Wow! I don't think words do this resort justice. Maybe it's because I haven't been anywhere tropical in a long time, but this is resort (and Cuba) will always hold a special place in my heart. My friend and I were looking for a lovely, tropical paradise that was laid back and gorgeous and we weren't disappointed. If you are looking for an active night life or a party atmosphere, this is NOT the place for you. Note that the resort is geared mainly to couples. There were some singles like us, but not many. There is also a 16+ cutoff age for guests.

We travelled to Cuba the week of June 26th to July 3rd. The weather was clear, hot, and humid, except for 1 brief hour of torrential rain. As this is the start of the rainy/hurricane season, we lucked out. It was 33-34 Celsius in the day, with 30% humidity and not much cooler at night. All the better to stay in your swimsuit and sit under the palm leaf umbrellas on the beach! The occupancy rate was quite low, but there were no line-ups for anything. You could pretty much eat and plan excursions at the last minute, except the 2 "fancy" dinners you get (the restaurants were half-empty, but you still have to make reservations in advance!).

ROOMS:
Very clean. The resort is only 5 years old. The property is always tended by a hard working gardener. They get unnoticed because they don't interact much with guests. If you think of it, a baseball hat would probably be appreciated.

FOOD:
The buffet food was actually not bad...everything tends to be overcooked, but not bad considering you're in a 3rd world country. If you're not a seafood or adventuresome fan, ask one of the cooks if they can whip something up for you. One of the gents did this for my friend and, boy, was she a happy camper. The Cuban restaurant was mediocre in terms of service; the food was so-so. The Italian restaurant was pretty good. The service was European and fairly attentive. Save your appetite for Seafood night (Thursday), although be warned that the food is overcooked; you do get lobster tails though. The wine and champagne in general was bad. Try the lime slushies with tequila or the chocolate monkeys...yummm... If you ask for a screwdriver, you'll end up with Tang and vodka. Rum and Coke is the equivalent of no-name cola and rum. I hear the specialty coffees were good; it was too hot to have a hot drink, I"m afraid. As for bringing a travel mug, I ended up abandoning mine, as it was cumbersome to carry around, and the drinks got warm quickly. It's just wasteful to throw away those little plastic cups.

SCOOTER TOURS:
Try the scooter tours. They're fairly inexpensive ($9-25 max) and take you around the countryside, to Santa Cruz del Norte (to visit a typical city, including a ration store), and to the Bellamar caves, etc. I believe there are more tours offered during the busy season, so book your tours early in case they only run once if you visit in the quiet season. We particularly enjoyed the Bacunayagua tour; you go to a small market where you can buy inexpensive jewellery and see the highest bridge in Cuba; you also visit a small fishing village called Puerto Escondido; it ends with a visit to Ramona's house, a gracious elderly lady who weaves hats and bags for $1-3!! The scooters are more like dirtbikes, so if you can handle a bike with weight, this should be fine. If you're wanting to take a tour, but not comfortable handling a bike on your own, you can ride on the back of the tour guides' bikes; a pretty good deal, as you get a running commentary on everything as you ride by. Javier and Adrian were very informative. Javier is a bit of a flirt so watch out. :D It was so fun, we went on 3 tours in 1 week!

THE BEACH:
The beach is breathtaking. The sand is medium grade; a little rough, but still walkable. There is a coral reef 25 feet out or so. Snorkel if you can. Just over the edge of the coral wall, you can feed the fish. Watch out for a few aggressive baracuda. Please be sensitive to the natural environment, and try not to walk on the reef itself. You can take a kayak out, too. There are non-motorized boats on which the boat guys will take you out; you have to book in advance, as it fills up quickly. We missed out, but kayaked instead. There are wonderful palm tree beach umbrellas and plastic lawn recliners; bring a beach towel to cushion yourself on the plastic. Have lunch at the Beach Bar; they have an open grill and do a great grilled chicken and pizza. Mmmm.... There are also bathrooms behind the Beach Bar.

TIPPING:
Tipping is not allowed on the resort, so please be discreet. Folding up a $1 (US) bill and leaving it under your dinner plate is advised for waiters. Of course, leaving a cash tip on your pillow is fine for your chambermaid. Everywhere else, try to palm the money discreetly. I don't think it makes much of a difference whether you tip or not, as the staff are either happy to be there or not happy to be there. Our chambermaid always had a smile and and an "hola" for us. The towel guy, too. They say that the average Cuban earns $6-8 (US) per month, so $1 (US) goes a long way. For gifts, think of essentials, like shampoo, soap, tampons, etc. We brought packs and packs of gum and toothbrushes for kids we saw and they were very appreciative.

EXCURSIONS:
Definitely take the Havana day trip. Visiting Colonial Havana was a real joy. Beautiful architecture. History. Wow. Be aware that asking for money is everywhere, albeit not quite like pahandling. For example, I was separated from the tour group in the Governor's Mansion by a seemingly nice tour guide. She ended up taking me behind restricted areas and trying to encourage me to touch the antiques and take photos. Upon extricating myself, she stepped in front of me and asked for a "gratuity". It was bothersome to see other tourists taking these guides up on their offers (i.e. sitting on the throne where the King and Queen of Spain sat when residing there). At the restaurant, the band introduced themselves and dedicated songs to our table, then asked for a tip. People will offer to sell you goods or services like a carriage ride, which is fine; you say "no" and they're ok with it. People will offer to help you, then ask for money in return. A real eyeopening experience, for sure. The show at the Tropican was worth the trip alone. It was 2 hours of non-stop entertainment, and you get a bottle of rum for every 4 people, plus small appies.

ACTIVITIES:
Do go on the mountain hike. It's up the hill behind the resort. It isn't high, but it's steep and tough in hot weather. Wear good shoes or you'll slip a lot like I did. The view is unsurpassed; you see the resort and miles of ocean; amazing. The conservation officer we met on the hill joined us for the last leg of the tour through a farmer's house. They welcomed us into their home and had coconut milk waiting for us. Bring along any gifts or a cash gift; I wasn't expecting such hospitality and regretted not bringing something along with me. Sit on the beach on Cuba day. There is a cowboy who rides his horse onto the beach. The staff also squeeze sugar cane juice for you on the spot, in addition to bringing out a spit roasted pig.

WHAT THEY DON'T TELL YOU:
Bring bug repellent! I ended up with 17 bug bites in 1 week. If you're expecting your "monthly visitor", bring supplies. You will be hard pressed to find anything. If you're so inclined, bringing some feminine hygiene products as a gift will not offend anyone. There is a little convenience store on the resort where you can buy cold bottled water for 75 cents to $1.10. Bring cash in small denominations for tipping (lots of $1 bills). Ask nicely for a room upgrade if the resort is not at full capacity; we were given a pool view because the resort was not full. The Piano Bar is upstairs from the lobby; it's air conditioned and mostly empty. Buy your cigars and gifts at the resort, as the prices are standard everywhere you go and don't vary much more than $1; it saves the inconvenience of carrying things around with you when you're on an excursion. If you pay by credit card, make sure it's not an American bank, and expect a 4% surcharge. Debit cards are not accepted. Keep your $25 exit visa fee separate from your general cash flow because they only take cash. If you want a massage, go to the workout room; I believe you'll get 90 minutes worth for $30 or $50 or somewhere in that range. Note that there is a mysterous $15 "late check out fee" if you want to keep your luggage in your room past the 12noon check out time; I paid the bellman $1 to lock our bags in a room at reception; otherwise, you'll have to leave your ubiquitous black suitcase in the open lobby and risk having someone accidentally take your bag.

OTHER:
It's completely safe on the resort. Some locals will walk through the beach or sun themselves on the beach, but they generally keep to themselves. Some may sell cigars. There's a lady who brings a small child and asks for soap/shampoo everyday; she makes a killing.

HAVE FUN!!! I HOPE I SEE YOU THERE WHEN I RETURN.

After going last October to Jibacoa, and reading all the reviews on here, i felt compelled to write my own review!

The resort was absolutely beautiful! The staff was wonderful, the food was great, and did I happen to mention that the staff was wonderful? We arrived to the hotel to a band playing Cuban music. This being my first time to Cuba, made the arrival even more special. The pool was the best, getting your chairs in the morning, and laying pool side was the way to go. I have since been to another resort in Cuba, but it does not even begin to compare.

The staff as I may have mentioned was wonderful. Manuel is a blast to go to sporting events with, espescially if the event is between Cuba and Canada. I missed the sand hockey tournament between Cuba and Canada as I was going into Varderro to swim with the dolphins, but I'm sure it would be no different.

The buffet restaurant was very good, I became friends with the Head Chef while I was down there. I did not get reservations into the Italian restaurant, as it books fast, so be sure to make reservations as soon as you can.

Overall, the trip was definately one to remember, and I hope to return in October.

My husband and I just returned from Breezes Jibacoa and had a very enjoyable and relaxing week. The weather was beautiful in spite of a couple of brief thunderstorms (this is their rainy season) and you can't beat pool volleyball in the rain!
We found the resort to be very clean, and the staff for the most part were very attentive, however somewhat reserved with the guests. Not as much of a party atmosphere as our last trip to Cancun, but that may just be the Cuban way. The food was very good by Cuban standards and we especially liked both The Taberna (Cuban) and Martino's (Italian) restaurants. The wine was free flowing and very good at Martino's and such a nice atmosphere. It's a shame you can only visit each restaruant once per week. The nightly entertainment was well done and seemed to be a notch above what I have seen anywhere else, lots of fun. Some of the activities were hit and miss, but there weren't a lot of people around at times. One thing I'd like to clear up is about the scuba. One review I read said that the dives were included. That is not the case anymore. The dive clinic is still included and it is very well done (takes about 3 hours) but the dives are no longer included. Since about a month ago they have started charging $30us for a dive, which I still think is very reasonable. The dive staff are well trained and know all the good spots to take you, the equipment is in good shape, and it is a very worthwhile adventure. Our trip into Havana was a bit disappointing although the architecture is amazing and the city must have really been something in it's heyday. My complaint (and it has nothing to do with the resort) is the constant pestering of tourists by locals. This can be very disconcerting even though we knew to expect it. Our tour guide didn't seem to care that this was happening and did nothing to warn us of what we could expect. I know these people are only trying to make a living but it is very annoying.
On the whole, we enjoyed our stay - don't believe all the negatives you read - the beach is not rocky (not real fine sand and only a few stones in the water), the food is plentiful and quite good, the surroundings are beautiful and tropical, and the drinks are good (order two at a time if you feel the need). If you go you'll have a good time. Enjoy!

We went on our first trip to Cuba in late July 2004. We really enjoyed Breezes Jibacoa as it was a nice quiet romantic resort: perfect for a honeymoon. We were upgraded to a beachfront room next door to the Brits that wrote the review below (hi guys, thanks for the sharing your bubbly). The resort was only about 15-25% capacity while we were there, yet there were plenty of friendly staff to help you. Despite what people say about Cuban food, we found the food to be excellent. Seafood night is the best: whole lobster tails (so make sure you do not book your a la carte on the same evening). The a la carte restaurants serve the same food as the buffet, but it is a nice break to get dressed up and go anyway. They also had a variety of hot snacks available until 2 am. My wife found this a handy resource to feed the resort dog and cat which are very friendly and clean.

The beach is perfect: some natural shade from trees, beautiful coral just infront of the resort makes for great snorkling. No mosquitoes either. The sun was very hot from 1-3pm so be sure not to get sunburned on the first day. We would often get rain for an hour or two in the later afternoon or evening, but it never lasted very long and it dried up very quickly.

The resort was almost exclusively occupied by canadians, so much so that they even have beach hockey, eh! Unfortunately there were a few drunk Canadian cowboys (who wears boots and jeans in cuba when it is 35 Celsius?) complete with mullets! However, the majority of the people were nice quiet and polite canadian couples.

The resort is set in the hills: make sure you go on the hiking tour. Although the hill is short, it is steep and muddy so bring your runners. It is also worth walking along the road to the highway. You will be able to see and talk to the local farmers. They may invite you in for a drink so bring a few American dollars or some small trinkets for gifts. The walk in the countryside was one of the highlights of the trip for us. Also, be sure to see Havanna. The tours include lunch in Havanna and include a tour of a rum factory or cigar factory etc.

In the hotel handbook it is explained in bold type that tipping is not allowed: so don't let management see you tip staff. We did tip at the end of our vacation to the staff that were most helpful to us.

Also, bring your own large cup/mug, otherwise you will end up throwing away dozens of tiny disposable cups. Speaking of drinks: make sure to try the pina colada and the Mojito.

Quite honestly, the entertainment is lame. But we were not there for the shows anyway. If you are looking to party: don't bother with Breezes Jibacoa in the summer instead try Varadero. After a week in Breezes Jibacoa we spent a week in Bahia Principe Varadero (formly Club Med). We much preferred Breezes Jibacoa for service, food, beach, and atmosphere. If return to Cuba, we will go to Breezes Jibacoa.