Los Jazmines Hotel

The view IS stunning, however it's about the only good thing about this hotel. - The food was terrible , not really edible - The shower less than hopeless - The room was not very clean - Nothing to do in the evening The hotel at the weekend also seemed to be taken over by rich cubans coming for a day trip to use the pool so when we turned up expecting a peaceful haven we were greeting by a pink palace that resembled the equivilent of a cuban Butlins holiday camp with screaming kids and loud music blaring over the pool. Unfortunately there is not a lot of choice of hotels in this area - so if want to visit the Vinales area which is worth it, plan ahead, figure out what you want to do and stay at this hotel for the minimum number of nights required.

The views from this hotel are superb. That's all that can be said in its favor. When we arrived there was no running water, which mean we coudn't even flush the toilets. The staff seemed neither surprised nor concerend. This continued for about 2 days. After a while in Cuba you will come to expect this level of service and brush it off. It's still probably in the top 50% of state-run hotels.

This is the best hotel in the area but unfortunately it's still not good. Rooms need up-dating and a coat of paint (a bit like a holiday camp back in the 60's). The views are fantastic which is what you are really paying for. Recommend a short stay of only one or two nights. Bar staff offish and unwilling to serve food even though there is a bar menu. Their favourite word is 'no' unless it's a straight forward drink you want. Only set buffet meal in main restaurant which is cheap (about £6) but not very nice. You can buy snacks in the hotel shop. Good size swimming pool. Recommend having a massage which is about £15 for a full treatment. The room is out-of-date but the massage is very good. Also recommend the 3 hour horse trek for riders or non-riders. It's only about £9.00 and it's a lovely way to see the area, and the horses are well cared for. Security guards around and they are very friendly. They would always say hello. Cleaning staff also friendly. Area fantastic - a must see even if you have to put up with the bad hotel.

Having read previous reviews of this hotel, I wasn't expecting much! The location is brilliant, the views from the chalet style rooms are breathtaking and it would be worth staying here just to sit out on the terrace in the morning taking in the beautiful scenery. Service is ok, some staff are really helpful and friendly, others are the opposite. Rooms again are ok, but nothing special. We had to go 2 days without cold water which meant a smelly loo and very quick showers! Food isn't as bad as some reviews suggest, ok its not great but you can find something to eat even if you are fussy like me and breakfast was fine too. There is a desk which organises tours etc-I can highly recommend a horse riding trip through the valley. The guy who organised it was great as was the guy who leads the tour, although he doesnt speak any English myself and another girl on our tour spoke Spanish and got some really interesting local info from him.

Disappointing shabby hotel, with staff who just love to say no. When the security staff smiled and wished us good evening, we got a real shock. However, that view is to die for. It really is worth putting up with the filthy toilets and basic food, just to sit on that balcony for a day. A guided horse ride through the valley was one of the highlights of our whole holiday.

Worth staying here for the view in the morning from your balcony in the morning watching the birds sing and the vultures take off. (Bus parties stop of here to take pictures of the valley from the hotel). Couple of miles from Vinales downhill. Also worth staying if your fussy about your food and want to lose weight! Food is edible just... Rooms basic with noisy air con and we hadn't water part of one day at the hotel.. Got to the pool in the morning as other guests seem to allow thier kids to chuck plastic glasses into it in the afternoon!!!! Will be a great hotel when the multinationals get a hold of it and refurbish it and the staff....

We enjoyed very much staying at this hotel. I suspect this may be because we went expecting the food to be impossible (we are vegetarians) so didn't even bother going to dinner in the restaurant instead sticking to the bar food and our own inventions using a travel kettle! NB if you are planning to stick to the bar food beware that they will not make everything when dinner is on upstairs. The view is unforgettable. We found the rooms to be very comfortable (especially the lovely hot shower) and the pool area to be clean and pleasant. Breakfast was actually fine as well. We didn't think the bar area had much atmosphere at night though although as this was not what we were here for we didn't mind too much. Having booked both a walk and a tour through the cubanacan rep. we were delighted with both. Both times we had a personal tour (just the two of us). Both guides (Roly and Boris) were fantastic and showed us so much more than we would have got on our own - its well worth getting a guide as its not like in europe when you can often do just as well yourself. We really felt we had an authentic untouristy experience.

I can just reiterate what other have said. Food awful, dirty plates, cold chips, diluted juice, which gives you tummy bug, wine which tastes of vinegar, poor restaurant service. But if you stay in a room in the new building or in a cabana (small bungalow-style room with your own veranda) the view is breath-taking and well worth the stay here, and very relaxing. The sunsets and sunrise are unforgettable, we took lots of pictures. We would recommend it just for this, and go and eat somewhere in Vinales! The hotel has a good selections of excursions as Cubanacan rep is on-site. The Vinales tour was good, as well as the day-trip to Cayo Levisa, all well organised and the tour guides are excellent. We stayed 3 nights and it was just perfect (well.....except the food, that is!)

Repeat what is said elsewhere the views are fantastic, rooms adequate - very clean and we were given one with a new bed 'the best' he said. Hotel staff very friendly and efficient, restaurant absolutely awful, avoid at all costs - we both had food poisoning. Snacks (sandwiches particularly the Cuban sandwich) from the bar were much better and we stuck to this for the second night. Pool was very cold this time of year but (reasonably) clean A 2 day stay here is sufficient to do most things unless you have transport , we booked the coach tour from the hotel and it was great - went all the tourist places but with a very well educated and informative guide Had no problems with water or electricity during our stay but aparently just before we arrived there had been neither for 3 days Definately worth a visit for the view and local area but only a short stay is advisable

The only argument to decide for this hotel is the fabulous view. We decided for the cottages for the second time now. They are rather small and basic (the hotel rooms as well), and you have to be prepared for visits from frogs and geckos. But from the patio in front of your cottage, you have a view that makes you forget the bad experience from the dining room. We had cottage no 1, the one occupied by Fidel long time ago. The hotel is on the rim of the valley. You just relax and contemplate - if possible with a good local cigar and an aged rum - and look down on the valley below, where the growers groom their tabacco plants. To avoid the horrible dining experience in the hotel, visit "la casa del veguero", 5 minutes down to the valley. You can visit a secadore, where the tabacco is kept for drying, you see the tabacco plants and don't miss their food (try the polo cohiba - we named it so, as it eats from the tabacco plants = cohiba in the native indian language) in a very special ambience. Invite the locals to your table and you are sure to habe an unique cuban experience. They sell good handmade cigars there at 10% from what you pay in the factory or the state run shops. Unfortunately the restaurant has to close at 5 pm to avoid competing the state owned hotel restaurant.