Would not return to the Melia Peninsula Varadero!

We booked through Tripcentral who were very helpful and friendly to the Melia Peninsula Varadero from April 6-13, 2016 out of Halifax. Maybe it was an off week or something else is going on at this resort but the first time in 10 years of travelling to Cuba I would not return to a resort even if it were free. The flight and transfer with Air Transat was great. Arrived at hotel around 4 but our room wasn’t ready so we head out to get a drink and check out the beach…. We finally get to our ro [... read more]om (Building 27) around 6 pm but only to find it had no towels and it smelled like sewage. We were hoping once the air-conditioning was on it would go away. Wrong! Went back to front desk who sent us to to customer service, where I was asked if I had been to Cuba before… They put an air fresher in our room and drain cleaner which helped some but through out the week the smell would come and go. (Gross) I went to speak with the rep Dominique (Who is very rude) the next morning who told me to go to customer service. I found that if you were French or European, you had it made at this resort. They seem to cater to them. My friend (had been here three times with her husband and family), who traveled with us could not believe the decline in food and service from their last visit. (They also just got back from a Melia in the Cayo Santa Maria area in February). This was the first time I’ve struggled to find something to eat at a resort. Everything was cold and not very appealing. There is a beach buffet that was somewhat better than the main one and a snack bar at the pool. I’m not much of a pizza eater but they did have good ones at the snack bar. There was a server who is a treasure to this resort named Yo yo. He who served us breakfast every morning.. Other than Yo Yo at the snack bar, there was a young lady in the coffee bar and young guy at the theatre bar (didn't get their names) who went out of their way to be friendly and made drinkable drinks, but other than that forget about service. Out of three a-al- Cartes we tried (Cuban, Japanese and Italian) the Japanese was the best and the food was hot. If you want smaller change for tipping they will not give it to you even if they have a drawer full of $1 pesos or coin. I think they expect 3 pesos every time you tip. We took the hop-on-hop-off bus into Varadero a few times and hired a taxi to Havana, which was the highlight of our trip. I really liked Varadero and will return but not to this resort.

Got salmonella and a parasite

Beautiful resort. They need to improve on food and sanitary cooking. Both husband and I got sick. He was the 5 out of 7 days we were there. Won't be back to Cuba. We gave them a second chance. Beach and people were great.

OK resort for a short stay

Good territory, big and also green. Good beach and sea. Water sports available. Good and diverse enough food. A bit too far from Varadero town so almost the last hotel when return from excursions. Key issue is with services. There were towels in the room and to get them was a big issue. They were never changed in all 7 days as well as bed linings. Beach towels were also very difficult to get and to exchange for clean. Advise to bring yours. Rooms are reasonable although a bit old.

Melia peninsula Varadro

Had a great time at this resort. First trip to Cuba and wasn't disappointed. Hotel and staff were great. My room which was right by the pool was plenty of big, clean and a nice view. Food was good, although I don't recommend the Cuban for the a-la-carte. The beach .......beautiful. I would deffently go back to this resort. And if you go to Havana go see Tropicana. Amazing show

Wonderful holiday

This is a wonderful resort. The grounds are well maintained. Our room was always clean, never saw a bug inside. (airconditioner did not adjust, but 17° was better than too hot.) The room was very quiet overnight. The food was plentiful and good (stick to grill items for freshest). Bottled water is used throughout the resort. Bring a thermos style/travel mug to keep your water or drinks colder for longer. They will fill up your travel mug directly instead of using the small plastic cups for your [... read more] drinks. The weather was perfect all week. Take the Havana/Tropicana tour if you can. It is worth it. We enjoyed the ocean Cataraman trip. I hear that going into Varadero (6th Avenue street party) for the evening if a must, but I did not know about it until I returned home.

Great Resort

Had a great time other than the food but you don't go to Cuba for the food. The beach was amazing with plenty of activities. There were always beach and pool chairs available. Staff were not quite as friendly as we normally find when on vacation. All in all a very nice week. Weather was perfect.

Wonderful Week!

Highlights included: EXCELLENT food, great staff, lovely set-up, beach bar breakfasts, great drinks, great coffee, very unique and plentiful entertainment, close to Varadero, lots of bottled water, great pool, beautiful beach (who cares about a shelf in the sand???), lobster, scotch selection (!), catamaran trips from the beach for 10 CUCs! Remember: Cuba is NOT North America/Europe - things are different! Rooms are basic but very clean, food and drinks are different, and the country is quite po [... read more]or. The resort is older but still in great shape, bring your own towels and bug spray and realistic expectations and you will have a wonderful trip!

Great Resort

The resort was a little dated but rooms were functional and clean. The staff were awesome. They made our stay very welcoming. Food was good and not as bland as what we expected. Some of the downfalls, there should be more entertainment throughout the day and washroom closer to the beach. There was lots of things for young children to do. Being able to take a hop on and off bus into Varadero was great for some shopping a the flea markets. The beach in Varedero was amazing.

Never again!!!

Firstly, I have been to Melia resorts in the past and absolutely loved them. This is NOT one of those resorts. This is the old Trypp resort and is very tired. Needs a lot of work. Our room smelt very musty and was more like a 2.5 star. Very small pool. The employees only speak Spanish and French, no English very hard to communicate. Cockroaches at the buffet, ate at the a la cartes, not too bad. The staff are not helpful very lazy and do not look crisp and professional. I will never return, this [... read more] was the most I have spent on a trip in 7 years and by far the worst. There were many guests that did not have towels for days, hard to get beach towels, the beach chairs are covered in mold, gross!

Nice and Relax place to go

We enjoy the stay in this resort, room size is good, beach is a nice place for a long walk. Food compare to cruise is not that good, but for this price I think it is fair. Nice people to serve us too.

A good all inclusive family resort in Varadero.

The staff at the resort are very friendly and polite and they work very hard to make your stay a pleasant one. The grounds and public areas are always clean and they offer a variety of buffet and dining experiences. The stage performances and bands are enjoyable and provide are a wide range of family and adult entertainment.

The beach was the best part of our holiday.

We'd never taken an all-inclusive vacation before, so it was a new experience for us, and probably one that we wouldn't repeat. The best we can say is that the beach was nice, the grounds were pleasant, neat and tidy, and the staff were really warm and friendly. It was a cheap vacation.

French people resort

First of all my bagpack was stolen,second of all 90% of people in the resort were French speaking people with loud annoying behawior,thirdly very comercial place draining pesos from you and getting nothing in return.

Wonderful Resort

this was our 2nd stay at the Melia Pennisula. The staff are amazig and go out of their way to help. The food is good, enough variety and cooked throughly. The beach is beautiful, we would definitly stay again.

Great first time in Cuba

Beautiful resort, great beach and very friendly staff. I would say the food was average but we could always find something good to eat. Really enjoyed the great service from staff, always there to help out with a great attitude.

Amazing Resort! Great experience!

The resort was great! People are very friendly! There was a small mishap with my clothes, but that was a misunderstanding and was handled very quickly. The Italian restaurant is not very good though, so I would not recommend going to that one and wasting your dinner. The Beach Buffet at lunch is amazing. Overall, it was an excellent time!

Nice Resort

Resort landscape and architecture are great. open areas are comfortable. Room is clean but it is close the sea and need well maintainanance. Dining is good, too many choose, especially restaurants available. Too many funs there. Very enjoyable.

Different resort

It looks like a plantation The rooms are pretty nice. The service is good as long as you tip. The food is pretty good but always the same no variety. They have a nice pool with lots of activities & chairs. The beach is nice. Unfortunately we had terrible weather so that was a downer & the power kept going out.Also a lot of us got bug bites (very itchy) but I'm sure if you have good weather it would be a beautiful vacation.

Excellent service, Beautiful Resort, Great food

No complaints other than the Side trip to Havana was disappointing . After we boarded the bus the tour guide told us that they no longer do the "cemetery tour" and that the museums we not open because the staff has Monday's off. ??? That was the sole reason we went there, so we got a 4 hr bus ride with lunch and a walk through town.

Favorite Varadero Getaway

The Melia Peninsula in Varadero is one we always return to- plantation style buildings, beautiful grounds, amazing staff who are so welcoming. I have been to many all-inclusive resorts, but the Melia is always like going home.