Royalton Hicacos Resort ★★★★★

The highest point was the staff with no doubt. We were simply overwhelmed with the attention provided. Couldn go without thanking people well definitely remember...Special thanks to the kind Elieser, the waiter at the buffet that was so adorable and more than attentive, amazing human being!!! Dayle always smiley. Yuni and Sandy at the bar central - Sandy always attentive, polite and caring. Liz at the reception and Leo our butler that was helpful until the last minute sorting out taxi out. About the hotel, go ahead and book it. Facilities were great, beach was fantastic and food was excellent. Very happy with our choice, would def go back.

Our stay at Royalton Hicacos was a great one! What impressed us the most was how well kept the grounds were and how kind the staff was. Unlike other resorts, this one is not a single building, but an array of smaller buildings spread over a considerable area. And yet everything was ver clean and well kept. The vast majority of the staff, whether a cook, a gardener or a server, would pass by you and always say hola. You have a butler to attend to your requests - ours, Leonardo and Marcos, were very helpful and when requested would always promptly show up or arrange a convenient time to meet us. The rooms (junior suite) are pleasant, although they could have some extra amenities, namely some slippers. A nice touch, the TV had a portuguese channel and is always nice to see the news in your own language. The swimming pools are excelent and provide some areas where you can be in the water but under a shade, which is a plus under the very hot cuban sun. Then you have the beach, with a beach bar (where the drinks were not up to the standards of the remaining bars in the resort). The beach also offers you some included sea activities, like the catamaran ride we had (small boat, maybe for a maximum of 4 pax + skipper, with a duration of around 20 min). The beach has enough chairs and shade for everyone and nature took care of everything else, like the near 30 degrees celsius sea water temperature and the fine white sand. There are 4 a la carte restaurants (for dinner) and the buffet for breakfast, dinner and lunch (you can also have a lighter lunch at the beach bar, near the swimming pools or in the 24hours café). To keep it short and concise your best dinner option will be the buffet instead of the a la carte restaurants (not that they are bad, but the buffet is better). You have the main bar running 24 hours and also a café always open, for some sandwiches, crepes, and so on. Right next to it you will also find an icecream shop, but open only during the daytime.

The not so good: it took them 30 minutes and 2 phone calls to get our baggage into the room, after we got there (and before we got to the room we had already spent around 15min with the butler showing us the grounds). The 24h café should be better staffed and the staff there should be better trained: one afternoon it took us more than 30 min to get 2 sandwiches and the waiter was lost because he didn't write down the orders. Also the beach and poolside bar service is understaffed, taking it way too long to order or get a drink. Last, but not least, the checkout process was not friendly at all: we were not asked to sit down, not asked if we enjoyed it, no one asked if we needed help carrying our luggage to the storage area, and no system to identify and control the luggage there. The rooms were comfortable, but could be a bit improved. Also, the facilities they offer you to shower/change after checking out (in the same building were the luggage is kept) are of a 2-star hotel, not of a 5-star resort. These points should really be looked into, because they can leave you a bit disappointed after a great stay. One last note, for those who don't like lizards (or cats) you will see some of both in the premises (but not inside the rooms or closed areas), and they won't bother you at all.

Beautiful resort, friendliest resort staff I've met, they treated me so well. great rooms and the bed was really comfy. Little notes left in my door card entry by the butter to keep me updated on things i booked.

Great staff, friendly and welcoming. Beach was lovely, albeit windy. Lots of activities to keep you busy.

Overall the food was terrible. Best meals were at the Mexican Restaurant and BBQ for Cuba day. Note, this resort is not representative of Cuba... it could be any beach resort in Caribbean.

Very friendly ambiance, loved the beach Bar with its cosy easy atmosphere. All over excellent food,we went for the buffet option, friendly staff, interior designs in public spaces very well done .

The mayordomo lady was just too pushy and put us off, let people discover the premises at leisure by themselves. The check in time at 16 o clock is slightly ridiculous,our room was ready much earlier but a certain rigidly there... none of the many bars have fresh lemons for drinks...such a pity,all drinks taste slightly chemical because of the lack of.

All the staff were friendly and provided a first class service.

Air conditioning was a bit hit and miss at times. This was reported but nobody came to fix it.

Good location, very friendly staff and great beach

The food was not too good certainly not at the a la cart restaurants. No fresh fish and the lobster was horrible

The location is great, direct access to the beach. BBQ on the beach everyday for lunch :-) The food is good, a wide range of food, various restaurants on the site. The room was great, quiet with a large bed, very confortable. The hotel is well located and the areas around are green with palm trees an sundbeds everywhere to relax.

Nothing

Staff always very friendly and attentive, nice beach

A bit tacky and tired looking. Breakfast needs a makeover. The buffet hall is like a cafeteria. Dined at Caribe and it was not very good

The stay was spoiled by the last days mess up with our transfer. Our butler Gabriel arranged our "Taxis". We had told him the collection taxis from Havana was not great as the cars air-con was not that good and it was old and uncomfortable. He arranged the same Taxis again. The driver on coming into Havana had assumed we were going back to the cruise port. We told him NO THE AIRPORT as we had told Gabriel. this meant he had to drive another 25mins back to the airport. We were not happy with the hotel for not telling the driver. To add to this he didn't speak any English and our Spanish needs to improve.

The pool area and the beach. The sommelier at the Carribean restaurant is super informed and delightful. The entertainment staff were lovely and always tried to set a great mood at the hotel. The concierge(s) were helpful at all times.

The rooms are incredibly humid and you feel like you're sleeping in wet sheets, cleanliness is less than average and beware the bed bugs, if you like your ankles and legs stay away or you can just run down to the hotel pharmacy and get loaded on antihistamines to stop itching. Choices! The staff although nice seemed confused at all times. They managed to check us back in and while we were checking out. Surreal to say the least. They also insisted we book at the hotel restaurants claiming they were all fully booked while all were half empty at all times.

Easy access to the beach. BBQ lunch at the Beach Bar.

Rush and confusion about decisions regarding dining options when we first arrived. Unreliability of Wifi Reception, even in designated areas.

They stole my passaport at this hotel, the supervisor was telling me a different story from the front desk girl. The majordomo never came to ask uf we need anything, i didnt have a iron or adapter to charge my phone. I left my passaport under tge TV im bot sure uf the lady who clean the room Dalia took it or majordomo. When i call the front desk girl was super rude. At tge buffet they were nice and Ivette was excellent at the bar ( we bought Tabacco from her) she use to ask us if we need anything. Also, this hotel is for couple in their 40s. I was planning to go with my family in July but after that experience with my passport and some staff no

The staff are absolutely unreal. So attentive and lovely will do absolutely anything they can to help during your stay. We were only there 3 days so couldn’t get a booking in an a la Carte restaurant and our butler found spaces for us at the special returning guests dinner (even though we aren’t returning guests) which was really fancy and great food. The entertainment people are funny and friendly and there is loads on every day, we were young adults surrounded by a lot of middle aged people clearly enjoying being in an adults only hotel which was a good laugh in itself. Yes the food in Cuba isn’t anything to write home about (regarding the rest of Cuba if you like pizza you’re sorted everywhere) but the food here was good, sometimes cold in the hot buffet but we often came towards the end of a sitting so that may be why and I always ate from the 3 fresh food stations anyway where they cook for you on the spot and that was delicious. Also the snack bar at the pool does amazing snack food recommend over the buffet for lunches and the lady who cooks it’s is really friendly. Rooms lovely, great shower and nice pool/comfy sun beds - we always found beds and were never up and out before 9/10am. Recommend the snorkelling trip to play coral for great snorkelling with lovely guides. And finally of course the beach is stunning, probably one of the best I’ve been to in the world - we went to other beaches in Cuba (Santa Maria and Ancon) which were lovely but this was by far the best and doesn’t feel like you’re surrounded by other resorts which seems to be something people say is a negative about going to Varadero because you’re surrounded by people but you are in a resort so... just enjoy the incredible beach

As mentioned the hot buffet was nothing to write home about and sometimes cold but don’t let that put you off there’s plenty of great food to eat at the hotel. We got a discounted price as we booked only a couple of weeks before but it was still £110 a night so fairly expensive but we were treating ourselves for the last few days of our trip and considering the reviews on every other hotel I would say it is worth it if you want to really enjoy your holiday and feel like you’re in real luxury!

The atmosphere was great and the staff absolutely fantastic from start to finish - speaking Spanish helps! The activities were fun, the beach unbelievable and the cocktails perfect! It's Cuba, so expect a little outdated...However this place gave me memories for the rest of my life. Beautiful and fun!

Reservation system in some of the restaurants not very clear. Diamond club option not well explained to other guests. European outlets in a country that uses US format.

Excellent staff - from the moment we arrived until we left, all of the staff were exceptionally friendly and helpful - nothing was too much trouble. The look and feel of the resort was very nice - grand and premium but far from pretentious or impersonal. The beach is also spectacular

Etecsa internet @ $1CUC per hour, but this is just a Cuba thing, and also nice to escape connection for a few days.

Located on a beautiful beach, near a bus stop that can take you along to the other hotels/shops on the strip. Lovely Jesica in the buffet restaurant. Was really friendly and sweet during dinner service. Ronaldo and Ayetsu, the butlers, we're welcoming. Ayetsu also went the extra mile. Much appreciated, thank you x.

The staff were mostly unhelpful, especially the two ladies front of house. I had to queue to enter the buffet restaurant one night at 9pm, which is quite late. No apology or explanation. Also, if you're there for less than 5 days you won't be able to get a table at one of the specialty restaurants. Long waiting list apparently. Initially, I was blown away when I arrived as the main entrance and bar was beautifully decorated. I was disappointed when I got to my room as the bathroom suite was really old and cleanliness just wasn't up to scratch. There were long dark hairs behind the toilet door, mould on the tiles and the wall mirror was splattered with toothpaste or something similar. I won't mention all the broken bits as this review will be endless. Didn't sleep well. The bed was comfy and sheets looked clean. However, there was a service cupboard of some sort outside of my room. Lots of banging from there when staff entered thoughout the day. Not a problem but then they'd enter in the early hours of the morning and the noise would wake me up. On the last morning I was woken by the cleaner trying to get into my room at a silly time in the morning even though checkout was meant to be midday. Very frustrating. I asked the front of house staff to help me to confirm my transfer to the airport. I was looked at with scron and bad attitude by one of the ladies and told to make the call from my room as I needed to pay for the call. I did this and was charged 1cuc for the call when checking out. Very small minded approach. They don't understand customer service. 1cuc is nothing especially considering what you pay to stay there. It's the principle and the lack of wanting to help. If the lady had made the call I would have given more than 1cuc for the call or as a tip. Just needed some assistance. Lastly, I asked one of the ladies at front of house to organise for the bell boy to collect my luggage at a certain time. This wasn't...