Melia Peninsula Varadero: Nice Family Resort

The kids pool and the main pool are very nice. The kids pool has water slides and the main pool has a swim up bar. The a la cart restaurants were pretty good. A nice change from the buffet which has decent variety but does get a bit tiresome by the end of a week. The food is pretty good in general but nothing spectacular. There was live entertainment (song and dance) in the theatre most nights as well as a nightly interactive show for the kids. There was also live music in the restaurant [... read more]s/bars on most nights. The staff is for the most part friendly some more so than others. The room was a good size but the bed was not comfortable and the coffee maker did not work (although coffee was available a short walk away at the bar) The resort was under construction with a lot of hammering and noise by the pool. Some guests complained that this continued into the wee hours of the night but was not audible from our room. Our room keys stopped functioning twice during the week and we had to walk up to reception to trade them in for new ones There were tennis courts usually unused (too hot for tennis). The recreation activities seem to be more for show than for use. It did not seem like the kayaks and catamarans were not getting much use. The literature they gave us on check in with info about the facilities was in spanish and french (no english). Most of the staff can speak English but the resort seemed to be geared towards catering to French clientel

Memories Jibacoa: Beautiful Setting Beautiful Beach

Grounds beautiful. Great layout of rooms and other facilities - quiet and private. Evening entertainment was very good. People friendly. Beach - plenty of room for lounging and tanning, even shaded areas. Beach bar and restaurant - good service. A la carte restaurants, good atmosphere and service. Room cleanliness (we had a recently renovated room) was very good, modern updated furnishings--chamber maid was thorough. Of note: main buffet restaurant is not air conditioned. We noticed a [... read more] lack of consistency in terms of standards for food handling and storage. Cold areas are not iced (salad/fruit/deli meats and cheese), the existing refrigeration is not sufficient. Cross contamination is a real issue/risk at this buffet. Staff picks at the food during service, which is off putting, when they should be working. Food options are very limited. Anyone with allergies should be wary of this resort. General store, souvenirs, and booking a la carte all handled very well by the staff in those areas. The Deli (snacks) was very inconsistent in terms of service/selection and availability. There is a notice on the windows in the shops area of the resort indicating a third party contractor is responsible, and not the hotel staff/management. Hotel owners/management should provide more oversight, as this has created negative experiences for the guests. We have travelled to Cuba many times, and to many other all inclusives, and this one ranked among the lowest in terms of food offerings. (even for Cuba)

Hotel Bella Costa: Just okay

Remember this is Cuba. Known for friendly people and okay food. So all were friendly and helpful. But this resort is in need of an update. Pro-the beach!! Clean beautiful white sand. You can always get a chair at the pool or the beach. Lots of alcohol. Lots of food and this time, tons of fruit and veg. The front desk staff got things done-the power went out and the electrician was up in 10 minutes. The bar staff was overworked but fast and friendly. Coffee at the bar was fantastic Con- the po [... read more]ol though clean, the lining was lifting and buckling. The housekeeping staff were sporadic-more often than not, the bed was not made we had no towels or toilet paper. If you called down they never came through but if you went to the front desk, they fixed things. The air conditioner was weak. Lots of Cubans staying at the resort and lots of children having a great time. as I said just okay

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: Lovely resort

Hotel was beautiful, rooms were clean and well kept. The grounds were beautiful and well maintained. The staff were polite and friendly and went out of their way to do little extras which we appreciated. The beach is fabulous with lots of activities to keep you as involved as you want to be. Meals in the dining room were very good with lots of choices, loved the delicious fresh bread. We ate at the Chinese and the Italian restaurants as well, delicious meals. Three generation family trip wit [... read more]h something for everyone. We had a wonderful time!!!!

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Varadero: Romantic Getaway - Awesome!

We just returned from a fab vacay July 10-17, 2017 and plan to go back Sept. 2017. The Sanctuary Grand Memories, Adults Only resort is amazing and we cannot say enough good things. We are definitely beach people so would spend our day there, then to the pool late in the day. The beach is beautiful and well maintained, not crowded, designated area for the resort Diamond Club members which included bar service right to your lounge chairs and no children. Draw back is the washrooms are quit [... read more]e a walk from the beach if required. Most days the staff at the beach would ask non Diamond Club members & guests with children to move to another area. This was appreciated as we do pay extra to be in this section. Another draw back is the entertainment at the pool or lack of.....but as mentioned, we spent a majority of the time at the beach. The bar at the pool and food is very good....you even get bar service while in the pool.....enjoyable! We requested our housekeeper Jeny who is adorable, friendly, soft spoken and would keep our room immaculate with fresh towels and little surprises each day sometimes with fresh flowers, towels in different shapes etc. She is the resorts gem!!!!!! Our Butler Hanoy made great friends with my partner sharing their passion for baseball. Both having played baseball and my partner who had tried out for teams in the MBL, they certainly bonded and have become great friends. Butlers Jose, Abel, Mauricio & Rubin were terrific as well. The staff in the Sanctuary bar lounge and restaurant are fun to be with, friendly and smiling. We had no issues with food, presentation was beautiful. The bartender Julian is another baseball fan who was enjoyable to talk with...... The resort cart driver Tony is a character, funny and can tell he loves his job and meeting guests. He will make the drive to the main resort lobby or restaurants a blast, so cheerful. The big disappointment was the entertainment hours in the Sanctuary lounge. The bands would only play from 9:00-10-10:30.......The bands interacted with the guests, getting them to sing along, dance etc. but they need to extend the hours of the live music. Crazy not having the bands until at least midnight.....Not sure why this changed or perhaps being low season.....This really needs to improve! All the staff at the resort are friendly and have big smiles. The grounds are impeccably well maintained. The walk to the beach is super close! Special thank you to the new Director of the resort Mateusz Kos and Residence Services Lucia for making our stay so memorable..... I would highly recommend Candice Anger as your travel agent. Candice is an experienced agent and most helpful, outgoing and goes out of her way to meet your requests and help assure you pick the right location for your vacation. She makes your vacation a dream......Thank you Candice for making our recent trip one of the best and look forward to working with you on more trips in the future....

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Great Resort

The resort was great and I had a lot of fun. Food was good and the drinks kept flowing. Great weather every day but got a lot of bites at night. Staff was helpful and accommodating. Also went off resort a few nights to the clubs and staff was able to tell us where to go and got us taxi's to get us there and back again

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Fabulous

We stayed in the Royal Suites area of the Paradisus Princesa Del Mar and it was amazing. Private pool area, private beach area, two restaurants just for Royal Suites guests + a dedicated butler. I thought the butler idea was a little far-fetched, but Arletys was incredibly helpful, from booking our private tour to Havana in an old car to repairing a broken pair of eye-glasses, I can't say enough about the service we received. The food at the Hilltop was fantastic as was the breakfast buffet and [... read more] suppers at Miramar. The best though was the private beach area.. Always a lounge chair under a Palapa and a bar within in easy reach. We were there in early July and practically had the place to ourselves. All in all it was a great vacation.

Los Delfines: Not too bad

My only probleme with this hotel is the rooms in the ground floor. The hall is very dark. The rooms need to be renovated and cleaned. Because I saw mold all over the wall. Im not talking about fancy stuff, just the minimum for a 3 *** hotel. Otherwise, the upper rooms are correct. The place is interesting too.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Not as good as Melia Marina Varadero

Personally I think the staff at this resort isn't as friendly as other hotel such as Melia Marina Varadero. The rooms were clean though which is always a plus. The beach on the other hand didn't have staff to serve us drinks which was a con when compared to Melia Marina Varadero.

Starfish Cuatro Palmas: Great Getaway

We stayed in the Colonial section for 3 nights . Room was clean , a/c worked well , hot water in the shower . Front staff friendly , great gift shop with snacks smokes and beer available from 09-21 daily . Beach amazing with lots of chairs and shade , buffet was standard - food ok - didn't starve . Drinks at the bar needed some more variety and there was no blender or slush machine . Great short stay for us - location and beach won't disappoint !

Melia Marina Varadero: I would go again tomorrow!

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at this resort. I have very complaints about anything. The only thing I would pass on to the hotel there is that they didn't make it clear about their policy on the beach towels. We did not know that we needed to return our beach towels to our rooms at the end of each day. We had a couple go missing on us and the hotel tried to blame us for this and initially they would not replace them. After much discussion, they eventually did, and the issue was resolved. One [... read more] other thing, do not rely on the lifeguards at the beach. He seemed more interested in selling me cigars or tours to Havana than watching the water. In fact, I think I even caught him napping! Not good, especially if you have young ones with you (which a lot of people did). Despite the warnings we got ahead of time that the food in Cuba was poor, our experience was the opposite. The food was just fine and the service in the a la carte restaurants was superb. We upgraded to "The Level" and it was well worth the extra money. It was very hot when we were there and we were glad that we were able to go up to the exclusive Level restaurant to use the wifi or play a game of cards instead of the hot and humid lobby. You could also get food and drinks there 24 hours a day. The hot dogs were amazing! The staff there were very friendly, and they managed to usually overcome the language barrier just fine. The beach was beautiful and it was such a treat to eat at the beachside restaurant and enjoy the view while eating. It was spectacular. I really would go again tomorrow.

Melia Marina Varadero: Very Nice Resort - Great beach and Staff!!

I went on vacation alone with my 14-month old son and I cannot tell you how great, helpful and kind all of the staff were. The beach - as always at this part of the peninsula is amazing. This time around the water was very clean and calm. The hotel and room were decent. For it being fairly new I feel like more upkeep is needed to retain the 5 star rating. Another thing that was a little annoying is the lack of quicker access for someone with a stroller but all in all it was a great and relax [... read more]ing vacation. I have been to Cuba many times before and I can tell you that the food was decent - there were things that were amazing and others that were at par. The only thing that I really didn't like was the lack of clean towels available for the exchange at the pool house. Definitely would recommend this hotel to others.

Starfish Cuatro Palmas: Location and service

This is my 4th time to this resort and I will not go any other place in Vaeradaro . the service is great location you cant beat and it keeps getting better. you always see the manager around making sure that things run well

Melia Marina Varadero: Beautiful Boutique Style Resort

The Melia Marina combines tropical sophistication with a relaxed , warm atmosphere. The Marina with picture perfect yachts adds an additional pleasure to the beauty of the resort. Stroll along the marina, where you can view shops, restaurants and the resort. Rooms are standard, but are well maintained and include cable television, a safe, air conditioning, fan, laundry service, extra large shower and soaking tub. The Bar refrigerator is stocked each morning with a 1.5 liter bottle of water, [... read more] pop and beer (all included). A short walk to the beach (about one minute) from the pool, is lessened by the friendly shuttle drivers who insist on carrying you across the road to the beach. Lovely beach restaurant with gorgeous sea view and beach bar add fun to this adventure. Beach activities start at 10 a.m. each morning and alternate between the beach and pool (volleyball, salsa lessons, morning stretching, games with prizes. Laze about by the pool on a lounge chair or covered cabana and enjoy participating in , or just watching the activities, listening to Cuban music, or eating and drinking at the restaurant (open 24 hours) or pool bar. Drinks are fabulous and bar tenders cater to your every whim. The YHi spa is simply amazing, and you don't want to miss it. Bring along a little extra money to take advantage of a massage, rooftop jacuzzi and pool, steam baths, sauna or facial treatments. The gym opens at 7 each morning. Enjoy the treadmill, stationary bike .weights or stair climber as you gaze at the pool. The front lobby/foyer and bar area is fabulous. Bartenders and servers are attentive, friendly and at your service. Many restaurants are available for a la carte dining (French, Italian, Seafood, Asian and Spanish). The main buffet serves meals 3 times a day and is a delight if you enjoy a variety of vegetables, pasta, pizza, salads, fish, dessert and fruit. Nightly entertainment can be found in the lobby bar beginning at 6:00 p.m. followed by a 9:30 p.m. show outdoors. This resort is best for families ( children aged 6 and up), couples and retired people. The bus ride/transfer from the hotel is approximately 50 minutes. Bring cash to change your money to convertible pesos at the lobby bank which is open daily. You can purchase wifi cards in the lobby ( 3 pesos for one hour) but connecting to the wifi can be challenging during busy hours (evenings are the most difficult to obtain connection). Excursions to Havana, Jeep Safari and other activities can be arranged at the front desk. A physician is onsite daily for medical needs. A safe and lovely escape from daily life will be felt if you choose the Melia Marina.

Roc Barlovento: Nice Resort

The Resort is Nice. Very Peaceful and Quiet. The Beach is Amazing. Very Calm. Not a lot of people so you always have a lounge chair. Staff is nice. Rooms & Bathroom need to be upgraded. Food and Drinks were alright. Nightly entertainment is good. A pool bar would be nice and a cerveza would be nice to have at the bar at the beach.

Sol Varadero Beach: Was ok

The resort was ok. Lots of walking. Food wasn't that great. I have had better in cuba. Housekeeping in the room could be better. I found the last guy that staped in the same room id's in the night stand. I mailed them to him when I got back to Canada. There was dust on the shelves where I put black pants picked them up and they were white! I will not be returning to this resort. The staff was nice. The ocean was great.

Paradisus Varadero: great beach and pool...but that's where it ends

I was unhappy with this resort. our room was missing a door in the bathroom, the whole week we were there there was no towel service for beach towels, and that may have ok if not for the fact that my two kids never received any towels. So the 5 of us were sharing 3 beach towels for the entire week. The 24 snack bar was under repair, and did not open up till our last day there, which is where our kids would have most preferred, and the mexican restaurant was also under repair. We did not en [... read more]joy any of the buffet food. Service was not the greatest either. I do not think i received even one smile from any workers there during my stay. the two positives were the beach was absolutely beautiful and the pool was great too. I will not go back again.

Los Delfines: Great weather and beach (30 June to 7 July).

The location of "Club Los Delfines" is perfect for us. It's near the beach, bus, bank, restaurant, market, etc.. The rooms are not perfect, as it need some repair but we can live with it. If you can, ask for room on the third floor (# 200 and up) at arrival cause room on the first floor may have some ant, mosquito, mold, bad smell, etc.. For us, I have to ask to change our room (#116) cause there're so many mosquito. In our situation, there was no room available on the same day, we have to wa [... read more]it to the next day to have our room changed (I spend 3h to kill over 30 mosquito that nigh). For the food and drink, there is only one cafeteria and 2 bars (one open 24h). The foods are not the best (to salty or flat) but for the price, we can survive with it. Side note, there're a lot of fly in the cafeteria (from 30 June to 7 July), this is sad cause sometime it make us lost our appetite and mood. The service is ok over all. Side note, your traveling agent can always step in to help you out (he is there only 1h each day in the morning). The currency used is CUC (Cuban Convertible Peso), the best rate is at the bank. You can exchange your $$$ at the Bank (best rate), airport and hotel. Before the trip don't forget to check the current rate, so you don't get over-cross. Over all, if you're going for the beach & price. This is the one for you.

Paradisus Varadero: Great country, not so great resort

Cuba is a beautiful country with amazing beaches which we enjoyed very much. The resort however, is a different story. The breakfast and lunch buffet are horrible and the 24 hour snack bar was closed for most of our stay. There is a lot of construction going on everywhere. We got to our room during the night and there was no lighting leading up the stairs which made it very hard to see. The room itself was a decent size but the pillows on our bad smelled like an old wet rag. Also, the walk in sh [... read more]ower would always overflow into the rest of the washroom so we had to constantly keep towels laid out. We did really enjoy the beach and pools during the day and the Japanese and Italian restaurants were good for dinner. We made the most of our trip and still had a great time despite the poor level of service at this resort.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: this 5 star is not much better then a 3 star

I have been to Varadero several times over the last 20 years. When I was a student on a budget I stayed at 3 star hotels, then as a young professional I would stay at a 4 star resort. Now at middel age my wife took me away for a weekend over my birthday and she plurged on a 5 star. The beach is always great. The best I have seen in he Caribbean. But the food in Cuba is always bland. Not bad just bland. I was hoping with this 5 star the food would be better. Unfortunately, it was worse. M [... read more]aybe because it was summer and a rainy one at that, but this was the worst variety and quality of food ever. So was the quality of the drinks. The buffet was the smallest I have ever seen, and staples like Pizza and fries were not available. Of the 5 Ala Carte restaurants only 2 were open and they both had more or less the same menu. There was a premium part of the resort and as it was my birthday the person in charge of the reservations gave us a table at one of those restaurants. The decor was very nice but the food was the same, bland, flavorless and rubbery meat. As for the rooms they were modern with nice bathrooms and showers but it had a very strong mildew smell. I was going to ask to change the room? but as we walked by some other rooms that were being cleaned you could smell the same thing out into the hall. So in short, I come to Varadero for the beach, not the pools and since a 5 star does not have better food or much better rooms then a 4 star I would not recommend the difference.