We travelled as a family which included my parents, myself(20) and my brother(14).
Arrival was very speedy. The front desk had everything ready for us. We asked for 2 rooms and they had put them next to each other.
We were also pleasantly surprised to find that our beach towels were also waiting for us in our rooms. We did arrive after midnight, so it wasn't really necessary to have them but it was nice not to have to find the club house the next morning while we still had no idea where everything was.
Rooms
The rooms were very nice. They appeared to have been renovated recently.
Contrary to some of the reviews I read before we went, the safe in the room was free.
There was plenty of room for clothes and the such. The closet was roomy (and the top shelf has blankets in case you need them) and there were drawers in and out of the closet.
Each room also has a minifridge which is stocked daily with beer, soft drinks and water.
The AC in all the rooms was centrally controlled which we have never encountered at another hotel (this was our 8th year in Cuba). This bothered me slightly because if you turn it off, you fry overnight but if you leave it on, it tends to get very chilly some nights, which is when I was very glad for the blankets. Also, contrary to many hotels, the card slot only controls the electricity and not the AC. The AC runs all day unless you turn it off.
The maid came by everyday. We found that there was a different maid almost every day. Which didn't concern us in the least. However, I noticed that some of them cleaned more thoroughly than others. Sometimes our floor was swept, other times it wasn't. Some would wash the bathtub and others would not. Just little things. The room was by no means ever dirty, just not always as clean.
Restaurants and Bars
The main buffet restaurant was where everyone ate generally. Since the resort was not even half-full, all the seating was outside though they also have inside tables which they set up if there are a lot of people.
The food was good. Every night they had a different theme such as Asian night, Italian night, etc. The food was very varied from day to day. Breakfast was generally always the same thing, but lunch and dinner were always different from the day before and from each other (this is something that at other hotels bugged me because they used to have the same food 2 or even 3 days in a row at times).
The waiters were all amazing. If you stayed long enough like we did (2 weeks) they had memorized our drink orders. They were always smiley and eager to get you whatever you needed.
We didn't try the pool bar, as we spent all our time at the beach but I'm sure the service there is exactly the same as on the beach. The beach bar was actually being extended while we were there. The service was good. The bartender was always at his post and made whatever drink you wanted. The only thing I personally disliked was the lack of martini just at the beach bar. It's pretty much the only alcohol I drink and I had to find something else to enjoy while on the beach. In the end it wasn't a huge deal but it would've been nice. I assume with the new, larger bar they'll have all the drinks they have everywhere else in the resort.
There are cats in this resort and they enjoy strolling by while people eat as some insisted on feeding them. And yes, they're fuzzy and adorable but they have fleas so I recommend you stay far away from them.
Beach/Pools/Grounds
The grounds were meticulously kept. The beach was always clean. The palm umbrellas (that's not their correct name, but it doesn't come to mind right now...) were maintained and plentiful.
The staff that dealt with the beach chairs were sometimes hard to take. This one guy in particular was incredibly lazy and would often attempt to ignore my request for chairs. I would've preferred a lack of staff for that on the beach. I'm quite capable of getting my own chair, but we had to put up with them for 2 weeks. They also collect the chairs at 5ish and if you want to stay longer they give you looks. Their shift ends officially at 5:30-6:00 I believe and they always want to be done earlier. I just ignored them when I wanted to stay longer which was just once or twice during my stay anyways.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
We didn't do anything outside of the resort (we've already been there, done that) but on the resort we did participate in the beach volleyball every morning as well as bocciball shortly after. The entertainment staff had activities throughout the day but that's all we chose to participate in because it was located conveniently on the beach.
At night, there were different shows every night. We never really saw a show because it started late (9:30pm) and by then we were already asleep.
They also have a games place where there is a pingpong table and a pool table. For pingpong, it's best to bring your own ball and paddles as I've noticed the ball went missing at one point. The pool table has its own equipment always there.
Other Comments
The hotel's gym/spa also offers manicures, pedicures, haircuts, etc.
For the most part these are generally less expensive than at home. However, don't expect the kind of manicure you get here. It's very basic there: cut the nails, file, do the cuticles, put on the polish.
The manicure and pedicures were each 5 CUC. The haircut was also 5 or 10 CUC (I can't remember exactly at the moment).
They also offered massages. Ranging from just foot massages to full body, whole hour massages. We didn't try as we found these to be expensive in comparison to other resorts. The foot massage was 10 CUC and it went up from there to 25 CUC for a full body massage for half an hour I believe.
Overall, we really enjoyed our stay. We would definitely recommend this resort and would go again if we didn't want to try a new resort each year.
The manager of this resort (tall, young and bald) is always walking around. He's glad to talk to tourists and often comes up to people randomly and asks them how they're enjoying their stay and if there's anything that needs changing. Feel free to introduce yourself to him, he looks scary but he's very friendly. If you have any kind of problem that you can't resolve in other ways, he's always happy to help.
Also, keep in mind that this is a very small and very, very quiet resort. I would definitely not choose it for a spring break vacation with my friends. But it's perfect for R&R and families with small children (which by the way, they do have a daycare for).
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Booked through and flew via Air Transat. Welcomed at the airport by 3 Air Transat reps and check in was quick. (Note: They were very picky with checked luggage weight, but not concerned with carry-on size or weight.) Departure was just a couple of minutes late (only due to a quick deicing) and arrival at Holguin was early. Immigration was quick and painless, as was the late night bus trip to the resort. Check in was quick, with plenty of men to get us to our rooms with the luggage.
Rooms
Rooms are very typical of Cuban resorts. Dated decor and furniture, with plaster or stucco walls and ceramic tile floors, and as usual, very clean. We didn't find the beds as hard as many others mention, and the thin pillows easily "plumped" by stuffing a spare blanket into the pillow case. This resort (or at least our block) had central air that was faultless.
We stayed in Block 5, The only complaint I have was it overlooks the pool bar and I was kept awake every night, and woken in the wee hours, except for one.
Restaurants and Bars
The buffet was by far over and above any other of the 5 resorts we've stayed at in Cuba. Maybe somewhat repetitive, especially at breakfast, but very good food.
We ate at the Italian a la carte twice, and enjoyed both times.
We did not eat at the Cuban restaurant, and heard mixed reviews about it.
We ate once at Mar y Sol, and thoroughly enjoyed it.
The beach bar was quick and very friendly. The pool bar was the same, with obviously a larger selection of drinks. While the Espresso was somewhat over-extracted, overall the coffee at the pool bar was very good.
Beach/Pools/Grounds
I should mention first that this resort was built with thoughts of someone physically challenged in mind with elevators and ramps as required. Someone in a wheelchair or walker can access anywhere on the resort I went from the entrance, to any of the restaurants and all the way to the beach.
In a word, the beach is fantastic. Yes, you should wear water socks to go close to or in the water, but that is probably a necessary price for the coral providing the great snorkeling so close to the shore.
Personally, I found "towel wars" non-existent here. Plenty of room and loungers for everyone. One morning at ~ 9:30, I counted 80 loungers still stacked and by 11:00 AM, still some left.
We didn't use the pool, but it looked clean and well tended with plenty of space around for relaxing.
The grounds were very well trimmed and manicured, and in very good shape, maybe excellent, considering this was the very end of dry season.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
Beach activities were abundant with 4 Hobie-Cats available and 5 paddle boats. Several sail boards were there but only one was used. Two Lasers were on the beach, but neither were available for use. Plenty of snorkeling equipment available for use.
Resort Activities Staff always seemed busy with one thing or another going on; archery and shooting, dance lessons, Spanish lessons, Bocce Ball, beach and pool volley ball, etc.
Off resort, we only took the bus to Guardalavaca and didn't take part in anything else organized.
Other Comments
Overall, a wonderful vacation spot, and one we will surely be returning to.
Only negatives I can speak of could have happened at any resort and were guest related; trash tossed around for gardeners to pick up, groups of inebriated guests being loud and abusive without regard for anyone (employee or otherwise) or the time of day (or night), and one of the worst was the adult couple walking up and down the buffet treating it like it was all "finger food", reaching in with their hands and sampling as they wanted.
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Multi -Cultural
Blau Costa Verde
User Rating:
Jane >
1 contribution(s) Canada
Mar, 2010 | Leisure | With friend
3 people found this review helpful
The Blau Costa Verde in Holguin is a great place to snorkell. There is a coral reef right there along the shore with all kinds of fish species. This beats having to travel out to sea to snorkell!
The hotel rooms are spotlessly clean, large and comfortable. The air conditioning is centrally controlled and they often turn it down in the afternoon and through the night. This is a pain but a phone call to the front desk will quickly correct it.
The hotel staff are all very polite and accommodating. They all encourage tipping. The coffee with milk at the Snack Bar is delicious. The steaks at the Cuban Restaurant are cooked to your liking and grilled to perfection. The water activity crew at the beach are all excellent. Make sure you go for a Hobbie Cat ride with "Ray"! He is very handsome, charming and extremely good at what he does! This place is a great Family vacation resort!
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My husband and I stayed at the Blau Costa Verde from March 24-31, 2010. I was dissapointed with the buffet selection. The resstaurants were great and always found something good to eat.
Our rooms were neat and comfy. I took a foam mattress pad with me because the beds are pretty hard. If you are not a VIP guest, ask to be put in building 5 block, it is very quiet and away from the stage. Building 4 gets all the noise from the pool and lobby bars.
As far as the cleanliness around the pools, I never saw anyone, through the day, cleaning up cups etc but this is not saying that the 1 person who is responsible for cleaning around the pool does not work hard. My theory is, they need more staff during the day to work on the cup clean up. We never stayed at the beach. It states the beach is great for scuba diving etc, and I do agree. If you are looking for a beautiful rockless, shell-less beach, do not go to this resort. The bugs get pretty bad at night as well.
As far as the staff, there are some of the waitresses that are awesome and always give a smile.
The Italian and restaurant down by the beach were excellent and the staff were great.
We did meet a great bunch of Canadians from our hometown Province, NS and the weather is awesome.
The bathrooms off the lobby had a very bad smell even though they seemed to be pretty clean.
I will say that the entertainment at night was excellent and highly recommend it.
My advise, if you are looking for sun and warmth on a cheap budget, this is a place for you. I will try another resort on my next trip to Cuba.
Your Arrival
Arrival was fast and easy!!!
Rooms
Clean
Restaurants and Bars
Restaurants had great food and staff
Beach/Pools/Grounds
Pool was a good size but the pool area seemed to be pretty dirty at times.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
Not a lot of entertainment for children it seems
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Great place BUT....
Blau Costa Verde
User Rating:
Kathy >
1 contribution(s) Canada
Feb, 2010 | Leisure | Family
2 people found this review helpful
My husband and I stayed at the Blau Costa Verde the week of Jan 30 - Feb 6. We really enjoyed the week and the facilities but the beds in our room were horrible! They were like sleeping on a wooden plank; very uncomfortable and hard on the hips, elbows, shoulders. The pillows were also of very poor quality. Having got that off my chest, here's the rest of our review!
Your Arrival
We arrived at close to midnight and were booked into our rooms in minutes. A porter took our luggage and put in on a rack, gave us a mini run down of the hotel and smiled very pleasantly all the way. It was the best check in at any resort we have ever had!
Rooms
Okay. The hotel is older (I think it was another chain and Blau just bought it out?) so the rooms were typical of Cuba. Like I said above, the beds were terrible as were the pillows but everything was fine. Our housekeeper kept the rooms spotless every day. I forgot that you don't get tissues or face cloths in Cuba so we didn't have any of those and the towels were a bit rough but overall, the room was just fine.
Restaurants and Bars
The alacarte restaurants (Cuban and Italian) were both excellent the nights we ate at them. The wait staff were quick, friendly, attentive and not over intrusive. We were serenaded over supper which was a nice treat. Desserts were not all that thrilling but everything else was okay. The beach restaurant had great burgers and fresh fish but I didn't like having the shrimp with heads and bodies still intact - plus they were messy to clean! The pizza's in the Italian restaurant were really good as was the pastas each day. The pool bar and grill was very good - food and service. The drinks at this resort are not very good - the cola and other non alcohol beverages were very sweet and at one of the bars I had the worst Mojito ever - I don't even think it was a Mojito! We missed some of the drinks made with fresh fruit and crushed iced - I think they only offered Bahama Mamas made with real bananas and I can't eat bananas. Also, they didn't offer Bailey's; only a cheap substitute which was again way too sweet for my taste. Needless to say, we didn't drink a lot (we are not beer drinkers). The cappacinos were excellent - every single one we had was a treat! The buffets are typical buffets although we didn't like a lot of the food so ate mostly the fresh grilled foods. All in all; okay but definitely not spectaular.
Beach/Pools/Grounds
Beautiful beach, pool area, grounds. Lots of mature vegetation, flowers, trees etc. Lots of lounge chairs at the beach and pool area. Both were also very clean. The beach is lovely but does have rocky areas; be careful when you first go in the water. We liked the Hoby Cats and the snorkelling right on the beach.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
We stayed on the resort this week and didn't go outside on trips. We loved having the pool table in a covered facility. We liked the shows most nights but would have liked to have seen more "shows" rather than musicals. We thought it would have been nice if the hotel gets rid of the tennis courts (it's usually too hot to play on it anyway) and turn it into a mini golf course. We also liked the fact that the hotel allows people to come in and sell Cuban things each day.
Other Comments
Overall, it was a great holiday. The weather was gorgeous each day and as anywhere in Cuba, the people were very friendly and helpful. I'd go back again for sure and would recommend it to anyone who asked me about it but I would hope that the beds, pillows and the food choices (at the buffet) could be improved. I'd also bring my own instant coffee as I find Cuban coffee way too strong for my taste. My sincere thanks to all the staff for making our stay an enjoyable one - it was much appreciated.
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Arrival went smoothly and quickly. We arrived at the resort around 11 am from a very nice Sunwing flight. We were quickly checked into our room within 10 minutes of arriving at the resort.
Rooms
The room was very bright, big and clean! We had requested a non-smoking room which we received and were very happy about that. We had also requested a King Size bed but were told that only the VIP rooms included King size beds. This turned out to be okay because we ended up with two queen size beds pushed together which was ok with us. The beds were not as hard as other people had written in their review. We slept very well every night as we were exhausted form being out in the sun and water all day long : )
Restaurants and Bars
The restaurants and bars were excellent. You must try the pizza at lunch time between 12:30 and 2:30 in the Italian restaurant. It is probably the best thin crust pizza I have ever had. If you don't like the pizza's on the menu they will make up a special pizza for you with whatever toppings you like : ) The Cuban and Italian a la carte meals were excellent and very filling. My husband and I were full after the second course of the five course meal at the Cuban a la carte. The shrimp and fish at the Beach restaurant between 12:30 and 2:30 was also excellent!! I could go on and on about the food at this resort as it was truly excellent. My husband gained 5 pounds and I gained 3 on our week vacation to Blau lol
Beach/Pools/Grounds
The beach water was crystal clear turquoise water ! It was also very warm water ! There were a few small shells or coral on your way into the water but once past this small area the bottom of the water was very soft sand. It felt like you were swimming in a very very large swimming pool without all the chlorine. The snorkeling was also amazing right off the beach. The pool was kept very clean. We didn't swim very often in the pool as we just could not get enough of the beautiful turquoise waters in the Ocean. The grounds were kept very clean and the flowers and plants were awesome!
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
There were plenty of activites to do on and off the resort. We played archery, ping pong, dance lessons, hobby cats, peddle boats, snorkeled etc. The night entertainment was awesome. The water ballet show and the beach party show were beyond our expectations! We went on the Catamaran day trip (snorkeling,swimming with the dolphins,lobster lunch) I would recommend this trip to everyone!! We actually swam and played with the dolphins for about 30 minutes ! The lobster lunch was very delicious!
Other Comments
Book this resort you will have an amazing vacation !!
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We arrived on Monday night at around 11 at night they kept the buffet open till we got there witch was really nice of them, everybody was hungry. They made us feel right at home and even thoght we were a group of 42 + it didn't take that long to check in.
Rooms
They are very cleen and very cozy. Some people say the beds are a little hard, well i slept better then i did at home. :)
Restaurants and Bars
I really like the buffet, no complaints there, no one was sick. I didn't find they had a lot of choices but everthing was good. They had a big variaty of breads witch was nice. The snack bar was a big hit with my husband and kids. They loved the hotdogs and hamburger. I also tried the Club and it was great.
Beach/Pools/Grounds
the Pool area is great very cleen. The beach had lots of shells on the side so it was kind of hard to walk but in all it was great. watch out for those see cucumbers ( thats what we called them ) don't excacly know what they are but they are nasty and they were everywhere.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
They have lots to do. We went to swim with dolphins witch was GREAT!!! Once in a life time opportunaty. Loved every second of it. The people there are so nice, my husband and his friend went on moped ride witch they sa was amazing to discover the land on they're own.
Other Comments
The Wedding was beyond beautiful. Everything was great. Barbara did an amazing job with everything. the weather was perfect. they go beyond themselve to make your day the most beautiful day of your life and in deed it was.
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We are usually Florida people. Thats where we escape to from Canada but this year was different. Cuba was new to us. Our first time. What a wonderful choice to introduce us to Cuba.
Your Arrival
We arrived on a later flight. We found the airport a very easy experience and were very glad to see our luggage. The bus was ther waiting for us and after a bumpy ride we were brought to the Blau Costa Verde. The checkin was great and the people were very nice. At this point we were tired but ready to get to know our new resort.
Rooms
We had a great room overlooking the ocean on the top floor. Everything was clean and ready for us. No delays.
Restaurants and Bars
We had read alot about Cuba and the food, etc. We brought snacks and whatever we thought we might need. Thank goodness we brought our thermoses. The food at the Blau Costa Verde is in one word- amazing. The a la carte restaurants are pretty good but the buffet restaurant was well past our hopes. Food was plentiful and very good. Our plates were never empty. The servers got to know us right away and we made new friends. A wonderful experience. The bars were great- thank you Carlos for all the attention and we miss you already!We quickly learned that the drinks were served in little plastic disposable glasses but as I said previously we brought our thermoses so we had beer whenever we needed it with much less travel. You don't need a hugh thermos but a smaller version sure makes it a pleasant experience.
Beach/Pools/Grounds
The beach was wonderful and the beach bar and beach chair guys were great. Security was always ther to make sure the guests were not disturbed and comfortable. They had wonderful Cuban beach parties on Fridays with BBQ pork sandwiches mohito lessons and cuban coffee lessons. Then bring on the salsa lessons. We were very please with it all. The grounds were impecable and the manager was always there making sure that things were perfect.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
The resort had great, I mean, great shows every night. You were never bored. The resort was also great for the kids; shows in the evening to amuze them and a really nice shallow pool to play in. Of course, it was up to the parents that the kids were ok but hey thats the norm, right.
Other Comments
There was always tables in the lobby with local artisans if you wanted to buy treasures and a bank to change your money. The staff were wonderful and the rooms were very clean and the bar fridge stocked up. We loved our trip and would return tomorrow if we could go back right away. Thank you, Blau Costa Verde for the best time we could have had in Cuba. It was amazing!!!!!
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Hotel was excellent value.
Blau Costa Verde
User Rating:
tony >
3 contribution(s) United Kingdom
Jun, 2009
4 people found this review helpful
Arrival: 30th June to 14th July 2009
Thomas Cook Airline the only fault with this holiday, because I refused to pay an upgrade and despite being one of the first to check in at Holquin, we were deliberately seated in seperate aisles, petty, spiteful and certainly unnecessary.
Rooms:
A little dated but clean and generally well maintained, perhaps the maid could do with cleaning a little more in the bathroom instead of wasting time making hearts and swans from the linen in the hope of getting a bigger tip.
Restaurants and Bars:
No complaints but the beach bar fish and the lunch time Pizzas in the Italian restaurant are the best food. A better chef would I think earn this hotel another star as the rest of the food was a bit mundane.
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
Excellent. 5 star
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
Again excellent, the Caribean life tour was very interesting.
Other Comments:
Would certainly return as hotel was excellent value and other than the airline we thorougly enjoyed the holiday after all other airlines fly to Holquin.
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The entertainment here was of a consistantly high quality
Blau Costa Verde
User Rating:
Jenn from NS >
1 contribution(s) Canada
May, 2009
5 people found this review helpful
Travel:
We Travelled with Air Canada. All I can say is that I will take ANY and I do mean ANY means to avoid using Air Canada in the future. Travelling with this airline was a nightmare, from having 2 severly drunk person in the emergency exit row ( the aircrews only concern was that one of them was blocking the drink cart with their foot while they were passed out in their seat), to no meals, to no service reps in Holguin, to sending half the luggage on our return flight to Toronto. To say the experience sucked out loud would be a 'mild' understatment.
Arrival: April 25 - May 9, 2009
We arrived in the early evening. They served us wine and orange juice while we waited in line to check in which was a nice touch. The check in process was efficient and seamless.
Rooms
Our room was in the #1 block as requested but we were unable to get a room with 1 bed. While this was disappointing it was not so huge a deal that we were willing to pay the 26CUC a day for the VIP upgrade. The room was dated but clean. The beds are very hard as others have noted but we used the wall hangings over the beds as a mattress pad which solved the problem. There was never any shortage of hot water or water pressure. The air conditioner worked but was only able to just barely keep the room cool. Again not a deal breaker and acceptable by Cuban standards. The maid kept the room adequately clean and supplied the usual towel / blanket art.
Restaurants and Bars
The food at this resort was very very good, especially by Cuban standards. We were very impressed by the quality and selection, which was notable given the hotel was less than half full during our stay. We ate mostly at the buffet with occasion lunch forays to the snack bar or beach restaurant. Both A La Carte's were good with the Italian being our favourite. They even did a pool side dinner theatre event one night which was amazing. All in all the food at this resort far exceeded our expectations.
Beach/Pools/Grounds
The beach is nice with fine sand and good snorkeling. The snorkeling is not as good as Jibacoa but perhaps that is an unfair comparision. The pool while small is nice. The grounds are quite nice and well kept.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
We did the 'discovery' excursion which took us to a fishing village, mini zoo and the Gurardlavaca market. It was a nice half day tour and a bargain at 15CUC. Other than that we cycled a few times along the road to Holguin which was nice and gave us a chance to distribute gifts to some locals.
Other Comments
If one is looking for a quiet room be sure to request the #1 or #6 block as the other blocks overlook the pll / snack bar/ stage area which can be quite noisy. The staff at this resort are very friendly which really add to our vacation. The entertainment here was of a consistantly high quality and included a varied selection of local talent from water ballet to opera, local cuban bands, rock band, etc. If I were to return to the Holguin area I would most definately stay at this resort again.
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