Playa Vista Azul: Clean, Friendly, Wonderful Beach

The staff were amazing - so accommodating, helpful and fun. The grounds were well-maintained, the beach was absolutely beautiful. Rooms were clean, fridges stocked - never ran out of hot water. Food was typical for Cuba - we ate a lot of pizza, bread and fries.

Sol Varadero Beach: Not a Resort I would revisit!

The best part of the resort was the beach. Rooms were very dated, beds extremely uncomfortable. Staff were friendly. I understand it is a foreign country, but very few staff could understand English. Do not order their special meals that cost extra - not worth it.

Paradisus Varadero: We loved Paradisus Varadero

it began with a rocky start; mosquitoes in the room when we arrived. This was not the norm and believe a staff member may have been doing some work in the room in the evening with the door open. Once repellent was sprayed the mosquitoes were minimal. The room was very luxurious with a large jacuzzi tub, incredible outdoor shower and two sinks. The king size bed was very comfortable and we had complete control over the temperature so it was comfortable all the time. The beach was just 40ft away a [... read more]nd we were very close to the main lobby. The staff were very helpful and friendly. The food was not as bad as others told us to expect. We found the buffets to be very generous with lots of options. We really enjoyed lunch at the family buffet as it was air conditioned. The al la cart restaurants were hit and miss, but we still enjoyed the friendly staff and unique decor of each one. The entertainment provided every night was really very good and a great variety. The white light show on the Friday evening was particularly great. The 24hr snack bar was a bit of a let down and became a bit of a joke after seeing so many people waiting so long to be served. We waited close to an hour for drinks, french fries and one hamburger, a bit much considering there was only one other couple there at the time. The day trip to Havana was fantastic!! Highly recommend as this city has so much culture and interesting things to see and do. It was our first trip to Cuba and over all we loved it and would go back again.

Resonance Blu Varadero: Memorable trip - thanks!

Only concern was lobby and dining room were so far from the rooms. Bus service was inadequate - I.e. not enough of them and no schedule for planning. Staff response time was excellent when room problems occurred

Grand Memories Varadero: Challenging Resort

This is a very large resort. It needs some remodeling and updating. Everyone has his/her own expectations so I can only share my experience. No hot water 3 out of seven days. Warm water one day and cold water the rest of the time. I personally prefer to shower with hot water.The food was certainly acceptable although repetitious. It was very well presented and staff obviously did the best with what they had. Service all around was below par. Most staff seemed very unhappy and did not appear to w [... read more]ant to provide service. Tipping frequently will help. I saw very little in the way of pleasant exchanges between staff and guests, something that I am not used to in Cuba. There seemed to be a shortage of towels. Also, the practice of getting to the beach or pool early and clipping towels on beach chairs to reserve for the day needs to stop. Many times I witnessed families or seniors unable to find a beach chair while many sat empty for the better part of the day. Very disrespectful and selfish of those guests.

Barcelo Solymar: Great Location/Good Resort

This was a solid 4 star resort. The beach is wonderful and the beach area is great with lots of seats and cabana. The beach has too great locations one for Solymor with all the entertainment and beach bar. Areanas Blanches beach area also had cabanas and had the snack restaurant and bar. 3 nice pools; 2 of which had a pool bar. Lots of chairs available at all 3 pools. None of the pool had umbrellas' but there were shady areas. Many options for eating with 2 buffets and 2 snack bars (on [... read more]e at the beach the other beside the main buffet at Solymor) and many a la cart restaurants. The food is typical resort food. Lobby's at both resorts are quite nice.. Enjoyed the spiral staircase and the greenery at the Solymor which you could enjoy while sitting at the Daquila bar. There was several bars and you could easily get served. The location of the resort is awesome. Steps away from 1st Ave of Varadero where you can enjoy all the shops/bars/restaurants. Rooms were clean and spacious. We were upgraded to a bungalow suite. The bed was a king sized and comfortable. This is an older resort so it does show it's age in some areas but all in all it is well maintained. Service- You are EXPECTED to tip to get good service.. However, I am of the belief you should tip good service. Plus the bank/exchange at the resort is very reluctant to give small bills so that you can tip. It was very much a catch 22. Overall we did enjoy our vacation and would probably come back especially knowing a few thing about how the system works...

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Seasoned Travellers Review

I'm that guy who researches every resort 10 times before actually booking anything....and I'm that guy who looks for the best deal before actually making that purchase. My wife and I have travelled all over the world so we have seen the best and the worst. All in all...you can trust what you are about to read. Never having been to Cuba before, we wanted to get there and see it before the doors open up to the Americans and Cuba as we know it now will quickly change. We have all heard the stories [... read more] that the food is lousy and everything is run down. That's true at any destination all over the world as you can find the best and the worst anywhere. So, let's talk about the Iberostar Laguna Azul. Flight: Flew down on Cubana Air which is an older airline but has great deals because they don't pay the tax at their own airport like other airlines. Remember...everything is owned by the government. It's a 3 hour flight from Toronto so it was a cheap flight there and back. Nothing in flight...close your eyes and 3 hours later you're there. Hotel: Quite large with 5 a la carte restaurants. Very clean...no bugs or anything "icky" anywhere. Bathrooms were nice. You all know that getting a chair first thing in the morning is incredibly hard unless you get up at the crack of dawn right? Not here. Even at 10am you can still get the best seats by any of their amazingly beautiful pools. It's Cuba...who the heck wants to sit by the pool when you have one of the most pristine beaches in the world a few meters away?? We picked Building #20 only because I read in someone else's review that this was a good building. They all are great but #20 is the furthest away but closest to the beach and is the quietest and right by it's own private pool and private eating area. Beds are really hard but other than that, the room was beautiful (and I'm pretty picky about the room I stay in). Restaurants: If you're there for a week you get 3 a la cartes to choose. Pick Japanese, Italian and Romantic. We weren't overly thrilled with the Cuban Restaurant. The buffet is fine...and I mean just fine. Everything pretty well tastes really bland. The desserts every night look amazing, but if you put on blind folds, you would swear you were eating the same dessert 3 times. The stations are a little more compact so you're constantly bumping into one another. Pick a table outside (still enclosed but the outside wall is a screen hanging down to keep the sun out but allows the breeze in) as there's a great tropical breeze and far more personal space. You have to look for this as it's over by building 19 and 20, but there's a great outdoor Pizza station you have to try. There's even an ice cream building as you walk to the beach with really great ice cream (yes...I did this everyday...don't judge me) Entertainment: No one talks about this in most reviews, but let me tell you the entertainment here was absolutely 1st class...incredible...wonderful talent and we never missed a single night's performance. (Take a sweater as sometimes there's a breeze blowing through) The talent each night was as good if not far better than any cruise ship entertainment. Was really blown away and we weren't expecting this at all!! I have been a musician for 30 years so again, I'm pretty picky about the entertainment at any resort. Excursions: If you like snorkeling, you'll love this resort. Walk out to the beach, turn left and walk down about 400 meters to the next resort. Right on the beach you'll see a rack with a lot of lifejackets hanging out. This is where anyone can book a snorkeling session for a mere $20 CUC/person right there off that same spot. A Hobi Cat will take you and your wife or family out to a reef which is about 1 km right off shore. It stays with you and they throw food into the water to attract some of the most beautiful tropical fish you will ever see. There's bunch of these Hobi Cats all tied off together and after about an hour, they take you back to shore. Cheap and a wonderful hour right off your own beach area. I went 3 different days it was that good (take your own snorkel gear you can buy at any Costco) Going into Havana is a must. Yes, it's a bit of a drive, but this is a MUST. I also read about this private tour and I booked it. You can travel by bus for about $80 CUC/person and wait for others all day for 12 hours...or...you can email this young man and get a private tour for $70 CUC/person. He comes with a driver and you spend the day in a '57 pristine Chevy. His name is Joan (pronounced like Juan). He's a young man of about 30...married with a 5 year old son and he's married to a doctor. His English is perfect and his knowledge is the same as any university professor. There wasn't a subject or a building he didn't know every aspect about. The driver doesn't speak English but then again...that was part of the fun. He takes you to a restaurant for lunch called Hostal El Canonazo (it's right beside the biggest fort in Cuba) and it was one of the best places we have ever eaten at. For $34 CUC total, we had the assorted plate which gave us 2 good size lobsters, chicken for 2, steak for 2 along with vegetables and Cuban rice. Drinks were $3 CUC so our whole meal which would have been over $150 Cdn at home was about $40 CUC and the entertainment was again, stellar. Here's his contact info... Joan Rodríguez Falcón Cell: +53 52621309 falconcuba25@gmail.com I'm as cheap as they come and instead of $140 CUC ($70/person), I ended up giving him $200 CUC...the day was that great. Even the spa at Azul is incredible and super inexpensive. Couples Massage is $80 CUC TOTAL...not per person. We rarely ever go to the same place twice, but we're actually planning on taking our 3 adult children and their spouses in the fall. Staff are outstanding...food is far better than I was expecting...entertainment 1000% better than what we were expecting and the rooms and the resort itself was really clean, safe and fun. You will NOT be sorry at this resort...and again...I'm really, really picky about where we stay. We got 7 nights for $1,008 Cdn flying Cubana Air. Room Tip: Try and get a 3rd floor only because it gives you a better view. For a quieter area, ask for Building 20. Stayed March 2017, travelled as a couple

Memories Jibacoa: nice and relaxing

If your not one of these people who are picky picky, this is an older resort that is not 100% like the newer ones but has an amazing location , great snorkeling, good food, awesome friendly staff, beautiful beach, great pool. The entertainment was spectacular, the musicians were really great only 250 rooms and adults only, a real slice of heaven, Ray & Linda Bernard

Sirenis Tropical Varadero: Fantastic!

The rooms were very clean and updated. Tv worked great and soo did the fridge and air conditioning . Amazing beaches and very helpful staff. The food was very good not much variety but still yummy and the grounds are kept very clean over all great trip

Barcelo Solymar: Awsome vacation

I was a bit skeptical as I was travelling a girl alone A beautiful resort close to town allot of beautiful palms and awesome beach the overall hotel very clean I stayed in a bungalow and did not regret my choice , the food was reasonable for Cuba , the Mexican a la cart mmmm good, the staff were mostly helpful front desk not so much but many of staff were memorable 💞 And sweet

Hotel Los Cactus: Nice resort

The hotel it self is getting older but still nice I thought the grounds where well taking care of.The weather and beach where awsum, Food I didnt mind it but my wife wasnt crazy about it. The people that work there are very nice and pleasant.

Melia Marina Varadero: Great resort

We stayed in the Melia Marina apartments.We really enjoyed the view of the marina watching the boats go in and out of the harbour.The apartments were really lovely, well furnished and fabulous maid service. It was a bit of a walk to the beach, but you passed a myriad of shops and restaraunts.The seafood one especially was really good.Have the paella! Our only negative was there was not enough shade, virtually none around the pool, the beach area was crammed and it was very difficult to find s [... read more]hade.All in all a great trip.

Sirenis Tropical Varadero: Better than expected

Hotel was beautiful. Good job on the renovations. Our 1 bdrm suite was lovely. Entrance section would have been better served as the coffee/fridge area vs chairs and table that would not be used. Couch and TV in main living area were fine. Lucked out and got top floor with ocean view. Balcony was large and patio door actually worked and locked! Resort very clean; grounds beautiful and well kept. Staff wonderful and helpful. Palapas at the pool could have been bigger; hard to find shade. Food so [... read more]-so; needs to be upgraded to match the rest of the resort but you won't go hungry. Overall one of the best trips I've had and I would stay there again.

Starfish Jibacoa: This was my twentieth time at this resort.....people keep bringing me back plus it's a little bit of paradise.

Grounds are kept beautiful...great snorkelling .......the little bungalows are pretty neat...some could use a little work like some fresh paint but all around they are pretty good. The bathrooms in them are excellent I think the toilets have been all been replaced. The Food is good there is always something there that you will like you won't go hungry. Lots of old cars that have been done up for taxis......feel very safe there.....I always like going back ...I look forward to it every year.

Muthu Playa Varadero: Basic but ok

This resort is typical of Varadero resorts. Worn out, damp mouldy rooms. The staff are friendly, rooms cleaned well with what they have to work with. The food was edible but flavourless. The beach was perfect although there are not enough loungers or palapas. I've been to Cuba more that 15 times ranging from 2 to 4 star so I knew what to expect. It was a good beach vacation, don't go for the food or lodging but if you want a perfect beach Varadero delivers.

Melia Varadero: Nice place

There were some good a la carte restaurants. The buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner was below average. Nice bar and some nice entertainment options. Nice and friendly staff, place, beach, cleanliness.

Club Tropical: good value for your money.

First time at this resort, second time in Cuba. The rooms and building were very clean, grounds were kept up, beach was minutes from your room. Food was o.k. Could if used more flavor but the variety was plenty. Locate is great if your looking for a place in the middle of veradero. The only thing I disliked was the cigarette smoke, smoking was allowed everywhere except dining room. I will go back again next year to this place.

Paradisus Varadero: Great resort

We really enjoyed our time there except for a few unfortunate issues. The room, the staff, and all the pools were outstanding. The food , however is not why you go to Cuba. We took day trips to Varadero in their double decker buses for $5.00 all day and to Havana on a guided tour. On our way home the airline lost my travel companion luggage between Cuba and Toronto. I always bring my own milk and tea and mug. They lost my milk and broke my mug, but such is life. I cannot wait to go back.  [... read more] The people are really warm genuine folk. There was no good fishing around the resort either.

Melia Marina Varadero: Great Memories

The main lobby is beautiful. The room was alright, it could've been cleaner. The food looked great but for vegetarian guests it isn't the most inviting. The staff was absolutely fantastic and made our trip much more exciting. If you are looking for a relaxing, super quiet vacation this is definitely the resort for you!

Playa Vista Azul: Amazing resort

This hotel was everything that we expected plus more ! It's small ( just what we like) the rooms are exceptionally clean and spacious ! Most of the rooms are all around the pool , therefore if your facing that side, a ground room is very nice ! The food was good ( no surprises) there is something for everyone for sure ! The A'LA CARTS were ok , our favorite was the Cuban restaurant,however , we truly enjoyed the buffet ! The pool is big and has deep parts LOVE IT ,the infinity pool is sim [... read more]ply amazing !!!! The staff , are by far the best I have ever come in contact with , so friendly , helpful and kind !! We have never went back to the same resort EVER .... we cannot wait to go back here !!!!!!!!