Very kind and hard employees

It’s a small resort but that’s what makes it more special. Tranquility and personalized services. Hard workers, and I can see that they made extra effort for me… to compensate for the low income of maintenance of this Villa. And du to low tourist here, some animals made it their habitat, which made my stay less comfortable for me. Overall, it was quite a special experience.

Excellence in progress

This little resort adjacent to the Marina and village offers a home quality stay. Indeed improvements to restaurant menus, entertainment options, taxi services all need to keep getting better, to ensure patrons have island mobility. Having the a la carte options to book at other hotels or the adjacent tavern is spectacular. Also to ensure that there are some "safe" water sports offered and supervised...respectful of marine wildlife. There is no reason that patrons should feel limited. Scooter [... read more]s should be hubbed and available for rent at this area too. Music needs to be played during the day. An additional outdoor coffee/bar/ snack area should be available until midnight. Games, billiards, etc. need to be more available, especially if children were present.

I loved it.

I loved it depends on what you want. It is extremely quiet compared to other resorts in Cuba.It has around 25 rooms which are more like a cottage.No beach. Extremely limited buffet but the food was great.No snack bar no entertainment.It is not like any other resort in Cuba. Being so small you get to know everyone by name. Staff there are outstanding. It you want a peaceful relaxing holiday this place is for you.It is right in the little town. Boat will take you an outstanding beach.Restaurant an [... read more]d nighttime bar are right there and very good food and very low prices. Also street party on Wednesday and Saturday night.I would go back in a heartbeat.

Relaxing Getaway

We had a great, relaxing week at Villa Marinera. We were looking for an economical, small resort, just to unwind and enjoy the warmer weather, this place provided exactly what we were looking for. The rustic cottage was clean and comfortable, shower had great water temperature and pressure. There is a mini fridge in room (not stocked), no coffee maker. No a la cartes, buffet offerings were decent in selection and taste. No juice available, juice box available at extra cost. No useable beach [... read more], free boat shuttle to an amazing beach -playa sirena- which has bathroom facilities, bar and restaurant (extra cost). We really enjoyed our stay, as for the price we weren't looking for or expecting any extras or 'luxury'. It was a lovely place to relax, unwind and enjoy the weather.

Amazing quiet resort

Villa marinera was a peaceful quiet resort with some.wonderful.staff everyone from.the Gardiner to bartender was friendly and went out of their way to make sure your needs were taken care of. You.need to take a boat ride to a nice beach as there is only a marina at hotel.but pool.was spotless and the lounge chairs had very comfortable thick cushions They depend on shipments from cuba to stock.hotel and twice in a week ran out.of red wine but other drinks were available The rooms were clean an [... read more]d nice. Hot water with good water pressure was prob the best I have seen in cuba. Since there were only 22 rooms you got to know all the guests by name and we all sat together at night Our room was the furthest away from pool and dining and at night the paths could be lit.up better but that was my only complaint. If you want a peaceful vacay this is the place. Food is always an issue in cuba but if you are not fussy and a demanding type you will do fine with the buffets

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!

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.

Loved our stay!!!

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay here. If you are going to party this isn't your place but if you enjoy a very relaxed, quiet, inexpensive holiday this is the place. We have been to many resorts in Cuba and I would say this is our favourite. It is relaxing, private, food was great (not a lot of selection but everything was delicious), service was the best as Juan is amazing! You can take a 10 minute bus ride to the sister resort (Playa Blanca, 5* for free and also a catamaran ride to the gorgeou [... read more]s beach but honestly, 6 out of 9 days we ended up just relaxing by the salt water pool. I absolutely recommend this resort if you aren't picky as this is Cuba. There is only one thing to get used to and is a negative, the water in the rooms is salt water and it stinks but it didn't bother us. I wish I was there right now:)

Relaxing Resort

We spent a week at Villa Marinera from March 31 - April 7 of 2016. First time at this resort and in Cayo Largo, second trip to Cuba. I booked this trip after reviewing many, MANY locations in Cuba, and I wasn't disappointed. We were looking for a quiet, relaxing place and Villa Marinera delivered. When we arrived from Toronto we were one of only two couples checking in. I don't believe the resort was full, typically there are arrivals on Thursdays and Saturdays. When I booked in January, the fl [... read more]ight was originally non-stop from Toronto, but it changed to having a stop-over in Holguin to drop-off passengers there, and pick up passengers returning to Toronto from Holguin (via Cayo Largo). We had to de-plane in Holguin for about 45 minutes, and it with the landing and take-off it added about two hours to the overall flight, which was a bit disappointing since part of my decision in booking this trip was the short direct flight from Toronto. However, it ended up being ok, especially being able to stretch the legs and get a teasing taste of the hot sun in Holguin. I did feel a little sorry for the passengers getting on in Holguin, as they were finishing their vacation and had to see our eager faces as we landed in Cayo Largo to begin our week in the sun. We had good karma, it seems, since we received cabin 101, which in my opinion is the best location in the resort. It is a single unit (most are split units) with two bedrooms, a living room and a small kitchen area. The master bedroom was spacious with a king-sized bed and a beautiful view of the harbour and the marina. It is also very close to the pool and restaurant. It had an air conditioner in each bedroom, perfect for sleeping. Almost too cold. There is another single unit but it does not have as nice a view (I think it is 122). I feel I would have been a bit disappointed with one of the newer units set back from the water, even though we didn't spend a lot of time in our cabin. The beautiful morning and evening views were perfect. I'm sure, though, that we would still have had a great stay regardless of which unit we received. The resort has a fantastic pool, where we spent a lot of our time in the afternoons. It was very clean and refreshing, surrounded by lots of greenery, also with great views of the marina and the water. It has a much nicer feel to it than pools at larger resorts. Many times we were the only couple there, no problems at all getting lounge chairs. There was no loud music or annoying entertainment staff, just peace and quiet. The resort has one restaurant/bar. Breakfast began at 7:30 am, lunch at 12:30 pm and dinner at 7:30 pm. After lunch was finished you could order hamburgers, hot dogs or sandwiches, freshly made by the kitchen staff. The buffet was good, typically Cuban. Always enough to eat, although truly a bit repetitive as the week progressed. They did serve a stewed beef dish that was surprisingly good, and some very nice fresh fish. There was a very minimum selection of mixed drinks. No slushy machine, so no nice frozen cocktails. A strawberry daiquiri was made with ice cubes, for example. Rum was plentiful, of course, and there was cold Cristal on tap (except for one day when the condenser on the machine froze, then we had bottled Bucanero until that ran out too. But that was just for a few hours). Excellent coffee. Watch out for the zombies, a couple of our resort friends succumbed to one too many of those. If you are interested in a wider selection of drinks or foods, you can always take the free shuttle to the sister resort at Playa Blanca. We went one day, but found the atmosphere was not as cozy and comfortable as Villa Marinera, and came back early. The shuttle leaves at 9:30 am and returns at 3:00 pm, you will have to take a taxi if you want to stay later for an à la carte dinner. 5 Pesos per person if there are just two in the taxi, three or more and it costs 2 Pesos per person. The town is an interesting feature, with the bank very close by, a shop with souvenirs, snacks and alcohol, a tavern on the dock and lots of souvenir stands. We bought some beers for the cabin so we could relax and enjoy a drink on our deck without having to go back to the restaurant for a refill. The turtle rescue is also interesting, we brought turtle food as a donation and got in for free to see the young sea turtles. Not much happening at this time of year, May and September are the busier times with the laying and hatching of the eggs. We did the Super Reef excursion, which consists of two snorkeling sessions, the Iguana Island, the natural swimming pool and lobster lunch. Of the 30-odd people, we were the only English couple; there was one French couple, the rest were Italians. It was an ok excursion, but I would not do it again. Some of our new resort friends did the Sunset Catamaran and really enjoyed it. We rented a quad from Playa Blanca while we were there and traveled to an empty beach at the east end of the island. We also got to see the crocodile at the nursery, and the iguana. The lady at the nursery was very generous with her time, please tip her well if you happen to see her. We rented the quad for 4 hours (27 Pesos), but returned it after only over an hour, since there really was nowhere to go, and riding two-up was not very comfortable for my passenger. The only really negative thing I have to say about the resort is the water. There is of course the salt water beach, and the swimming pool is salt water. The water from the taps in the cottage is also salt water, and had a sulphury smell. You could never really rinse off the salt. It wasn't horrible, merely inconvenient. At the start of the trip, we bought extra bottles of water at the shop, and one was also provided each day, so drinking enough fresh water was never an issue. You can also get your water bottles filled at the restaurant. But when you are used to fresh water from the tap, it's off-puting not being able to rinse off the salt at the end of your day. The shower did have great water pressure and plenty of hot water. Playa Sirena and Playa Parariso are very beautiful. It is very convenient to be able to walk from the resort to the marina to catch the boat to the beach, no extra hassles with catching buses like at the other resorts. As well, walking home after returning from the beach is a treat. If you are heading out to the beach in the morning, ask the kitchen to make a sandwich to go, it will save you the expense of buying lunch at Sirena, which can be very expensive. Cheers to our server and bartender Juan, who worked very, VERY hard during our stay. The staff do an excellent job maintaining the grounds, pool and restaurant. Even though the resort is not gated and adjoins the town, it felt very safe. There really is nothing on Cayo Largo except the airport, resorts, marina and the town for the resort workers. And of course the beautiful beaches. I would definitely return to Villa Marinera, especially now that I know what to expect. It is by no means a luxury or a party resort, and you will be disappointed if you expect a waiter to bring you drinks at the pool, or are looking for lots of decadent foods, or posh accomadations. If you are looking for a quiet relaxing vacation in the hot sun, with idyllic views and still have the all-inclusive experience of plentiful food and drinks, then this is the right place. While I want to experience more of Cuba next vacation, I might be hard pressed not to return next year.

Very peaceful and relaxing

This is a nice small resort. Very laid back and quiet. It was a perfect getaway for my husband and I who work way too much and needed a break. Rooms were always clean-fresh towels and bedding daily. Food was ok-we didn't starve...but always the same thing....rice, soup, chicken, pork or fish. Pool was great and usually empty Lots of marine wildlife to watch...crabs, stingrays, starfish, jellyfish etc... Snorkelling was great. Not a good resort for those who get bored easily....all there Is to do [... read more] is lay around the beaches and pool. unless you opt for excursions which are basically snorkelling, scuba diving and fishing. We plan on going back for when it's just hubby and I, but on the times we bring our kids, we'll go somewhere on the main island where there is more to do.

Perfect, Quaint, Quiet and Did I Mention Perfect?

I decided to go to the Villa Marinera in Cayo Largo on a whim. The size of the resort and the whole vibe that Cayo Largo as an island gives off was truly enticing to me. The Villa Marinera is located not even a few minutes from the airport. It coincides a short walk beside the Marina which harbours beautiful boats, sails and even the odd Yacht. It is but a walk away to access a boat to take you on a fishing trip, tour or even as a drop off to the beautiful Playa Sirena (beach). The grounds of th [... read more]e resort are the definition of cozy; the people, the staff and the brilliant sun that sets each day in your back yard, make this place paradise. The people whom you meet become friends, even family after a short few days because of its size. And If you are desiring a larger feel you can shuttle over to Hotel Playa Blanca and enjoy the big resort amenities and more people throughout your stay, all inclusive as well. The beaches here are quite possibly some of the best in the world, your surroundings are nothing short of a tropical paradise and just exploring or taking that long walk along the beach does the soul some good. Tranquility is the word of the vacation, but there is definite opportunity for fun as well. Well dear hesitant potential vacationers; I had a week vacation there and after the week my only complaint is that I didn't book another week. Thanks Villa Marinera and all the people who made it amazing, and thank you jesus

A Cuban gem! Part 1 or 2

Part 1 of 2: Cayo Largo has to be one of the best destinations in Cuba. An isolated island off the south shore of the mainland with its own airport enabling direct flights from Canada with very short shuttle rides to the various resorts on the island. To top it off, the beaches seem to go on for ever and there are some great diving destinations with a wide variety of underwater life. We stayed at the Villa Marinera, a quaint B&B style resort that accommodates about 50 guests in rustic cottages [... read more] that are split into two units each. The resort has some great recreational opportunities like a well equipped games room, a nice pool and a variety of entertainment opportunities. Fishing enthusiasts can take in a fly fishing adventure with the onsite Avalon Cuban Fishing Center. The all inclusive restaurant is limited but it serves healthy and well prepared options during three time slots, breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is a bar attached to the dining hall and its open from the morning till late in the evening. Outside those hours there are several options for getting food or drink at the resort, but they are not included and charge nominal fees. The Villa is located beside the marina which is an advantage for any waterborne excursions but it means there's no swimming in the ocean off the resort’s small beach as the boat traffic presents a hazard. That isn't a problem as the resort runs three shuttles a day to Sirena Beach which is just a 10 min trip by boat. The Villa is incorporated in the only town on the island which means services like the bank, a Habanas store, the tourist bureau and a variety of shops are located there. While it’s handy to have the bank to exchange currency, a traveller is advised to exchange currency at the hotels; the bank process is long and cumbersome while it’s quick and easy to exchange funds at a hotel reception desk. Besides the boat shuttles, it’s easy to arrange land transport by either taxi or bus, at time of writing it was 2 pesos per person by bus and 2.5 pesos per person by taxi. Very little wait time is required to catch a ride. One major attraction of the Villa Marinera is that guests of the resort also have full access to all of the inclusive options available at the Playa Blanca resort a short shuttle away from the Villa, approximately 8 Kms distant. While Villa guest can take advantage of the various dining and entertainment options at the Playa Blanca any time they wish by taxi or bus, the Villa offered free daily morning shuttles which returned mid-afternoon and two after dinner excursions returning before midnight, at time of writing those were on Tuesdays and Fridays. There are very few locals actually living on the island. Most of the staff live off the island and work long shifts during a 20 day stay, then go to their homes for a 10 day rest. That does mean a visitor might establish a good relationship with staff, but get caught in the middle of a shift change and have to re-establish a connection. Virtually all the staff we encountered anywhere on the island were extremely helpful and friendly, but you would occasionally run into a staffer nearing the end of their shift who was getting anxious to get home and was grumpy. There was something special about this intimate little resort, it made you feel at home. This is more than likely the reason that 50 percent of the visitors were return customers. That said us newcomers felt welcomed. Language challenges were not a problem on the island. Some of the locals were pretty much uni-lingual Spanish speakers while others were quite fluent in a variety of languages. English and French were most common, but it wasn't uncommon the hear German, Italian or Russian. Children staying at the Villa can occupy their time by playing at the small beach, visiting the local turtle hatchery, looking for conch and starfish off the docks and feeding the fish bread or even observing the resident Iguana. Cayo Largo was heavily damaged by a hurricane a number of years ago, and you can still see some reconstruction in progress, but most of the buildings have benefited from some major upgrades. The beach at Playa Blanca was wiped out during the hurricane, but has since returned though it is limited at high tide. It is worth noting that the beaches of Cayo Largo are among a very few in Cuba that actively supports nudism. There are a few spots between the resorts that are set aside as clothing optional, most are staffed with people who will set up chairs and most have signs designating clothing optional. The nudism seems to be well accepted and folks strolling along the beach beside the nudists just seem to take it in stride. It would be a great place to get an“all over”tan without feeling any shame or judgement while doing it. The most popular beach on the island is Playa Sirena, but to the east there are also Playa Paraiso and Punta mal Tiempo. Sirena is mostly sand, if you want to go snorkeling among coral reefs you'll need to head a bit farther east to one of the other beaches. There is a prominent point of land that's defined by a sharp change in direction after a large but shallow lagoon. Just off this point of land is an easily accessible reef that's teeming with underwater life. A short distance off shore you can comfortably swim with a wide variety of underwater creatures in water that ranges from just below the surface to about 5 meters deep. Sting rays, eagle rays, tarpon, moray eels, barracuda and sharks can all be found swimming here but timing and weather will impact on what you actually find. Regardless, it’s well worth the excursion. At Playa Sirena, they offer a trained dolphin show. Captive dolphins go through the paces their trainers have set up which you can watch before boarding a boat shuttle and for a fee you can swim with the dolphins if you wish. All of the designated beaches have places where you can buy drinks or food if you wish. See part 2 of 2.

Rustic peaceful

Pleasant quiet resort it needs some $ supports to repair air conditioners,pool liner. despite gaps comfortable for those who like quiet basic Sunshine, beautiful sail boats that take you to the beaches.

Villa Marinera

Thoroughly enjoyed our stay. A good mix of things to do and see. Free shuttles and boat rides to the most gorgeous beach. Good food. Staff was great. A little glitch with our room safe but was looked after. Older rooms are not sound proof at all, however all you need as a home base

Very nice resort

Small and friendly, very quiet lodge, near the marina. Where you can take the boat for a short ride (5 minutes) to the great beaches of the island. Nice ambiance, it is easy to meet other guests because you have choice of many big rond tables, or you can stay intimate, other small tables allowing that. The staff was nice. Food was OK, and sometimes great. Nice pool and surroundings.