no complaints, food was fine, A/C and hot water were readily available. Rooms were clean. Beaches were fantastic. and best of all, it was quiet. The people as always were friendly and helpful. Hotel staff were all amazing!!! Thank You for a great vacation.

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 second 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).

We have a 3-week trip planned for the end of March, which seemed so far off. Saw an amazing rate at this property so figured we would give it a try. Our expectations were minimal ... sand, sun, and clean facilities. The resort did not disappoint! While the property does require an update, we were completely satisfied with our stay. Staff was great, the beach superb, and the food was adequate. I rated the rooms as fair but only due to the decor, they were very clean. I understand that everyone has different levels of expectations, some fussier than others, therefore I would not recommend this to others, but I would return in a heartbeat.

We enjoyed this resort. Beach was nice and steps from our room. Staff were very friendly and helpful what ever we needed. Food was actually good mostly plentiful. The buildings are in need of repairs but apparently renovations are beginning soon. Drinks were a issue choice was limited but overall we liked the place with close access to Trinidad.

The Memories Trinidad resort is a bit older and is holding up pretty well for it's age compared to some older Cuban resorts. The public areas are nice, the beach is great but no better than many others in the Cayos. When I went, the price was awesome and there was no single supplement. In terms of value, Memories can't be beat if you want a week of sun. The rooms badly needed refurbishing but the beds were comfortable (for Cuba) and the patio door worked and locked properly. My safe was useless as the door was missing but others said theirs was good. My room was full of mosquitos and small black midges that seemed to be coming from the bathroom vent. I killed a few dozen, wore deet and kept the bathroom door shut. I had a problem with the key card late one night that refused to work. After an hour of walking back and forth to reception, they jimmied the lock and gave me a new room. It's typical Cuban to inconvenience the client rather than fix the problem. The next morning my maid called for maintenance to put in a new battery and reprogram the lock. In the end, I didn't move but others had the same problem and moved. The problem with Cuba is that your new room could easily have worse problems than your old one, so it's best not to move if it can be avoided. The buffet had lots of food but it's the same monotonous thing every meal. There was no pasta station, fresh fish, minimal fresh vegs., hamburgers or fries that I saw. The fish was frozen tilapia which I ate most lunches as I found the chicken or pork was either over or under cooked. Sometimes, there were line-ups to get in and the resort was nowhere near full. There were birds in the indoor buffet so if that bothers you, beware. That is common in many Caribbean resorts but very rare in the better ones. Most nights I went to the a la carte upstairs and it was similar food, just quieter and served to you. The a la carte is free but you need to book it and they did offer free lobster 2 nights. once it was undercooked and I could only eat some of it and once it was badly overcooked. Typically, service is OK as they have lots of servers but they spend more time walking around directionless and service can sometimes be very slow. The beach was nice but beware of sand fleas if you are sensitive to their bites. I loaded up my legs with deet and still got eaten. Amazing how many others get nothing. The beach bar was open but not the beach restaurant. I would have given an extra star if it was open. After all, stars are based on services offered and there is no excuse not to have it open at least some of the time. There is also a BBQ area near the beach, also unused. Beach BBQs may be inconvenient for staffing but they are a huge plus for customer happiness. There always seemed to be plenty of loungers at the beach and pool but the pool was not used much. There was typical entertainment for only one night and that's when a busload of Chinese tourists came for one night. I'm not big on entertainment and I was happy that the DJ didn't blast music all day and night. I'm there to relax and unwind and too much loud music at many resorts is a real turn-off. The bars were mostly all open. They use cheaper rum but the cigar lounge at the reception area has better rum if you can handle the smoke. It has to be consumed in that room. I did a day trip to Trinidad and it's well worth the US$5. return bus fair. You will get pestered to buy anything they can sell you but just be polite and keep moving. I downloaded the Google map of the area before I left and it really helps to find you way back to the bus stop. You don't need data for that to work as it locates by GPS which is not as accurate but very close. In dozens of trips to Cuba & Caribbean resorts I have never been sick. On day 6, I got explosive diarrhea from something I ate at the resort. No, it was not drinking too much or too much sun and I heard that someone else had the same problem. It ruins one whole day of your vacation and is caused by someone in one of the restaurants not being careful enough. More training is needed behind the scenes. Overall, I've been to many Cuban resorts that are much better and a few that are worse. I give realistic ratings based on when I was there and that can change quickly in Cuba. The staff, with only a few exceptions, were very happy to serve you and only 2 asked for tips. I would say that Memories Trinidad had some of the nicest staff I have encountered in Cuba. I have always been frustrated that Cuban resorts could really bring the satisfaction above DR and Mexico but the system seems to be unable to make those simple changes. For a cheap week in the sun, Memories is worth it. If you are picky, I'd suggest going elsewhere. Cuba is always more enjoyable if you go with low expectations.

Stayed at this resort with my family over Christmas and New Years.The three hour bus ride from the airport was on a comfortable bus with ac and washroom.Before writing about the hotel I want to give some advice on currency.Only bring US dollars and do not exchange for pesos! The Cubans prefer to deal in US dollars and with it you will get the best value.Some places such as the airport don't even accept pesos and even where they do you get a better value with US dollars.You get a terrible exchange rate with Canadian dollars so leave them at home. The hotel is a good value but don't bring 5 star expectations or you will be disappointed! Beach is nice and very long, we never had a problem with lawn chairs.Pool is good with lots of chairs as well but no swim up bar. Buffet and snack bar are basic but we always found something we liked. Service was a little slow but it was never busy enough to really matter. Entertainment was good and the shows were basic but fun, perhaps they could turn the volume down a notch or 2.Sander was a particularly good host and had us feeling included the whole time.Rooms are basic but acceptable.Always had hot water.There were the usual flaws for this star rating in Cuba as in some lively red ants, fiddly locks( keys, no cards) and occasional toilet malfunctions.We did however have amazing ocean and sunset views from the third floor. Scuba diving is quite good on the nearby coral reef and an exceptional value at $35 US per dive including equipment! Overall a good time and value just bring realistic expectations considering the star rating!

Well maintained grounds and garden, nice swimming pool. Clean rooms with all necessary supplies for the tourists. Beautiful sandy beach good for sunbathing as well as for walking. There are two bars one near the beach, other in lobby of the hotel. Only live Cuban band was missing ?

Best of the Best I loved everything about the resort except the entertainment was limited, Service, cleaning, food, drinks and the people happy to serve you with a big smile unfortunately it's an Underrated resort as per the review years back!! We were 6 people (friends and family) and had a great time. Customer service was great as all staff were super happy to serve us. Cleanliness was paramount as it never stopped throughout the day. Food is relatively good compared to other resorts that we visited lately. There is always something there to eat. Beach was so nice and sandy. Internet was available and FREE at the lobby only; however, the signal was so strong Entertainment was limited to a couple of nights only.

I Think this hotel is much better than the rating and previous reviews, looks like there were some upgrading and renovation done. we were a group of 6 people in 3 different room, all 3 rooms were very clean, one of the room had issue with hot water but they fixed it 2 hrs after we asked them. there was one international Resturant , the food was very good, food choices were not that much but they had enough choices, one of the best rice and chicken I ever had in Cuba was at this resort, there were enough veggies and few sweet choices and ice cream. most of the nights there were entertainments, I was out side of the resort for 2 nights ( not sure about showed then) pool side was very quite, no entertainments ( likely due to little number of guests I guess) the staff was amazing, the beach is one of the best and being close to Trinidad is a Bingo, lots of attractions and activities were around bottom line it is not a huge resort with multiple selection of restaurants, sports and food, but there were enough of everything , and much better than previous rating, I personally don’t mind to go back

I Think this hotel is much better than the rating and previous reviews, looks like there were some upgrading and renovation done. we were a group of 6 people in 3 different room, all 3 rooms were very clean, one of the room had issue with hot water but they fixed it 2 hrs after we asked them. there was one international Resturant , the food was very good, food choices were not that much but they had enough choices, one of the best Riceland chicken I ever had in Cuba was at this resort, there were enough veggies and few sweet choices and ice cream. most of the nights there were entertainments, I was out side of the resort for 2 nights ( not sure about shower then) pool side was very quite, no entertainments ( likely due to little number of guests I guess) the staff was amazing, the beach is one of the best and being close to Trinidad is a Bingo, lots of attractions and activities were around bottom line it is not a huge resort with multiple selection of restaurants, sports and food, but there were enough of everything and much better than previous rating.

The renovated Club Amigos is beautiful place. Beach is so close and most days super clear and great for snorkeling. Sundowns are beautiful to watch from the beach or oceanfront rooms. This is now a 3 star hotel with potential to be great. Most guests you talk to have been there multiple times. Stuff is accommodating and friendly. Planning to go back next year.

I’ve been to cuba over 40x’s and this hotel is an average run down Cuban hotel. The rooms were clean that’s all I really care about. The beach is amazing, the food is a different story lol but that’s Cuba, they try with what they have. The problem I have is with some of the staff, the look right at you and walk right on by and laugh and talk with other staff.....I stood at the snack bar one day for 20 min and then just walked away. The 24hr snack bar never had what they said they would but again that’s Cuba. Would I return to the hotel? Yes If I got a really really cheap deal and I would just go more prepared with snacks so I wouldn’t have to stand around for nothing. In all I had an awesome time and the weather was great!

We loved this hotel...its old..but well maintained with friendly staff..beautiful beach and pool..and close the 2 small fishing villages and a large city over 500 years old with cobble stone streets and stately architecture. For a real insite of Cuban flair..Trinidad is the place to visit. Loved our experience in Ancon..a place we love to visit

A wonderful beach, large pool Beautiful sunrise and sunset Felt safe Interactive staff Usual Cuban food Clean Rooms Seems to be difficult to get plumbing parts, or parts in general if something breaks down, so repairs are not made instantly. Flat area for cycling Close to Trinidad

This resort is all about location. It's an older and very basic hotel that doesn't pretend to be what it isn't, but the staff is very friendly and the room I had (superior room in the three story bungalows) was just perfect with an AMAZING view. Ancon beach is really beautiful with amazing sunsets, so you don't need a fancy hotel to appreciate the beach. The location close to Trinidad and to the mountains (and Topes de Colante park) is by far one of the main reason I was coming here. 15 minutes to Trinidad by taxi for 4 or 5 Cucs per person. My favorite city in Cuba One warning to everyone: They do not tell you this, but the blue beach towels in your rooms MUST NOT be lost otherwise you will have to pay 15 or 20 Cucs. Unlike other hotels where they have a ticket system for the towels, here they don't ...but they still apply the rule. I lost mine and was forced to pay 15 Cuc. As for the food, well it is very basic. Don't have high expectations, but you won't go hungry. Enjoy the best sunsets you might ever see.

This resort has an absolutely fabulous beach. no water shoes needed here. Trinidad is close by, by bus or cab and a lot of fun to walk and take in the culture and wonderful old buildings. This resort has no money exchange but can exchange in Trinidad. The resort was at the time of my trip mostly older and younger couples. Be aware as a woman travelling alone that you will be propositioned everywhere on resort and off, sometimes in an uncomfortable manner. Rooms were older but always clean. Food is what you would expect. Staff was kind and helpful. Some were great characters to meet! All in all a good stay.

had several issues with the service and facilities inside resort the most significant isssue was that there was poor water pressure in the room we were unable to flush the toilet often. our complaints over the week were unanswered. there was also nowhere t exchange money on the grounds and i was unable to tip because of this food at the resort was the same every day and we did not look fprward to eating it wasclear customer service was not a priority

I wanted a week to relax & recharge; the flight crews, resort staff , Sunwing reps & your tour guides @ Club Ancon made my vacay the best one yet! I felt like a VIP from the second I got on my flight & it continued onto the resort & tour I booked through my rep. The beach was stunning & the snorkeling was serene! MANY thanks to Krista Shaver for the recommendation & taking the time to listen to my needs!

Nothing has changed in 14 years but a nice little hotel with no so bad 3 star food, right on the beach ( no walking to get there ) Trinidad so closed you have to go everyday for the street fiestas...entertainers are good but shows in general are not, repeat guests have a lobster dinner included

My wife and I stayed at Hotel Ancon from Jan 7-14 and yet again had a great vacation! We visit this Hotel Ancon once or twice a year and have done so for many years now. The staff are always attentive, strive to do their best to ensure a pleasant stay and truly do treat you like family.The main reason we continue to return to this resort is due to the genuine kind nature off all the staff. We were greeted by the new General Manager Daniel who invited us to enjoy a buffet including roasted pork, fruit, and a variety of other foods. This was a pleasant surprise and a great way to start the vacation! Shortly after bringing the luggage to our room we noticed that our safe did not work. Daniel overheard me mentioning this to the front desk and had a maintenance person to the room and the safe fixed in less then 10 minuets!! Although we have always had a great vacation at this hotel, it is an added bonus to now have Daniel's expertise and some new ideas introduced to enhance our vacation experience in the future. As always, Addys the Public Relations Manager went above and beyond to ensure a great vacation and always makes a point of being Friendly, approachable and visible at the hotel. She is a great resource for anything you may need during your stay. Our room in the Tropical section was clean and well kept. We had hot water all week without any issues and the AC was cold when it was needed. We also had a great view of the ocean from our balcony. The buffet had a good selection to choose from and all the wait staff did an awesome job in making sure we had everything needed. We look forward to visiting Hotel Ancon again in the next few months!

This hotel is under construction, we had days without running water, never had hot water, the hotel did not have money to exchange 4 out of 7 days, there was only 1 of the 3 restaurants open the entire time due to cleaning? We had dietary restrictions and the one restaurant would not accommodate us so we could only eat very few options in the buffet. Games were locked up and you had to search for a staff member to unlock. cockroaches. Some staff were great, but others were not helpful at all (especially the front desk)

I just spent Christmas there with my lady The staff were amazing The hotel was awesome Lots of room to roam Safe and fun The beach was great walk for miles Trinidad was so much fun and close for only $8 CUC Tons of restaurants I will definitely be back again I have all over the island and this was my favourite Great food, great drinks, great people What else could you ask for Thank you Club Amigo Ancon Dave xo

The hotel is old. Rooms are too small. When we tried to exchange it, no chance. No hair dryer in a bathroom.Towels very old. Food was not great, to get a grilled fish or meat, req'd to spend a lot of time in a line. Veggies are not fresh Tea is not easy to get in a main restaurant Main 24-hours bar with drinks never had food such as pizza or hamburger. They were telling you, they were making pizza for you, but nothing happened, you could wait forever. Something was biting in a sea, suppose to be jelly fish. Beach is nice, and sea water great for swimming. Entertainment in the evening was ok. They were trying to have music played in the restaurant or bar during dinner as well. Main lobby area was big enough with ping pong tables, pool, tennis court nearby. Entertainment close to the swimming pool was ok.

The beach makes up,for any shortcomings of this resort. It is literally steps from the hotel, beautiful white sand, no tide, enough beach chairs and umbrellas with nobody expecting a tip to brush the sand off. Having said that, the hotel,is mediocre, but clean. Rooms are smallish. This is not a party place for young couples, rather flavored by the retired crowd (they have prunes for all three meals). Food is adequate, fresh lettuce every meal. Standard Cuban fair, Safe is included in price. Ours wasn't working and was fixed in one day.

The hotel has a great sandy beach and you can walk in either direction for some distance and the ocean is the Caribbean so it is pretty warm and great for swimming. The pool was fixed from the last time we were there and it is very large and inviting but we preferred to be in the ocean. We stayed in the superior rooms and the bathroom tiles are cracked. Mosquitoes were let into the room each time the maid cleaned and we were full of bites even though we hunted them before bedtime. The main building did not have hot water. The food was the same every day and nothing special; they did grill fish and chicken and pork but meat was not plentiful. Salads were mainly leftovers thrown together and did not appeal to me. The service was not good, we often got our own glasses, if any could be found; our own coffee cups if any could be found and brought kleenex or hardly used napkins from the day before because napkins were scarce. People would butt in and the cooks often served someone behind you and left you standing there to wait again because they only grilled 5 or 6 fish or pieces of meat at a time. If you came in later to eat, no one was in a hurry to find or clean a table for you and the dishes and cutlery were scarce. We filled up on omelettes and crepes in the morning and forgot about lunch and went in for supper. Pasta was made fresh with ingredients that you picked. The beach bar ran out of beer for a day; out of fries for a day and only had ham & cheese sandwiches -- no pizza and HAMburgers were available one afternoon made out of ham but nothing on it. The grounds are not pretty, actually sad looking. The hotel had new beach chairs and we had new mattresses in our room (not everybody had new and we heard some horror stories about the old mattresses) with sheets that did not fit and kept coming off every time you turned over and I slept on plastic every night when I got tired of fixing the sheets. We have stayed twice here and twice next door because of the beach, but it's time to move on. Folks, you get what you pay for. It was a very cheap holiday and we met some lovely people there.

This hotel is a very nice place, right on the beach which is beautiful. The pool is also very nice and quite big and I swam there every day. I found the food in the restaurant quite good and plentiful. However, there was one very annoying thing - the mosquitos in the room! I never found out how they get there but this insect made my sleep very troubled and I got 56!! (yes, I counted them) mosquito bits on my right forearm. The room should have been sprayed with an insect repellent but it only happened after I complained at the reception (4th day of my stay). I know there is a swamp nearby and mosquitos probably came from there. This fact spoilt my stay there a bit!!

Ancon peninsula, nice place. About hotel Ancon: old building many years not repaired Building is 7 floors, and 2 elevators most time not working, so be ready to use stairs, Do not wait hot waters, but you have cold water, for shaving it is not very good. Food is ok for 3 stars hotel. and if you will have good weather, your vacation is ok.

Positive: beach, food, chambermaid service, hotel is located right on the beach. Negative: - rooms are very small and majority of them have a door leading into an adjacent room - the day animation is non-existent: during a whole week, we have not seen any day animator - the evening animation in the lobby consisted of the slow popular hits in English, whereas we expected to have the Latino songs in Cuba to dance some salsa and bachata - the hotel is located far from the Cienfuegos airport (1h30min)

I was at the same resort about 15 years ago and I will compare the differences between resort then and now. Fifteen years ago I booked also with Trip Central and it was indeed amazing and desirable hotel to go and enjoy the beach the hotel facilities, the food and to some degree the rooms. However, at those days 15 years ago I myself, my wife and friends that were staying in the resort we promised to come back and revisit the hotel and have a good time and enjoy everything all over again. So to make a long story short, this time around it was really a disappointment. I will outline things that I found unacceptable (a) The hotel room #1 where they put me to stay did not have a hot water, the toilet seat was moving left and right (it was free), the basin was off the wall, water was sitting on the floor and the safe was not working. (b) The safe in the room #2 was not working all 7 days (they could not repair it). There was no hot water for all 7 days. They did offer another room, but because I already changed room once, the day before for the same reason I decline. Apparently, I found later some other people in the group had the same problem with hot water and safe. (c) In front of the elevators there is no light ( it's really dark) and most of the time only one elevator was working. Once I was sitting in the lobby in the evening where a group of older people where trying to get to the elevator with their belongings...it was really said seen (d) The food was not well prepared, and there were L O T S of FLIES and FLIES in the restaurant. I have visited Cuba many, many times (I forget how many times) maybe 20 or 25. I love Cuba and I will go to Cuba again but I will not go back to this resort

The pool was brand new. Very large and very clean. The beach was clean and there was lots of new beach chairs and lots of palm umbrellas. The staff at the reception area were friendly and accommodating. Everything was clean Did not get sick. The food was prepared with treated water. The food was tasty, but could have had a little more variety The shower was not working properly. Rooms were clean, but could have been a little more spacious

What an amazing time we had at Club Amigo Ancon. From the front staff to the Snack bar staff and the entertainment staff - Rupert it was really nice to meet your mom and you as well you really do a great job keep all the guests happy. Rollie in the snack bar makes amazing Pizza's, Hector at the Pool Bar keep wearing that Canada Hat! Always gets your drink for you when he sees you coming.. Pool guys are amazing they really keep the pool clean. Adze at customer service very helpful . We had no hot water but in Cuba that happens and it was warm enough that you don't really want the hot water because you want to cool off. There was a bad rain storm on the Monday and when we went back to our room the water was flowing like Niagara Falls and everything was floating. The staff was so accommodating and moved us immediately. The chamber maid (evening lady Marissa! I think was her name.) She came up and got us into another room and help us move our belongings, she offered to take my went personal belongings home wash them and bring them back to me. Now that is real customer service. The first room we had in the main building 631 was big and lots of room with a little sitting area and a big terrace, but unfortunately due to weather we had to move. Food was Cuba standards, you could always find something to eat no matter what. Umberto at the egg station is great, always smiling and got you what you needed every morning. All of the Kitchen staff was amazing. To a dear friend Nessy, Hope you enjoy the tootsie rolls.... you are always missed and will see you soon. One last thing for the money you pay this is a great resort, you will not starve, you will sleep good and will have a lot of fun. You make your vacation what you won't it to be. Don't read all the negative reviews because you have to give your own review as everyone's opinion is there own. If you are expecting the Hilton you will never find that in Cuba, but you will find great staff and new friends. To all the staff at Club Amigo Ancon, Job well done and we will see you soon.

The grounds were fine. A lot of broken glass by the water though. I picked a few, saw people cutting their foot unfortunately, despite the efforts of the staff to not let ppl take glasses outside. The food was a bit uneven, very modest, but you can survive. The large building with standard rooms is a bit scary, not a lot of lights work, very shabby inside.After the rain - water on the floor. BUt the sheets were clean, the floor very clean. And the view of the ocean from all rooms is amazing. A lot of umbrellas and beach chairs. I lived on the sixth floor - no elevators. A la carte mostly were closed. One time they invited foreigners there - it was very bad - same food as in the buffet, but with a lot of Mayo and served with the lids)). There was NO hot water and almost no water with the exception of one day. Few staff speak English. Tropical rooms in a new building are much better.

Everything about the hotel was good beach is awesome the food ready good The pool is excellent that people fairly good The rooms very clean first the bars are good and a beer very cold they got new chairs everywhere and I promise this excellent I will go back anytime me

Everything about the hotel was good beach is awesome the food ready good The pool is excellent that people fairly good The rooms very clean first the bars are good and a beer very cold they got new chairs everywhere and I promise this excellent I will go back anytime me

Amazing beach with snorkelling close by. close to the super interesting city of Trinidad, museums and beautiful buildings. If you like a very international hotel with a quick turnover, this place is for you.

I love how nature is integrated into tropical hotels. Hotel Ancon did not disappoint! We had a bright spacious room with a huge floor to ceiling window looking over the peninsula towards Trinidad which was very nice also at night. The moment we stepped out the door we faced the beach and the sea! The weather was fabulous and we needed no air condition! There was always some wind maybe because we were located between 2 bodies of water. The room service was good and the staff showed they cared by leaving pretty sculptures made of towels behind every morning.The food was plenty and frequently switched around in order to avoid boredom. And what can one say about all the drinks and cappuccinos we consumed, fabulous.The entertainment was also amazing and I have to give the performing dancing and singing ensemble a big hand for their talents and kindness, Bravo! In Cuba you always fare better if you hand out tips so have some money with you all the time! A peso(1$) will do for most favors. We rented a motor bike for 5 days (approx. $ 90-100) and it was well worth it. We got to know the people and surroundings much better than just staying at the hotel. Trinidad was grand with all it's colonial buildings and loads of bars, cafes and shops (due to new laws allowing free enterprise)! My husband brought 20 pairs of running shoes bought at value village and believe me there is nothing Cubans like better than shoes!! One last thing: It is Cuba so things won't be perfect, the furniture in the rooms could be old and few other things will be questionable but that is the charm of Cuba. It is ridiculously safe and the people are so lovable. We will definitely be back! Oh and don't mind the pool, they say it should be fixed by next year, didn't need it anyway!

We are staying here in January 2017. Hotel us much further then other one. But it is work because it is more clean and quite. Reception girl with name Maria Elena was very helpful. Reception manager Ilen very kind and helpful. She solve our problem right away. Because we are travel with my little son and we must to have queen bed and tab bath, she gave us better room. This is 3 star hotel. But the food was very nice. We can't be complain. I can to this hotel mire than 3 star. And absolutely will recommended to our my friends. Visited January 2017

RESORT WAS CLEAN, A BIT DATED BUT KEPT NICE, BEDS WERE NOT THE MOST COMFORTABLE, FOOD WAS GOOD BUT NOT ALOT OF VARIETY, ALACART WAS VERY GOOD, LOTS OF LOCAL ATTRACTIONS, GO ON THE CITY TOUR IT WAS AMAZING !! BEACH WAS CLEAN AND RAKED NIGHTLY, BEAUTIFUL VIEWS !! POOL WAS UNFORTUNATELY UNDER REPAIRS BUT THE NEXT RESORT ALLOWED US TO USE THEIRS SO IT OFF SET THE FACT OURS WAS NOT AVAILABLE !!

The front desk staff aren't friendly. The food really needs improvement. There's lineups for the grill, yet they only put 6 or 7 pieces at a time and hope you will walk away instead of waiting. They get swamped with bus tours coming in for a day or two and we just helped ourselves to whatever was needed, i.e. napkins, cutlery, etc. We got their best room so no complaints there. The pools were closed, but the beach is lovely.

They should replace the beach chairs. The bartenders should be more attentive and the snack bar should be open 24/7. It also didn't offer much of a variety. Many times they ran out of dishes and glasses at the buffet and the coffee machines were rarely working.

My hotel room was clean and nice. My one concern that the pool has been out of service for a year. No one at the front desk spoke much English (if any), so it was hard to ask any questions. There seemed to be some problems with the elevator and some toilets, but I had a good vacation there. This hotel is a long way from the airport (1 1/2 hours), and it is closer to Trinidad than sites in Cienfuego. The hotel just needs some TLC and updates.

HOTEL The main hotel building was very similar to the Hotel Tropicoco near Havana. Made of concrete, the hotel was built by the Soviets in the 1980s and in one word, it was ugly. The saving grace was that it had a very nice beach and of course, was close to the charming town of Trinidad. The superior, ocean view section (where we stayed) was built about 17 years ago and was much nicer than the original part of the hotel. The swimming pool was closed. There were two bars near the entertainment area, one served quite good sandwiches, hamburgers and French fries and the other one offered various drinks, including cold beer—bring a big mug! There were also two bars in the lobby area; we often used the one close to the patio, which was open in the evening and served excellent cappuccino and Spanish coffee. On the lower level (below the lobby) were two stores (‘tiendas’) selling alcohol, clothes, postcards, souvenirs, etc. as well as a bank, which was very convenient. There were also other vendors, offering carvings, arts and crafts, postcards, books and the like. BEACH The beach was nice and sandy, there were loungers and palapas, but they were quite difficult to get (I write more about them later). Once a group of French speaking tourists from Canada were conducting a very animated and loud conversation which lasted for a long time; I was sure they could be heard by half of the sunbathers on the beach! The beach was quite long and it was possible to walk along it towards the east for several kilometers. OUR ROOM #8312 The room was located in the ‘superior section’ and from the main hotel lobby required a three minute walk as well as climbing the stairs to the third floor. It was a rather small room, but it was okay. We had a nice balcony, facing the ocean and the beach, from which we could admire sunsets. A couple of loungers/chairs on the balcony would have been nice, though! The TV had plenty of channels, including CNN and Canada’s CTV, albeit from Montreal (in English). The air conditioner worked, yet we tried to sleep with the balcony door open and drawn curtains so that mosquitos could not get in (as a matter of fact, I do not remember being bitten by any mosquitos or sand flies). The bathroom was small, had a bathtub, we always had hot/cold water. There were two small beds. The small fridge kept our beverages cold and the safe was free. We got two magnetic cards; both opened the door and one of them also opened the safe. The maid did a great job cleaning the room every day. Since the entertainment area was close by, we could clearly hear the music from our room. Incidentally, we never went to any performance. RESTAURANTS The main dining hall/restaurant (Bahia de Casilda) was adjacent to the lobby. We always skipped lunch, only had late breakfasts and twice or thrice dinner there. For breakfast we had some fruits, salads and fried eggs with bacon or omelets as well as very good yogurt (not available every day). Dinners offered the regular fare, there were three cooking stations and I was always able to find something I liked. The red wine was quite passable. Most of the time we sat at the end, near open windows, which were also used by several birds that were flying in and out. Overall, I had no problem with any of the food that was served—although the selection was not as plentiful as that in other hotels in Cuba we had recently stayed at. Then again, I never come to Cuba to expect some amazing food anyway. At the lower ground floor there were two a’ la carte restaurants—Italian and Seafood (Restaurante el Pescador). We dined twice in the latter. I found the food quite good, some dishes were excellent. We also wanted to try having a meal at the Italian Restaurant, but were informed that it served only pasta, so we skipped it. It was also possible to have one meal at the adjacent Brisas (in its top restaurant), but since only six Ancon guests were allowed to eat there every evening, we never did get to go. It took some time before we managed to get a voucher for another restaurant at the Brisas under a giant palapa. We had a very casual, romantic and tasty meal and enjoyed it very much. By the way, all the vouchers were obtainable from the Public Relations desk. HOP-ON-HOP-OFF BUS TO TRINIDAD One of the main reasons we went to the Ancon was its proximity to the town of Trinidad, which is one of the most beautiful towns in Cuba. Located 10 km from the Hotel Ancon, it was a very short ride from the hotel by bus or taxi. However, there was also a hop-on-hop-off bus, departing from the Hotel Ancon to Trinidad at 10:00 am, 12:30 pm, 3:30 pm and 6:00 pm and from Trinidad to the Ancon at 9:00 am, 11:00 am, 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm. It cost 2 CUC both ways (keep the ticket if you are planning coming back). WHAT WE DID NOT LIKE We did encounter some inconveniencies which we believe should not have occurred—and they certainly negatively contributed to our overall experience. 1). It was very difficult to get a lounge chair on the beach—unless you ‘reserved’ it early in the morning by placing something on it—it was Catherine who religiously took care of this issue early in the morning, at 7:00 am, to be exact. We noticed that some people occupying lounge chairs did not have any wrist bands—only later did we realize that many tourists from town (i.e., Trinidad) arrived every day by bus to enjoy ‘la playa Ancon’ and perhaps some of them simply used hotel beach loungers. It was a pity that security guards did not make sure that lounges were occupied by paying hotel guests only! Moreover, adding more chairs/loungers would be an even better solution! 2). The checkout time was at 1:00 pm, so we had packed up everything in advance and went to the beach in the morning to enjoy the last day of our vacation. We came back to our room at about 12:15 pm and when I tried to open the safe (where our passports, money and cameras were), neither magnetic card worked. I called the reception to report this issue and was told to come with the card so that it could be reprogrammed. Two minutes later Catherine called the reception and asked the receptionist to send somebody over to our room as it was difficult for us to come—she wanted to shower—besides, it was not our fault, after all. The receptionist insisted on her coming to the reception—and simply hung up on her, thus forcing her to take a walk to the lobby and join the lineup of people checking out! It was still about 20 minutes to 1:00 pm—yet we also found out that now both cards ceased to open our door as well! Well, we had the perfect right to use our room (including the safe) until the checkout time and it was quite disappointing and nerve wracking that the cards stopped working BEFORE that time—if anything, they should have had a ‘built-in’ grace period of at least 30 minutes instead of making our last hours unpleasant and testing. Incidentally, we had a similar glitch several years ago in the Club Amigo in Guardalavaca. 3). On Saturday around 9:00 am, before breakfast, I went downstairs to the bank to exchange money, but it was closed. I asked the sales lady in the nearby ‘tienda’ if she knew when the bank would be open; she said it was closed on Saturday, but the reception upstairs (in the hotel lobby) could exchange money. Thus I went to the reception, only to be informed by the receptionist(s) that it was impossible to exchange money there; instead, she suggested that I try going to a bank in Trinidad. As I always tried to double check everything in Cuba, a few minutes later I asked the public relations lady (whose desk was next to the reception window) about the bank downstairs. Lo and behold, according to her, the bank would be, after all, open today, but around noon, since the exchange rate had not arrived from Havana yet and sometimes it did not come until noon. Around 11:00 pm I went to the bank and it was still closed; I was hanging around it for another 30 minutes, but to no avail. So, I again asked at the hotel reception when it would open—this time I was told that the bank employee was on lunch. For the next 30 minutes I kept checking whether or not she was back, yet the bank’s door was closed shut. Finally, for the second time I asked the ‘tienda’ sales lady if she knew when the bank employee would be back from her lunch. “The bank is closed on Saturday”, she repeated. “It’s not what I was told in the hotel reception”, I said, “The bank employee is supposedly having her lunch”. She looked at me incredulously and briskly called the reception; after a brief conversation she told me to go there to change my money. Indeed, the reception employee (the same I had spoken to in the morning) was expecting me and without any problems exchanged my $100 Canadian into 68 CUCs (albeit a few days ago I had gotten 70 CUCs at the bank downstairs). This whole episode left a rather bitter taste in my mouth—after all, for several hours of my precious vacation time I was chasing after a non-existent employee! CONCLUSION Since we go to Cuba with a very open mind, overall we liked our stay. Although the hotel’s crude, concrete architecture was not too appealing, we had been aware beforehand what kind of establishment we would be going to—and that was why we booked a room at the Superior Ocean View Section, which was a very good choice. The hotel staff were not as nice, friendly and attentive as those in the other hotels we had recently visited, but they were still adequate. The food was good, the room clean with plenty of hot water and we could count on catching the bus to Trinidad—visiting this charming town was the highlight of this trip. Would I go to this hotel again? If the price were right, maybe I would consider it, yet I would rather pay more and pick the adjoining Brisas, a Spanish, colonial-inspired design. Nevertheless, I had, as always, a great time in Cuba and I am looking forward to another trip in November or December!

I recently returned from a one week vacation .I knew in advance that the hotel was the Soviet style architecture I dislike but it still bothered to have to look at it :) especially after touring the Brisas down the beach which was Spanish colonial. Plus,it seemed that it was not only ugly but not particularly functional . Busses pulled up where pedestrians crossed ,lots of area seemed underused and some safety issues The pool had been closed since May. Luckily I was staying in the detached superior ocean view room ( with balcony although no furniture was there) I was shown the regular rooms and they were small with no balcony.I could hear the blaring entertainment both in the late afternoon and evening tho.:( I did not use any of the entertainment services.I would have happily done "stretching class" as I do daily yoga but it was at 10am ..just after eating breakfast :( 8-9 or 11-12 would be better) I would have gone to Spanish classes too but they were not offered. I did not use any excursions or on site marine services. The beach was very nice but loungers got snapped up early .. beachgoers who were not hotel guests were partly to blame. It is a public beach and busloads of tourists come for the day…and leave on the 6pm Transatur bus from the parking lot at the end of the beach.,after,thank goodness, picking up hotel guests We crammed 69 people into a small bus one Monday evening. en route to Trinidad.Accolades to the driver! altho the comfort/safety level was unreal. Cubans are on the beach each early morning persistently begging for your clothes.I did promise one man some stuff on the day I would be leaving (and he kept reminding me daily:)but I still kept getting hounded on my 7am power walk by the same people I constantly said no to ,which annoyed me. Also a group of Cuban women hung out at the parking lot area and I was mercilessly pestered for stuff while awaiting a taxi.Yes ,I understand their situation very well (and yes I may be very well doing the same in their situation) and I am very generous in giving stuff and CUC but I don't like constant bombardment ! I never had this issue in Trinidad I will say . Orientation was well worth attending and "Audi" was helpful ..and much in demand for restaurant vouchers.(read: frequent line ups for this ) Restaurant service was so -so but I never ate lunch and tend to not need a lot of help.I did tip after meals and sometimes sat with a long time regular (23 years ) who was very generous all round. I encountered some frustrations trying to get same day a la carte vouchers. I did enjoy the Pecatore restaurant because it was partially outdoors and the Brisas Cuban buffet Campanosa outdoor palapa style restaurant we could get vouchers for. I found the buffet to have good food but curtains covered the large windows to the outdoors which I always felt like pulling back to let in natural light. Also there were really no outdoor dining tables. Our room was nice ..3rd floor ( I had emailed to request upper level using 4 different emails addresses provided but all emails were undeliverable. Cleaning service wonderful (perhaps because I left daily gifts:) I always had hot water at 5pm ish so I appreciated that.Air worked well too. Bar service in the main building near reception was spotty and the adjoining outdoor patio nice except when it rained.very limited covering. Great Spanish coffee in the evening! Reception service was ok but there were frustrating problems with ambiguous information on changing money on the weekend and a very long line up when we arrived at 10pm to check in. My safe (free I may add) would not open when packing for departure within check out time limits and I had to run to reception ,line up and get my key renewed despite calling them from the room and asking for assistance.(my partner had mobility issues so its not reasonable to expect people to do this) The towel service was frequently out of towels or closed when I tried to use it . The Castillo Bar /Restaurant was great all the time I used it late afternoon except for the day of the wedding where guests were pre and post ceremony celebrating there.Also 2 of the a la carte restaurants were unavailable that evening due to wedding but,for me,in return , it was fun to watch the wedding :) The bus to Trinidad (UNESCO site celebrating 500 plus years)) from the hotel was on time (2CUC each.).I wish there was a later return from the city to coincide with the 6pm departure from the hotel. Also, bus stops at near by La Boca a where there are many casas/hostals to rent and fun to wander or bike around. (rentals at local bar) The bus to and from the airport was timely and the driver loaded our bags for us.

Let's start by saying that the Cuban people are amazing, hard working, genuine people. This was an affordable hotel for new years for my family, my boys loved the basketball net, brought their own ball then gave it to the locals the night before we left, you should have seen the look on their face, priceless! TRINIDAD city is raw but beautiful, tip the people & bring down lots of stuff to give out.

This is was my second visit to Hotel Ancon. Things did not change that much in 4 years, the beach is still fine, but more sea weeds are now growing. One day there were jellyfish, but it was rare occurrence. The resort is now about 30 years old and added some more buildings and beach bar at the east end. There is also a new beach bar at the other end (near Brisas), but it is not part of the hotel. Food was fine, so was the house red vine (Spanish). The bank is still only open only few times a week, better change money in Trinidad. The bus to city (2 CUC/Return) is alway on time. Coffee bar in this all inclusive hotel has several drinks, which are not included. Which part of 'ALL inclusive' means NOT Included? Entertainment is pretty good, except there is no interaction between the entertainment team and the guest. Biggest complain is that there are new groups arriving every evening, spending the night and leaving in the morning. The resort have the feeling of railway station or airport as the suitcases are on the move constantly. Pool was closed for renovation, but I was notified of that. During my 2 week stay, NOBODY worked on the pool. I prefer room with the balcony and asked to switch my room for one. It was done after 3 days without much fuss. The room with balcony (in the main hotel blg) is smaller than a room without balcony.

Clean, friendly, (but small with balcony) 7th floor room overlooking the beautiful beach. Pool out of service but we were well warned. Useful shuttle bus into Trinidad, but left 5 minutes early on 2 occasions!

My second time at Club Amigo Ancon. If you know what to expect you'll have a fine time. This is a 2 star resort but I loved every minute of it. While the hotel itself is a bit outdated the staff are mostly quite nice, made some good friends with many of them throughout the week there. The resort has 2 sides, the older soviet style block and the newer smaller 3 story building. Well worth the extra few dollars to stay in the newer "Tropical" rooms, more secluded, newer beds and pillows and nice airconditioning. The food is ok, I'm happy with rice and beans and some meat for every meal, there are also 2 grills serving various meats/fish and a pasta station. Bring some hot sauce or your own favorite spices as Cuban dishes tend to be a bit bland. Try doing dinner one night in the town of Casilda with some locals. There are 3 fancier a-la-carte restaurants at the resort, the Italian is the best, the International is pretty good, the seafood one was a disappointment. The beach is fantastic, some seaweed, but mostly warm and sandy. You can walk a few kilometers down the beach to either side of the hotel, there are some public beaches as well as secluded beach areas to the east. Be careful of sand flies when it gets dark though. Probably the best thing Club Amigo Ancon has going for it is its proximity to the town of Trinidad. 2 cuc shuttle bus or a ~10 cuc taxi ride. Lovely colonial town, cobblestone streets, lots of little bars and restaurants, shop, artisans, and things to see and do. Also a nice national park nearby with good hikes, waterfalls, swimming, cliff jumping, horseback riding...etc.

====================================== Review from latest trip to Club Amigo Ancon (June 7-14, 2015): (I can't rate this stay as more than 2.5-stars. As a frequent vistor, it was disappointing! Better in January - April.) 1. At this time, the hotel is undergoing their Summer Maintenance (as expected). 2. As a "senior", I was given a room on the 3rd floor - the highest - while younger people had rooms on the main floor. Since there is no elevator, it meant that I needed to climb 3 flights of stairs every time that I returned. 3. On check-in: When my key didn't work (for about 5 minutes), I was told by reception - "Well, you're only here for a week, so it's not worth changing the room for you". (See Item 4) My response: "So, I should spend the week in the hallway??". Seems that the pivoting door handle doesn't work if you pull down (the usual), but you need to push it UP! 4. The promised Oceanview Room faced directly away from the ocean - I could get an ocean view if I walked down the hallway to an open area. 5. Due to the rain (not blaming the hotel for this one) ....There were Crabs of all sizes, and more bugs than I would like. I had more bites than I've had in ALL my previous visits to Ancon! Meanwhile, it was "business as usual" - no REAL attempt to handle the bug (including Sand Fleas) infestation. On the first morning, I had 3 bites - when I applied cream, the area spread to a larger area! (Yes! I was worried that it was infected - it has now disappeared.) 5. When I asked for a Band-Aid, I was told that I'd need to visit the pharmacy at "Brisas" - the neighbouring hotel! 6. The Hotel Ancon Bank was closed - and the Reception did not have currency for conversion until the day before my checkout. The only possibility for Currency Conversion was a trip to Trinidad. (If you don't have Cuban currency, how do you pay for a bus trip to Trinidad?) Also, the Massage Area was closed, the "Hospital" was closed, the Gym was closed, and the Cava Bar was closed (all in the same area of the Hotel). I understand that the Hotel is not working at full capacity, but I should not have treated as a "person who expects a handout" - Item 3. Conclusion: If it has rained more than usual prior to your visit, don't visit! Don't expect any real courtesy - it's the "Slow Season" so they have limited staff to deal with everything. Don't expect the "All Inclusive" perks - the food is mediocre and repetitious. (The 24-hour bar is your best option - drinks, fries, and pizza.) Entertainment is minimal - music, a Magic Show, and not much beyond that. The beach is always nice - the white sand and warm ocean helps.

Negative: public beach, many domestic people, making noise. Poor entertiment, every day the same. So far from airport. CUC so hi exchange rate. Seafood restaurant has no sea food. Service frendly, but slow.

The resort was excellent for kids and adults! I loved that they didn't undermine the kids but had everyday activities for them wee ones! Only down was the coral on the beach. It was so hard to walk on, I wish they would clear it up. Food was by far the best in Cuba!

We picked this hotel because we wanted to visit Trinidad. We would definitely recommend the Superior Ocean view rooms that are right on the beach. We have been to Cuba many times and enjoy the music, dancing and the authenticity of this country. Food was good at the buffet and excellent at the 3 à la carte restaurant. The coffee bar was the highlight of the mornings and late afternoon.

Hector at the pool bar is a perfectionist with his bar tending skills, mohito's, Sangria and Pina Coladas were spectacular. Truly an artist! Also the coffee bar and beer bar were exceptional as well. The main dining room is too hot and stuffy

Hotel 3 stars that makes great efforts to be top. Food ok, restaurants help for the variety. Oceanview room ok but not so big. People are very very welcoming, great service. Scuba diving is great and Leo and Igor great instructors. Hector makes delicious and original cocktails. MariaElena very attentive to the clients and she offers great service either to the dining room or the lobby bar. Trinidad is a beautiful city.

The Club Amigo Ancon Resort is very nice. The lounge is good, they gave us good room and upgraded us without charging any extra money. Over all the resort is very compact and enjoyable. The food is ok, very basic. But we have to remember it that this is 3 star. About the Gran Caribe Resort , I am very much disappointed. The main reception is nice, beach is nice, the people are very friendly. But the conditions of the rooms run down a lot. The food is average. I would not recommend any body to go there. Though they have all kinds of facilities by book, to me it is a 2 star resort.

My sister and I (both seniors), spent a very enjoyable week at Club Amigo Ancon at the end of Sept.2014. Our room was really nice, with a beautiful view of the beach and ocean. It had an excellent bathroom (full tub, hairdryer etc. and spotlessly clean) with lots of hot water, and good water pressure. We had a mini fridge (fresh bottle of water every day), safe, and a top-notch, digitally controlled air conditioner. Also very comfortable beds. We were in the ''Superior '' building. The beach was absolutely gorgeous, and the ocean nice for swimming....no rocks or coral, and a nice gradual slope into the water, which got deep enough to swim within a few feet of the shoreline. Perfect !! Lots of palapas available for shade, although quite a number of the beach loungers were cracked or broken. This resort is VERY accessible for anyone with mobility issues (or mom's with strollers!) ...there are ramps everywhere, and wooden boardwalks leading down to the beach. BUT, strangely,no elevators in the newer (Superior) building, which seems odd (and inconvenient!!) Unfortunately, the pool was completely unuseable for the entire week that we were there. It looked like pea soup, you could not even SEE the bottom!! This was not a big issue for us, as we prefer to swim in the ocean, but must have been very disappointing for people who prefer the pool. And the weather was HOT that week !! I have to say that the food was not the best feature of this resort, although this is possibly because it was low season, and they may have been gearing the food to the many local Cuban families that were staying at that time. The breakfasts were nice (eggs, omelettes, lovely fresh orange juice, fruit etc. etc.) but the food at lunch and dinner (with the exception of some very nice fish) was quite monotonous. We ate mainly at the 24 hr. snack bar, which served quite tasty pizzas, fries, burgers and sandwiches, and just went to the buffet for dessert (very nice ice cream !!). We certainly didn't starve !! It is a very long (3 hour) drive from the airport (Santa Clara), but the scenery is absolutely spectacular, so was quite enjoyable during daylight hours. In the dark, not so much !! We really enjoyed our week at Hotel Ancon....wish we could have stayed longer !!

Pool and beach where top notch. I've been to veradero twice and it is no where near as good. This is a place more for people who want to relax and party with their own friends and family. Veradero is more commercialized and for a younger crowd (16-24)