8 Best Resorts in Holguin: Holguin Resorts Guide [2024]

Home to some of the most impressive beaches in Cuba, the island’s eastern province of Holguin has long been one of the premiere destinations in Cuba for travelers looking for a warm-weather getaway. From remote white-sand shores to popular and laid-back beach towns, there’s almost every type of beach experience to be found here.

If you’re considering your own Holguin resorts vacation, read on: we’re locals and know Holguin like the back of our hands – José’s entire extended family has been in Holguin for generations! These are the 8 best resorts in Holguin to consider for your stay.

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Best Resorts in Holguin

In many ways, Holguin is quite similar to Cuba’s famous beach resort town of Varadero – it has beach vacation options for travelers of all budgets. While more remote beach destinations in Cuba, like Cayo Largo del Sur and Cayo Santa Maria, offer just resorts, Holguin has much more, including even cheap guesthouses and private beachside villa rentals.

Looking for quick recommendations for the best resorts in Holguin to consider? These are the top Holguin resorts for every style of travel:

• Best Resort in Holguin: Paradisus Río de Oro Resort & Spa
• Best Adults-Only Resort in Holguin: Sanctuary at Grand Memories Holguin
• Best Family-Friendly Resort in Holguin: Grand Memories Holguin

Most resorts in Holguin are perched along Holguin’s northwestern shore near Guardalavaca. However, a select few luxurious properties are found along Nipe Bay (Bahía de Nipe) near the untouched Cayo Saetia; personally, these are some of our favorite resort destinations in Cuba for their hidden-away feel.

Holguin Resorts

1. Paradisus Río de Oro Resort & Spa

Best Resort in Holguin

$$$ | Playa Esmeralda – Guardalavaca

Perched along the pristine sands of Playa Esmeralda (one of the nicest beaches in Cuba!), Paradisus Río de Oro Resort & Spa is more than just our top pick among the best resorts in Holguin – it’s one of the best resorts in Cuba.

This adults-only, all-inclusive resort is known for having delicious food, a great spa, and a beautiful pool, with several lounges and restaurants around the grounds of the resort. Watersports like kayaking, kitesurfing, and even use of the resort’s catamaran are all part of the all-inclusive resort package, which makes for even more fun at the beach.

Paradisus Río de Oro Resort & Spa is located almost exactly one hour from the international airport in Holguin, making this one of the easier-to-reach beach resorts on the western part of the island, especially if you have additional destinations on your Cuba itinerary.

Reviews and Bookings: Paradisus Río de Oro Resort & Spa

2. Sanctuary At Grand Memories Holguin

Best Adults-Only Resort in Holguin

$$$ | Ramón de Antilla Peninsula

For an adults-only resort experience in Holguin, there’s nowhere like the impressive Sanctuary at Grand Memories Holguin, a luxurious resort hidden away on Holguin’s untouched Ramón de Antilla peninsula with its turquoise waters and white sand beaches.

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Holguin is actually an exclusive part of the larger Grand Memories Holguin resort, located adjacent to the Sanctuary. The separate but connected resorts mean that guests at the Sanctuary get exclusive access to their own pool, bars, and restaurant while still being able to enjoy the amenities of the property next door.

With 430 rooms and suites, the resort feels expansive and has plenty of amenities – multiple pools, three restaurants, four bars, and a lovely spa and fitness center, though simultaneously friendly and welcoming with its personalized service and attention. For those traveling without kids in tow, it’s certainly worth the upgrade.

Reviews and Bookings: Sanctuary at Grand Memories Holguin

3. Grand Memories Holguin

Best Family-Friendly Resort in Holguin

$$ | Ramón de Antilla Peninsula

There are numerous family-friendly resorts in Holguin to choose from, but our top pick by far is Grand Memories Holguin. Adjacent to the adults-only Sanctuary at Grand Memories Holguin, this resort is perfect for travelers of all ages. A kids club, multiple pools, and plenty of beachside and poolside activities and entertainment make it a hit.

First opened in 2020, Grand Memories Holguin is one of the newest resorts in Holguin and still feels incredibly fresh and bright, both in rooms and in shared spaces throughout the resort property. Four restaurants and six bars spread across the property, as well as an array of daily activities and entertainment, make each day a new experience here.

Reviews and Bookings: Grand Memories Holguin

4. Iberostar Selection Holguin

$$$ | Playa Estero & Playa Pesquero

One of our top picks for among the best resorts in Cuba, the updated Iberostar Selection Holguin is easily one of the best resorts in Holguin. Nestled between the white sand beaches of Playa Estero and Playa Pequero – both among the most pristine beaches on the island of Cuba – its location alone makes a visit worthwhile.

This family-friendly resort offers both dedicated kid-friendly areas and adult areas, making the resort a great choice for a multigenerational vacation. Expansive beach and exterior spaces, including a massive pool deck with plenty of loungers and sun beds, invite unending relaxation. Six distinct restaurants with a variety of types of cuisine, as well as numerous bars, make the culinary experience at Iberostar Selection Holguin another highlight.

Reviews and Bookings: Iberostar Selection Holguin

5. Playa Costa Verde

$$ | Playa Pesquero

You really can’t find a better location for a Holguin resort; Playa Costa Verde is perched directly on a long, pristine stretch of sand on Playa Pesquero, one of the very best beaches in Cuba. Great snorkeling directly off the beach, unlimited options for watersports, and picture-perfect days on the sand and by the pool are the highlights here, no doubt.

Playa Costa Verde is one of the older resorts in Holguin, and some areas of the resort are starting to show their more dated design and wear and tear. However, the resort is clean and well-kept, with its fantastic amenities and more affordable price, making it a hit with budget-conscious travelers.

Reviews and Bookings: Playa Costa Verde

6. Playa Pesquero Hotel

$$ | Playa Pesquero

Located immediately adjacent to Playa Costa Verde is Playa Pesquero Hotel, another one of the original Holguin resorts that began to put this area on the map as among the country’s best destinations for a beach vacation.

Like its next-door neighbor, some areas of the resort could use a style refresh, and upon the last visit, the food options here were a bit more sparse than they have been previously, even in comparison to other resorts in Holguin. However, clean and fresh accommodations and beautiful pool and beach spaces continue to earn this resort a spot on our list of the best resorts in Holguin.

Reviews and Bookings: Playa Pesquero Hotel

7. Sol Río De Luna y Mares

$$ | Playa Esmeralda – Guardalavaca

An extensive stretch of Guardalavaca’s picture-perfect Playa Esmeralda is the backdrop for Sol Río De Luna y Mares, one of three Melia properties in Holguin and with a dual family-friendly and adults-only layout that makes it popular with travelers of all kinds.

On the family-friendly side of Sol Río De Luna y Mares, dedicated kids’ activities and play spaces along with a kids’ club are a big part of the appeal, while laid-back relaxation zones and plenty of bars and entertainment options on the adults-only side make for a quieter stay. Excellent dining options across the resort’s two sides are a highlight with all guests.

Reviews and Bookings: Sol Río De Luna y Mares

8. Sol Turquesa Beach

$ – $$ | Playa Yuraguanal – Guardalavaca

Formerly a Memories Holguin property, Sol Turquesa Beach recently came under management by Melia, and it’s now all the better for it. Redone and refreshed spaces open to travelers of all ages, and a number of dining options, including cool beach bars and breezy Caribbean terraces, make it one of the more exciting new accommodation options in Holguin.

The beachfront at Sol Turquesa Beach is absolutely stunning – less famous than nearby Playa Esmeralda but equally beautiful with the characteristic turquoise waters that give the resort its name. There are plenty of watersports and activities on the beachfront as well as space by the pool for long days enjoying Cuban beach weather – and it’s near a lot of the best things to do in Holguin!

Reviews and Bookings: Sol Turquesa Beach