Barcelo Solymar: Mixed reviews

First off my friend and I came to this resort with an open mind. We were looking for a resort where it was a younger crowd and where people wanted to party. We definitely got that! If I was able to take all the people (travellers)I met and the location of the resort and replace it with another such as a melia or iberostar I would definitely give it 5 stars, but unfortunately we can’t haha. I also got my phone stolen at the lobby bar... I was getting two drinks left it on the bar turned arou [... read more]nd to give my friend a drink and POOF if was gone. When I asked around and asked the reception the were no help and felt so remorse. Which again is fine and it was dumb on my part to leave it on the bar in the first place. The staff at the resort were not friendly compared to other resorts I have been to and again I took that with a grain of salt because these workers are working long strenuous days so I don’t blame them, however we pay this money because we want a good experience. There was absolutely NO entertainment, we had to create our own and play our own music which was fine but it would have been nice to have the entertainment team try to engage people to play games other than BINGO at the pool. I felt as though I was at retirement home playing bingo and it was the same thing every day it just got SO BORING. At other resorts I’ve been to the entertainment team always put in so much work chatting with travellers and just making sure everyone was having a good time whether it be from children to the elderly and in between. There is NO swim up bar which sucked, but again that wasn’t a big deal since there was a pool bar near by, but the pool bar was ALWAyS packed. At most resorts I’ve been to there is usually servers walking around the pool to take your orders and bring it to you rather than having to get out of chair every single time and wait in a long line, but not here! The drinks situation was awful - no blended pina coladas (except for at the lobby bar ) no strawberry daquiris, NO MOJITOS ( like what???) NO MIMOSAS. When I go to resorts I usually drinks Bahama mamas and varadero sunrise and when I asked for that they laughed at me and said no as if I was stupid. I’ve been to Cuba before and those were my staple drinks, so I know they do exist. The lobby bar closes at 11pm and there is really no 24 hrs bar except for the snack bar. However, the snack bar only serves beer and they ran out a few times and just decided to stop serving at random times. Also there is NO bar on the beach so you have to keep walking back to the nearest bar for a drink and walking it back on the beach. If you are going here definitely bring a bubba mug as they use disposable plastic cups that don't hold very much and that are also not good for the environment. The towel situation is also god awful. I was using the same beach towel all week because every time I went to exchange it weather it be early in the morning or later on that evening they were always somehow out of towels. We also needed towels in our room that we waited for 2 days to get and when we got them we had small hand towels to use for our bodies which is not ideal. The only good thing about this resort was the people we met staying at the resort and the night life that is within walking distance of the hotel. If they made a few changes such as -investing in more towels -having an entertainment team - playing more pool games and beach games to engage people( NOT BINGO) - having a new cocktail menu that includes resort staples such as mojitos mimosas , blended pina coladas and blended strawberry daquiris -asking the staff to be more friendlier , I tried so hard to be friendly and even tip more but it felt like nothing was good enough. -have a bar on the beach would make a huge difference - have beach games - have a 24 h bar that serves more than just beer (even adding rum and cokes would make it better) I definitely would not recommend this resort unless they make some changes as it does have a lot of potential!! Regardless my friend and I made the best of the trip despite the little bumps in the road but compared to any other resort I’ve been to in Cuba it did not compare in the slightest.

Iberostar Origin Bella Vista Varadero: 🔆LOVED THIS RESORT🔆

We have been to Varadero three times and this resort was by far our favourite! The room was really clean(thank youSonia) and the staff were very friendly and helpful. The drinks were fantastic and, amazingly, we thought the food was pretty good too! We had a la cartes 2 different nights and they were both delicious! Overall we were really impressed and would definitely come back!

Hotel Los Cactus: It is what it is

If you are staying here don't expect too much. Rooms were dated, resort was clean. Dinner buffet could be much better. If you can't get into al a carte restaurants you may want to consider heading into Varadero for your dinner. Front bar staff could be more attentive to the folks waiting. Seemed like we were interrupting private conversations amongst the bar staff. Need to bring in more wine, more mint (imagine not being able to get mojitos in Cuba). No lemons or limes were available either [... read more]. Beaches were beautiful. Location is terrific. Small cozy resort.

Melia Las Antillas: Good Value Resort

Located on beautiful Varadero Beach. Grounds are beautiful. Well maintained by the gardeners. Rooms are comfortable. Bathroom could use an upgrade. The maid cleaned the room nicely and always provided fresh towels and linen.

Grand Memories Varadero: Amazing vacation!!!

From the time we arrived to the time we left we were treated very well they took care of everything. We a few 19 yr olds with us and the entertainment crew made it such a fun time for all of us they were amazing. The food was good but sometimes cold and the rooms could use some updating but very clean did not see Any bugs. Overall our stay was awesome and will be going back soon for sure!!!! We already miss our daily beach Zumba classes

Grand Memories Varadero: Great Resort in Varadero

The resort is quite large, with a large beautiful beach front. The food was the best I've had at any Cuban resort, the rooms were dated but comfortable. The staff on the resort were friendly and helpful & overall a great resort for Cuba. Beware of the very deep set tub/shower, both my daughter and I slipped trying to get in and out- not mobility restricted friendly.

Melia Las Americas: Presque parfait!!!

C'était notre 2e visite. Nous adorons ce ressort. Le golf à 5 minutes, en bord de mer, la nourriture est excellente, la mer turquoise, propreté impeccable, une animation impressionnante! Il faut juste refuser la chambre 2408 qui n'a pas d'isolation avec la suite d'à côté où une famille s'est installée à 3h du matin... Ils ne devraient pas louer les 2 en même temps.

Los Delfines: The Best Time!

Terrific staff and people. Walkable to Varidaro entertainment, flea markets, restaurants. Room was cleaned daily and requests were resolved in a reasonable time frame. It's a must see for everyone.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Wonderful experience

My husband and I chose to spend our second honeymoon at this lovely resort. Our room was spacious and clean. Our bathroom had a large soaker tub. We had a very comfortable balcony. The pools were very nice. The beach gorgeous. The food was delicious; fresh seafood always available! And cooked to perfection. We really enjoyed the a la carte restaurants. And the bars never disappointed. We would recommend this resort to anyone.

Barcelo Solymar: Wouldn’t go back

This hotel is very outdated and needs a lot of work. Elevators often broken. Restaurant for breakfast and lunch often ran out of plates, dirty tables everywhere. Some service staff was nice but mostly curt and not very welcoming. Liquor options were very limited even if you wanted to purchase premium brands. Didn’t have clean bathing towels for two days, no water for 48 hours, and then another disruption for 24 hours. Hotel store to purchase beer changed their prices depending on who you were  [... read more]and who you spoke to to. Repeatedly asked for ice and they were out of that too. Sunwing rep was rarely around and when you did find them they were not helpful at all, in fact they were rude. I flew back home before my spouse and the hotel checked him out on same day- was an extreme hassle to get sorted out. Food was not great so we went out for dinner each night in Varadero to have a decent meal. I will say the beach was very pretty and relatively clean- no beach bar and no washrooms anywhere close to the beach. Quick walk into the town of Varadero to restaurants and bars where you will find awesome food, drinks and nightlife.

Los Delfines: Beautiful beach and great bars

My stay was very relaxing. Service throughout was very good. Beach guys really nice and quick to set up your umbrella and chair. Room was basic but clean with nice balcony overlooking pool. Meals were good for Cuba. Not a lot of variety. Nearby live bands and dance clubs. Interesting area and very safe. A la carte restaurant picturesque with great service. Good wine. Nice mix of people. Mainly couples.

Hotel Villa Cuba: Had a good time

Clean rooms, good happy staff/service for the most part Never had issues with hot water or toilet paper :) clean beach, awesome ocean!! Never had problems finding food from early am to late pm. This resort always had ice which is a bonus! I did Run into an issue with theft and not much was done about it . But I guess who took the money/shoes needed it more than I do..

Palma Real: You get what you pay for

We got a good last minute deal on this resort and with that had little expectations. Rooms: AC worked well in our room - the majority of the time the water was cold - we were told we would be provided with a new water bottle each day, but this never happened Pools: The pools always had garbage in it and a lot of the tile needs to be redone. Food: Food is bland and not much variety. However, they offer two al a carte. The Cuban one was not bad, but still not much selection. The Italia [... read more]n one was good. I really enjoyed my pizza there. Staff: Staff were nice enough - there were a couple who stood out like the pool bartender was awesome. Location: I was a little sceptical about having to walk across the street to go to the beach, but this was not an issue at all. The beach is the biggest perk of this place, as it was beautiful and not too crowded. The location is also close to a bank, some markets, and some good restaurants/bars.

Club Kawama: Cute resort - some cons but does the job.

At first I was a bit put off by this place as my expectations were higher, but the place does grow on you. It’s a cute club and it has everything you need. The food could be better and I wish they had more options for drinks. I noticed that the bathrooms were always dirty and without toilet paper. I also wish the hotel staff were more knowledgeable to help tourists. For example, I asked if there was a free bus from the resort to the airport and the women at the desk didn’t know and didn’t  [... read more]care to help me. There were many instances were I felt pressured to tip and spend extra money which I didn’t have.

Club Karey: We will go back again!

It was a very simple hotel but served us great. We could still see some scars of hurricanes but that’s why it was only 10 sec access to the very quiet beautiful beach from our room, which we absolutely loved! Staff were genuinely friendly and helpful. Foods were simple but as rice lovers, we have no complains to make to be served rice and fish everyday alongside with other meals. Room essentials were somewhat missing, such as toiletries, hair dryer, telephone in a room. But we managed and had [... read more] fun! Although beach access was fantastic but a little far to get to downtown Varadero. (That’s why we gave only 4 stars for location.) If anyone is looking for a underdog-budget place, this hotel is a great choice. But anyone is looking for more night life, would like to party, this may not suit you. We would stay there again no problemo!

Club Kawama: CLUB KAWAMA IS AN AMASING RESORT

The people at this resort make you feel at home The rooms are well kept, The grounds are neat and well kept, The food is great, if you need anything they will try their best to accommodate, night live is good

Punta Peninsula Varadero: Very clean resort.

Bring your own condiments ketchup etc. Other than that I would reccomend this resort. The staff was amazing. My husband got hurt and they were awesome. Shuttled us everywhere and took care of everything for us. We're definitely going back!

Iberostar Origin Playa Alameda: Needs Attention to detail and updates

Adequate and fair value for the money we spent. The resort lacks attention to detail. Rooms were extremely musty and humid. Found a HUGE BUG beside the bed. Balcony chairs and beach chairs were horrible.

Iberostar Origin Playa Alameda: Magnificent Resort!!

This resort was everything I was expecting and more! The rooms were tidy and clean. The service was excellent, everyone was extremely nice and polite. The pool and area had lots of room. The beach was absolutely perfect. No hard rocks within the sand or water. The food was different but most was good, definitely cool to see and try what other people eat. The entertainment was the absolute BEST!!! I would definitely love to go again soon!

Palma Real: Honest Review!!

Wanted to share a little bit about our experience at the Allegro Palma Real in Varadero Cuba. First let me start by saying that we have visited Varadero numerous times and it is our favorite vacation spot. We have stayed at 3, 4 and 5 star resorts in Varadero. We have always enjoyed being close to downtown Varadero so we decided on the Allegro Palma Real for vacation this year. This was our 2nd visit to this resort and our previous stay was quite enjoyable. This time our stay was 10 days as op [... read more]posed to our usual 7 day all inclusive. During our first visit we knew it wasn’t a high end resort however we enjoy being within walking distance to downtown Varadero, so we took the chance again to visit the resort…WOW. Upon arrival we were quickly checked in and got a poolside room on the 3rd floor however we requested to be on the 2nd floor. This was resolved within an hour and we were moved to the 2nd floor poolview without issue. The room was as expected basic, clean and a large balcony. Being in a 3rd world country numerous times of course we anticipate bugs, flies, ants etc…and come well prepared with afterbite, bug spray and benedryl. However after 3-4 days the mosquitos were so unbearable in our room we had to wear long sleeve shirts and pyjamas pants to bed everynight to minimize the mosquito bites(holy hell). We literally spent an hour every evening killing mosquitos and spraying bug spray over the bed linen, door frames, windows and ourselves and still got bit. We spoke to a few other Canadians staying at the resort and they also had the same issue and had never seen it so bad either. The biggest disappointment came 4-5 days before our departure. The resort became available to all local residents and therefore the hotel became more than overwhelming in a very short period of time with individual family sizes of 2-10 overtaking the resort. Because of this the buffet for all meals was inaccessible. The locals literally bullied other resort guests we were not able to get into the buffet for 2 ½ days and if you did manage to get in after lining up for the buffet it was cleaned out. Along with not being able to visit the buffet for our meals there were large groups of local people in the pool at the swim up bar anywhere from 4-6 hours at a time without leaving the pool (gross…we all know what happens when consuming alcohol). Also to note it seems that the locals that visit this resort feel that they all need to outdo each other with wireless speaker boomboxes including the entertainment staffs music and games. We do split our time between the pool and beach however after a day of trying to get food and drinks we spent our remaining time there at the beach and at local restaurants. Considering these are local residents the disrespect for a local property was a real shame and unbelievable. I don’t think I have ever seen people disrespect other’s property in terms of disposing of trash (cigarette butts, bottles, glasses), not to mention one’s personal space. Also to note numerous resort staff actually asked us and other resort guests how we were doing once the locals vacated the resort. Clearly they understood how unbearable it was. Cuba is a beautiful country and we will visit again however this resort is a no fly zone for us. We did visit a couple other resorts while there for our future visits. Please feel free to reach out if need an honest opinion. The review is asking for star ratings i will rate the stars based on the last 4-5 days of stay.