Hotel Brisas Sierra Mar
Carretera A Chivirico Km 60, Guama 92800 Cuba
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3.5
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HOTEL CLASS
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Mid-range
Ocean View
Property amenities
Free parking
Public wifi
Fitness Centre with Gym / Workout Room
Pool
Bar / lounge
Beach
Diving
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Hot bath
Outdoor pool
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Breakfast buffet
Swimup bar
Poolside bar
Tennis court
Evening entertainment
Kids club
Airport transportation
Massage
Concierge
Shops
Laundry service
Room features
Air conditioning
Private balcony
Room types
Ocean view
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Location
Carretera A Chivirico Km 60, Guama 92800 Cuba
Getting there
Antonio Maceo Intl Airport
50.8 km•
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C.M. de Cespedes Airport
56.8 km•
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Detailed Reviews
I went diving at the Sierra Mar from Nov.19-26, 2005. This was my second visit since 1998 and I was surprised to see the resort looking better than ever with several of the same staff from 7 yrs ago. The hotel was closed for 6 mths and reopened Nov.5/05. The diving was well organized with the Marlin dive shop on site. Friendly and knowledgable staff who made the extra effort for divers. The rental equipment is Mares and most people bring their own diving equipment. Diving costs $30 Cuban convertible pesos for each dive with slight reductions for multiple dives.(3 dives = 87 CCP). Two hurricanes hit this area in July and October 05, however there is little evidence or damage to the resort. The vizability under water was about 50% of the usual 80-100 ft. There is about 30+ dive sites on the reefs in front of the resort. Some of the reefs are under pressure from local spear fishing with recent attempts to make the reefs an underwater park unsuccessful. The Marlin dive instructors are expierenced, friendly and proffesional. The two dive boats hold 8 divers each and depart at approximately 0900, 1100 and 1300 hours each day, weather permitting. I saw a rare 12 ft Nurse shark on my 1st dive on the wall and was very excited to see it. The shark swam away very quickly. The #9 dive site was very interesting with lots of fish and corral. I recommend the resort for a diving holiday.
The resort was well managed with the staff looking great in there blue and white uniforms. The night shows were excellent with the dancing some of the best I've seen in Cuba. The dancers are ballet trained and work very hard to entertain. The food was plentifull with good variety. Try the alacarte restaurants for a change. The best coffee is at the pool bar and the beach bar has the best location, right on the beach. Try the fried fish and pizzas at the beach restaurant for lunch.
I hope this info helps anyone thinking of going to this resort. Best wishes and have a great holiday.
The resort was well managed with the staff looking great in there blue and white uniforms. The night shows were excellent with the dancing some of the best I've seen in Cuba. The dancers are ballet trained and work very hard to entertain. The food was plentifull with good variety. Try the alacarte restaurants for a change. The best coffee is at the pool bar and the beach bar has the best location, right on the beach. Try the fried fish and pizzas at the beach restaurant for lunch.
I hope this info helps anyone thinking of going to this resort. Best wishes and have a great holiday.
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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.
Brisas Sierra Mar Practical Advice
A grand old girl built by Canadians in the eighties to my understanding and now run by the Cuban government. While Brisas has seen better days it was built to last and has survived many things thrown at it with grace and dignity. Most of the guests that enjoy this place fall in love with the quiet unspoken charm of the old girl and special people who work here and return time and again. Located about a 75-90 minute drive (depending on the amount of goats, cows and horses to be avoided) west along the coast road from the Santiago airport it sits in quiet isolation nestled between the mountains and the sea.
While the resort is in need of some fixing up here and there it is well maintained and clean and lovingly looked after by an attentive staff of grounds keepers and maintenance personnel. The resort is only able to fix or replace things when the government allocates funds for the repair/replacement but even so Cubans are resourceful and hard working so they manage to keep everything working to their best of their ability and go out of their way to help people enjoy their stay when problems arise. That being said there can be issues like the elevator not working or water leakage but report your problems and issues with a smile and some kind words and the matter will be resolved promptly if possible.
This is not a resort for the young and foolish but maybe the young at heart (stick with Varadero or Cayo Coco for young partiers) with the average age 45+ and is family oriented with a great kids club and the staff to look after your needs. The food is alas the food, no one will starve and there is ample choice and the staff tries very hard but this is the same story at most Cuban resorts. The pool is clean and well used if anyone complains about the black ring around the top take a look at who showers before entering (no one) so there is a permanent ring of sunscreen imbedded into the concrete. The beach is wonderful and you can walk for kilometers without running into anyone, there is vegetation in the water at supervised beach but it is sea grass not sea weed and feels rather good to sit in and walk in in my opinion.
The music is phenomenal here at this resort and you will find excellent live music being played nightly at all ala carte restaurants, the lobby and pool bar area. Please tip the bands well they earn their living from your appreciation of their music and ask for CD’s a souvenir worthwhile taking home. The same can said of the 9:00 pm shows here excellent, this is a small resort area and the entertainment staff are recent music and dance graduates that take their craft very seriously and practice day and night also show your appreciation and pass the hat after their performances.
Tipping, I know you already paid for your holiday but you actually paid very little for quite a lot. Tip you barman every round, tip your maid in the morning and your servers for meals, all tips are pooled across the resort and shared amongst all including grounds staff. It is very little out of your pocket daily to make a big difference in people lives and their families. This resort is a bargain and you would do well to remember this, you paid a weekend in Montreal or Toronto for an excellent week long adventure so remember as a wise man once told me “If you want home, stay home” as this is Cuba.
Some Brisas Do’s and Don’ts
Do learn some basic Spanish such as please and thanks good morning/day/night and use them frequently you will be surprised at the great service and smiles you will be rewarded with.
Don’t bring your attitude there is enough of that to go around and everyone has one so leaving yours at home makes for a great trip for all.
Do visit the ala carte restaurants they are all great with live music I especially recommend the ecological restaurant set near the organic gardens Aero and Leo will make your visit one you will never forget and if Pablo is playing you are in for a real treat.
Don’t forget to bring Watkins bug repellent, this works best for mosquitos and sand fleas, yes they are everywhere at night near the sand but they are everywhere in the Caribbean and Mexico as well.
Do bring some strong sunscreen for your nose and Chap Stick for your lips. The sun is strong here and I don’t care how many hours you have in the tanning bed you will regret not having these two items.
Don’t walk on the beach after 10:30 am without flip flops or water shoes. The surface of mercury maybe a little less hot than the beach sand after the sun does its job of heating things up.
Do bring some travel mugs with you save the environment and keep your drinks cold at the same time. I would recommend the Costco Contigo brand (right size for us) as they float but to each their own. I find the Bubba mugs a flat disappointment.
Do bring a few flash lights the power has been known to go out on occasion so be prepared and they also make great gifts to leave to staff.
Don’t take your old clothes to value village, pay an extra 30 dollars to bring an extra checked duffle bag with you and you will make a lot of people very happy. Clothes are not hard to get but selection is limited and sizes are as well. Larger clothes (big and tall), kid clothes, shoes and light jackets are greatly appreciated.
Do bring your old laptops, phones and assorted electronics, Cubans are a resourceful people and will refurbish anything that you have outgrown. Most of the cars from the fifties are in better shape now than they were then, even if they are Franken cars they run and usually very well.
Don’t miss out on the Sunset from the bar over the pool as well don’t miss out on a Mojito or coffee prepared by William at the lobby bar.
Do bring toys, board games and lots of love for Ainsley the head of the kids club and whom we affectionately call the kid whisperer. She will have your baby asleep in 2 minutes, your kids following her around like the Pied Piper and totally in love in very short order. We have our suspicions she might be a secret hypnotist.
Do bring a picnic pack of your condiments and some jam/peanut butter if you have to have what exactly have in Canada. We enjoyed the new flavors but tastes may vary
Don’t forget to ask Osmar at the beach bar to play some fresh Cuban music you will not be disappointed and Osmar loves to please. That being said he loves to please a little too much sometimes so don’t forget to waive him off the booze while pouring or you will pay for it later.
Do challenge Pedro to a game of horseshoes behind the beach bar! The pit is a little shorter than Canadian normal and they play leaners in Cuba, but their country their rules. Pedro gives his lessons very quickly and cheaply and will also supply you with a coconut for drinking on request.
Finally Do respect everyone and they will respect you. Make an effort to say hi to everyone and be nice and you get it back in spades.
A grand old girl built by Canadians in the eighties to my understanding and now run by the Cuban government. While Brisas has seen better days it was built to last and has survived many things thrown at it with grace and dignity. Most of the guests that enjoy this place fall in love with the quiet unspoken charm of the old girl and special people who work here and return time and again. Located about a 75-90 minute drive (depending on the amount of goats, cows and horses to be avoided) west along the coast road from the Santiago airport it sits in quiet isolation nestled between the mountains and the sea.
While the resort is in need of some fixing up here and there it is well maintained and clean and lovingly looked after by an attentive staff of grounds keepers and maintenance personnel. The resort is only able to fix or replace things when the government allocates funds for the repair/replacement but even so Cubans are resourceful and hard working so they manage to keep everything working to their best of their ability and go out of their way to help people enjoy their stay when problems arise. That being said there can be issues like the elevator not working or water leakage but report your problems and issues with a smile and some kind words and the matter will be resolved promptly if possible.
This is not a resort for the young and foolish but maybe the young at heart (stick with Varadero or Cayo Coco for young partiers) with the average age 45+ and is family oriented with a great kids club and the staff to look after your needs. The food is alas the food, no one will starve and there is ample choice and the staff tries very hard but this is the same story at most Cuban resorts. The pool is clean and well used if anyone complains about the black ring around the top take a look at who showers before entering (no one) so there is a permanent ring of sunscreen imbedded into the concrete. The beach is wonderful and you can walk for kilometers without running into anyone, there is vegetation in the water at supervised beach but it is sea grass not sea weed and feels rather good to sit in and walk in in my opinion.
The music is phenomenal here at this resort and you will find excellent live music being played nightly at all ala carte restaurants, the lobby and pool bar area. Please tip the bands well they earn their living from your appreciation of their music and ask for CD’s a souvenir worthwhile taking home. The same can said of the 9:00 pm shows here excellent, this is a small resort area and the entertainment staff are recent music and dance graduates that take their craft very seriously and practice day and night also show your appreciation and pass the hat after their performances.
Tipping, I know you already paid for your holiday but you actually paid very little for quite a lot. Tip you barman every round, tip your maid in the morning and your servers for meals, all tips are pooled across the resort and shared amongst all including grounds staff. It is very little out of your pocket daily to make a big difference in people lives and their families. This resort is a bargain and you would do well to remember this, you paid a weekend in Montreal or Toronto for an excellent week long adventure so remember as a wise man once told me “If you want home, stay home” as this is Cuba.
Some Brisas Do’s and Don’ts
Do learn some basic Spanish such as please and thanks good morning/day/night and use them frequently you will be surprised at the great service and smiles you will be rewarded with.
Don’t bring your attitude there is enough of that to go around and everyone has one so leaving yours at home makes for a great trip for all.
Do visit the ala carte restaurants they are all great with live music I especially recommend the ecological restaurant set near the organic gardens Aero and Leo will make your visit one you will never forget and if Pablo is playing you are in for a real treat.
Don’t forget to bring Watkins bug repellent, this works best for mosquitos and sand fleas, yes they are everywhere at night near the sand but they are everywhere in the Caribbean and Mexico as well.
Do bring some strong sunscreen for your nose and Chap Stick for your lips. The sun is strong here and I don’t care how many hours you have in the tanning bed you will regret not having these two items.
Don’t walk on the beach after 10:30 am without flip flops or water shoes. The surface of mercury maybe a little less hot than the beach sand after the sun does its job of heating things up.
Do bring some travel mugs with you save the environment and keep your drinks cold at the same time. I would recommend the Costco Contigo brand (right size for us) as they float but to each their own. I find the Bubba mugs a flat disappointment.
Do bring a few flash lights the power has been known to go out on occasion so be prepared and they also make great gifts to leave to staff.
Don’t take your old clothes to value village, pay an extra 30 dollars to bring an extra checked duffle bag with you and you will make a lot of people very happy. Clothes are not hard to get but selection is limited and sizes are as well. Larger clothes (big and tall), kid clothes, shoes and light jackets are greatly appreciated.
Do bring your old laptops, phones and assorted electronics, Cubans are a resourceful people and will refurbish anything that you have outgrown. Most of the cars from the fifties are in better shape now than they were then, even if they are Franken cars they run and usually very well.
Don’t miss out on the Sunset from the bar over the pool as well don’t miss out on a Mojito or coffee prepared by William at the lobby bar.
Do bring toys, board games and lots of love for Ainsley the head of the kids club and whom we affectionately call the kid whisperer. She will have your baby asleep in 2 minutes, your kids following her around like the Pied Piper and totally in love in very short order. We have our suspicions she might be a secret hypnotist.
Do bring a picnic pack of your condiments and some jam/peanut butter if you have to have what exactly have in Canada. We enjoyed the new flavors but tastes may vary
Don’t forget to ask Osmar at the beach bar to play some fresh Cuban music you will not be disappointed and Osmar loves to please. That being said he loves to please a little too much sometimes so don’t forget to waive him off the booze while pouring or you will pay for it later.
Do challenge Pedro to a game of horseshoes behind the beach bar! The pit is a little shorter than Canadian normal and they play leaners in Cuba, but their country their rules. Pedro gives his lessons very quickly and cheaply and will also supply you with a coconut for drinking on request.
Finally Do respect everyone and they will respect you. Make an effort to say hi to everyone and be nice and you get it back in spades.
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Date of stay: February 2018
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.
Response from Brisas S, Director de Relaciones con Clientes at Hotel Brisas Sierra Mar
Responded Apr 26, 2018
Dear Maryla26, Brisas Sierra Mar Management and Staff appreciate your comments regarding our resort. Our guests’ opinions are carefully read and every consideration is looked after. They are an opportunity to improve our services since our main purpose is customers’ satisfaction. It will be a pleasure to welcome you in the near future. Best Regards.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Sierra Mar has made a number of improvements since I reviewed it last year. A new, airy snack bar replaces the slightly cramped one on the lobby level. The Rachon restaurant at beach level has been completely rebuilt after being damaged by Hurricane Sandi. The beach itself has been improved. A new breakwater has been built to reduce sand erosion and thatched awnings provide shade.
The on-site dive shop has good quality equipment (included in the price of the dive) and knowledgeable dive-masters - Edgar and Manuel.
From noon until the middle of the night you will find local Cuban bands performing quality live music at various sites within the hotel
There is a new head chef this year. He is innovative and imaginative. Herbs and spices have found their way into the dining room.
Nature walks and other hotel activities provide daytime entertainment suitable for all ages. Every night at 9:00 pm there is a stage performance. At least twice a week, the performance is similar to the "Tropicana" shows. Every week there is a synchronized swimming ballet.
The Sunwing tour desk in the lobby can arrange a wide variety of excursions, everything from mud baths to historical and cultural tours.
One word of caution,if you have mobility issues you should know that the brand new highest quality German Thyssen Krup elevators,which were installed last year are unreliable. No one can explain the reason for the problem but in the three weeks we were there this January, they did not work for a complete day on any of our 21 days. Since the hotel is built into the hillside and is 7 levels with the lobby, pool and restaurants on the fourth level, you have to be able to climb stairs.
We have been to Sierra Mar more than 15 times and love it. The staff is extremely helpful and friendly
Although it does not have WI-Fi yet, the fiber optic cable has been installed and the management is saying it should be ready soon.
The on-site dive shop has good quality equipment (included in the price of the dive) and knowledgeable dive-masters - Edgar and Manuel.
From noon until the middle of the night you will find local Cuban bands performing quality live music at various sites within the hotel
There is a new head chef this year. He is innovative and imaginative. Herbs and spices have found their way into the dining room.
Nature walks and other hotel activities provide daytime entertainment suitable for all ages. Every night at 9:00 pm there is a stage performance. At least twice a week, the performance is similar to the "Tropicana" shows. Every week there is a synchronized swimming ballet.
The Sunwing tour desk in the lobby can arrange a wide variety of excursions, everything from mud baths to historical and cultural tours.
One word of caution,if you have mobility issues you should know that the brand new highest quality German Thyssen Krup elevators,which were installed last year are unreliable. No one can explain the reason for the problem but in the three weeks we were there this January, they did not work for a complete day on any of our 21 days. Since the hotel is built into the hillside and is 7 levels with the lobby, pool and restaurants on the fourth level, you have to be able to climb stairs.
We have been to Sierra Mar more than 15 times and love it. The staff is extremely helpful and friendly
Although it does not have WI-Fi yet, the fiber optic cable has been installed and the management is saying it should be ready soon.
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Date of stay: January 2015
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 visited the Santiago area 6 times and stayed at the two other resorts, the third one was sadly destroyed by hurricane Sandy before I got around to visiting it, nevertheless Brisas Sierra Mar still remains my all time favorite in the area. The million dollar view is out of a dream! The staff is friendly and proffesional, the cleaning staff is top notch whether in our rooms or the public facilities. Never any overflowing garbage bins.
The beach is back! They have been working so hard at rebuilding the beach and it is coming in nicely. Some days the water was foggy due to storms at night but we had days where it was crystal clear. The nautical was up and running and I have a date with scuba diving when I return. The catamaran was out daily bringing people for free rides or you had the option of pedal boats or little kayaks...all free.
Tennis courts were operational and newly painted. People were using them daily.
The pool was very refreshing and when Anthony was there it was my favorite time! Music played by the pool and at 9:30ish he would announce the daily activities. Stretching, aquafitness which I love! Volleyball then history lessons, spanish lessons, dancing and bingo. It all depends on clientele participation but I loved it when he was there. When he wasn't there music was not on for some reason so I headed off to the beach.
This is a safe, quiet resort and I ran every morning undisturbed for 45 minutes. DIVINE!
The food is Amazing!! I love the Brisas chain- they never go wrong food wise. Not only was it delicious it was recognizable! Bonus!!
There's a little town across the street from the entrance of the resort- nice place to walk or jog through and a fantastic restaurant called Oceano is there. Delicious, very affordable food...no reservations required just walk on over.
I took in the eco walk with Anthony starting at 8:00am - he is a well of knowledge and fluent in 4 languages plus. He also does a bird watching tour and another walking tour. There are bike tours also available.
Our room was clean and hot water plentiful. Safe was at a cost of 14CUC for the week. Well worth the peace of mind.
The elevators were functional but I preferred using the stairs, cardio central!
I would recommend this resort anytime and am returning for scuba lessons with Manolito and Edgar. Can't wait!
There is nothing like a sunset on the Caribbean with the majestic mountains in the background...a truly magical sight.
The beach is back! They have been working so hard at rebuilding the beach and it is coming in nicely. Some days the water was foggy due to storms at night but we had days where it was crystal clear. The nautical was up and running and I have a date with scuba diving when I return. The catamaran was out daily bringing people for free rides or you had the option of pedal boats or little kayaks...all free.
Tennis courts were operational and newly painted. People were using them daily.
The pool was very refreshing and when Anthony was there it was my favorite time! Music played by the pool and at 9:30ish he would announce the daily activities. Stretching, aquafitness which I love! Volleyball then history lessons, spanish lessons, dancing and bingo. It all depends on clientele participation but I loved it when he was there. When he wasn't there music was not on for some reason so I headed off to the beach.
This is a safe, quiet resort and I ran every morning undisturbed for 45 minutes. DIVINE!
The food is Amazing!! I love the Brisas chain- they never go wrong food wise. Not only was it delicious it was recognizable! Bonus!!
There's a little town across the street from the entrance of the resort- nice place to walk or jog through and a fantastic restaurant called Oceano is there. Delicious, very affordable food...no reservations required just walk on over.
I took in the eco walk with Anthony starting at 8:00am - he is a well of knowledge and fluent in 4 languages plus. He also does a bird watching tour and another walking tour. There are bike tours also available.
Our room was clean and hot water plentiful. Safe was at a cost of 14CUC for the week. Well worth the peace of mind.
The elevators were functional but I preferred using the stairs, cardio central!
I would recommend this resort anytime and am returning for scuba lessons with Manolito and Edgar. Can't wait!
There is nothing like a sunset on the Caribbean with the majestic mountains in the background...a truly magical sight.
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Date of stay: January 2014
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 resort is nothing more than a front for human trafficking in prostitution. It goes unchecked by what they may call "security". I was completely and utterly disgusted by the conduct of the locals in offering themselves and their companions up for sexual services, the number of visitors engaging in the conduct and supporting human sexual trafficking.
Female members of our group were uncomfortable being on their own and two of them were boldly propositioned to hire the services of a prostitute.
The resort is described as a 60 km drive from the airport. This is true, but what is not said is the road has been washed out for four years and the drive took close to two hours. If you are at the resort and require emergency medical services, good luck because it will take them the same time to arrive from Santiago de Cuba.
The resort sits on wonderful grounds and has so much potential, but it appears to be in total neglect. The pool had a slimy bathtub ring around it that could be easily wiped away if the resort had the ambition to do so. In the seven days I was there, only once did I seen the pool being cleaned, but chemicals were added every night.
In my room it was musty and smelly. It was not until my last night there I finally figured out the midnight itching was bedbugs. My phone only worked when I held the plug in place.
The food was below Cuban standards.
On the weekends locals are allowed to purchase a day pass. The Saturday we were there the place was over run (200 plus day passes were sold) to the point a mob mentality took over and the registered guests were physically blocked from bars and food services. The locals gained control of the main dining area and I could see them taking bags of food out from the buffet. There were absolutely no controls in place. The locals cursed the guests and scolded them for not knowing Spanish.
By day four we took refuge down by the beach, which is a good beach.
I will say each and every staff member I dealt with was pleasant, courteous and appreciative.
You have been warned!
Female members of our group were uncomfortable being on their own and two of them were boldly propositioned to hire the services of a prostitute.
The resort is described as a 60 km drive from the airport. This is true, but what is not said is the road has been washed out for four years and the drive took close to two hours. If you are at the resort and require emergency medical services, good luck because it will take them the same time to arrive from Santiago de Cuba.
The resort sits on wonderful grounds and has so much potential, but it appears to be in total neglect. The pool had a slimy bathtub ring around it that could be easily wiped away if the resort had the ambition to do so. In the seven days I was there, only once did I seen the pool being cleaned, but chemicals were added every night.
In my room it was musty and smelly. It was not until my last night there I finally figured out the midnight itching was bedbugs. My phone only worked when I held the plug in place.
The food was below Cuban standards.
On the weekends locals are allowed to purchase a day pass. The Saturday we were there the place was over run (200 plus day passes were sold) to the point a mob mentality took over and the registered guests were physically blocked from bars and food services. The locals gained control of the main dining area and I could see them taking bags of food out from the buffet. There were absolutely no controls in place. The locals cursed the guests and scolded them for not knowing Spanish.
By day four we took refuge down by the beach, which is a good beach.
I will say each and every staff member I dealt with was pleasant, courteous and appreciative.
You have been warned!
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Date of stay: August 2011
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 just arrived home early this morning and I am wanting to return to Brisas Sierra Mar. It is Great! I had a chance to read alot of reviews before going to this resort and was a big part in choosing this resort. One thing I have to say is that most of them (not including the bad reviews) are right!
This is definately a relaxing resort. Not alot of nite life but the entertainment staff get an A+ for making your stay enjoyable....Ernesto(Nestea), George(nice tights), Frank(volleyball champ), Oscar(Grecos!), DJ Hose (Swertheart), Elizabeth (like a big sister), Ana (Bananas!), Edita (Ay Mami), Carlos and Xavier (you guys rock!). The whole staff make your stay enjoyable. The first couple of days my friends and I (20-24 yrs old) thought we had made a mistake becasue of the very older or very younger crowd, but by the second half of the week, we didn't want to go. They had to drag me away from the beach volleybal game to get on the bus to leave for the airport!! (Frank, we rock amigo!, Undefeated champions).
If you have a larger group of friends going this is a nice spot. I recommend taking the 1 hr ride to town one nite to try partying it up "local style" with some of the staff.
Food was excellent, rooms were cleaned to perfection, drinks were very generous, and smiles and 'holas' were always around the corner!.
Do not miss out on a chance to visit this paradise! ps. bring whatever you can, think of everyone as one of your family and they will return the favor 10 times over!:)
This is definately a relaxing resort. Not alot of nite life but the entertainment staff get an A+ for making your stay enjoyable....Ernesto(Nestea), George(nice tights), Frank(volleyball champ), Oscar(Grecos!), DJ Hose (Swertheart), Elizabeth (like a big sister), Ana (Bananas!), Edita (Ay Mami), Carlos and Xavier (you guys rock!). The whole staff make your stay enjoyable. The first couple of days my friends and I (20-24 yrs old) thought we had made a mistake becasue of the very older or very younger crowd, but by the second half of the week, we didn't want to go. They had to drag me away from the beach volleybal game to get on the bus to leave for the airport!! (Frank, we rock amigo!, Undefeated champions).
If you have a larger group of friends going this is a nice spot. I recommend taking the 1 hr ride to town one nite to try partying it up "local style" with some of the staff.
Food was excellent, rooms were cleaned to perfection, drinks were very generous, and smiles and 'holas' were always around the corner!.
Do not miss out on a chance to visit this paradise! ps. bring whatever you can, think of everyone as one of your family and they will return the favor 10 times over!:)
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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.
You get what you pay for. Let's face it... People come to Brisas Sierra Mar because it's a cheap 3 star resort. With most resorts of this calibre, it is what you are looking for. As with most three-stars, it can have a few faults but these can be overcome with a bit of advance notice and preparation.
Day 1: Normal flight until arrival at Cuban airport. The customs hall was a madhouse. One Sunwing flight from Montreal arrived mere minutes prior to our arrival. I'm sure this was arranged by Sunwing to take advantage of larger group pricing to go to each resort. It caused a major traffic jam in the lines to be interviewed by the customs people and then be funneled like sheep into a too-small corridor to have hand luggage xrayed. There were a dozen interviewers but only two X-ray machines. Bizarre. We then lined up inside the building at the bank wickets to purchase Cuban Convertible Pesos, only to be told that we would have to go to the wicket outdoors, which was oddly enough attached to the same office indoors, as we had intended to use credit cards to make our purchases. Cash only indoors. While in line outdoors, we found the rep from our hotel who had thoughtfully arranged our wristbands and key cards to be given to us even before getting on the bus. But we were still in line for pesos! After about twenty minutes of waiting for other customers (many of whom were paying by cash), the resort rep told us that the bus was leaving and we had to get on the bus now. We would be able to purchase CUC's at the resort.
On arrival at the resort, we were told that the girl with the money had gone to the bank and we would have to come back. So, we waited and came back, only then to be told that credit cards were not accepted, due to a storm two years ago, which knocked out the internet. Ultimately, we watched the manager use a credit card machine for another customer, and then also found a bit of an Internet cafe which disproved the previous excuses and determined that they simply did not have authorization to do cash advanced via credit cards. Why not just say that? Why can't Sunwing just tell customers that cash is required to purchase CUC's, generally? So frustrating.
The room is sparsely furnished with tropical colours and furniture. Two double beds which fortunately, we could push together. Once our maid, Odalis, saw this, she put a pad over the split and made the bed to suit, which was rather nice. The shower water was tepid, if you used only the hot vale, with no cold. The tiles had a bit of mold in the grout, but otherwise, everything was clean. The toilet ran on occasionally, and the shower dripped incessantly with metronomic regularity, which we resolved by simply closing the bathroom door at night. The euro-style light switches were confusing at best. Lighting was dim and starkly white. Other than that, the room was functional and surprisingly, the tv had channel 9 from Toronto. Beds were fairly comfortable. We brought a 110 volt power bar, which was worth its weight in gold, as only a single receptacle in the room was not 220 volts.
Day 2: We went to the Sunwing tour presentation and decided that our best option would be to take a scooter into the next village of Chiverica, about 12 kilometers to the west. We arranged to pay on our return and off we went, finally finding an antiquated bank on a dirt street, with a leering guard at the door who let us in, finally, after explaining to him why we gringos were going to interrupt the normal business inside. There was a definitely condescending bankers' attitude when it came to the handling of money, in which we know what we are doing and you should just trust us. After a ridiculously long delay, we finally received our stack of 5 Pesos bills and went on our way back to the resort, stopping occasionally along the way to take pictures of the spectacular shoreline.
Day 3: We took horses to a waterfall in the mountains, except that everyone forgot to mention that as there had been no serious rain for the past five months, there was no water to fall! It was nonetheless, an enjoyable ride through scrub and hills with remarkable conversation with our guide, an ex-veterinarian named Noël. We spent the rest of the day snorkelling at the beach. We are finding the food at the buffet to be rather bland and tasteless, with a few exceptions, such as the roasted potato slices and pizza made on a flat-bread crust. The entree meat is usually good. Everything other than the entree is served from pans merely placed on a counter, which becomes cold in no time. At breakfast, only the omelet cooked in front of you is hot. An investment in a warming table would go a long way. There's not much lettuce at the salad bar, and the dressings are rather bland. You have to ask for ketchup if you'd like a bit of flavour on a regular basis. You can get bottles of water from the bartenders and waitresses instead of buying them at the store, but you have to ask for it.
Day 4: We took a beach day, and did some snorkelling. We walked down the beach on the west side of the resort, and were immediately set upon by some locals, wishing to provide us with all variety of services and items. One particular shady type told us a tale of woe about his wife and kids, wishing for us to simply give him some clothing for his family. We checked with one of the resort staffers who told us that he was only wanting things he could sell for drugs and booze. We had a nice lunch at the beach restaurant, a hamburger spiced with onion salt, and some sweet potato fries. There were plenty of locals present in the morning, taking advantage of day trips offered by the resort from Santiago. It quieted down at the beach in the afternoon as everyone else went to the pools up top.
Day 5: We found ourselves adopted by one of the waitresses, Jalena, who had a kiss and hug each day for us, along with our seats reserved, and drink preferences ready for us. We were invited to one of the employees' homes, a practice that seems to be gaining popularity for tourism. We were shown his house... He lived with his wife and her parents in a too-small building, but it was clean and the food that the mother-in-law prepared was good and plentiful. We enjoyed good conversation and a few laughs. The locals are very proud of their country and don't realize how their life is going to change with the coming lifting of the US embargo. There is only day-to-day life at hand.
Day 6: This was supposed to be the day that we had signed up for a catamaran trip to Santiago-de-Cuba, and an afternoon of snorkelling. Too bad, the organizers said, there were naval operations going on in the port, and no boats were allowed into or out of the bay for the entire week. We spent the day relaxing and snorkelling on the beach. We went to the international restaurant for dinner, a three meat combo that was quite good.
Day 7: We made it to Santiago, this time on a bus tour that was well worth the money. I learned plenty from Fernando, the tour guide, who gave us his personal impressions along with a sizable bit of local, historic and national knowledge. We visited a street mall with small vendors and made some small purchases. For lunch, we were taken by boat for a nice seafood dinner on a island in the bay. While we were at the marina, we inquired about the ongoing naval activities, only to be met with questioning looks. It turned out that the catamaran was tied up at the dock, broken down. Why they felt they needed to lie to us, again, I'll never know. Beggars were a bit of a pain, but if you don't allow them to catch your eye, then you'll get past them.
Bring: cash to buy CUC pesos
A receptacle splitter or power bar for phone chargers, curling iron etc
About 6 meters of small rope to make a clothes line at the beach
A flashlight if you intend to go to the Oceana restaurant; it's a dark walk back.
A sweater: it can get cool at night with an offshore breeze.
Bubba Mug from Canadian Tire. Beats the mini-cups they serve liquor in.
Don't bother spending the extra for the ocean view room... The garden view room is equally beautiful. On that wing, the first floor of rooms has been closed and cannibalised for fixtures and furniture to keep the remaining rooms in good repair. Occasionally, the elevator stops working... This will be readily fixed once the staff is informed.
There is a picture, in the lobby, of this resort in its heyday, prior to the hurricane Dennis damage, eight or ten years ago. The beach has shrunk somewhat and there is a bit of concrete wreckage along the east side of the beach. The beach is still nice, with the large waves breaking at the reef, well offshore. Many of the palm trees have only recently been planted. We noticed a tree nursery on the way to Chiverica with palms of all sizes.
The weather is a bit more reliable for warmth than in the North, say, around Cayo Coco, which can receive sometimes chilly weather from Florida. We heard tales of mosquitos and brought bug spray, but saw not one bug, I believe, due to the recent drought. While we were there, we heard that Cayo Coco and Havana had 4 degree C nights while we enjoyed 22 degrees and 30 during the day.
Don't purchase booze anywhere but at the duty-free store at the airport. As Sunwing weighs your luggage, this will only cost you money, should you end up above the restrictive 20 kg. weight limit. After checking in, and then shopping at the duty-free shop, you get your bottles in a shopping bag, and nobody gives it a second thought!
Day 1: Normal flight until arrival at Cuban airport. The customs hall was a madhouse. One Sunwing flight from Montreal arrived mere minutes prior to our arrival. I'm sure this was arranged by Sunwing to take advantage of larger group pricing to go to each resort. It caused a major traffic jam in the lines to be interviewed by the customs people and then be funneled like sheep into a too-small corridor to have hand luggage xrayed. There were a dozen interviewers but only two X-ray machines. Bizarre. We then lined up inside the building at the bank wickets to purchase Cuban Convertible Pesos, only to be told that we would have to go to the wicket outdoors, which was oddly enough attached to the same office indoors, as we had intended to use credit cards to make our purchases. Cash only indoors. While in line outdoors, we found the rep from our hotel who had thoughtfully arranged our wristbands and key cards to be given to us even before getting on the bus. But we were still in line for pesos! After about twenty minutes of waiting for other customers (many of whom were paying by cash), the resort rep told us that the bus was leaving and we had to get on the bus now. We would be able to purchase CUC's at the resort.
On arrival at the resort, we were told that the girl with the money had gone to the bank and we would have to come back. So, we waited and came back, only then to be told that credit cards were not accepted, due to a storm two years ago, which knocked out the internet. Ultimately, we watched the manager use a credit card machine for another customer, and then also found a bit of an Internet cafe which disproved the previous excuses and determined that they simply did not have authorization to do cash advanced via credit cards. Why not just say that? Why can't Sunwing just tell customers that cash is required to purchase CUC's, generally? So frustrating.
The room is sparsely furnished with tropical colours and furniture. Two double beds which fortunately, we could push together. Once our maid, Odalis, saw this, she put a pad over the split and made the bed to suit, which was rather nice. The shower water was tepid, if you used only the hot vale, with no cold. The tiles had a bit of mold in the grout, but otherwise, everything was clean. The toilet ran on occasionally, and the shower dripped incessantly with metronomic regularity, which we resolved by simply closing the bathroom door at night. The euro-style light switches were confusing at best. Lighting was dim and starkly white. Other than that, the room was functional and surprisingly, the tv had channel 9 from Toronto. Beds were fairly comfortable. We brought a 110 volt power bar, which was worth its weight in gold, as only a single receptacle in the room was not 220 volts.
Day 2: We went to the Sunwing tour presentation and decided that our best option would be to take a scooter into the next village of Chiverica, about 12 kilometers to the west. We arranged to pay on our return and off we went, finally finding an antiquated bank on a dirt street, with a leering guard at the door who let us in, finally, after explaining to him why we gringos were going to interrupt the normal business inside. There was a definitely condescending bankers' attitude when it came to the handling of money, in which we know what we are doing and you should just trust us. After a ridiculously long delay, we finally received our stack of 5 Pesos bills and went on our way back to the resort, stopping occasionally along the way to take pictures of the spectacular shoreline.
Day 3: We took horses to a waterfall in the mountains, except that everyone forgot to mention that as there had been no serious rain for the past five months, there was no water to fall! It was nonetheless, an enjoyable ride through scrub and hills with remarkable conversation with our guide, an ex-veterinarian named Noël. We spent the rest of the day snorkelling at the beach. We are finding the food at the buffet to be rather bland and tasteless, with a few exceptions, such as the roasted potato slices and pizza made on a flat-bread crust. The entree meat is usually good. Everything other than the entree is served from pans merely placed on a counter, which becomes cold in no time. At breakfast, only the omelet cooked in front of you is hot. An investment in a warming table would go a long way. There's not much lettuce at the salad bar, and the dressings are rather bland. You have to ask for ketchup if you'd like a bit of flavour on a regular basis. You can get bottles of water from the bartenders and waitresses instead of buying them at the store, but you have to ask for it.
Day 4: We took a beach day, and did some snorkelling. We walked down the beach on the west side of the resort, and were immediately set upon by some locals, wishing to provide us with all variety of services and items. One particular shady type told us a tale of woe about his wife and kids, wishing for us to simply give him some clothing for his family. We checked with one of the resort staffers who told us that he was only wanting things he could sell for drugs and booze. We had a nice lunch at the beach restaurant, a hamburger spiced with onion salt, and some sweet potato fries. There were plenty of locals present in the morning, taking advantage of day trips offered by the resort from Santiago. It quieted down at the beach in the afternoon as everyone else went to the pools up top.
Day 5: We found ourselves adopted by one of the waitresses, Jalena, who had a kiss and hug each day for us, along with our seats reserved, and drink preferences ready for us. We were invited to one of the employees' homes, a practice that seems to be gaining popularity for tourism. We were shown his house... He lived with his wife and her parents in a too-small building, but it was clean and the food that the mother-in-law prepared was good and plentiful. We enjoyed good conversation and a few laughs. The locals are very proud of their country and don't realize how their life is going to change with the coming lifting of the US embargo. There is only day-to-day life at hand.
Day 6: This was supposed to be the day that we had signed up for a catamaran trip to Santiago-de-Cuba, and an afternoon of snorkelling. Too bad, the organizers said, there were naval operations going on in the port, and no boats were allowed into or out of the bay for the entire week. We spent the day relaxing and snorkelling on the beach. We went to the international restaurant for dinner, a three meat combo that was quite good.
Day 7: We made it to Santiago, this time on a bus tour that was well worth the money. I learned plenty from Fernando, the tour guide, who gave us his personal impressions along with a sizable bit of local, historic and national knowledge. We visited a street mall with small vendors and made some small purchases. For lunch, we were taken by boat for a nice seafood dinner on a island in the bay. While we were at the marina, we inquired about the ongoing naval activities, only to be met with questioning looks. It turned out that the catamaran was tied up at the dock, broken down. Why they felt they needed to lie to us, again, I'll never know. Beggars were a bit of a pain, but if you don't allow them to catch your eye, then you'll get past them.
Bring: cash to buy CUC pesos
A receptacle splitter or power bar for phone chargers, curling iron etc
About 6 meters of small rope to make a clothes line at the beach
A flashlight if you intend to go to the Oceana restaurant; it's a dark walk back.
A sweater: it can get cool at night with an offshore breeze.
Bubba Mug from Canadian Tire. Beats the mini-cups they serve liquor in.
Don't bother spending the extra for the ocean view room... The garden view room is equally beautiful. On that wing, the first floor of rooms has been closed and cannibalised for fixtures and furniture to keep the remaining rooms in good repair. Occasionally, the elevator stops working... This will be readily fixed once the staff is informed.
There is a picture, in the lobby, of this resort in its heyday, prior to the hurricane Dennis damage, eight or ten years ago. The beach has shrunk somewhat and there is a bit of concrete wreckage along the east side of the beach. The beach is still nice, with the large waves breaking at the reef, well offshore. Many of the palm trees have only recently been planted. We noticed a tree nursery on the way to Chiverica with palms of all sizes.
The weather is a bit more reliable for warmth than in the North, say, around Cayo Coco, which can receive sometimes chilly weather from Florida. We heard tales of mosquitos and brought bug spray, but saw not one bug, I believe, due to the recent drought. While we were there, we heard that Cayo Coco and Havana had 4 degree C nights while we enjoyed 22 degrees and 30 during the day.
Don't purchase booze anywhere but at the duty-free store at the airport. As Sunwing weighs your luggage, this will only cost you money, should you end up above the restrictive 20 kg. weight limit. After checking in, and then shopping at the duty-free shop, you get your bottles in a shopping bag, and nobody gives it a second thought!
Read more
Date of stay: February 2015
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 stayed December 25 to January 8, travelling with Hola Sun via Cubana Airlines from Toronto, with two children.
Cubana seemed to overbook on the way back, leaving some returning visitors stranded at the airport. The flight there and back on Cubana was otherwise uneventful, the legroom was ample, aircraft seemed newer. The flight coming back was delayed 8 hours, so we left the hotel at 12 noon instead of 5:00am (not really a problem!). The meal on the way back (if you want to call it that) was the worst we've ever been served. I don't expect much of a meal on an airplane. But still...
CIGARS:
The hotel doesn't sell any boxes of cigars. They sell a few single Romeo Y Julietas, for around CUC12 a piece. There is no legitimate place to buy cigars at or near the hotel. You can take your chances with the people on the beach - you can buy a box of Montecristo #4's for maybe CUC20 or so if you throw in some old clothes that they like! I can't say for sure whether the cigars were the real thing, but they looked real, and smoked pretty well too. At the airport on the way back once you clear customs there are duty free shops that also sell cigars. Boxes of Cohibas, Partagas, H. Upmann, Romeo Y Juiletas and a few others are sold there. Singles are also available. Prices seem to mirror the state-run cigar shops. I can't say what time the shop opens though...
ROOMS:
Pretty bleak, although generally kept clean. We were on the first floor facing the ocean. We asked for a fridge through our travel agent in Toronto, and one was brought to our room on our second day without asking again at the hotel (so the hotel does pay attention to the booking notes). I had written an email to the hotel about a week or two before going and asked for an extra bed - it was in our room when we got there. That made 3 single beds in the room. I brought a handy blow-up mattress from Walmart ($15) for our 6 year-old, and side-by-side, all four single beds took up the width of our room, with about one foot of space left over. Every room has a small balcony or patio with a few chairs. Be careful of the electrical outlets in the room - most were 220 in our room, including the bathroom which had a hairdryer plugged into it, but there was only one 110 volt outlet in the room, behind the television. You will find CNN and HBO available on the tv.
CONNECTING TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD:
CNN may be the only connection you will have to the outside world while you are there. THERE WAS NO INTERNET AVAILABLE AT THE HOTEL FOR THE ENTIRE TWO WEEKS THAT WE WERE THERE!!! I was told by the front desk shortly after I arrived that the internet had been down for about 15 days. It never came back on while we were there (about a month in total). Cell phone service on my GSM-based ROGERS/FIDO phones was available all the time with a strong signal. Text messages were sent and received successfully too. I can't imagine how much it costs to make or receive a call with the cell phone from Cuba, but will find out soon enough...
FOOD:
I found the food to be generally acceptable. My requirements are pretty low - as long as I don't get sick from the food, I give it a passing grade. So I give it a passing grade (unlike the DR, which failed 3 out of 3 times I was there). The all-you-can-eat grilled lobster tails on New Years was awesome!! I highly recommend trying the a la carte restaurants. Our favourite was the Ecological Restaurant, a charming and unique tiny dining room in the forest behind the hotel. The food served at all 3 a la cartes was a step above the buffet in the dining room. But for the first week we ate only in the dining room, and had no complaints. Be warned that supplies are limited, and they run out of things on occasion. I never saw a banana the whole time we were there. Some days there were no fresh fruit, although most days there was guava, grapefruit, oranges, mandarines, and occasionally watermelon and papaya.
BARS:
The bucaneero beer served is really good - 5.4% alcohol, and tasty, brewed in the European style. They never ran out of beer. But sometimes they did run out of some other ingredients for making drinks, such as lemon juice. There were no fresh fruit such as lemons or limes at the bars, ever.
POWER:
Power outs were frequent, although they usually lasted only a few seconds. The hotel seems to have its own generator - but it does not power the air conditioning or the hot water. One time we lost power for two days, which meant no A/C, and cold showers for two days. The hot water is never really hot, but when it is working it produces warm enough water to take a comfortable shower. Cold showers for two days was annoying. Fortunately the weather was excellent for our entire two weeks - it never rained, and was sunny every day. Even during two days of very high winds, it was sunny enough to be wearing no more than shorts.
EVENINGS:
I was surprised at how dressed-down everyone was at this resort. People wore short-sleaved shirts mostly. Very casual.
ENTERTAINMENT:
Easily the best quality of entertainment that I have ever experienced at an all-inclusive. Not only was the hotel entertainment staff very talented at dance, but talent was brought in from outside the hotel all the time. Local bands, gymnasts, musicians, singers and dancers made up for any deficiencies noted above.
THE BEACH:
I spent most days at the beach. The water was never rough, and was shallow enough for small children to play in. The water is not crystal clear, and on some days snorkling near the shore was impossible. But there is an impressive reef system close enough to shore that you can swim out and investigate, or paddle out with one of the two paddle boats. Many people, including us, brought their own snorkling gear. Ours was well-used there. My wife and a few others were bitten by the sand fleas. I wasn't. They seem to stay away while it is sunny. So leave the beach before 5pm, or on a cloudy day, and you should be fine. Although we brought plenty, I used no insect repellant while I was there, and had no problems.
TRIPS:
I never left the resort, so can't comment directly. My wife went on two morning walking tours led by hotel staff and thoroughly enjoyed visiting local homes, the school, and the mountain waterfall. You can bring along school supplies for the children if you wish. Any items of old clothing are always MUCH appreciated.
KIDS CLUB:
Joanna runs a kids club and some days our kids spent hours there. Most days, though, kids play together with others.
THE BUS:
The trip from airport to hotel and vice versa is unfortunate, as has been described previously.
OVERALL:
We had an enjoyable, relaxing stay overall. I felt the notable flaws were mostly outweighed by what this place has to offer. I would recommend it for the overall value to those who can live with the little things.
Cubana seemed to overbook on the way back, leaving some returning visitors stranded at the airport. The flight there and back on Cubana was otherwise uneventful, the legroom was ample, aircraft seemed newer. The flight coming back was delayed 8 hours, so we left the hotel at 12 noon instead of 5:00am (not really a problem!). The meal on the way back (if you want to call it that) was the worst we've ever been served. I don't expect much of a meal on an airplane. But still...
CIGARS:
The hotel doesn't sell any boxes of cigars. They sell a few single Romeo Y Julietas, for around CUC12 a piece. There is no legitimate place to buy cigars at or near the hotel. You can take your chances with the people on the beach - you can buy a box of Montecristo #4's for maybe CUC20 or so if you throw in some old clothes that they like! I can't say for sure whether the cigars were the real thing, but they looked real, and smoked pretty well too. At the airport on the way back once you clear customs there are duty free shops that also sell cigars. Boxes of Cohibas, Partagas, H. Upmann, Romeo Y Juiletas and a few others are sold there. Singles are also available. Prices seem to mirror the state-run cigar shops. I can't say what time the shop opens though...
ROOMS:
Pretty bleak, although generally kept clean. We were on the first floor facing the ocean. We asked for a fridge through our travel agent in Toronto, and one was brought to our room on our second day without asking again at the hotel (so the hotel does pay attention to the booking notes). I had written an email to the hotel about a week or two before going and asked for an extra bed - it was in our room when we got there. That made 3 single beds in the room. I brought a handy blow-up mattress from Walmart ($15) for our 6 year-old, and side-by-side, all four single beds took up the width of our room, with about one foot of space left over. Every room has a small balcony or patio with a few chairs. Be careful of the electrical outlets in the room - most were 220 in our room, including the bathroom which had a hairdryer plugged into it, but there was only one 110 volt outlet in the room, behind the television. You will find CNN and HBO available on the tv.
CONNECTING TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD:
CNN may be the only connection you will have to the outside world while you are there. THERE WAS NO INTERNET AVAILABLE AT THE HOTEL FOR THE ENTIRE TWO WEEKS THAT WE WERE THERE!!! I was told by the front desk shortly after I arrived that the internet had been down for about 15 days. It never came back on while we were there (about a month in total). Cell phone service on my GSM-based ROGERS/FIDO phones was available all the time with a strong signal. Text messages were sent and received successfully too. I can't imagine how much it costs to make or receive a call with the cell phone from Cuba, but will find out soon enough...
FOOD:
I found the food to be generally acceptable. My requirements are pretty low - as long as I don't get sick from the food, I give it a passing grade. So I give it a passing grade (unlike the DR, which failed 3 out of 3 times I was there). The all-you-can-eat grilled lobster tails on New Years was awesome!! I highly recommend trying the a la carte restaurants. Our favourite was the Ecological Restaurant, a charming and unique tiny dining room in the forest behind the hotel. The food served at all 3 a la cartes was a step above the buffet in the dining room. But for the first week we ate only in the dining room, and had no complaints. Be warned that supplies are limited, and they run out of things on occasion. I never saw a banana the whole time we were there. Some days there were no fresh fruit, although most days there was guava, grapefruit, oranges, mandarines, and occasionally watermelon and papaya.
BARS:
The bucaneero beer served is really good - 5.4% alcohol, and tasty, brewed in the European style. They never ran out of beer. But sometimes they did run out of some other ingredients for making drinks, such as lemon juice. There were no fresh fruit such as lemons or limes at the bars, ever.
POWER:
Power outs were frequent, although they usually lasted only a few seconds. The hotel seems to have its own generator - but it does not power the air conditioning or the hot water. One time we lost power for two days, which meant no A/C, and cold showers for two days. The hot water is never really hot, but when it is working it produces warm enough water to take a comfortable shower. Cold showers for two days was annoying. Fortunately the weather was excellent for our entire two weeks - it never rained, and was sunny every day. Even during two days of very high winds, it was sunny enough to be wearing no more than shorts.
EVENINGS:
I was surprised at how dressed-down everyone was at this resort. People wore short-sleaved shirts mostly. Very casual.
ENTERTAINMENT:
Easily the best quality of entertainment that I have ever experienced at an all-inclusive. Not only was the hotel entertainment staff very talented at dance, but talent was brought in from outside the hotel all the time. Local bands, gymnasts, musicians, singers and dancers made up for any deficiencies noted above.
THE BEACH:
I spent most days at the beach. The water was never rough, and was shallow enough for small children to play in. The water is not crystal clear, and on some days snorkling near the shore was impossible. But there is an impressive reef system close enough to shore that you can swim out and investigate, or paddle out with one of the two paddle boats. Many people, including us, brought their own snorkling gear. Ours was well-used there. My wife and a few others were bitten by the sand fleas. I wasn't. They seem to stay away while it is sunny. So leave the beach before 5pm, or on a cloudy day, and you should be fine. Although we brought plenty, I used no insect repellant while I was there, and had no problems.
TRIPS:
I never left the resort, so can't comment directly. My wife went on two morning walking tours led by hotel staff and thoroughly enjoyed visiting local homes, the school, and the mountain waterfall. You can bring along school supplies for the children if you wish. Any items of old clothing are always MUCH appreciated.
KIDS CLUB:
Joanna runs a kids club and some days our kids spent hours there. Most days, though, kids play together with others.
THE BUS:
The trip from airport to hotel and vice versa is unfortunate, as has been described previously.
OVERALL:
We had an enjoyable, relaxing stay overall. I felt the notable flaws were mostly outweighed by what this place has to offer. I would recommend it for the overall value to those who can live with the little things.
Read more
Date of stay: January 2008
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 got a good selloff for this hotel and decided to take our chances. We were very pleasantly surprised and had a wonderful week at this very beautiful location. The hotel is set on a hill overlooking the Carribbean Sea and surrounded by mountains. We travelled on Cubana Airlines and found it to be very comfortable and spacious compared to Skyservice and Air Transat.
ROOMS The rooms are basic and will need upgrading very soon but they were always clean and well supplied with towels. The air conditioning could use some improvement and there are no ceiling fans. The balconies are spacious and most have a good view of the ocean or mountains and gardens. Bring your hair dryer as they are not provided. My friend and I decided not to bring our hairdryers this time as they are always in the hotels we travelled to in the past. We asked for one but couldn't get one. No remote for the TV but they have CNN and several stations in English.
FOOD The food was always good and there was plenty to choose from. Good desserts- especially the creamy rice pudding. If you like lobster try the lobster tail dinner at least once during your visit. They are very large so they split them in half for you. They were served with hot garlic butter for dipping. We paid $24 for the two of us. Also visit the Eco restaurant for the good seafood, pork, chicken kabobs. The bars are always open and you can order almost any drink.
ENTERTAINMENT We spent all our days at the beach under a shady tree and there is plenty to do. The Dive Shop will provide you with snorkeling equipment but I would bring my own the next time as this is a great location to try snorkeling. You can swim out to the reef or take a paddle boat. If you are not a good swimmer get a life jacket from the dive shop. You can even just walk out in front of the hotel (on your left side when you are looking out to sea) and see many small colourful fish. We walked along the beach past the graveyard and the beach is beautiful for swimming. The local people we met were mostly friendly and did not bother us. If you have soap candies, pens or pencils they willl appreciate them. There is beach volleyball, horseshoes, tennis, etc. to keep you busy. We did not spend time at the pool but it was a happy place also. The Cubans are great musicians and artists. There was always some live music playing in the afternoons and evening. I loved the lobby piano bar in the evenings. Most shows were very professional and different from other resorts we have visited. Good dancers and great costumes.
TRIPS We just took the trip into the city Santiago de Cuba and enjoyed it very much. We left at about 8:30 and were back to the hotel by 1:30. The Morro Castle which is really a fort was very interesting to see. The drive into the city took about 75 minutes and is very scenic. Friends went to swim with dolfins and also enjoyed their trip. We took the horse taxi from the hotel to view the local sites. It was an hour tour and very informative and enjoyable. We didn't get to the town of Cheviros (sp?) but will next time.
Overall we had an amazing time and would highly recommend this hotel and area to people who would like something different. Many people at the resort are repeat visitors and they bring gifts such as bicycles and sewing machines to the local people who have become their friends over the years.
ROOMS The rooms are basic and will need upgrading very soon but they were always clean and well supplied with towels. The air conditioning could use some improvement and there are no ceiling fans. The balconies are spacious and most have a good view of the ocean or mountains and gardens. Bring your hair dryer as they are not provided. My friend and I decided not to bring our hairdryers this time as they are always in the hotels we travelled to in the past. We asked for one but couldn't get one. No remote for the TV but they have CNN and several stations in English.
FOOD The food was always good and there was plenty to choose from. Good desserts- especially the creamy rice pudding. If you like lobster try the lobster tail dinner at least once during your visit. They are very large so they split them in half for you. They were served with hot garlic butter for dipping. We paid $24 for the two of us. Also visit the Eco restaurant for the good seafood, pork, chicken kabobs. The bars are always open and you can order almost any drink.
ENTERTAINMENT We spent all our days at the beach under a shady tree and there is plenty to do. The Dive Shop will provide you with snorkeling equipment but I would bring my own the next time as this is a great location to try snorkeling. You can swim out to the reef or take a paddle boat. If you are not a good swimmer get a life jacket from the dive shop. You can even just walk out in front of the hotel (on your left side when you are looking out to sea) and see many small colourful fish. We walked along the beach past the graveyard and the beach is beautiful for swimming. The local people we met were mostly friendly and did not bother us. If you have soap candies, pens or pencils they willl appreciate them. There is beach volleyball, horseshoes, tennis, etc. to keep you busy. We did not spend time at the pool but it was a happy place also. The Cubans are great musicians and artists. There was always some live music playing in the afternoons and evening. I loved the lobby piano bar in the evenings. Most shows were very professional and different from other resorts we have visited. Good dancers and great costumes.
TRIPS We just took the trip into the city Santiago de Cuba and enjoyed it very much. We left at about 8:30 and were back to the hotel by 1:30. The Morro Castle which is really a fort was very interesting to see. The drive into the city took about 75 minutes and is very scenic. Friends went to swim with dolfins and also enjoyed their trip. We took the horse taxi from the hotel to view the local sites. It was an hour tour and very informative and enjoyable. We didn't get to the town of Cheviros (sp?) but will next time.
Overall we had an amazing time and would highly recommend this hotel and area to people who would like something different. Many people at the resort are repeat visitors and they bring gifts such as bicycles and sewing machines to the local people who have become their friends over the years.
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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.
have been in Cuba two dozen times and I find Brisas Sierra Mar worst place of all
roads are terrible so you’re stacked in the middle of nowhere in a run down hotel, nothing to do except counting mosquito and bug bites (large spiders, small crabs and even a frog in our room),
and waiting to return home...
lost first two days to plan any activities and excursions because travel rep. didn’t show up, store closed for two days, money exchange for three all because of broken bus carrying employees to hotel...food in buffet is bad and repetitive, in a-la-carte even worst...beach is small and murky full of stones...no entertainment for tree days...most people we met had similar complaints....problems have more do with the management and establishment rather than the staff who tried to make our stay less miserable
roads are terrible so you’re stacked in the middle of nowhere in a run down hotel, nothing to do except counting mosquito and bug bites (large spiders, small crabs and even a frog in our room),
and waiting to return home...
lost first two days to plan any activities and excursions because travel rep. didn’t show up, store closed for two days, money exchange for three all because of broken bus carrying employees to hotel...food in buffet is bad and repetitive, in a-la-carte even worst...beach is small and murky full of stones...no entertainment for tree days...most people we met had similar complaints....problems have more do with the management and establishment rather than the staff who tried to make our stay less miserable
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Date of stay: August 2012
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.
Lo siento, nunca he estado allí
We have connection throughout the hotel except on the beach. You can buy hours at the hotel reception.
In the hotel we have a bank capable of changing your currency to CUC. If you have any special need for pillows, you can request it by reservation
not sure. there is a divers and snorkling hut right on the beach.
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.
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"The airport bus ride is 3.5 hrs but the scenery is very beautiful. Most staff speak good English. Snack bar has good banana chips "Read full review
"Make sure you have your sticks for the patio windows, prefer 2nd floor if the elevators are not working you are in the middle."Read full review
"Because access to rooms is by elevator people with mobility will have problems if elevators go down. Many, many steps."Read full review
"most rooms have ocean view, if you have issues walking ask for lower floors but it depends on size of group too for what they can offer"Read full review
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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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