Iberostar Origin Tainos: Beautiful grounds

Hotel was clean and staff were friendly. Rooms were a bit older, but fine. Beach was very nice and pool was adequate. Food options were plentiful. Nothing great on the menu, but standard fare for Cuba.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: OK Resort

Bar and wait staff were very friendly, front desk staff was not. Food was edible, but expected for Cuba. At one point we witnessed serving spoons being dropped on the floor and put right back for us to use. Beach was beautiful, Grounds and pool were beautiful Room was run down, and a bit dingy but the maids were lovely and doing the best they could. To use wifi you are only given 3 hours at a time to use in lobby or pool area, very frustrating

Playa Vista Azul: Loved this resort!

Very clean resort. Spacious room. Lovely staff. Interesting layout. Not a huge resort but some walking involved to different beaches. Stunning beaches The bluest water! Entertainment was ok. Food was plain and not a huge selection but we always found something delicious. I'd definitely go back!

Melia Marina Varadero: Just OK.

So glad we upgraded to the Level when we booked. Anyone thinking about going to this resort should spend the extra money and upgrade to the Level. Jorge and Mikael (the concierges in the Level) were fantastic and resolved all our issues very quickly. If we were not in the Level, I don't think they would have been resolved so quickly. There were 4 travelling together and we were suppose to have rooms side by side, which we did not have when we arrived, and in addition to this, we were not eve [... read more]n on the floor for Level guests. Jorge had that fixed the next day. We had rooms next to each other, and we even ended up with Marina view rooms at no additional cost. The food in the a la cart restaurants were terrible. We walked out at the Asian restaurant. (and we are not picky eaters) The buffet was much better. (if you don't mind how loud and busy it is there), as well as the extremely rude guests. The staff were fantastic, it's the guests that don't know how to wait their turn. The atmosphere, service and the food/drinks in the VIP lounge were great. All the restaurants were constantly running out of food. I know it is not the resorts fault, I understand it is all due to the embargo with Venezuela. So be prepared. There was still a lot of food, but maybe not what you wanted that day. There were no waiters around the pool, and nothing on the beach to do (no watersports such as paddle boats, catamarans, snorkeling, etc) It's fine if you just want to relax by the pool or beach. But if you are looking for activities, there really was nothing. I've been to Cayo Santa Maria a couple of times, and there was so much more to do there. The resort is only 6 years old, but is already due for a facelift. The staff really try very hard with what they have to work with. So just be prepared. It is rated a 5 star, but even for Cuba, it really should not be a 5 star. Maybe a 3 1/2 for Cuba.

Club Tropical: Always my Favourite

Jan 16 to Jan 30, 2020. This was our third stay at Club Tropical in Varadero. We love it because of its location (Calle 21), is literally on the beach, and is perfect in size. The on-again and off-again bus stops right in front of the hotel. The front desk people , maid staff and food/drink staff are very receptive. If you come to them with a smile and patience, I believe they would do anything for you. The food is always fine. It does not have the variety that the larger hotels have, but most [... read more] everything is tasty. There is obvious effort to keep the grounds litter free. The beach is clean. Lots of new beach chairs and shady umbrellas. It was a surprise when returned to the airport and informed that we could no longer use our CUCs to purchase our Duty Free. The shops will accept only Canadian and American funds. I will be sure to purchase in the town and pack in my luggage. We will return to Club Tropical again next year.

Playa Caleta: Good value

I had low expectations for this resort based on reviews I had read. I must say I was pleasantly surprised. Our room was good for Cuba standards and the view of the ocean was amazing. The a la cartes were great and you can go everyday you just have to book them at 10. The beach was beautiful although it was deep very quickly. The bar in the caleta building was much better then the Puntanera one and so was the buffet. My biggest complaint would have been the service in the buffet restaurants. Many [... read more] times if you wanted a spoon or a drink you had to find them yourselves. Overall for the money I would go again.

Gran Caribe Sun Beach: Perfect for us!

The SunBeach is not a luxury hotel, that we knew from the start - even before going. But, considering the price & the location, it was a 5 star vacation for us. Being return guests, we did get an ocean view room with balcony. What else can we ask for? (Oh yes, I would just ask that they clean the tables / tablecloths, a little better at the buffet & that would earn them one more star from me.) Thank you Dianne Abrey, your help was precious. Diane & Erik

Resonance Blu Varadero: Great place!

My husband and I loved our stay at the Memories resort in Varadero. The staff was helpful and kind. The resort was clean and had many amenities, like pools, activities for young and older, massages, lounge, wifi, restaurants, excursions. We loved every minute of our stay.

Melia Las Americas: Great Resort!

Hotel was great - very suited to golfers as it is a short walk to the Varadero golf course. The location is great - close to a shopping mall, bus stop and the airport. It has a very nice beach, the water is amazing and very clean. The standard room we had was very nice - lots of storage space for all your clothes, and a great view of the golf course - we saw some amazing sunrises every morning. The food was really good - there was always something appealing at every meal and the wait staff were  [... read more]very attentive. I really enjoyed getting a cappuccino after my meals and enjoying it outside on the patio - the coffee was very good! Also every night after dinner there was always something going on in the lobby - we had singers and dancers one night, opera the following, a pianist, then a fashion show... the arts and culture are very important in Cuba so the level of entertainment was beyond anything I expected. Definitely I would go back to this hotel - and we met so many others who return year after year!

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Amazing Resort

Very friendly people, beautiful beach, room is clean, just need a bit more maintenance. Very nice swimming pools. Food is above average. Bar and drink are very good. Overall experience is wonderful. Will go back again.

Melia Marina Varadero: The Level saved us

The hotel is looking pretty run down for a less than 8 yr old resort. The Level Rooms on the 6th floor were in good condition freshly painted or perhaps better maintained. Our first room was on the 5th floor and we were told it was a Level overflow type room. It was awful. Mould in the shower, cracked tiles dark hallways to the room, smelly room and so on. The view poolside was great and it was nice and quiet compared to our 6th Marina View room which was very noisy at night. With guests in the  [... read more]lobby and entertainment marina side Service at the Level bar and restaurant was fabulous. The atmosphere quiet. The food pretty good. Often resort is running out of things. Lobster, burgers,wine, bread, pizza, vodka, ice, cheese something different everyday. Al la Carte restaurants are hit and miss and not even close to theme - no pizza or Italian food at Don Pepperonis ( described as pizza and Italian restraint ). No Asian at the oriental. ( says sushi and oriental Food ) it was stir fry frozen veggies. Pad thai made from Spaghetti noodles and Indian food that really was horrid. Buffet food was good. Pasta bar always a good option. But it’s loud and disorganized and often lacks glass wear or cutlery but staff is trying their best to keep up. The Level Upgrade well worth it - if the buffet was too busy or the lobby bar to difficult to get a drink we just went up to the 7th floor bar and restaurant. Always quiet there.

Iberostar Origin Bella Vista Varadero: Another wonderful vacation

This was our second time at this resort in the past 6 months. Yes, we read the reviews the first time and again the second time. A few of the reviews that we we read were somewhat accurate, but many of them made us think they had the wrong resort. The staff at this resort are second to none. The rooms, as long as clean, we only slept and showered. But they were nice clean rooms. The food at this resort was better than any resort we've stayed at in Cuba. There was always a good sel [... read more]ection in the buffet. The A La Cartes were also good. The beaches....nothing needs to be said...the best in the world. The pools....well, we only stayed at the swim up pool and it was a pool with great people and excellent service. Our glasses were never empty. The Lobby bar where we spent most of our evenings made our vacation. Yordano and her staff went of of their way to service our needs. And always with a smile. special shout out to Boris, our glasses were filled before they were empty. The entire lobby bar staff made this an amazing vacation. Yes there are a few broken tiles here and there. I'm sure they will get fixed. Small things happen and we would never let those small things spoil our vacation. The staff: These are the happiest staff I have ever encountered in Cuba. So to the management, I suggest you keep doing whatever it is you're doing. These people brings back guests. Would we go back? We are already looking again 😊 Cheer, Dave

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Close to Paradise

A long beach great for walking and shallow warm water to allow you to walk out and swim, lots of beach activities. Pool side could activities are very limited , seems older folks stay by the pool and more active folks by the beach Rooms are clean , liked the concept of smaller buildings throughout the complex, lots of different foods but seems to all taste the same, a bit of spice would help.

Hotel Los Cactus: Decent for the price

The property itself was very clean and maintained. The food was mediocre and they seemed to have ran out of a lot of options. Most of the staff were friendly and welcoming. We only spent 3 days so didn’t get to experience much of what the resort offered in terms of activities. Overall it was a decent place to stay for a short getaway.

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: Very Accommodating

Pool was lovely, people friendly, very accommodating, al le carte’s were great, beach wasn’t as big as I have experienced in Cuba before. Distance from then airport wasn’t too bad. Overall we would return!

Club Kawama: One of my favourite places for fun in the sun.

This hotel is old but full of charm and fun people. The grounds were kept beautifully while I was there considering there were a couple of downpours that knock lots of leaves etc. down from the trees. 3 a la carte restaurants and the buffet have lots of food choices, I am always able to eat good meals while there. Friendly staff everywhere to help you. Love the shows in the evening. The rooms I have had were clean with some repairs needed. However I am not there to spend time in the room, except [... read more] to have a good nights sleep. The beach and pool are amazing.

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: Great

The hotel was great, even the food was good. Only downside of that was the temperature of the food was not hot. The beach was good. It is a 2.5 hour drive from the hotel to the capital of Havana. We took the small group option and had 6 person , personal tour of the old city. Would recommend that tour to everyone!

Playa Caleta: Beautiful Beach

You get what you pay for. Nevertheless, the beach is absolutely stunning and very worth it. Definitely recommend to come early to meals to get the best food and service. There are two buildings which you can use the facilities and a load of games and resources. Good trip.

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: The resort offered everything we were looking for.

The rooms were great. Loved to be on the ground level and just walk out the French door to our patio and being so close to the pool. All buildings so easy to find. We enjoyed the apartment, even if we had to be on the second floor. The layout is great. The room was kept very well, with clean sheets almost daily. We got an extra bottle of drinking water, after just asking. We were within a couple of minutes of walking to either lobby, dining area, beach. We enjoyed the coffee at Mike’s coffee  [... read more]shop, just beside the lobby. The coffee in the dining room was not so great, but with Mike being nearby we got what we needed. Everyone was so friendly. The atmosphere was so nice. We truly appreciated the service we received from Tripcentral in every aspect of our journey, from booking to flying, confirming return flight...it was all: made so easy.

Blau Varadero: Everything perfect.

The Blau exceeded our expectations. Being accustomed to 5 star resorts my friend and I were not sure what to expect. The Blau truly exceeded our expectations. From the moment we stepped off the bus we were impressed. Gorgeous lobby. Attentive staff. Clean, well maintained. Higher end crowd. Our room (ocean view select) was perfect. Large, gorgeous view from the 10th floor. Oversized bathroom. The pool area was gorgeous and also well maintained. We went to every one of the 4 restaurants (3 full a [... read more]nd 1 snack area on the beach) and 4 bars and were impressed with the quality and selections available. The beach was clean and gorgeous. Lots of lounge chairs and attentive staff. Fun games led by engaging entertainment staff. There was nothing about our stay that I would have changed. I will be back!!