I will start by saying if you read my previous reviews you will see that I post honest reviews and I am not afraid to criticise when necessary. I would also say at the beginning that I doubt if the people giving this resort 1 or 2 stars have even been there at all. Is it perfect? No it isn’t but it is as close as you will get to being perfect.
The Valentin Perla Blanca is 5 stars but remember that this is from the Cuban authorities, it would still however get at least a high 4 stars anywhere else.
Our check in was effortless, less than 10 minutes in the large lobby area before being driven to our room (3343) by the bellboys in one of the many golf carts that are used around the resort. It is worth saying at this point that the resort is huge and this transport was most welcome.
Our room which was in block 33 (close to the beach) and on the second floor was well appointed with satellite television, safety deposit box and a very good air conditioning system. It was also very clean. The bed was enormous and I personally found it extremely comfortable. The room was cleaned daily and our mini bar was stocked daily with a large bottle of water, two beers and two soft drinks. The maid would regularly leave us towel animals and designs on the bed which would always bring a smile to our face.
We were there in July for 3 weeks and half of the resort (busy side) was closed but as I said previously the place is huge and we certainly didn’t feel that we missed out on anything.
The relaxing pool was actually a number of pools which were again very clean and we saw them being cleaned daily. There was never an issue getting a sun bed anywhere at the pool. Beach towels could be exchanged as often as you wanted and Luis who worked here was the most polite and cheery person I have met, he would always have a flower for the ladies and a sweet for you when changing your towels, as well as a huge smile and good wishes.
The beach was a very short walk from our block through the trees to the most perfect beach I have ever seen. It was simply stunning. It is about 1.5km long and make sure that you walk the full length. 10 mins walk to the left and you will come to a small market ( the larger market is a bus ride away which cost 2 CUC or 10 CUC in a classic car taxi) walk to the right and you can keep going for hours into the nature reserve and some of the most unspoilt and perfect beaches that you will ever see. As it was out of season we had the entire beach to ourselves. It was idyllic.
The dining, I found to be excellent. Several people have said that you don’t go to Cuba for the food and it is certainly not Michelin Starred but it is more than acceptable. The buffet always had plenty of choice of hot and cold dishes and also a selection of pasta, fish and meats being cooked to order in the evening and freshly made pizza at lunchtime. The donuts were incredible and well worth the wait whilst they were made. I do agree that the food labels sometimes weren’t the best, so if you have dietary requirements, double check!
The 3 a la carte restaurants that were open were the Italian, French and Spanish and we attended each several times. Booking them was easy (at the lobby) and you can book 3 per week. Although it was a set menu, the food is to a very high standard. I personally preferred the Italian and I believe the Lasagne was the best I’ve ever tasted. We also had the lobster dinner in the Italian and this is more than worth the 20 CUC that it costs. Jorge Jesus and his staff did an excellent job and did so with a laugh and a smile. A real credit to the hotel.
Finally you could also eat 24 hours a day if you wished at the snack bar situated at the pool. Breakfast which was served until 10am had a choice of eggs, fried, omelette etc which came served with French fries, toast and bacon. Afternoon you could choose from calamari, burgers, chicken fingers amongst others which were all excellent. Evening and all through the night a selection of toasted sandwiches, again all severed with French fries were available. Of course if this wasn’t enough you could have gone to the beach barbecue at lunchtime for a made to order burger or hotdog.
Giancarlo, Anyelis & Jorge Luis were the staff that we seemed to meet most often and again they were very friendly, polite and excellent at their jobs and again a credit to the hotel.
There was entertainment throughout the day both at the pool and on the beach. Beach volleyball, water aerobics and dance lesson to name a few. In the evening there was musical entertainment in the lobby bar from 7pm onwards and a show at 9.30pm which lasted for around 45 mins and was either music, dancing or even a magic show before the lobby bar resumed. The atmosphere in the lobby was brilliant, particularly when the guitar man (sorry I didn’t get his name) was playing. Guests would have happily spent the evening singing and dancing along.
I suppose this was helped along by the never ending supply of beer, spirts and cocktails served by Victor, William and Adyslen to name a few of the staff who worked incredibly long hours but nothing was ever too much effort for them and they always had a smile on their faces. The Lobby Bar staff in particular really made the holiday for us. There was of course numerous bars throughout the resort, including the snack bar, beach and the coffee corner in the lobby.
It is also worth mentioning the ‘behind the scenes’ workers the maintenance staff, the gardeners and the glass collectors at the bars who would never pass you without saying hello and who worked non stop to keep the place spotlessly clean and everything in working order. The gardens in particular were spectacular. Remember that the average wage in Cuba is extremely low compared to other Western Countries, so please tip the staff well. Even a small amount will be gratefully received by them.
Strangely I found the only people that didn’t say hello was the entertainment team, unless of course you were in your early twenties in which case you would be invited to the disco and to take part in the activities.
In closing, I would highly recommend this resort to anyone. I have been to 5 star hotels in all around the world including places such as Dubai and Valentin Perla Blanca certainly rates amongst the best. Just remember it is Cuba, it is a developing country. You will see the paint isn’t always perfect on the walls and there may be a broken tile here or there but it will not take away from your enjoyment of your holiday. The hotel and the staff are brilliant and we will be back.
(I have posted some videos and pictures on the Valentin Perla Blanca Facebook Fan page showing the hotel and the fun people are having, contrary to some of the reviews on here)