Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Our stay at this resort was outstanding, and we hope to return before too long.
The staff were terrific and very friendly and outgoing. We enjoyed getting to know quite a few of them. Their growing command of English is impressive.
The resort is very beautiful and its setting, nestled into the hillside, is stunning. Our room had a breathtaking view of mountains, lush greenery, and the bay. We could hear the waves breaking on the beach and also from the shore across the bay. Our only regret is that we didn't have much free time to sit on the totally private balcony and enjoy the view.
From a number of tables in the dining room you can enjoy a marvelous vista of the surrounding vegetation, mountains, and soaring hawks.
There were a a number of musical groups; all were extremely talented. Special mention goes to Augustcesar, a truly remarkable pianist who played nightly in the spacious lobby.
We loved the food -- terrific soups, the tastiest pork I've ever eaten, several wonderful goat dishes, quite a variety of fish, and the freshest vegetables and fruit. But some unexpected surprises: don't miss the brussel sprouts, honestly. They have the most delectable flavour. Also, many people passed on the rice pudding, a seemingly humble selection amidst an array of tempting desserts. But they missed a treat. It was strongly laced with freshly grated nutmeg -- delightful.
We enjoyed the beach. Pedal boats made it easy to reach the reef and snorkel or just take in the view the boat without even entering the water.
Finally, the trip to and from Santiago is beautiful and very interesting. We also strongly recommend a visit to Chivirico, less than half an hour away, either by moped or taxi. Allow enough time venture from the main road and explore the neighbourhoods for a real slice of Cuban life. This is a terrific town of about 3,000 people.
Finally, the hotel has a small farm and botanical gardens situated behind the beach (follow the path to the Ecological Restaurant). The gardens are well worth a visit, but don't forget to apply mosquito repellent beforehand so you can linger comfortably and chat with the gardeners.
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Date of stay: December 2004
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I visited Santiago de Cuba from Feb21-Feb28, 2005, staying at the Brisas Sierra Mar. I must say that before I left Montreal, I was a bit nervous beacuse my first choice was to go to Varadero. And after reading all the comments from previous visitors, that there are a lot of old people there, made me feel a bit worse, since I am only in my 20's.
Anyhow, after all my research, I still decided to go to Brisas Sierra Mar for my University spring break with my mother, her friend and my friend and I must say that we had a blast!
I had read from this site to change our money at the airport, which is what I did when we got there and the bus ended up waiting for me because the line was so long and the lady at the counter took forever, plus when I asked for receipt she got annoyed. When I got out of the airport, it was like a whole new world, fresh air! And some men were asking if I needed help with my luggage. My mother and the rest were waiting for me, the rep handed me my keys and said, "you could have changed your money at the hotel, lets go!" I was ready nice that we had gotten our keys for our rooms even before boarding the bus because previously we had planned for me to run to the front desk as soon as we got to the hotel while my mother waited for our bags, so we could get a good room before the rest of the others from the bus got there.
The transfer was long but fun, we got a change to meet with the rest our group, about 12 people. We arrived at night, it was dark and it was raining, but that did not stop the locals from hanging out on street corners! It was nice to see that the bus driver tried to make the ride as smooth as possible by passing around the potholes, which are huge! At some points he was driving along the side of the road honking at locals to get out of his way!
Apon arrival at the hotel, workers greeted us with a nice cold glass of fruit punch and that is when some men were trying to grab out bags again... TIP: Do not let anyone take your bags unless you are ready to tip! Everyone tries to do anything they can to get a small piece! (money) As for myself, I asked for directions and brought my own bags to my room. When my friend and I entered our room, it was nice and clean, but yes there is that musty smell that everyone talks about, but after a dozen of minutes you get used to it and the smell is not that bad! I did bring candles and glad plug ins! LOL, thanks to those who has posted their advice from past experience. We had a nice balcony, with a view of the ocean, no mountain view :( Everything worked and everything was clean and that was all that I cared for because I did not spend much time in the room.
The rest of our days were great, sunshine everyday! We tried to wait for the sun but never made it because my friend kept falling asleep an hour before sunrise. Anyhow I made it until 7:30am on Sunday morning! I have to let you know my secret spot where you must go for the sunrise, it is across the lobby driveway and all the way up the stairs, which can be exsausting, but worth the work. The view is breath taking!!! That was my favorite spot, so if you want privacy, don't tell the others!
There was lots to do, lots of activities, basket-ball, volley-ball, tennis, mini-putt, pedal boats. The animation team is great! George was amazing with all the activites! I heard that the scuba-diving is great, but I did not go on any of those excursions. Everyone knew where to find us "We had chairs right in front of the beach bar!!" Thank you Omer!! He was amazing, anything you want to drink, he can make it! Evita is another sweetheart that knows her drinks as well! We asked him to surprise us, because it seemed that we had tried everything possible and he gave us this creamy green drink called “Horny Monkey!” Which was a laugh and tasted like something I never had before, creamy banana, chocolate and mint…. At the beach, try to bring slippers because the sand can get very, very hot around noon! And a huge coffee cup can help if you do not want to keep going back to the back to the bar every ten minutes. There was also the lifeguard, Eddie who was amazing, and brought us past the docks all the way to the other end of the beach, where there is some secret lake and a swamp, be aware of mosquitos!! Another warning, after you have passed the docks, there are locals just hanging around waiting for tourists so don’t be afraid, just ignore them if you have nothing to give out! The beach on that side is better there, no seaweed, much more waves and nice colored stones
As for the food, I really enjoyed it! Everyday there was fish, chicken and beef, lots of pork and vegetables. The breakfast omlete guy is the best! He flips them with his eyes closed! I had eggs everyday because they taste so good, even if I do not eat breakfast back home! Plus you MUST try the orange juice, its really refreshing! On my trip, I ate so much food there and never got sick! You MUST try the hamburgers, perro caliente (hot dogs), and the papa fritas (french fries) at the Cafeteria snack bar, they are the so good that I could eat them everyday! I suggest you try the papa fritas with HP sauce and if you like spicy, they have the Tabasco sauce!!! There is also a juice machine near the pool bar, I never really asked what was in it but it tastes amazing. I discovered on my last day that you can go up some stairs above the pool bar to play pin-pong and there is also a huge chess board… All of the a la carte restaurants are nice, the best I would say is the “Ranch” where you can eat a lobster dinner for $15.00 CCP (convertible Cuban pesos) Every restaurant has the band playing and can sometimes be annoying because they come around and sing at each table and expect a tip! (of course!) They sing their hearts out, which is sweet, but I find it a bit loud and it is disturbing to stop eating to dig into your purse for change…At one evening my friend and I ended up running away from our table before they came around our table for the second time!
I wanted to go to a local disco in the city but did not want to go though the hastle of driving back 1hour and a half to the hotel at 4am! If you get a chance to go to the city of Chivirico on a Saturday night, you will have a blast! It is on out door party with locals that really know how to have a great time! There is also a bar there that sell bottles of rum for $3.35 pesos! That night was the greatest.
The rooms are not that great and I have been to better beach in my life time but I must say that everyone was so friendly at the hotel and they make you feel so special. And the view is amazing, just liking at the mountains give you a sense of peace! These are the only reason that I would return. In all, it was a great experience and I would recommend this hotel for those who wish to getaway from everyday stress and need relaxation.
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Date of stay: February 2005
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My girlfriend and I are younger 20 somethings and have spent the last 2 summers in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, so we are atuned to "ruffing it", as we are the hiking, biking, camping in the middle of no where kinda people (while in BC that is, Ontario sucks...)
We booked through Sunquest, an affiliate of Alba tours, Skyservice and Conquest.
Santiago de Cuba is a great place for anyone wanting a quiet escape without the crowds, the clamor and the line-ups at the larger Cuban resorts.
We flew out of toronto April 19th, but unfortunately had a connection at Cienfugos airport (don't like flying). The flight was okay… it was a Conquest Airbus 319 (was supposed to be a bigger Skyservice Airbus 320). Although this airline is hit and miss, so I’ve heard. We arrived at night, so we were a little disoriented when we got there.
We got this trip for very little money, $1200 with taxes and insurance for my girlfriend AND me, so we weren't expecting the Royal York...
Rooms:
Out first room (203) was on the crappy side, but we didn’t expect much for what we paid. Our first impression was tainted by the fact that when we opened the door, it crushed a snake (and my girly-friend is “scared” of snakes). The room also smelled of mildew because the air conditioner wasn’t working properly. We were very tired, so we just went to sleep…
The next morn our tour rep was eager to help us with our room troubles (Helena was amazing!!) We woke up to realize our room looked out onto the tennis courts – yuk! She worked all day to get us a new room. Our new room (319) was exactly what I pictured as a great Cuban getaway!!! Beautiful ocean view, king-size bed, air-conditioning and a nice balcony to look into the beautiful Caribbean sea! A huge upgrade from our last room!!
Our house cleaners were amazing! We left 1 convertible peso each day and fancy body washes and stuff that we brought down for this purpose… everyday our room was impeccably clean and she also left origami bed sheet designs on our bed, like 4 foot tall swans made out of the blanket and intricate butterflies and hearts…
Entertainment:
There was first rate entertainment every night at 9:30pm, and even some latin trovadores playing at the evening meal. Late night entertainment consisted of getting drunk at one of the bars, listening to the pianist in the lounge and the disco (we didn’t go to that).
Staff:
The staff were amazingly friendly and helpful. Everyone wanted to help us and get us drinks. Learn some simple Spanish – it helps!
Food:
The food was wonderfully prepared, yet very simple. It is really healthy food with lots of cooked vegetables and fresh fruit. The al carte restaurant was closed for the season, but the “jungle” restaurant was open for $5 extra dollars per person. It’s a wonderful experience in the forest dining with amazing food!!! Mosquitoes for only 20 min, but bring deet!!! Frogs, and toads singing as your entertainment and fireflies the size of golf balls!!!
Things to do:
If snorkeling is your thing Sierra Mar has many coral reefs just of shore, accessible by swimming or by free paddle boats. Just snorkeling by the shore was amazing too (never done it before). The mud bath tour was worth the $15 per person, as it was very rustic and invigourating!! A good place to meet other guests too! Volley ball and baseball can be played with the locals in the country side and in the nearest town Chivirico. We didn't go on any of the other tours, but we managed to meet up with a tour-rep that lived in Santiago. For very little money he drove us there and back and gave us a very interesting tour of the city and its surrounding areas. Word-to-the-wise, befriend some attractive Asian-Canadian girls and you can tag along on there special treatment ;) Cubans seem to love them!!
Money:
As another reviewer noted, don't run out of cash. These resorts are a long way from Santiago de Cuba which is the only place where you can get cash on your credit card and ONLY if you present your Passport. In a pinch you can use credit cards for tours or scuba but only if you push the issue. They really prefer cash. Take Canadian dollars and get it changed into convertible pesos. Getting money changed is not a problem; it's just hard to get more if you run out.
Bottom-line:
It only rained once, but it was a torrential downpour!!! Sunny. Sunny, sunny the rest of the time!
Brisas Sierra Mar really is the kind of place that you want to return to year after year. A lot of the customers had been there before, but we were there during the last week for the season, as they shut down for the summer. I would recommend this resort to anyone! Maybe next time we will go to Los Galones, but I will never subject my self to the more trendy resorts to the north – I would not have fun with swanky tourists! Santiago de Cuba is a very interesting city and I love going to a country that seems like a time-warp… everyone really seems like equals with no corruption from corporations like walmart and mcdonalds… and it is refreshing that it is a very odd occurrence to meet an annoying american tourist…
I can only see this resort getting better over the years, as Canadians and Europeans are just pouring money into the Cuban economy. I can’t wait to return again!!!
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Date of stay: April 2005
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We just returned from a weeks vacation at Los Galeones. We loved the resort. It is a small, quiet, 32 room, adult only resort. It was great to get away from a very cold Toronto and away from the typical hussle and bussle. The weather was perfect each day, the temperature got up to about 28 celcius each day without a cloud in the sky. The views from the rooms was spectular. The resort is surrounded by mountains and the Carribean sea. The resort is on a hilltop. The bus ride from the airport to the resort is now about an hour and 40 minutes as the roads are in bad shape in sections, due to the hurricanes washing out roads that were already in need of maintenance. Our room was an ocean view room with a king size bed. There is a small pool at the resort, a games room with a pool table, sauna, and hot tub. There is also a small gift shop that is open each day from about 2 to 3 pm. The beach is about 295 steps down, it is definately not suitable for someone with a heart condition or handicap. The beach is beautiful, and secluded. The beach bar is beautiful. There is a grill lunch everyday at the beach put on by the bartender, with hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken, fish and potatoes. The bartender brings vegetables from his garden for garnishes and salad. The beach is very one on one with nature, a lot of seaweed and coral, you definately need water shoes. There is plenty of wildlife to see down at the beach, goats, chickens, roosters, birds and small lizards. The water is so clear and perfect. There is a small diningroom at the resort along with a pool bar next to the diningroom. Each meal is usually sit down, except for their theme nights where there usually is a buffet. Breakfast is sit down with some appetizers, juice and coffee on the buffet, the wait staff will come round and ask you what you would like from the kitchen, the omeletes are awesome. They will do eggs of any type, breakfast sandwiches and french toast as well. We didn't have lunch in the diningroom, we always had it down at the beach, but I heard there were different choices each day like pizza and sandwiches. Dinner was always excellent, 4 course dinners ordered from a menu and a couple of nights were themed. A cuba night with a large buffet dinner and a pig roast on Saturday nights where the tables are put outside around the pool and the food on a buffet. The food was always excellent. Each day at 4 pm they put out snacks by the pool as well, usually fruit, hor deuvres, pizza and sandwiches. There were so many nice people we met both staff and other guests. Some of the other guests have been coming to the resort each year for 4 years or more. It is a great resort for anyone looking for quiet and relaxation. You never have to worry about not finding a lounge chair at the beach or the pool. Also, if you have a suggestion or request, the staff do all they can to accomodate you. We brought some small gifts with us for the maids and wait staff, they are so appreciative to receive things. There is the small town of Chivirico at the bottom of the hill that the resort is on, you can go down and walk around, there are a few shops and it is interesting to take in the culture. You have access to all the facilities at the sister resort called Sierra Mar as well. It is a very large resort and alot busier. There are two shuttles going over there each day, one at 9am, that comes back at 5 pm and another that is at 7 pm and comes back at 11 pm. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes to get there. We went there for dinner one evening but it is very loud and crowded. We would recommend Los Galeones to anyone, we are planning to go back again next year around the same time.
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Date of stay: January 2005
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wow!! We had an amazing time at Sierra Mar. The weather was absolutely perfect. We had rain on our first day but it ended quickly and then the rest of the week turned out great.
The view at the resort is breath taking! I have never seen a more beautiful sunset. This is the perfect place to relax and get away from it all.
As for the food, we really enjoyed it! There was fish, chicken and beef, lots of vegetables and great salad bar. Remember to always leave room for dessert! Make a booking at the Ecological Restuarant, they have amazing Chicken Kabobs. Make sure you try the orange juice at breakfast, its really refreshing!
The staff at the resort are always smiling and very curteous.
The rooms are kept quite clean. My only concern was the toilet did not flush properly and there were tiny little bugs in our bathroom and on the dressers. We also saw a cockroach in the hallway but I did not see any in the room. The bedspread animals and hearts were really quite amusing!
With mopeds we left the resort and met with some of the local people. This was an experience I will never forget. They are the most welcoming people I have ever encountered in my life. We were invited ino their homes with open arms. One family actually made food and drinks for us. I could not believe how little this family had and yet they went out of their way to make fried bananas and goat meat for us. It was absolutely delicious. We could not speak much Spanish and they couldnt speak much English and yet we managed to communicate with them. That was the best 2 hours spent, and I will never forget them and their hospitality! The mopeds are available at the resort for 15 CUC for 3 hours and its a great way to see the area!
We went horseback riding for an hour. Make sure you wear socks and shoes, as the stirups really cut into your feet. This is a great way to see a bit of Cuba and how the local people live. People are very friendly and always smiling and waving at you! The horses are a 10 minute walk from the resort available near the security gate to the resort. It is only 5 CUC for an hour and each addtional hour is 3 CUC.
If you can bring any clothing, hair products, hygiene products, school supplies, chocolate etc to give away to the locals. They really do appreciate anything you give them. On our last day we took all our unused products and gave them out to the local people outside of the resort instead of bringing them back home. The smiles on their faces were priceless!
This is a great resort and we would definately go back. We just got back yesterday and we miss all the people and the peacefullness of the resort!
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Date of stay: March 2005
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
we visited Sierra Mar for a week returning March 8.The accomodations were quite acceptable. The rooms were clean ; everything worked ; the ocean/mountain view from our " Garden "Room was lovely.The open lobby was fascinating ; with the breeses blowing through and birds flying through.The restarants were quite good. We particularly enjoyed the Ecological restaurant. The buffets were varied; if you wanted North American food there was a good choice; if you wished to try something different you could. There seemed to be lots of staff and the resort never seemed crowded.The pool was well kept; there were lots of acitvities if you wanted to particpate; you never had to leave the resort , if you didn't want to ; The beach was clean; the dive shop personnell friendly and helpful. We went on 3 side trips; a catarmaran cruise to snorkel on a wreak and a lunch in Santiago. a sight seeing trip to Santiago - to the Jose Martin Memorial, the city center, the Castle Moro and a Jeep Safari on a vertiginous mountain road to Les Laurels and a waterfall . We also took a cab to Cevirigos ( a village about 12K from the resort) ; we spent a couple of hours wandering around and trying to see the"real" Cuba and we did. We saw Kids playing baseball in their yards; their shopping area; the local black smith .We also walked out to the little village on the edge of the resortt wlhere some of the hotel workers live. We watched a Sunday Basebal game; one pitcher was fantastic; great fast ball; accurate delivery; we simply watched and talked with the people and found ourselves welcomed warmly. The service from the tour guides Aurelio and Maria was gre at. We asked and they worked to get our tours booked. The guides on thetours were well educated and more then willing to answer any questions; including political ones. We took a case filled with pencils, pens, candies, jeans, shoes , aspirin( they have trouble getting it); peanut butter and corned beef and baseball caps and gloves We gave all of it away . They have the basics ; food , clothing , shelter ; education paid for through university; health care; they are poorly paid by our standards and items beyond the government rations are hard to get and pricey. They were appreciative of any of the gifts.The piano bar in the lobby has a pianost from the Santiago Ballet- great musicain;There were 2 groups entertaining during the evening; The hotel band with Tony V. which had a varied memberhsip and wide variety of music; and an unbelievable Acappella group called "Decision" - ( as good as or better then the Nylons) .Advice; enjoy the food, the surroundings, meet the people; tip early = a peso ( convertible) goes a long way . Convertible pesos are accepted from tourists and you rcan change your money at the hotel. Have a pocket full of singels for tipping and it goes along way.There are souvenirs - jewlleary . carvings to buy as well as cigars and rum. Would we go back ; we wished we had stayed longer and yes.. in a heart beat.
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Date of stay: March 2005
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My boyfriend and I stayed at the Sierra Mar (an hour outside of Santiago de Cuba) from January 30th to February 6th. It was really lovely. We asked for a room at the very furthest corner of the resort from the main bar and pool and it truly was peaceful. The rooms were not gorgeous but they were clean and they all had balconies overlooking the ocean or the hillside. The staff were wonderful and the dive staff were fabulous.
We went diving every day and Carlos and Xavier took great care of us. Unfortunately we didn't see any turtles (the locals have eaten them all), rays, sharks or eels but I did see a few things I have never seen before; a porcupine fish, sand diver fish, a spiny sea-slug, and lots of jelly-fish. We also did a night dive and heard later that some divers in our group had been chased by a bunch of squid! We had gorgeous, hot, sunny weather all week and the water was 80F on all of our dives.
We did two day trips, which were both great but would have been better if more info had been provided. We did a half-day trip which consisted of a catamaran ride out to a wreck just off the coast of Santiago de Cuba. The ride was really enjoyable and the staff and guests fished off the back of the Cat en route and caught a couple of barracuda. When we got to the wreck both the snorkellers and the scuba divers in the group explored the wreck. We then proceeded to lunch on an island just off the coast, which was so-so for the meat eaters and quite bad for me, the vegetarian. VERY glad I had brought snacks with me! We then got on a bus to drive the rest of the way into the City. We were dropped off in the town square, which has some really beautiful buildings. We had 1/2 hour or so of free time and spent most of it trying to avoid the locals offering to be tour guides and the locals begging for soap. Wish we had some with us! We then took the bus back to the resort.
The second trip we did was to dive the wreck of the Cristobal Colon, which was a spanish ship sunk in the 1890s. We were advised that it was an hour bus-ride to the dive-site, but not that it was a shore dive! I wish we had been advised that it was a shore dive on a rocky beach because I wore the WRONG shoes. The beach is covered in large rocks so wear running shoes!! Traversing the rocks carrying heavy equipment was quite treacherous and a couple people fell on the rocks and were quite badly bruised. The actual dive was fabulous and I saw my first porcupine fish. Definately worth the bus ride there and back, spine-tingling though it was. The scenery was beautiful, but the roads are very bad and the driver swerved on a regular basis either to avoid pot-holes or cattle / goats on the road. The drive was also through the mountains on sometimes winding roads that the driver seemed to enjoy tackling at top-speed. The trip was a little bit of a hair-raiser. Still, glad we did it.
There were lots of seniors at the Sierra Mar but enough younger couples and families with young children and babies that we didn't feel out of place (we're in our late 30s). It was a pretty good mix of people with lots of Canadians and French-Canadians, and several Germans. There was an elderly German lady who fed the parrots in the palm grove by the pool every morning. I think their flight feathers may have been clipped because they would climb down to her via a branch she held out rather than flying down. There were also smaller parrots (love-birds, I think?) in a large cage by the pool which made the sweetest chattering noises to each other and were just a joy to visit on the way to breakfast. There were no agouti on the grounds but you did see the odd large crab that had made it's way up from the beach.
The beach was quite nice; it was not tractor-raked every morning like they are at some resorts but it really wasn't necessary. The resort is making an effort to be ecologically responsible so they do not tamper with what's in the water but they do hand-rake the sea-weed that washes up on the sand and dries out there. The corral reef is within swimming distance of the beach and morning seemed to be the most popular time for the snorkeling folks to head out. There were loads of lounge chairs, plam trees for shade, and a bar on the beach; the bartender here made the best pina coladas in the whole resort.
The food was pretty good (certainly better vegetarian fare than I was expecting) though the Cuban portion sizes left something to be desired for the bigger guys with lots of muscles to feed. This was only a problem at the A La Carte restaurants, which made up for it in quality. You can go to the A La Carte resaturants as many times as you want, just as long as you book reservations at breakfast while there's still availability. The buffet was always well stocked and there were two snack-bars open in between meal times so we never went hungry. The view of the mountains from the main dining room was spectacular.
The landscaping around the pool and lobby areas was beautiful; lots of nooks and crannies with fountains, wells, arches etc. It hadn't rained in several months and the mountains and surrounding landscape was extremely dry, but the gardens in the resort were obviously well-watered and several trees were in full blossom with gorgeous hot-pink and red flowers.
There was also a vegetable garden right on site with winding paths, a pond, and a gazebo which housed the ecological restaurant. This restaurant was $5 per person per visit and well worth it. It was a really lovely place to have dinner, though you did have to put up with a mosquito or two. Definately worth exploring the garden area during the day; lots of chickens and small pheasants, one of which had several chicks with her, and several goats and small brown sheep.
There was entertainment on the main stage every night, which was often so cheesy we couldn't help but laughing. But it was something to do while you had a couple of mojitos before bed. There was also a piano in the main lobby and a piano player who was happy to have you stand next to him and sing or to step aside for the few guests who played piano themselves.
Two important notes in parting: If you're Canadian take Canadian money with you (do NOT convert it to US before you leave) and exchange it AT THE AIRPORT. The rate at the airport is much better than at the hotel and the hotel does not always have enough cash on hand or staff at the front desk who are actually allowed to handle it. We went to the desk to exchange money and were told to come back in 20 minutes. When we did we still had to wait another 10 minutes because the courier had just come from the bank in town and they were doing a cash audit right at the desk. Secondly, when you leave the resort to go back to the airport at the end of your trip, do not trust them when they tell you to leave your luggage in the lobby and they will load it for you! We were so worried about our dive gear that we got off the bus to double-check that it had been loaded and it had not. Make sure your luggage is loaded before you get on the bus! Other than that we really had no significant problems.
We would definately recommend the Sierra Mar to anyone who is looking into going to Cuba.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We just got back from our vacation Feb 17th-24th and LOVED IT!! It was very relaxing and the resort staff were very friendly and accommodating. There were lots of people at the resort who had returned every year for the past 5, 6, 7, even 9 years! We are both 25 years old, and would have enjoyed having a younger crowd at the resort – the vast majority of the vacationers were in their 60’s+. This is not the wild Cancun-style vacation that college students might be looking for.
One of my favourite things was the Ecological Restaurant – it’s a gazebo-style restaurant for candle-lit dinners in the middle of a beautifully maintained garden. It’s $5 extra per person, but it’s well worth it. Bring bug spray along just in case…some people complained of bugs, but we had no issues.
Water: It is an absolute must to bring along your own water bottles. There is a self-serve water machine at the pool bar, which we used to fill up our water bottles constantly, because the plastic glasses they give you are very small. If you leave the resort for any sort of trip, bring water along. It is very dry in Cuba now, and there are water shortages everywhere. If you are in town, we found the locals are just as likely to ask you for some of your water, as they are to ask you for money. We also used that water for brushing our teeth, and never drank the tap water.
Illness: We never got sick from the food or water, and we ate all the fresh fruit and vegetables we wanted. We even ate dinner at the locals’ home one night, which was so amazing, and we drank their typical Cuban drink – it’s made from roots and leaves and it ferments in the sun for a few days….it doesn’t taste very good, but they seemed to get a kick out of the fact that we tried it.
Food: Delicious. Good variety. Excellent bread. Go to a la carte restaurants for a change. Lots of seafood (which I hate), but others seemed to really enjoy.
Entertainment: One complaint is that some pool-side scheduled activities never actually materialized. Don’t plan your day around them. The shows in the evening were great half the time, and really laughable the rest of the time. The magician and fire-breathers were amazing. You will know within the first 5 minutes if it will be good or not…don’t bother sticking around for shows with inexperienced dancers.
Cigars and Rum: Don’t buy cigars from the vendors on the beach – they are illegal, and are probably just filled with banana leaves. You can get a box of 25 for only about $30, but they may be confiscated at customs. If you do buy them, do not take the box…you can keep up to 23 cigars without a receipt of purchase. If you buy the real cigars, always have a receipt if you are buying more than 23. The resort sells some cigars, but they are at inflated prices. On the plus side, they sell them individually. It’s best to buy the cigars at the factories in Santiago, or at the airport, but the airport has more limited selections – Guatanamero, Romeo Y Juliet, Upstead, Cohiba’s and a few others. Cigar prices have inflated a lot in the past few years. Rum is very cheap. Prices range from $3-9 per bottle.
Beach: The beach is nice. The left side of the beach has a lot of seaweed which can contain something that stings/burns you (jellyfish? Stinging nettle?). If you snorkel straight out from the dock you will see a red buoy, which signals the start of the reef. The reef was beautiful, but there wasn’t the variety and volume of fish we expected. If you are more interested in walking, the beach stretches out for 4km, and is safe. You might see hermit crabs and other strange creatures washing up on shore. You WILL be approached by locals trying to sell you shells and cigars. We had no money with us, and they wouldn’t leave us alone, following us for at least 5 minutes. The shells cannot be taken out of the country and may be confiscated at customs. We just told them “Manana” (pronounced man-yanna), which means “tomorrow” and eventually they left us alone.
Staff: They were wonderful. They seem to really appreciate it when you use their name (it’s on their name tags) or if you speak a bit of Spanish. Here are some Spanish basics: “Hola” (hello) or “Buenas Dias” (good morning) “Como estas?” (how are you?) “Muy Bueno” (I’m very good), Por Favor (please)
Drinks: the bartenders put a lot of effort into making wonderful drinks. Try the Brisas, the Spanish coffee, and a Dirty Monkey (chocolate liqueur and banana smoothie).
Money: Change your Canadian dollars at the airport for the best rate. In the past year, everything has changed to convertible pesos rather than the US$. The resort can change $, but doesn’t always have large quantities on hand. There is no debit. Credit cards can be used for some things, but not for the Sunwing excursions. The only place to get a credit card advance is if you take a day trip to Santiago. We managed to work something out with the dive shop guy, Carlos, when we needed a cash advance because we wanted to go on one of his tours on the same day of the Santiago trips.
Catamaran: Beware of sea-sickness – it’s not a calm Ontario lake you’re sailing on. We were extremely ill because we didn’t consider how different it would be on the ocean. Take some gravol or non-drowsy Dramamine at least 2 hours before departure, and it will be a great trip. For us, it was 5 hours of torment because we couldn’t get off anywhere until the trip was done.
Rooms: were outdated, not 4-star, but were ok. Maids made swans and hearts out of bedding. The toilets worked fine in our room. Room had a musty odor- bring a scented candle. Air conditioning worked well. Our initial room was on the upper section (500-700) which required walking up more stairs and it’s farther away from everything. We requested a room change because I had a knee problem, and found it much better in the lower section, 400 level. By the way, they won’t give you a room change for a busted toilet (which they can never really fix), but they will if you have a problem with the stairs….you may want to keep that in mind if you have a room with poor plumbing…you may get something better when you change rooms.
Gifts for the locals: good ideas include shampoo, chocolate (all their cocoa goes to export), gum, any clothing or footwear you are willing to part with.
Church: there is a small Spanish-speaking Pentecostal church just up the road from the resort. It’s really neat and they are very welcoming. 9am services.
Departure tax: don’t forget your $25 cuban pesos EACH on your way out of Cuba, and you also need the 2nd part of the tourist visa they give you on the way in.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I have just returned from a relaxing week relaxing at beautiful Sierra Mar (March 5th to March 12th). The resort is truly placed right between a mountain and the sea. My friend and I decided to go to the Sierra Mar for our March Break getaway after reading the reviews on this site and seeing the deals on beautiful Redtag. The reviews on this site are bang on! Here is the breakdown of our stay:
Preamble:
We are budget travellers looking for experiences. We were not expecting a great deal from the Sierra Mar. This resort is great for relaxation and sun (unless you are going during March Break) and not for partying. The average target audience is older couples/young families. Unless you want to go hit on the staff, there will be no hooking up/massive parties at this resort. If you are looking for a general break and a real taste of Cuba, go to this resort.
Our experience drastically changed with the arrival of Canadian March Break travellers. The relaxing resort turned into a paradise of screaming kids and intoxicated, rude, guests. The staff couldn’t really keep up with the influx. In fact, they started to run out of supplies (including pina colda mix – no pinas at the pool bar on Sunday). If you are going to this resort, don’t go during a busy time. It is chaos. Massive chaos.
Tour Operator:
We were very impressed by Nolitours. WestJet is definitely better than Skyservice in all areas. If you are flying a WestJet charter bring your earphones because then you don't have to pay to listen to the FREE flight television service. Plus the food on the flight was fantastic! Our tour guide at the resort was very helpful. Note: make sure you double check activities daily - sometimes the days get mixed up and you don't want to miss a baseball game!
Airport/Bus Ride:
Expect lines at the Santiago de Cuba airport. If you bring a great deal of items to give away, you will be searched (and possibly taxed) at customs. The longest line is the bank line to change your money. There is a money changing service at the hotel but no bank machine. Take cash with you to change. We didn’t do any of the town/mud excursions and found that $200 Canadian was a little too much. If you are interested in excursions, they all fall around the 40-70 pesos range. Oh - and don't be like me and get to the airport and realize that CityBank is an American (and unaccepted) credit card company.
The bus ride through Santiago/country side is an eye opener. Watch out for the beautiful revolution rocks and paintings as your bus travels through potholes and goats. The bus ride is a BUMPY hour ordeal...but worth it when you finally pull up to the Sierra Mar gates.
Rooms:
We got an ocean view room and we loved it! The rooms were basic and clean. Watch out for HBO - it is an addicting television channel. Our beds were super uncomfortable and I had a great deal of trouble sleeping because the beds were horrible However, as we found out later, you can tip your maid to get you another mattress.
There is a great deal of stairs at this resort because it is built into the mountain. The elevators are unreliable and breakdown at the best of times. Plus they elevators are scary and old. If you have any sort of knee/stair problem, that is definitely a factor to consider.
Food:
The food was like the food at any all inclusive resort. Nothing special. Nothing fantastic or out of the ordinary. The buffet was fantastic until about the third night into our stay. That was the point where we were officially bored with the food. Nonetheless, you won't starve at the Sierra Mar. There is always something to eat. Might be dry or deep fried, but you won't go hungry.
The a la carte restaurants were okay. The Ecological Restaurant was the best for food and portions. Deleious seafood. The Cuban Restaurant was the best for service. The last restuarant had way too much food. Stay away from the tuna and the ham - the stomach doesn't really agree with those dishes. Remember: you have to be up to the buffet by 7:30 a.m. to reserve your spot.
Alcohol:
Try the Sierra Mar but don't drink it too quickly. Woo.
Entertainment:
This the weakest section of the resort. There is one entertainment staff member who is really interested in getting tourists involved. The shows were stereotypical (this is how other countries say 'hello') and poorly presented. It often reminded me of a grade eight drama performance.
The disco is a joke. A JOKE! It is the size of a living room and smells like Navy perfume. There wasn't enough alcohol in the resort to make us stay in the disco for more than five minutes.
The piano bar is fantastic. There is a player specializing in Western Musicals.
Staff:
Overall the staff is friendly. My friend and I figure that we would have received better service if we tipped more. Meh. Such is the life of a budget traveller. There were some aggressive staff at the hotel. One example is the Water Ballet/Gift Exchange staff member. This man walks around asking tourist to participate in a staff/guest gift exchange (t-shirt for cuban doll). If you say no, he gets condensing and aggressive.
Beach:
Fantastic. Get up early and put your towel down to secure a beach hut for the day.
On the other side of the 'dock' there is a public area. There are boys that hide in the trees and then appear when tourists wander down. They want your stuff. A better option for giving away goods is to take the horseback ride with David into the village (seven pesos for an hour) and go visit the actual houses and/or community school. They are the people that could really benefit from: pencils, books, pencil sharpeners, baby clothes, bathroom items, toys, clothing, shoes, etc. If you can’t ride a horse, ask for the carriage. Going into the village gives you the ‘real’ experience.
If you like exploring coral reefs, lots of options for you here. There are reefs you can swim to, or afternoon trips for 12 pesos to a major reef close by. For forty five pesos you can have a day trip that includes a seafood lunch. Lots of non-waterized things to do on the beach.
Pool:
Nasty. I really don't think that they clean the pool. Yes, it looks gorgeous in the picture but it was never fully cleaned.
Overall:
Not bad. We felt like we got our money's worth and had a fabulous time. Would we go back to the resort? Well, with some upgrades, maybe. The structure of the resort needs some work. Of course, we are biased because there are lots of spots to see in the world and that is the main reason for not returning to the resort.
If you are looking for a relaxing, comfortable, beach, three star vacation, go here. If you are looking for extreme quality, variety and a party, go to the other side of the country.
And if you do go here, bring little items to give away - the poverty around the resort cannot be described in words.
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Date of stay: March 2006
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We vacationed at the Sierra Mar in early March - our fourth time to Cuba - and found it to be a really good choice! There were four of us, in our 40's and 50's, all looking for a beautiful long beach for walking, lots of shade to relax in, excellent snorkelling, good food and drinks, friendly staff, clean comfortable rooms, and lots to do if one felt like it...the Sierra Mar fit the bill in every respect! The pool was nice (although we only used it once!), there was a wide choice of food in the restaurants (the Ecological Restaurant was the best!), and the bedspread "animals" very amusing! One of our other interests in this resort was for diving. My partner and I had done our confined water SCUBA training at home in Kingston, and we completed our open water qualifications at the Sierra Mar. The staff at the dive shop, especially Carlos and Javier, were excellent! We always felt to be in safe hands, the dive groups were small with lots of individual attention, they had lots of equipment, and the variety of dive sites close to the hotel was amazing! The price for diving - either as part of a course or not - was really inexpensive compared to what I've seen advertised in other places. If you are a new diver or an experienced one, you will not be disappointed! We only found a few negative things. Some of the hallways were very slippery due to drippage from the airconditioning, so be careful. Also, one of the parrots in the trees near the pool is very cranky and will bite, so again be careful. The shows at night were hit-or-miss: one night was great and the next one terrible. It had rained a bit before we arrived, bringing out the tiny biting flies under the trees on the beach, but as things dried up, so did the flies! These things really were minor compared to all of the positives at the Sierra Mar, and we would definitely go back. Do tip. Do bring clothing, shoes, antihistamines etc., school supplies (you can ask your tour rep how to distribute them if you don't want to give them all to the hotel staff). Don't leave your towel unguarded. It doesn't happen often, but if you lose it, you really will forfeit your 15 convertible peso deposit! DON'T STAND ON THE CORAL!! And finally...have a wonderful vacation!
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Date of stay: April 2005
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The main dining room often (not every night) sets out tables outside for the evening meal. About an hour or two before dinner hour you will see them setting up. Ask the attendant to save you a table (a tip is nice to offer) and he'll put out a name tag on a table for you. It's very pleasant taking your meal on this patio.
There are more places to choose from in the Guama area.
ALSO KNOWN AS
brisas sierra mar guama, brisas sierra mar hotel guama
LOCATION
CaribbeanCubaSantiago de Cuba ProvinceGuama
NUMBER OF ROOMS
200
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