Sandals Royal Hicacos Resort & Spa

2 readers found this review helpful

traveled from london gatwick june 2010 for two weeks,on arival mini bus transver,thirty min on bus arival,met by reception staff with cocktails,taken by them to our rooms. two level split ,big bed,double bath,coffee,tea,rum,wine,soft drinks,bath robes,all there.pool water very warm but shallow depth.food was a lot better than i expected waiter service for drinks waiter serving about four tables and wanted to talk to you about your country and family.some local sparrow birds in restorant,no bother to us beachbar good staff food basic,burgers hottdogs ect,soft drinksand hard if you want them.poolbar again cannot do enough to please you .traveled to havana fantastic two days including sights food good hotel and show tropicana music and dance.so good that on my retern to uk,have rebooked for june 2011,thant you jim and mary cooper cardiff uk.

3 readers found this review helpful

We've just spent 2 weeks at the sandals resort for our honeymoon and didn't find a single fault with the hotel or the staff. Everyone was so helpful and couldn't do enough for you,especially Barbara and Hermenes from buffet and Julio from the grill bar. Rigo the Thomas Cook rep was very helpful aswell,we forgot our european plug but he went out of his way to get us 1. I also want to mention the very nice gardener that picked us flowers every day and gave us shells. Overall this was an excellent holiday and we can't wait to return.

6 readers found this review helpful

went to cuba for my honeymoon i have to say that the whole experiance was great we spent 4 days in havana first at the hotel de naticonal cuba sorry if that is spelt wrong , it was great to get out and about in havana did not find the locals to pushy and it was great to go somewhere there is no YELLOW M on every street corner the hotel was good and havana is a great place to go, try and do it before certain countries lift their travel ban if you know what i mean ,
onto sandals after a 3 hour drive we arrived at the hotel to a nice glass of bubbly, after we was checked in we were taken to our rooms i have to say the room was a good size and the bed was huge it was a shame that the room had not been cleaned however with in 10 mins there was 2 maids cleaning it for us , NOW I HAVE TO SAY HERE AND NOW THIS IS NOT A REAL SANDALS it just uses the name under liscence i beleive so if you are a sandals regular you will probably be disapointed, saying that we found the hotel great the food was very good from all resturants the staff were not pushy for tips we just made sure that they knew we would be tipping at the end of our stay and only to people who provided good service , my tips for going here would be do as the canadians do and take a thermos cup with you it helps keep your drinks cool in that heat , do not get drunk and shout and swear its a adult only hotel and that behaviour is something i would expect from a hotel full of kids on the beer for 2 weeks and to be honest we can all swear it does not make you big or hard it just shows you up as a bit of a idiot or maybee a huge idiot and it is supposed to be a hotel for 2 people in love so why would you talk to your loved one like that , also if and when you tip do not high 5 your mates because you gave some one a tip they only earn 15 pounds sterling a month you do not need to show your wealth to these people it only shows you as a ignoramous ( that is not aimed at any person or people from a paticular country however if the cap fits ) we made freinds with both fellow brits and canadians its amazing how many canadians serverd here in the 1940s and after ,and we also kept away from some fellow brits and candians all i can really say is go enjoy remember its a cuban 5 star hotel so probably 4 star anywhere else , oh yes the beach is great nice white sand warm sea enjoy yourself there also go to the beach in the morning and you will probably see the pelicans feeding right by the sea front

10 readers found this review helpful

My wife and I were rebooked from our original hotel because of the hurricane but were not disappointed. This is not a Sandals Caribbean standard but a Sandals Cuba standard so lower your expectations slightly. The room, pool area and beach were very good and the restaurants were generally good but the theme restaurants were nothing special. We went on a catamaran trip and swam with the dolphins which was one of our main reasons for going to Cuba. On the downside. the coach ride down from Havana was about two and a half hours with one stop and some other airlines fly direct to Varadero which is much closer.
In the main restaurant there was always freshly cooked food and plenty of choice, our only concern was a cold buffet of meat and cheese seemed to be swarming with flies. We spent hardly any money except on tips which were gratefully received and left some t-shirts etc. with the gardener's. We had no stomach upsets or mossie bites so we must have been lucky. One other advantage is that this is an adults only complex and the silence without any kids around was excellent. We will go back to Cuba again but perhaps to the original hotel we had booked which had been recommended by friends.

7 readers found this review helpful

I have just returned from two weeks at this resort and have never been so disappointed. A hairy, two and a half hour transfer, we arrived at our destination. The rooms were ok apart from the fact that we had no mosquito net so got bitten to hell, the windows were filthy with brown packing tape all over it. The TV broke down, the bath trim came loose exposing rusty screws, no bath plug, sink plug, door handle loose, intermittent lights and of course the table lamp shades kept on falling down, the phone wasn't connected to the handset as it was broken and the mattress protector was on upside down. Oh and the bottled water wasn't replenished daily and on occasion neither were the towels,A/C was useless and had to rely on the ceiling fan. The Lobby bar was being replenished while we were there and when it re opened, there was a leak all over the floor. Then we went for breakfast at the buffet bar, apart from the fact that at times they ran out of Eggs, Butter and Bacon.You know basic breakfast items. When the omelette was cooked it was raw inside. Then go for a lovely dip in the swimming pool, more like a paddling pool. It was so shallow in places that you could lie in it and not drown. The swim up bar was still being done, two weeks to do and still not finished. The Restaurants faired no better. We went to the best one, El Caribe, only to be served cold starters on a cold plate, the main course,also meant to be hot again served on a cold plate. No bread rolls as a starter. when offered Chicken and Shrimps in a curry sauce, you expect more than one shrimp and the sauce to taste of curry. We left almost immediately. The buffet restaurant was dangerous. I watched them cook chicken on the hot plate, then got some rice and added a curry vegetable sauce for flavour. The sauce was bland no taste and cold, vegetables that were undercooked and RAW chicken. I ended up with a cheese and tomato pizza with Ice Cream for afters. mmmmm. Bearing in mind this is an ultra all inclusive resort with the reputation of Sandals known the world over. I paid £4000.00 for this holiday and was woefully disappointed and short changed. Never again will I venture to Cuba, EVER.

26 readers found this review helpful

Having read alot of these reviews before we set off, we had expected a number of things from...
1) Bad rooms
2) Bad food
3) Birds in the food halls
4) Mossie's eating you alive all night
5) Staff that stood waiting for tips (as they do in the USA, and you CAN NOT get rid of them)
BUT, we booked it, and went on the holiday...
On the first night, we eat at the BUFFET (some call it the canteen and say you need to book????, errr, no booking required here... it's an ALL YOU CAN EAT BUFFET, yep, you can have 5 or 8 cources, and still go back for more..!) as we turned up LATE (it's a 3.5 hour trip from Havana airport, and after checking in (the free champers was a nice touch) and having our bags taken to the room, unpacking etc, it was late) the food was a bit chilled, but there was a HUGE choice, I had the DUCK, but there was everything, from shrimps, steaks, chicken, and even veggie dishes available...
There was a sparrow in there, but hey, they eat off the floor, and if you get a flypast, just leave the plate and get some more, when you return to a table your water/beer etc, was refreshed and the old plates where removed... Now that's 5 star service in a buffet, what was the Al'a'carte going to be like? when the doors where left open (BY THE GUESTS) the birds would enter...! so rule of thumb, close the door behind you, it might be a 5 star complex, but there no reson to be LAZY or RUDE...
Room service is an optinal extra, BUT, they don't keep track of who does/doesn't have it, so simply call 420 and ask for whatever you want, it's usually delivered quickly and the staff don't hang around waiting for a tip... But if you tip them ONCE, your stay will be made MUCH more welcomming (i.e. the staff will try and remember your name, and what you eat/drink - saving valuable SUN time lol)
July is the LOW season...! RESULT..! less than 400 people staying in a 800+ COMPLEX, I say complex because unlike MOST resorts in the area, this one has BLOCKS of 5,7,9 ,12 or 15 rooms..!
Hmmm, long walks then? NOT AT ALL, the design of the resort means that everyone has everything close by, theres 3 pools (one was closed, but that end of the resport was like a ghost town, they only opened it during our 2nd weeks when a few more people turned up (UK school holidays had started :))
The 'booking required' resturants (that's a laugh too, you can just turn up and ask to be seated during the low season) of which there was 4, offered a small but 5 course menu (BUT, if you still hungry, you can ask for more of each or any of them). The service in each was 5 star, you where left to eat when you needed to, but your drinks where topped up by the staff (who always smiled) and after each course they asked if everything was to your liking, so anone saying the food was rubish, just had themselves to blame, simply saying it was a bit cold you would be asked if you wanted another..!
One of my reservations was the 'shirt, trouser and shoes rule', it's 32 with high humidity, and you need to dress for dinner..! well, this was a relaxed rule, some people went in shorts and sandals. It was fun to watch some couples, the woman dressed in evening wear, and the men in shorts and sandals (I however have more respect to the lady, so dressed to suit)
The main bar (Lobby bar) opened at 8am and closed at 1am...
The piano bar opend at 5pm and closed at 1am.
The nighclub (which has a bar) opened at around 9pm and closed at 3am (i never was around when they opened, so can't say for sure)
On our last night, as we had gotten to know Roberto in the Piano bar, we closed it at 2am with him...
The staff...
It's well worth CHATTING to them, even asking them about how they liked Cuba would aloow them to open up, doing this we got much better service... They are PEOPLE after all, and theres no need to be rude to them, how would you like it when your at work and a vistor came in and said something to you about your place of work, or during a meeting, they simply ignored you?
Remebering that your in a Spanish speaking country, the staff have learnt ALOT of English but might need a little help with some words. While we were there Maggie in the lobbie bar also spoke a little French and German, and the people she was learning from where the GUESTS...
So, why have I only given 8 outta 10?
Our air con.... It was an issue for the whole complex, but being on the top floor, we had to use cold showers to cool down, they did offer to move us, but, being British and liking the room we had, we stayed in it for 2 weeks without air con.. So the 2 points was basically our own fault, but, it did seem hit and miss with others we spoke too, so they need to get it sorted... But your in a country that's run by the Goverment, and if it was any other Goverment, it would be a living HELL...
Mossies, yer, one or two, have a total of about 12 bites, so less than 1 a night... The rooms have screens over the windows and patio door, so unless you sit out at night, your safe...
Staff 10/10
Food 9/10 (all inc, MEANS all you can eat)
Resort Activities 10/10 (all inc MEANS all inc, Even Skoba Diving...!)
Rooms 8/10 (air con)
I'm now saving to return next year :)

4 readers found this review helpful

This is by far our best holiday through Club Class Concierge. The best hotel we have ever stayed in, even better than Vegas last year. Next year we are off to the Maldives

12 readers found this review helpful

After reading all the negative reviews about this resort I was very apprehensive about staying here. Please do not wholly accept some of the negative reviews!
I and my partner have particularly high standards and have travelled to many international resorts. Due to the amount of negative reviews we were not expecting much other than nice weather and comfortable accommodation.
The customer service provided by the staff was exceptional. They provided constant welcoming attention without expecting tips. When tips were given they were greatly appreciated.
Whilst I can appreciate that some guests just want to be served by faceless waiters, if you took the time to speak to the staff you would find them unique and some of the most charming staff that you can encounter. Cuba is a relatively poor country and tourism is still developing. A five star in one country doesn't always meet the five star criteria elsewhere.
Everything was pleasantly surprising.
The room was very clean and well maintained by the daily visits from the hardworking maids.
The food was well cooked. The variety surprised me considering the negative comments. Remember the resort is in Cuba! Don't expect burger and chips. Be more adventurous. They had tried to cater for a wide variety of tastes. It was such a shame to see fellow UK tourists fighting over chips when freshly cooked Red Snapper lay wasted on the grills.
They tried with the entertainment and cabaret may not be to everyone’s taste, but twenty out of ten for the staff's enthusiasm.
The weather was fantastic. Even when it rained. As for mosquitoes, Cuba is in the Caribbean and they are expected. Take relevant precautions!
Although the Varadero region is manufactured for tourists just a short cheap taxi ride will show you real Cuban life and it is highly recommended that you leave the poolside for at least a day.
The only negativity I experienced was from inhibited UK tourists unwilling to make friends with staff or fellow guests. We spoke to many staff and made great friends who provided us with invaluable Cuban knowledge. (Without asking for tips!)
Please try resorts like this. It does what it says on the tin, but there are many opportunities to embrace all aspects of Cuba which is one of the most beautiful countries I have visited.

3 readers found this review helpful

We were expecting a very relaxing, luxurious holiday (after all Sandals has an excellent reputation and we had chosen carefully). However, we were very disappointed with the standard of the hotel, it's a 5 star apparently, but we found it more like a 3 star.
The room was a good standard, decorated ok and was larger than average, although a little unclean.
The food options were dreadful, they boast of 5 international restaurants of which you have to book. The Fish Restaurant menu was very limited and the portions were very small, the beach restaurant (which was the beach cafe during lunch) was ok but you would get eaten alive by mosquitoes and the walk to the restaurant was via a dark and slippery path which many holidaymakers slipped on.
The Italian was probably the best out of the bunch maybe 3 out of 5, the buffet restaurant (which was fondly called 'The Canteen') was like a staff canteen you would find in a department store.
In general all of the restaurants served the same food only called something different or cooked slightly differently. We were served chicken from the grille that was undercooked, red, and bloody, fish that was not cooked through, how we did not receive food poisoning I don't know but many of the holidaymakers we spoke with all suffered with upset stomachs.
The availability of food between the restaurant opening times was poor to say the least, the beach bar served snacks of toasted sandwiches and chips. Apparently, you could get late night pizzas and burgers from somewhere (it changed location and nobody was informed) although we had to almost wake the 'chef' and ask nicely to be served! To be honest we did that once and the food was not worth going back a second time for. It's the first holiday I've been on that I actually lost weight!!
No Room Service which we thought was extremely poor for a 5 star.
The bars quite often closed early and even if you challenged the staff they were not bothered. The lounge staff were slow and indifferent to customer service. If you tipped then you would receive a certain amount of good service for the night but don't think they would remember you tomorrow! Tipping became a necessity to receive service and not always good service.
The availability of international brands depended on who served you, the draft beer was always warm, and bottled beer was only provided in your room if you upgraded, you couldn't even get it in the bars. In 2 weeks we came across 2 members of staff that provided service expected of a 5 star. The Reception staff were rude & unhelpful.
We had waiter service at the beach bar twice during our stay! The bottled water ran out by 11am at the beach bar. The hygiene of the Swim up bar was a lot to be desired and attracted many flies & mosquitoes.
The entertainment was shocking! After the 5th night we gave up even going along and that seemed the majority census.
We complained to the Thomas Cook rep, especially with regard to the undercooked food and although we received apologies from him and that he would take it up with the management, we received no feedback.
The last couple of days the service seemed to improve slightly, this we found out was that Hotel Inspectors were on site!! Says it all!
Many people during our two weeks complained about the food and the level of service.
We watched two couples getting married - all I would say is don't do it there. It wasn't special, you were not treated specially, and it was all over with no music, flowers within 10 minutes!
The good things - beach was clean, pure white sand and sea gorgeous and warm. Room was a good size. Cuba as a Country was as we were expecting but the Hotel completely let the holiday down.

5 readers found this review helpful

Well don’t go to this Sandals resort if you are expecting luxury, this hotel is not 5* more like a 3*. We were very disappointed with this hotel. Having been to 3 other hotels in Cuba this came bottom of the list.
Hotel was half empty. Food was not very good and very little choice. The Italian restaurant was even worse, ordered a very well cooked steak and it came up so small and thick and nearly raw plonked on a bed of aunt bessies mash, couldn’t eat it. The only food we really had was pizza, burgers and chips that you could get from the snack bar at 11.30pm. Lovely when you think you would be eating a la carte.
The decor was really dark and dingy; the pool wasn’t bad but be careful of broken tiles and grating around pool. At the so called gym which was supposed to be well equipped had three exercise bikes and one running machine which was out of order the whole two weeks, when asked when it would be mended was told it hadn’t worked for a year, oh there was a few weights.
Well enough of my moaning, the weather and beach made up for it a bit, staff not bad but couldn’t really care less. My opinion don't go there you will be disappointed.