Not a 4 star resort

This resort is a 3 star not a 4 star. Overall enjoyed our vacation, 2nd time to Cuba but first time at this resort. We were a family of 5 - stayed in block 20, which is centrally located to everything. We were accommodated all our requests, which we appreciated. The resort needs a little work but has the potential to a great resort. Rooms were tired and heard a lot of travellers complaining about it. We did not receive new towels when room was cleaned. Only after complaining did we get new towel [... read more]s. Italian restaurant was terrible, the main buffet was the best. Service in the buffet was excellent. Snack bar is supposed to be a quick place to get food, but it was slow most of the time for hot dogs and sandwiches. Beach buffet was convenient. Definitely upgrade to Diamond Club - Premium liquor, separate check in, designated beach area with drink service, which was a big plus as the other side of the beach is way too crowded. Beach was beautiful, clean with no seaweed. Entertainment staff was amazing, the worked hard all day long.

Awesome resort

Food was exceptional and so many choices. Staff very friendly but not efficient .......................... .. ........................................................at least 200 characters

Extremely expensive and low quality

The hotel area is average, big restaurants, the pool is good, the beach is clean and beautiful. I think is the only good thing that We can write about this hotel. About the rest we can't say the same. Food is poor and horrible compared to Barcelo Solymar, a 3 stars hotel, way more affordable. The NY dinner was a big joke, the kids left hungry and the adults upset about the quality and quantity of food offered in one of the restaurants. For a 5 starts hotel, Grand Memories was a huge deception [... read more] for us and our group. They don't have staffs enough to handle the quantity of people they receive every day. The line on the buffets were always long because they had 1/2 cooks to prepare omelets for example. The 24 hours snack bar had 1 front person to take orders from 25/30 people. Some of the staffs were rude and some were really nice but far from a good service. The room was ok, at least was clean, but we had to upgrade when we arrived because the one we suppose to stay were horrible, old and FAR from everything. It is an absurd you pay more for a 5 starts hotel and when you arrive you are obligated to pay more in order to have a decent/habitable room. We were also completely decitisfied about the towels for the pool. If you pay for one week stay, you have to be able to keep your towel until the moment you leave the hotel. They ask for a deposit in order to give you towels for the last day. Nobody will steal towels, we paid for 7 days all inclusive trip, what we assume the towels are on the package. Anyways, it wasn't our first trip to Cuba, we knew how the resorts work, food and all the issues Cuba has but our frustration in pay way more for a hotel that is classified as a 5 starts and had a service of a 2 starts was pretty disappointed.

Very good resort

This was an amazing resort. Been to Cuba 5 times and I know a good resort versus one that is more rustic. If you are looking for luxary, keep going, Cuba is not your destination. Food was really good, bathrooms were the best I've ever seen. Pool could use a bit more TLC. I would go back.

RELAXING VACATION

This is a beautiful resort and I would stay there again. The room was clean and beds were comfortably. The staff that I was around were nice and helpful....I really enjoy the quiet part of the resort! Beach was nice - I just didn't like that the free Catamaran wasn't free - it would have cost $20.00CUC to use to go see the fish by the reef for snorkeling.....I just wanted to go for a ride on the boat.....maybe a language barrier thing food was ok..... best part was breakfast!! suggestion -  [... read more]pastries/fruit ready to eat in lobby for the people that are on the early excursions or flights home. stay away from the Chinese a la carte....food was horrible and they didn't have spring rolls Gourmet was a fabulous place to eat and the server - she was amazing and made us feel so special.

Clean rooms a great service

Rooms were a 3 star but kept clean. Food at buffet was the same every day and often cold. Staff and service was amazing! Loved the quiet pool by building 11. Lobby bar had good drinks. Spa offered a great massage but the pedicure wasnt good.

Quite adequate

Rooms a bit tired. Such friendly staff. Close to the beach.very safe. Food is not bad but ok for Cuba. Remember that you don’t go to Cuba for the food, but for the beaches, the people and Grand Memories has it all.

Excellent resort

Amazing resort with white sandy beach. Everything you want. Clean and beautiful. Amazing staff and personnel. Thank you Liza, Jorge Rodriguez, Chaxxi, Sandra, Daniera and the rest for making our stay so memorable. Food selection was amazing. Excellent customer service. The resort is EPIC. It definitely exceeded my expectations.A big thank you to all.

Very good resort for the money we paid.

Amazing resort, great staff, excellent customer service, great food, I recommend this hotel. EXCELLENT beaches,Havana down town and Tropicana show was amazing.will go again for sure. Lots of entertainment, activities at the beach and pool side,

Great Resort

Very nice resort. The rooms were spacious and clean. We enjoyed the A La Carte restaurants in this resort. Plenty of day and evening entertainments. The beach was close by. The staff there were amazing and very friendly.

Amazing Vacation!

The resort is great! People should not believe any negative reviews they see. Of course, the food is standard for Cuba BUT if you book the Al a Carts (Gourmet Restaurant especially) then you can have steak and lobster etc. The entertainment staff was phenomenal and the shows were all great!! beach is stunning, and grounds are SO well kept. Overall, was a fantastic experience.

Good resort!

Hotel lobby was very nice, rooms were clean and maid service was great! However it did smell alittle moldly. Food was okay, nothing special... been to Cuba before and have had better quality. Only one pool open due too damage...Nightly entertainment was enjoyable! We closed down the disco a few nights, meet some great people! Beach was breathtaking!!! Staff were all very friendly and welcoming!!

Great Resort All Around!

This was my first all inclusive vacation as well as my first trip to Cuba and Grand Memories made a lasting impression! The resort is not new but I still found everything to be well kept across the resort. My room was clean and everything was in good working conditon. No bugs of any kind seen through my 7 day stay in my room. It was well cleaned daily and the maid was very nice. The resort is quite large with 2 massive pools both equipped with swim up bars. The friendly staff at either swimup ba [... read more]r was the best part of the trip, I always felt taken care of. The beach was nice with soft sands and a nice view. One thing many people did warn me about before visiting Cuba was the food but I found the food at Grand Memories to be excellent and the buffet was so large it was easy to find something new to try everyday. Lastly, if your a solo traveller like I was Grand Memories didn't charge a supplementary fee for single person booking like many other resorts would have which made it ideal for someone with a budget! Overall I made alot of friends and really enjoyed my stay. Highly recommend! Cheers

Incredible Beach!

The beach at this resort was stunning-crystal clear water and lots of fish if you venture a little further in. Two main pools. One of them kept getting flooded due to the rain but the other one was very nice and large enough that you could find a spot to yourselves. The food was pretty bad, but that's not exclusive to this resort. The rooms were clean, but smelt a little musty. Some of the lights needed replacement and the door handle to the balcony was broken. However, you spend most of the [... read more] time outdoors so it doesn't really matter. The staff were friendly and very polite.

First visit to Cuba

The hotel grounds were well kept, although not many garbage cans around. It Was our first visit to Cuba. Hotel was older but clean. A larger hotel, so a bit more of a walk to the beach. After a couple of days the buffet gets repetitive. A large variety of food though. Something for everyone. Would not recommend going in May, as it is their rainy season. It was hot but most days it rained. Not alot of entertainment during the day, but shows every night. We enjoyed many shows. Hotel serv [... read more]ice was overall good and they were very friendly

The Resort was good, the rooms were average (well ours 24311) our first cleaning lady was great !! She enjoyed the gifts and tips but wasn’t shy to announce her leaving for the week the second cleaning girl helped herself to our bag of gifts that were for Jesus in the dining room (make sure to put things away or clearkyntell them

Not to take ) this was upsetting. The staff overall was great they worjed quick to deal with all the water on the grounds. Lots of sand flies but there was lots of water!! The sail boat guys were great !! Very cheap to go out right in front and see some beautiful tropical fish !! Overall considering what we paid for the family it was average. Beach was very nice !! Pools are nice the Italian restaurant needs to put more focus on friendly service. Always great choices at the buffet. After re [... read more]ading the reviews prior to our trip I was uncertain of what we would be going to but overall for our family it was a nice and average resort for Cuba and the price. Grounds are very well kept and the entertainment was a bonus for everyone. No worries to those who are traveling to this resort you will enjoy!! If your looking for a fun, safe, white sand beaches and good entertainment Grand Memorues has it all !! Again considering the cost it’s well priced and worth it!! Enjoy but bring bug spray or tea tree oil

Terrible

Service is good at the restaurants and bars but cleaning service is terrible. Our maid only changes the towels and makes the bed. That's it, no sweeping the floors, doesn't change the sheet or tidy up the bathroom even though we leave tips everyday. Also I'm pretty sure I've been bitten by bed bugs. Which is not surprising considering our room never gets cleaned. I also find that some staff have no shame about tips. It's expected in this resort beware. Food is bland even for a cuban standard. Af [... read more]ter the 3rd day I mostly ate fruits. The whole resort as a whole is not very well kept. The public washrooms are disgusting , no locks and no toilet paper most of the time. I really could go on and on but the positive thing is the beach. It's beautiful however be prepared to have a peso when you get there, that's the only way you get a spot. The employee who maintains the area puts his own stuff on the chairs so he can give to the ppl who gives tips. Will never go back to this resort or any other memories/ grand memories chain since this is my second one and both are terrible.

Mixed review

The resort and staff were amazing. once we finally got there with the flight delays and then long check in. they had one person on staff to check us in. after a 10 hour delay we miss a day of vacation. after being up all night the first day was a right off but we made the best of it. The beach was amazing. Food and staff were also great. I have no complaints other than getting there which isn't a resort issue but more of a Sunwing. I've been to many places in Cuba and this resort was one of [... read more] best I've been too. You won't be disappointed.

My stay at the Grand Memories Varadero May 5/18 - May 13/18

I recently spent a week at the Grand Memories Varadero. Unfortunately our flight down with Sunwing was delayed 10 hours so we missed a night at the hotel:( Sunwing did give us a $15.00 food voucher to use at the airport and a $75.00 voucher for the delay which is appreciated. Upon arriving at the hotel, due to the time lapse of when we were suppose to check in all of our reservations ( 6 rooms in total ) were cancelled. That being said, the lady at the check in desk did an incredible job  [... read more]of getting it all sorted for us and into our rooms. She was extremely calm and professional!!!! My room was clean when we checked in and our maid was amazing!!! So friendly and always making sure we had everything we needed. I have travelled to Cuba before and was a bit put off by the food so wasn't sure what to expect here. I have to say, the food did not disappoint me!!!! Props to the kitchen staff, the waiters and the chefs!!!! The bar staff, wether it be the pool bar, snack bar, lobby, disco etc, were very efficient and so friendly. The mixed drinks were a bit off but to no fault of the staff. Pina Coladas and Daiquiris were not made with a slush machine, just liquid so didn't have the greatest taste. There was always entertainment by the pool and beach with music and activities which always makes for a fun time!!! Lots of charis and shade so there was never an issue trying to find somewhere to sit by the pool. The nightly entertainment. All I have to say is WOW!!!! The dancers in the shows were amazing!! I have been to many many resorts and I have to say the Michael Jackson show was by far the best I have ever seen. I didn't want the show to end!!!! You can clearly see how much work and time goes into these shows. The one issue we ran into quite a few times was the washrooms with respect to toilet paper and paper towels and the doors not being able to lock. A lot of the times there was no toilet paper or paper towels which is an issue. All of the staff were extremely friendly and helpful and they all work so hard!!!!! Overall, I had a great time at this resort and I would definitely go back!!

Awesome Hotel

Not a single complaint, was fully satisfied with everything from the staff to the rooms to the actual layout of the resort itself, very well done, I was especially pleased with the variety and quality of the food, as well as the fact that there were many unique flavors, not plain and bland like some other places I’ve stayed, extreme value here, I will be returning 😊