We went to the Bucanero Feb. 1-8, 2012, and I have to say, it was honestly the best trip yet. This was our 5th time to Cuba but our first at this particular resort, and I would recommend it to anyone with an open mind and a sense of adventure. The location of the hotel could not have been better, with the beach in a small bay, (where the snorkeling was amazing might I add) and the rest of the resort very spaced out as to not feel too crowded. Some people were fussing over the food, but I found absolutely nothing to complain about. Omlet's and assortments of yogurt for breakfast seemed to be our favourite, and fresh fish and fruits for lunch were always an option. Of course there were also two snack bars for lunch, one at the beach and one at the bar, with hamburgers, fry's, hot-dog's etc... Also an awesome lobster-lunch down at the beach. Supper at the buffet we didn't experience as much as we were always finding different things to do around meal time, but from what we saw, also looked great with a variety of desserts, meats and diary (the bread was to die for). Everything was pretty relaxed and laid-back which we have always loved in a hotel, and the staff were so friendly and were there to make you happy. I am 13 years old and although I enjoy the regular comforts of a teenager (Ipod, phone, etc) I said "adios" my phone for the week and had a GREAT time. I brought along a friend and it was her first time out of Canada. Now some people wouldn't agree with a trip to Cuba as a first vacation, but she fell in love with the place, as did my family. The two biggest pieces of advice I would give to anyone going to Bucanero for the first time would be to not be afraid to leave the resort, and definitely bring along a pair of water shoes. Traveling with my father is an experience in itself as he is just one of those people that can make friends within 3 minutes of talking to someone no matter WHERE he is. We all went for a walk outside the resort and met a local named Pablo. Well he and my dad got communicating and wound up setting up a horse back ride. Surprisingly, it was one of the highlights of the trip. We got to meet the real people of Cuba and had so many great times riding along the shore. My dad also set up a trip to Santiago with the bar tender Santos. We toured and old cathedral and spent a couple hours in this adorable little bar where not one person spoke a word of English, but were happy to be around tourist. There was just one person with a guitar and we all sang and laughed, and danced for a good two hours. Our taxi ride home was in a 1938 Chevy with an engine that the driver had re-done himself and was quite proud of. So. Much. FUN! Another thing I would recommend, would be the goat supper. Another unofficial trip of the resort, got picked up in a 1945 Jeep and traveled into Siboney, a near by town. It may sound bad but the food was spectacular, in a cute restaurant that over looked the street and the ocean. Afterwards, we were taken to yet another small bar with the same one-guitar type thing. Everyone there was having such a good time and were obviously very close. Not once did we feel threatened in ANY way. Although I would be cautious, I strongly recommend leaving the resort a couple times, because if you want to see the real Cuba, the unofficial tours are always the best for that. I can't say ENOUGH about the snorkeling. All you had to do was literally walk 3 feet into the water and plop your head in. My friend and I went snorkeling at least once a day and learned that crushing a hard-boiled egg into the water attracts huge amounts of fish. There were at least 10 different kinds of fish and the water was crystal clear the whole week. Yes, there was the odd jellyfish here and there, but nothing big enough to be a threat. We've been places before were you weren't even allowed in the water in fear of being stung, but we had no reason to be worried here. The reason for the water shoes would be not so much for the coral (although that is a reason) but for the sea-urchins. You never really knew where they were hiding in the coral and we had a couple scares with nearly stepping on one, and that's definitely an easy way to ruin a vacation. The weather was terrific, at least 29 degrees every day and only rained once. I can't say enough about the place, it was a great vacation and the perfect place to go with friends or family. There was endless amounts of things to do and the views had to be the absolute best in Cuba. The rooms were great, very clean, and well-air conditioned, and the pool was superb and very well kept. We've always tried to go different places each year, but this reosrt was just one of those places that you just HAVE to go back to. Amazing trip, highly recommended.

Just got back after an outstanding week at the Bucanero. What can we say--went with my wife, 13 year old daughter and her friend. This was our 5th trip to Cuba, we keep going down in star ratings and have have better times every trip!! I will simply echo all the other reviews--superb staff and it's what you make it. Try to speak their language and respect their culture and they will respond in kind.

Biggest tip--get the heck off the resort, explore the countryside--yes it's safe and see how the real folks exist. We took in cock fights during a four hour horse ride--bet one peso but had the keeper of the coin tell us that they could not cover that amount of a bet......We told them that we did not want the winnings and to split it amongst the pot. Before you activists poo poo this activity--they do not fight to the death--they had two refs counting the pecks and the first bird to get in 20 pecks was declared the winner. Remember--this is their country and culture and a lot more humane than some hockey games I have seen!

Do not be afraid of the hustlers outside the resort--they are trying to survive as well and will bend over backwards to get you anything you need--coffee, rum, horseback rides, lobster, tours--all at much better prices than the official gov't stores. I would NOT purchase cigars from them though--freshness and authenticity quite dubious.

We have vowed to bring our old mountain bikes with us next trip and leave them there. Just a great way to tour the countryside.

Thanks to the staff of the Bucanero for making this our best Cuban experience ever. We will definitely be sticking to the south shores of Cuba for awhile.

Just back from a week at the Bucanero -Feb1-8, 2012, and felt I needed to add a big thumbs up to the already large list of positive reviews. It is our third time in Cuba and our first to this resort, and although until now we had planned to check out a new location every trip, after our experience here we are already looking forward to going back to Santiago and the Bucanero.
I have to admit that when we first arrived we felt a bit underwhelmed. The room was good, the people seemed nice, the lunch was o.k. but it felt a bit limited. Then we started to relax, had a swim in the pool, then a great dinner, and evenings entertainment and by bed time we started to feel pretty good about the place. The next morning after a delicious omelet, and the delicious dairy products, fresh fruit and bread we started to be much more positive. In the afternoon we really enjoyed our first visit to the grotto beach and the snorkeling and lunch of fresh fish there. Great bar to hang out and read and just unwind. Dinner was again delicious and the musicians playing were first rate. A very pleasant evening with different entertainment and a good nights sleep. By day three we were in love with the place. The staff are genuinely friendly and you begin to appreciate the relaxed atmosphere. The beautiful surroundings and wildlife were of constant interest. We saw many kinds of hummingbirds and enjoyed the friendly reptiles. We realized that because of it's small size and wide range of ages that there was none of the negative characteristics you normally associate with all inclusive resorts - long line ups, noisy nights, and rude behavior. Perhaps this was the luck of the draw, but the place seemed full of genuinely nice, well-behaved people.
We took a couple of trips into Santiago which I highly recommend, but don't feel that you have to sign up for the rather expensive, by Cuban standards, guided tours. The bus which brings the workers, returns to Santiago at 7:00, 8:30, and about 3:00 each day and costs 2 pesos to ride. We went in at 3, on our first trip and spent the rest of the afternoon at Casa de la Trova, and a lovely evening walking around and having dinner before returning by taxi for $20. This is the standard rate for the ride and worth it considering it takes about 40 minutes each way. This first trip we had a hilarious ride through the city which made me feel I was in a video game with a super friendly, charismatic young long -haired driver in his pimped out early 70's Lada complete with disco lights and cranked up music. I thoroughly enjoyed it from the front seat but my wife not so much because she was crammed in back with our daughter and her husband and the car lacked shocks. We all laughed and applauded when we made it back. The next trip we picked a 56 Chev which was much nicer ride, but I will always remember that first trip back with great affection.
We brought gifts which we distributed to the locals in the nearby artists village. Shoes, t-shirts, tooth paste, fishing line, razors and any other clothing is greatly appreciated. We gave tips to the staff, but remember that these are some of the most wealthy people in Cuba so please try to also give something to the gardeners, and other locals who normally get nothing. For what it's worth, on the flight back I talked to some folks who had gone to the more expensive Club Amigo Carisol Los Corales, and they were not nearly as happy. Long, rough ride from Santiago and they claimed the food was of poor quality. We'll be going back to the Bucanero.

This was my 3rd time in Cuba and my first in this area. Bucanero and area was by far my favourite! This was also the first time I have ever been to a resort where people were there for the 2nd, 3rd, 5th and even 10th time.
We loved the beach, cliffs, views and the abundance of free or low cost activities in the area. We especially loved the free snorkelling on the beach (all water activities including the kayaking are free). I've paid for snorkelling excursions in other places that were not nearly as good! The dive shack staff were incredibly helpful, safe and knowledgeable about the water conditions and equipment. Overall the staff were lovely, the rooms clean (and had lots of storage space) and the food was good - especially the omelettes, cheese, bread and icecream, it seems as though Cuba always gets these right!
Santiago is only 20 - 30 min away and very easy to get to. We went once on an excursion with the hotel and another time with friends in a taxi. The costs and distances to interesting places are minimal - sometimes only a few CUC's and travelling is safe. It's easy to travel on your own, book an excursion through the resort, or a cheaper option is to talk to other guests to get tips on other guides in the area. The prices were very reasonable through the resort and we found we were able to return to an area on our own if we wanted to explore it further.
Tip for the flight - try to fly into Santiago because it's so close to the resort. The other option is to fly into Holguin but that adds an extra 3hrs onto your commute to the resort and not worth it.
At this resort the following items are an absolute must:
- water shoes
- hiking sandals/ running shoes for any hiking you plan to do
- travel mug for drinks (their glasses are tiny and the plastic is flimsy, not to mention it's wasteful to continuously drink out of plastic cups)

If you want to bring gifts for the locals the following were noted as being needed:
- Socks
- pens & paper pads (people in Santiago kept asking for pens especially and we were told that employers do not provide pens)
- Running shoes, especially for the men. Even some of the gardeners at the resort visibly needed new shoes.
- We also left feminine hygiene products (light and easy to pack) and various other hygiene items.
- one item I'd wished I had brought were reusable shopping bags. The staff at the resort had to carry their clothing long distances and we noticed that many of their bags were not in very good shape.

The only problem we encountered was with our rep and others had complaints about him as well. I ended up speaking with Kenia the Sunwing rep instead for guidance. So if you are booked with Sunwing you will be in capable hands.

Management -- hooks it the room would be nice to hang up beach bags, hats, etc etc.

If you want long white sandy beaches then this is not the resort for you. But if you want beauty, charm, snorkelling, easy day trips, great staff and good food then this is definitely the place to go!