Hotels near Plaza Los Flamencos, Cayo Coco

This was not our first trip to Cuba, but was our first trip to this resort and something lower than a 4.5 star (rated 3.5 on Air Transat). With what we paid for the trip, our expectations were met. This doesn't mean this is a resort for everyone. Firstly, I really believe anyone travelling to Cuba (especially post COVID) really need to understand what they getting into. Cuba had food issues before that are only worse now. I read a couple of the recent reviews on here and I would agree with them. - cockroachs were in our bathroom, and in the main buffet. When we reported the roaches in our room they promptly sprayed and we didn't see them again. (Oddly enough, after they sprayed the AC in the room worked better too) - only have the resort was being used, and even with that maybe 2/3 of the rooms seemed to be used - shortage on beverages. Only cola, diet-cola, orange Fanta, and some Tonic was available. Beer and liquor was plentiful. Most days had Pina colada and lemon/lime slushies. Unfortunately I could not get a Mojito anywhere while other resorts (higher star ratings) did have them. Again sad not to have a mojito but expected that not all places would have them. Rooms and resort - Definitely can see the age of the buildings and proper updates would help. However, this is Cuba and is rated on Air Transat as a 3.5 star, so this is expected for Cuba. Food - disappointed in the lack of variety for the buffet and snack bar. The buffet was very small, with the same rice and beans served everyday. Plenty of fish and chicken. The snack bar only served fish, chicken, cheese, ham and cheese sandwiches. Sometimes only one of these was available while the last couple of days they did have ”hamburgers” (essentially ground beef on toast). A la Carte - Our package included 2 a la cartes for the week. We chose Asian and Italian, while friends chose Asian and Mediterranean. Asian - 1/2 the menu was not available and the chef attempted to make sweet and sour chicken. ”A” for effort. The italian was actually quite good (really get the lasagne). Beach - Cuba is renowned for its beaches and Cayo Coco did not disappoint. There is some coral close to the beach that hosts fish and is always fun for the kids to get a glimpse. There are sometimes some small jellyfish that would wash in. I swam around them not thinking much of it but apparently they can sting (just need either vinegar or dry sand on the sting if needed). We did a 1.5 hour trip out to the coral reef close by (15 min sail one way) and loved it. The price was excellent for this as well. Staff - I would say that the staff were generally excellent and had a smile for us. One annoyance was the constant pressure to tip at every encounter. One staff member did hold out their hand once expecting a tip which was a little too much. and another time looked for a tip when we were only in our swimsuits (where to keep money?) I'd rather pay more money for a resort where tips are included up

Hotel in general that needs an update, it shows that it is a few years old. The service and attention of the employees, for me the best of the hotel, at least from my experience. The food leaves something to be desired, apart from the fact that there is not always everything. It is worth booking at the Malecón restaurant, both the service and the food are better than in the self-service. And the beach bar is also a good idea because of the surroundings and the tranquility. Regarding the animation, the boys/girls try it although without many results. The shows at night are good in general, although they shouldn't let so much time pass between them and the disco. Almost more than an hour passes between one and the other and people get cold. The beach is not wide and quite dirty with algae and so on. Although they try to take care of her daily. I think overall it is good value for money. But for a better beach go to Playa Pilar or one of another hotel.

This was my second time to The Sol. I discovered it when the tourism fair was on and our usual resort was closed so we decided to try the Sol. We were pleasantly surprised by everything and I returned with a girlfriend on the 9th for a week. As a frequent visitor to Cuba, shortages, water issues and the odd maintenance problem does not worry me. The rooms are very clean, the beds comfortable, perhaps a bit dated, but overall perfect and the maid service was top notch. There were no food shortages which surprised me as other resorts close by were running out of basics like eggs and bread. The bread is baked fresh daily so carb lovers will be happy haha. There was never a shortage of pop, rum or wine the entire week. There was one day when we had no water for a few hours but again nothing out of the ordinary for Cuba. The staff is exceptional. I never witnessed anyone without a smile and most go the extra mile to accommodate any requests. The animation team is energetic and try to engage the guests, even when there aren’t many, not an easy task. The weather wasn’t the best, most days were too windy to enjoy the fabulous beach but the pool is very clean and there were plenty of chairs. If you are looking for a smaller authentic resort The Sol is the place. It is quieter than the bigger resorts but makes up for it with it’s staff. Already looking forward to the next trip there.