here are the issues we had at the Sandals Hicacos:

1- My son could not reach us when calling from Vancouver Canada nor could the Sandals Head office get through to them. My Mom had a heart attack and they didn’t seem to care at all.
2- No offer of compensation for having to call home from Cuba and pay their outrageous rates for the calls
3- Food issues.
Meat ie steak was inedible
No steak knives to cut this incredibly tough meat.
Salads, fish cheese sushi – none of these items were placed on ice or on cold tables just out in the open with flies all over them.
No flavouring on the food at all.
One al la carte appetizer was four shrimp on a bead of ketchup( tomato sauce)
4- Stairwells were poorly lit.
5- Beds were too high in the room.
6- Front desk very disorganized.

We do not recommend this hotel to anyone and when we go back we will not be staying there. We were very disappointed.

Couldn't really find anything to complain about here... Fantastic, super friendly staff (we tipped well because of this); beautiful, uncrowded beaches (complete with guys who would get a chair for you); nice cigar bar to spend the evening in; spacious rooms (with extra over-sized tubs)... I could go on, but anything you might want in a resort was here. We'd definitely stay there again and recommend it to anyone else.
It's a quick $20 cab ride into Varadero if you want to take a stroll through town (or there is the $5 - I think - bus with a stop just outside the resort). It was $35 from the airport to the hotel (we opted out of the shuttle so we could get there faster).

This is a fantastic hotel- ok not perfect but the rooms are bright and very large with separate seating area with settee, fridge etc and then lower bedroom section. Good sized bathroom with a bath big enough for two. Large balcony looking out over the sea or lovely gardens. We went in January and it was quite warm during the day but got cooler at night. There is a nightclub but this was very quiet so we only went in to look - only a few people in there so no atmosphere. They did run a full programme of activities and evening entertainment even though this was out of peak season but again as there wasn't very many people participating it lacked a bit of atmosphere. The piano bar was always crowded and good fun as it was indoors so if its cold a good option. The main bar is open air just covered at the top- again always a good atmosphere day and night but can be a bit windy in the evenings. The pool area is lovely with lots of sunbeds and several pools so you can choose a good spot close to the swim up bar if required!!!! The gardens back unto the main beach which runs for miles and you can walk right along it which we did several times and the hotel has it's own sunloungers on the beach and a beach bar/restaurant that does brilliant burgers, chips etc during the day. It goes a bit more upmarket and romantic in the evening and it's lovely sitting looking out to sea in the candlelight - can be chilly (bring a cardigan). The main buffet restaurant is fantastic- at breakfast there are different stations and you can get made to order pancakes, omlettes etc as well as all the standard cooked and cold breakfast food. They have stations for lunch and dinner too with a good variety of choices. The main restaurant was always busy but staff were attentive and we always got seated immediately. Overall I loved this hotel and would highly recommend it. The spa was nice- quite basic inside but ok treatments, not as luxurious as I had expected but again staff very friendly and the outside bit with the little pool area is very pretty. Lots to keep you amused while you are at the hotel and I liked the little bag of toiletries and glass of champagne that we were given on arrival. The resort is not too big so everywhere easily accessible. We didn't go out and about very much as we stayed in Havana before coming here so had done alot of sightseeing there. Pool table, classes, sports, shows - the syncronished swimming show in the pool one evening was fantastic!! Overall very little shopping in Cuba due to rationing- craft markets good for take home gifts. I went swimming with dolphins which was a brilliant experience but they are not as Health and Safety aware as in places like Florida. It does seem more real though and less controlled which I loved but not so suitable for unconfident swimmers or children as Discovery Cove in Florida. Bring some extra basics like toothpaste, tights, toiletries to leave the staff as tips- these are in short supply in Cuba and they really appreciate this - you can leave these instead of money as the monetary system is different for tourists and locals. This is a couples only hotel and I was worried it would be very lovey dovey and romantic but it wasn't annoyingly so- yes there were weddings and it was for couples but it wasn't obvious that it was couples only most if the time but yet still had a nive atmosphere so would ge great for a honeymoon. I love Cuba and would recommend it highly - the people are friendly even though there is quite alot of poverty and the hotels at the beach are generally of a good standard. Great holiday!!!

My wife and i have never been to Cuba before, so this was our first time. We were there from Jan. 21 - Feb. 5 and the weather cooperated for the most part - it was a bit windy with rougher waves than we would have liked, it rained on one evening where the pool show had to be cancelled, and i believe it may have rained during the overnight hours on a few other nights which didnt reeally affect the day time - but the weather is something we cannot control.

We had not booked the concierge package, yet the hotel came and picked us up along with another couple from our Air Canada flight in a minivan (private pick-up directly from the resort) so we didnt have to ride the bus that drops people off at the resorts.

The service was great throughout, from the moment we were brought to the resort to the moment we were driven to the airport. When we arrived, they had chilled champaigne waiting for us, hot towels to wipe our hands and face, and our rooms were ready before we finished signing in (around noon)

The rooms were very clean, and although the furniture looked a little dated (dont forget you're in Cuba - even the more expensive islands like Aruba and Curasao have dated rooms...get over it) they were very clean and well maintained. I found the bed in our room a little stiffer then i prefer, yet our friends had softer beds.. we almost traded rooms, since they like the stiffer and we liked the softer beds, but we didnt go through with it...

The next morning we were brought a fruit platter and a bottle of rum as a welcome gesture... and from what i heard around the pool, everyone got the same thing. How nice is that? A bottle of Havana Club Rum as a gift....

The pools are not heated, and being the 'colder' season with the shorter days, the water tends to be a bit on the colder side getting in. Im very sensitive to the cold water, and im the kind who eases in rather than dive in... ohh, you cannot dive becuase there is no deep end... but once you get in, it feels great and a minute or two later, you dont want to get out.

The swim up bar, well, the water is only about waist deep, but the tenders are great... Lisette, Micayle and the other lady I cant remember her name... they are a fun bunch

As far as the food goes, everything was better then one would expect for anyplace in Cuba. And yes, we are talkin about Cuba... the buffet always had a good assortment of bbq meets, salads that you can mix and add whatever oils or dressigs you wish...

Breakfast time, the cook working the eggs/omelettes was great (i forget his name) .... in the center you get your breads and croissants and the cook making the pancakes and waffles, Manuel, was excellent - his pancakes were always fluffy and never burnt.

The lunch buffet is also great. Yes, the buffet may not have as many options as some of the other places i have been to (Cancun, Mayan Riviera, Punta Cana, etc....) but what they do have is very good. All those knocking the food here should remember 5 star in CUBA is not 5 star in Canada.

They had a great bbq selection (beef, pork, chicken, and lamb at dinner). Also, the young man making the pasta and pizzas was exceptional. My wife had the pasta and she really liked it alot, and i had a pizza made for me twice - you choose what you want from the side (onions, peppers, olives, mushrooms, spinache, and a few others...) and he addds the garlic if you want, and then loads the cheese on top, tells you to come back in 5 minutes... and it was the best pizza ive had, and ive had them all over europe and canada.... it was that good.

The service was great, the servers are there all day - same ones for breakfast, lunch and dinner - and yet they are running around getting everyone drinks, clearing dishes, and tables the entire time, always asking if everything is ok.... how can you badmouth these people!

We had dinner at the buffet twice, and again the food that was offered was very well prepaired and the servers took care of us like we were celebrities. (Barbara, Emilio, Hermes, Maria, just to name a few of the servers at the buffet that took care of us - on our last day at our breakfast and lunch they decorated flowers on our table, it was so nice).

The Bistro is open 24 hours and those sanwiches were very good (try the bbq sandwich on top of the right page - and the cheese burger on the bottom of left page on menu is surprsingly very very good) and their crepes are also realy good.

The Beach Bar-Restaurant was good too, we had lunch there twice. Their fries are really good, and when i had the chicken i was surprised at how big that leg was... and nicely done on the grill - I also had the fish (remember when they dont specify what kind of fish it is, it is always Red Snapper) and it was really good, although its not too big a portion. Also remember, becuase everyone is at the beach, that place is usually very busy, so you might have to wait a little bit for the food, but the servers will continue bringing your drinks as soon as your cup is empty your getting a new one... sometimes they weill bring you 2 at a time if its a mixed drink - and the beer is nicely chilled.... so the wait for the food isnt too bad.

The A-la-Cart restaurants, we liked the Seafood place (las Morlas) the best but were unable to get a second reservation - i was a little dissapointed with the apetiser, but the soups and main course made up for it bigtime! I was split between 2 dishes and couldnt make up my mind... so I asked the waitress which one was better, but she could'nt help me out so I askedd if i could combine the 2 (one was a shrimp dish, the other a Mahi Mahi dish) ... and sure enough they added the shrimp to the mahi mahi.... it was great !

The Caribe was also very good - it all depends on what you get, but the fish is really good. Also, with all the a-la-carts, you're better off ordering all the portions (apetisers, soups, main course) becuase some dishes may be smaller portions than others - they are after all, fine dining

The italian restaurant was also very good - the antipasto is set up like a buffet on a table and you get what you like... and it was very tasty, and the soft olive or garlic bread they bring out is to die for (although the second time we went thay had run out of it and had plain bread). The second time we went, they had made some changes to the menu and the batter on the chicken breast was a little saltier than i would prefer but that could be just my preference.

Now, about the complainers that my title alludes to, i have a short story: we were waiting to get into the restaurant and there is a young couple infront of us, and there is an older guy with 2 women in front of them talking loudly to the maitre - and they are belittling him and causing a fuss becuase, according to them, he had agreed earlier to accomodate them without having made reservations, and obviously he couldnt ( i doubt he would have agreed to that, something must have been lost in translation - their english didnt sound like it was their first language, and either was the poor maitres)... and so they were ripping this poor guy a new one, being very rude, and ganging up on him. The poor maitre was apologizing and they were on him saying things like, and I quote " you should be sorry, you ambarassed us" and crap like this.

The young couple in front of us is led in by a server and the guy turns and says in a polite manner that they should be a little more respectful to the poor guy since these things are beyond his sontrol.... so one of the ladies starts yelling at him tellin him to mind his own F'in business, and then follows him to his table and yells at him calling him a "young punk" and a few other things.. by that time we had settles at our table... it was very awkward.

Now, if these arrogant wanabes were really as righteous as they thought themselves to be, they should have shown some class. Instead, they were contemptuous, overbearing and abusive toward the staff there. They were ignorant brutes, most likely the same type of people that come in here and trash-talk or down-play everything that they personaly dont like.

With that off my chest, i would recomend this resort to anyone seeking a good time, a relaxign time away from our hectic routines.

If you're one of those sitting on a high horse... you're better off visiting the upscale Toronto or New York eateries and spas....

One last thing: since this is Cuba, and the people have little or no liberties, if you can bring basic needs items and pass them around to the staff (soap, toothpaste, feminine products for the ladies, work gloves for the out-door workers, rubber gloves for the maids, t-shirt, old but usable sneeakers.... ) These things are not only hard to get, but very expensive when they do find them. So by all means, bring some things that you can pass around - not only will they thank you every time they see you, chances are they will take care of you much better.

As far as taking a trip to Havana, we had a resort empployee take us on his day off - we payed for the rental car, and gave him a a nice tip (15- 20 CUC per person is a very good tip) and he took us off the highway and we sa how the people live (we went on backroads where very few cars pass and no Busses ever go by.. we stopped at a farm and the people had never seen turists before) - he took us to specific locations in havana ( the bar Hemingway frequented and made the Mohito popular, the hotel where he stayed and wrote one of his novels) and he would help out when locals hounded us to buy their products.. if we didnt want to, he would tell them to leave us alone in spanish... although most people would stop bothering us when we said No, gracias... I could write another full review on that trip alone.. but i wont...

Go and have fun