We spent a week at Breezes Jibacoa in April 2004. It was a fabulous holiday and the resort was perfect. One of the complaints we often read about before going to Cuba, was that you could not get to know the "real" Cuba. That the government keeps the locals and tourists very isolated from each other. At Jibacoa this was completely untrue.

We shopped in Cuban dollar and peso stores, we went to a rations store, we visited a primary school, we visited city homes, country homes, farms, etc. Most of all we met so many Cubans from all walks of life, not just the tourist trade workers.

From Jibacoa you are well placed to see the real Cuba because you are outside of the gated community of Varadero. Jibacoa is a region popular with the locals as a vacation spot. A number of Cuban resorts and campgrounds are located around Jibacoa.

We took a different scooter tour everyday. The sign up sheet is in the main lobby and all the tours are highly recommended, and extremely reasonable. They enable you to really get into Cuba and see how they live. Everywhere we went on the scooters we were welcomed with open arms, waves, smiles and a hospitality we have never experienced on our other travels.

Our private taxi fell through so we decided to do a group tour to Havana. This was a big mistake. The big tour buses and groups were like a magnet for hustlers, beggars and anyone trying to get some of your dollars. We were harassed, stalked, and one couple had their bag ripped to shreds and all their stuff taken by a large group of locals. We had heard that Havana was well policed, but we saw no police, security or protection for tourists. In fact our tour guide seemed to think it was amusing to watch everyone in our group get harassed. It is STRONGLY recommended that you get a private taxi tour to Havana and avoid the group tours at all costs. The harassment we received in Havana was the only negative part of an otherwise wonderful holiday.

At the resort the snorkeling is amazing. Make sure to bring your snorkel gear with you. There is live coral and tropical fish right off shore. It’s amazing. The food at the resort was excellent, even with a very sensitive stomach and allergies; we never had any problem with the food or water. The cleanliness at the hotel is also excellent. The resort also brings artists and vendors to the resort. This is an excellent opportunity to buy gifts.

Cuba is different from anywhere else we have ever traveled. Make sure you get to see it before the embargo is lifted and it changes forever.

April 23, 2004

We just returned from Jibicoa and had an excellent vacation. We were a little concerned about some of the reviews from this hotel and others. However, we were definately not disappointed. Don't forget to bring down a travel mug for your drinks, we were asked a number of times how we knew to bring down the drink weapon of choice. Some special can't miss dates for the buffet are Tues, Wed and Thursday. Book your a la carte dinners around the above. Tues is Cuban night, Wed is Mexican and you don't want to miss the seafood night! As for the activities, make sure you go scuba diving if you are interested. It is included in the cost of your trip, you have to have lessons or your certificate to go in the open water. The lessons were excellent and safety was very important to them. This hotel is remote from the main area of Varadero and Havanna (in the middle) but the amount of activities is amazing. From bicycle tours, morning hikes, catamarans, snorkeling, to all the other activities you will not be bored. Make sure you go on the scooter tours, we really enjoyed the pirate cove tour. If you are interested in bringing items down for the workers bring "Nike, Adidas" clothing you don't want anymore and nail polish, perfumes etc. As for pens pencils these items are fairly inexpensive in Cuba. If you have a chance go to Havanna for the day. This is a must especially old havanna. As for the service and workers at the resort, they are friendly and effecient. You don't feel the pressure to tip, but if you do they are very appreciative. For hockey fans, if you have extra space bring down your old hockey sticks for them. They will really appreciate them as the have Canada vs. Cuba games either on the beach or the basketball court.

This resort was excellent.

This was our first trip to Breezes Jibacoa, but it definitely won't be our last! We were there the week of April 5-12 and had perfect weather!
Here are some notes... Beach: The beach is not a pure white sand beach, but is beautiful anyway. They work very hard to keep it clean and we were fine walking everywhere in bare feet. Also, it was not at all crowded and we could always get chairs and space in the shade.
Watersports: The snorkelling is amazing! There are literally thousands of colourful fish that will swim right up to you, and you can see awesome things right near the shore! We also had a great time on the catamaran and windsurfing! The sailing was a good time too, but don't go out on a day with no wind or you will get stuck like us! Room: Our room was very clean and bright with a nice garden view. We brought little presents for the maid and she left towel swans and hearts for us each day. Food: I have travelled quite a bit all over the world, and I was extremely impressed with the food. The buffet has plenty of choices and you can get things like freshly squeezed OJ and ice cream, yum! The omelettes and fresh pasta are tasty too, and everything goes well with a nice mojito! Service: The Cuban people are so friendly and willing to please. They work very hard and never expect a tip in return, but do appreciate it when they get one. Activities: There was always stuff to do (beach volleyball, hockey tourney, hikes, walks...) but it was never TOO much. The nightly shows were generally pretty good, and we even got a bottle of rum for winning the Best Couple show! Lots of fun! Grounds: The resort grounds are absolutely beautiful. The gardeners work so hard but barely ever get tips because they don't work around people. The pool is really nice too, and was never crowded. Overall, we would recommend this place to anyone who is looking for a relaxing, peaceful vacation. Maybe we'll see you there next year! If you're going, say "Hola" to Julio and Zaray from Mark and Shannon!

My wife and I just returned from an absolutely wonderful, hassle-free vacation at Breezes Jibacoa from April 4-11, 2004. From the flight there on WestJet to our departure from the resort we never ceased to be impressed with how things went. Check-in was an absolute breeze, they hand you a lock for your safety deposit box in your room that actually works....a first for me. The rooms are great.....very clean and well-appointed. Don't expect to have a minibar in your room....but there's plenty of other places to get drinks. We drank the cold tap water all week with no problems whatsoever. The week we were there was supposedly a busy one but the beach and pool never seemed very busy.
With 250 rooms and a maximum of 500 people at the resort, there seems to be enough space to easily accommodate everyone. The food at the buffet is very good and has a good selection of main courses, salads, fresh fruit, and dessert every meal. You will get to eat at the Cuban restaurant once and the Italian restaurant (very good) once during your stay (reserve very soon after you arrive). We took the Special Tour to Havana that leaves at 9am and returns at 2am. You spend the whole day touring Havana both walking around and driving around. You then get access to a room at a hotel where you can relax for a couple of hours, shower, and change into long pants (for men) and get ready to go out for the evening. Lunch and dinner are both included as well as your entrance into the Tropicana show. This was the original show that the Las Vegas shows are modeled after….very impressive and worth seeing.
You get drinks and snacks included at the show as well. I think the tour costs $119 USD and is well worth it in my opinion. Back at the resort there are a couple of walks you can go on, one up the steep hill behind the resort that gives you a great view of the hotel and the ocean, and another more leisurely walk that goes through a farm or two and gives you a chance to see some more of the countryside. I would recommend going on both of these. The farms you visit all have families with kids so if you’re planning on bringing some gifts, bring them on these walks and the people would be thrilled to receive them. They give you fresh coconut and sugar cane to eat while you walk through their farm so a little gift in return would be nice. As far as tipping at the resort…we tipped $2 per day for our housekeeper and she seemed to appreciate it and did a wonderful job with our room. We didn’t tip at all for drinks at the bars unless there was exceptional service (one bartender went to another bar to get what he needed to make a Spanish coffee because he had run out). We did not feel it was at all expected or necessary. We did tip for exceptional service at the restaurants and on the tours and walks, which turned out to be more often than not.
From what we could tell, most of the people make approximately $15 USD per month. Many of them speak Spanish, English, French, and Italian and have degrees in veterinary medicine and the like….I hate to say it but I was embarrassed at how much smarter they were than the average Canadian down there. If these people could actually come to Canada they’d be making 6 figures but I somehow doubt they’d be any happier. I guess what I’m saying is that the people are awesome, the service they provide is awesome, and a two or three-dollar tip for them is very meaningful. Never once did I feel like it was expected but I always knew that it was appreciated. Maybe we lucked out, we picked this resort based on the reviews on this website, but somehow I doubt it. I would not hesitate to recommend this resort to anyone looking for a great time in Cuba.