A little late, but I was at the Beezes Jibacoa last October for 1 wonderful week. The beach was great, people were very friendly and the service was excellent. The food was also very good with lots of variety.

I have read all the reviews here on Trip Advisor before I booked our trip... we came back on August 8 from Cuba... the highlight of our trip was the people we have met. The hotel itself is ok, more of a 3 star than 4 star.

Hotel Room: The rooms are very basic, like a motel... bed, desk, table and 2 chairs and a mirror on the wall and a small TV. And it was not very clean... I had to wipe the closet and all the furniture before I set anything down. The room have AC, but it doesn't keep the room very cool, no cieling fan and no mini fridge. Also no bottle water, the hotel claims that they have a very good filter system, so the water is good to drink. If you want bottle water, you have to buy it.

Food: Average... the mexican night, the food was good... they do not put the cold food on ice, they just sit there for hours. There are a lot of flies. The buffet restaurant does not have AC, and limited ceiling fan, not a lot of breeze going thru the restaurant. You are actually using your dinner napkin to wipe the sweat off your face... that's how hot it is in there. In my opinion the hotel seems to operate on the cheap side... the foods are prepared and left there. They have just 2 juice all week... no variation. Twice, I know the chick peas salad was spoiled, you can smell it... this is a result of not putting the cold food items on ice. At the bar they would put 1 or 2 ice cube in your drink, you would have to ask for more ice. They ran out of lemon a few times.

The lawns are well maintained, and the resort is clean. They try to encourage you to not put your bath towels in the wash everyday.... Another thing, one day it rain a lot and our room got flooded and we were on the upper level. Also, there is a sewer smell in the bathroom... there is an extra drainage on the floor and if you happen to stand over it, it reeks... not a nice thing. Bathroom is basic. I would say this hotel is fairly old, as the furniture looks worn out.

We try to make the best of the holiday... first impression was not good... the driveway into the hotel was not impressive in the least... the lobby nothing spectactular... I was quite disappointed when I arrived... we even ask if we could change hotel, but it was going to cost too much. Also, we had to wait over 2 hrs for our room.

The best part of the vacation was that we have met some really nice people and we went on a couple of day trips which breaks up the time there. Would I recommend this place, probably not... this hotel is for the older crowds in their 50's and 60's ... very quiet resort. Apparently the Canadians complained about the music at the beach, which I think is ridiculous... you need a little bit of fun and excitement when you are the beach... palying volley ball with some music in the background makes a big difference.

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.