Barcelo Solymar: Amazing resort

Terril & Ken we there at the barcelo solymar Jan. 21 to Feb. 4, 2025. This is our third time at the resort. All the staff is friendly & very helpful they try their best all the time. We had a wonderful time met lots of fun nice people. We stayed in the bungalows very nice spot very quiet beautiful hedge with red flowers leading to your spot. All the gardens we immaculate the staff work so hard every day to make this happen. We always found something great to eat & all the special restaurants to  [... read more]book were all great too. We walked on the beautiful beach everyday. We had great weather. We enjoyed our vacation there & will definitely come back.

Grand Aston Cayo Paredon Beach Resort: Awesome resort

We just returned from a week at this amazing resort. We were in building 11 so was right beside the pool and main walkway to beach which was the most beautiful beach. The resort is only a couple of years old and everything is new and clean. Fresh eggs and bread everyday for breakfast. A good choice of food at meals in the buffet. Johana and Deylania were great servers at lunch and breakfast in the buffet and Anabel was great at dinner time in the buffet. They were very friendly and helpful and  [... read more]always smiled and greeted us as soon as we walked in the door. Would like to send them a cheerful hello. The resort also has a beach bar that has amazing pizza. Your choice from plain to meat to veggies. I would suggest to get there at noon as the line starts to build up for serving at 12:30pm. And the family/kids pool area also has amazing poutine. There was always something to eat.. There is lots of places to get drinks and beer too with a great choice of drinks. I would recommend they put more staff on the lobby bar as the lobby itself is very large and actually 3 rooms and usually only 2 staff. So if you go to the bar I would say grab double of drinks because it can be quite a long wait at times. The main pool has actually 3 pools. Which it is a place where you must go by 6-6:30 and put your towels on chairs because there is not many and if you go later they will all be gone or already saved. So we had to do that even though we spend the morning at the beach. The beach is very long and beautiful. Lots of chairs there and always someone there to assist you. I would say it is probably 60-70%french speaking also. The shuttle to the resort was quick, only about 25 min. There was always some kind of entertainment in the lobby at night also but if you wanted something quieter there is the 24 hr. sport club. I would highly recommend this resort to couples and families. I will be returning, hopefully very soon.

Sol Rio de Luna y Mares: Viva Cuba

We've been to Cuba a dozen times in the past 15 years, but were a little apprehensive this year with news of power and gas shortages, lack of basic essentials, and such. But this is a great little resort, very friendly and helpful staff, nice beach maybe 20-30 minute walk from end to end. We were pleasantly surprised by the food, it was ok and we didn't lack for anything. They say the resort has been renovated, but in Cuba style, a little paint here and there, but still a little tired... bed [... read more]s were comfy. There are quite a few stairs from the main hotel area (lobby/pool) to the beach 3-4 flights... so if you are a little weary of stairs and walking, you may find it difficult. If you love Cuba... you will love this place, if you need the extras of the Dominican or Mexico, don't come here... but for the price, it really is great! Big shout out to the staff!!!

Memories Caribe Beach Resort: Great Beach and staff

Very attentive staff , enjoyed beach beauty, the a la cart meals Asian was best ,met Canadians and even French speaking All were friendly -not like in Dominican-, buffet food was very good and little shy of fruit variety but always a fresh juice available,rose wine available as an option at all evening meals , white wine was great niot too dry,snack bar - had some supply issues the menu was limited and chicken sandwich was very good, beverages- a little light on alcohol too much ice sometimes [... read more], Rooms need a little finishing touches but A/C worked and beds comfortable, t least 4 english channels on TV,

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Great resort

Hotel rooms were generally in good shape and cleaned on a daily basis by a friendly and pleasant staff. Resort staff were helpful and made sure we were comfortable and the food snd drinks werei good supply. Food was very good overall, the Japanese alacart was fantastic and the Canadian celebration and dinner was exceptiona.

Royalton Hicacos Resort and Spa: Was OK ..

Not as good as in the past. Beach was beautiful as it always is. Staff were great. But the food was terrible. Worst I’ve ever had in Cuba and have been going for well over 35 years . Rooms I was given both had significant issues.. Was moved several times. Not what I had hope for but made the best of it . Nice to relax in the warmth and escape winter.

Aston Costa Verde Beach Resort: Loved our visit

We have been to Cuba more than 30 times. Mostly Cayo Guillermo/Cayo Coco. Once to Cayo Santa Maria. This was our first time in Holguin. After our visit in November to Cayo Guillermo we felt like we may never go back because the food and facilities had deteriorated badly. The people and beach are always awesome there. We decided to try Holguin as a last minute to visit friends. We were very happy with this resort. Our room was in the 48 block, very comfortable, hot water and toilet worked perfect [... read more]ly and a free safe. The ocean view is not great compared to others we have had but still beautiful. Food was good, lots of selection, always had eggs and bacon and butter. Lots of snack bar options. Pool is big with swim up bar. Facilities are clean and comfortable. People are amazing as always in Cuba. The beach is a far cry from Cayo Guillermo and super busy but still beautiful for a daily walk and relax. Bring water shoes as it’s pretty rocky to swim. Snorkeling is great right off the beach. Always entertainment happening but if you don’t like that it’s easy to get away from the noise. Overall really great resort. I’m glad we decided to give Cuba another try.

Memories Caribe Beach Resort: Amazing Time

We spent a week at the resort at the end of January 2025. Everything was above our expectations having travelled many times to Cuba. Rooms were clean, the grounds are beautiful, food was above expectations and the beach was utterly breathtaking.

Grand Aston Cayo Paredon Beach Resort: Grand Aston Cayo Paredon-3 Star Hotel (In My Opinion)

Review and Personal Experience of the GRAND ASTON CAYO PAREDON-Travel Date Jan 30-Feb 6-2025 Overall, I rate this hotel a 3 max, nowhere near a 5-Star hotel even by Cuban standards!! If your only expectations are to go to the beach, be on a diet, drink alcohol and swim in the pool at a reasonable price then this is perfect for you. But if you are willing to invest a few hundred more for better food and a far better experience more like a 5-Star hotel should be than I strongly recommend  [... read more]NOT going to this hotel as you will be sadly disappointed. See Below for Details: Upon arrival at the airport, it took 3 hours to get to the hotel and be fully checked in. I arrived at the airport at approximately 830pm, and the resort is a 20 min from the airport. I was the first on the bus and finally around 1045pm we left the airport. Once at the resort, the check in took about 45 minutes and I was finally checked in after 11pm at approximately 1130pm. Once at the Resort, I was given a non-alcoholic beverage, this I thought was odd considering this is supposed to be a 5-star hotel. Any 5-star hotel I have been too in the past in Cuba, Jamaica, Dominican, Mexico etc. I was greeted with both options, alcohol, or non-alcohol. Once I went to the check in and got checked in there was absolutely NO INFORMATION given to me, this was another indication to me that this 5-star rating was under rated. I was given a room key and no instructions on anything. No map given, no intro about the Resort and/or information about the hotel. Just brought to room by the bell boy and that’s it. The Room: My room was clean and basic, but a few things that I thought were odd, was there no plush towels and no face clothes and NO BAR or Alcohol other than 2 beers in the fridge! I haver never been to a 5-Star rated hotel and not had alcohol hanging off the wall with at least 4-5 bottles. But it gets worse, the mini bar had 2 cokes, 2 waters and 2 beers which was fine with me, however after drinking the cokes I called downstairs on the 3rd day because I noticed that the cokes had not been restocked and was advised that I ONLY get coke/beer upon arrival and ONLY water after that, once again this is supposed to be a 5-Star hotel how is this even possible!? My hotel room door had to be SLAMMED using extreme and excessive force and this had to be done multiple times using a great amount of force just to close it properly and ensure it was locked. My chain lock on the room door was broken and fell off a few days after arriving so there was no added security while I was sleeping. If you want your sheets changed, make sure to throw them on the ground or they will just come and re-make your bed. Never once did they mop the floor in the room that I could tell. My so-called ocean view was more of a distant ocean view with construction of another hotel in the background. Resort Bathrooms: Most of Bathrooms on the resort when using a private stall could NOT lock so forget privacy while using the bathrooms outside of your hotel room, this was not a good look. The Bathroom by pool par, the urinal was flooded with urine, and it overflowed on the floor and was left that way for 3 days despite several complaints, this meant that you would be walking into a urine filled bathroom that was not even mopped up and forced me to use another bathroom to avoid stepping in a pool of urine. The Buffet: Breakfast was absolutely the same every single day and there is only one buffet. There were no pancakes, no bagels, no sausages, no scrambled eggs, none of the basics that you would expect at a buffet on a resort, much less one that is rated 5-Star. In fact, 99% of what was being offered for breakfast/dinner to me personally did not even look edible, so therefore I did not eat it. The best option was eggs and fruits plus mango juice, the eggs you can have a chef make it but expect to line up every morning for at least a min of 30 minutes. The serviettes were one ply tissue folded into 4, once you wipe your face one time the serviette is of no use and must be disposed of, any 5-star resort I have ever been too INCLUDING Cuba would normally provide for you a reusable, washable serviette. At Dinner, your best option is pasta, ice cream and fruits. Everything on the menu from breakfast to dinner was always the same and for me personally inedible. Line ups are expected for eggs, pasta, and bread. Ketchup at the buffet was literally watered down. The Beach: The beach water was cold and rough every day and it was windy while I was there, so if you have children, you must keep a close eye on them. The water was actually too cold to swim in as well, this has nothing to do with the Resort but just putting it out there if someone chooses to travel there maybe consider the time of year and possibly what the weather will be like during this time, especially if you love ocean water like me. On the beach there was only one visible lifeguard to service the entire beach. Other people were with him, but nothing indicate they were lifeguards (i.e. no shirt stating they were a lifeguard) as well And he never once did they walk the beach, swim at your own risk. At the Beach Bar the internet went down on the 3rd day and was not fixed for the remainder of my stay, the router stopped working, sop there was no internet at that Bar. Snack bar by the beach had better food. The pizza however was tasteless. The pizza gets served at 1230-1pm not sure why people are lining up for it, and the line up to get the pizza was on average 45 minutes. To me personally it had no flavour, not even a garlic spread. There was two days where they had a BBQ set up, the chicken took forever to cook because the grill was not hot enough, so they ended up just serving hot dogs, they were delicious considering my diet while there otherwise, but be sure to arrive on time or they will run out of hot dogs. There are No waiters or waitresses on the beach itself, only the beach bar you will get service, but not by a waiter or waitress it is self serve buffet or line up for the pizza. The Pool Bar: Pool bar is great, great service and drinks. All the Staff amongst the entire resort were very pleasant, they never asked for tips or made you feel like you would not be served properly if you did not provide a tip. There were No vendors or hagglers at the beach which was great. If you want a lawn chair by the pool you must arrive super early like 8am or earlier. Bring your own cups because their cups are so small and with ice, you’d finish your drink before you even sit down, they also use cardboard cups so if you do not intend on drinking your beverage right away the cup will become soggy. Music by the pool is all in Spanish maybe one English song of this matters to anyone. I do not mind some Spanish, but I believe considering you are catering to foreigners it should have more English music being played. Pool bar closes at 5pm, in my experience that is early usually a pool bar will shut down at 6-630pm. Towels: You can only get towels from about 10am-1pm, then again from 2-5pm. If you wait too long, they run out of clean towels, so get there early and hold on to your towel till the end of the day. Lobby Bar: Entertainment is all by the lobby bar, makes no sense to me. All the entertainment seemed amateur no real professional entertainment. No Michael Jackson shows. The lobby bar is generally very busy and loud. Snack Bar-By the Pool: Snack bar by the pool only has 3 items, ham and cheese, chicken sandwich (which is processed chicken like you would get at Costco), and fries. No hamburgers or hot dogs. In fact, I never once saw hamburgers anywhere. The Resort: There is only a very small store that sells alcohol and a few other items on the resort, plus a couple of stands. There is another store off the resort, you must pay a bell boy to bring you there but the alcohol in my opinion has skyrocketed. I have NEVER paid more than $10-12 USD for basic Cuban rum, now at the resort even at the airport they are charging min $25USD for basic 3-year-old rum, brown rum and anything that is less than 8 years old, if you want better or older rum you are looking at 50+$USD per bottle. This is the first time every traveling and I have not bought rum, even in Jamaica the rum was $11USD and this is 63% over proof, way overpriced! If you like cigars there’s a man that comes and makes them and sells for $10USD each, however in the 7 days I was there I only saw this guy once, better to ask the reception what day he is going to be there if you are interested. There is only one buffet 2 snack bars one by the pool the other by the beach, this is a small resort. The best rum I had while on the resort was Havana Club 3-year-old rum and the Santiago which is known to be one of the better Cuban rums. Don’t expect any fancy drinks, and the only soda they have is sprite, Fanta orange and Cola/diet cola Excursions: The one excursion I went on was good, but a bit pricey $90 USD, but it’s to be expected. It was the catamaran. The boat was very small if you choose to see the dolphins because it hosts less people. Staff was very friendly, open bar help yourself. We went snorkelling and we stopped to swim in the Atlantic Ocean which was awesome the water was only waist deep. Afterwards I went to see dolphins and after that lobster dinner. It was mediocre no real flavour. There is however another excursion that I was told by another traveler that was much better it has the buggy ride, catamaran, visit with the alligators it is better than the regular catamaran I am told. Second excursion was at what they call the lighthouse. Cost was $40USD for lobster dinner, $60USD if you want a 25 minute massage. The hotel staff will drive you on a cart 15 mins to the restaurant, nothing special just lobster dinner with rice no desert and only alcoholic drinks are wine and beer. It was mediocre but a chance to get away from the hotel. Cayo Paredon Airport: Be sure to eat big before you leave the Resort because the Cayo Paredon airport only has one restaurant and they only serve hot dogs, and cheese sandwiches (NO HAM). It costs $9USD and if traveling late like I did at 10pm, they will run out of food.

Sanctuary White Sands: Beautiful resort

This resort was gorgeous. It was incredibly well laid out with the pool running down the centre of the resort between all of the rooms. The pool was clean at all times and there was a very gradual walk in which was great. The beach was well maintained and you could go for a long walk if you chose to. The food was excellent. Yes, it got a little repetitive, but that is to be expected. There was always fresh fruit, several meats to choose from and stations where food was being prepared for y [... read more]ou. Overall, a great experience.

Grand Aston Cayo Las Brujas: A good result

Hi I liked the staff was amazing but the management are very unprofessional they didn't listen for what we been ask for no place for the kids to play no attention for my son from the hotel at all. They told me the play ground open but never was open I will give 3 start not 5. My son 3 years old i got charge same as an odult .

Melia Internacional: Fantastic vacation!!

I had a fantastic vacation at this hotel, and found it receptive and hospitable from check-in to check out. Despite some negative comments I have read regarding the food, I found the food to be delicious, abundant, fresh, and there was always a variety. You couldn't ask for more. The staff was extremely polite, and I was always kindly greeted by Yilainy at the buffet. Although this hotel is rated 4.5 stars, I would give it 5+ stars. I look forward to going back some times soon.

Paradisus Varadero: Fantastic Vacation!

We had a wonderful vacation at Paradisus Varadero. The resort was lovely! I highly tec the spa!! Food was great, entertainment fun and staff outstanding! You can not beat the beach at this resort!! We would definitely return!

Hotel Los Cactus: Great Resort!

The room was clean and bright. There were bars everywhere for convenience. 3 meals a dat, served buffet style with lots of options. Grounds are well kept, and the beach was fantastic! The staff was extremely helpful and welcoming. I'm definitely going back!

Sol Rio de Luna y Mares: Beautiful resort

Staff are excellent, rooms are nice. No shortages of food or alcohol. The beach is one of the best I've seen. No complaints what so ever except my vacation is over. Xxx̌xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx

Aston Costa Verde Beach Resort: Fantastic!!!

All I can say without writing two pages is.....we just came back from a week and heading back again in 2 months!!!!! Can't wait to get back down. You will not find a better resort. Bang for the buck!!!

Club Amigo Ancon: Beautiful location

My husband and I have just returned from Club Amigo Ancon 15 minutes away from the historic town of Trinidad. Much of the resorts rooms are unavailable but the 120 tropical rooms are available. Our room was simple but clean, air conditioning worked well and a lovely hot shower ( which was appreciated greatly after having no hot water for 2 weeks in another resort).. For the first of the two weeks we had all meals in the main dining room with great staff and sufficient food. However in our se [... read more]cond week the resort was down to 83 guests and guests were moved into a smaller restaurant ( one of the al a carte restaurants which were not be utilized) . Food was definitely less selection , no butter like the first week, less vegetables ,no four types of rice etc) . There is no wine of either type and if you do wish it you must purchase it in the wine store found in the resort. We tended to eat lunch at the snack bar due to selection of food and the two cooks were fantastic and also made plantain chips, croquettes and sandwiches. The beach was lovely and the water stunning. Unfortunately there were many smokers and used the beach as their ashtray . Palapas and beach chairs were in good condition and plentiful. Nightly entertainment was fine but very repetitive. We wanted to say thankyou to the staff at the snack bar who always played cuban music and at a great level of volume. Any one going to this resort has to visit the historic town of Trinidad which can be accessed by the hop on hop off bus daily. Overall the trip was a success and would go back . ( but bring snacks and condiments to fill out the menu).

Playa Costa Verde: Amazing Resort

Playa Costa Verde is an amazing resort to have a nice relaxing holiday. Clean plenty to eat day & night & lots to drink too. Beautiful grounds & lovely clean rooms. Staff are amazing friendly & very helpful. I will return for a 3rd time next yr. Sue Mitchell from Canada

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Holguin: Nice Resort

We stayed on the Sanctuary side, premium package Pros: Great food - I've never said that about Cuba; Rooms are big; Lots of pools to choose from; You can take long walks on the beach, it's very quiet and secluded; Grounds are well maintained; Easy to get reservations at a la cart restaurants; the a la carte restaurant - le gourmet? is a hidden gem for a quiet breakfast or lunch. The staff at that restaurant are extra lovely. Cons: The ocean is rough, lots of seaweed and very rocky. Ta [... read more]ke water shoes; I had butler service, but did not find them to be useful. They didn't show up until after a few days of my being there. Even after I met them, they were of no help. I never did receive that water and drinks that I had requested for my room. However, my friends' butler was amazing, so I'm not dissing the butler service (just the ones I had assigned to my room). Some of the rooms had a strong musty smell, mine was not musty at all; it's a 2 hour bus ride from the airport. All that being said, the price was right. I would go again but forgo the premium package.

Hotel Blau Las Morlas Varadero Beach: Amazing BEACH

A small quiet resort - which I loved. The beach was beautiful and clean and towels were plentiful. I hate to complain. It's Cuba and I've been there many times. However - 80% of the beach chairs were broken, the room needed updating and repair (rusty lamps, crumbling tiles, ) - we tried to change rooms but apparently the resort was full. It was not. Food was the worst I've ever experienced in Cuba. The hamburgers? looked like Alpo. Breakfast was the only decent meal. Definitely another  [... read more]resort next year.