To start off with i will simply remind you all that this a 3 star hotel. This means if you are looking for 5 star food and amenities you will be sorely disappointing...but then,again... i say, look at three star price vs 5 star pricing should be the big tip off on what to expect... so if you book here and expect the 5 star treatment that is your fault not the hotels fault nor your travel agents fault. The hotel are very good and very friendly, they are short staffed, so please be patient and some staff just are not too efficient but they do try to please and are mostly successful. The property and the beach front is amazing and there is great snorkeling not far off the beaches and also in front of the other hotel on the beach has good spots too. A new and very good extra at this resort is the wine tasting for 10CUC. You can also buy a good bottle of wine at this location(the old secret bar) for about 20CUC...and i do mean a good bottle of wine... Please, do yourself a favor and go see Barmis and Norhay... and book an evening of wine tasting and you will be amazed with their knowledge and how they will impart that knowledge to either a novice, or even a wine drinker that already knows what good wine is about... $10 CUC is an extremely reasonable cost to taste test 5 different great tasting wines and also have a fantastic time doing so.

This place is my home away from home. I love it here and always hate to go home. The people here always make me feel like I belong and when it comes time to leave I truly hate it.

ROOMS:
I have stayed in the barracks and the main hotel. yes the barracks are a little older but they are clean and comfortable. I myself like to be in the main Atlantico building because it is central to everything. No matter what part of the hotel you stay in the maids take great care of you.

FOOD:
The food is most of the time the same but PLEASE remember that this is Cuba they don't get their foods flown in like other countries do. I am diabetic and have alot of allergies and still find alot to eat while I am there.
El Benny's has a great sit down breakfast and so does the 24 hr bar and La Santa Maria by the swim up bar. if you are looking for something fast try one of the 3 buffet restaurants.
There are a total of 3 buffets, 2 lobby bars, 1 disco,1 all night bar and restaurant, 1 swim up bar, 3 grills, 4 a le carts.

Bring a travel mug if you don't want to walk back and forth to the bar all day as they only have small dixie like cups. oh and make sure if you don't like your drinks real strong to tell them when to stop because they will make sure 75 % of your drink is alcohol :)

BEACH:
The beach is amazing. You can swim right out to the reef and wow what you can see for free. There are many trips you can go on to see more but you really don't have to. This beach is also used by the locals and wow they are a lot of fun. Go down in the evening and join their beach party its so much fun. I have never had any problems.
The water is so clear and refreshing.

I have been on many trips outside the resort and liked them all. But make sure to take the horse and buggy ride. It is only 10 CUC and 4 people can fit so its real cheap and well worth it to see the country side.

ENTERTAINMENT STAFF:
Magdeline is my cuban sister and I miss her so much already. I look forward to going back again and again to see them all. Get involved with the games on the resort. There's Bingo not our way lol. Darts, Beach volleyball, Pool volleyball, lawn bowling, mini golf, workout class every morning and dance class. so many more I just cant think of them all. But trust me there is always something to do.
Thanks so much to Magdeline, Massiel, Janet, George, Micheal, Marcus, and DJ Pimba.

The new manager Carlos is doing a great job at improving this resort. Keep doing what you are doing.

Please feel free to email me if you have any questions at all.

I can't say enough about this resort. If you have any questions please feel free to email me.
Go and have loads of fun I know I'm going back A.S.A.P

As most of the reviews have said, this hotel is getting run down and could use with some updates to the building, but all in all a ok trip.
We booked into the standard rooms were not pleased with the first room, but after several attempts to upgrade at desk with either being told to come back later or told they did not understand us, we went to see our tour rep and with in a few hours had our upgrade and a MUCH better room. We did upgrade to a different section, just to a suite room in the same building.
Food was fine, always something to eat. Our prefered buffet was the one in the amigo lobby (upstairs) as they had items on buffet labeled so u knew what it was supposed to be. The cooking stations there were operating and had a couple of selections. The guy cooking bacon actually took his time to make sure it was separated and cooked
A la Cartes where ok..... totally did NOT like Benny Moores in evenings.... cats running around seating area and through the kitchen and back during the meal. I think the cat and dogs at the resort are something that need to be controlled, before it becomes a huge problem and over runs the place.
We spent a week here, lots of people spend extended periods of time here, but my opinion is a week was long enough
We probably wont return to this resort.

We spent wonderful 10 days in this huge resort. It was low season and hotel wasn't full ;-) but it was connected with some inconvenience too: only 1 restaurant was opened for dinners and lunches; 2 restaurants for breakfasts and weekend lunches.
Accomodation in villas section was very comfortable & clean, was nice & friendly staff; food was very good (typical for Cuba, of course can not be compare to European standards), very nice restaurants a'la carte (fantastic live music in 'Gala Noche' restaurant, super lobster in Cuban restaurant, nice shrimps in Mediterranea restaurant).
Unfortunately there wasn't any atraction for kids during low season ;-( We've tried to visit Mini Club twice, but was closed every time.
But please do not forget to visit a wonderful place with massage nearby main beach.

In Guardalavaca is very nice sandy beach. You can go for a walk to nice, small restaurant located on the cliff on the western edge of the beach. Disadvantage was no hotel bar on the beach, so we had to go to pool bar for drinks or buy in local beach bar. Beach is open for everybody, so during staying in this hotel you have opportunity to meet local people, speak with them and get to know something about Cuba and their live (we were very happy about it because we couldn't do it during our holidays in Varadero). If you don't like this kind of company you can choose 2 other smaller beach in this hotel.

There was really fantacic holidays, and only some weather's disadvantages made us a little bit unhappy:
- daily rains (even in December, after rainy & hurricane season), normaly rains lasted about 30 minutes but once went on nearly 24 hours !!!
- day was too short ;-( sunset was at 4-5 p.m.