this hotel in the current state and are not planning a return in the near future.

Memories Cayo Largo: Great resort

What we expected of a 3.5 star hotel. Clean rooms. We had the upgraded superior room with ocean view, private balcony at the end of the resort. We had to visit guest services as the bottle of rum on arrival was not in the room and the mini bar was not stocked as advertised. For the second week, had to visit again for our a la carte restaurant invitations. Food was good. Lobster dinners exceptional. Beach had lots of seaweed washed up and some erosion. Staff very friendly, would do anything for u [... read more]s!

Memories Cayo Largo: 20+ trips to Sol Cayo Largo...will there be more.....

We have been to this resort over 20 times, clearly we like the island and resort. Our appeal has always been the isolation, the vast expanse of the beach, the friendly staff, each time it is like going 'home' for a visit. Over the years, there was a gradual decline in the property upkeep, however we have noticed in the past 2 years a significant change to improve the property. Updated lobby, new A/C, some buildings were being painted, new gym equipment, new lounge chairs on the beach and by th [... read more]e pool are all signs that reinvestment has begun. The food menu seems to have been streamlined with emphasis on 'presentation' and quality. All is good. One key upgrade we hope will be included in the future are the beds, you feel the springs, time to be replaced. While the pool area is very nice, we are drawn to enjoy the beach. Previously, many guests made side deals with the beach staff to 'reserve' their lounges over night. This meant that newly arriving guests often could not get lounges with shade protection as they were 'unofficially' reserved for the week AND many were never used in the daytime. BRAVO to the current management who were brave to stop this 'reservation' practice. Now, if you want a lounge, you must go to the beach in the AM to set up. The system worked VERY well! We have made many friends with staff over the years, some are now no longer there. We miss Alexander & Monica on the front desk, Caesar in the restaurant. The older staff made the effort to ensure we felt comfortable and enjoyed our visit. The staff work very long hours, many in hard jobs, yet they display a smile. It may be the Cuban culture or past training, but the newer front desk and restaurant staff need to learn from their elders. Three times we attempted to make reservations for evening dining, each time we were given wrong instructions how to make reservations and the desk staff showed no interest to help. Fortunately Noel, our long-time friend, pointed us in the right direction and helped. The same with being served at the pool snack bar and at breakfast, there were only 4 couples in the snack bar, yet we waited 10 minutes to be offered a drink. Once again Noel came to save us as he entered the snack bar. Last, in any service business, it is customary to 'welcome' people on arrival with a sincere smile and also upon departure to sincerely inquire if guests were 'satisfied' with their stay. Neither were offered. These little customer service skills should never be sacrificed, especially with front line staff. Chamber maids, grounds keepers, most do not speak English, yet their smiles are very welcoming and they make the effort to ensure you are welcome, they are fantastic!!!

Memories Cayo Largo: Will definitely go back :)

We stayed at Sol Cayo Largo for a week and had a wonderful time. The food and the service was good, we loved it that there were choices were to go and not just a buffet. The snack bar by the pool was a great choice. We liked the privacy of the rooms, it felt as we were at home. The entertainment was great, we enjoyed the shows every night and the games everyday at the pool and by the ocean. We will definitely go back to this resort.

Starfish Cayo Largo: Beautiful Location, Great Staff, Great Food!

My wife and I returned to 'Pelicano' April 2019 after a 4 year absence. trips to Cuba 17-18 over last 8 years With many fond memories of the hotel and the beauty of Cayo Largo we were excited to come back to a resort that somehow, instantly feels like home. Less that 10 minutes from airport!! Many of the rooms are updated inside and out, the beds and pillows were comfortable. The housekeeping staff are simply outstanding. That can be said for ALL staff as they put in many hours and are on the is [... read more]land for 20 days on and 10 days off. Many will double shift, to help others, some will perform double duties, but all are only concerned with your satisfaction and happiness. The beach is gorgeous,( some of the best in the world on that little island) the sand is powder like, and like many in the Caribbean will have some days with seaweed coming ashore, the staff work tirelessly to try to keep ahead of it but they are fighting Mother Nature and we know who wins! The beach at Pelicano has not suffered as much erosion as some of the other resorts but they natural small bays for water access mostly free of seaweed. The food is much improved and consistent, in fact was some of the best I have had anywhere in Cuba for taste, and presentation. The Rancheon beach bar is a favorite for lunch for fresh grilled meats and seafood, get there early to enjoy. Remember you are on an island so food assortment may be limited. So think about how you want to eat at each meal. You do not need to stack your plate with EVERY item on the board. I could not find any food I had any issue with. Buffet and "Carte's' were outstanding. Service was above expectations and indeed a nice surprise. Please take some time and visit the Marina and take in the Turtle Sanctuary ( please Donate and\or bring turtle food from home ) and the Cigar Museum, cap this little tour with a cold one and small pizza at the little cantina. Meet the staff of the hotels here on Wednesday nights for some music, dancing, etc. A great Natural location. Yes... Natural, nudity is acceptable so get over yourself before you go... After the first 10 minutes you will have acclimatized and will just enjoy ALL of this islands scenery. We will be back soon!!! Thanks to all staff and management for an outstanding vacation.

Starfish Cayo Largo: Fantastic beach

Another great vacation at Pelicano. Our room was on the second floor as requested with king bed; the maid service was good, our room was kept very clean and we had plenty of fresh towels. We had hot water consistently. Food was good, selection sometimes limited. The only downside was the lack of adequate palapas on the beach which causes issues. The beach is why we go but when there are not enough palapas it's a problem

Memories Cayo Largo: Lovely resort

We really enjoyed our time at Sol Cayo Largo. The food was the best we have had yet in the 8 times we have been to Cuba. Friendly staff especially Omar the omlette guy! The a la carts were fantastic, clean room and facilities. The beach was super. No coral in the water to stub your toes on. Would suggest it to anyone who asks!!!

Villa Natura: Lovely place!

Everything is designed for you to relax and enjoy the beauty of the beach: upon our arrival we were welcomed with a drink and by musicians playing Cuban songs. The hotel is clean and spacious and is right ON the beach! The personnel is friendly and helpful. I would go back in the blink of an eye!!!

Villa Marina: Great Holiday Getaway!

I spent two weeks at the Villa Marinera, March 23-April 7, 2019 and wish I could have stayed longer. Perfect weather. I chose this resort because I wanted peace and quiet to write in the sun. For the most part, that is what I experienced. First and foremost, the staff were great. Tony was a sweetheart and ever helpful to accommodate all my needs. Orlando at the bar was wonderful and very funny. Juan was great at making endless cappuccinos. However, Juan was out of line with hugs and kisses; very [... read more] uncomfortable and had to address this with him. The chef Joel made great omelettes, pizzas, chicken and rice. The food was good but bland and limited. But, that's Cuba. I took a bottle of Heinz ketchup and would suggest taking some spices to liven things up. I am not a seafood lover, so did not partake in that part of the menu, which offers more choices. You can order special dishes, such as lobster, ahead of time with the cook. Loved the desserts--they were made without flour and little sugar--similar to Keto recipes. All were delicious--especially the chocolate cake and chocolate balls. Sad they did not have ice cream. However, the cappuccinos certainly made up for it. The resort is great and I liked the way the restaurant, pool and cottages were laid out. The first week I stayed in 121--a very nice cottage in the middle of the resort. The problem was noise next door from my neighbor and the bar outside the resort. Unfortunately I was sick with a cold/sinus the whole time I was there and the extra noise late at night really bothered me. Just outside the resort is a marina with a restaurant, shops, bar, post office, bank, hospital. Excellent pizza at the restaurant; inexpensive ($3 pesos). Loud speakers outside the bar blast the bong, bong, bong Spanish music most days from noon until 2-3 am. It is deafening and irritating and I am unsure why this bar plays this music constantly. But the Marinera has no control over it. Take your ear plugs because you can't avoid hearing it on the resort. I asked to switch to another hotel because of the noise (neighbour/bar) and the manager of their sister resort Bella Isla offered my second week there at no extra charge. I went over and saw three rooms but it was even busier, just as noisy and way too much walking. So I stayed at the Marinera, and glad I did. It is a much more quiet and personal resort.Tony moved me to a different cottage on the water 104 for the second week that was more private, with backyard on the water, spacious. You cannot go in the water as there is a real live crocodile that swims into the marina at 8 pm every evening. Quite a site to see him cruising in the water to the restaurant where they feed him!! Chambermaid staff was excellent and fun to leave a gift each day on the pillow for her; she was very appreciative. The pool was great (salt water); swam twice a day. Free boat 3x/day that goes over to the Sirena beach; a lot of walking to get to beach there or you can sit at the bar; no waves at beach there. The beach at Bella Isla is beautiful and wavy; dinner and bingo there was good, too. Enjoyed spending time with other guests at Marinera. Lots you can do for extras--catamaran, snorkeling, but some trips are expensive. Airport is only 5 minutes away from Marinera, which was great. Buses are easily accessible outside the resort to other hotels. One bad point is smell in washrooms from salt water in sewer lines, supposedly. Sprayed perfume to compensate. On two occasions there was no water for a 1-2 hour period. Really enjoyed this vacation and my first time in Cuba. Compared to other trips to BVI, Panama, Venezuela, and Mexico, enjoyed Cayo Largo, Cuba the best, by far.

Villa Natura: Good for the Price I paid.

This resort was good for the price I paid but not great. Most of the rooms near the pool need to be renovated so they upgraded us to a Bungalow. I did not want a Bungalow as they are a long walk for a 70 year old. The Bungalow had been updated with a new washroom, A/C, good bed, new floor and was quite comfortable. I had no hair dryer and usable phone and reported it a couple of times but with no results. The staff they had were very good but they were few so more cleanliness was visible everyw [... read more]here. Food was very limited, same thing every day, very little fresh veggies and fruit. The best food was at the snack bar, the two boys there were great and made good pizza, hamburgers, fries, ham & cheese sandwiches. I had too much sun the first day and had to be taken back to my room. This was handled very well and Julia (HR) came to check on me the next morning. Pool was great (not as clean as it could be), weather was great and we met a lot of friendly people (middle age & older) from Canada who have returned there up to 20 times. If you want a plain Jane holiday, low cost and close to Airport this is the place to go.

Memories Cayo Largo: Only one Beach towel the whole day

The service is very bad no customer service – terrible only one beach towel the whole day all .the only things was nice and clean is the pool ,and the beach is so so for Cuba you The entertainment team was very bad

Villa Natura: A Fine Resort

We stayed at Villa Iguana from March 17 > March 31, 2019. Overall, my impressions were quite positive. The excursion was booked through Trip Central [more than satisfactory, per usual], and the airline was Air Transat, with Hola Sun as the host. I certainly prefer Air Transat to Sunwing, as their aircraft generally have more leg room, and the airline is far more reliable. No complaints regarding Hola Sun: I've never had any issues with them. We paid $1368 each, for 14 days. Some packages wer [... read more]e less. We stayed in a fairly new bungalow, on the upper floor, with an ocean view. It was reasonably spacious, and offered a pleasant view. The bed was very comfortable, and the pillows were adequate. There was a bathtub and shower, with plenty of water pressure and hot water. Each building [4 units per bungalow] was serviced by a solar water heater, and the water could get exceedingly hot = caution is required. Each unit had a separate AC unit, which worked very well. The room had a flat screen TV, although there was no service for the first five days. Apparently the bungalows across the road had more issues with mosquitoes, as they were situated on lower ground, and surrounded by vegetation. I would recommend the ocean view bungalows. Supposedly the regular rooms were slightly larger, but only featured a shower. The building beside the older pool and bar would have been quite noisy. That bar was open 24 hours, and featured the usual drinks. The older pool was smaller, but kept quite clean. A new pool, with a bar and snack bar, opened two days before we arrived. It was located at the east end of the property, behind the last bungalow. A very large and nice pool, tastefully decorated. The pizza from the snack bar there was quite good, and hamburgers and sandwiches were also available. A good selection of beverages was available. Breakfast and supper were served in the large buffet, with lunch in the outdoor restaurant, amid the bungalows. This also served as the only a la cart facility. Generally speaking, the food was pretty good, although there was a shortage of fresh fruit at times. Supper often featured baked chicken, salmon, roast turkey, or roast pork. The bread and the white cheeses were always enjoyable. There was an issue with flies at both the buffet and the outdoor lunch room. They didn't bite, but were quite annoying, and got on the food. This problem could be greatly eliminated with the judicious use of fly swatters and fly paper. I can't honestly say that I have ever seen a fly swatter in Cuba, however!! The beach would 'come and go' with the tides, ocean currents and winds. On a rough, windy day, there was virtually no beach. On a calm day there could be quite a wide beach, which was enjoyable for walking. There was about an equal number of calm and rough days. Be advised that there were many nudists on the beach. The odd one showed up at the new pool, which was located above the best stretch of beach. Such was inconsiderate and distasteful, in my opinion. There was nightly entertainment, but it was not overly impressive. Tuesday nights featured karaoke, which seemed to be the most popular by far. There is no gymnasium at the resort, and [understandably] no water sports. There was no real lobby: just a small reception room for checking in and out, and reporting issues or exchanging currency. By the way, you only got about 13 CUC's for $20 Canadian. A trip to Sirenis Beach was certainly worth it. A free bus runs three times in the morning, and returns three times in the afternoon. The bus takes you to a marina, where you get a free boat ride to the beach. Water sports are available at that beach, but you have to pay for lounge chairs, beer, food, etc. The water is generally calmer there, and it's much better for swimming. The resort workers were generally courteous, friendly and helpful. With only a 10 minute bus ride from the airport, you are at the resort shortly after landing. There is a small Duty Free store at the airport, plus a restaurant and bar. I certainly enjoyed my stay at Villa Iguana, and am happy to recommend it. Harley Whitlock, Brantford, Ontario

Starfish Cayo Largo: Beautiful beach

This was our 3rd vacation at Hotel Pelicano and for the most part we were satisfied. The beach was as beautiful as ever and was raked and the seaweed buried daily. As long as you marked your lounge chairs early in the morning you were guaranteed to get a spot if not they were few and far between. Chairs at the pool seemed easier to reserve but not always was there an extra umbrella to keep you out of the sun. The food was good, no one went hungry! At the buffet we had the best waiters Yaimet [... read more] and Pedro who never let our water/wine/coffee go empty and always had our table ready for us. The Ranchero restaurant on the beach was the best for lunch and for a special sunset dinner we couldn't have been better taken care of by Yanni. He is truly a class act. The pool was clean and the activities fun. The shower temperature was hot and the air conditioning worked. The dance/entertainment staff were always friendly and helpful. Our air Transat rep Jose was excellent and booked us in on the sunset Cruise which was a lot of fun and I would highly recommend. Now for the things that we thought needed improvement , The pizza bar although good wasn't as good as it was before, the crust being more like a pita than pizza crust. Communication with the lobby staff was again difficult. There was one young girl who shouldn't be dealing with the public at all and unlike most hotel staff seemed disinterested in her job. We arrived on a Friday night, on Saturday I spoke to the lobby staff to ask for a different hairdryer because the one supplied didnt work. After 3 attempts throughout the week I finally gave up. All in all we had a wonderful trip and will certainly go back.