Occidental Arenas Blancas: Nice place for vacation

I've been there six times now and things has change so has the rest of the world.The resort is clean ,staff is very friendly even though there are less than before to do the same work,the food is better than before covid,some people will complain no matter what and the beach is always wonderful.We had access to Solymar and Palma Real resorts but not much happening there ,the buffet at palma real was very good,The ranchon resto (beach restaurant was close but they a BBQ on beach every dayThe w [... read more]aiters at lobby bar and buffet were all nice Thanks to Lazaro for being special waiter The resort is close to town varadero ,now they have more to do ,chip stand,small flee market etc. With the new currency lots of people have problem with money exchange.They accept U.S. AND CND money the peso is worth one canadian dollar.But over all every day is a new experiece and I would go back to this resort again

Mar Del Sur: livable place for winter vacation

Clean air, ocean swimming, tropical plants, livable hotel. Locals prefer any payment in cash, USD is worth the most there, credit cards are rarely accepted (with some exclusions). Good luck in you trip.

Occidental Arenas Blancas: Amazing memories! Great times

I honestly have to say that this resort brought such great vibes and really brings a lot of fun and entertainment! Don’t look at all the negative reviews about the food or even the hotel. It’s cuba what do you expect? You pay for what you get and honestly I went by myself and had such an amazing time and experience. Met great people, the entertainers made it super fun and I ate more In cuba than I did back home in Ottawa hahaha. Like I said, if your not a picky eater and you can live below  [... read more]your means and don’t plan on staying in the hotel room unless you plan on sleeping, this is the resort to be at! Only feedback was the alcohol at times ran out with mixed and they offered rum and Fanta or rum and coke which was not the best mix and gave some heart burn, but thankfully the hotels were affiliated with other blancos resorts so we ended up going beside the affiliate and still enjoyed the drinks. Live entertainment was super fun, beaches were beautiful, and Cuban workers were extremely nice. When I first started reading the negative reviews of some people I laughed historically after coming back. These people exaggerate too much. Again, my thoughts may be different from others but I will definitely be coming back to this resort. Grateful for the experience and the price! Best bang for your dollar for sure! I my advice is bring clothes and items for the workers, the money and tips are nice for them but they really appreciate items and clothing. Please make sure to give to these amazing workers, they do a lot and take a lot of bs from negative people. They would really appreciate it.

Roc Arenas Doradas: Terrible Vacation

The resort room was great, fantastic staff, friendly although it would be better if they could communicate better with their English. After all most tourists are English speaking or can speak English I have found. The grounds are well maintained. My biggest issue was all the cutbacks in the dining area. After speaking with other people from different resorts they didn’t have any cutbacks at all. I definitely would not recommend this resort to any of my friends.

Muthu Playa Varadero: Never returning

Staff friendly food was good at first but we ate same thing for 7 straight days. 2 ala cartes and basically food came from the buffet and just fancied it up. Towel chalet was closed whole trip so we had same beach towels all week. Getting toilet paper n shower towels was an issue. Bar staff excellent, pool setting was amazing. Room service lacking due to in staffed.

Los Delfines: Los Delfines

We liked this hotel for its hospitality, location and good food. The staff is friendly and there is a good mix of Cubans as well as Canadians and other foreign tourists. It is probably the best value for any all inclusive hotel in Cuba.

Starfish Jibacoa: Excellent place to relax

We enjoyed it very much. Everything was above the expectations. Amazing staff. Variety of food and drinks. Room was good with excellent service. Not over crowded. After 11 pm no entertainment. Friendly atmosphere.

Grand Memories Varadero: Grand Memories

Hotel was dated and in need of repairs. Rooms are old and musty. Our first room did not have hot water and very little water pressure. The rooms were clean.The beach was nice and the food was good. They had fresh fish and chicken cooked on the grill each day. Food quality good. Ride on and off bus comes to the front gate. $5 cost so that was good.

Melia Las Antillas: Our Experience was Amazing as usual

We had an amazing trip. The weather was fantastic 7 days not one drop of rain. This is our 6th time at this resort. We were very surprised at how well they are doing after Covid. Of course, things have changed and its tough to get some supplies. But the people are absolutely amazing. We can't say enough about the staff here at this hotel. In our experience the staff (Thank you! Reiner, Insley, Willam, Marta and so many more to name) bent over backwards to make our trip most memorable. The buffe [... read more]t restaurant “Los Tainos” had so much to offer. Even an open grill outside. The bread and deserts are always sooo delicious. The Cuba Day was fantastic, a lot of food to choose from. The dancers and interactions with the people are wonderful. Our room was spotless and very clean every day (Thank you Betsy). The beach is clean and beautiful. One of the reasons we love Cuba. The Bar Playa La Dunas and Barbeque down by the beach is great! Jorge who made the best Pina Coladas!!!! With fantastic music and smile on his face! Thank you so much! Also a thank you shout out to the gentlemen who work down at the beach and set up the chairs for us to have a wonderful clean place in the sun and shade. Yaine that big bright smile, hugs and also Insley, Ana, Ramone (Many more of course) who work so hard at the Piano Bar to keep those drinks coming. You made us feel so special. thankyou! We had the pleasure of going to two of the Al la cart restaurants. The El Romantico and Don Peperone (Italian, Mediterranean) was amazingly delicious. We had great meals at both of them. The return guest reception was amazing and wonderful to meet the people who feel the same way as we do about the resort. We keep coming back. Everyone does a great job making us feel special. We had so much fun with the Pool Side games at 4 pm. I so wish I could remember her name. So much energy, entertainment and many laughs. Thankyou Yariel, great sense of humor, patience and energy, who teaches the exercises in the pool to keep us fit also dance classes. The entertainment was great! The water show is amazing. They are amazing people, so much talent in the arts and they are happy and proud to take the time to explain anything they do there. We did miss our lunches, pizza (panarottis, and so much more) with Insley at the Don Peperone (didn't have it starting back up yet. Hoping they will have it in the future). It was our secret delicious lunch place to go to. Unfortunately for them, there was a small shortage of milk & butter, perfectly understandable since Covid has taken its toll on a lot of things. As for the money it has changed and a little confusing sometimes, since they got rid of the CUC, But if you do your research before you go you will not have a problem. I suggest to talk to people who have gone in the last 6 months. We always bring our insulated mugs and facecloths, chocolate, little gifts for the staff. They certainly appreciate everything. Remember this is Cuba and its not like Canada. Our experience was great as usual. Looking forward to next year! What can we say, We love to visit Cuba.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: cuba , needs time to recover

i don't normally write reviews but i thought this may help other travelers. Lets start by saying the Cuba sun and beaches are the best , while this was our 3rd trip to Cuba ( first to this resort and first since covid ) i think we will give Cuba a couple years to see how they recover from the covid crisis and the war from Russia the food in Cuba has never been known to be good but i think it has reached a new low ,the buffet had very little variety , lots of rice and buns no potatoes very li [... read more]ttle fresh fruit ( a bit of pineapple a couple days )meat was very limited , most nights there was pork to put on the grill, 1 night there was beef , ham a couple nights , 1 night only a bit of ham and what looked like ham / spam canned for the grill, a few chicken wings in a pan 1 night but only a few there then they were gone lived off the grilled pork put on a bun most of the week , the 24 hour snack bar had fries but only the first 2 days , there were times the menu board at the snack bar was clear. The bar was very limited as well , no pini colatas , asked for a margarita 1 night was told they could only make them with rum ?????? . I understand they can only work with what they have but they didn't make the best of what was in their control , the 2 bath towels and 1 shower mat that we got ( no face cloths ) appeared to only be refolded each day for 7 days , i put a pen mark on a corner to confirm my suspicion , the room make up consisted of folding our towels and making the bed , empty tp wasn't replaced , the 24 our lobby bar closed every night from 2 till 7:00 , couldn't even get a coffee Ealy before an excursion or on am of check-out some bars / restraunts closed the entire trip , and none of the nice water fountains / water features in the resort had water in them

Iberostar Origin Playa Alameda: Great Resort

We were very impressed with this resort. The grounds were very clean. The rooms were not too bad. The beach was very clean and had many available umbrella spots. The beach was beautiful as ever. Cuba is known for these beautiful beaches. The food was good. We found the food tastier and there seemed to be an abundant amount and quality of food. There was entertainment around 8:30 pm every evening on the front patio area followed by entertainment at the grand Theatre area around 9:30 pm. Most of a [... read more]ll, the staff was very nice and always willing to help in any way they can. We were very happy with this vacation. People always need to come to Cuba and enjoy the beauty of the beaches and the people. They should not be thinking that they are going to find what they have at home. They need to come with an open mind. Enjoy your vacation and recommend this resort.

Starfish Varadero: Starfish Varadero : still a good choice to stay in Varadero

We were in Starfish Varadero in Jan 2019, we felt it is a good place for winter vacation: nice beach, very good location, very good service and excellent seafood - shrimp and crabs every day :) So this year we booked all inclusive package to Starfish Varadero again with a friend's family and took vacation from Jan 15-Jan22, 2023 there. The weather is great, there are still nice beach and even better service, and the resort is maintained and renovated in a better shape, the superior room is also [... read more] renovated and seems clean and fresh. What impressed me most is the management improvement of the resort: not-the-open-bar buffets now prevents a lot of the food waste; the cook style and taste for some dishes are much better than before (Thanks the chefs :); the front desk and bar service are excellent, even there is free wi-fi connection from the resort(I remember we had to buy card from front desk to use the wi-fi in 2019). Overall, whole resort is running smoothly. A little disappointed aspect is: I did not see a lot seafood in every day's supplier, did not see the shrimps, crabs this time. I hope the resort could keep the old food style to provide more seafood to attract the travelers. Another need-to-improve point: housekeeping keeps the sheets and pillow cases changed, but the inside pillow smells bad and needs to be cleaned up if it is not in the good condition. It is a very good trip in such kind of the cold winter to get sun-bathed:)

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Great resort!

The hotel was great. All the areas are clean and well maintained. The rooms are big and with all you need for a comfortable stay. Bars are restaurants are well stocked, food doesn't impress but also doesn't disappoint. Overall 4out of 5*

Barcelo Solymar: Great resort

The hotel has a lot to offer and grounds are very well maintained. All the staff right from the front desk to the gardeners are always pleasant. Spent a week in a bungalow and was not disappointed at all. The location is a few minute walk to the boulevard and a ten minute walk to the best piñcolada bar!!!

Brisas Del Caribe: Hotel maximum three stars definitely not four

Hotel was busy and was not ready for so many people. In the all bars was not enough glasses. In dining area was not any cups for coffee or tea. They served beverages in glass. Entertainment very poor. Food was exceptionally good . All areas was very clean. Was not enough beach towels. Three stars max .

Occidental Arenas Blancas: Best resort in Varadero

If you enjoy crystal clear beaches, resort entertainment and walking distance night-life parties, then look no further. This resort is located central downtown so you are 2 minutes from the district and 10 minutes from commercial shopping centre. The most popular cigar store is across the street. There is daily games on the resort and the beach, nightly entertainment and friendly staff all around. Went in January 2023 and though food quantities were even less than before, keep in mind COVID shut [... read more]downs took a huge toll. Excursion must would be Cayo Blanco cruise where you will have interaction with dolphins and a private island leisure where you can eat the most delicious Lobster tail. This resort is even better than Barcelo Solymar (sister resort next door) and amenities are shared (except for buffet). Great resort for adults and children!

Paradisus Varadero: Great resort friendly people

The hotel was nice rooms were decent and staff was very polite and friendly had a great time relaxing and enjoying the beach! Food was ok I would recommend taking your own spices and hot sauce if you enjoy flavour! would recommend as soon as you get there to book al cart restaurants as they did book up! Although when we were there we only had two options Japanese and intercontinental (menu changed daily for intercontinental)and if you go after 2 pm you can get lucky and get a reservation for th [... read more]e reserve side al cart which has more options. Drinks were good bahama mama was our favourite! I would suggest taking items you no longer need as staff really appreciate that (baby items,shoes, creams, clothes) vs tips. Beach was beautiful, pools were good but cold water January they mentioned weather can be windy and cold one day and then super hot the next would recommend to pack a light jacket or sweater to have on those days! Overall nice place to visit friendly people all around felt safe going into the town.

Brisas Del Caribe: Not as tall as represented

We booked in all inclusive trip from Toronto to veridara Cuba at this Resort needless to say it was not all inclusive if we wanted anything extra we had to pay for it everyday for breakfast dinner lunch it was rice and beans Meats vegetables or fruit the food handling practices were atrocious there is always a shortage of dishes glasses and cups or silverware a lot of the time there was no toilet paper in our room or in the public bathrooms he had to chase the maids down to get water the elevato [... read more]r was broken a couple of times my friends is diabetic and was unable to get snacks when required the snack bar only provided dried out stale sandwiches the first room we were put into was at the back of the resort right close to the pool and entertainment area very noisy very windy mold in the bathroom .toilet wouldn't flush properly .bugs in tub and sink . main door wouldn't lock we were switched to another room which was much nicer I must say the staff were beautiful but I would never stay there again

Melia Las Antillas: Some drawbacks

The grounds are massive and fairly well maintained for this resort. The pool was cold but clean. The resort itself is dated and could use some deep cleaning. The room had a comfy bed and was well kept by the cleaning staff. The door handle broke off in my hand but they were quick to fix it. The A/C is not very cold but it worked. The bathroom was dated with rust and broken tiles. The water pressure and temperature was good for Cuba. The food and drink selection was low supply (Likely Covid issue [... read more]) One day there was wine and Pina Colada’s , the next none. No milk for the coffees on one morning. However the staff made it all worth while, warm, friendly and as kind as ever. It’s the people that made this holiday hood. I would have to think twice about going to this resort again.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Needs more time to recover from pandemic

Facility is nice, on the smaller side as a resort, and kept clean. Cleaning staff do a great job. However, asking for things like towels, toilet paper and water to drink was hit and miss. Admin staff - not so much. With most at the resort being Canadians and most of those speaking English, at the front desk there seemed to be lots of times they begged off a question with "No English"! Wait staff in the buffet were generally very good, but the meals suffered from lack of variety and amount. O [... read more]ne morning - sorry, no eggs. Stock would come out to the buffet, but in small quantities with long lines waiting for re-stocking, but very slow to accommodate. I would not recommend going here for some months until it gets settled down again. Beach is beautiful. Beach chairs a bit dated and several were broken. Pool is beautiful but not heated, so no one is actually in the water - just sitting around it. Information about the hotel for those who are on site is terrible. No maps, no explanations at check-in. Just left to yourself to figure it out. That is terrible service.