Brisas del Caribe

We have now been there 3 time and have always been more then happy, the service is amazing, the workers are great, the food is absoutly amazing, the cocktails are very good and strong, Michael from the hotel Customer Relations Office is amazing very friendly and goes above and beyond to help us with any and all of our needs, Agustin from the hotel bar is one of the funniest friendliest genuine people you will ever meet and will go above and beyond to make you smile, we are planning our next trip this year for our second Christmas there, we absolutely love it.

I have been going to Brisas Del Caribe for the past seven years and have always had a positive experience there. When it comes to the rooms, yes there is the occasional leak from the air conditioner or ants coming from the door outside. Personally I go camping so neither of those problems really bother me. I know that I am in Cuba and their resources are not in abundance so they make due with what they have. Overall the maids do a fine job of cleaning the room, leaving fresh sets of towels and accommodating their schedule with when I need the room. As for the food I usually eat at the breakfast buffet early in the morning to avoid the rush of people lining up for eggs. If you are lucky you might catch the George behind the grill singing a great song. As for lunch since there is a caleta by the beach that has fresh BBQ and various side dishes I rarely visit the buffet for lunch. When I do visit the buffet for lunch on rainy days, yes there are flies but that is just the nature of being in the Caribbean and having people consistently opening and closing doors. Now if you want things like ketchup, hot sauce, and various other spices for your food I advice you bring them yourself since those are not common things available there. I have heard many people complain that there is sometimes not enough utensils and I admit that has happened to me before. It is not the workers or managers fault, I have witnessed people stealing the utensils and taking them with them to the beach without returning them. They have a finite amount unfortunately it likely isn't top priority on the budget list. Another thing to keep in mind is that most of their food has to be imported in through countries do not on the county and are willing to trade with Cuba. Keep in mind that no matter what you eat, you are getting a bigger portion of food in one sitting than most people get in a day of work. Meat is a luxury for the people there so before complaining about the quality of your food just consider how the people feel. That being said I constantly see tourist filling up plates, taking a single bite and walking away. So please be considerate and only take what you think you will eat, you can always go back for more. If you came to Cuba expecting sushi, steak, and lobster for every dinner I would suggest looking another destination. If you are happy with a satisfying meal or pork, chicken, fish, rice and various other vegetables this might be for you. When it comes to hospitality I would say that is 80% of what I care for when I travel. I have made many friends at Brisas whether they are bar tender, server, maid, or even a security guard. I can say with confidence that 90% of the staff there genuinely care about their job and are trying their best to give you a good experience. Many of them have built up their English knowledge just from speaking to people and are willing to try to have a conversation, you just need to be patient. There many nights that I have stayed by the bar just talking to the workers and sharing snacks that are not available to them. Nuts and goldfish I have found are a favourite of many of the workers. It really comes down to if you show respect you will receive respect. I personally love the personality factor that all the workers at the resort are their own person and often times will talk their heart away about their family, their lives, and aspirations. As for the tipping culture I will say that is not required but a tip in Cuba goes a very long way for the people, much longer than it would have in Canada. If put it into perspective a worker earns a salary of around $20 CAD a month which they need to use to pay rent, get extra food, and pay transportation to work. So a small tip of a dollar is already quite helpful for them. You do not even have to tip money. Every year I bring preserved food, snacks, and old clothing to give away. Most are things that they can't get but we take for granted. I hope this review helps those trying to make a decision.

We were sorely disappointed. This place is nothing short of a dump! Holes in walls, springs popping up in the mattress’s, no mattress covers, just gross! Food was morbid. Everyone wanted a tip everywhere you turned. For this reason I will never return to Cuba again. Major turn off.