Royalton Hicacos Resort And Spa

The resort was beautiful and very well maintained. Every amenity was within a short distance to get to leaving more time to enjoy them rather than wasting time getting to them. The beach was awesome! Very long beach with fine sand grain, a pleasure to walk on. The people are very friendly and accommodating.
Unfortunately, there was no vodka, tequila, white wine and a number of other alcohols not available to make certain cocktails. [Details]

This is a beautiful resort. [Details]

On the website, it was said that the hotel was renovated, but this is not valid. Only the VIP rooms were renovated. The rest of the hotel is outdated and clean, but very old and very used. If they do some renovation, it will look much better. [Details]

3 out of 10 great staff, terrible food, clean, however many things not working. Terrible wifi. [Details]

Just got back from a weeks stay here and there isn't enough positive to say!! First let me be clear (and many have said this in previous reviews) IF you know what to expect in Cuba and research ahead of time you WILL LOVE IT, if you don't YOU WONT. Bring pesos if going off resort into towns/cities. American, Canadian and Pesos accepted for tipping. Most purchases at resort in American. Excursions paid in American. Buffet is what you expect for Cuba food but they make the best of it here compared to other resorts. It is repetitive. Ketchup, salt, pepper all available here. Tequila wasn't for the first 4 days. It's extremely difficult to get things in and out for them in this country so you have to be patient and understanding of that. They run out of things or possibly don't have at all. Restaurants all good and provide a variety of options (4 Al la crate's) Hermes in the buffet was EXCELLENT. Always bright and happy and welcoming and made us laugh… Our room was spacious and bright, clean. Bed was totally fine and everything working. Our maid Rosy was phenomenal and kept us stocked and cleaned perfectly everyday. Check in and out was easy, organized and fast by everyone. Our front desk clerk Daymaris IS THE BEST, she happily answered any and all questions we had and went above and beyond our expectations. BRING THE ADAPTER for the country to charge your phone, regular ones don't work (some rooms have usb port) Entertainment was on point. All day long on the beach and pool activities. Amazing entertainment staff. All of them! Evening shows fantastic. Maria is the pool bar queen! Recognizes and remembers everyone! Love her, she made our day at the pool even better (if that's even possible) it is literally paradise here, have been many places and many resorts and this is up there in our favourites. Highly recommend [Details]

Generally good. Property was unique and very attractive. Cuban issues however shown at resort with many shortages of product. Resort needs a little upgrade to retain its 5 star status [Details]

By far, the worst resort I have ever experienced

The Royalton Hicacos is by far the worst accommodation I ever paid for, that says a lot considering I travelled extensively and stayed in some of the poorest hostels across Europe and Asia. Yet I cannot recall a worst hell than this pathetic excuse for a five stars resort.

I could write ad infinitum about the resort' disastrous amenities, from everything being broken in our room, to the lack of food in the buffet, to the filth found throughout the resort, literally NOTHING was clean. These issues could have been overlooked sadly the same cannot he said about the treacherously bad customer service provided at this resort.

Special mention to Jose Martin which was an utter nightmare to deal with. His higher than thou attitude, complete disdain, lack of respect and empathy has left a bitter taste in my mouth I will most likely never forget. His behaviour does an utter disservice to the resort and reflects terribly on the Royalton brand.
I had valid concerns, concerns which were facts and ultimately invalidated as opinions by this small, petty, septic tank of a man.
The facts: we paid hundreds of dollars in additional to our all inclusive trip for the Diamond Club, we received ZERO of the perks we paid for; we did not get preferential check in, there was no alcohol in our room, our mini fridge was empty, no slippers, no robe in our room, our butler was unable to secure reservations at restaurants and we had no issues just walking in, no voucher for the Catamaran ride which was paid for with the Diamond Club. We literally received NONE of the perks we paid for. When we demanded a refund we were dismissed, told with contempt by this terrible, pathetic excuse for a representative of the Royalton that these complaints were opinions and to leave if we weren't pleased.
The Sunwing rep and the Manager didn't want to spend the time to listen to our concern and asked for me to write everything down, I was provided a paper which included the personal passport information of another guest, when I brought this to their attention I was told not to worry about it… Disgraceful and I am quite certain Illegal!!
We happily paid to leave this resort, went to Melia International Varadero and had a fantastic time. The Melia is lovely, modern, the staff is amazing and the food is delicious, absolute night and day!

We stayed at the Royalton in Antigua, in Jamaica, in Mexico, in Ste Lucia, thanks to the disastrous experience at the Royalton Hicacos Varadero and the atrocious customer service provided my Jose Martin and Jaime Capo we will never stay at another Royalton Again.

I have found new found love for the Melia and shall send everyone I know away from the disgraceful Royalton. Shame! [Details]

The welcoming was amazing, people are friendly, they walk us though everything we need, our room was ready, it was very far from the main facilities, it was in building 23, when we keep going back and forth for different reasons by the end of the day we get exhausted. [Details]

5th visit to this resort ...but our first as DC guests (Total waste of money).
All you get is the a-la-carte reservation and a supposedly separate area on the beach ... but we noticed non DC guests using the so called Bali beds ..which desperately need to be replaced. Room service spotty, items not replenished, bath gel, beer, pop....
On a few occasions the bar and room would run out of beer, coke, 7-up ..but are available for sale at the store... as DC guests this should not happen. Like many other reviews.... the resort needs to be refurbished, renovated... it is outdated.
Did a review on this resort many many moons ago, and they were at the time doing renovations ...but seems to have stopped. They are redoing the beach side grill ... which was supposed to be operational Sep 21 .... when we were leaving it is far far from complete.
All in all we had a good time as we went for the beach and relaxation.
Will there be a next time ... [Details]

Overall rating is un-satisfactory.
The service was not reliable at best.
The most complaints was the Wi-Fi was non existing.

We tried to schedule excursion with the assigned butler but he never followed through with his promises, or our inquires.

We did not expect much overall but mainly wanted at least proper communication. [Details]

Its was great in every sense. Beach, food, cleanliness,staff, restaurants were great and most important the beach best one the strip of varadero. I did almost all the hotels and this spot is the best. Dont rely on people that say shortages and none of this or that. Granted they had no sprite big deal but everything else was amazing i rate it a 10 and will definitely go back. [Details]

Way over priced for what we received. pumps in pools and filters did not work. there was suntan scum lines around the pool and garbage floating around in Jacuzzi tub. Lights out and some hanging around walkways to room. No butler service. No mix for drinks such as orange or cranberry juice and no tequila and other hard liquors. No diet pop or meals that could accommodate people with diabetes. Buffet very limited. No snacks such as chips. chocolate even to buy. There was a very strong smell of sewer gas around pool and buffet. Not enough cabanas. Last 2 days of vacation they ran out of napkins and set up the tables using 2 sheets of toilet paper.
Overall Cuba is not prepared to provide basic essentials for travelers especially at the price we paid. 19 years going to Cuba and this is the worst Ive ever seen it. Always came back for the beach, weather and the people, but having experienced the lack of basic supplies, I wouldn't come back to Cuba for a long time, if at all, which is very disappointing. [Details]

Our stay at the Royalton Hicacos was fabulous. Wonderful staff, nice property, good food and drinks, and an absolutely beautiful beach. We heard many complaints from other travellers at nearby resorts about shortages, etc, but we had none of the issues they were having. If you are planning a trip to Varadero, I would definitely recommend this resort. Special shout out to the Entertainment Staff - Juvi, Veronica, Gustavo, Yarima, Victor, and Jimmy who were absolutely amazing! [Details]

Overall it was a nice experience. Understanding we were in Cuba and they were still recovering from the pandemic travel restrictions it was not an exceptional experience overall for the price we paid but was nice.

The majority of food was not good. Buffet did not have any decent selections. The Pearl and the Italian restaurants were the best we tried there.

Service in certain areas was great and in other areas not so good. Not sure why but felt we were ignored in some areas.

The resort needs to be refreshed, but they are doing the best they can.

The Diamond Club which we purchased for extra $$ is not really any extra from what we experienced and observed. Supposed to have a nicer room but didn't get it. We had a butler but really didn't need them? Drinks and rest of services were the same as non Diamond Club members. We chatted with some non Diamond Club guests and what they told us they got was not much different than what we got.

The resort needs more rinse off stations as the main pool was sandy from people coming in from the beach.

One pool was also out of service when we were there.

Speaking of the beach, that was the best. Beautiful sand, shells and sunsets, plenty of chairs and covered areas and great beach bar. The beach restaurant was unsafe and non operational unfortunately. They did provide some service at picnic tables on the beach.

You will need bug spray with deet in the early mornings or at dusk as the bugs are bad and there are no see ums… [Details]

This was my second time at the Royalton Hicacos, after my first wonderful visit just before the pandemic... I was extremely happy to return and once again enjoy the Royalton life to the fullest for a couple week. And my high expectations were certainly met again. Each and every day felt special and precious, thanks to the beautiful setting and amenities of this resort, the very professional and friendly staff, and we even lucked out weather-wise!
Here's my personal perfect Royalton day, that I in fact lived every day:
6:30 am: wake-up
6:45 am: running (alternating along autopista to the south, along autopista to the north, and along beach) - perfect to experience sunrise!
7:30 am: clean-up and getting ready for the beach day; dropping towels off at beach spot for day
8:00 am: breakfast at the beach (a personal favourite - thanks particularly to Pedro!)
8:45 am: espresso at the bar; quick wifi check)
9:30 am: yoga at the clubhouse - the professional yoga instructor Rozelle from Canada (NRG2GO program) was amazing! Where else do you get such excellent yoga led by the best in a picture-perfect setting? Rozelle leads with immense knowledge, talent, a big heart and smile! Making me feel great for the rest of the day!
10:30 am: stretching at the beach - new this year I believe - and again with Rozelle who makes it so much fun (NRG2GO)! Amazing bonus or complimentary session to the yoga! With music and overlooking the sea. Both the yoga and beach stretching are highly recommended for everyone!
11:00 am: beach day starts with first swim, walk, reading (and of course drinks etc)
1 pm: beach bun, paella at beach, and occasionally buffet for lunch (for days I felt unexpectedly hungry...)
1:45 pm: swim, refresh drinks, another walk, reading etc (beach life continues!)
2:45 pm: espresso at bar and/or ice cream at ice-cream place next to bistro (another personal favourite - best freshly made waffle cones!)
3:15-5:15 pm: beach life continued most days, although I tried aqua bike session with Veronica at the pool which was fun! Golden hour from 5 pm on at beach - even for non-romantics!
5:45 pm: clean-up for evening
From 6pm on: lots of dinner options! And all are great in my opinion, so best to mix it up. But personal favourites are seafood dinner at beach (be there right at 6 pm for first seating to enjoy sunset), Caribbean/Cuban and Italian restaurants! Although I personally also appreciate the many good food choices and surprisingly nice ambiance at the buffet.
From 7:30 on: quick wifi check at bar continued by socializing, drinks and great music. Unbelievable musicianship by many artists, especially the trumpet and saxophone players!
9:30 pm: daily entertainment - my favourite is the Saturday classic rock show!
Good night Royalton - slept like an angel to ready ready for next day in Royalton paradise!
Thank you to all the extremely friendly, professional and hard working resort staff, including at the beach, entertainment (hooray Veronica and Yarima), buffet, bar, reception etc.
I hope to come back soon and can highly recommend this resort and experience for anyone interested in Cuba and the Varadero peninsula! The best! [Details]

We had an relaxing and restorative 2 weeks (Feb 4- 18) at this exceptional resort.
Perfect beach, lovely staff and a well-maintained property, make this my favorite Cuban resort.
We started each day with a beach-side breakfast - a gorgeous “breakfast board” and eggs, hot coffee, all a few feet from the water. Then we enjoyed a daily yoga class and later a stretch on the beach, all led by a Canadian instructor.
The food is great- lots of fresh veggies for big salads and the desserts are endless. I will miss my daily gelato - with a freshly made waffle cone!
Lots of entertainment options and great live music.
Check out the Cuevas Ambrosio - a 10 minute walk from the resort for a short, inexpensive excursion. [Details]

I don't know where to start about all the extras this hotel has. We got diamond club and loved afternoon drinks chatting with best bartenders Yosvany & Roberto. TOP NOTCH SERVICE!

We were overly surprised they had pro instructors from Canada for aqua Zumba and yoga! Both gals, Cheryl & Kathy did amazing job and great to chat too.

Yanirs in buffet...so funny! Bar staff Yuni, Barbara, Julio, Juan Carlos....dont miss the lobby bar. They are the best.

Front desk,,,Jennifer. Yuliza, Annie...all smiling and fast service!

Ice cream bar....stop at it. You won't regret it. BEACH...best we have been to!!

We plan to return this year! [Details]

We had a great week and wished we had booked longer. The food was amazing. The odd shortage in minor things but did not bother us because the staff is the best.

We LOVED daily yoga with Cdn instructor Kathy and aqua with Cheryl. Love they bring in pro instructors because usually just entertainment staff who do fine but its not professional like we are used to in Canada.

SHOUT OUT to lobby staff who don't stop and always serve drinks with a smile..Barbara, Yuni, Yenepher...love you gals.

We are planning to return in October as long there continue to be professional yoga classes as that is what we look for when we travel.

See you all soon! [Details]

There are many good things about this Royalton property but there are also a lot of things that could make it better. Upon check in which was slow and difficult we were left waiting for access to the hospitality suite as our rooms were not yet ready. When finally given access there was water all over the floor, no handles on the bathroom stalls so you were stuck in there unless someone let you out and there was no toilet paper. We changed and made our way to the cafe to eat lunch and relax. The club sandwich arrived and had no chicken or bacon but a fried egg, shredded cabbage and some very not appealing ham slices. It was not what was on the menu and was inedible at best. The french fries were rock hard and cold. Not a great introduction to the stay. When we went back to reception we were handed over to a butler Yaineu (spelling may be incorrect), who escorted us to our rooms. The first room was not what we had reserved. When we spoke to Yaineu she was dismissive, stated that was what we reserved, that we were incorrect and then turned around to escort us to the second room on the reservation. We stopped her and asked her to fix the room as it was not what was paid for. She acted as if it was a great inconvenience and went to the phone, called someone and then told us that we would be moved to another room but it was not ready yet. No problem, when will it be ready, she had no idea. We continued on to the second room on the reservation. It was fine. The others of our group followed her back to the lobby to find out about the new room. it took over an hour to get an answer and then they had lost the luggage in the room switch. It took three hours to find their luggage and get it to the new room.
Definitely not they way to start a vacation but it did get much better after that. The rest of the staff, including our other butler Toton were great! Very attentive and remembering your drink order from day to day. The food was very hit and miss. I wasn't expecting a lot as I have been to Cuba several times and understand their supply chain issues. But some of the things they didn't have were very odd. Only had starfruit, watermelon and papaya. Not a single banana or melon all week. No orange juice, bacon. Lots of pork options. Great grilled seafood at lunch. Unless you arrive at 545pm for the a la cartes you are not getting in, this needs to be addressed. There is plenty of room for more tables and the wait for food in excessive. Also no drinks except wine and sometimes soda available at the a la cartes, very odd. Given the price paid I'd say not worth it, but definitely could be improved very quickly and easily. Not up to the Royalton standard. [Details]

We have travelled to Mexican and Cuban resorts previously so we went with realistic expectation that Cuban 5 star is more like Mexican 3.5-4 star. With this in mind...this resort was perfect for what we wanted! The most beautiful beach, sunshine, rest and relaxation. The resort is showing some age, but it is CLEAN and well taken care of. Yes, there are some limitations on the food, but we never went hungry! Go with an open mind and willingness to try something different. [Details]

Just spent 9 days in Varadero, Cuba and the Royalton Hicacos. What an amazing trip!! Staff is just absolutely amazing, caring and kind. Hermes and Yanira from the buffet; Yuni, Eduardo, Christian, Barbara, Julito, Laura, Jennifer and many others from the lobby bar; Yuniel from the bistro; José from the beach; ALL the entertainment/show staff, the scubadiving instructors and finaly, Yosvany, Elieser and all the others from the beach bar are just some of the people that made my trip worth it, by their kindness and joy. I am definitely missing some, everyone I spoke to was simply great and friendly. All smiles and laughter troughout the week. I will definitely be coming back I was also surprised and happy to see that canadian, Cheryl Ponee. Her fitness classes help keep me fit during my vacay mode. She is so energetic and her classes are always fun. Looking forward to my next new years trip, and may it be just as good as this one was! [Details]

We had a great trip with no complaints. Front desk ladies are AMAZING & will help you with anything you need! The lobby bar staff don't stop day & night and always pleasant. Tip them please!!

MANY BIG THANKS to Cheryl from NS, Canada who taught zumba/aqua. We have never been to a resort where a fellow CDN was teaching so this was a great surprise. Her classes were so full of energy even my hubby joined in! She is a great PR person for the hotel as she has been there many times and raves about it!

Buffet was fabulous. Shrimp, lobstres, pasta, shushi...I can go on. We only tried the Italian and had a great meal.

We will return in fall 2023!! [Details]

We are already planning to go back in the spring. We especially want to thank all the amazing staff and most importantly Cheryl from Canada - the fitness instructor there during our stay!

She made every class so fun with all her energy and she stated she has been going to this resort for many years. Good job Royalton adding to your entertainment team!

Diamond club beach staff Yosvany/Roberto...many thanks! Reception ladies...Yuliza, Annie, Jennifer....big HUGE thanks to always smiling and being helpful.

See you soon! [Details]

We had a great trip with friends again for New Years. We found no shortages and no issues with food. Lobby bar staff as always the best - Barbara, Laura & Yuni!!

We loved the fact this year they had a Canadian Instructor there - Cheryl. She taught aqua Zumba and at foam parties and was the best! She provided so much energy to the foam party on New Years eve the pool was packed! Their entertainment staff is great but having an experienced instructor makes a HUGE difference!! Hands down!

We ate at Italian twice and had amazing meals. buffet was excellent with lots of variety and Hermes is the best waiter! We all love him.

The trip went by way too fast but we will be back for sure! [Details]

We had a great trip with friends again for New Years. We found no shortages and no issues with food. Lobby bar staff as always the best - Barbara, Laura & Yuni!!

We loved the fact this year they had a Canadian Instructor there - Cheryl. She taught aqua Zumba and at foam parties and was the best! She provided so much energy to the foam party on New Years eve the pool was packed! Their entertainment staff is great but having an experienced instructor makes a HUGE difference!! Hands down!

We ate at Italian twice and had amazing meals. buffet was excellent with lots of variety and Hermes is the best waiter! We all love him.

The trip went by way too fast but we will be back for sure! [Details]

The hotel was lovely and clean. The beach was beautiful. The staff were amazing and accommodating. The evening entertainment was top-notch! The MC (Binga Binga guy) was annoying. The food was the best at the buffet. The restaurants were hit or miss. [Details]

The best hotel in Varadero! [Details]

Had little expectations from previous Cuba visit. This place blew my mind! The property is beautiful. The staff was outstanding. The restaurants were great service and great food. Compare this resort with previous best vacations. [Details]

Always very good. 4th time at this resort. I'll definitely be back. [Details]

We had a great experience at the Royalton as always with every Cuba visit we enjoyed the beautiful beach and the kind Cuban people. [Details]