Iberostar Daiquiri Reviews

Just spent 14 glorious days at the daiquiri . Found all the employees we met from groundskeepers buffet front desk bar staff and animation team to be probably the most courteous group of people we have ever met on a resort.a little bit of respect goes a long way with the cuban people they work long hours for very little.get involved with some of the activities they offer we did and were known on a first name basis the next day. We always make a point of getting to know their names and introducing ourselves. Regarding some of the negative comments we have seen bed bugs are more than likely sand flea bites walk at waters edge to avoid them stay away from dry sand they will get caught in clothing if you do so ...some houseflies around resort but certainly no more than around most back gardens in north america outside large metro areas... Natives washing clothes would should not be a big issue did not see it but i would think most cubans would be hardpressed to find a washing machine on the island as nobody lives there ocean is big and can take a bit of dirty clothes not near as bad as what we in our developed country do to the waterways on a daily basis...no complaints with the food at this resort buffet was excellent...found numerous visitors who had gone to the resort for muliple visits which would indicate somwbody is doing something right... Plan to go back next year

Room Number:
5105

Room Block:
GUAMA

Arrival:
MET BY AIR CANADA REPRESNTATIVE FRONT DESK EXCELLENT

Rooms:
CLEANED DAILY AND VERY COMFORTABLE

Restaurants and Bars:
EXCELLENT

Beach/Pools/Grounds:
EXCELLENT

Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
EXCELLENT

Other Comments:
HIGHLY RECOMMEND

Nice resort on a quiet island. beautifull (but bit small when tide is up) beach, just a few other resorts in the neighbourhood. Two pools, one with swim up bar. Staff is very friendly and works really hard to make your stay perfect (altough it could also be for the tips everybody seems to give....).
all day entertainment, so it is not possible to get bored here.
Rooms are nice and clean. restaurants are nice, food is ok, altough the mexican a la carte was not what we expected (more canadian-Mexican food we suppose, instead of real mexican food).

Arrival:
we arrived 2 hours before offical check in time, but we got our room immediatly anyway.

Rooms:
nice and clean

Restaurants and Bars:
ok, friendly staff

Beach/Pools/Grounds:
ok

Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
all day entertainment, can't get bored!

Not a keen enthusiast of "All Inclusive" Resorts, we chose anyway to spend 4 days here. The rooms are in blocks spread out in a nice "tropical garden" aerea. The standard rooms are not luxurious, but rather nice, with a fridge, A/C and cable TV.
The breakfast is good (for Cuba that is), the buffet lunch and dinner will not win any gourmet awards, but are of acceptable standard, the Mexican restaurant was very good, keep away from the Cuban (the buffet is far better)!
The Hotel beach is nice, but narrow, and the water so shoal that you want be able to swim much.
But you don't really want to spend your time there. It's easy enough to get to Cayo Guillermo's main attraction, Play Pilar, by bus, rental car, scooter or bicycle.
All the usual cheesy "entertainment" including loud music by the pool, over eager leaders that want you to paricipate in silly games, shows at night (acceptable dancers) that could have been hold on any "All Inclusive Resort" in the world. And 98% of it has absolutly no connection with Cuban music or culture. This is the main reason for me to stay away from these resorts next time around.

Absolutely fantastic resort. Very clean with all of the amenities you would expect at a 4 star resort. The staff was very friendly and would do anything to accommodate your needs and requests. Tips of course go a long to improving the already great service but a few things are really appreciated. I gave some of the maintenance workers some tools, screwdrivers, pliers etc. and they were absolutely ecstatic. They always get forgotten in the world of tips. I would get overwhelmingly thanked 3 or 4 times a day, in a way you could see they were genuine and incredibly appreciative. I tipped the waitresses with pantyhose and the result was something that no amount of money could have generated. They would swoon over me to the point where they would run to me to ensure my wine glass was full and my needs were looked after even if I wasn’t in their section. It seems in Cuba, pantyhose goes further than dollars or pesos.
Beautiful beach, awesome pool, and a nightly entertainment show that was always fantastic. I’d definitely go again.
A food tip: fish: incredible, pork and chicken: excellent, beef: not so good.
Choose your food accordingly with some knowledge of the local availability and expertise. Most fish is fresh and caught locally, usually a few hours before you eat it.

Room Number:
5107

Arrival:
January 27, 2012

Restaurants and Bars:
Excellent, see above

Beach/Pools/Grounds:
Awesome, see above

Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
Lots of activities

On 16 august, during the afternoon, we were at the beach. Two people, NOT residing at the hotel came to the beach, spoke with one employee (that then left the beach), and entered the water with their clothes on. Then they washed their clothes in the water in front of all the tourists. I wonder if this is a common practice at this hotel.

Restaurants and Bars:
Tha lobby bar, called Mojito, does not make mojitos... Funny.

We enjoyed 8 days at Iberostar Daiquiri, and it was absolutely lovely. The beach and pools were beautiful, drinks great and food very good. The staff were friendly and seemed to really like what they were doing. It was paradise. We were overlooking the main lobby, so it was a bit noisy some nights, but we could have switched our room easily, as our in-laws couldn't climb to our room floor, and were accommodated in a ground floor room, immediately.

Beach/Pools/Grounds:
Sometimes noisy at pool area, depending on what was going on, music and announcer for events, but you could always escape to the nearby beach....

Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
Activities were numerous and encouragement to participate was good. Or you could just sit back and watch the fun.

We especially enjoyed an off resort trip in a pontoon boat to a local small cayo for lunch and snorkelling.

Other Comments:
Ah, that rum, delicious....

I feel that I also have to defend the Daquiri. We have been to Cuba 8 times now -- 4 of them spent at the Daquiri. I have never found them to be anything but welcoming, from check-in to the restaurants to the pool/beach attendants and bars. I have, however, seen them react more 'cool-ly' to folk that treat them without any manners or respect. (Let's face it, how would you react to someone who spoke very condescendingly to you??) The food is different than Canada, but we have never ever had to do 'without'. Breakfast caters to all visitors -- "American" style (bacon/ham/eggs/pancakes etc) "European" (cold cuts/cheeses/breads/crackers) "Continental" (rolls/pasteries) plus fresh fruit, cereals, coffee juices. Lunch and dinner are similar, with several choices of entree, veg. and dessert. There is also pizza, pasta, hamburgs/hotdogs and fries. Yes, there is a fair amount of fish/seafood -- it's and ISLAND and surrounded by the sea! Beef is not as tender as we are used to (have you seen their cows??) There was plenty of chicken/turkey and pork/ham. Basically, if you can't find something to eat at all meals, you are waaaaaay too picky.

Room Number:
5235

Room Block:
Habana

Rooms:
As for the rooms -- we have stayed in 4 different buildings, the latest being "Habana". Always they have been clean and kept so daily. We had made a request through our travel agent that we be away from the disco and on a second floor -- both of these requests were met. Granted, some of the rooms may be a little 'tired' regarding decor, but they are constantly refurbishing the buildings, and it is possible that you may be in one that has not been re-done recently. If there is anything amiss, it is easy to call the desk and ask for assistance/repair.

Beach/Pools/Grounds:
Beach is groomed daily. The staff on the beach (2 guys moving chairs) were very friendly and helpful. In fact, "Horhe" (George) hiked two chairs from the main beach area down to the watercraft area for me, as there were no more chairs in that area.

The pool is immaculately clean. The guys are out there every morning scrubbing the deck and walls of the pool, hosing down the chairs, washing down the little 'tables' under the palapas.

As stated in another review, there is a problem with people 'reserving' chairs, sometimes both at the beach and the pool even though their are signs posted saying this is not allowed. Unfortunately, such ill-mannered folk are everywhere, and feel that the rules do not apply them.

Other Comments:
We have found the Ibirostar Daquiri to be nothing, if not friendly and welcoming and a great holiday. Regarding activities, you can do as little or as much as you like. The "Animacion" team offer activities all day long -- archery, shooting, vollyball, minigolf, bowling, water exercise, dance lessons, etc etc etc -- and a good part of the evening/night as well(shows/disco). Would we go back again? Absolutely!

It was my first time to Cuba. The flight was great with sunwing there and back. to hotel was gorgeous. the problems start at the front desk.the staff are not very helpful and sometimes very snotty. kept refering us to guest services who spent their time booking restaurants. never got to lie on the beach as guests reserve their chaise lounges with their towels and are gone for hours at a time. I even saw the same guests at the pool when they had their chairs on the beach reserved with their towels. There are signs forbbing this, but nobody to enforce it. Guests should not have to get into altercations with other guests about this problem. Then there was the Mojito bar. Did not get a Mojito due to lack of mint according to bar tenders even though people we met from other resorts were having Mojitos. This is obviously because the bar staff didn't want to make them. We finally got one from another waiter who went to the kitchen to get mint and made us one 2 hours before getting on the bus to go to the airport.Except for the women at the front desk and staff at the Mojito Bar the remainder of the staff were exceptional. The friendliest people I have ever met who went out of their way to accommodate us. But the above problems left a bad taste in my mouth. Why do to a beach resort if you can't access the beach?

Room Number:
3321

Room Block:
3rd floor Granma

Arrival:
Feb. 24,2011 to Mar.3,2011

Rooms:
Kept very clean. Great woman cleaning. Her name was Raisa.

Restaurants and Bars:
The staff at the restaurants were exceptional. And also the other bar staff with the exception of the Mojito Bar.

Beach/Pools/Grounds:
Got to go to the beach once, went instead to the pool where once again chairs were reserved under the huts so forced to lie in the sun constantly. Pino, who serves fresh coconuts every day was a peach. Nice personality and made the time at the pool memorable. The gardens were phenominal. Those guys are hardest working of the entire staff.

Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
Enjoyed the entertainment but once again, not enough seating. We didn't know that this was the Quebec spring break, so many many kids and the chairs in the room were taken up by little kids who were up well after 11pm. This is a bar after all. The entertainment from 9:30 on was adult. WE enjoyed the trip to Pillar Beach immensely. The lunch was good also. Worth the money. Got to lie on the beach there.

Other Comments:
It seems the desk staff who have the cushiest jobs are the snobbiest and of little help. They need to have classes in public relations. The remainder of the staff were beyond reproach. They were exceptional.

I felt compelled to write this review in order to defend the Iberostar regarding the review that we read before we journeyed there that reported bedbugs in two rooms. While it is not impossible that they did experience bedbugs, as seasoned travellers who have in the past had run-ins with bedbugs, we can definitely say that we had no bedbugs in our rooms. We did experience similar bites though - we suspect that these may have been sandfleas at the beach, or some other carribean critter - however, we without a shadow of a doubt did not experience bedbugs, nor did we find any evidence of them in any of the areas of the resort we travelled.

With that out of the way, both we and the friends we travelled with thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Daiquiri. This was our first time to Cuba, we have spent most of our time in the Carribean in the Dominican Republic - Cuba has a much more relaxed atmosphere, and feels more secure. We were impressed that during our whole stay we didn't see one guard armed with a gun - unlike the Dominican where it seems you are constantly surrounded by guns. The resort is getting a little dated, but the staff work very hard to keep it looking good. The grounds are well kept, and the pool (which is fairly small) is clean and warm for swimming. Another thing we noted right away was that this resort did not seem overcrowded - there was rarely a crowd at the buffet, and getting a lounge either at the pool or the beach was easy any time of day.

Speaking of the beaches - Wow! I thought Punta Cana had the best beaches, but these easily surpass them. Lots of shady places to hang out during the heat of the day as well.

A couple of tips - don't get too excited if you enjoy A La Carte dining - the buffet (main buffet that is) far surpasses the A La Carte in food quality and variety. We tried all three A La Carte, and none stood out as outstanding, but we never came close to tiring of the variety offered at the buffet - it was a very pleasant surprise. Also - don't go with the expectation of an amazing room. As I mentioned previously, this resort is starting to show its age, and the bathrooms in particular are showing it. That said, the rooms are very clean with no mold or mildew, and everything works well. We really only slept there anyhow - the resort is large with lots to do, so there is no need to hang out in the room all day. And last tip - take insect repellent! The resort sprays for insects, but we were still getting bitten while playing cards in the lobby area and at the beach. A little deet will make your stay a whole lot more comfortable.

We walked through two neighboring resorts during our stay and all agreed that this was the best choice, offering great and friendly staff, as many activities as one can muster during a vacation, good food and drink, and breathtaking beaches. We would definitely return here.

Room Number:
2126, 2131

Room Block:
Baracoa

Arrival:
Fast and friendly front desk. Rooms were ready at 12:00pm, far before check in time. Excellent english skills too.

Rooms:
A little tired, but very clean and comfortable.

Restaurants and Bars:
Bars are a little hard to come by during certain times of the day, but never a long wait for a drink, and lots of variety. Don't shy away from asking for drinks not on their "menu", they make an awesome Long Island Iced Tea!

Beach/Pools/Grounds:
Pool area is a little small, but not overcrowded. Beach is breathtaking and spacious.

Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
Entertainment is actually pretty decent in the evenings - while the themes are a little hokey, the entertainment staff is actually very talented.

A little background info. We're a couple in our mid to late twenties and I'd like to stress I am writing this review without bias, as I realize other individuals rely heavily upon reviews when making decisions about vacation spots.

Room Number:
3401 & 4369

Room Block:
Granma & Manzas

Arrival:
The flight was pretty turbulent both there and back, however the entire process went quite smoothly. We found the rep for transat and asked if the bus was going to Iberostar Daiquiri and it was, so they put our luggage away and we hopped on. The bus ride itself was incredibly bumpy and I had to put my head down to avoid bringing up, however it's not the drivers fault as the roads aren't in the greatest condition there.

The check in process was quick and we were up in our room within about 20 minutes or so. We were slightly disappointed that we had to pay 2 pesos extra a day for a safe though ...

Rooms:
The first room we were in was in the Granma block, room 3401 and had a walk-out patio area with a table and chairs which was nice, however their was a leak in the bathroom from the room upstairs. Apparently, their toilet was leaking down into our bathroom. There was also no remote control for the tv as well (which isn't really a big issue), but the main issue was the leak, specifically for sanitary reasons.

The second room we were moved to, which was 4369 in the Manzas block was perfect, until we went to turn on the tv and yet again, there was another problem. The picture was completely distorted. After called a few times over the course of two days, a technician finally came and replaced the tv, but that was the least of our problems. I kept getting bites around the ankles and on my arms, despite the fact that I would wear pants and a sweater out in the evenings due to the chill from the wind. By our fifth day, I had about 60 bites on my arms and legs, some of which were in clusters. Two of my friends also started developing the same type of bites as well. Upon returning to Toronto, I had a grand total of 100+ bites and I started doing some researching and also paid a trip to my doctor who confirmed my fear ... I had been bitten by bed bugs and am now on antibiotics along with a full body lotion to help with the swelling, burning, and itching.

The rooms were kept clean and our maid was very sweet, leaving us all kinds of designs with the towels, however bed bugs are a major issue at this resort, as we weren't the only ones who experienced this problem. If you read other reviews on different websites, you'll notice a pattern regarding the bed bug issue.

Restaurants and Bars:
The bars were all pretty good, no complaints there. We really like the disco bar and pool bar. They make the same drink differently at each bar which we thought was pretty funny! They all taste great though. The blue lagoon, blue daiquiri, and rainbow punch, and miami vice (not mixed) were all really yummy! Make sure to tip the bar tenders here and there, because they don't make very much money at all and they could use the extra cash.

We decided to forgo the italian and cuban a la cartes, as our friends said they weren't very good. The main buffet is decent. All the rice and veggie dishes were great, but the pasta sauce tastes really strange along with some of the meat and chicken dishes. Stick to the fish if you can! The pizza would have been ok, if it wasn't for that weird cheese they use. All the desserts were fantastic, so if you find the food to strange tasting, just stick with the fruit, bread, and desserts!

We did try the mexican a la carte and it was pretty good. The appetizers were actually better than the main courses. I had the chicken fajitas with no complaints and my boyfriend had the chicken and beef skewers and didn't really like the beed. It was pretty chewy.

Beach/Pools/Grounds:
Beach: The beach was gorgeous. I stayed at the Melia last January and thought the beach was a bit wider there, however the beach at the Iberostar was just as stunning. Crystal clear water (provided the water is calm) and white sand. The water is a bit cool, but it's too be expected if you're traveling to Cuba during their winter. The beach was always clean, with very very minimal seaweed. I would go back to cayo guillermo just for the beach. It really is that gorgeous.

Pool: There's actually only one pool at this resort and the water is freezing! You have to work your way into the water inch by inch, so your body can adjust. There's a tiny pool for kids which is only about one foot deep and we found ourselves lounging in there because it was significantly warmer. The pool bar was different from what I've seen before as the seats are actually up out of the water, rather than in the water. Nonetheless, it was still quite nice.

Grounds: The grounds were always well kept, with gardeners working throughout the day, maintaining the property. There are a lot of beautiful large bushes with pretty red, pink, and yellow flowers. All in all the property is very well kept.

Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
We didn't really partake in the activities. They offer volley ball, bingo, water activities etc. We mainly enjoyed the shows and disco after the shows, which was a lot of fun.

I went to pilar beach on my previous trip to Cuba and it's definitely worth seeing. One of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean.

Other Comments:
Some of the bad: Again, I have to stress the problem with bed bugs. Quite a few people staying at the resort at the same time as us, have complained about bed bug bites. As I mentioned above, I am currently on antibiotics and have to use a body lotion for the intense burning and itching. The bites are enough to ruin a vacation, as they itch and burn non-stop and are far worse than any mosquito bite. If you're planning on still going to this resort after reading what I've written, I suggest you thoroughly inspect your mattresses and sofa for bugs, bug feces, and blood stains and if you happen to find any, ask to switch rooms and check again.

In addition, I was also harassed by some of the male entertainment staff. We made friends with a couple of them and also they tended to be a little "touchy", I would keep reminding them that I did in fact have a boyfriend (whom they also made friends with) ... the one incident that occurred which is completely unacceptable, was that one of the dancers grabbed my crotch from behind as I was walking in front of him and made it seem like it was no big deal when I freaked out on him. Furthermore, if you're a family going there on vacation with teenage daughters, please think twice because you'd be shocked to know what happens at that resort after hours between not only the entertainment staff and vacationers, but also between the young vacationers. We were actually quite shocked.