TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

We were there November 19 for a week. We paid for diamond club and worth every penny. The food was great and people are amazing! I wouldn’t hesitate to go back and to this resort it’s beautiful. They are upgrading buildings but at no time did you notice. We look forward to another visit!!

Where do I even begin? This was my fourth trip to Cuba, so I knew not to expect much when it came to food. We chose Cuba for one main reason: affordability. We were on a budget, and Cuba offered the most reasonable prices. Upon arrival, we opted to upgrade to the Diamond Club (that came to 700$US for the both of us), which promised perks like more à la carte dining options, better drinks, superior service, upgraded rooms, reserved seating at the beach and pool, included activities, and an overall enhanced experience. Unfortunately, we quickly realized this was a massive lie and an outright rip-off. Our room was not one of the newly renovated ones. The à la carte restaurants were so disappointing that most people with reservations left mid-meal to search for better options at the buffet. The bars frequently ran out of essentials like sugar, mint, vodka, and more. Adding to the frustration, the website photos showed the resort surrounded by water features, but when we arrived, they were empty. A few days later, they began filling them, but the water reeked of sulfur, making the entire resort smell like rotten eggs for the rest of our stay. To make matters worse, the resort was undergoing renovations—a fact not disclosed when we booked. While renovations might not seem like a big deal, they completely ruined the relaxing atmosphere we paid for. Instead of tranquility, we endured constant drilling and construction noise. Resorts typically warn guests about ongoing renovations and offer discounted rates, but that wasn’t the case here. The beach was off-limits for the first few days due to strong waves, leaving us with only the pool. However, even there, Diamond Club members had no reserved section as promised. When we raised our concerns with the manager and requested a refund for the Diamond Club upgrade, he smiled, claimed he would look into it, and then avoided us for the rest of our stay. For context, I’ve previously stayed at a 3.5-star resort in Varadero that was better than this one in every way. To make matters worse, we booked this trip before the hurricane and power outages. Our travel company refused to cancel or refund us, meaning if we chose not to go, we would have lost all our money. Looking back, I wish I had stayed home and forfeited the $1,500 rather than endure such a miserable experience. Lesson learned: I will never return to Cuba.

The rooms were clean and bed was comfy. Was in there for quick naps, showering and sleeping. It's a big resort and lots of outside space to sit and lounge. It's not far from the beach either. Grounds were always well maintained. Cleaners were in there everyday making sure our supplies were stocked and rooms were cleaned. Staff was amazing!! Can't thank Deisdado enough for always checking up on us and making sure we had everything we needed. You can always find him around the grounds taking care of everyone. He made sure to say goodbye and see us off on our last day. If you are lucky enough to have him for your butler service you'll have a wonderful stay. Always having what's app came in handy with communicating to him as well. You'd walk around and all staff are super friendly and personable. Again, they were ALL amazing. The drinks were fantastic! Was introduced to a spicy guava daiquiri by the evening bar tender David who was always wonderful! Drinks, food and people were all wonderful. I highly recommend this place!

A unique experience, a very clean and welcoming hotel where we felt extremely well and very kind staff, especially the hotel manager who solves any small problem. We hope that this beautiful country will receive as many tourists as possible and things will become better and better for everyone. VIVA CUBA!

I visited the Royalton Hicacos in Varadero in November 2024. I highly recommend this resort the setting is absolutely gorgeous. The beach is magnificent. The people are wonderful. The music is fabulous. The food is great we upgraded to the Diamond Club which was worth every penny, I would highly recommend upgrading. It gave us many other features. It was a fabulous trip and I would recommend this place to all my family and friends.