Melia Las Americas: Beautiful resort! Friendly staff.

We enjoyed our stay over all. The only complaint would be the restaurants could not honour reservation times sitting is over an hour after the reserved time. However the staff and performers were amazing and so friendly.

Paradisus Varadero: Great Family Resort!

We stayed at the Family Concierge section (relatively new area) of the resort at Paradisus Varadero at the recommendation of our Trip Central travel agent Susan Snider, who is very knowledgeable, responsive and helpful. The rooms are large and very nicely finished (there were a few minor issues with the room but nothing major), the buildings are very nice, especially the F.C. section, the resort is wonderfully landscaped and it has many, many trees which we really appreciated. The exclusive, air [... read more]-conditioned and enclosed F.C. buffet has great staff (all of them really but Eugenio and Yeni (pronounced Jenny) were simply wonderful, as were others whose names I forget. The food was good at the buffet but the a la carte restaurants, while nice, were not remarkable (Bana was very nice with great service and good food, the Mexican restaurant food was good, the service was excellent but there were a lot of flies inside, we should have sat outside I guess. The Italian restaurant beef was tough and overcooked, we probably should have ordered something else as the waiter mentioned the beef was a bit tough. We thought asking for it to be done medium rare would help but it was overcooked. We sat outside at the Italian restaurant and there were a few mosquitoes there but we rarely had to worry about insects for our stay from August 5th to the 12th, 2017. It was very nice eating outside. The snack bar is always open but it is basically fast food and it is a bit greasy but the fries are OK. Overall, we were pleasantly surprised to find that the food was fine and this makes the PV an outlier in Cuba from what we have been told by others over the years. I was told by my wife that the mojitos were excellent as I drink very rarely. The main beach is incredible as it is in Varadero and unlike what I have heard at many resorts we never had a hard time getting loungers in the shade at the beach area. The ocean was never crowded and sometimes it was almost empty (common meal times and mid-afternoon?)! Finding a lounger in the main resort pool area was often difficult but this was not a big deal for us. We prefer the beach but the kids like the pools as well. The F.C. has a splash pad area, exclusive pools in front of each building, a small section at the beach with loungers just for F.C. visitors and staff at the main beach that will get drinks and assist you if you are staying in the F.C section. We didn't sit in that area as we preferred to be right on the beach and there was always loungers available but some people did use the area. Our Family Concierge was a very nice man but unlike the other Family Concierges he was not on top of things and we often had to find things out for ourselves. Be sure to ask for a tour and to have everything explained to you ahead of time if you are not familiar with how things work at the resort. It was our first time taking our kids on a vacation and we hadn't been to an all-inclusive for eight years so we were very rusty. It probably won't shock anyone that has been to Cuba but some staff didn't or couldn't always relate information accurately or had a hard time doing so. We met a lot of nice guests from Canada and also a great couple and their daughter visiting from Germany. Almost all of the other guests were very friendly and there were guests from Spain, Canada, Great Britain, Germany, the Netherlands and probably elsewhere! At our request our Family Concierge booked a classic car taxi tour to Havana for us. I am not sure if we lucked out or if he asked for them by name but he asked for a female tour guide as we have two young girls (5 and 7). Yailen, pronounced Jailen was the lady that gave us the guided tour and Roberto was the driver who speaks much less English but who is also a fantastic person and a very good driver. They are a great pair and the '55 Chevy Bel Air we traveled in was quite nice! Ask for them if you want to be sure to get a great pair and they definitely deserved the tip we gave them as they were with us from 8 in the morning until after 6 at night! The restaurant they took us to was nice and the food was very good with much more spice and taste than the resort food but it was 19 CUCs per person (we had the kids split a meal as they are small) which was a lot more than we thought we thought the food in Havana would cost. It was air conditioned which was good because Havana is incredibly hot and it was packed with tourists so we suspect tourists are funneled here for quality reasons and perhaps others. We visited the Romeo y Julieta cigar factory (and many other places) and purchased some cigars as gifts and some rum to take home (rum prices are the same EVERYWHERE by government decree though so you can buy it anywhere apparently, wow?!). There is a little grocery store not far from the resort (right hand side of the road going to the resort) that has an excellent price for very nice Cuban honey and I think a bit lower price for the blue bag Tourquino coffee which is nice (the resort coffee is very, very strong but I guess Cuban coffee is strong in general?). The WiFi was pretty awful (welcome to Cuba and as the transfer bus tour guide noted, if you are going to Cuba for the Internet access you are going to the wrong place and for the wrong reasons. You go to Cuba for the safety, the people, the value and the incredible beaches and we would go back in a heartbeat for those reasons. The poor WiFi wasn't the end of the world for us as we rarely used our phones (I wanted to check news and some other stuff but could only connect late at night it seemed like). I stopped caring about the WiFi after a couple of days as the outside world mattered less and less to us. Visitors should bring gifts for the staff and Cubans off the resort as well and they should tip the staff that go out of their way to make their stay wonderful. I am not sure many people realize how little they are paid or how poor the average Cuban person is . . .a CUC (USD pegged local currency for tourists) is worth 25 local pesos and an employee may earn more than the official government figures but from what I have read the average Cuban is not exactly well off . . .resort workers getting tips can earn much more than the average Cuban and we wish we had brought gifts (pens, Dollar Store items, etc. etc. etc.) for people off of the resort. This has gotten much longer already than I thought it would and there is so much more to say but the TL:DR review would be: If you have kids you should strongly consider staying at the Family Concierge section at Paradisus Varadero but remember you are going to Cuba and why you are going to Cuba. If you do, I think you will be pleasantly surprised and very happy staying there!! I would rate the F.C. at Paradisus Varadero 4.5/5 for all the reasons noted. We would go back and we would recommend it to our friends and family. I am not sure why Trip Central doesn't allow reviewers to more accurately rate resorts and service etc. with more stars or half stars etc.

Playa Vista Azul: Good resort

Hotel grounds very well maintained and beautiful. Dining room facilities good. Excellent service. Food options vast albeit bland. Rooms clean and comfortable. Great beach and pool. Enjoyed the nightly entertainment.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: trip to Varadero

I must say that in general our trip was a pleasant one.the resort was nice,friendly people,considering the economical situations of the country the buffet and restaurants were good,not much choice of fruits.there were flies almost in all tables in buffet.the water tempertures in bathroom is 50 degrees and many people complaining.the beach and ocean is excellent. we took a tour to Havana and many times the tour guide mentioned to pay tip to him and drivers,I think it would be better to add some  [... read more]more to price of the tour and not mention about the tip,it made some people uncomfortable at the end. The thing that bother me the most was the last day,our flight was at 10 oclock pm and check out time is 12 noon.we had to pay more for every hour extra to keep our room,eventhough there was not any reservation for it. So basically our last day was wasted because couldn't enjoy the beach since we didn't have a room to shower after and for hours sitting in lobby waiting for bus. If an arragement can be made to check out later would be much better.

Hotel Villa Cuba: Wonderful peoples but...

This hotel is 19 years old and in desperate need of love. The employees are very nice and will do a lot to accommodate you. The food is not the best but was very decent. This hotel should be a 2 stars in my opinion, i had to change rooms 3 times to find a correct one. The last room had everything working but one of the 2 beds was totally worned out. The shows at night are good and diversified the animation team are doing a good job. The beach is Varadero beach so they are superb :)

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Amazing Resort

All was amazing. Friendly and caring staff. We will definitely visit again. Truly enjoyed the excellent hospitality. It was beautiful looking at the ocean from our balcony at sunrise while drinking cappuccino. The linnen was changed daily and our mini fridge was filled daily with bottled water and colas.

Melia Peninsula Varadero: Fair resort, can do better!

The online pictures are what sold me on this resort, please don't always believe what is seen in pictures, instead of person! When we arrived the room had no AC, which made it very uncomfortable to sleep at night, after days of promises of someone to fix our A.C., we demanded to switch rooms, the buffets was also very hot, and uncomfortable to eat in, the outdoor eating area had outdoor seating with a drain pool around it, just concrete , for the whole trip, it's very dangerous for young childre [... read more]n who could fall in and Crack there skull, only a cable to protect the fall, the main pool was closed for three days too, which was a good thing since it was being cleaned due to green filthy water, and also the place was under construction, not sure for how much longer, that left us hearing a saw all night, since it's hot to work in the day! You are only allow two visit to the a la carte per week, the only good place to eat in an nice restaurant with good food, Plus side was the amazing, very friendly staff , a cute and clean kids pool with a waterslide and the beautiful blue water beach, not a 5 star hotel, more like a 3 star, pick another resort in varadero, until renovation are finished!

Sol Palmeras: Overall very satisfied with this resort!

We were very happy to see that the lobby area was smoke-free and was air conditioned. The grounds were kept very well. I'm not sure if the room was cleaned daily and we must stress that the mattress was very old and uncomfortable. We asked customer service to see if there was another room with a newer mattress, but it was worse. They accommodated us by adding extra blankets for comfort which helped somewhat; however, to get a comfortable room, we would have to upgraded with a cost of 25 peso [... read more]s each! The food was very good at the specialty restaurants, esp. the Italian and Mexican restaurants. We loved the ambiance at the beach with the animators playing games, zumba and aerobics and great music. The beach and ocean were divine and there were always enough chairs. We were also very happy there were no bugs and insects in the hotel and on the grounds. We had a lot of fun and would definitely return.

Barcelo Solymar: Best 2 weeks of my life!

This is definitely not a family resort. Good for young people looking to have a great time. AC works, and rooms are generally clean. It's cuba and you can expect some things to be less sanitary than what you are used to at home... The beach is beautiful! Definitely the go-to resort for partying and having a wild time !

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Varadero: We definitely will be back!

Me and my 2 friends just got home from Sanctuary Grand Memories this Sunday and couldn't be more happier with how amazing everything was. Great service, amazing staff, overall everything went super well for us and we highly recommend any first time travellers to Sanctuary Grand Memories. Thank you again to the staff for your amazing hospitality!

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Amazing resort.....something for everyone and every age

Fantastic resort.....yes it needs a few upgrades which they are doing in stages. Grounds amazing, beach amazing. Food is great by Cuban standards.....love the beach grill..... Lobby is amazing and Yuly and the food manager is amazing.... Can't wait to go back in September.....

Melia Marina Varadero: Excellent resort

The pool area is fantastic, the lobby is excellent an place to chill out after a full day of pool/beach entertainment. The night shows were also great, a different presentation for everyone. The service was excellent , the staff seem to care about the guests' needs.

Hotel Los Cactus: Amazing resort!

I have been to Varadero 7 times and this is the first time I can truly say that it was an excellent choice to stay at the Hotel Los Cactus, great service from all the staff, the beach always clean. The restaurant always with clean and ready tables. The food was very good. It was an excellent holiday.

Los Delfines: great resort-if you get the right veiw.

great Location.downtown Verradero. staff was helpfull. the food was just okay.there is an amazing beach balcony veiw if you are able to get it.the room was big.kayaks.paddleboats.vollyball. some games.

Melia Las Antillas: Stunning Grounds

The grounds are stunning and beautifully manicured. The hotel in general was well appointed ... could just use a little face lift in heavy traffic area (ie: paint touch ups) The room was very spacious ... beautiful view of the grounds. We could have used an extra couple of towels ... Daily service was very reliable. The beach was 'a dream' .... sand was superb. Cleanliness was very appropriate. Food - was more than plentiful/variety/..... Just great especially for Cuba!!! THE SERVERS WERE [... read more] VERY GRACIOUS, FRIENDLY, ACCOMODATING .... When meeting other travelers and asking lots of questions, we realized that we were definitely in one of the better hotels .... THANK-YOU The hotel responded to my personal review within 1 day .... wow!!!

Los Delfines: Wonderful hotel

Hotel Los delfines is right smack downtown varadero and walking distance to most clubs and markets. The beach is pristine and there's no resort right next to it so you feel like you have the beach for yourself. The food was a bit redundant but there are numerous restaurants outside of the hotel that you could from for cheap. The hotel staff were nice but tipping is needed if you want quick service. It's a smaller hotel and seem to have an older (40 and up) clientele mostly from Quebec and Italy.

Starfish Cuatro Palmas: It was pretty good!

We liked the location. The food was good. The staff ere pleasant. The entertainment " shoooooowtime" was impressive. The sunwing rep on day one was late for the 2pm chat...and over the top full of his self.....overall the trip was Fun!! The shoreline is the reason to keep coming back to Cuba. We experienced local food and company with some really nice people. It was fun.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: First Time Cuba

This is my first review of a property in Cuba. The Paradisus Princess Del Mar has its Pros and Cons. The Pros are the following: LAYOUT was open and gorgeous. The BEACH was amazing and the ROOMS were clean. NIGHTLY ENTERTAINMENT was excellent and the 24 HR SNACK BAR and the GRILL had food to hit the spot. The Cons are the following: BUFFET had no selection and food was scarce. A LA CARTE restaurants had no A.C. considering the men had to wear pants to eat there. A.C. in certain rooms not col [... read more]d at all. Had to switch rooms. POOL was not kept and seemed dirty especially around the pool bar. Overall: I would definitely go back but area different time when it's High Season.

Hotel Villa Cuba: Love this resort!!

I have been going to Be Live Experience Varadero since 2011 and I've never had issues there. The staff are very friendly and the resort is clean. One of the nicest beach I've ever seen. The food at the a la carte restaurant was amazing, the buffet was oky. The food at the buffet is good just repetitive. Will go back again and again.

Melia Peninsula Varadero: Great Resort

First time in Cuba and we had a great time specially with my autistic child. He loves the pool and loves to go for long walks.Well maintain there are construction going on but did not affect us at all. Thank you Judy Donaldson for recommending this resort to us.