Since all other reviews are on the resort
and I cannot say anything more
I will make my review
on the diving there

Wow what a trip
we enjoyed the resort very much
the fist 2 day were extrodinary
could not dive first day
since it was sunday
and they are off work
so we snorkled
15 different type of fish in one glance
even a small octopuss
if you keep still you might see it under the coral

First dive was Chistmas day (2nd day)
Incredible dive visibility 20 to 25 meters
whent on a shallow dive
15 meters down 45 min dive
coral reef is in very good shape to our estonishment
we have dived several time in Cuba at different locations
and have been disapointed at the concerns of the cubans
to protect the coral reefs
we were very pleased to see that
AT THIS DIVE CENTER
they DO NOT USE AN ANCOR
so it keeps the coral reefs in good shape
nor was there much bleaching to the coral
the colors were vivid and beautiful
mureana, school fish, groopers, lobsters, angel fish
are there to greet you


unfortunatly
it rained 2 days out of the 7
1st out of the 2 we went to Havana
A bit disapointing
because WE WANTED TO SEE HAVANA
and THE GUIDE SHOWED US CIGAR SHOPS INSTEAD
very touristy
so next time will take local guide and taxi
the other day we took it easy (reading)

The 3 last days were very windy
so diving was very difficult for me
I am a very good diver
but not such a good swimmer
so as soon as we were out of the boat
I was quickly swept away
so had to go down fast
visibility was not so good
5 to 10 meters
and we were at a shallow dive
12 meters for 47 mins


the diving guides are incredible
secure and safety first
these guy's are expert in
search and recover
since the conditions are difficult
and tourists aren't usually very good divers
so it make for difficult dives
the next day my husband went for 2 dives
and the conditions were even harder

Small boat 10 divers and usaually 2 to 3 guides
The Capitaine is very used to this coral reef

we could not even snorkle
the last days
Red flag on beach
could only swim thigh high

only did 2 dives on this trip
but would go back again
but in different season
more April or May
diving must be incredible at this time of the year
since there is less wind
and conditions are better
as per the recomendations of the dive staff



JS!

My husband and I stayed at this resort from Nov 20 to Dec 4 along with 30 of our family and friends. We got married there on Nov 24. I will only write about the things that stood out about the trip.

We chose this resort because we are water/snorkelling lovers and the reviews we had read all said this resort had great snorkelling. We were not disappointed. The first few days were quite rough and there were a lot of jellyfish, so we stuck the pool. But the last 8 or 9 days were fabulous with great weather and calmer water. We spent most of our time snorkelling in the "blue hole" in front of the beach bar where we saw yellow stingrays, porcupine fish, reef squid, scorpionfish, filefish, moray eels and much more. It was great! The only thing that really bothered us was all the people walking and standing on the coral. Coral is a living organism and even touching it can kill it, yet the hotel has no signs posted and most guests seemed either oblivious or not to care. Needless to say the coral is about 80 to 90% dead. Please do not stand on the coral if you go!

The hotel grounds are absolutely gorgeous and kept immaculate by the gardening staff. The resort and the rooms are the cleanest I have ever stayed in. Our maid was great and even phoned us to say goodbye and to thank us on our last day there.
The staff was extremely friendly and always helpful. Sarah and Vivian, the wedding coordinators, went above and beyond in every way. If we needed anything they were always there to help us out and it was very obvious that Sarah absolutely loves her job!

The wedding was just what we wanted, simple, short and nice. If you are a picky or controlling bride this is not for you. We had no choice in the flowers, the decorations or the cake. None of these things bothered us but some people may not like this. We scheduled the wedding for 3:00 but the notary's car broke down and he was almost 2 hours late! It ended up working out really well though because the sun was setting in our pictures and with the clouds and the sunset we got some amazing pictures!

We did trips to Havana and Varadero but the one thing that really stood out was the jeep tour. It was worth every penny (69 CUC). We first drove to a reserve in the ocean and snorkelled, the coral had gullies and ravines and really neat formations, and there were tons of fish! We then went snorkelling in a freshwater cave where there are no fish, but the rock formations continue from above the water to under it, so it was a unique experience. We then had lunch on an old coffee plantation (which looked pretty unappealing but turned out to taste pretty good - I recommend the potato/banana/squash soup if they have it). After lunch we went to the Bellamar cave which was incredible. You descend into a giant cavern and then into a tunnel where you walk for about 750 meters. The floor and ceiling are covered in large stalagmites and stalactites all made from white crystals. And the rock formations....it was like being on the moon. One thing to note is that it costs $5 per camera to take pictures in the cave, so we just took one between the 6 of us and shared the pictures when we got home.

I would recommend this resort to couples and anyone who loves to relax, sunbathe and snorkel. I would not receommend it for singles looking for a party and a nightlife.

We do not like to travel to the same place twice, but if we did this would be my #1 choice of places to go back to!

Here are our two cents for this trip:

For a la carte restaurant in Breezes Jibcoa, If you want to dine a specific time or a popular evening it may help to reserve early. The Italian restaurant ‘s dress code is casual elegance.

Bring some antiseptic towelettes with you before go snorkeling, the resort provides reusable but not sterilized snorkels.

There is one sea food (lobster) night per week in the buffet, make sure you don’t miss it

Advise you to bring money in cash because there is extra 11% charge if you want to use your credit card, plus in many places you can only pay in cash. You can extract cash from your credit card in some banks, but you have to take a taxi to get there (at least 30 CUC), most of the banks close very early (12:00am or 2:00 pm). Do not bring US dollars.

Make sure that courtesy room is available. If you leave at night, you have to check out at 12:00am, leave you luggage in the lobby. The resort offers a courtesy room for you to take a shower after you come back from the beach. We had a bad experience with that, we tried to use the courtesy room 2 hours before our departure, but it was all booked up, we ended up taking a cold shower in bathing suits in the public shower area, got changed in the public washroom before we took the bus back to the airport.

Over all it was a good holiday, we really enjoyed the resort, the beach and each other.

My boyfriend and I stayed there Dec 9-16th. The room was very nice and clean, although it didn’t have a fridge as I was told there was suppose to be. Only ocean view rooms have a fridge but not kept stocked very well.
You have to buy bottled water, it is not supplied by the resort.
$1CUC for a 1.5L bottle, at the shops but you can refill it at the lobby bar.
Something to keep in mind when you are staying there, is when you are exchanging money at the lobby. MAKE sure you ask for a receipt as it is not offered.

Canadians-bring Canadian currency and exchange it there. We brought EUROs as we were told they were worth money in Cuba but that’s not the case. They do not charge a surcharge as well. They have umbrellas available; just sign them out for the week at the front desk.
The week we were there, we only had sun for 2 ½ days so it was quite boring for us the first dew days as we like to party and sun ourselves. When the sun came out there were lots of sand, water activities. There is a hot tub to the left of the back of the hotel. It is nice but sometimes chilly.
Entertainment at night starts at 9:30. Try and get a seat inside or out depending on the weather, around 9 as it does fill up. The shows are alright. Michael, one entertainer is great. So funny, a real jokester. He is also the tour guide for the daily walk except on Tuesday and Thursday’s in the afternoon at 4:30. He takes you up the road a bit to see a few homes, locals. It is a nice 45 minute walk.
We meet some people there so we hung out together and made it fun for ourselves. For us the tourist made a difference. We met LOTS of people, mostly from Canada and talked up a storm.
Not the friendliest workers at the hotel. We would order our drinks and smile, and then they would continue to talk amongst themselves. We thought this was very rude.
There is one worker who is always singing, just so happy to be there. He made me laugh.
The piano bar is the place to go after dinner-open 6pm-2am.
The two guys that work up there are amazing. They are always very helpful and courteous. If you like to play cards, bring a deck up there because the piano is seldom playing.

Food-Well, we certainly have had better. The food is very bland, cold. They have a Mexican night on Wednesday that was good. Lobster night on Thursday that was the best dinner buffet of all. Make sure you line up 10 minutes before it opens. Not the best choice for fruits, salads. Desserts are not very sweet as we know them. Omlettes are made to order for Breakfast, Pasta for Lunch.
The a la cartes are nice, especially the Cuban one. We had the Beef Tenderloin and it was so good. There is also a Beach Grill that is so nice, open 12pm-5pm. The food is made to order and hot.
There is not always food available so be sure to check the times of the Buffet.

Drinks-So nice and plenty of it. Take a look at the menu on the bar to see what is available. If there is something that you want and not on the menu, the piano bar will always make it. We loved the Jibacoa Coffees. They take a little longer to make but worth every minute. Make sure to bring a larger cup or mug with a lid on it. The cups they give you are so small-2 sips and it’s gone.
When buying to take home, the price is the same at the airport as it is at the resort.
$3.85 CUC’s (convertible Pecos) which is about $5 CDN for 1 liter.

Tours, etc-When you are going for the orientation with your representative, ASK questions.
We booked a Jeep Safari Tour which was awesome-$69 CUC’s each., worth every penny but he did not tell us that we would have to pay for extras like at the cave tour. You can bring your camera in but it will cost you $5. Unless you have a good camera that takes good pictures in the dark, don’t waste your time. A local offered us a DVD for $25 CUC. He walked around with us taping our tour. It was nice to have but not very good quality. Gorgeous inside but very dark and slippery, bumpy so be sure to wear good walking shoes. Very hot and humid as well.
We also visited a farm with a traditional Cuban lunch, not too appealing to me but very nice.
We swam in a cave of fresh water and then went snorkeling in the ocean-this was the best thing on the tour. I have never snorkeled before but it didn’t take long till I learned to relax and enjoy it. Absolutely beautiful.

We also went on a Scooter ride. There are 2 a day. Sign up in the lobby to the right of the desk. There are different tours so make sure you read up on them before signing up. You can always change your mind afterwards.
It is $15 CUC for each Scooter. The scooter will hold two people. We visited an 80 year old woman who makes everything out of Bamboo-Hats, Purses, Baskets, Fans. Very nice and cheap-wonderful woman. He took us to a port-Hidden Port where ships would hide out and to the tallest bridge where you could do some shopping.

We also did a trip to Havana. Very interesting life they lead. We went on a horse, buggy tour which was $20 for about 1 hour. Nice way to see Havana. Rum Factory, Cigar Factory, you have to pay to go inside about $5-$10 CUC each person.
All in all we had a pretty good time with exception to the weather. If you would like to ask a few questions, drop me an email and I will be happy to send one back. blmarr71@rogers.com