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Reviewed 9 August 2018

I stayed at the Valentin Perla Blanca with my boyfriend and another couple.The drive to the hotel was very long but at least we got to see the scenic view. When we arrived at the hotel our room was not ready so we left our things at the reception and we enjoyed the beach. At 6pm when we went back to the lobby to get our room they gave us the keys and we headed up to our room. The room was not clean therefore my boyfriend went and complain and we got an upgrade. The upgrade was great, we had a spacious room and a nice view. The beach was beautiful !!!! White sand and blue clear water. The food was ok .. nothing special but its like this everywhere in Cuba supposedly.

Overall a very good stay! If your going away and want a beautiful beach, i would definitely recommend this hotel.

Date of stay: September 2017
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
    • Location
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
5  Thank Samantha P
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ValentinCuba, Director Comercial at Valentin Perla Blanca, responded to this reviewResponded 9 August 2018

Dear Guest

Thank you for taking the time to make a review and share your amazing experience during your stay and enjoy service, facilities and amenities at Valentin Perla Blanca.
We will address all your comments, to the General Manager of the property.
We really look forward to having you back at Valentín Perla Blanca again very soon!

Best regards,

Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Reviewed 7 August 2018

Bought this trip as surprise for my husband for last Christmas. We travelled in February. Resort is beautiful. I read that others are complaining about the vegetation but are obviously not remembering that this resort was hit by a hurricane just months before. They did a nice job of restoring the resort. Yes a few things were not completed by the time we went but we knew the reasoning. Food was good. It has a bit of a walk to the beach but it was a nice morning walk for us. We enjoyed our time there. We had the same servers for the full week and enjoyed their company for sure. We would go back for sure. We did the sugar cane tour while there and you really (at least I did) get a whole new appreciation for what you have at home. A new look on life and what your lifestyle affords you. Perspective.

Date of stay: February 2018
3  Thank sdespres2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ValentinCuba, Director Comercial at Valentin Perla Blanca, responded to this reviewResponded 8 August 2018

Dear Guest

Thank you for taking the time to make a review and share your amazing experience during your stay and enjoy service, facilities and amenities at Valentin Perla Blanca.
We will address all your comments, to the General Manager of the property.
We really look forward to having you back at Valentín Perla Blanca again very soon!

Best regards,

Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Reviewed 7 August 2018

Positive Points - The runway that led from Cuba to Manchester
Negative Points -

1. Booked this holiday through Gala Hotels - arrived 3 hours late @ Santa Maria due to delay at MCR airport (28th July) - Jumbo tours did not have our names on the list for transfer - Paid 70 CUC to get to hotel (approx. £60.00)
2.Arrived @ 21.00 to check in, standard map of resort given and 2 room cards in envelope, told to wait at front of hotel for bell boy to collect us, 15 mins passed with no sign of bell boy, ended up walking reception to find the elusive "bell boy" to which we were greeted that "yeah that's us" - great thanks for being where you weren't
3. Room was sub standard, mould, chips out of paint, ripped curtains, ripped mosquito net, toilet seat was of an off white / cappuccino type colour (hate to think what the brown colour really was, toilet roll handy in 4 strips to lay on the toilet seat), mini bar every 30 or so minutes made noise as if it was re energising it self, flashing lights on ceiling (smoke alarm type unit) every 10 seconds, air con smelt musty and mouldy, on a plus point the view from the balcony was good
4. Pools - warm (not sure if that was the temperature from the sun or urine) - swim up bar, 2 of the most pleasant bar staff you could wish to meet (NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) unless you were local or from Canada. Snack Bar - on occasions - no plastic cups, could sit inside if you wished and drink from a glass, just like you would want to when it is 90 deg outside, on occasions no Fanta, no sprite, no 7 up (sure I booked all inc). Not an alcoholic but the amount of spirits that were served were no more that half a cap full, no branded spirits unless you were Premium guest). Again the staff were jovial and happy to help (HA HA HA HA HA)
5. Food - As per previous reviews - AWFUL, lack of choice, I lived on omelette for breakfast and cheese and ham sandwich for lunch as the safest bet, dinner - entertained it twice and had ice cream on both occasions, why class the hotel as 5 star and serve 1 star food (eaten better in3 star Benidorm hotels (no offence again to Benidorm)
6.Ammenities - None
7. Part of hotel was closed
8. Only 1 buffet restaurant open (good job really)

I could go on forever but as per previous reviews, there is an over whelming pattern of disgust and negativity to this hotel (unless you are from Canada who seem to think it is paradise), I am no snob but this hotel is at best 2 star

We booked for 2 weeks but came home after 1 week, sitting in my garden in the UK, ah bliss

Room tip: Do not stay in this hotel
Date of stay: July 2018
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
    • Location
    • Rooms
    • Service
6  Thank ns2ne
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ValentinCuba, Director Comercial at Valentin Perla Blanca, responded to this reviewResponded 7 August 2018

Dear Guest,

First of all we would like to thank you for leaving this review, we are sorry we couldn’t reach your expectations.
Every review expressing a negative experience in our hotel is taken as a great opportunity for us to improve and find a solution to current situations and demonstrate to our future guests that we do care, and work hard to reach levels of services for our guest satisfaction.
Regarding the cleaning problems you are mentioning we have no mayor reports from guest during that period, it will always possible to have a punctual situation, we suggest our guest to immediately report to guest services department to get a fast solution.
We will address all your comments, to the General Manager of the property.
We offer you our sincere apologies for the inconveniences presented during your stay and we hope you have the opportunity to visit us again in the future, and experience the improvements we had done in our services.

Best regards.

Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Reviewed 6 August 2018 via mobile

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)

Date of stay: July 2018
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
19  Thank Paul197230
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ValentinCuba, Director Comercial at Valentin Perla Blanca, responded to this reviewResponded 6 August 2018

Dear Guest

Thank you for taking the time to make a review and share your amazing experience during your stay and enjoy service, facilities and amenities at Valentin Perla Blanca.
We will address all your comments, to the General Manager of the property.
We really look forward to having you back at Valentín Perla Blanca again very soon!

Best regards,


Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Reviewed 5 August 2018

We arrived early morning and the hotel lobby and service was good. Upon arriving in our room we noticed there were 2 pillows on the king size bed which were long and flat 2 1/2" inches thickness at best, as for the bed sleeping on a plank of wood would be more comfortable.

The following morning we requested an extra pillow and were told not to worry it would be taken care of, it took us 4 days and numerous complaints at the reception plus two separate visits to the customer service desk to get an extra pillow. In fact we cut short one of our evenings as we were told by the less then pleasant woman at the counter to go immediately to our room as someone would send us a pillow. Needless to say it never showed up and we wasted an evening.

We paid for garden view... what we got was jungle view... However we fared far better as far as our room is concerned than another couple we met from Toronto, they changed 3 rooms over 7 days!
Second day we were left with one shower towel even though the room is double occupancy, this was a regular occurrence daily if you received 2 shower towels you were given no hand towels, same goes for restocking the fridge which had a bottle of water and 2 beer and 2 soft drinks on day one. After which we went days without water or 1 soft drink, and to make matters worse we left the room one morning with 2 beer in the fridge only to return later that day and find one beer left (maybe the housekeeper got thirsty) we had to complain again to customer service to get some shower towels.

In addition one of the spot lights in our room over our bed would flash intermittently light a strobe light during the night. I took several videos of this in the dark and have several videos which could pass as fairly convincing UFO videos. We never complained about it because given our friends luck with rooms... we could have had far worse.

As for the food, well lets put it this way... I would not feed this to my dogs... Whether you went to one of the 3 restaurants or the buffet it was the same garbage. There were mystery meats that defied their description... the chicken was impossible to cut and full of veins, the steak was impossible to chew and the vegetables... I almost threw up on tasting the eggplant. (We and everyone we spoke to on the resort agreed that they offered the same selection of food daily in different sauces). There were a handful of items which we ate daily when they were available.

As for the service I already mentioned how horrible that was, but what we really noticed and became more evident as the days went by, is that most of the barmaids, hostesses and bartenders catered to the local crowd before the tourists. In fact one evening we were a group of six in the lobby by the bar waiting to be served, while we watched a group of 4 waiters and waitresses chatting for a half hour, completely ignoring all the tourists. However, when a couple of locals showed up they were served within minutes by one of these individuals. We had to get up and ask for service only to get a look of contempt from the waitress.
It gets better we noticed the locals were being served in glasses while the tourists were being served in what one of our group best described as "tip" cups. Small plastic cups that barely held more liquid than a shot glass. Again when we asked for glass we were told there was none available, only to watch locals being served in glass.

As for facilities, there are none... with the exception of the pools which can be best described as taking a dip in a hot bowl of soup. As they are 4' deep at best... As for the pool area by the bar... Well if you enjoy drinking, while standing in water saturated by someone else's urine then you have no worries... enjoy and have a glass on me.

As for the beach, well the beach is fantastic and by far the best I have ever been to, even in comparing with others... it stands out above the rest.
The beachside bars are another matter as the bartenders have no clue on what the ingredients of a rum and coke are... (not kidding... rum + coke + some mystery liquid = drink spilled purposely in sand)

The hotel itself is pleasant and could be a great deal better if they bothered to maintain it, but again its like that wonderful attitude you get from most of the staff, why bother and why care?

Finally, I want to say that before writing this review I read some of the more recent ones about this resort as we did prior to booking our trip... All I have to say on that subject is that either these people have to get out a little more or they have to stop the medication they are on... immediately...

These are most likely fake or paid reviews as NO one that we encountered had anything good to say about this resort aside from the beach...

NOT ONE SINGLE INDIVIDUAL...

Room tip: Doesn't matter what you choose or pay for... you won't get it...
Date of stay: July 2018
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
    • Sleep Quality
    • Rooms
    • Service
6  Thank Theo G
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ValentinCuba, Director Comercial at Valentin Perla Blanca, responded to this reviewResponded 6 August 2018

Dear Guest,

First of all we would like to thank you for taking the time and leaving this review.
Every review expressing a negative experience in our hotel is taken as a great opportunity for us to improve and find a solution to current situations and demonstrate to our future guests that we do care, and work hard to reach levels of services for our guest satisfaction.
Regarding the room problems you are mentioning as it was a punctual situation, we suggest our guest to immediately report to guest services department to get a fast solution.
We are continuously working to improve our food services, during your stay we had experienced some delays in the service that was immediately addressed, actually the service has very high satisfaction level.
We will address all your comments, to the General Manager of the property.
We offer you our sincere apologies for the inconveniences presented during your stay and we hope you have the opportunity to visit us again in the future, and experience the improvements we had done in our services.

Best regards.

Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC
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