Royalton Hicacos - Adults Only - All Inclusive

“Friendly staff, best food I've had in Varadero”

My stay at the Royalton Hicacos resort was a phenomenal experience that is truly unforgettable. The food was really good compared to any other resorts I have visited in Cuba. I especially enjoyed the 4 à la carte restaurants. The service at the restaurants and bars, as well as the room service we... more

My stay at the Royalton Hicacos resort was a phenomenal experience that is truly unforgettable. The food was really good compared to any other resorts I have visited in Cuba. I especially enjoyed the 4 à la carte restaurants. The service at the restaurants and bars, as well as the room service were excellent. We were very well tended to and were asked for our feedback quite often. The animation team made the best impression on me. They did a wonderful job of keeping us entertained with the morning beach activities, and the afternoon pool parties and games. They were also incredibly friendly and generous, making us truly feel welcome. I feel like I have made lifelong friendships with Yusi, Meri, Yoleti, and Yoa; who told me I will always have a loving family in Cuba. If you'd like to stay in Varadero, the Royalton Hicacos is one of the best choices as it truly feels like a 5 star resort.

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“Our experience at the hotel”

This hotel has been my favorite one in Varadero, by far. The was staff was very friendly and accommodating, checking up on us often, and being open to feedback. The food in general was great (for Cuba's standards), and the à la cartes were amazing! There were no major shortages of food, just mino... more

This hotel has been my favorite one in Varadero, by far. The was staff was very friendly and accommodating, checking up on us often, and being open to feedback. The food in general was great (for Cuba's standards), and the à la cartes were amazing! There were no major shortages of food, just minor things like one day there were no french fries, and on another there was no mint. There was lots of drinks from Red Wine and white wine, to Vodka, Tequila, whiskey and lots of rum . The bartenders and waiters were very friendly, always with a smile, providing great service! Entertainment team was friendly, interactive, and caring ! The entertainment was really good if you knew where to be at the right time. Some fun events were the foam party in the pool, the activities on the beach, and the night shows were great ! I would like to thank all the staff for making us feel welcomed! We will definitely return in the future! Thank you again!

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“Awesome it will be we hope”

Going here next week just wanted to know since I can’t find any information on this do men have to wear pants and closed toe sandals in the al carte restaurants is there a charge for wifi also any other tips or advice anyone has would be appreciated also can you exchange Canadian dollars for thei... more

Going here next week just wanted to know since I can’t find any information on this do men have to wear pants and closed toe sandals in the al carte restaurants is there a charge for wifi also any other tips or advice anyone has would be appreciated also can you exchange Canadian dollars for their currency at the hotel

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“Absolutely wonderful getaway”

Service: I have to start by saying that the service stood out tremendously. Upon entry, we were greeted with smiles and a glass of sangria. I was always met with a friendly face and someone eager to help. No one was begging for tips. Their biggest concern was being able to meet your needs and th... more

Service: I have to start by saying that the service stood out tremendously. Upon entry, we were greeted with smiles and a glass of sangria. I was always met with a friendly face and someone eager to help. No one was begging for tips. Their biggest concern was being able to meet your needs and they felt happy to strike up a conversation. Our butler Naylet went above and beyond to check on us before she left every day, even if just a quick hello. She helped us to track down the photographer from our excursion in order to pick up our picture after we told her we were late to the original agreed time. All of the entertainment staff worked above and beyond to make the activities accessible in the pool and the beach. The three in the picture attached were exceptional. They would encourage participation in water aerobics, pool spin class, foam dance party, beach dance class, beach volleyball, and more! On the path between the pool and the beach, you can ask the gardeners for a fresh coconut! But be nice and tip the man. All of the servers and bartenders learned our faces and would greet us warmly in the pathways. I always felt safe of creeps (as a woman), welcome, cared for, and supported. P.S. They have little cats that roam occasionally, minding their own business unless you give them food and attention. Food: This is by far one of the best resorts to stay as a regular member for food. The buffet has a pasta station (with specials like pasta in a cheese wheel), fresh fried seafood (like calamari, seabass, etc), grilled meat, and grilled seafood available to be cooked in front of you. Occasional specials of fresh crepes, lobster, and live music. If you need sauce, they have a selection of imports from Germany set up in front of the fried seafood stands. Breakfast has two omelet stations. All of the a-la-carte restaurants are walk-in available. Diamond club members can make reservations. My partner and I found it helpful to eat early dinner at 6:30pm to avoid the pressure of having to wait. We tried all of the restaurants! Personally, my favourite dinner place was Tex Mex. I also loved the beach grill Royalton Burger for lunch. And the live music. EVERYWHERE. The 24h bistro have pretty good burgers. Ask for ketchup and mustard. The bread was quite stale and juice got warm fast. Try to get all drinks with ice. I didn't quite enjoy the omelet in the morning. I was content with the ham and cheese sandwich at night. My partner liked the tuna sandwich. The other option is chicken sandwich. But always get fries! The ice cream was fresh. I adored the mango flavour and fresh strawberry flavour. Tip: Be sure to bring your own ketchup and hot sauce if you need it in the buffet. Warning: The Pearl and The Caribbean did not have A/C. I got 6 mosquito bites in The Caribbean but the lamb was really good. Lots of choices as a meat eater but I did not see a lot of options for vegetarians. (Pescatarians would be fine) Rooms: The room was very pretty. The newly renovated rooms for Diamond Club are very modern, but personally I was content with our room. It was spacious and clean. I killed two bigger bugs on the first night and then we were good for the rest of the trip, minus a couple of mosquitos. Our A/C worked alright. It is set to a standard level resort-wide and cannot be individually changed. Ours was a steady 26 degrees Celsius. We cooled off, showered, and slept in our room but otherwise it was barely used. Tip: SOME rooms have 110v but ours only had one in the bathroom so be sure to bring a converter from 220v to 110v. They MAY have available in the lobby upon request. Amenities: THE GYM. What can I say other than the fact that it is beautiful. It has clean and newer equipment. The A/C runs wonderfully. While it is on the smaller end, it is comparable to condo gyms in the typical Toronto condo buildings. There are so many poolside chairs available. Many of them have a tent for sun covers and there are some available within the pool decor! We never felt pressure to rush for a chair. There are two pools! Both pretty shallow but they extend far. It was constantly being cleaned with a net type thing. There were specks from the trees in the middle but I'm not picky about that. The waterfall features were a wonderful touch. For activities by the pool, they have board games available at the towel exchange shack such as scrabble and corn hole, but they also have outdoor activities like billiards, ping pong, volleyball, soccer, and mini putt. The mini golf course was hard to follow, the ping pong table was wonky, and there was no chalk for the pool cues, but keep in mind that these are all games for FUN. It was too hot to explore, but there were tennis courts on the map around the gym area. On the beach, there are workers who help to set you up with a chair and umbrella wherever you need if there is not one already available so you never have to worry about space. The beach is absolutely stunning. Be sure to try paddleboating and sailing if you feel comfortable! It is available on the left side of the beach as a part of all-inclusive. If the weather permits the activity, they will have it ready and available in the water. 30 min limit per group to ensure everyone has the opportunity. Tip: double check that you have the right life jacket sizes in the boat before you leave the shore. I wore one sliding off the paddle boat slide into the deeper water. For smokers, there is a cigar lounge. If you don't mind the smell, there are also many people who go in for the A/C or TV to watch sports. There is a club at night after the spectacular performances (be sure to watch their talent!!!) but it depends on the crowd you're with at the resort. A lot of people gather at the lobby for live music after the 9:30 nightly shows. Drinks: Absolutely PHENOMENAL. Some were too strong for my taste, but overall the bartenders are skilled. Their mojitos were so good and I loved the daiquiris. Be mindful that they run out of ingredients (low on imports) so they have restocking times. I always got the best drinks around 10-11am and around 8-9pm. Note: Wi-fi works closer to lobby. Log-in once and need to wait for login page to load itself each time you reconnect. Take a picture of login code just in case. Bring bug spray, afterbite and reactine for mosquito bites. It's by the water so to be expected.

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