Grand Memories Cayo Largo

The Grand Memories was not open, we were relocated to the Memories…a down grade and paid too much money [Details]

Needs a lot of maintenance [Details]

This was my 5th visit to Bella Isla resort ( formerly Playa Blanca). I travelled solo this time but have visited this place twice previously with friends. I've also stayed at the Sol Cayo Largo, and the Sol Pelicano resorts. Bella Isla is good value for the $ spent and has a larger lobby. This time I asked for a hotel room rather than a bungalow room, just to be able to compare the two. Both are fine, but if you are an early to bed type you might prefer a bungalow as the hotel is closer to the theatre. Free bottled water (for drinking) in your room each day. Air conditioning worked fine but was not really needed. As anyone who has visited Cuba knows, food can be a challenge. This is a tiny island and everything is brought in at a cost. Dairy and meat products are sometimes limited but there was plenty of fish and lots of choice ( salad bar, pasta bar, fruits and vegetables, rice dishes, pork). Lots of poolside activities during the day( aerobics, dance lessons, band, toss games). The evening theatre shows ( 9:30 pm) are worth attending. The dancers are top notch. The Unusual Night spectacle (8:30 pm ) in the lobby is not to be missed. During the day there is a free shuttle to the Sirena and Paraisio beaches ( ideal for long beach walks) and the shuttle also allows one an opportunity to visit the small marina and a turtle hatchery. The staff are sincere and go out of their way to ensure you are happy. I am already looking forward to returning next year. [Details]

One has to walk to the beach for like ten minutes, but I liked it because it made me move a little bit. Food wasn't good, which is quite typical for Cuba I guess. Limited alcohol options. [Details]

I really enjoyed my stay with a friend here. Pool was clean as well as hotel grounds, rooms, corridors etc. Nightly entertainment and 3 bars opened at various times of the day. Weather was also great when we were there. There is a beach directly behind hotel and when tide is out decent strip of beach. High tide brings the water up to the rocks but still can put a chair and swim. [Details]

Hotel provides shuttle to Serena beach for free.
Hotel beach is good for walking, when it's low tide.
Pool is large and lots of chairs available.
Many places to eat and drink. [Details]

I've been on quite a few trips, all different places and all different resorts... Bella Isla in Cayo Largo was the worst by far. I wouldn't even usually complain or take the time to leave a review but I would discourage anyone from waisting their money or time going to this specific resort. They kept turning our air off in our room (everyone's), we didn't have running water a couple times, and when we did have water the tap dripped the whole time (I said something but nothing was done). Service was garbage, workers we not friendly and happy and joke around like you usually see at other resorts (not saying ALL of them but a big majority. Big time communication barrier (I know it's they're country we are in but no one ever knew what we were talking about. And if you want to go on an excursion.... good luck!!! Usually they come and find you and sometimes a little too much but at this resort you could never find anyone. We wanted to rent a quad or scooter for the day... you think we could get ahold of that guy? After finding out he's not only at that resort he goes to another and that you have to catch him we went up to the front every 45 min/ hour to catch him.... what a waste of time didn't catch anyone that whole day.

They do not have a beach but they do have a shuttle to get to the beach.... what they don't tell you is yes, there's a shuttle to get to the marina and from there there's a boat that takes you to the beach. Then the other thing you only find out when you are there is not only is it a shuttle and then a boat to get to the beach... there are only specific times to go to the beach... 8:30am, 9:30am and 10:30 am. Then to get a ride back on the boat to get back to shore to take a shuttle or a cab the earliest you can come back is 1:00pm and two there times which I think were 3pm and 5pm. So it's not come and go as you please and you are paying for food and drinks at the place on the beach so don't forget to bring money to the beach if you don't want to get any food or beverages there. [Details]

This was a 3.5 Star at best. No swim up bar, Entertainment was average. Food was what you would expect from Cuba.
Met a great group of people especially Angela with her her son. We hung out together. Hopefully we will get together again [Details]

First off the resort Bella Isla was beyond my expectation. The food the staff were so good. Our first nights we were in the hotel just off the lobby so we could hear all the noise in the lobby and at the disco. So we upgraded to an ocean view room down a ways. These rooms are well worth the upgrade. The rooms are big and you wake up to the most beautiful ocean view. There were 4 places to eat. All were very good. One was by the ocean the others by the pool. The buffets had lots to choose from. They would cook your pancakes,fish, omelettes, fresh in front of you. And for those craving spaghetti the had a spaghetti bar and made your dish to your liking. The staff at the La Bellarina Bar and restaurant were so over the top friendly. Funny always teaching us new Spanish. The dining room was so elegant They made you feel special everytime you walked in. Yes they have no beach because of a storm but they offered free bus rides to and from two beautiful beaches(Playa Sirena and Playa Paraiso) but they also had golf carts going back and forth on the back road all day. So a 5 min ride or half hour walk would get you to a beach which was a little smaller BUT just as beautiful. We discovered a little beach bar at the end of the board walk. We didnt realize that this was part of the resort. You just have to remember as you are on your second drink that the closest bathroom is back at the the resort. They working on putting a bathroom out there. Leo the bartender was absolutely fabulous. And if you happen to luck out they sometimes had coconuts and for a tip could drink fresh coconut milk mmm so good. Then you fill them with pinacolada's. I can not say enough about how nice the staff are here. So if you are looking for a layed back quiet beach holiday with lots of good food. Well come see for yourself. [Details]

This was my second time at Bella Isla & I plan on going back soon. The staff are all so welcoming & kind. The food was excellent with lots of fruit & vegetables. Even though there is no beach, we still had an awesome time. With 2 salt water pools, you can stay on resort or grab the free shuttle to Playa Serena for a swim. This is my new favorite place. [Details]

The people made the experience at the resort enjoyable. The food had its ups and downs. Limited amount of fruits and fresh produces but the bread and cheese selection was satisfactory. The Bungalows are not bungalows: we paid for a bungalow but we got a accommodated at a 2 storey 8 units dwelling. Due to the season there was no beach which made things a bit complicated and costly since we had to paid for transportation to take us to near by beaches. [Details]

This was my second visit to Cuba, but my first time in Cayo Largo and at Playa Blanca Hotel. My two friends were celebrating their birthdays. The entire experience was perfect and amazing. One of the main reasons was because of the staff. They make you want to go back. One guy was there for his 23rd time. I saw why. Please visit and tell Dianely, Julie, John and Luiz Tyla says hello. You will leave feeling like you've gained another family. [Details]

The staff treated us like family. We tipped a few pesos per day to the bartenders and servers and they were extremely appreciative and did extras for us. They work hard over 12 hour shifts for much less per day than we do per hour. [Details]

Good overall - clean comfortable beds great air con. Stayed in main hotel area but ocean view room. Staff are lovely and it's Cuba - please do not go to Cuba anywhere and expect gourmet cuisine by standards of Jamaica or US. It is just not what you go to Cuba for. Food is plentiful and good. Pasta and Pizza bars here are good. Drinks are nice and coffee is splendid. NO kids club. Neither here nor the Pelicano from what I understand. Animacion Team was great. NO beach on-site anymore since the hurricane; winds changed so beautiful ocean view but no beach. Complimentary shuttle to Beaches. We had a few days with water shortages and Turtle sanctuary at the marina is a mid see for $2CUC pp. overall recommended. For the price we paid it was great. Internet is pay as you go and fairly good - $1CUC per hour. [Details]

Hotel was exceptly
Clean. Staff fabulous. [Details]

the hotel was clean I had an ocean view (that I paid extra for)and didn't regret it. The people were very friendly. The exception was 2 couples from ontario that decide to play their music really loud on the beach, very annoying. They did other things as well but that's not the hotels fault.
A negative to the hotel was, I found out about an activity after the fact because it wasn't well advertised. I found out later the small4"x6" paper was beside the ping pong table.
Just to let you know you must walk about 20 min to get to the beach as the hurricanes have removed most of it. You can also take the small train to another beach which is apparently beautiful(I didn't go, others told me)
Its very close to the airport [Details]

HI
My wife & myself are vey disappointed with the room.We found cockroaches in the bathroom and it took 2hours to move the insect.The dining room did not have any ac or fan.It was like a sauna.We are very pleased with the staff & entertainment. [Details]

My friend and I had already visited this hotel last year, and we had a great time again. The hotel is nice and clean, the food is delicious, and the staff is the friendliest of all of Cuba. The only problem at the time of our stay was that the Air Conditioning at the Buffet Hall was broken, and made for uncomfortable meals. Otherwise, we had a great time, and would go back again! [Details]

Where to start... The stench of sewage filled our suite daily. It was nauseating. The lights in the bathroom were so dim, we couldn't see to shower. We asked three times to have the lights changed. Our chambermaid worked miracles to have this fixed! There were dead flies in my salad at lunch at the snack bar. The buffet restaurant had NO air conditioning. We noticed so much dust stuck to the vents, perhaps that is why. The waitress in the buffet at breakfast didn't offer coffee until I went to get cups and saucers to help ourselves, then told me off. My husband tried to order a mojito from Rolan, a bartender at the snack bar and was told it was $5.00. He tried to pass it off as a joke once the Guest Services Representative got involved. Two nights later, Rolan told our friend a bottle of sparkling wine was $20.00 during the Italian reception. Johnston, the barbecuer repeatedly asked both my husband and I if we could give him perfume. The food at the buffet was HORRIBLE. The person making omlettes dropped the fork on the floor while mixing my husband's omlet, picked it up AND USED IT!

A person working at the front desk ripped me off on the exchange of CAN $ to CUC $ But gave me the difference once my husband went to see him. He didn't print off any paperwork for the exchange, counted in Spanish to confuse me. He produced paper work once my husband spoke to him.

On a positive note, our chambermaid, Rosa was so lovely, incredibly hardworking and tried her best to get the lights changed in our suite.

Milly, one of the waitresses at the snackbar was also so lovely and friendly and provided excellent service.

If I could get a refund, I would want one. This was my third visit to Cuba, second to Cayo Largo and I wish I had returned to Sol Pelicano! I am not a picky eater and know not to expect anything other than simple food but it was awful. Thankfully the sunshine made up for the rest that was lacking. [Details]

If you're looking for a place where you're treated like family, a place that's fun, clean, and comes with an amazing beach - Playa Blanca is the place to go! The entertainment staff was bar none, the service was impeccable and everyone new your name. Food was great - something for everyone. Very quaint. [Details]

Mosquito repellent necessary. Good restaurant a LA carte .good animation. Dolphin experience recommend at sirena beach. [Details]

Food was not what I expected from a 4 star. Had better food selection at a 2.5 star hotel. No shelter at Sirena beach unless you went on the earliest bus to get an umbrella and chairs. Isolated island with very little to do outside the hotel. [Details]

Clean roms .hotel beach is no good.
Go to playa paraíso o sirena .transport included in price
bring mosquito repellent you will need it after 8 pm [Details]

Hotel was wonderful for the price . People were generally very nice and the facility was pretty clean. Our room did have a mildew smell which they tried to cover up with dryer lint that were clipped to the vent but didnt do anything . A.c. was not very powerful , tub abit dirty and they run on a reservoir because its a small island so with the lack of rain we had the water shut off at random times.
All in all for the price it was great , its Cuba so they are trying and its a good idea to go with an open mind, enjoy the sun and a pretty decent variety of food. Loved the water, short beach but you aren't limited to other on the island. Go see the turtles!! [Details]

Generally very good.
I went to meet friends there and all of us really enjoyed ourselves.
The staff are very friendly and accommodating .
The only real downside was the mosquitoes which were quite bad....apparently they used to spray there but did not this time. [Details]

We were lucky to have a nice room.Fabulous beach.Friendly people at the hotel.
They could improve their buffet.The last few days they were serving fruit from cans.
A lot of flies around the buffet and when your eating.
Not recommended for families with young kids and teenagers.A lot of nudist who do not respect the zone where they are allowed to do their thing.So some come into the area where they are not allowed.The hotel does not enforce the rules.Not a 4 star hotel.This hotel should be for adults only. [Details]

This hotel was cozy , quiet and clean. Yes it's a little dated in furnishings but that wasn't what we were there for. It's 10 minutes from the airport ( after approx 1 hour at customs). After reaching the hotel , we were in our room in about 20 minutes. We chose the upgrade of coffee maker for $60.00 - lol don't do it. They don't supply the coffee. Besides you can walk and grab a "bubba full" quicker. We stayed in a bungalow - highly advise it. Opened the patio doors every morning to watch and listen to the ocean. Amazing.
The pool was clean but again dated - the liner is lifting but it didn't affect any part of swimming, volleyball or basketball in the pool. You do have to get up early if you want chairs around the pool or if you go to the beach ( another story to follow) there is a lot of shade and chairs as well as an inclusive bar.
The beach is beautiful but very small and they don't encourage a lot of swimming due to the rough waters. But there IS A BEACH!!! All the reviews we read said no beach close so we took the bus and boat to a beautiful beach - I mean amazing but drinks and food are pricey. All depends what you want. You can pay a taxi driver $2 and they will take you straight there.
Food- firstly you must know that I am picky. I survived. They had omlets fresh every morning and many more things - not a lot of fresh fruit though. They make a pancake but take your own syrup , I was not a fan of the sugar water. Lunch you can get sandwiches , hotdogs and hamburger , fries as well as the regular cheese and meats. Dinner you can do 2 ala carts - nice meals but bug spray is a MUST. Or the buffet - my husband tried a lot of the different dishes - I stuck to pasta and pizza.
Entertainment at night - kids start at 9 and adult at 10. After the first night - we decided that it wasn't a priority. Dancers work hard but to be truthful it is kind of " Mickey mouse".
Over all it was a great trip for us - nothing BAD to say about it. We will go up to a 4 or 4 plus star next time.
Place is clean , people are very friendly a great place for not too much money and to unwind and relax. [Details]

I stayed at Playa Blanca the first week of February and loved it! The front desk staff were very nice, although didn't understand English very well which was a bit difficult. All of the wait staff were great, always ready to bring you another drink.

The food was as expected, not amazing. Most of the veggies/fruits looked like they came out of cans or were 3 days overripe, except the pineapple which was pretty tasty. The pizza at the dinner buffet was really good, as were the eggs/omelets at breakfast. Meat at the lunch buffet was decent, but not much else good there. The a la carte dinners at both restaurants was really good, I was very impressed. You can order a variety of sandwiches a the Ranchon bar between 12 and 5:30, which was great to be able to get fresh food in the afternoon. They also make really good pina coladas there :).

For any first timers, bring a travel mug! We didn't know about this, and seemed to be the only ones, but the bars will make all your drinks in your mug and it is great for keeping them cold and not having to go back as often as the cups are tiny.

Coffee at the breakfast buffet was awful, don't even bother. But the Daquiri 24hr bar makes great lattes, so just head there after you've had breakfast.

Entertainment each night was really good too. Mostly a variety of dances, and the dancers really put their whole heart into the performance which was nice to see. Chairs at the entertainment were uncomfortable at best, so we often watched from the pool chairs.

Beach was great, big waves were fun to play, but would take a small child out to sea so not as good for families. We went to Playa Sierena twice, but I actually liked our beach better.

I did a 1 hour snorkelling excursion from Playa Sierena, was only 25 CUC. I was super happy about that, as most of the half/full day excursions didn't offer much more snorkelling and were a lot more expensive. I wasn't really interested in the iguanas so this was definitely a better option.

We stayed in a bungalow, which is more like an 8-plex, as there are 8 different rooms in each bungalow. Had an ocean view which was really nice. The room was nice, bed was comfortable and clean. Definitely could use some upgrades, the shower had some cracked tiles/rust spots, toilet kept running unless you jiggled the handle a certain way, etc., but for the price we paid I was happy. It was bright, had good breezes, and the a/c worked well.

Shuttles were always on time, if not a few minutes early. There were often shuttles coming for excursions in the morning which was a little confusing to know which was the one going to Playa Sierena, but the drivers always said where they were going and we never got lost.

Overall a great resort for the price we paid. [Details]

Flight:
Checking in our flight to Cayo Largo: I have asked if a diabetic meal was possible and I was answered with sarcasm that only shrimps and lobsters are available.
Checking in our flight to Toronto the agent was rude; he started my checking in and middle way start looking for another person problem. The flight attendants were rude, bumping in you without saying “sorry”.
There was a 7 hours delay, and we had to wait in an area that had not enough chairs for all of us with no information on status.
Checking in hotel: The front desk told me there was no communication regarding my room preferences between selloff vacation and the hotel regarding my room preferences made at the time of booking.
Room maintenance: they have never been able to fix my running toilet.
Cold and hot water: Often interruptions, nobody never said “Sorry for the inconvenience.”
Food: Last year in Puerto Vallarta at a 4 star hotel the food we got 4 times the selection at OLE PLAYA BLANCA. Flies were a nuisance.
Entertainment: Village visit was cancelled without notice and nobody from Entertainment appeared to now there actually was scheduled a Village visit that day. The Entertainment that accompanied us next day on the trip did his job with an indifference neighborhooding the queasiness.
Same o same o, fast dances and boring interactive shows. Before this visit I thought tango was a dance of passion and elegance not a succession of fast moves and small jumps.
For the last 15 years I was in Caribbean at list once a year.
Bingo after 9:00 pm Christmas and 31-st January was not exactly the best choice in my views. Also, I was denied to play Bingo because there were not enough cards – this was also a premiere.

Customer service: Totally ineffective. We play a game, what name this service should really have: Customer (receives ) no service, Customer antiservice and the winner was: Anticustomer service.
A la carte: They never had the items in the card or they were cooked differently.
Snack bar: they use to ignore you for 15 minutes and all this time they were chatting with Spanish speaking customers.
I wouldn't' recommend this for anyone but is a mandatory field
The hotel staff should be purged and better people employed. [Details]

I had a wonderful vacation would go again [Details]