Grand Memories Holguin

RESORT: A new and nice resort. Extremely maintained and clean! Palms, grass, paths, swimming pools, restaurants, gym, health office, spa…All is functioning and services are good! People are nice and friendly. Prone to help and with the huge smile!
ROOM: Room was beautiful and clean, but not ready for guests! It smelled on mold. The A/C was blocked and blew out look warm air. There was no TV signal. Wi-Fi was either weak, or none! We did not have water for one day. There were no shampoo and conditioner. There was no bottled water, juices and beer in the unglued fridge. We must praise work of our room maid Clara! She was diligent and extremely professional and friendly. The lady who took over after Clara was not that good. In the end, she accused us of stealing towels, which we did not!
FOOD: Food was surprisingly good! We had variety of entries such as prosciutto, grilled pork, fish, shells, different kind of cheese, beef stew, chicken, eggs, ham, calamari, steak, different kind of cakes and pastries…There was no fresh milk, yogurt, green salads…During the lunch time and dinner there was live band playing Cuban and World famous songs!
BEVERAGES: The alcoholic beverages were in plenty! Rum, whiskey, vodka, brandy, gin, vines, domestic and foreign beers…Mango juice, lemonade, orange juice, tonic water….Sparling water, bottled water…Cocktails...
BEACH: Beach is sandy! Clean! But, the see is full of rocks and see grass! One could not neither enter, nor exit normally! I cut my toe finger on sharp rock! The beach is not suggested for small children. There are well organized beach entertainment and beach bars!
ENTERTAINMENT: The entertainment was pretty good. The entertainers were diligent and funny. The only remark is,that almost 90% guests were, either English or French speaking people but, the communication and announcements were in Spanish.
FRONT DESK AND CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP: Front desk check-in was fast and professional. Later, all complains were written down in the book, but little was done. We had to complain five, six times for the same problem but, all complains were solved after long delays. The public relationship representative Ms. Anne Laura was absolutely perfect and she did act in the good faith. [Details]

A 10 experience. Celebrated my daughter's 13th birthday here and just say that staff went above and beyond would be an understatement. Exceptional staff, beautiful weather. An absolute paradise. Who could ask for more? Will definitely be back. Thank you to Yosbel And the wonderful customer, service team and reception team! [Details]

We booked this trip for a family trip with young kids. The hotel is clean and everything is easily accessible. We stayed on the regular side and it had all the amenities needed. There were many pool options for both kids and adults, kids pools were shallow enough for them to reach the bottom and still swim around freely. The white sandy beach was beautiful and calm. it was the perfect relaxing trip to travel to with little ones. As expected for Cuba, Food was not the best, but there were always options that we made do with. We go there for the beautiful beaches and kind people. We packed some snack for the kids, brough peanut butter, ketchup, salt/pepper, and hot sauce since we knew they might be scarce there. The staff were friendly and helpful.
The travel time from the airport to the hotel was a bit long (1.5-2hrs) but nothing to put a damper on a great vacation. The hotel is in an upcoming resort area called Antilla, it is safe and quiet. There is not much to do outside of the resort without having to travel 1hour , but we didn't mind just being at the resort.
The little "plaza" that is just outside of the resort is just being built up so there is not much there yet, but it was very cute with a pool and little splash pool for the kids that is free to all, a few shops, and some restaurant and cafe options. There was 1 day at the hotel that there was a small market set up with locals selling some beautiful of their beautiful work of woods, leathers, jewellery, and trinkets and very decent prices.
We met singles travelling on their own, couples, and families, and all seemed to enjoy themselves here. There is not much nightlife and no 'typical shows" that you might expect from resorts, but they had a beach party and small entertainment each evening. A great place to go for relaxation, but not for a big party.
We would definitely go back and enjoy this hotel. [Details]

Beautiful Resort large pools Friendly people as always great service, beautiful rooms Major shortage [Details]

It was a good experience. The resort is new and very clean.
We had incidents with shortage of water so dehydration was a concern but bar has filtered tap water. Overall, it was fun and a good experience. [Details]

Hi, I arrived with my fiancée and her 2 children. It was Aniabel personally who welcomed us. This woman is fantastic and resourceful. Nothing is missing in the rooms and as for the food it is abundant in every way. This is the 6th time I have come here in a year and a half and I am received and treated like a king and the staff comes to shake my hand and most of them know my name. [Details]

Paid for a two week vacation to feel poor. The main food staple was HOT DOGS. Very little food available. [Details]

J'y retournerai assurément
Points forts : personnel poli, courtois, à l'écoute, serviable, souriant. Bonne restauration. Chambres impeccables.

Points faibles : trajets de 2 heures (aéroport/hôtel); toilettes un peu loin de la plage.

Grandes piscines (mon point fort). Plages propres car nettoyées à tous les jours. Section adulte (2 piscines), familiale (3 piscines) et une autre section avec 2 piscines. Trottoirs cimentés sur le site pour la marche. Courts de tennis, gym; massage, manucure; restauration VIP (à la carte), bars et clubs. Thaimi, la serveuse à l'extérieur pour les déjeuners et dîners : attentionnée, et toujours souriante. [Details]

This is a beautiful new resort, well maintained, very clean, amazing & friendly staff! Rooms were fantastic- modern, well furnished, comfortable beds, clean, lovely rainfall shower heads. Always fully stocked with toilet paper and soap. We were traveling over March Break so it was a fully packed resort which may be why there were a few downsides: the hot water usually ran out by end of the day, so we usually had to take cold showers which was too bad. They also didn't have enough blankets that week, so we only had a bedsheet to cover us at night all week. Thankfully we brought robes to keep us cozy, so we slept in them. I'm glad I brought my own pillow, because they only had one long pillow to share, on each bed. We didn't usually get new bath towels, but we did get clean sheets (when requested) & new washcloths daily. The AC worked well in the bedrooms, and we always felt safe, and everything was kept perfectly clean daily.

The pools were amazing! Always enough chairs, always perfectly clean, great amount of shaded areas too. The beach was decent, but usually quite windy, and it looks like they only clean up the seaweed once a week, so the sand and swimming area are usually quite seaweedy unfortunately.

There was no show/entertaiment at night, even though they have a large theatre room with a big stage & comfy red cushioned chairs- but it sat empty all week. Hopefully they hire an entertainment staff, which would add excitement in the evenings.

The food- well- it's Cuba! You have to lower your standards here a bit, but we never went hungry. They had a few lovely options of imported European cheese boards & fresh apples, which was a nice treat in comparison to other Cuba resorts. I'd suggest bringing your own ketchup, jam, mayo, hot sauce, syrup etc.

The resort is great for kids: large knee-deep kids pool right beside one of the main pools, so perfect for families with kids of all ages to all be together. A games room with ping pong, foosball & airhockey. They have a cute new plaza 1 minute away from the resort (they offered free shuttle service here hourly), and they have a free splash pad there for families to enjoy, and another swimming pool there too, as well as a market to buy cute handmade souvenirs. They also have a trampoline park ($3.50 per child per hour- so well priced!) with a rock climbing wall & foam pits too, as well as a few little arcade games (50 cents per game). The kids loved it! There were also multiple snack bars and restaurants to explore at this plaza, and there's apparently also a Spa with a jacuzzi too.

Overall we would probably come back to this lovely new resort! [Details]

Resort is clean and nice as it's a new resort. It's very far from the airport , very expensive to take the taxi to the town . Food is not great very less selection . No eggs, sugar, pork. [Details]

Went there with my daughter (21) and my son (17) from Jan 1-8/2024. We couldn't been more grateful to have those days there! Place is Beautiful/ clean/ so many activities/pools etc.., Beach is gorgeous, Cristal water and white sand!!!! …and for us ALL people that works there [Details]

Our stay at the Grand Memories Holguin hotel was great! We had encountered many problems with our travel agent but after all of those problems, the people at the reception were extremely understanding and comforting towards my son and I.
Although it was very windy that week and the beach was very difficult to sit at in general, we had a very relaxing time by the beautiful pool. There was plenty of entertainment and much kindness from all of the staff at that hotel. The only thing that I could say that is a little negative maybe, is the breakfast that didn't offer much. They had run out of eggs and the only thing I could eat was French toast. The lunches and the dinners were fine but I don't blame the hotel for the breakfast as their circumstances in Cuba are very dire and so there was no complaining from me at all at this hotel. I recommend it very much. The hotel is situated at about two hours from the airport so that is something to consider when you are booking at this hotel. All in all, it was a great stay and I want to thank Gelanis Costas especially because she kept us very calm and happy and she took care of us when we arrived and she asked about us the whole time we stayed there knowing what we had gone through with the travel agency. Thank you!! [Details]

We had a great time.
The bed was comfortable, the resort is nice, people are super friendly.
However, bear in mind: they give you one big pillow for two people ( that is not comfortable) I would bring my own pillows.
The food is not good, very plain and there is no variety, so I would also pack some snacks, some brioche buns, nutella,cereal for kids, ketchup, and maybe some canned food, oh and oatmeal as well and some spices that you like. ( soy sauce, teriyaki sauce)
There is a fridge in the room, so you can be creative.
There is not much entertainment for families. I brought my own board games, volleyball and soccer ball for kids, and it was the right decision.
You can also bring a basketball as they have a hoop but no ball.
All in all, we had a good time. We would go back to Cuba but would bring all the mentioned stuff with us. [Details]

We enjoyed our stay in Cuba. It is our first time. The kids enjoy as they have night entertainment for them however there are lapses in between. Hopefully the management could improve more [Details]

Great hotel, its one and half years old. Very clean, modern and ground are well maintained. The beach is nice. It's 2 hours from the airport. Currently the only hotel in the area. We found the Buffet to be great. A night club on site. [Details]

We loved the place. It was worth for the price. [Details]

The hotel is very big very nice, rooms are beautiful but a lot of the rooms had humidity odor. The staff are very nice no complaints about that. The food was good always had something to eat i'm not fussy with food . The 2 hours bus drive was long . When I go to Cuba it's for the beach and I will be honest it is not Varadero,Cayo coco or cayo santa Maria, there is to much rocks and the water is not clear and to much algue . That would be the only reason why I will not return to this hotel for the beach. If you are a pool person you will love it [Details]

Grand Memories Holguin: Sprawling New Complex Divided by Colour Bracelets and Restrictions

"Those that like it, like it alot, those that don't, don't like it at all." That sums up this BIG sprawling resort. Ordinarily, I would give it 3 1/2 - 4 stars but my rating was downgraded because of problems and the vibe here. First impressions are everything. Being denied entrance to the enclosed, ventilated air conditioned cigar and tobacco smoking lounge on arrival because of my "red bracelet," and not long after, the quiet adults only pool and then restaurant with the lobster dinner and Cuban band because I was not a Sanctuary paying guest, sucked, everything here was a mirage I thought, nothing but a TEASE to welcome me, a two week paid guest at almost two grand, as a "second class citizen," in a country that ironically claims to be an egalitarian, classless society.

With this in mind as an intro to G.M. Holguin, here's my report. Sweet and Sour is ranked in order from my favourite sweet and most bitter sour.

Sweet (Good)

▪ The 5-6 piece Cuban band playing tradional Cuban music! What we go to Cuba for!

▪ Good 24 hr snack bar service (fries, burgers, hot dogs, beer, drinks) doubling as small scale lunch buffet restaurant alternative;

▪ Buffet restaurant chicken, pork, tender cooked, just right;

▪ Coffee bar lady who learned how I like my cappuccino and brought it and all else to my table each morning; just wish Julian wasn't so anal retentive over unopened cans of beer that I was routinely taking direct to our table of three. Nobody else cared.

▪ Fast maintenance staff to fix Smart TV, safe and show us how the confusing A.C. works;

▪ Good Wifi. Streamed music videos no problem. TIP: Clear your cached data, browsing history and cookies regularly and there should be fewer problems if no issues at all.

▪ Pleasant golf cart drivers to whisk you to the local plaza to shop/visit;

▪ Good water pressure, lots of hot water, new clean towels and facecloths daily, comfy clean comforter and great housemaid;

▪ No charge safety deposit box, working fridge (albeit standard at all reputable hotels);

▪ Pool, partial oceanview room in the shade all day;

▪ Good public relations staff who offered us free late check out and massages to counter our room difficulties;

▪ The Gaviota rep, excellent. Just wish I got to book the Cayo Saetia trip available by catamaran or escorted automobile drive (if you prefer); only thru the government agency. Locked out of my room, didn't get down with my VISA on my 2nd last day soon enough [Details]

Very bad service. No Water to drink or make coffee in the room. During my 4 day visit not even 1 bottle of water in the room fridge. Even I was complained at the customer service didnt happen. Very low quality of food
No internet 90% of the time. Travel time to hotel from airport almost 2 hours. Finally beach was very windy and high tide. [Details]

Service at front desk was bad people weren't helpful. Wifi doesn't work 90% of the time. They serve beer and liquor but they kept running out of things to mix with. The only mix drink we could get were rum and Coke's but they kept running out of coke. If you are an old person that only drinks beer and wants to enjoy a beach this place is perfect for you. If you are young, want to party, have good drinks like Pina colada's, don't waste you're time you'll be bored here. [Details]

If you like oatmeal, noodles, cereal, peanut butter, ketchup, mustard, take it all with you. if you take peanut butter, then take crackers with you, as sometimes there is no bread. [Details]

I do not usually write any reviews but I feel like it is good to know a few important issues for future travellers. The hotel is very new and clean. The language barrier was very frustrating. Elevators worked some times, not all the time. It is very windy at this resort. The food as we all know in Cuba is never the greatest, however this hotel lacked big time. I was looking forward to having fish but not here, there was not any fish the whole 7 days we were there. The was no miix for alcoholic beverages, but if you like Whiskey or scotch straight up then, you are good to go and not a drop of white wine anywhere.
When they say take spices to Cuba, they are not kidding. No ketchup, mustard, or any condiments to put on your hot dog or hamburger.
The main issue with us was the 2 hour bus ride to and from the hotel from the airport.
There were no kayaks but they had one catamaran and 3 paddle boats that we could not use as it was very windy.
Make sure you bring all of your necessities like shampoo, tooth paste etc.. Do not expect to purchase any gifts to take home as there is nowhere to buy anything.
Take note: that they want you to use your visa everywhere, the pesos are only good for tips.
The el la carte's were okay. The Caribbean el la carte was literally a dried up chicken leg with a splat of cold mashed pototoe's, no bread or veggies.
On the up side we did have an ocean view room! :-) that was not in our plan.
Overall the beach, the sun and the weather was amazing. [Details]

Everything we tried to do, from booking a dinner to booking aquatic equipment, to getting toilet paper to our room, involved shrugging, a 45 minute wait for someone who was "coming", and being asked to come back another time. We ended up having no toilet paper in our room for 12 hours despite going to the front desk. My partner and I both had to use the public restroom in the lobby for that evening and the following morning. Guests we met who frequented the bars said that service was infuriatingly slow for a drink. It was at least a half hour wait for a morning coffee ordered at the Lobby bar (which was the only place they were available). [Details]

We just returned from 1 week at the Grand Memories in Holguin (Feb 20th – Feb 27th, 2023). We booked as part of the Sanctuary package which in our opinion was well worth the extra money! (more about that later)

I can't say enough about this fabulous resort. The rooms are just as they appear in the photos; very modern and just lovely, the grounds are impeccable, despite recent food shortages in Cuba the food was great with lots of options, and the same can be said of the drinks. I think there was an absence of cola while we were there so if you are a cola lover I'd recommend bringing some with you. I love Pina coladas so just in case, I packed a bottle of Pina colada mix. As it turns out there were Pina coladas, rum punch, lots of rum drinks, beer, tequila (our favorites were the strawberry and mango ones!), vodka, Jameson's, and a whole raft of others! Chicken was less available than pork in the buffet, but we did have it two or three times. Lots of fish, rice dishes, mashed potatoes, omelets and stir-fry made to order, delicious bread, ice cream and the best deserts I've ever had at any resort! One tip: if you're a pepper lover bring a shaker of it. There was salt on every table but no pepper. Also, no ketchup or peanut butter which is always the case in Cuba so bring those if you love them. I can't talk about the buffet meals without giving kudos to our favorite server Laine Carbonell. She greeted us every day like old friends and really lights up a room! On the down side: there are two snack bars (one of them is open 24 hours). They have drinks and food but the food options are really limited. The week were there we saw French fries only twice anywhere. It didn't bother us but if you're a fry fanatic you should be aware.

One big tip: The Wi-Fi is free, but we never really got on all week. The only time we could check emails or facetime with family was when one of us bit the bullet and used our data. Most carriers have a roaming plan that will give you access to your data in international locations for about $15 per day. Make sure you have it before you go. I'd plan on spending that every day if you can't stand not to be connected.

So let me tell you about the grounds. There are three pool areas with a total of 5 pools. The main pool area in the center has three pools divided by walkways with a swim up bar in the center one. This is the pool where activities take place. To one side of the resort, in the Sanctuary area, you have 2 adult-only pools joined together with a “sanctuary only” swim up bar (Beatriz was our awesome server here!). On the other side of the resort, you find 2 more family pools with a wading pool and a swim up bar in the larger of the two. There is something for everyone. If you want action, the main pool area is for you. If you want quiet and a book, the adult only pool is great. Families can use the family pools without having to worry about the adult revelers. There is a lobby bar open 24 hours and it's huge! (They make a killer Spanish coffee), there is also a beach bar and a Sanctuary guest only beach area and beach bar. In addition to these, there is also a Sanctuary bar for Sanctuary guests only in the lobby area. This is a quiet bar area where you don't have to wait in line for a drink as there are far fewer Sanctuary guests. Jose Luis Rodriguez is the main bartender there and we just loved him!! He was always welcoming and smiling, and we had great chats about local culture etc. In the main lobby bar, I have to give a shout-out to Kenia. So kind, and pleasant, and efficient! Finally there is nightly entertainment (shows followed by a disco) a couple of the shows were pretty funny and the cast of singers is phenomenal. If you're lucky Chino will be at the disco teaching Salsa. This guy is INCREDIBLE!

Now for a la carte restaurants you have three. Everyone raves about the Japanese one which was good for sure, but we LOVED the Italian restaurant. Camilla was our hostess there twice and a young man named Daniel made such a great impression the one time we met with him as one of our servers that we still talk about how sweet he was! Lots of wine, warm rolls and butter, a great lasagna, and profiteroles with ice cream for dessert. The third a la carte is Caribbean. We waited a long time without getting served there so we never did try out the seafood there. (This was really the only disappointing situation we had)

Finally, I can't end this review without talking about the Sanctuary experience. When we arrived, we had a separate check-in in a room with couches and champagne (although we didn't have any because it was 4am). In our room a bottle of Cuban rum and two glasses were waiting for us. We also had complementary robes to use and 20% or 30% off of spa services which were excellent. I had a pedicure that was under $20 and, a half hour massage that was about $30 before the discount. Both were fabulous! Your Sanctuary stay also comes with two butlers. Ours were Malena, and Mayrelis (I hope I spelled those right!). These ladies were superb!!!!! They would be sure to find us every day to make sure everything was ok in our room. We didn't have to wait in any lines to make a la carte reservations, they took care of them all for us. Anything we needed, they made sure it was taken care of. We felt like Queens!! Last but not least, Sanctuary guests are treated to a special lobster meal during your stay. It was a five-course meal, and it was so well done!

If I could give 10 stars to this resort I would!! [Details]

No complaints on the hotel. Dayana at the front desk was amazing. The meals were very good at the buffet compared to some of the other hotels we have stayed at in Cuba. The Japanese a la carte was fun and tasty! I think the staff at the Italian a la carte missed some of our food but what we got was pretty good. Too bad they kept running out of some of our favorite drink mixes, especially the Pina Coladas. There really weren't many different drinks to choose from. The bars were plentiful but the drinks were poor, unless you are good with beer on tap! The beach was fair. A lot of rocks in the water. VERY windy, every day. Not the hotels fault but perhaps the location?? Very desolate. The evening entertainment was not the best. There is no shopping worth mentioning at the hotel nor the plaza nearby. Everything you purchase has to be paid by credit card in USD!!! anything you do find is very pricey! Use Peso's for tipping only and if you exchange too much they do not take it back. [Details]

Overall great stay would go back for the right price it's Cuba don't stress the small stuff! [Details]

My friend and I spend unforgettable time in this resort.. Friendly staff, cleanliness, fantastic entertainments, beautiful beach, and nice food.. We would like to say especial huge thanks to a bartender who was exceptionally nice and polite, knowledge of English benefited in making excellent drinks ..as we say ,, could run miles ,, to accommodate our needs .. I hope remember his name correctly, Yulian.. that was said on his tag. Definitely will come back again.Advise to visit this resort , will have no regrets We gave 5*… [Details]

Amazing place. Travelled with my husband, teenager and toddler. We all enjoyed our stay at this beautiful hotel. We were happy and pleased with everything. Meet lots of great people. Staff was always helpful and super friendly. Would definitely recommend this place to anyone. [Details]

I was at the Grand Memories Holguin at the beginning of last December , very happy with the service provided and the attention of its workers. You always felt the joy and charisma of thirsty workers when serving customers. The food is not so excellent in variety but in quality and preparation. specialized restaurants as well, an incredible experience, mainly Japanese. The pools are excellent as well, very clean and crystal clear. its gym and SPA, needless to say, 5-star service as expected. The beach, although sometimes the sea removes the seaweed, there is a team of workers who are in charge of cleaning the beach daily. congratulations to all your group of workers for making my vacation a unique experience. [Details]

Brand new hotel two hours from the airport.Not much to do in the area except a little plaza across the street but open limited hours during the day when everyone is at the beach.Lots of potential for this new area to be a hot spot for tourists especially when they build a new airport in the area. [Details]