Valentin Perla Blanca Paraiso

During this time of recession and in recovery from travel restrictions the hotel had some shortages. Some days no cheese, or no white wine or even milk because of the cost of transport across the causeway. The staff still did their best and were always cheerful. The beach is one of the best in the Caribbean. The price is good and I was a return visitor. I suggest bringing your own condiments... small packs of Ketchup, mustard, salad dressing, jam, peanut butter, sriracha etc.Bedding will be changed only by request. The resort was less than 1/2 full, so no scramble for chairs or poolside locations. Some excursions and A la Cartes were cancelled due to low reservations. Pack your patience and leave demands at home.It is an adult only resort, so no whining Good value. [Details]

The Bad things about the resort:
- The food is not good and same menus every day, if you need some fresh omelettes, fish you need to stand in lineup
- The beef meet is so tough
- take with you peanut butter bcs they don't serve it there
- the worst coffee in the buffet not at the bars
- 2 snack bars work as restaurants ( you need to set on table and order...... another way to pay the waiters tip)
- Low quality service (they will give you a smile n good service if you pay tip, so you need to keep paying Pesos)... peso is almost $1.4 Canadian dollar.
- Most of Toilets are not working
- you need to keep asking daily for the two beers and water for your room's mini bar (tipping again)
- the evening music programs are the worst
- they give us 2 bed instead queen size (we had to join the 2 beds together.
- Can not snorkeling

The good things about the resort:
- Nice swimming pools
- Nice beach
- Spacious and open
- 1 peso for 1hr WIFI (about 1.4 CA) but slow most the times
- Nice rooms and bathrooms and good cleaning staff
- 3 exits to the long beach
- enough chairs on the pools and the beach, but the problem is the French people from Quebec when the take most the chairs to themselves without using them
- Good bar

https://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowUserReviews-g670039-d7171247-r559479753-Valentin_Perla_Blanca-Cayo_Santa_Maria_Villa_Clara_Province_Cuba.html# [Details]

We had a great week at the Valentin Perla Blanca resort. Great food, wonderful staff and service at restaurants and beautiful landscape.
Our biggest complaints was the slow service when we expressed some concerns with our room and extremely poor wi-fi which makes it difficult to keep in touch with family and kids at home. Some stuff was actually not ever taken care of during our stay but we didn't let that ruin it for us.
Overall a great week! [Details]

Hotel was fairly new, therefore clean, modern, rooms were very spacious,modern,clean. Adults 18 was definitely a plus for me. Beach as always in Cuba, awesome. The food was o.k., although we did run out of bread on one day. How can you run out of bread? Bacon, certain fruits etc maybe. The staff was friendly and courteous. As we were at the end of the hotel chain, the beach stretched out for miles. Not crowded, just beautiful. We were booked in Prestige, where there was to be an exclusive area for us. The beach prestige area was quite bleak to say the least (nothing better than the rest). The pool area was very nice, never had any issues with loungers. All in all good vacation for the value. [Details]

This was my most relaxing vacation to date! The day time had a great atmosphere to kick it up a little and the night time was much more laid back. The rooms were clean, the view of the ocean was amazing, and the staff were very friendly. [Details]

It is my third time to Cuba, so I kind of know what to expect. The drive from the airport although I knew before booking was at least 1.5 hours away, was a long ride at the end of a long day. Departing PST timezone and going to EST then the drive too long, won't do it again unless staying 10-14 days.

The hotel was actually pretty good, check in at 8pm was long, they had only 2 persons on the desk with 2 bus loads of people. they could have had more check in help and could have offered us a drink or snack but having said that, once checked in my room was great. In building 27, close to the action pool and the 24 hour cafe, close to the walkway to the beach. Always hot water, i did not expect any TV and we had satellite dish with english movies and news channels.

My room was clean and tidy, the beds, uncomfortable, but sleepable. The carpets they adroit and put back in your room, are old and smell musty, don't need then i kept them on the balcony,

Had my bar fridge filled with water and juice/pop everyday, i was not drinking so the beer was not an issue.

The resort itself was very big, but it did not feel big at all or overcrowded. I never once had an issue on the beach finding a beach chair. Surprising, considering some mornings i did not make it down until 1030am.

I forgot how wonderful it is in Cuba not to have people begging you to buy things, it was refreshing.

The staff helpful, cheerful always willing to help with a smile on their face, I don't know how they do it all the time, long days and nights.

The food was fine, if you know what to look for its fine. Breakfast easy, lots of choices fresh made omelettes, eggs etc. Always fruit. Lunch dinner, you can always find chicken and salad same for dinner. They are not known for cooking fish, so I don't eat it. There is something always to eat, its not gourmet, bit it is a third world communist country with minimal trade partners and access to things. I enjoyed it. the desserts were great! Had them every night.

I loved the fact most nights aside from the entertainment shows, there was good live Cuban Music in the Lobby, Such a treat. they even had a specialty coffee cart in the lobby, cappuccino's etc.

I only went to the Cuban Show for the entertainment, and it was great. Aside from the hostess speaking only Spanish and a bit too loud, the performers worked really hard and were great. Too bad more vacationers didn't bring some tipping money for them, they work really hard and deserve a tip.

The fitness gym was great, new equipment, it would be great to have some water available and some kind of towels to wipe down the equipment once we have finished, don't want to leave my sweat around.

Would I return, perhaps and only because I usually never go to the same place twice.

If you are looking for a relaxing place, calm not too many activities, peace and quite, I recommend this resort. If you are a partier looking for action, not your resort.

Loved there were no kids, not because I don't like kids, i have my own, but it is a little more elegant without them, the atmosphere. [Details]

Very nice clean. Food was not good. [Details]

very good, good service, great staff. [Details]

We visited Valentin Perla Blanca on the last week of January. The resort is very large and adult only. There is a huge lobby with central bar and seating area, a good sized theatre, four a La Cartes and two 24/7 Grills at the two expansive swimming pool locations. There are two large main beaches and lots of walking area betwen them to explore tidal pools and rock out croppings. We were impressed with the beach and the numerous access points to it. There are at least 7 beach bars, two of which serve BBQ'd lunch offerings such as hamburgers.

As others have mentioned this is a 4 to 5 star hotel based on Cuban expectations. To us that means the room is cleaned daily, the grounds are well maintained, the entertainment is good, there are lots of things to do and the food is properly cooked. Valentin lived up to these expectations and exceeded them in several cases.

When you first arrive you will need to get your room and wrist band. You won't actually get into your room, some rooms were ready upon arrival and some where not ready until 4 or 5pm. This is due to the cleaning schedule so don't panic about this, just lounge around the lobby and let the servers get you drinks. The Mojitos are tasty and served with real mint! Infact all the drinks at the resort were excellent and the bartenders will make you pretty much anything you want as often as you want. The beer is usually Cristal which is a refreshing lager. You will never get a warm beer. There weren't any dark beers available. If you get bored go for a walk around the resort, check out the beach or go to one of the Grills for lunch. Your bags will be safe if left in the main lobby,anywhere on the beach, or the eatery areas. This is also a good time to get some CUC currency at the hotel lobby. You do this with non-American cash. You can't get CUC from credit cards at the hotel. Yes you may have to wait in line for it, but just enjoy some drinks and chat with others in the line. The exchange rates are confusing and you will lose money, but don't let this bother you. You don't need a lot of money in Cuba, and what you do need is for tips and excursions. Another idea is to go book your a La Cartes which is located in the hallway between the lobby and theatre. Make sure you attend your travel Reps Orientation session as they share lots of valuable information.

Tipping is definitely part of the experience at the resort. Tips are not expected, but they are certainly appreciated by the staff. We usually went through 8 to 15 CUC a day in tips. A suggestion is 1 for the cleaner, 2 or 3 for breakfast and lunch, and 1CUC for beverage servers. We usually gave one CUC for every 2 or three servings. The servers will not stand there and expect a tip- they are very hard working and don't have time to wait around. You may need to have it ready in advance otherwise, you will find yourself chasing so that you can give them a tip. They will serve you whether you tip or not. They can also make change for your CUC bills. They do enjoy getting the tip placed in hand with a ‘gracias'. Only tip if you feel you were served. There were a couple of times at the buffet that we didn't leave a tip.

Our Junior Garden Room room was cleaned daily (but the sheets and bath towels are not). I'd leave a note for the cleaner if you want new ones. Be sure to remove the water bottle/beers from view so she will restock the fridge. We left 1CUC as a daily tip. The only thing we noticed was a lack of hot water in the morning. We believe this is because they use solar to heat the water, so a shower before supper seemed to be the best option for hot water. The room is all 220V, so bring a conversion kit to charge your devices. There isn't an alarm clock in the room, but you can trick the TV into being one or just bring a clock or device like a cell phone. You will notice there are no clocks at the resort which is very much inkeeping with Cuban time meaning take it easy, you are on vacation.

Night life at the resort is good. The lobby is a great place before and after supper drinks. There is usually a live performance of some sort going on. The shows at the theatre are great- they have amazing professional dancers. Sometimes the show starts earlier than expected, so keep an eye on that. The lobby can get quite smokey- we were surpised as Canadian, non-smokers at how many people smoked at the resort. If it gets too thick go to the Grills or find a spot on the outer edge of the lobby. Remember that the staff are there to serve you, so if you go to the lobby bar have a seat and wait for the server. She will get your drinks for you. If you go stand at the bar and order it just disrupts the whole flow of how the lobby works. You have paid for service on this trip, so let them serve you.

We found the food to be pretty good. The beef and pork were tasty and everthing was cooked properly. Keep in mind, though, that we tend to overcook our food so you might find the bacon ‘flubbery' and the eggs ‘just cooked'. Vegetable choices are present but meat and cheese are the mainstay. The buffet rooms are very busy and there are line-ups for fresh grilled. We aren't fans of huge crowds, so some times we found the buffet overwhelming. We also found some of the travellers are just plain rude and will butt in line, wear improper dress code and refuse to take off their hats. Geez people, where are your manners? You are vacation- but that doesn't mean you get to be a slob. Our Cuban hosts had much better manners than many of the guests. Be sure to let the servers seat you first, get your drinks and then go to the buffet. The cheese in Cuba was excellent!

Later in the trip we realized that the Grills are a better way to go for lunch and breakfast (we realized it too late to try breakfast). They are more like a restaurant than the buffet. You will also get a full sized beer if you go there and they may fancy up your mixed drinks. You will also avoid over-eating which tends to happen at the buffet. The a La Cartes were very good and we recommend signing up for those as soon as you get to the hotel. Please adhere to the dress code of closed toe shoes for men, a short sleeved shirt and long pants. They try to make this a classy affair, and it just adds to the atmosphere if guests make some sort of effort. There is endless wine at the a La Cartes, we didn't order a special bottle and just went with house wine. You can get a lobster supper too, for 20 CUC but we didn't do that.

The resort also has an ‘Elite' package, where you have a private bar and some other perks for beach shade. That isn't our style, so we avoided that. The hotel is already classy enough. All in all we had a great time and would highly recommend it. Remember you aren't at home, so take it easy, enjoy your surroundings and let the staff serve you. [Details]

Overall good, they try the best, the istallations are good, the food, entertainment, attention , custumer service.
Was a good experien i really recomend it! [Details]

My sister and I had a fantastic time at this resort. It is new, clean and modern and the staff were very friendly. We had great weather all week to enjoy the beautiful beach. The food was as expected- many made to order options to choose from. The beach area was windy but we loved the ocean breeze to keep us cool. Resort was only about 25% full so it was very quiet and peaceful. I would book again in a heartbeat. Fantastic experience. Also we went on the sunwing snorkling tour- Highly recommend this if you are a nature buff. The coral reef was way beyond my expectations and they let us stay in the water for about an hour. [Details]

WIFI SUCKS.. you have to buy a 30 mins card for 2 pesos and wifi does not work no connection if you do get the connection make sure you log off otherwise you will loose you time. use 10 mins and log off and connect again.and use for another 10 mins and so on..Hotel staff very friendly and courteous but we ready to walk a lot there are 22 bldg and they are far be ready to walk a lot you can call for golf cart they come in 20 mins.. Buffet dishes lot of pork,ham and bacon 90% if you are vegetarian you can talk to food manager in the buffet and they will accommodate.. good choice of fish and shrimps.. Groud floor rooms had problems with patio doors and lack of hot water.. Make sure you take some long sleves and a sweater with you as nights are very windy and on cold side. [Details]

We were at this hotel for 7 nights one night due to Mathew Hurricane.
We were being well informed, staff done all possible to keep us comfortable. Even if it was not as serious as expected, it appeared that all would have been under control. Very nice clean resort, big layout, excellent pool. Not much problems. [Details]

really good vacation [Details]

We had a great vacation. The staff were all great. Very helpful and nice. There was a group of 6 of us and we all had a wonderful vacation. [Details]

This 4 1/2 star rated hotel is more a 3 star in Canadian standards. It is Cuba so there are limitations to product offerings, services and amenities. However, if rating the hotel 4 1/2 star then the basics should be covered.
ROOMS: Some had no running water in rooms or hot water, toilets not working, flooding. I had no issues-everything was good except room hairdryer blew up and power outlets did not service curling irons(even with adaptors) Not a big deal in light of other peoples situations. Our room was very clean and serviced daily and our maid Ana was great.
ENTERTAINMENT- Best i'v seen at a resort. Every night offered something different-some local culture, North American flair and even a rock band (nice).
FOOD: well what can i say....i didn't starve let's put i that way. Ice-cream was delicious(hint-make an ice-cream float with the fanta-yum) There was a wide variety of food offerings- you just have to be creative to make it what you want. The fish grill and meat grill were good. Pizza was good as was the stir fry. However had to wait too long for service. Some food was bland-but nothing a little salt and pepper couldn't fix. Salad and vegetable offerings were very limited. A vegan or vegetarian would be hard pressed to find something to eat. A La cartes- Spanish and Italian were the only ones we attended. Food was basic and nothing special that was not offered at the buffet. Basically going for different atmosphere. Again some food items on menu were not available. Poolside restaurants- one side was good -offered everything on menu..other side was very limited on menu items.
SERVICE- Preparation for service was poor- as it was not ensured utensils and serving dishes were always available at the buffet or at the table. Always had to ask for something-which was frustrating as by the time someone got it for you your food was cold.
GROUNDS- Very nice and groomed daily.
DRINKS- are free flowing...no issues. Beer was very cold.
CAFE BAR- great coffee and good selection
BEACH- if there is one main reason to go to Cuba it's the beach. Beautiful sand beaches and clear waters. only recommendation is to bring cover for shade-either umbrella or even saw some people bring mini 1/2 tents that you can pick up at Canadian Tire(great idea). You cannot rent anything and shade is very limited.
LOCATION: This resort is 10 minutes from a couple local markets and a clinic. Most excursions will take you to town which is at least 1 hour drive.

As a preferred cruiser....for the same price and given a choice I would choose the cruise. I know a cruise would have lived up to the 41/2 star rating. However, you will not find beaches like Cuba.

Remember you are on Cuba time....if you are looking for fast, efficient, white glove service you will not find it here. Everything is in slow motion. Don't sweat the small stuff and enjoy your vacation. [Details]

This resort from a broad prospective has all the qualities to be a full 5 star resort, but you can't do this on a 3 star budget. It is all the little things that go wrong that add up and spoil the overall picture. You also have to note that all the major decisions come from the top management/owners so the old cliche is "don't' shoot the messenger". Valentin has potential to be great but at present is experiencing growing pains.
The layout of this resort is good, rooms are modern, food was ok but not great, STAFF are what make this resort a very PLEASANT place to be [Details]

definatley a repeat [Details]

THE BEST HOTEL FOR COUPLES IN CUBA. EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT: STUNNING LOCATION, GREAT LONG AND BEAUTIFUL BEACHES AND POOLS,MODERN DESIGNED GROUNDS AND CLEAN ROOMS, WONDERFUL SERVICE, GREAT FOOD CHOICE, AMAZING SHOWS AND GREAT CUBAN MUSIC.
BRAVO VALENTIN!
WE CANNOT WAIT TO GO BACK! [Details]

The resort is far away from the airport. Be prepared for a long bus ride with no washrooms on the way or on the bus.

The rooms are nice and modern. We were in building 34. If you want something close to the buffet and pool ask for building 38. Huge resort so be prepared to walk alot. I wouldn't recommend it to seniors or anybody with a disability.

The food at the buffet was okay. No fries, no burgers, no hot dogs. The pizza tasted really bad. They had a very nice selection of desserts and a donut station. Hardly no vegetables and fruits. We never went hungry and always found something good.

Lots of jellyfish on the beach. Alot of people got hurt. The sand was beautiful. Walk towards the left and the beach is nice.

The pools are amazing. It was very quiet on the sunwing side. The waiters come by every 15 minutes if you want something to eat or drink.

The snack bar was really good. The chicken fingers and the beef sandwich were very good.

The shows at night were not very good. The best one was the Michael Jackson/Chris Brown/ Beyoncé one on sunday night. That one was worth seeing.

Overall we were very satisfied. We stayed for 7nights (24-21 Dec). [Details]

Pros: great layout of the resort, beautiful grounds. Bar and restaurant staff are great.
Cons: lack of communication between departments. Guest Services is useless, not sure why they even exist there. We had a few problems but everytime we saw the person at Guest Servies, they would tell us "Oh that's not my department, you need to see so-and-so". We were there for our 14th Wedding Anniversary so Guest Services told us we qualified for a late check-out. The night before we were to check out, we went to Reception desk to confirm and they said, "no you need to pay for late check-out". We told her exaclty what Guest Services told us and she said, "you will need to come back tomorrow morning and talk to someone then". We went back the next morning and they said, "It may be possible for a late check-out, let me check". Not sure what that was all about but we did get the late check-out but it was such a hassle and such a lack of communication with Guest Services and other departments. We also had problems with our fridge not being replenished on a daily basis like it says they should do. The first 3 days, it never got replenished. All we wanted was a couple of bottles of water daily, we didn't care about the beer and pop....we just wanted water! That was like pulling teeth when putting complaints through to Guest Services. We actually had to complain to our Sunwing rep to have something done.
As for the beach, well, lots of sand fleas! We became pool people on this vacation even though we are complete beach lovers. The second day we spent on the beach, my husband and I got eaten alive by sand fleas. We spent the rest of our 2 week vacation at the pool. The beach is not the nicest either. We stayed at the Playa Cayo Santa Maria (a 3.5 star) a couple of years ago and it has a much nicer beach and no sand fleas. On our last day, we walked down to take pictures of the beach and found it was washed out. The stairs leading to the beach, there was nothing but huge rocks, the sand had been completely washed away. I couldn't believe it. They must truck sand in everytime that happens.
Rooms are nice but I don't think our bed sheets were changed the whole 2 weeks were there because my pillow case had a small stain on it and it was there every time I came back at the end of the day. The maids are very inconsistent when making up the rooms. One day they'll give you toilet paper and the next day they won't so you have to go find them to get some. The same goes with towels and wash cloths. Oh and speaking of towels, the beach towel was another hassle. The beach towel hut's hours are 9am-5pm....not so! He's only there if they get a shipment of launder towels. They have no signage to say "no towels yet" or anything. You just have to get lucky as you're walking by and hope he's there and that you have your beach towel in hand cause they only accept exchanges. My husband put his foot down and said "give me 2 towels as I've been coming down here 3 days in a row and you've never been here or let me talk to your manager". It's ridiculous....they need more signage at this place! There's also no directory on the room phones as to what number connects you to a certain department.
I could go on cause I'm sure there is more that I can't think of right now but all in all, I will never return to this resort! [Details]

There were lots of good things about this hotel and some areas that require some attention. Check in was a bit disorganized. Our room was lovely with a big, comfortable king-sized bed. We did not have the issue with the lack of frosted glass separating the shower area from the main part of the room. Lots of hot water and a great shower. We did not have a day when the room was not cleaned and made-up by 3 or 4pm. In terms of meals, the main dining area did look a bit like a cafeteria, there was lots of food although sometimes it did take a bit of time between a container being empty of food and the replacement. There seems to be a bit of an issue with supply management which I think could be easily fixed - the bar ran out of beer a couple of times and it took half an hour or so for new kegs to be brought in. The pool areas were lovely - there were 4 of us and we did not have any trouble finding a spot by the pool. We ate at 3 a-la-cartes. Two were good (Mexican and Italian), I did not care for the seafood selection, and the portion was small. We were always well taken care of at the restaurants, service was quick, pleasant, and efficient. Breakfast service at the outdoor eating area off the main lobby needs work as they were understaffed and need to use a better method to clean the tables. There was lots of food, you would have to be a very picky eater to not find something to your liking. We saw two shows, both were good. The lobby area where the main bar is is one of the most welcoming that I have experienced at an all-inclusive, a very nice gathering area to have a drink before the show. There was pre-show entertainment here every night, and they were all excellent. The beach and ocean were quite amazing, the water was a stunning aquamarine colour. Lots of complaints about the lack of chairs but that is the case at almost every resort I have ever gone to. There were also long line ups at the bank and it ran out of money more than once. That had an impact on the ability to tip the staff, which was too bad. Overall comment is that the resort needs to pay attention to some small details that someone going to a 5 star resort would expect, there needs to be more clarity as to who is responsible for what (I waited at the pool restaurant bar for quite a while waiting for someone to take my food order and there were 3 or 4 staff members who continually walked by me without acknowledging me), and supply management. Overall I would say not a 5 star yet but it could be. People need to stop beating up the staff in the privilege lounge - relax, you are in Cuba, it is 30 degrees, the sun is shining and the beer is cold!! [Details]

Great beach, nice hotel, terrible food [Details]

Had an over all good time at this hotel!! Its cuba so dont expext canadian cuisine!!! But always found something good to eat!! A good variety! Rooms are big and nice!! The beach is breathtaking!! Lineup for money exchange and for reservation!! Maby they should consider adding a few more desk to get the line move faster!! But all in all a good vacation. Its a new resort so it will only get better!! [Details]

VERY NICE RESORT AND BEACH, FOOD NEEDS TO GET A LOT BETTER TO RATE A 4-5*, NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE TOWEL (BEACH AND ROOM) SERVICE. [Details]

Purchased the Privilege package and do not feel that we got our money's worth. This is a new hotel so there are a few growing pains. The hotel was clean. The staff is trying to accommodate the best they can. We stayed in an area that did not have issues with our hot water. Others were not so lucky. The hotel offers local talent in the evenings in the lobby which provides for a fun atmosphere. We brought our own beach towels and this was a bonus as we didn't have them changed during the week. Our bath towels were changed every second to third day. Our mini bar was restocked daily. The worse part of our week was the food. I understand that Cuba isn't known for their food, but this went beyond that. The food was put into steamed serving tables which did not keep the food at the proper temperature. The food was cold regardless if you went to the buffet at 6:30 or later. It got to the point that we were not looking forward to supper time. They did not have a pasta chef during the evening meal. I would not recommend this hotel. Don't book. If you have, here are a few tips to make your trip better. Bring your own beach towels, bring snacks. Exchange your money at the airport. The hotel doesn't keep enough currency on hand to meet the demands of the vacationers. [Details]