Not Terrible...

This resort was disappointing. Not a terrible time , it just lacked in quality and entertainment compared to other places we've stayed in varadero. The lobby isn't very open to the outdoors so it's very smokey. Almost unbearable if your a non smoker like myself. The food was the exact same everyday in the buffet lunch and dinner. Breakfast was ok, the bacon is never cooked but if you take it up the chef will fry it longer for you. 24 he snack bar only served fries hamburger and hotdogs and ran o [... read more]ut late in the evening on the day we arrived. Pizza is served at snack bar on a random days . The resort advertise more snack bars but there was only open for lunch and the other was back/24 he one The bars were either the swim up, beach bar or lobby which was laid out very inconveniently and has ZERO entertainment. The lobby bar had a piano playing every night which was not entertaining. This resort had very little in terms of music and entertainment aside from the Little theatre shows which were not great. All that nit pickyness aside it's Cuba. If you've been there before you know what to expect. The beach at this resort was incredible. Simply beautiful. But I would not rank this hotel any higher than 3.5 . Elevators were broken, one day all the toilets were closed so you had to walk from beach to the main lobby and then no toilet paper. Wifi is available but it's a terrible connection. The a la carte were delicious.

Very nice resort

Resort was very well kept, food was good, friendly staff. Our room service was terrible, still cleaning at 6pm, a few days no shower mat, no hand towels. In our sons room a few days they used their beach towels as there were no towels in their room.

Good resort.

The maid service was horrendous. Towels not changed daily. Toilet paper not replaced. Pillows missing and askedmfor several times. Etc etc. Rooms made up very late in day when wanting to get ready for dinner.

Meh~

Excellent layout, beautiful beach, dilapidated hotel unfortunately with cold jacuzzis, mediocre food & drinks, busted elevators and light fixtures,most of the public bathrooms closed or had no soap, broken doors, slow service, tip motivated, line ups for everything, no lobster, no banana chips. Came home with gift of dysentery. Nightly entertainment was Cuban typical. Only go if the price is right. I've had better in Cuba. Note: cost is less expensive at the airport for cigars, local brand alco [... read more]hol, coffee, and currency exchange in case you are wondering.

Iberostar Laguana Azul

After staying at Riu resorts we were expecting the Iberostar Laguana Azul to be at least equal in quality & service. We were extremely disappointed in the whole experience from waiting 4 hours at check-in and then having to change rooms because the first room did not have a working toilet, to the room we finally stayed in where the patio door did not lock, the bar fridge was all rusted on outside & beverage supply was never replenished for the week we were there. Maids do not damp mop floors i [... read more]n the rooms, we had to ask for facecloths, only receive 1 bar of soap every 3 days, elevators not working & food in the buffets always cold unless you lined up for an excessive amount of time to have items personally cooked. Many plates in the buffet area are chipped and cracked & staff have not been instructed on how to properly set up a table - every time we went, the silverware was different, there were no designated wait staff for each section so patrons received inadequate service. We realized we were going to Cuba where the people are all very friendly and helpful but did at least expect a higher level of service being an international chain such as Iberostar. In our opinion, this hotel does not warrant a 5 star rating but maybe a 2.5 - there are many repairs and upgrades that need to be made.

Great resort!

Everything about the resort was wonderful....everyone there was so nice. Would go back in a minute!! Beach was beautiful, service was awesome and food was good! Rooms may need a bit of updating but other than that, perfect vacation!

Mostly wonderful

Hello, I hope you don't take this honest review personal, I realize the 5 star accommodations aren't what we are used to in Canada, but I just want to point out a few concerns. First of all the air conditioner wasn't working, after 2 days I mentioned it to the front desk 3 times and eventually was moved to another room. The first room had ants, no screens on the patio door the fan was not adjustable and was barely moving. The lamps were not attached to the wall, but was hanging on with wires s [... read more]howing. However we had an very nice lady who did a fantastic job with our room upkeep. We requested a crib because we were traveling with an infant and were given one, however it was not up to standard! To be honest it was disgusting. The white rails were not white and the mattress was an old sponge with stains I cannot begin to describe. In my opinion, very unsanitary for anyone to sleep in let alone an infant, it looked like it had never been washed. Needless to say we did not use it. On a more positive note, the hotel itself was outstanding. Very beautiful, well kept & the staff we really friendly. Food was very tasty & plentiful as well as the variety of drinks offered. We didn't get to enjoy any night time shows or entertainment because we were in our room fairly early with the baby, but other guests mentioned they had fun. I definitely would come back to this hotel if the accommodations we a little cleaner and was given the opportunity. Please understand, I'm not upset, but at your request was very honest about my experience.

Very nice

Beautiful hotel and landscape. Great service and very friendly staff. Rooms was decent, a few thing could use improvement. Was not happy with the air conditioning in the first room, did not seem to be working at all. But staff was happy to relocate us after the issue could not be resolved. Food was pretty good, except the meats. But not many people go to Cuba for the food, it's for the gorgeous weather, beaches, culture and history. Amazing beach at this hotel. Lot's to do, beach yoga, water zoo [... read more]mba, dance lessons. Again the staff were amazing. They treated my daughter like a princess. Everyone was very friendly to us. The pool and grounds were always tidy and well kept. Had a wonderful 5 day stay.

Disappointing Experience

One of the reasons we chose to go to Cuba was the friendliness of the Cuban people, I didn't find this at this resort. We work in the hospitality/tourist industry and with the exception of housekeeping, a few servers (I wish I'd noted their names) and the masseur on the beach found the staff morale to be very low, very few staff smiled or seemed happy; usually a management issue. The grounds & beach were beautiful, and our room was very clean; maintenance issues were never addressed, shoulder [... read more]s were shrugged by front desk staff when they were reported to the desk. We were travelling with my 78 year old father & other family; the phone in our room didn't work and we wanted to be able to get in touch with my dad and wanted him to be able to get in touch with us in case of illness and he was away from our room and calling would have been easier than 4 flights of stairs and walking 2 buildings over for him, even telling us it has never worked would have been better than the shrugging & "he'll fix it". The buffet was okay, ala carte restaurants were good, air conditioning would have helped, I wasn't going for the food though. If you want a shaded chair on the beach or poolside get a towel on the seat before 6:30 am, we read that this practice wasn't allowed at this resort but found otherwise. on our last day we had to check out at noon, we were told by our Sunwing rep that we would have use of the facility until our bus came at 12:15 am that night, access to a shower & a room to change in. We went to change at about 8:00 pm and were told that the spa closed at 6:00 and that we would have to change in the bathroom (they aren't the cleanest places in the hotel or big); again the desk staff shrugged their shoulders. I would visit Cuba again, its a beautiful country, I would avoid Veradero though and head to a more tourist friendly area, I heard from more than a few people that Santa Maria was far better and that this resort wasn't typical. Our trip with Blexie Tours to Havana was AMAZING, our guide, Rolando & driver, Alex were great, incredibly knowledgable, friendly, I can't say enough good things about them! Old Havana is beautiful, and I would recommend seeing it!!! We took the Jeep tour, driving through Matanzas was an experience, the countryside was nice, meal at the farm was very good; my only complaint is that the guide only spoke to the local vendors, it would have been nice to get some info from him regarding the areas we visited; other tour guides at the sites did chat with us and answered our questions however, same company so we just seemed to get a less involved guide. I still had a great vacation and like I said, I'd go back to Cuba, I won't stay at another Iberostar and will head to other areas of the island.

Amazing resort

Everything is just super, perfect beach, very nice stuff, super entertainment, very good pools. Amazing grounds. The food is good too, especialy for Cuba. A lot of things to do. Kids friendly! Will recomend!

Fantastic staff

My boyfriend and I stayed from the 3rd to the 10th of April. From the front desk to checking out the experience over all was fantastic. The bartenders and cocktail servers in the pool area were beyond hospitable ( Kensi, Navis, Aylin, and the rest of the staff their) The beach was amazing, clean bright and roomy! Housemaid's were quick but efficent with tidying our room. The Cuban restaurant was our favourite The waiter that server us was more the helpful. (Due to a double booking and mess [... read more]ed-up up dates for our reservations) Our Havana Colonial excursion was amazing although wished we had a bit more free time. I would love to go back to this resort mostly due to the amazing staff! We never wanted to leave! Thank you to everyone at Laguna Azul!!

I loved it

there really isn't anything negative. The food, people and rooms were great. The pools and everything were in close walking distance and since I have a lot of pain with walking it was perfect. Everyone was helpful and the a la carte meals were unreal. my favourite was the Japanese. I would recommend this resort and would one day return. Oh ya and the beach was just amazing.

For Cuba it was great!

This hotel was a 4 star for Cuba for sure. The rooms were humid but the air conditioner did work. The beds were low and hard but you were able to sleep on them. Food was good (last time I stayed in Cuba I had a hard time eating) There was hot water every time I showers. The pools were super warm and clean. The ocean and beach were amazing. Staff was a little slow but I was always able to get a drink. Staff were also friendly. Check in and check out we're super easy. I wouldn't recommend the hote [... read more]l for those who have difficulty walking. Although the resort is condensed I was traveling with some women with back pain and there is a lot of stairs to the lobby etc. If your looking for a good place in Cuba I would highly recommend.

Ok resort now but not a five star

This is my third stay at this resort. Our first time there was great. Second time we noticed things broken and not getting attention. This stay the same things we noticed last time are still broken, maintenance doesn't seem to be a priority. The outside grounds are still well kept and lovely. The main lobby is so nice to sit and enjoy, however, it also needs attention. You can see where there has been heavy rains at times and ceilings have been damaged. Our room was ok , little issues but no [... read more]t a lot to complain about, the dining area is ok, food is ok but seems to be the same most days, Japanese el la carte is my favorite, Italian not. Entertainment is so so. however there was a band one night called 5th Avenue that was amazing. Shows are the same over and over and mostly all Spanish and difficult to understand even the English, but its Cuba...Elvis from Keswick, Ontario, Canada entertained us one night for a bit and that was enjoyed but the Canadians. The beach and the lovely staff everywhere is still my favorite. I just love the Cuban people.

Seasoned Travellers Review

I'm that guy who researches every resort 10 times before actually booking anything....and I'm that guy who looks for the best deal before actually making that purchase. My wife and I have travelled all over the world so we have seen the best and the worst. All in all...you can trust what you are about to read. Never having been to Cuba before, we wanted to get there and see it before the doors open up to the Americans and Cuba as we know it now will quickly change. We have all heard the stories [... read more] that the food is lousy and everything is run down. That's true at any destination all over the world as you can find the best and the worst anywhere. So, let's talk about the Iberostar Laguna Azul. Flight: Flew down on Cubana Air which is an older airline but has great deals because they don't pay the tax at their own airport like other airlines. Remember...everything is owned by the government. It's a 3 hour flight from Toronto so it was a cheap flight there and back. Nothing in flight...close your eyes and 3 hours later you're there. Hotel: Quite large with 5 a la carte restaurants. Very clean...no bugs or anything "icky" anywhere. Bathrooms were nice. You all know that getting a chair first thing in the morning is incredibly hard unless you get up at the crack of dawn right? Not here. Even at 10am you can still get the best seats by any of their amazingly beautiful pools. It's Cuba...who the heck wants to sit by the pool when you have one of the most pristine beaches in the world a few meters away?? We picked Building #20 only because I read in someone else's review that this was a good building. They all are great but #20 is the furthest away but closest to the beach and is the quietest and right by it's own private pool and private eating area. Beds are really hard but other than that, the room was beautiful (and I'm pretty picky about the room I stay in). Restaurants: If you're there for a week you get 3 a la cartes to choose. Pick Japanese, Italian and Romantic. We weren't overly thrilled with the Cuban Restaurant. The buffet is fine...and I mean just fine. Everything pretty well tastes really bland. The desserts every night look amazing, but if you put on blind folds, you would swear you were eating the same dessert 3 times. The stations are a little more compact so you're constantly bumping into one another. Pick a table outside (still enclosed but the outside wall is a screen hanging down to keep the sun out but allows the breeze in) as there's a great tropical breeze and far more personal space. You have to look for this as it's over by building 19 and 20, but there's a great outdoor Pizza station you have to try. There's even an ice cream building as you walk to the beach with really great ice cream (yes...I did this everyday...don't judge me) Entertainment: No one talks about this in most reviews, but let me tell you the entertainment here was absolutely 1st class...incredible...wonderful talent and we never missed a single night's performance. (Take a sweater as sometimes there's a breeze blowing through) The talent each night was as good if not far better than any cruise ship entertainment. Was really blown away and we weren't expecting this at all!! I have been a musician for 30 years so again, I'm pretty picky about the entertainment at any resort. Excursions: If you like snorkeling, you'll love this resort. Walk out to the beach, turn left and walk down about 400 meters to the next resort. Right on the beach you'll see a rack with a lot of lifejackets hanging out. This is where anyone can book a snorkeling session for a mere $20 CUC/person right there off that same spot. A Hobi Cat will take you and your wife or family out to a reef which is about 1 km right off shore. It stays with you and they throw food into the water to attract some of the most beautiful tropical fish you will ever see. There's bunch of these Hobi Cats all tied off together and after about an hour, they take you back to shore. Cheap and a wonderful hour right off your own beach area. I went 3 different days it was that good (take your own snorkel gear you can buy at any Costco) Going into Havana is a must. Yes, it's a bit of a drive, but this is a MUST. I also read about this private tour and I booked it. You can travel by bus for about $80 CUC/person and wait for others all day for 12 hours...or...you can email this young man and get a private tour for $70 CUC/person. He comes with a driver and you spend the day in a '57 pristine Chevy. His name is Joan (pronounced like Juan). He's a young man of about 30...married with a 5 year old son and he's married to a doctor. His English is perfect and his knowledge is the same as any university professor. There wasn't a subject or a building he didn't know every aspect about. The driver doesn't speak English but then again...that was part of the fun. He takes you to a restaurant for lunch called Hostal El Canonazo (it's right beside the biggest fort in Cuba) and it was one of the best places we have ever eaten at. For $34 CUC total, we had the assorted plate which gave us 2 good size lobsters, chicken for 2, steak for 2 along with vegetables and Cuban rice. Drinks were $3 CUC so our whole meal which would have been over $150 Cdn at home was about $40 CUC and the entertainment was again, stellar. Here's his contact info... Joan Rodríguez Falcón Cell: +53 52621309 falconcuba25@gmail.com I'm as cheap as they come and instead of $140 CUC ($70/person), I ended up giving him $200 CUC...the day was that great. Even the spa at Azul is incredible and super inexpensive. Couples Massage is $80 CUC TOTAL...not per person. We rarely ever go to the same place twice, but we're actually planning on taking our 3 adult children and their spouses in the fall. Staff are outstanding...food is far better than I was expecting...entertainment 1000% better than what we were expecting and the rooms and the resort itself was really clean, safe and fun. You will NOT be sorry at this resort...and again...I'm really, really picky about where we stay. We got 7 nights for $1,008 Cdn flying Cubana Air. Room Tip: Try and get a 3rd floor only because it gives you a better view. For a quieter area, ask for Building 20. Stayed March 2017, travelled as a couple

Nice resort

Everything was fine. Maintenance service was poorest. I went three times downstairs with a request ti fix balcony door latch, no one showed up even the next day. The serving staff in dining was never serving with a smile and sometimes it was obvious that they were ignoring you. The hotel with 814 rooms has only maximum two persons at the bar area and you have to wait quite a bit to be served. Further the bar closes at 1 am. The entertainment crew was amazing

Disappointed

Terrible service. We had to pour our own drinks a number of times because staff would just walk away. We went three days without towels or face cloths. We had numerous items taken from our room. We got locked out of our room and had to go to the lobby five times and waited two hours to get back in. Toilet seats were missing. We had a suite which is supposedly the best. We had a terrible view. No oceanview as we thought. Food was awful. Same everyday. Except Japanese. That was actually pretty goo [... read more]d. Beach was beautiful. Not worth it for me. Very disappointed and will not go back.

Fabolus Resort

I enjoyed my stay in your resort. The crew of your resort were wonderful. I found the crew were always smiling and the people enjoyed them selves. I am looking forward to vacation again. it may sound difficult but perhaps you may want to include vegetarian dishes more in your menu.

Beautiful Resort

Amazing pools and grounds , beautiful lobby and common areas.Room was comfortable, bed was comfortable but the cot for my daughter to sleep on was too hard. She was able to sleep on the couch instead.Musical entertainment every night in various areas , piano , bands , saxophone player.Very nice .Beach is incredible!

Nice resort

The staff were very good. Plenty to eat with lots of variety the beach was beautiful and properly staffed for chairs etc. As a musician I found it disappointing the piano was off limits our rooms were cleaned daily but having ocean front it's 3 storeys and we were on the 3 Rd with no elevators so would recommend close to the hotel if u need elevators