Iberostar Tainos

Came to Cuba to have a small vacation with my wife , 6 days.After 1 had to be moved to another hotel. I know they are having a rough time in Cuba since covid, but i feel they dont care anymore. Its easy to blame everything on the pandemic, but the basics which could be done are just not done. This hotel is going in ruins and much could be done easily without too much investement , but they just let it go. I usually come to cuba 3 to 4 times a year , was here in january , but as much as i like there beach, that is it for me i will find a new destination. I have given them many of my time and patience, my 4th time in cuba since the pandemic, no more cuba for me , and Iberostar , all over the world also done for me. This review my sound negatif to most of you, dont say you were not told if you decide to come here. [Details]

i wouldnt consider it a 4.5 star-more like a 3 star.not that it was bad,it was an ok place to stay.we didnt run out of water or not have hot water like some of the other people on our tour bus staying at other hotels.this is a poor country [Details]

I choice this hotel because it is smaller and the beach is close to the hotel. The facilities are a bit dated but it is absolutely the best. The staff are fabulous, friendly and so helpful. We had two poolside bungalows and were not disappointed. The evenings by the pool are quiet. The food is adequate. The chefs do the best with what they are able to get. We always feel safe anywhere we go in Varadero. The people love Canadians. [Details]

Staff members were very friendly.
Our bungalow was on the ground floor, and all you can hear are the people walking very loudly in the unit above, not pleasant at 6-7 am.
Our a/c unit had only one temperature so we froze at night because it blew right on our faces.
Buffet food always cold and not much selection, you could never get a hot cup of coffee.. only one beer selection, and pool side bar made you drink out of plastic sippy cups. Pool freezing cold and no hot tub. This hotel lets people chain smoke in the lobby bar, completely disgusting for non smokers. No activities at the pool or beach. Next trip to Cuba will be staying elsewhere. Not a great experience at all! Not to mention our stolen cell phone!! [Details]

Overall a very good vacation.

The resort is easy to navigate and not overly big to get around.

Beach and pools were very good, always found a chair. (beach had a few sand flees so bring some bug spray)

Ground are will kept, rooms are a good size, slightly dated, but very clean.
Service was excellent for all aspects.

The entertainment staff did a very good with the shows

The buffet food was OK, nothing great but OK. The Japanese specialty was the best.

Wi-Fi had to be purchased unless you booked a pool side bungalow which gives you 1 hour a day! (may not be a bad thing to put your internet toys down!)

We did the Havana trip, about a 2-hour drive but very worth the drive

There is some wacky rule you can't take Cuban money out of the Country when you head home so don't arrive at the airport with a bunch or you will be exchanging with locals for a discounted rate to return to Canadian [Details]

We had taken a bungalow which was real clean and just right for us. The beach was clean with easy access , also plenty of room and didn't have trouble finding a place to relax.
The staff right from reception to caretakers were friendly and always anxious to help.
We have traveled to Cuba a few times and when you go to a different country that you are not familiar with it can be a little difficult , not the case at this resort.
Also I have to mention that all the staff was great , one did stand out , she was always willing to assist and gave a nice wave and big smile when we showed up to the food buffet , made us feel at home with her great sense of humor and personality , Glenda made our stay a lot more enjoyable and fun that's why we kept going to Glenda to serve us . Thanks Glenda ... [Details]

clean, spacious, friendly stuff. [Details]

Have been going to IberostarTainos for 6 years, it seems like it is going down hill. Seems to be smaller amount of staff. Room cleanliness has to go with the maid you have. Most maids were great, but this last trip was terrible. Rooms need upgrading badly. Lounge needs new furniture, its been neglected like a lot of things there. Food has gotten much better, but that was our highlight of things improving. Daytime entertainment is very poor, very little if any at the pool daily. Staff is great, its the only reason we keep going back. Keep up the good work. Coffee in the buffet is not fit to drink, have to go to lounge for a decent cup of coffee.Not sure if we will return there anymore, unless we hear of things changing. [Details]

Had a fun time. It was not our first trip there and it is the staff that make the trip most enjoyable. There is always something that a person can find to eat at meals . The rooms we had maybe a little dated but were clean and comfortable and also quiet. Would recommend that one gets a bungalow. [Details]

Our family just returned from a wonderful week at the Tainos. Smaller hotel which made it very pleasant. Fast check in, room was ready early, short stroll to the beach, pool and restaurants. The hotel and rooms were very clean, the staff was amazing in all departments! Buffet was a little repetitive but we could always find something new to have some variety. We will definitely be returning! [Details]

We were pleasantly surprised at quality of accommodations and service we received. It was one less star than a previous stay we had but the only difference was, no facecloth, no coffee maker and nicer staff!! The 5 star we had previously stayed at was newer and nice but the staff was miserable unless you were tipping them. We did not find that at the Iberostar Tainos. [Details]

very little food selection, air conditioning doesn't work very well. room furniture are broken, ants, spiders, lizard in the room. very cool front desk staff [Details]

This being our sixth time at this resort we knew what to expect. We were not disappointed!!! This being an older and smaller Iberostar it is very well maintained with an extremely friendly staff. Georges, Roberto, Julio, Beatrix, Giselle, Yamaris are only a few to mention All are friendly, having smiling faces and willing to help at all times. [Details]

Although being one of the oldest Iberostars you can easily be fooled. Very clean well maintained friendly and professional staff. It's a little cozier than the other Iberostar's but I loved it. The bungalows are fantastic. The shows aren't up to par as the other iberostars but good enough. The Japanese restaurant is great very filling and entertaining. Extremely organized. [Details]

Hotel was clean, most of the staff were very friendly, beach and pool were nice. Food not so great but always something edible to eat at the buffet. Hotel says they have a snack bar from 11pm - 5am, they don't. [Details]

This was our first family vacation with our 9 month baby. Had a wonderful time there. The staff are amazing and more then happy to help. The resort was definitely smaller then any I have been on and very quiet. Entertainment at night didn't go very late so that didn't bother us as we were in bed pretty early for our baby. Daytime enertainment could have been better, wasn't too much really and they didn't play music either so made pool and beach quiet, so could do better with that. Food was better then I was expecting. The beach was gorgeous and very clean as was the whole resort. Overall was very satisfied for our vacation. If I was travelling without my baby or with friends I definitely would not choose this resort but for family I would definitely recommend it. [Details]

Quiet and friendly Resort [Details]

Front staff and all staff very friendly when you arrive but when your leaving they can be rude like they cant wait for you to leave. Room had ants on counters and they said they would spray and didnt. Staff begging for tips is a put off . Beach was amazing ..room needed a better cleaning and my bed was broken ... [Details]

Lovely gardens, pool and beach. No lineups for buffet or bars. Food slightly better than expected. Some strange things on buffet but you could always find something to eat. House wine not very good. Japanese restaurant bit disappointing. Most of staff very friendly and accommodating. Recommend staying in bungalows and not hotel rooms. As usual in Cuba, some updating of decor is needed, but all was very clean. [Details]

This hotel was an excellent choice for us. It was clean, spacious and had some of the best staff we've ever encountered. The beach was amazing. They were doing a bit of renovations which the hotel needs, but the rooms and main areas were still well-maintained. [Details]

I stayed at Tainos with my 14-year daughter. The resort is relatively small - beach, pool, bars etc all within a 5 minute or less walk from your room. The beach is the best part - white sand, lots of loungers and shade, and a close-by bar. The pool attracted lots of families and looked very clean.
We had a room on the upper level of one of the bungalows. It was very big and comfortable. Could have been a little cleaner, but I've seen much worse at home in Canada. A/C works, lots of hot water and good pressure.
The food was as expected, i.e. it's Cuba, so we were told not to expect anything too spectacular. As a vegetarian, I didn't have as many choices, although on the occasions when I asked for something (like a fajita) to be made without meat, they accommodated me.
The drinks and bar staff were great. Bars every few feet as you walk from the hotel to the beach!
We didn't attend all of the entertainment options, but the musicians that we saw were very good.
Staff were mostly very friendly and helpful; sometimes a little slow but not a big deal.
Internet is available on computers in the lobby for 10CUC/hour. It's pretty slow but functional.
This resort had a good mix of couples, seniors, and families with children. Not a party resort - very few 20-somethings (mostly with their parents anyways).
Overall, I recommend this resort for the price. Not a super high-end luxury vacation, but very good value and a really nice experience. [Details]

Nice pool and great beach. Some things below expectations - running out of towels daily. Little access to the a la carte restaurants. The Japanese one was OK only.

Food was good in general.

The place shuts down other than the nightly show. You'd have to go to town to party.

Can rent a car in the next resort.

Overall I was happy and would recommend it. It's a recommend but I wasn't blown away. [Details]

This hotel was OK but not much for the price paid. Some of the basics were not well supplied. We were given two flimsy towels for showering and two tiny hand towels, one tiny bar of soap. No Kleenex in the room and when I asked the housekeeping lady for some, she told me she didn't have any so I asked for an extra roll of toilet paper. We spent first two nights in one room with only one bed, not a good arrangement when travelling with a teenage daughter. Our first room was in the main building which reeked of cigarette smoke since they have absolutely no restrictions on smoking areas and there were many Europeans there who have no consideration for where they smoke. The front desk was accommodating and moved us to another room on the third day which was in one of the bungalow buildings with a nice little patio. It was mediocre clean, very limited cleaning service while you are there. Beds made but not changed during the entire time we were there, quick tidy of bathroom and what appeared to be a dirty cloth on a mop across the main area of the room. Had to ask for bottled water, it wasn't replaced daily. You had the feeling that most things were supplied on a minimalistic level and not that we are over-indulgers but it was quite hot and bottled water should be readily supplied. Some of the staff were great and we learned some things about Varadero, their life and Cuba. Others were very indifferent as if they couldn't care less. By the way, there are vendors on the beach trying to sell you things but not as aggressive as in the Dominican.
Oh and of course the food. Not so good, OK not good at all. Vacationing is an opportunity to take time and enjoy eating however not quite sure why they couldn't cook the food with some flavor. They had staff with chef hats on but not much chef activity going on. There too, it almost seemed as if the one day they received their shipment of cabbage because half the dishes on the buffet were cooked with cabbage. The next day it was something else. Very limited variety, bland, mundane. Also had a bad stomach for three days, not sure what from. Am not a drinker so had to be the food or the water which it shouldn't be since we only drank bottled water.
The best part was the beach. Beautiful sand by this resort. We walked the entire stretch and this resort is situated along the nicest section. The water is also fabulous, as green and clear as in the pictures and quite shallow with sandbars so would be good for kids. Lots of chairs available both on the beach and by the pool which was nice. The Star Friends group worked hard to provide various activities throughout the day. Tried Cuba, probably would not go back, can think of many other places to try and compared to Dominican and Costa Rica, we are willing to pay the bit more to get the more. [Details]

The rooms were good, staff were very good, pool was nice and beach was great. The food was substandard. The roasted turkey was served raw, pink on the inside. It should have been cooked for a few more hours. Beef was tough, buns too hard. The draft beer was not very good and .it had a terrible odour to it. The evaluation of this hotel was Below Expectations [Details]

Good clean hotel for the price. Great beach. Food was disappointing as had to stick with same few repetitive edible options. Bugers at ouside grill ok for lunch- yes they had ketchup and mustard.
Espresso and cappuccino good in lobby. Overall impression is that it is a poor version of Iberostar in Mexico. [Details]

The positive:

Fantastic beach (clean and groomed daily), very nice pool area, food better than expected, friendly staff

The negative:

Hotel is very dated. It's clean, but it's old and very much in need of an update.

Summary:

Great for a couples 4 night vacation. Don't think it would be for a longer stay, unless you want to stay on a beach for that period. And yes, it's a four star by Caribbean standards.... [Details]

Nice personnel, bad food and dirty rooms [Details]

Good hotel, excellent beaches, good food. Unfortunately the room was infested w. sand fleas. Although we reported it, from receptionist to local doctor they were all specialists saying that it was allergy. Only after we got back home, our family doctor after analysis and consult told us it was sand-fleas, and not at all alergy!!! [Details]

I wish we'd been advised that the hotel was under construction! Half of the villas were being worked on and there was construction underway throughout the entire resort. Our room was in the main building facing the front entrance. They were re-tiling the fountains from early morning until late at night, leading to the sound of buzz saws and hammering.

2 nights into our stay the a/c unit began to leak in our room, leading to a massive dripping mess. I attempted to call the front desk but no one answered, leading me to have to get dressed and trek down to the lobby in the middle of the night to seek assistance. My first was to request that we be moved to a new room but I was affronted by a very surly woman that outright refused, stating that there were no vacant rooms; which was odd, since I kept seeing a lot of empty rooms with doors wide open in the main building, let alone the villas that weren't under construction! When I asked to speak with a manager I was told (in a very surly tone) that there wasn't one on duty and that I'd have to "worry about it in the morning." In the end, I spoke with the guy at the bell desk and he arranged for a maintenance worker to come up and fix it for me.

I'd been warned about the food in Cuba but nothing could prepare me for how awful it truly was. Seriously. It was horrible.

The pool is incredibly small and the layout is a bit wonky. Not a huge deal since--let's face it--you come to the Caribbean for the ocean.

The beach is beautiful. There's zero negative to say about it. It's just a shame that there's only 1 small beach bar and no servers. This leads to a lot of people trekking back and forth. This is exacerbated by the tiny Dixie cups the resort serves drinks in. Make sure you bring your own large drinking conveyance with you!

If you're looking for a place to unwind, I'd suggest seeking another resort. Iberostar Tainos seemingly appeals to families so there are children swarming throughout the resort. The beach has a number of palm umbrellas (they were actually installing about 30 new umbrellas while we were there) but they're spaced very close together. It wasn't uncommon to be squeezed between a throng of other people. [Details]

If you don't adjust your expectations with an understanding of what is going on socialist political-wise to Cuba then you may be disappointed. The food is "okay" but you can always find healthy food to eat. The Cubans do the best that they can to make us visitors happy in our vacations and for that they do an excellent job. It's not easy for them, but they work very hard to please others whereas they don't see themselves ever having the same travelling and financial opportunities as ourselves. Their country island has many treasures for us visitors. We took an inexpensive half-day trip (about $35 each) to the nearby city of Matanzas which included a fantastic visit to the Bellamar caves full of crystals. Our tour guide was awesome and gave us a lot of insight to what regular Cubans experience and clearly has a great love for her country. Another trip we took was to Havana, of course......the architecture is stunning although in much need of renovation but made me think of European old cities I have seen. All throughout our trip we saw many old classic cars either in great shape or as beater cars. Many tourists opt to pay for a classic car taxi to get to Havana for a trip and back. There are still no American tourists there but my husband says that American classic car enthusiasts are salivating at the possibilities of scooping up these cars from Cuba once the USA lifts their embargo to this country....so enjoy the great cars of the 50s and 60s while they are still there in great abundance. Cigars and Cuban rum are also their flagship items. Ask the locals their opinions on which are best to buy as what is more readily seen is not necessarily their best products to enjoy.
Another tourist we talked to went on a jeep safari expedition which included another amazing cave to be seen.
We were going to go to the more local Varadero Tropicana show but it was cancelled due to structural roof issues, so, if you book this excursion make sure the roof isn't collapsing.
If you want to go into Varadero from this resort you can take the red or blue double decker buses from the main road for 5 pesos each. Keep the ticket as it lasts the whole day so you can hop on and off the bus as you like. However, if you first hop on a red bus you can only go on the red buses and not on the blue ones and vice versa. Make sure you don't get talked into going the wrong way which happened to us so it took us a lot longer to get into town...they just want your pesos for their bus. You can actually get a taxi fairly cheap to take you into town...one offered us a ride for just 5 pesos for the both of us.
Take insect repellant as there are mosquitoes there and they don't sell any repellant there. Those nasty insects like me a lot so I came back with a number of red splotchy wounds on my lower legs and arms.
My friend and I enjoyed this resort a lot. I wouldn't recommend staying at anything below a 4-star resort. The beach was awesome and clean. There are shells and coral to be found on the beaches especially when the ocean waves are fast and furious (as we approached a full moon at the end of our stay).
I read another review before I left stating that children's medication was a desirable "gift" to be given to parental Cubans so I brought a bottle of Children's chewable tylenol and gave it to a staff member at the resort.....her reaction was as if I had given her a brick of gold. The staff like gifts and tips. Okay...it's an all-inclusive resort and you don't have to tip.....but in reality those Cubans who work in the tourist industry rely on tips to supplement the paltry average Cuban salary of 16 CUC pesos/day which is why you'll find doctors and engineers working in tourism as it pays better for them/their families. Cubans are well-educated with a 100% literacy rate, but it's the tourist industry that pays them better. They have strict restrictions placed on them by their government. Tardiness and tourist complaints can get them fired. Be nice to them.....they mean well and are good people! Enjoy your trip! Be respectful of their culture, and enjoy the beautiful treasures to be found on this Island!!!! [Details]