Almost everything you need to know is in all the other POSITIVE reviews so I do not wish to be redundant. I do however have some points to add or emphasize.

First off, when did we go? Aug 1 - Aug 8/04 and let me tell you it was hot. Not just everyday hot it was like sauna humid hot. Be prepared if you are going around this time period, bring lots of clothes! I thought I had overpacked but ended up going through a couple of shirts a day just from sweating. Don't let this deter you from visiting at this time of year though...it was well worth it.


Beach: Not a great beach. Coarse brownish sand, hard plastic loungers(a lot are cracked), a some parts are rocky. Bring beach shoes with you! I can say it is the best swim out snorkelling I have ever seen. 50 M out and you will see amazing reef and tonnes of fish.


Food: Fantastic! Don't miss Cuban night or seafood night at the Buffet. Try a lunch at the beach grill, you may not go back to buffet.



Things to do:
Scooter tours: Sign up for as many as you can. They are a blast and very cheap!

Havana Tour: One of the best tours I have been on. Try to ask for Louie as your tour guide. He is very informative and really funny..."MOVE". Fill your pockets with some small cheap individual candies. It gives you "currency" to give to any beggers that hassle you.

Spanish lessons with Erlene: Make sure you go to the night show on Friday after graduating.

Hike in the Morning with Osmel: What a workout but the view of the resort is worth all the huffing and puffing. Bring mosquito spray, bring lots. Don't say I didn't warn you. If you want to be nice leave whatever spray you have left with Osmel. He'll love you for it.

Drink a Mojito: They look strange but if you are not a sugary sweet drink person you will love 'em

Drink the water: It is fine. I swear. No need for bottled water but bring one empty to fill at the bar for your trips out.

See the night shows: Great entertainers and they like to involve the audience most nights. Don't miss the Saturday night show. Wear clean underwear. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Have I mentioned the great snorkelling right off your very own beach yet?



What not to do:

The Seafari Tour: What a ripoff. Catamaran ride was alright but not worth $75 US per person. Snorkelling was subpar especially since they did not have enough equipment for everyone. Cayo Blanco beach was nice but again...$75??? My advice is to skip it unless you really, really like riding on a catamaran.



Things to bring:

- lots of sun block
- lots of mosquito repellent
- beach shoes
- 1 pair of shoes that are not sneakers or sandals (the a la carte restaurants require them worn)
- 1 pair of long pants (a la carte dress code again)
- large insulated mugs if you are too lazy to keep going up to the bar (the glasses are pretty small)
- little trinkets for the maid (we brought nail polish, candy, cologne, notebooks, and baseballs.)
- a good attitude (if you complain all the time about everything then it is your fault you had a crappy time not anyone elses)
- an open mind (this is a different country and they will do things a little differently)



In summary: This was a beautiful resort with no Americans and no kids below 14. If you want any other questions answered please e-mail me at tburnside@golden.net

Oh yeah and it is pronounced Hib-a-coa not Jib-a-coa.

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.