Brisas Del Caribe: It’s ok

Our room out by the highway flooded due to rain on the second night. Our handle broke so we couldn’t get in and out of our room. Our safe didn’t work so we had to take our passports to a friends room that did work. Thank god we were moved to a somewhat better room closer to our group of ladies but it took most of the day to do it. We either ran out of water to shower or only had a trickle of cold water to shower. The public bathrooms were a mess most of the time! This would be a hard job for [... read more] the cleaning staff to keep up with for sure. If the garbage cans could have been bigger to keep up with all the toilet paper mess that would have been great,although the bathroom stalls are very tiny and couldn’t accommodate a large can. No beer at the beach bar was a bummer! We always had to run up off the beach to the pool bar to get beer! There was always something I could find to eat. The beach was amazing! The waves rolling in after the Havana tornado was something to see! That was a scary night of whistling winds in Varadero let me tell you! The staff were amazing and accommodating and friendly! They put up with all of us after all! 😄 Overall we were a group of 21 ladies who had a lot of great memories shared here

Palma Real: Not that great

The hotel is old and run down. The rooms were clean but smelt musty. The grounds were nothing special and the Quiet pool had green moss growing on the bottom. It's a place where the Cuban's that have moved away come to visit and spend time with family and friends. It was packed and if you were not Cuban you did not get very good service at the buffet or bar. Beach was beautiful but not enough chairs. I wanted to change resorts but could never find my Air Canada Rep, he was their a 1/2 hour a day [... read more] but I could never seem to locate him. The location of the resort to down town is great, you can walk all over the place. I would Not Recommend this place.

Melia Peninsula Varadero: MELIA PENINSULA VARADERO

I WOULD LOVE TO GO BACK AGAIN HAD ALOT OF FUN AND ALSO RELAED ALOT WHICH WAS GREAT. WE ARE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT COMMING BACK NEXT YEAR AROUND THE SAME TIME . THE SAFF WAS GREAT VERY NICE FRIENDLY ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP OR ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE HAD. HAVE TOLD CO WORKERS ABOUT THE RESORT AND THEY ARE THINKING ABOUT GOING THERE AS WELL.

Club Kawama: A very special resort

If your looking for opulence, fancy food, and entertainment, then keep looking. But if you’re looking for clean, friendly, fantastic location, great price, small village feel, good food, then this is your resort. I can understand why people go back multiple times. We really enjoyed our stay and the staff were superb!

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Varadero: Good Resort

We arrived late at night so we didn't have as memorable of a greeting as some of the other reviews. By the time we had met our Butler we had our dinner reservations made and we didn't really require any other assistance during our stay. We LOVED the Lounge Bar that has some great entertainment every night. ANET and YOAN were attentive and fantastic. Our room was in a bit of rough shape (31207), but it could have been that we didn't know what to expect given it was our first time down south [... read more]. Restaurants - we ate all our breakfasts at Ave Del Paraiso (sit down and buffet option in the Adults only section) and it was great. Ging Seng was our favourite dinner restaurant. Don't waste your time at La Violeta. Terrible food and poor service. The beach was wonderful, staff was friendly, and the entertainment was good. We may return to this resort.

Barcelo Solymar: This hotel should not be promoted as a four star hotel. It should come with a warning.

The Hotel is very run down and in serious disrepair. It needs major work. Rooms are comfortable in size, but furniture is so old... it looks like the furniture used by my grandmother in her honeymoon! I cannot even talk about the bathrooms. The mattresses are moldy and so old!!!

Muthu Playa Varadero: Pros and cons

There are pros and cons for everyone. Small, fair food quality, spacious lobby, good coffee bar were pros. Laid back staff, lack of sanitary with food, lack of service, poor room quality were cons. Staff were friendly but they were not offering any service until asked. When asked they are working in very laid back manner. When you tip them they may become your best friend but again... Different personal experience may be the factor here. Room was clean enough but worn off. Some lights were  [... read more]not working, the mattress was old and the bedsheets were not clean nor changed when asked. Smell of mold in some spots of the bed. Yuck. AC was blowing at full capacity without any means of control. We were told to turn it off with the breaker by the front desk staff. Either full or none... Beach was good as most of Cuba beaches are. Food was fair with the selections, average quality. I guess this is good in Cuba standards. However the sanitary was the biggest concern. Staff were not wearing gloves and handling raw food. Flies and some wild animals (birds and cats) were frequently found. Coffee bar was excellent, with the service and the quality. Impressed with it. Bars were generally packed with people and need to tip or wait for the service. 10 min bus ride to Varadero downtown. Nothing else was in immediate walking distance. Overal experience was average but nothing wowed me other than their coffee. I would not come back.

Brisas Del Caribe: Very friendly, fantastic staff

We have read a great deal of complaints about the Resort, we have none. First off do research the Hotels and resorts on the Island. Research specifics about the Island, its inhabitants, and customs. This was our fourth year at the Resort, same time every year. The staff are incredible, recognizing us year after year. We always book the VIP package, it provides ease for simple things like beach towels and water to drink. Unlike the Dominican, the resorts are not piled on top of each other.  [... read more] Beach is kept clean, water is very clear, with additional water sports. Lots of room,not one million tourists overcrowding the beach. The rooms are spacious and clean. The Maid could not have been more friendly, and helpful. Always a warm smile, and always a good morning or other salutations. You can see that from previous years they are continuing to paint and renovate. The grounds are immaculate. Staff maintain the grounds, and always friendly, even if their English is minimal. The buffet restaurant is very busy, and you can see how they continue to make use of leftovers for the following day. Do not think for a moment, that the food would be anything, compared to North America, or Europe. Do not be afraid to try items that you do not recognize, you may be pleasantly surprised. Would we go again. Yes in a heart beat.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Great Trip!

This resort is great, nice size lots of different options to eat, have a late night snack or just chillax with a hot cappuccino. Only negative was that the night club was closed so nowhere to go for any nightlife.

Melia Varadero: Great People, dated resort

The people at the resort were excellent, the beach was very nice. The snorkeling directly off the beach was not great but you could get taken out on a catamaran for 20 cuc. About 500 meters offshore it was amazing snorkeling. I feel the resort/ room itself is slightly dated. I feel for the money we paid, the resort was not as nice as we expected. We upgraded to the Level and again the people were great but we got an older room with two beds pushed together rather than a king bed. An old bath [... read more]room and the room was quite small. We are not likely to return to this hotel/resort.

Paradisus Varadero: Disappointed, not returning.

We were at this resort the same time, last year. We loved it so much we wanted to go back again this year. This year we were somewhat disappointed and will go somewhere else next year. PROS:Our maid was great, pools were well maintained. we loved the restaurant by the pool which served the best chicken wings, calamari, fresh pizza, cheese strips, burgers and sundaes.Entertainment was acceptable.The a-la-cartes were just okay. CONS: Beach was only cleaned once in the week we were there, Mini bar [... read more] in room was only refilled once with beer after a request at the front desk and after customer service called asking if everything was good and if there was anything we needed. Coffee was never replenished. Food was not as good as last year, never anything really spectacular. I was disappointed in the 2 level room, asked to move and was not accommodated. One of the reasons we chose to come back to this resort was the pristine ocean, unfortunately the water this time was very rocky for the most part, making it hard to get in and out.

Royalton Hicacos Resort and Spa: Wonderful week at the Royalton Hicacos !

Upon our arrival, we were greeted with a glass of champagne. Check-in was simple and efficient. We were given a butler, which we weren't expecting. He gave us a tour of the resort, while taking us to our room. He was very professional, highly trained and helpful. The Royalton Hicacos is a lovely resort that was built with top quality materials. Our room was well maintained and spotlessly clean. The grounds throughout are very nice and well kept. The staff throughout the resort were all w [... read more]ell trained and very friendly. Often staff would ask, " is everything ok?" They were always anxious to do anything to make our stay enjoyable. There was daily entertainment in the Lobby Bar and the Jazz Bar. There was live dinner music in the a la carte restaurants and at the evening buffets. All the music we listened to was very enjoyable. The bar service throughout the resort was friendly and efficient. The drinks were made with good quality liquor. The house wine served throughout the resort was very acceptable. We did not use the pools as we preferred the beach.The beach was a highlight for us. Endless sand, beautiful warm water, and cabanas were always available. The beach was divided into non-smoking and smoking sections, so everyone was accommodated. Beach attendants were always available to find us a beach chair. There was a restaurant and bar service at the beach, and that was very convenient. There was never a need to reserve a cabana early in the morning. The food throughout the resort was good. This was our fourth trip to Cuba and this was by far the best resort to-date with the best food. We could always find something we liked to eat and the service was excellent. We ate two meals in the a la carte restaurants; the Caribbean and the International. Their menus had ample variety. We had excellent meals at both restaurants. This was our ninth trip to the Caribbean (Punta Cana,Cuba and Mexico). We have always stayed at 4.5 and 5 star resorts. This was the best overall resort so far. We highly recommend this resort and look forward to returning.

Playa Caleta: Never ever again!

Stayed at Caleta building for 2 weeks. Old, uncomfortable smelly beds and furniture. Cold food and terrible cocktails. Two elevators out of service, just one was working. They changed linen once in 2 weeks and never made bed, but always took tips and gifts. We had one rainy day and a lot of water in lobby and buffet. The beach is OK. Free shuttle to Varadero market 3 times daily. Overpriced excursions. Hotel needs a lot of improvements, including food and services.

Gran Caribe Sun Beach: Puntarena Playa Caleta

Originally booked for SunBeach, but because both elevators were under repair we were offered our 7 night stay at this resort. It was not in the location we had preferred. (it required a taxi to get to the end of the line for the bus) but it had a number of things we appreciated. On the beach is the best part. The sun chairs behind the Caleta building were in terrible shape, compared to those behind the Puntarena. We had our choice of two main restaurants (one in the Puntarena building [... read more] and the other in the Caleta building. Originally this was two separate resorts.) The food selection was really great. We have been to other 2.5 and 3 Star hotels and this was by far the best we have had. Unfortunately, the food was always lukewarm as there was no hot water under the metal food trays. The wait staff were very friendly. I had noticed that no one else seemed to be leaving a tip at the tables (a practice we have done on every trip) I was told that basically it was the Canadians who tipped. The majority of the clients were from Russia and "they never tip". I found the same thing with the house cleaning staff. We tipped and left gifts but other nationalities did not. The rooms were bright, included balconies (some hotels do not) and cleaned well every day. The pools were beautiful as were the grounds. Well cared for.

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Varadero: Had a Blast!

Really glad we stayed in the adults only section, it was so much fun and mellow. The staff were great super friendly and fun, the resort was very clean and well kept. we enjoyed the food and dining on the sanctuary side and didn't feel like we needed to go over to the main resort.

Playa Vista Azul: Beautiful Resort !

The OCEAN VISTA AZUL is a lovely hotel, the rooms were very clean ! We were in Building #6 so we were just across from the one of the 2 Beaches. The BUFFET Restaurant could use improvement when it comes to TASTE, many dishes were "tasteless" & the food was repetitive. The 3 A LA CARTE RESTOS are the best !! As for the INTERNET @ times it was slow & also if you intend to purchase "minutes " for the INTERNET they sell them @ Reception 60 min for 1 PESO, just beware they will tell you tha [... read more]t you have to use the 60 minutes from the 1st connection but as i discovered that is not so ! If after a few minutes you decide to stop just SHUT OFF your Wi-Fi & you will not loose your remaining minutes. In a nutshell the OCEAN VISTA AZUL is a beautiful resort & the grounds are always well maintained by the Staff working very hard to keep it looking perfect !

Club Tropical: Good resort

The resort was clean the workers are friendly the food was good the entertainment was good and the beach was nice. I like the location it was convenient if you like to be in town I would stay there again

Memories Jibacoa: Nice resort

The staff were very friendly and helpful. They tried their very best to provide excellent customer service. Our room was kept very clean and the maid ensured that we always had fresh towels as needed and other supplies. I liked that there were no bugs or mosquitoes to worry about, the beach was lovely but there were a lot of jelly fish this year and we were only able to go into the ocean twice during our one week vacation. The red flag was out on most days due to jelly fish and rough curren [... read more]t. My husband and I picked up a flu bug while there and so a few days of our holiday were spent feeling ill, Not sure why as we normally don’t get sick on our vacation.

Melia Las Americas: Mediocre to horrible! 3 stars at best.

Where to start? Arrived early, found the bus to take us to resort, sat for 1 hour and 45 minutes at the airport, reason waiting for 2 more people, who were waiting outside the bus.. Actually waiting while the tour operators agent hocked beer on the bus. Get to the resort, no one from "the Level" met us, stood in line for 10 minutes before we went looking and found the Level reception lounge. Checked in, then started a 12 minute trek to our room. Resort was notified that I had mobility problems  [... read more]when we booked. The room was great, it was the last bungalow on the south side of the resort, we were behind the main entrance/security to the resort. After checking the distance, taking the sidewalk out front, discovered it was .7 kilometers. that is 2310 ft. from our room to the lobby. We inquired about moving, and they were very understanding and accommodating, but the room was much smaller and not all that much closer. We were also offered a room in the hotel, if we wanted to stay in a huge multi room hotel, we would have gone to Casino Niagara for a lot less. We had to walk that distance every time we went to eat in one of the restaurants, I got to the point, that my knees and back would not allow me to walk it anymore. We started flagging down taxis at the guard shack and paying 3 pesos for a ride to the lobby and later 3 pesos back to the security, then walk the 60 feet to our room. We had a total of 14 meals over the period of 6 days. Only 1 meal would garner a "good" rating, the rest were sub par to say the least. Forget "room service", average delivery time was 1 hour, 15 minutes. three orders and all were ice cold when they got to out room. The first night, room service hung up on us 3 times. My wife hiked backed to the lobby to complain and the staff in the Level concierge placed our order for us, we ate maybe a quarter of it and the rest, ice cold of course. There was no such thing as hot food at the buffet for breakfast, unless you waited in line for an omelette or fried eggs. No coffee in any of the restaurants after dinner, " go to the lobby" is the stock reply. We also found that we had to call everyday to get our fridge restocked, just 2 of beer and cola, orange and ginger ale. NO ALCOHOL could be delivered to the room. It took 3 days of asking before we got face clothes, rest of the bathroom supplies were fine. The room service maid was excellent. Nancy, kudos. The resort is pleasant looking, and has beautiful grounds, with nice sight lines of the beach. Numerous stairs through out the resort, some ramps, some are very steep and could be a serious hazard to people in wheelchairs and walkers. The marking of stairs and elevated floors is nonexistent. In the one restaurant(The Limoncello) the centre of the restaurant floor is raised by 9 inches with no indication of the change in the height. I stumbled into it and careened into a table that flipped over with me following it to the floor. Everything that was on the table was smashed on the floor, luckily I was not cut, just bruised and sore. The morning entertainment for the patrons, who by the way were the only ones to come to my aid. I was not asked by the staff if I was alright or offered any assistance. Everyone seemed unconcerned with my fall, including the staff at "the Level" concierge. If there are cameras in the Limoncello. look around the 9 to 9:30 am time frame, Saturday Feb, 16. Paying for "The Level" service did not seem to benefit us in anyway.

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Not a bad time

Room was 2/5. No bottled water or beer for 2 nights. Mild and mildew on the walls and shower had to be held because of no bracket. Food 3/5. Buffet was okay. Same food every single day. Edible. 24 hr snack bar avoid. They have birds eating out of food trays. A la Cary was good Japanese. Beach was awesome and pool as well. Excellent service at the cigar lounge and pool. The service in dinning area was bad we served our own water and got our own coffee and cutlery. The service at the l [... read more]obby bar was horrible. They need more staff I wouldn’t recommend this resort or go back to it again