Description: With its particular architecture featuring a colonial town, extensive gardens and wide private beach, this hotel is a favorite for Caribbean lovers.
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My husband and I just returned from a week at the Iberostar Daiquiri on Cayo Guillermo. It was our first trip to Cuba and we would go back in a heartbeat, as we fell in love with Cubans in general and the language, culture, etc.
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It was better than we were expecting
Iberostar Daiquiri
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Irene >
3 contribution(s) Canada
Sep, 2009
13 people found this review helpful
Arrival:
We were 90 minutes late taking off as there was a problem with the plane once we were boarded. Flight was good, but be warned with Air Canada there is no free food. Make sure you eat or take a sandwich. We arrived at dusk which was bad as we were greeted by 1000's of mosquitos as we got off the plane and in the immigration room as well. Immigration was quick and luggage off quickly, but an hour wait on the bus for one person who got stopped at customs for bringing in too much luggage. We got to the hotel quickly and then were told to go and eat and come back for our room keys as it was nearly 10pm.
Rooms:
We were on the third floor of the main building, but not good for any one with knee problems. Rooms were okay and view was great facing the ocean. The maid was really good and got a few treats during the week.
Restaurants and Bars:
we could not fault the restuarants and the food was good for Cuba. If you need diet pop you have to buy it at the store. Sometimes there was a shortage of rum. the staff in the restuarants were really good and very chatty and spoke quite a bit of English.
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
the pool was lovely and warm as the weather was very hot. they need to have one pool for the kids and an adult pool as the swim up bar was always full of kids splashing and taking up the seats.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
no
Other Comments:
It was better than we were expecting and thoroughly enjoyed the stay. All the staff were very happy and made you feel welcome. Not too thrilled with the entertainment, but once you have seen these shows they are all the same. We would certainly recommend this hotel and will definitely go back some time in the not too distant future I would have a ground floor room next time though.
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Love love loved it!
Iberostar Daiquiri
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Melanie from Ottawa >
3 contribution(s) Canada
Sep, 2009
10 people found this review helpful
Arrival: Sept 5-12
Love love loved it! A million times better than where we stayed in March (NH Eden Real, Punta Cana). We are in our mid-twenties, and don't have super high expectations. We had an AMAZING week, it was a super good deal, we decided to go and booked just a week prior, and it's not so so busy at this time of year. It was very hot and sunny every day, most nights it rained a bit.
Rooms:
Very basic, but clean. I emailed ahead to ask for a room close to the beach, upper floor with a king bed, and got two of the three, as there are no king beds at all. Our building was named Varadero, an amazing location (close to beach, pool and main building). No musty smell at all. I did bring a scented candle just in case, but didn't need to use it. Our a/c was a little weak, they did offer to switch us, but we just stayed, as we had already settled in.
Restaurants and Bars:
You don't travel to Cuba for 5* food, for us it was totally fine, always something to eat (and we don't eat fish or seafood), good burgers at the snack bar for lunch. Buffet was good, we tried the mexican and italian a la cartes which were very good. The beer was great and always cold, the red & white wines were very good. Amazing cafe con leches served at bars too, we looked forward to those every morning.
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
Nicest beach we've ever seen, amazing white sand, always able to find a spot under a palapa on the beach. Pool was great too. Ground were lush and lots of palm trees, gardeners come around to give you coconuts to eat or drink. Offer then a beer or a cold drink, as they work very hard in the sweltering heat, they will be very thankful. We brought insulated mugs for our drinks, saves you trips to the bar and keeps your beverages cold... the bartenders never minded serving you drinks in them.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
Always lots to do, but only if you want to. Volleyball, bocce on the beach, archery, bingo, the usual. Some shows were very good, others were kind of cheesy. We did the boat adventure morning excursion, took a 5 minute bus ride to the marina nearby, and took 2 person motor boats to a channel for snorkeling and back. Very fun, recommend this for sure. Make sure to check out Killer darts in the lobby at 8pm - sooo much fun. Applauso!!
Other Comments:
Sometimes they ran out of towels, so i would suggest bringing your own just in case. But, we can't wait to go back, the beach, water and service were all amazing, we were pleasantly surprised. We will go back for sure.
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I squished him!!
Iberostar Daiquiri
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Chris from Hamilton, Ontario >
1 contribution(s) Canada
Jul, 2009
13 people found this review helpful
Arrival: July 11th to 18th
Flights: We would take Sunwing any day of the week. Everything about the flight was fantastic. We were supposed to have a layover in Holguin on the way home, but that got switched so we actually got an extra 2 hours at the resort. We arrived home at the same time as we were originally supposed to. On the return flight we had one flight attendant who would have belonged on the resort in the animation team. Her name was Isabelle. She made me laugh for the entire flight home even though I was passing out because of fatigue!! I will be writing a comment to Sunwing to praise her. The food on the flight is airline food...so not wonderful...but...can't complain. I wasn't really hungry, so it didn't matter. They had some chocolate banana cake that was heavenly!! The champagne on the flight down to Cuba was a nice touch to toast a great vacation. We got wine (included) with dinner as well, which is nice so you don't have to dig for money!!
Check In/Check Out:
We arrived at the hotel around 8pm or 9pm. The only people checking in were those on our bus, say 10 groups. The wait was at most 10 minutes. Quick and easy!! We could have waited for someone to take our bags to the room, but we just started to wander. One of the hotel staff offered to point us in the right direction without the expectation of a tip, which was nice since we didn't have any CUC's at that point. There was no bank to convert money before getting on the bus. However, upon return to the airport to go home, we quickly found out that we could have found the bank in the departure side of the airport. I am not sure what the exchange was at the airport versus at the hotel. There is a bank beside the hotel, so it is a better rate than in the hotel itself.
Rooms:
Not the greatest, but for Cuba, very nice. We did NOT get a "non-smoking" room, but luckily, it didn't smell too bad (room #2157). We used a courtesy suite at the end of the trip before leaving which had a disgusting smell of smoke, so we're lucky we didn't get that room (room #3103). Our room was on the ground floor, and we could see the ocean from our window. That was kind of nice, even though we didn't spend much time in the room looking out the window!! There were a couple small issues with the room, but nothing major and we didn't even report it. Looking back at it, we probably should have so the things could have been fixed for the next people!! We had a cockroach one day. I squished him!!
Restaurants and Bars:
Being Cuba, I had very low expectations. The Iberostar exceeded every expectation I had of any resort. You could always find something that was fantastic to eat. I was very impressed with the food. We ate at all three a-la-cartes, with the Mexican being the best, followed by the Cuban, and then the Italian. Funny, because Italian is my favourite kind of food. The service was reasonable, not outstanding, but good. The thing I enjoyed the most was the "Lemonade Slush" they had because it is hot, and the slush is refreshing!! The slush machines didn't always work 100% so they would have to use a blender to make ice chips, but what can you expect in 30+ celsius weather!!
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
The pool was good. It is kinda 3 pools split by two sets of staircases, one "activities" pool, one wading pool, and one pool with a swim up bar. Pretty good. Nice and clean and a perfect temperature. The beach was fantastic. A few days there was some seaweed on shore, and then some out a couple hundred feet, but we had no issues at all. The sand was gorgeous.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
We did many of the activities on the resort. All of which were fantastic. From beach volleyball to pool basketball, from archery to dance lessons, everything was a ton of fun. We actually spent a lot of time with one of the "Star Friends". Her name is Ledy. I would recommend to anyone travelling to this resort to find her and talk to her. She is one of the nicest people you would ever want to meet. She speaks excellent English, and is just a genuinely kind person. Tell her Chris and Jennifer "Number One" say hi!! All the activities we did, they had to differentiate Jenn from the other Jenn!! I will be writing Iberostar to provide positive feedback on Ledy, because she made our trip even more wonderful, just by being herself!! Our Sunwing rep, Carlos, was amazing. He helped us out in every way imaginable. We really appreciate all his hard work. We did the catamaran trip which included lunch, all the drinks, snorkelling, and a visit to Pillar Beach. It was fantastic. The lunch might have been the best meal on the trip. How can you go wrong with chicken, shrimp, and lobster!! It was $75 CUC's per person.
Other Comments:
All and all, our trip was fantastic. I was hesitant to go to Cuba, but after being there, I would go back in a heartbeat. I would visit Moron next time because I don't think that we really got the sense of what Cuba is really like.
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The people are really friendly
Iberostar Daiquiri
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Claire from Moncton, New Brunswick >
1 contribution(s) Canada
May, 2009
9 people found this review helpful
Arrival: May 2 to 9
The flight from Halifax on Air Canada was much better than we expected. Lots of leg room and the entertainment system was great. Watched two movies we hadn't seen yet, so the flight went quickly both ways. The flight attendants were always smiling and kept everyone happy. The man in back of me was very nervous about flying. The attendant chatted with him to settle his nerves and assure him that turbulence was quite normal:) We were early leaving Halifax. The Halifax airport was in a bit of a mess because the passengers for three or four flights were all trying to check in at the same time. The Air Canada employee helping people with the computerized check-in was excellent. We had to pay for food and snacks on the flights, but if you charge it on your charge card, you get 10% off and prices were reasonable. Pop, juice, water, etc. was free, so if you don't want to pay, bring a snack with you. Cayo Coco airport is great. Modern and air conditioned. Smaller than Varadero, so a lot quicker to get through, get your luggage and get on the bus to your hotel.
Rooms:
Our room was great. On the third (top) floor so didn't hear any noise from above. Lots of hot water and good water pressure. Room cleaned every day and fridge replenished every second day. We had to use our room towels for a couple of days as the truck that delivers the clean laundry broke down. Even though the towels were missing when the maids made up the rooms, they left replacements so we always had clean towels.
Restaurants and Bars:
We ate at the Cuban and Mexican a la cartes, but didn't bother with the Italian. The buffets were good and you don't have to dress up. My husband wore nice shorts with clean T-shirts and his sneakers. I wore dresses a few nights, but at the end went with nice dress shorts and Ts and sandelas. Honestly, after we had been on the beach all day, it was all we could do to get showered and dressed to go and get a bite to eat. Also, you can get burgers and hot dogs at the pool bar every afternoon around 4:00. They are really big so if you have one of those, you probably won't even want supper.
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
Lovely beach with lots of palapas and coconut palms. The water is quite shallow, but warm and enough to bob around in. The water was quite calm every day. We managed to get the same palapa everyday with out leaving our towels out. There seemed to be palapas available at all times, but the ones nearest the beach bar were the first to go. Yes, there is saving going on, but really isn't necessary. There is a man down on the beach in the morning to help you get your chairs set up. At 12:00 noon the gardeners will come to you to offer coconut meat to eat or coconut water to drink. They don't make you pay, but it is polite to give them a peso. We gave them t-shirts and workgloves and something for their wives. They are very appreciative of anything, really. If you get the gardeneres a drink from the bar,, kind of hide it from the guys in dress pants and sunglasses. You'll know who I mean when you see them.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
Every afternoon at 4:30, we played bingo a the pool bar. Their bingo cards go up to 90 and the callers call the numbers in Spanish, English, French and German. It was lots of fun. Two afternoons following bingo, they had fashion shows. The clothes were designed by Cubans. The clothes were amazing and the models, both men and women, were gorgeous.
Other Comments:
Again, the airport in Cayo Coco is so much better than Varadero. It is smaller but they don't get as many flights as Varadero, so a lot less people and quicker getting through. Once you get past check-point charlie, there is a bar, a place to get snacks, meals, etc. duty free (Cuban rum for 7.00 CUC/750 ml bottle for example) , National brand liquor, ciggies/cigars candy, Cuban honey - really cheap, and souvenirs. There was no one handing out toilet paper at the washroom and there was toilet paper in every stall. Felt foolish when I got home and found the roll I took from the hotel in case there was none at the airport:). There was also a band playing at the airport while we were waiting for our flight. Our flight left early and had a nice smooth flight home.
I had read a review on a different website that said the women are in desparate need of bras. To buy a bra in Cuba might cost more than half of their monthly salary and that is only if there are any available to be purchased. The American trade imbargo is still in place, so it is extremely hard for the people to get goods even if they have the cash. I had brought some bras reduced at Wal-mart (white and beige) as well as some Fruit of the Loom undies. The ladies were very happy with them. Also, I tried to give some of them to the girls who are doing the menial jobs, like sweeping. The room maids get lots of "gifts" and money from the guests, but the people who have little contact with the guests, get nothing. Share the wealth. I also had picked up some nice dresses at Value Village. Wore them one night and gave them to the girls. That way you can be sure your luggage is not going to be overweight when you come home. My husband donated quite a few T-shirts he had "grown out of" to the gardeners and the Hobie cat guy. They were very pleased. Also, black dress shoes or sandals for the waiters and waitresses. Nice to have some good shoes when you are on your feet all morning, noon and night.
Would we go back to this resort? Yes, for sure. The people are really friendly and most speak an amazing amount of English. I felt ignorant and embarrassed with my piddly amount of Spanish. So, I am taking Spanish lessons in hopes that when I return, I might be able to have a little conversation in Spanish with the people who work so hard to make our vacations wonderful.
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The buffet at Iberostar was AMAZING.
Iberostar Daiquiri
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Marilyn and Charlene from Guelph, Ontario >
1 contribution(s) Canada
Apr, 2009
9 people found this review helpful
Arrival: April 25- May 2
Arrival and check-in at Iberostar was quite smooth. We were checked in and off to our rooms within 15 minutes.
Rooms:
We were initially not impressed with our room. The room we were given was in the 5000 block on the first floor (5101 to be exact). The room was very musty smelling and there was mould in the closet. As we checked out the rest of the room we noticed that there was no door on our safe. We were not comfortable with leaving our valuables unlocked so we called up to the front desk to request a new room. We were told that they had nothing available for us that day, but to check back the next day and they would try to move us. We insisted to be moved that day b/c of my Mom's allergies and the fact of leaving our valuables unattended. A couple of hours later, they had another room ready for us in the 2000 block and this room was much better. The rooms are dated and a little "tired" looking, but you're just there to sleep, right?
Restaurants and Bars:v
The buffet at Iberostar was AMAZING. I have travelled to Cuba, DR, and Jamaica and by far this was the best food I've had. Always tons of variety and everything is labelled so u know what you are eating. Lots of good breads and cheese, fruits and veggies. The a la cartes were give or take, although I will say if you are to go to any of them (Mexican, Italian, Cuban), definitely hit up the Mexican. My mom had a shrimp dish which was to die for and I had some really tasty chicken fajitas. They also had some yummy quesedillas and guacamole on the appetizer buffet.
The bars were all pretty good. I agree with most people about the service at the pool/swim-up bar being pretty slow. We were disappointed to only have mojitos for one day. Apparently they were out of mint although we saw it growing in abundance along the beach.
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
Unfortunately for us, it was so windy the week we were there that we were only able to go to the beach on one afternoon. Even at that, it was a little chilly. The pool was beautiful though. Always clean and lots of chairs. We went out pretty early to ensure we got one of the chairs with an umbrella. They were always gone or "reserved" by 7:30 am.
Other Comments:
One major comment about this place. Bring your own tissue/toilet paper and hand sanitizer. There was NEVER any toilet paper, soap or paper towel in any of the washrooms (with the exception of our room). We found this very annoying and hopefully the resort will step up in this aspect.
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Language was not a problem in the least.
Iberostar Daiquiri
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Garnett & Denise from Ottawa >
1 contribution(s) Canada
Mar, 2009
8 people found this review helpful
Flight was arranged through Sears : Air Transat via Skyservice (Great flight times: Depart Ottawa 6am - Arrive Ottawa 2.40pm ) No delays going, One hour delay on return because of late Ottawa departure (de icing etc.) Skyservice have crowded planes and always seem to have long washroom lines and angry service staff.
We were pleased to see that our request for three rooms, (second or third floor),in the same building, had been addressed by a very courteous and efficient front desk. First time that message appeared to have been relayed and obeyed. Most times the five ou us have to fight hard or wait a day until the three rooms in same building can be accommodated. Language was not a problem in the least.
The IBEROSTAR-DAIQUIRI in Cayo Guillermo ( close to Cayo Cocca) is indeed a keeper and one to share with friends. Food was very good and diversified in the buffett. (Great Pork, Turkey, Fish...Lamb and Beef not so good). The hurricanes have passed and the vegetables and fruits are once again being grown locally so supply much better than our Varadero experience in November 2008. Theme restaurants were not Great. Mexican and Italien were good , not exceptional, but the Cuban was a little shakey and could be avoided. Appetizers in Italian were very good (Calamari, Smoked Salmon, Fish Fritters, Cold Pickled Asparagras etc.)
Tours are numerous and in general pretty good. The full day trip to the mainland visited two towns, a Crocodile Farm, A Sugar Plantation, A Cigar Factory, A jet Boat tour of a Mango everglade as well as a Rick Shaw ride through town, Tour of two museums. Left at 7.30am back at 5pm for 75Convertible Pesos ( 1CP + $1.41CAD). Cubans take advantage of Canadians in money conversions since US$ was about $1.27 at the time of our holiday. Bank outside complex was a little better than the hotel lobby for value but Passport needed.
Hotel is on a mile and a half narrow sandy beach with only 5 hotels sprinkled along the coast. Tides play a big part in water levels but at low tide you can walk in knee high water out at least 50/60 yards before drop off. High Tide can be windy and water takes over much of the beach area. Lots of trees and lounges are available free.
Shows were great... Cubans are the best dancers and choreographers in the world and live music at shows was a pleasant surprise from lip sink shows of the Dominican. Black light show was amusing and usual Broadway, Legends of Music, and Man/Woman shows were nightlyfrom 9.30pm to 11, when Disco took over until 1am.
All in all pretty good. Weather first week was in high 20's but nights are cool and second week daytime highs were in the low to mid 20's with high winds which made beach dwelling tough. Pool areas were sheltered and much warmer ... but crowded. Kid program appeared to be quite a sucess and staff seemed very friendly and spoke English and French pretty well.
This resort is small (312 rooms)but very well maintained. We definitely would return and have no problem recommending it to everyone.
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Great place to relax and soak up the sun
Iberostar Daiquiri
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John from Nova Scotia >
2 contribution(s) Canada
Mar, 2009
8 people found this review helpful
Arrival: March 7 - March 14
flew sky service out of halifax 1 hour late leaving made up for the hour in cuba very quick c/w customs and luggage pick up 4o min bus ride to the resort.
Rooms
a litte dated but very clean no musty smell at all,read about people talking about bathroom being old and run down not the case in the 2 room we had tip bring a lillte CLR for the shower head.
Restaurants and Bars
buffet and bars were great service a very good depending on were you were sitting as in the lobby and the show at night. don't waste you time with the a la carts not very good
Beach/Pools/Grounds
beach was a little narrow until the tide goes out cleaned every day as in the seaweed picked up lot of chairs to be had. Pool was in 2 sections c/w swim up bar and games area chairs could be found there at any time of day too.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
no nite life to speak of when the show was over it was of to the lobby or bed. Took the JEEP ON tour 2 hour of speed boat you drive and snorkling then a jeep tour to MORAN c/w atour guide dinner and a drink included 95 cuc per person a full day but not a bad tour very informative if you ask the right questions.
Other Comments
All in all a stong 4 star resort very compact very will kept by the ground crew. from lobby to beach a 2 min walk at best. Towels can be hard to come by at times. But all in all a great place to relax and soak up the sun and the cubian people
grantj32@yahoo.ca
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If you get a good deal try it out!!
Iberostar Daiquiri
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Ken & Pam from Nova Scotia >
2 contribution(s) Canada
Mar, 2009
7 people found this review helpful
Arrival: March 21
We arrived at 12 midnite, check in was smooth and fast, front desk staff is excellent and friendly!
Rooms
we were in Mantanza building 4368, a renovated room with a great view of the ocean! The renovations are minimal, same old black/white trim with a little varathan:) new curtains and a love seat and fresh paint.......very acceptable accomadations for a 4 star.
Restaurants and Bars
the buffet is the BEST I have ever been at in many. many trips. No need to ever go hungry, lots of fresh choices, meat. pork. fish. lobster on Friday....pasta, pizza..........endless choices! The Cuban was disgusting as was the service. We have been to this resort 3 times and I was shocked by the meal we were served here and the SIX friends I recommended the resort to.........not fit to eat. The Mexican was good and the service was better, we did not get to the Italian.
Beach/Pools/Grounds
the beach and pool are both excellent but the time we were there it was so windy you couldn t sit on the beach without a parka!! only the last couple da ys, so we hung around the pool alot. To get the real beauty of this resort you have to be at the beach IMO. The grounds and the gardners are jsut awesome......always little "gifts" for the ladies from the gardners!! rememebr them when you bring gifts, work gloves. hats or any little tools or jack knives are sought after!!
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
the star friends.....lead by a great guy " Willy" will keep you as busy as you like !! Tell Willy Tom Cruise says hi!! we went on a buggy ride to all the other resorts for an hour. looked around and shopped in thier stores..........5 pesos each!! best deal in town
Other Comments
while this is a nice, quiet. safe resort and an excellent place to get fed!! it has definatly gone down hill since my last visit, some major staff changes that didn t help .....I recommended it to 6 friends and for the first time found several issues that were not there 2 years ago or during our other visits. If you get a good deal try it out!!
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The beach was a bit disappointing!
Iberostar Daiquiri
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Kirinda from Nova Scotia >
1 contribution(s) Canada
Mar, 2009
7 people found this review helpful
Arrival: March 14 - 21
We arrived around midnight. Long line up to check in but we are used to that. My husband went to get drinks while we waited-SHOCKED to learn that the bars ALL close by 1:00 am (even though the site says 24 hour bars)
Rooms
Our room was great, third floor and NO bugs. Very clean and towels and facecloths daily. The toilet didn't always flush properly. The maids are sweet!
Restaurants and Bars
The buffet restaurant was by far the best place to eat. Lots of choices and GOOD food! We did 2 A-la Carte restaurants and we very displeased with both (Mexican and Italian) We got food poisoning from the mussels at Mexican. Both had a buffet type set up. We expect service at A-la Carte Restaurants.
Beach/Pools/Grounds
The beach was a bit disappointing! It was very skinny and you had to wait all day for the tide to go out. The pools are not as deep as we would have liked. We generally would hang out at the beach all day and move up to the pool for late afternoon. We could always find a chair. Service was slow at times for the swim up bar.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
Lots of activities on the beach and pool side if you want to participate. But if you don't they respect that! Didn't do any tours but enjoyed the hobie cats and paddle boats at the resort!
Other Comments
It was a nice resort I would go again for a really good deal, if not I'm sticking to Varadero (Tryp was the best by far)
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