Palma Real: Will not return

Hotel was poorly maintained. Food was limited and lacked staff. Only 1 key card for two guests. Safety deposit boxes archaic . Staff good. Located too far from beach. Close to town. Reception staff were difficult to deal with.

Palma Real: Good resort

The Hotel was in pretty good shape , bars and washrooms available ... Clean pools big buffet area, close to beach and lots of help from staff. I would definately would be going back to this hotel and recommend friends and family.

Palma Real: Great resort

Rooms were excellent grounds were well maintained, food were somewhat repetitive but 2 main dishes were daily changed, staff were very friendly, very close to beach and central to all the main attractions including the Beatles calle63

Palma Real: Made the best of it

The resort could use a lot of work. We were told that management recently changed so hopefully this means things will improve. Beds felt like sleeping on a box spring. Mold in most rooms. Hours were very odd for buffet with minimal to no food options in between. Very slow service at the bars. And we were never offered beverages at meals. On the bright side, we went with a great group of friends, made tons of friends, and enjoyed that we were located on the main stretch in Varadero.

Palma Real: Needs improvement

Location was awesome. Beach was nice. Pools were nice. Staff were okay but not overly friendly nor helpful. Very hard to get pesos for tips. Hotel is rundown. Mold in certain areas. Towels in rooms stained and or with holes. Only change towels and sheets every 2-3 days. Plus our sheets had nasty stains...didn't even sleep directly on them. Drinks were not to my personnal liking...way too strong! Very hard to get a reservation at the à la carte restaurants but was better than buffet. It is a par [... read more]ty hotel so not great for everyone. Got accused of steeling a towel from the room when we checked out....cleaning lady didn't look properly. REALLY did not appreciate the accusation!! My worst vacation so far. Will NOT be going back here.

Palma Real: Cheap getaway

The location is good. The beach is across the street & it's easy to walk into town. If you're low maintenance you'll have a great time, but If you want fancy, don't go here. The service isn't amazing, & the food is bland, but there are no bugs & you can drink whatever you want 24/7 & you get to eat. The coconut ice cream was amazing. Cuban standards are lower than other places, so you get what you pay for.

Palma Real: Friendly Resort

The hotel was an average hotel with lots of amenities...it as any other resort in Cuba as all inclusive offered a buffet that was basic Cuban food. There was a small kitchen off the side which offered good sandwiches and fruit. Staff were amazing and so kind and accommodating. We took our daughter (14) this time.2nd time going and one grounds keeper went out of his way to take a coconut and made a drink and handcrafted a grasshopper for top garnish for her which she cherishes to this day. Swim  [... read more]up bar..volleyball tourney...good music played at the 2 adjoining pools and quiet at the other side for down time at the other 2 pools. Construction was happening for elevators while we were there..which will be an added bonus later and housekeepers always left our room with fancy towel decorations everyday. Always looked forward to see what they would do each day. Balcony with amazing view of the ocean and the sun wing rep gentleman was amazing at helping us when we met with him to make our arrangements for the jeep safari...big thanks as it was an amazing tour. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip at an amazingly cheap cost. Hotel needed some work but we went for the sun surf and sea...and only sleep in the room. Big thank you to Elana w sunwing/TripAdvisor for all her assistance as she was there to help w all our call concerns etc. A wonderful family trip that will be remembered for the rest of out lives!👍

Palma Real: Best place in Varadero

Hello this is our second stay here and we love the location of this fine hotel. Its 1 block to a beautiful beach and 1 block to Beatles bar which is an amazing place to go. They have since 2 years ago have landscaped and painted most rooms really looks impressive. The food here is fine and have great variety of things to do nice pools and bars are friendly. The money you save here you can eat off resort and have pizza or steak or whatever you like. Unfortunately I was very sick and was hospit [... read more]alized for most of my vacation but must say also had best care and am thankful for the excellent care I received. I am sad I did not make memories I wanted to make next time I guess .

Palma Real: Best resort and location

It is the 20th time back to this hotel it's the best for location and the staff is the best always there to look after you from the bartenders the maids the Buffett staff the security and the front desk staff especially Samira she is the best

Palma Real: Hotel Palma Real-a cheap option for budget conscious travellers...

Quick 4 day girls trip to Varadero. Dont expect to check in until 4pm, even if you get there by 1030am...like us.... The staff is very helpful, special shout out to the fabulous bartender Orelsi at the Black and White Bar in the 4th Building. The grounds are clean. The pool bar is good, the pool cold and the cement/patio all around pool in desperate need of painting. The food is ok. Remember, this is a 3star in Cuba....which is like a 2star in Mexico or DR. Limited bars....only the pool b [... read more]ar, lobby bar and the Black and White Bar in 4th Building. There are often lineups but the staff works hard to deliver and will remember you and treat you well. The room is very basic. Cold showers sometimes. 2 twin beds pushed together. Broken dresser. However, who spends time in their rooms? The beach is spectacular. A short stroll....even though you have to walk up a street and cross a street it is still closer than alot of larger resorts. And there are not anywhere close to enough lounge chairs at beach, most are broken, but if you get there by 8am, you will get one. Best location ever in Varadero if you want to be near the night life. Next to Calle 62, steps to the Beatles Bar (great live band) and ate at the amazing steak restaurant (across the street) called Barbacoa. Everyone was from Quebec, a younger crowd. Would I book again? Yes if less than 750$ per week, then a great deal.

Palma Real: No French fries!!!

I want this to review to be helpful and not a complaint session so hope it helps!!! The weather our week was very poor which negatively influenced our vacation but is not the hotel's fault so I will do my best to be objective!! Rooms: amazing and huge. Very clean, the women cleaning the rooms were awesome and a large balcony. Always had hot water and water pressure wasn't bad!! Hotel: needed work....broken lights, ripped awnings and the beach chairs were old and many broken. Poor service in  [... read more]the dining room, long waits to have plates cleared and drinks refilled. Often toilet paper was not refilled and they ran out of towels both room and pool towels, they said the laundry was down. It appeared they were understaffed which may have impacted this but the staff who were there were kind. They had started to fix things on our last day. Food: I have been to cuba before so was ready for the food. Not a lot of choices,less fresh fruit then I was used to, no French fries!! Really small buffet for the number of people , long lines often. A la cartes: Italian was awesome, International was average and Cuban was awful both for food and decor. Snack bar: great burgers and hot dogs. Beach snack bar: also great food, even had French fries for one lunch!!! Bars: again understaffed so line ups but booze is booze!! The pool bar staff seemed unhappy and very unengaging!! Pools were cold but again this may have been influenced by the crappy weather. Beach: awesome and warmer then the pool!! I would return to Cuba but not to this hotel they did the best they could but it was not enough!!

Palma Real: Very mediocre hotel.

Hotel needed a great deal of maintenance. Ceilings in halls appear to have mildew. Halls poorly painted with no cutting in. Glass railing cracked leaving a safety hazard. Service staff very friendly and helpful. Room was clean. All in all, hotel appeared very tired. Observed very few people maintaining the property.

Palma Real: Another great time at the Palma Real!!

As this was my 9th time staying at the Palma Real, my review might be a little biased, but honest! First off, remember this is a 3.5* hotel in Cuba, not a 5* in the Mayan Riviera. I have been to both many times, and it is simply not a fair comparison. Due to the longstanding embargo against Cuba, they just don't have access to many of the luxuries you may be used to. At least not at the price point of a 3.5* Cuban hotel. However, if you can live with the drawbacks, you can't beat the experienc [... read more]e of the Palma Real. The good: LOCATION,LOCATION, LOCATION!!! It's so close to all the best nightlife, great restaurants, shopping and local culture. The facility is older, but has been kept up as well as I think is possible for them. It has a fresh coat of paint on the buildings, and many of the rooms are being freshened up too. The grounds are nicely kept, and the rooms are sparse, but clean. Most of the staff are friendly and helpful. The pools are nice enough. There is a "quiet pool" with a kiddy pool beside it, and a "party pool" with a swim up bar, along with afternoon activities. The lounge chairs can be hard to get in the afternoon, so be early! The beach is across/down the street a few hundred feet, but it's NOT a big deal. It's definitely worth the walk. There is also the beach bar that serves some snacks too. The beach and water are beautiful. The sand is powdery soft and the water clear and blue. My personal opinion is that it's one of the nicest beaches in the Caribbean. It's the reason Varadero has been such a popular vacation spot for 70+ years. The "Okay": The food. The food is okay! It's not gourmet, but I've always found something I actually enjoyed eating. If you like spicy food, pack a little of your favourite in your suitcase. The whole resort is older, but well laid out for it's time period. Yes, you have to walk to the lobby if you need a bathroom, which is a bit of a pain, but not enough of a pain to bypass staying there. The rooms could use some new mattresses and pillows, but are otherwise quite satisfactory. Nothing fancy, but adequate....much like everything there. The bad: The last 4 times I have been to the Palma Real, I've had some issue or another with the bathrooms. Either no hot water, or very little, or a missing toilet seat or shower wand bracket. I consider these things an inconvenience, but again, not a deal breaker, The elevators in buildings 1 and 4 were not working on this visit, but there was a service elevator that could be used in either building. Again, not a deal breaker if you don't mind some stairs. Overall: The Palma Real is not for everyone. If you desire gourmet food, luxury rooms and fixtures, everything working and available for use, it's not for you. If you don't expect all these things for what you should be paying(at least half of ANY 5* hotel in the Caribbean), and like to get off the resort and explore, then it's a good choice for you.

Palma Real: Cuba

We certainly enjoyed our stay at the Palma Real, The hotel was beautifully clean and the the hospitality was great! The staff at the hotel treated us beautifully each day and made us feel special! We enjoyed the large bathroom! The king size bed! and the view of the ocean! Our room had a light out in the closet area which was difficult to see or use the area. There were tiny bugs crawling, that bit my legs. The welts blistered in the centre. I would have hesitated to say this, but the one  [... read more]pair of socks that I did not wash, once we were home, I had 3 more bites around the ankle. We would certainly recommend this to our friends! Have a great day!

Palma Real: Wonderful resort

I booked this resort for the location and I was not disappointed. Although I missed a day due to weather my flight was rebooked without issue. I arrived at the airport and spoke to the westjet rep and was directed to my bus. I arrived at my hotel resort and checkin was without issue. I had a great room with a great view of the ocean. The food was good and the people working at the resort always had a smile. Although the resort was not beachfront for a 3 min walk you were there. The lady a [... read more]t the beach bar always had a great smile. The pools were clean and never overcrowded. If you like the nightlife you were there in a 5 minute walk. The room was good and I had hot water every day and my room was cleaned everyday. I was alone on this trip and had no problem meeting and talking to people that were there. I want to so a special thanks to my travel agent that made this possible you made my trip simple and easy thanks trip central and Martine Reid for the wonderful experience.

Palma Real: Wonderful resort

I booked this resort for the location and I was not disappointed. Although I missed a day due to weather my flight was rebooked without issue. I arrived at the airport and spoke to the westjet rep and was directed to my bus. I arrived at my hotel resort and checkin was without issue. I had a great room with a great view of the ocean. The food was good and the people working at the resort always had a smile. Although the resort was not beachfront for a 3 min walk you were there. The lady a [... read more]t the beach bar always had a great smile. The pools were clean and never overcrowded. If you like the nightlife you were there in a 5 minute walk. The room was good and I had hot water every day and my room was cleaned everyday. I was alone on this trip and had no problem meeting and talking to people that were there. I want to so a special thanks to my travel agent that made this possible you made my trip simple and easy thanks trip central and Martine Reid for the wonderful experience.

Palma Real: palma real varedero

hotel was okay food great but bad timing fidel died night arrived so lots was cancelled no shows music ect had to change rooms as no hot water then no water at all staff friendly and helpful would stay there again

Palma Real: Hotel Palma Real

Hotel was very nice .The price is right for a group of people to go and have fun for a week . Can walk to the Bars at night . Food was not bad for Cuban food. Needed more chairs on the Beach. I would go back again.

Palma Real: palma real

this was the second time I've stayed at this hotel.I think the food was a little less appealing this time .I stopped eating the meat after the 4th day.the rooms were cleaned daily ,everything was clean and tidy but everything is well worn and it shows.it was disappointing that Castro death put a damper on all activities in the resort .there was no entertainment on the resort at all .if I had not brought down my dock we would have had no music at all.yes I would go to this hotel again but it woul [... read more]d have to be a better deal.

Palma Real: Acceptable for *** Stars

It is My second time at this hotel, and coming back is not an exclusion. The buildings are in renovation at this point . and after that I am sure it will look good.....The only big problem we had in the building # 1, was a terrible noise created by few young people That were always coming to the hotel between 2 and 4 in the morning; Fighting ,yelling,kicking doors etc. Even after complaints to the Management: We didn't have any chances to sleep more than 2 nights of 7.We are proposing the Manag [... read more]ement to ask security personal to check every floor very often and stop noisy people to enter the building....Most of the people are going there to relax : Not to wake up at 2 or 3 in the morning..No comments about all hard working people at the resort ....Thanks for their efforts ....The food totally acceptable for the price we pay. ....Also no bad comments about cleaning everywhere .The beach is permanently full of dogs ....Can you find the way to get rid of them ?