Sirenis Tropical Varadero: Paradise of Sirenis

I go to this resort for what it has to offer. This is my third time at this resort and will be returning in the near future. The resort itself is beautiful with an open concept to the sunlight and nightfall. The rooms are spacious with king size beds. Nice shower with hot running water. Food was plenty and edible to satisfactory. Somethings can be a hit and miss as hard times have impacted the beautiful country of Cuba. It's life of survival for these Cubans. Bring things like your own toilet pa [... read more]per as it is a high demand and yes it is not available sometimes and would help the shortage. The staff members are very respectful as they are very friendly and are ready to serve you with a smile and open arms. This resort is easy walking distance to the beachside ocean (bring bug spray for the sand fleas as well as mosquitoes for they love people), swim up pool bar and a pool with a side bar. The accommodations of this resort meet my expectations. A few workers to name a few Frank,Reinaldo,Suyami and a few others(not sure of their names) will be missed until next time.

Royalton Hicacos Resort and Spa: Great Animation Team!

This hotel was not full due to renovations in some areas. There are plenty of restaurants, however those guests who were not in the Diamond Club could not make reservations and therefore it was “first come, first served” to get into anything but the buffet. The buffet had good selections, you would not go hungry, however I felt the prepared trays were always only “luke warm”. There was a good selection of salad, sandwich ingredients and breakfast items available. The grounds were  [... read more]lovely and clean, the gardeners were very good. The beach was amazing. I still do not like the fact that people play the “towel game” to reserve palapa on the beach. This is not fair and should not be allowed. We were guests for two weeks and the beach BBQ became tedious as the menu was exactly the same every day. The animation team were wonderful - a really good group of people. We would especially like to acknowledge Veronica (morning yoga practice) along with all other games. Victor, Jimmy and Duran would did pool games, aqua fitness, Cuba day, Foam party, and nightly entertainment. The public area washrooms were clean, however, additional toilet paper was required many times and this should have been addressed. We enjoyed ourselves and would recommend this hotel. Wifi some days was “hit and/or miss” very slow.

Royalton Hicacos Resort and Spa: LOVED IT! Highly Recommended.

This resort is close to paradise. Grounds are beautiful and take your breathe away every time you walk through the walkways. Flowers and greenery are all around you - above, below, along all the sidewalks - and kept meticulously. And at night, there is a rainbow of lights on the garden & water ways and it makes a beautifully warm & welcoming atmosphere. Our room was very comfortable. We had a ground floor unit with a de-humidifier which kept out any dampness often found in tropical ac [... read more]commodations. Very spacious suite - with King bed, large closet and separate living room/seating area - but hey - who stays in their room with so much to do on the resort? We always had hot water for showers and air conditioning worked as desired.Our deck had a beautiful garden view over looking a small private pool - however we spent most of time at the beach.One complaint - floors were not barefoot clean and we had to ask for a special cleaning. The beach area was perfect - soft, fine sand, a long walk-able (always clean) beach front with an water access that you could walk out forever - with sand bars and shallow waters for a great distance. And staff were always there to help with chairs, umbrellas, beverages. Staff at this resort are amazing - always willing to help/serve as best they can with what they have to work with. Very friendly and very accommodating.Only challenge is service at the main bar in the evenings - can be very slow getting a beverage. Food was good - and we had no problem walking away satisfied after every meal. Breads, rolls and cakes/breakfast sweets are homemade everyday. Their ice cream was a special treat and enjoyed almost every day. Yes, beef & potato dishes are very limited and there was no bacon, but food was prepared and presented with lots of choice. Plenty of fish, chicken, pork, rice dishes, eggs & ham; & salad fixings. The specialty restaurants had very tasty meals & we enjoyed everyone. Things like peanut butter, jams, relish and mayonnaise are not an available option, so if you want these items - best bring them from home. We also brought vinegar - there are french fries, hot dogs & hamburgers at the 24 hour booth. They do have ketchup and mustard. Warning - even with a converter - the 220 the hydro will blow out your hair dryer. There was a small hairdryer in our room. Entertainment - the 1st night was OK - and needed some additional practice (Cuban history) however all other presentations were very well done and the OPERA night & ROCK night were both exceptionally well done. Overall this Resort was GREAT and we would definitely recommend to any needing a reference - even though we have no other CUBAN resorts to compare to. After three years of no/limited travel it was so great to go where the surf, sun and accommodations were just what we needed. And as an added bonus, we made some really great friends while on vacation; and look forward to staying in touch once home.

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Know before you go

I love Cuba. I had a good week. This is not to dump on that beautiful country. They do have challenges. Those challenges must have been exacerbated by COVID and the chain of supplies issues. The food (meat especially) is sparce. There is no bottled water. We received filtrated water all week long. Some drink options were not always available. Despite all that, I know that they did their best. They gave us more than they have for themselves. This is why I will recommend this destinat [... read more]ion and this resort. If you know what to expect beforehand, you will not be disappointed. You will not go at the front desk to complain that there was no chicken at the buffet. Don’t be that Karen, please. Cuban staff don’t deserve that aggravation. They have enough on their plates. Some things that there were no shortage of during my trip: sun, sand, fun and toilet paper (in my room, it was always available, thank you god; you may want to bring some when you go far from your room). I can’t say it often enough, Cuban people will give you more than they have. They are kind and will try to help. Bring some stuff and some money to thank them for their good service. Bring your smile and try to learn some Spanish before you go. You will have a good time. This does not seem to be the place to complain about the airline so I will not. That would be another chapter.

Starfish Jibacoa: 11th Trip Did Not Disappoint

Our first return visit since Covid and we noticed some improvements with the buildings, the grounds and the beach. The staff were amazing as usual - very friendly and helpful! The food was of better quality but was repetitious, and after 2 weeks with the same choices for lunch and dinner every day, it was not as appetizing by the end of our stay. We noticed a shortage of butter, milk and white wine. Breakfast choices were very limited - no bacon, no jam, however, we were pleased with the cof [... read more]fee served at the buffet in the morning. The bus to the airport was 45 minutes late picking us up, and although we were promised a boxed lunch for breakfast because we were leaving before the buffet opened, we did not receive one. On arrival, we had to wait for approximately 4 hours before our room was ready since check-in is not until 4 p.m.

Sol Palmeras: Fantastic resort hotel

Very nice staff . Always want to do their best. Clean spacious rooms. Beautiful beach. Fantastic music played every day at the lobby in the evenings by talented musicians .Food nothing to complain about.

Starfish Jibacoa: Wonderful place friendly people

I have been to Cuba numerous occasions. This was my first visit to villa tropico in jibacoa. Staff if friendly and very helpful. By the end of trip it felt like family. Beach and surrounding grounds are well maintained and very safe. Waters and Cora reef is definitely something to see. If anyone is considering booking a trip; don’t forget to bring your snorkeling gear. It would be a shame to miss out on such a beauty

Melia Internacional: A happy stay

Beautiful lobby area. Beautiful pool area. Beautiful beach. Nice rooms and bathroom, very spacious and clean. Lots of sun chairs and umbrellas. The Cuban people we encountered were all friendly and helpful.

Melia Las Antillas: Nice Size resort

The staff are extremely nice and friendly as we have always found while in Cuba. There were a few shortages but unfortunately this was expected due to Covid. We happen to be in Cuba on "Cuba Day" and a huge outdoor luncheon was happening with an abundance of food, drinks, dance and music. Not too many mixes for drinks and wine was only in the A la carte restaurants which was a bit of a disappointment. All in all a good time and love the size of the resort, it is not too big and not too small.

Roc Barlovento: Nice resort

All in all the experience was pleasant. Food is okay. Never seemed to run out of vodka or gin which was nice. Entertainment at resort was okay. I don’t recall seeing any pool entertainment and no water sports down by the ocean. A la carts were the same as what was being served on the buffet. Great selection of nearby restaurants that had great food and spirits. Pina coladas were tasty. Staff were very friendly. Security is a bit nazi but understandable. Good location. Closest to the airport.  [... read more]4 blocks from big market. Rooms were clean. Water was not warm most days (2nd floor) and if it was it had no pressure but everything else was good. Always had bottled water in room and didn’t need to lock phones or speakers up. Nothing was missing from the room. Overall good experience.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: great beaches, lousy showers

The staff and service were great. The food was the worse I seen since coming to Cuba, now my 9th time. I feel for the people of Cuba as there supplies are meager. This shows in the food offered. Even the ala cartes were less perfect thn they used to be. Having a cold shower because they are saving power will cost the tourism industry money in that no one will come.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Revirw

The cockroaches in the buffet and restaurants were disgusting. I would not recommend or go back! When we called front desk for help with our bags upon checkout no one came. Pools also needed to be cleaner

Club Kawama: Terrible

Sadly we have to say that this trip was terrible. Simply we love the antiquity of this resort but there was nothing but problems . No hot water for 13 days!! No beach towel exchange for 6 days. Only room towels available were 2 small 12 x 24 inch towels for 2 people. Safe did not work. Lack of food items is not a major issue.as we understand the lack of commodity in this country....but broken toaster in main dining room took 7 days to fix. The staff workers were lovely and so very friendl [... read more]y but upper management were rude and not interested in hearing about issues. Also this resort allows locals constantly to visit and we found them very difficult.. We will Never return to this resort.

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: DATED BUT WONDERFUL!!

Overall the resort was very nice. room was a bit dated but its only a place to sleep so no big deal. food at main buffet was a bit of hit and miss but never went hungry. enjoyed the meals at all of the the Cuban , Romantico(lobster) , Italian and the Japanese. managed to get fries a few times at the 24 hour snack bar . shows we attended were great. never stayed up late enough to try disco. Cigar bar was usually quiet, good place to smoke a nice Cuban Cigar and enjoy a Mojito. drinks were plentif [... read more]ul and served in a timely fashion at most locations. animation crew did a great job daily. snorkeling right of the beach was great with many fish to be seen. paddle boats , kayaks and free sailing out to the reef were avail for all but we did not partake as we just enjoyed the sun, the surf and the sand. would go back to this resort again for the same price point as we paid this time.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Liked the Resort, Sunwing - a big dissapointment

Beautiful resort, staff do their best to make everyone happy, weather was amazing, beach is beautiful. And all this gets ruined by Sunwing. We confirmed with the rep there that on the day of departure, we are supposed to be in the lobby with our luggage at 5.50 (bus supposed to pick us up at 6 pm). We were waiting from 5.50 until 6.30, then I called Sunwing, they put me a hold, I waited for 15 min and I decided to stop waiting. We called a taxi and left for the airport at 6.45. Now I need two th [... read more]ings: 1. Where to send my taxi receipt for reimbursement 2. When I get the phone bill, who is reimbursing my call to Sunwing? And by the way, if we did not take a taxi, we could have missed the plain, the lineup for luggage checkin was 1h45m

Playa Vista Azul: Mix of good and bad

The people in Cuba are wonderful--friendly, relaxed, open. The beaches at the resort are fantastic! There's free opportunities to go on a catamaran, to use a kayak or pedal boat, or to participate in a class or activity--yoga, stretching, Cuban dancing, or beach volleyball. In the buffet hall there is often a musician playing. The BBQ lunch between the large beach and the hotel was great! Good food! The gym was horrible!! None of the electrical power machines worked--not the treadmills, the  [... read more]elliptical, or the bikes! They took up a lot of room, looked good, and were all broken!! There were no stretching mats and the floors were dirty. The rooms were nice enough. The cleaning lady did a great job and each day made a design (flowers, geese) out of towels or bedding to make your smile. The drawers weren't in great shape. The outsides were filthy and some were difficult to open. A towel rack was hanging from the screws and wasn't fixed the two weeks I stayed. The infinity pool was gorgeous overlooking the ocean. There were some tiles that needed to be replaced but only a few. The bar service in this and all area of the resort was excellent. I didn't participate in the pool activities near the restaurants but people seemed to be having fun. This seemed more for a hardcore party crowd. The food in the buffet was generally awful, even for teenagers! The fruit was often tasteless, the salads generally weren't good--either no dressing at all or only oil with no other seasoning. Unripened tomatoes, stews with tough meat. Eggs for breakfast were good as was the bread, but butter availability was inconsistent. We ate a lot of pasta, pizza, and bread with few veggies! Ice cream was good. I had heard food was bland in Cuba but this was just generally bad! We learned to take a tablespoon of something new so as not to waste, especially after hearing locals suffer a lot of food shortages!! I kept thinking of the movie, the Hunger Games, as I watched fellow tourists leave tons of food on their plates!! The food in the restaurants was a lot better. The service in the restaurants was really, really slow. This resort is outside of Varadero and NOT within walking distance. A local bus costs $5 and taxi's $15. Both have to be taken from outside the resort. I heard tourism is still really suffering in Cuba as the numbers of people that came pre-COVID haven't returned yet so that could be why some things physically haven't been fixed!

Melia Las Americas: Great Resort

Everything was well kept and very clean food was plentiful rooms were big and clean since I had to wait for a room they up graded us to a suite which was great on the part of the resort, just one small complaint the wait for drinks around the area where the entertainment was sometimes was very very slow.

Club Kawama: The friendliest resort

I very much enjoyed my time at Kawama. I have been to this resort over ten times and will keep returning. I have made so many friends and we continue to talk after the vacation is over. The staff are always amazing just like family. The food is average but they still has shortages like butter, condiments and cheese and certain items.Cuba has and is in difficult times but always greets you pleasantly with s smile. Leida always goes above and beyond with makng sure everything is perfect for your  [... read more]stay. The airline was horrible and disappointing, I would never fly Swoop again. I am a very loyal guest and I will continue to return to this resort. It was such a pleasure and the only changes I would make would be to entertainment. Changes would be to bring back the Rock bands, Karaoke and better entertainment in the day like games and events.Renovatios are in progress and I can't wait to see the completion. Thank you Kawama, I am a content and happy to enjoy the resort again. I am looking at the first two weeks of April 2024.

Barcelo Solymar: Barcelo Solomar

To be honest I would never go back or to Cuba...I would spend extra money and go to the Dominican or Costa rica..How Cuba can operate the way they are now is mind boggling worst vacation ever Sorry for being Honest.

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Very nice and clean place

We had a room with double bed and it was big. We were only 2 but big enough to fit 4. Very clean everywhere. Nice staff. The food was good. The main pool very big never too crowded and has other pools on the side . The beach also clean. We enjoyed a lot our week there. We do recommend the hotel.