Returned to Breezes Jibacoa January 9 – 16 after a 4½ year absence. With a rash of bad reviews making the rounds, I was curious to see how badly the resort had deteriorated. I can only assume the people who wrote those reviews either did not know they were going to Cuba, or they stayed at another resort. The resort was clean and in a good state of repair. The staff were friendly and courteous (for the most part), and the food was more than acceptable. For the most part, the staff at the resort are excellent. Had 1 bad experience at the beach bar, and the Front Desk staff seem more interested in talking to each other than service guests. Otherwise, always a smile and “Hola”.
Room Number:
2176
Room Block:
10
Rooms:
Our daughter accompanied us on this trip. We had 2 Oceanview rooms on the second floor of Building 10. The rooms were bright, cleaned daily (with the usual towel sculptures left on the bed) and a stocked mini-fridge that was refilled daily, as requested. On arrival, Enrique brought our bags and spent a fair bit of time orienting our daughter, as she was a Breezes Rookie. When we had left a few things for the housekeeping staff, they made a point of tracking us down to thank us.
Restaurants and Bars: The buffet is typical….lots of mediocre dishes to appeal to a wide variety of tastes. There is always something to eat. The omelette bar every morning was busy, but moved quickly and was a highlight of each day. We ate most lunches at the beach bar (great burgers and hot dogs). Dinners were as expected, always something good that appealed to you (and baked goods to die for).
The a-la-carte restaurants were not busy (despite the resort being almost full). Martino’s (Italian) was enjoyable, but the biggest surprise was Taberna (Cuban). The dishes were unique and top quality. The atmosphere festive with flamenco music. Not expecting much (I should stop reading reviews) but this meal was a bonus!
Beach/Pools/Grounds: Experienced 3 Red flag days (2 because of high winds and undertow, 1 because of jellyfish). Rest of the week was yellow. One morning, walked 15 feet from the beach and was surrounded by fish of all sizes and colours. Who needs to snorkel? Never a problem getting a lounge at either the beach or pool, sun or shade, as desired.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel: Off Resort: Went for dinner at El Cacique, 300 metres up the road from the resort. Fabulous meal. Starts with warm, deep fried banana chips and fruit. Main course of 2 perfectly cooked lobster tails, shrimp, potatoes and rice. Comes with dessert and one drink. All for 15 CUC. If you have a flashlight, take it with you. The walk back to the resort on the very dark road can be a bit daunting. Havana tour in 55 Chevy with Giselle as a guide was great. Customize as you want.
Tried something different on last day. Early check-out and late flight. Took a cab (55 Pontiac) for a walking tour of Matanzas. Very Informative. Lunch at Café Mundo. Similar style food to El Cacique but bigger portions ($20 CUC). Perfectly prepared. On to Varadero with a walking / horse and buggy tour and then had cab drop us off at the airport. 80 CUC and well worth it.
Other Comments:
Rumours persist that ownership/management of the resort is about to change. Latest rumour has Blue Diamond Resorts taking over on February 1st and possible rebranding to Memories. Blue Diamond is a division of Sunwing and have a good reputation. Whatever incarnation the resort becomes, I would be more concerned about the future influx of American tourists than the new management.