Palma Real: Great bang for you buck

Check in was super fast as it was only me and one other guy getting off the bus 4th Time staying here, Always cheap get what you pay for Some of the bar staff are just straight up rude don't smile or say your welcome or nothing and expect a tip, Yet some of the bar staff are fantastic super nice my biggest issue wish the lobby bar was still open 24/7, not everyone likes going to that loud ridiculous Havana club every night The food is meh like every where in cuba Pools/Beaches  [... read more]great of course My room was fine Always meet great people here and some crappy ones of course lol Probably wont return here but that's not a knock on the hotel ,just kinda over Varedejo now

Sol Palmeras: Beautiful beach!

We liked Sol Palmeras for many reasons that I will try to list in no particular order, although the beach does need to go first. This property has a gorgeous, long, swimmable beach. The beach grill and bar hardly ever had a lineup even when super busy. The pool is older but was still enjoyed by many. 3* for pool, 10* for beach. Renovated rooms have ample space, drawers, hot water, bar fridge, good lighting. *hard beds but good pillows* The rooms are serviced by friendly and cheerful clean [... read more]ers. Relaxed mix of guests from all over, English is not the primary language...Spanish, French, German and English. No agressive vendors here...no sales pitches for timeshare...this is a great place to get away from these things... and no "butlers". Big busy buffet...noisy, fun, great servers, always refreshed platters of fruit and everything else. Various grill stations for fresh fish, pasta, meat choices and in the morning, the best eggs/omelettes...not greasy like other places we've been. Lots of choices, something for everyone. Nice desserts including a chocolate fountain (and an endless supply of meringue cookies:) This is a huge property but the hotel feels compact if you are in a room in the main building...the closer bungalows also look amazing for a family holiday. Some people like the further away bungalows for the quiet retreat. We plan to return to Sol Palmeras ASAP.

Melia Las Antillas: Melia Las Antillas

Hotel is in good location beaches are very nice providing that the weather is good any time rain elevator is not working out of 4 units 2 are on repair for 2 weeks noting has bin done the third working 50% of the time fourth is the only one working

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: I liked the hotel and I am coming back

This was my first time in Cuba and I was told many scary stories about the food so I was little bit scared before my trip as I had my kids coming with me. I will talk about the food in this resort as it was my first concerm .So I enjoyed food so much,as it is all organic, that's why it goes bad very quick. You just have to watch what you eat . There were always fresh fish, chicken, beef and pork, grilled right in front of you available lunch and dinner, organic vegetables , tasty rice etc . Fo [... read more]r breakfast- fresh eggs cooked in front of you and natural yogurt omg so good. Japanese restaurant is so good ( no suchi) they cook fresh teriyaki in front of you too. Gormet is nice rest too, food was very good. Italian rest is nothing special just normal . Staff was amazing, lots of entertainment for families , rooms are clean but some things ( closet door ex ) can be broken, but not a big deal . Everything is located close, so no need to walk too much .

Palma Real: Good resort

Good economical resort...clean and hard-working staff.....lobby got rained out one day..but good price and convenient to downtown and the Beatles bar...nice beach accross the street...rooms were clean if not run down...but overall was a great stay

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Varadero: The good, the bad, and the wonderful.

A $50 US cab ride gets you to the resort. Furthest resort from the airport. We booked Sanctuary, which is adults only. Upgraded our room from a double to a junior suite, as we were past guests, and had our vacation cut short in September. Our butler recognized us from our previous visit, and was extremely kind. Both Jorge and Ernesto went out of their way to make our stay fantastic. We were booked in to room 32303, which put us on the third floor, facing the pool. If you don't like constantly go [... read more]ing up and down stairs, a ground floor might be more to your liking. Room was fabulous, except that the balcony has a solid safety wall, so you can't see much when sitting, whereas the second floor has glass. The balcony door was in desperate need of WD-40, and was a chore to get open, and the hair dryer did not work. 2 Bathrooms, main with tub, and shower, with excellent water pressure. King size bed with a fairly firm mattress, and a frame that could use a few turns with a ratchet ;) Ordered room service for breakfast, and usually got a lot more than ordered, and the order was correct half the time. Omelets were less oily from room service, than from the buffet. Best restaurant was the one adjacent to the bar, closest to the pool, at Sanctuary. There were a couple of themed lunches while we were there for 10 days, which were quite entertaining. Beach was fabulous, as always. Unfortunately, there are people who still reserve "their" chairs at the pool, and they could do with a few more shaded spots. Will be booking again for September.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Beautiful resort

This was a very beautiful resort. We had the royal treatment ... The grounds were so pretty and well taken care of .the rooms were large and comfortable and very clean . The food was pretty good. I still craved what I couldn’t get though haha .burgers and fries at the snack bar by the tennis courts were amazing . Night time Shows were pure talent . Staff so friendly and helpful especially yasnivy our butler. This is more pricy than I could normally afford but thanks to airmiles vouchers  [... read more]we enjoyed the royal treatment for our 25 th anniversary . I would stay on the regular side and try that . beach was fantastic quiet and that’s what we prefer.best lime daiquiri was at beachside bar on royal side ..pool was beautiful too we brought comfy floats and relaxed a lot in there ...would love to return ....

Grand Memories Varadero: Terrible

Service is good at the restaurants and bars but cleaning service is terrible. Our maid only changes the towels and makes the bed. That's it, no sweeping the floors, doesn't change the sheet or tidy up the bathroom even though we leave tips everyday. Also I'm pretty sure I've been bitten by bed bugs. Which is not surprising considering our room never gets cleaned. I also find that some staff have no shame about tips. It's expected in this resort beware. Food is bland even for a cuban standard. Af [... read more]ter the 3rd day I mostly ate fruits. The whole resort as a whole is not very well kept. The public washrooms are disgusting , no locks and no toilet paper most of the time. I really could go on and on but the positive thing is the beach. It's beautiful however be prepared to have a peso when you get there, that's the only way you get a spot. The employee who maintains the area puts his own stuff on the chairs so he can give to the ppl who gives tips. Will never go back to this resort or any other memories/ grand memories chain since this is my second one and both are terrible.

Playa Caleta: Not Great but good

The hotel advertises as a four star but it's more like a three star. The room that we were given had a funky smell the first day but it cleared out. The reception staff was really good in addressing our concerns. The safe in our room didn't work, so someone did come to our room to take a look. Apparently, the whole safe unit needed to be replaced. So, they changed our room to the next one over and still gave us the ocean view. The other staff was friendly and if you tipped them they will really  [... read more]take care of you. The two things that I have a complaint about is the AC and the food. It took a while each day for the cooling to work properly but by the evening it was cool in the room. The seating area in the lobby and the seating area by the bar lounge area tend to get really hot if you don't find an open area for a breeze to come in. The food was horrible. Although there were salt and pepper shakers on the tables, there were none in any of the foods. My husband got sick from the food from the first day and had diarrhea and I got sick on the last day and started throwing up. Even being sick, we still managed to have some fun on the tours and also lounging on the beach. If you can bring things like books, pens, pencils, etc. for kids in the area.

Starfish Varadero: Overall

The hotel and staff were awsome except for the buffet.we did not tip at the buffet as we did not het asked once if we wanted a drink.The hotel was overall good . except for we thought we were going the other starfish not realizing there are 2 locations as the website has the same photos for both locations which is misleading

Playa Caleta: Great deal

There was 7 of us in our group and we all had a great time. We got an amazing price for the vacation and for the price we paid the hotel was ok. It was no 5 star hotel but for the price we all felt it was well worth it. The food on the buffet was ok we found that it wasn't really Cuban food it was geared more towards the Russians staying at the hotel. Our group loved the Chinese restaurant it was the best at this location. The Cuban restaurant was good but the Italian restaurant was absolute [... read more]ly horrible and I do not recommend that you wast your time booking that one as the food was cold the staff were rude and the food was not Italian. Overall we had a great trip though and we would go back. What made the trip well worth it was the friendly staff and the staff working that went above and beyond to make sure that you were enjoying yourself.

Grand Memories Varadero: Mixed review

The resort and staff were amazing. once we finally got there with the flight delays and then long check in. they had one person on staff to check us in. after a 10 hour delay we miss a day of vacation. after being up all night the first day was a right off but we made the best of it. The beach was amazing. Food and staff were also great. I have no complaints other than getting there which isn't a resort issue but more of a Sunwing. I've been to many places in Cuba and this resort was one of [... read more] best I've been too. You won't be disappointed.

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: Great resort fantastic hotel

The hotel ocean patriarca was situated not to far from the town of varadero although we did not feel the need to leave the hotel complex as the grounds were beautifully manicured the staff were very friendly.rather than a high rise hotel we liked the set up as the bungalows were spread out around the pool and the hotel complex .it offered entertainment every evening in the hotel lobby then into a piano bat later plus the theatre had a show every night from nine till ten thirty and if you then [... read more] wished the disco went on till two am. Food we found very good ,excellent choices the main buffet was superb plus you could always have a chef prepare you steaks or chops just to your liking as well as a fish and pasta area again with its own chef. The hotel also had three other restaurants but you did need to wear dress pants and shoes to go into these.

Playa Caleta: Run down nightmare

This hotel is very old and in need of serious repairs. The limited staff seems to have given up. The food was the worst I've ever had in Cuba. If you want a cheep holiday, the beach is beautiful and the weather is great, the hotel is bad. My husband and I both got bacterial intestinal infections and had to get a doctor into the room. My husband was given three IV bags of fluid while he laid in the bed. We both have a prescription for antibiotics for the next 10 days.

Grand Memories Varadero: My stay at the Grand Memories Varadero May 5/18 - May 13/18

I recently spent a week at the Grand Memories Varadero. Unfortunately our flight down with Sunwing was delayed 10 hours so we missed a night at the hotel:( Sunwing did give us a $15.00 food voucher to use at the airport and a $75.00 voucher for the delay which is appreciated. Upon arriving at the hotel, due to the time lapse of when we were suppose to check in all of our reservations ( 6 rooms in total ) were cancelled. That being said, the lady at the check in desk did an incredible job  [... read more]of getting it all sorted for us and into our rooms. She was extremely calm and professional!!!! My room was clean when we checked in and our maid was amazing!!! So friendly and always making sure we had everything we needed. I have travelled to Cuba before and was a bit put off by the food so wasn't sure what to expect here. I have to say, the food did not disappoint me!!!! Props to the kitchen staff, the waiters and the chefs!!!! The bar staff, wether it be the pool bar, snack bar, lobby, disco etc, were very efficient and so friendly. The mixed drinks were a bit off but to no fault of the staff. Pina Coladas and Daiquiris were not made with a slush machine, just liquid so didn't have the greatest taste. There was always entertainment by the pool and beach with music and activities which always makes for a fun time!!! Lots of charis and shade so there was never an issue trying to find somewhere to sit by the pool. The nightly entertainment. All I have to say is WOW!!!! The dancers in the shows were amazing!! I have been to many many resorts and I have to say the Michael Jackson show was by far the best I have ever seen. I didn't want the show to end!!!! You can clearly see how much work and time goes into these shows. The one issue we ran into quite a few times was the washrooms with respect to toilet paper and paper towels and the doors not being able to lock. A lot of the times there was no toilet paper or paper towels which is an issue. All of the staff were extremely friendly and helpful and they all work so hard!!!!! Overall, I had a great time at this resort and I would definitely go back!!

Melia Las Antillas: Not alot to complain about

The people are wonderful! We had fun with Annie and the pool staff. The dining staff were excellent too. My husband's and my room was great, yet my kids room was musty and damp(even the sheets). My kids asked me not to say anything as they were afraid they might be moved to another building. It certainly didn't spoil our trip. The food was good and we certainly didn't starve, yet a little repetitive. They supply various condiments to spice it up if you choose to. The grounds are well maintai [... read more]ned and the beach is amazing! We would definitely go back!

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Mixed

Overall a great vacation, staff was super-the best I have encountered on a southern vacation. Facilities were clean, beach was beautiful. Overall appearance of resort is striking as long as you don't look at the little things. There were some little issues...the chairs in the theatre are super uncomfortable, our party commented we couldn't appreciate the incredible onstage skills because it was so uncomfortable in the seats. Our patio door didn't open and the shower water was cold more than w [... read more]arm, but we didn't complain...may have been fixed if we had asked. Rainy season presents some challenges with leaks in ceilings and water removal, but given the circumstances, overall staff dealt with it very well. The buffet was my least favorite thing, the layout is congested and mass confusion, the food was not appealing to me at all and was the worst buffet I have experienced at a Cuba resort. Having said that--I didn't starve and I no member of our party of 10 got sick. We all enjoyed the a la cartes. The food will prevent me from returning to this resort, but otherwise, it was a great resort and I sincerley give a full star rating to the staffing.

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: Fantastic Resort

The accommodations was excellent. We initially were not satisfied with the cabin we were given. The water pressure was low, the water had very little hot water, and the internet reception in the cabin was non-existent. However, once customer service knew of the deficiencies, they immediately found us another room which was an upgrade to one of their premiere suites and completely satisfied each deficiency. The food was very good. The staff did their best to accommodate Canadian style of cooking. [... read more] The privileged restaurant had outstanding gourmet meals. The grounds was very clean and well kept. Even after rain storms, their grounds staff were right on every leaf, mud removed from the sidewalks. Excellent. The maid service was second to none. Always a clean room when we came back to relax in the room. (Note: sheets were not changed daily. Not sure if this is normal.)

Hotel Los Cactus: Fantastic resort

The room was great the atmosphere was fantastic would have been a lot better if there was food or snacks available 24/7 as having to eat on a schedule really throws off your plans during your trip and not having anything when your hungry is very frustrating. The buffet was also the exact food everyday which was not the greatest but it was ok

Blau Varadero: Felt Like Coming Home

This was our 8th stay at our Beautiful Blau Varadero. Always feels like coming home. Stayed in one of the newly renovated rooms on the 8th floor with pool/ocean view. Absolutely beautiful. Brand new beds, so comfy. Blue tooth speaker with lovely flat panel tv on the wall. Loved the addition of coffee makers in the rooms a few years back so one can wake up to coffee in the room and enjoy on your balcony with the view of the ocean. Can see alot of work was done to the hotel since the damage o [... read more]f hurricane Urma. Brand new curtains in the Lobby area look great. Always enjoyed the Lobby area in the am's for cappuccinos. Checked out the Chill out bar one evening and it was nice. Comfy seats located all around it outside. The food was great as always. Loved the lobster at the returning guest dinner and enjoyed the Italian a la carte immensely. Can't wait to go back as only home couple of days and missing this Beautiful resort and Cuba already.