Iberostar Selection Varadero: Good resort

Hotel staff were great. Lobby and public areas really nice. Rooms were ok, could not get adapter to work to charge cell phone or use blow dryer. Also my iPhone 6 did not work so no internet. Hotel said newer phones do not always work. Food was just ok not great.

Gran Caribe Sun Beach: Better than I thought

Just returned was there from 10-18 Feb 2017. Overall it was more than what we expected because of all the negative reviews we read. I been to various stars and places in Cuba total of 16 times. I am not fussy, if your looking for a cheap trip with clean comfy bug free bed, beautiful beach and decent food this is the place for you. I will start with the negitive; bar service; at the lobby and pool was very poor even when you tip. Bar by beach was excellent. Positive; Rooms; AC- w [... read more]orked very well, always had hot water and good water pressure which is important for me since I have long thick hair, cleaning staff done a great job every day. Food; it's Cuba always could find something to eat. Beach: is amazing and only across the street. Location of hotel: perfect, waking distance to restaurants ( I highly recommend the Chinese), market, stores ect..

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Solid performer.

Location is very good. Beach front is great for relaxing, good for water activities, good for swimming and fair for snorkeling. The ground of the hotel were excellent. Tennis courts were good. Food was God for Cuba, good selection of resteraunt and snack bars were convenient.

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Great resort!

This was my first time in Varadero, but my 4th time to Cuba. The Beach at Laguna Axul was spectacular; best yet by far! The beach bar was convenient and the bartenders were very friendly. The room was clean and large but the water pressure was disappointing, but that's pretty normal for Cuba. The bank in the lobby is open 24 hours to exchange your money which was very convenient. The food was passable, but nothing to write home about. But again, that's pretty standard for the country of dest [... read more]ination. The only EXTREMELY frustrating experience was dealing with the receptionist at the SPA. She literally did not speak a word of English! And being as I had booked a SPA room, I was expecting some perks associated with it. However, I gave up. It was just too frustrating. All that being said, the resort is one that I would consider going back to a second time

Occidental Arenas Blancas: Nice centrally located resort

We stayed at this resort for one week from February 10th to February 17th. The hotel is located walking distance to local bars, restaurants and shopping. It's also on one of the best strip of beach in Varadero. The resort grounds and pools were beautiful. The beach is wide with white sand, turquoise water and lots of palapas and palm trees for shade. Room: We stayed in the Arenas Blancas section but also had access to all the amenities at the Solymar hotel. Initially we were given a room wit [... read more]h two twin beds facing the street and noisy rooftop air-conditioners. The following day the front desk arranged to move us to a new room with a king bed and gorgeous pool view. The rooms were clean and appeared to be recently renovated. At one point we noticed that water was leaking from the ceiling next to the air-conditioner. We notified the front desk and no more than 5 minutes later a repair man showed up to fix it. Food: This resort offers 2 buffets and several a la carte restaurants. We tried the Mexican, oriental and Italian restaurants and all of them were good. The buffets however were very disappointing. We mostly ate at the Arenas Blancas buffet but when we tried the Solymar buffet we found it was equally bad. This was our 4th trip to Varadero so we didn't have high expectations but the food here was definitely the worst we've had in Cuba. Everything in the buffet was very bland and most dishes that should have been warm were cold. They really need to find a way to increase the food temperatures in the buffet. Towards the end of our vacation we craved a hot meal so we decided to go off resort. There are great local restaurants in Varadero many which are walking distance from the resort. Overall we enjoyed this resort and would likely stay here again. The resort was beautiful and staff was friendly and eager to please.

Melia Marina Varadero: Good, but happy to go home after a week.

Having been my first visit to Cuba, I had only second hand information from numerous friends and colleagues to rely on when dreaming about what our vacation may bring. Some negative, some positive....but one thing was clear; it would be a mistake to compare the experience side by side with what a trip to say, Mexico, may be. As such, I decided not to have my experiences in other Carribean countries rub off my expectations. In order to ensure I mitigate any chance of the negative things I'd hea [... read more]rd from happening, I looked only at the top rated resorts in the area, and ultimately booked Melia Marina (Marina View). Positives and Negatives - Positives - The rooms were phenomenal. No question, the best I'd ever seen on a resort. Incredibly clean, equipped, and they looked stunning. The view from the balcony was something you'd see in a brochure, two wonderful bathrooms (including one in the bedroom) , a full kitchen, two televisions with several international television stations. Pools were very nice. Clean, plenty of room, plenty of available seating, large. No real complaints regarding the beach. Plenty of seating, well spaced so that you're never too close to other groups. The beach is somewhat close to the water, but that is not something the resort can control. Staff was helpful and friendly, but generally not as enthusiastic as I'd seen in other places. No real complaints, I had no issues. Negatives - As expected, the food was the big disappointment. I knew all too well prior to arriving that Cuban resorts are not known for their abundant buffets. The food variety was limited, but plentiful. There was no changes to the menu (other than deserts) at anytime. It was low quality deep fried foods, questionable vegetables, and some reasonably good plain meat. I generally resorted to chicken legs and rice most days, which got old quite fast. The snack food available at the 24h restaurant were not so good. Questionable boiled hot dogs, terrible hamburgers, and adequate ham and cheese sandwiches. The A la Cartes were decent, with the Italian one coming up on top as the best without question. Location. Due to the resorts location at the tip of the peninsula, you become very limited to a lot of off resort trips, as getting to town takes almost an hour each way on the bus due to all the stops. Overall, a good experience, but with the astronomical exchange rate we hadn't expected (approx. 30% for USD and CAD), we were only able to do 1 real excursion, instead of the two we had hoped to do. Because of this, we ran out of things to do after 4-5 days, and we were looking forward to going home. You really need to make your own fun, because other than sitting on the beach, you'll run out of things to do real quick if you stay on the resort most of your visit.

Hotel Bella Costa: A good resort for the money

This is a small resort which I liked.A short distance to the beach, dinning rooms, lobby, 3-4 min.each. The resort is old, adequately maintained. Friendly staff, mostly. It consists of 3-4 stories main building and a few villas. My accommodation was in the villa, a very nice room, AC not very efficient, could not regulate, very noisy,the lock to the patio door,( a ground floor) broken, not repaired, plumbing worked. Have not seen a room in the main building, have heard many complaints, r [... read more]e non functioning plumbing. People were changing rooms. The beach is great, weather was excellent the whole week, one can survive a few inconveniences. It was worth the money.

Roc Barlovento: I'd go back

Food was above average for Cuba, same food, limited variety, but tasted better. That's Cuba. Grounds well kept, people very nice. Resort has keeps cats, all spayed by a Canadian veterinarian....I thought that was amazing, being an animal lover. Bring cat treats if you go. Beach is stunning. Downside: the room. AC got fixed the day I left....toilet needed fixing the night I arrived at midnight but they got it done within the hour. Shower quality....terrible. Evening shows were varied, actually th [... read more]e best I've seen. Dancers were actually very good. Bar drinks and coffee above par for Cuba.

Roc Barlovento: Great Vacation

I notice a great change in meals offered at the buffet. The service at all the bars was excellent. I requested they change my room on arrival (Wednesday) because of no water pressure and the smell of fuel and they changed us on Friday noon. From then on was excellent and our made a sweetheart. This was the 3rd time for me.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Fantastic resort

We arrived in Cuba to huge lines at the airport and actually spent three long hours in a line to get through only one open scanning machine! There were four or five and what seemed like enough staff to open even a couple more of the scanners but didn't happen and there was absolutely no apologies for the wait. We had a good drive to the airport and were greeted upon arrival with a nice drink and thankfully no line at our check in. The two women at the desk were very sweet and told us we were g [... read more]oing to love our rooms! They had upgraded us to the "Royal Service" which was, as it turned out, a huge turn around to our thinking about Cuba thus far! We were very impressed with our rooms and having a separate area without lines and crowding at the restaurant, the bars, and even around the pool was an added bonus for sure! We were very happy with the hotel and its amenities and the cleanliness is definitely appreciated. I wish the food was more flavourful however! There isn't any real flavour to anything. Garlic and some simple spices would go a long way in their food prep! We weren't fans of Cuba and although this hotel exceeded any hotel expectations, we likely won't hurry back as we are huge fans of Mexico and will make that destination our next one!

Iberostar Origin Playa Alameda: Pack the bug repellant

The staff were friendly and helpful, service excellent and the food far surpassed my expectations. Grounds are also very well maintained(barring one exception) and scenic. Although there seems to be a renovation project in the works there are still rooms that need some serious attention. Seized patio doors, broken balcony furniture and not one operational Jacuzzi were chronic complaints amongst the guests I talked to. I am sure most of these deficiencies will soon be resolved but there is one ma [... read more]jor issue. Dead center of the resort there is a man-made lagoon. The lagoon was designed to circulate still water by means of fountains but currently holds a foot of stagnate, algae blooming, bug larvae covered water. They toss chlorine tablets in everyday but seems to be unsuccessful as I am covered from head to toe with bug bites.

Palma Real: Great location. Amazing beach. Tired Resort

Our only other visit to an all inclusive resort was 10 years ago in Punta Cana so we don't have much to compare Palma Real to. Read lots of reviews before going, but still weren't quite sure what to expect. We were pleasantly surprised by our room. It was certainly outdated but functional - clean, fully functioning 3 piece bathroom, toiletries and towels replenished daily, working A/C (we did however talk with another couple whose A/C was broken for the week), no bed bugs, cock roaches, sand  [... read more]flees, or mosquitoes. Room safe costs 10 CCU. Beach was 4 minute walk from hotel and was amazing but there are very few chairs so most guests were forced to sit on the sand. Pools were OK but run down - broken tiles, loose ladders, very dirty bottoms, towel rental seems like a racket so we just used our own. Building exteriors have been recently painted but grounds could use some upgrades. Public washrooms not well kept. Missing toilet seats, broken urinals, no paper towel and broken hand dryers. Lobby bar always busy and very smoky. Dining at Speciality Restaurants was pretty good but choices were limited. Buffet food was disappointing. Not much variety from day to day and unless you got food from the grilling/carving station, the food was always cold. Desserts weren't very good but always had fresh fruit and ice cream. Nightly entertainment was good. The best thing this Resort has going for it is the location. Just a 5 minute walk takes you to downtown Varadero where there are lots of restaurants, bars, shopping centres, and other attractions. Disappointed by the staff. We always heard about Cuban hospitality, but it wasn't found at this resort. Other than our maid, smiles were rare and helpful staff were scarce. We are definitely not seasoned travelers, but would not consider this a 3 1/2 star resort and would not go back.

Brisas Del Caribe: A must read

This was our 18th time to Cuba first time to this dump what they call a 4 star hotel. Black mold all in the rooms no hot water maids have keys to your safe towels cost 15 CUC each to use. Sunwing advertises complimentary lobster dinner when I asked about it to the sunwing rep I was called a liar and just looking for a free dinner. If you don't speak Spanish the bartenders take your order last selection of booze is rum vodka or whisky all no name brands. Plane was delayed a day and they never inf [... read more]ormed us until my wife had a nervous breakdown thinking we were gonna miss our plane they told us the bus broke down not to worry then finally told us about the delay after we had to get our family to call sunwing direct and we weren't giving back our money for late check out even though sunwing paid for an additional day. Sunwing lied and said our flight was grounded because of tornados in Florida when truth be told sunwing had their crew stranded in Halifax and sent our plane to get them. No coffee cappuccinos or any hot beverage between 10pm-7am because the machine at the 24 hour bar was broken but it seemed to work for the Cuban employees who wanted it. Bar maids would leave you standing there for 20 minutes at a time with no service while they spoke to their friends (other employees) very disappointed with sunwing have been a big fan of theirs until now. Pan handlers all over the beach the only 24 hour bar/food had a big menu of food but they only ever had hamburgers (rock hard) and fries buffet food was great however they would corral everyone into a little area then open one door and people would get trampled and fights would erupt

Occidental Arenas Blancas: Great Place to Recharge

The resort and beaches are beautiful. The food was good. The staff are amazing and extremely friendly and courteous. The rooms are good, all that you need and the balconies are nice ... would go back any day:)

Blau Privilege Cayo Libertad: Quiet spot by the ocean

This hotel was well maintained and quiet. The maid most talented in designing with towels on our bedspread: made every day a surprise when returning to our room. We found the staff in every part of this resort very accommodating. My husband and I were happy to find fishing within walking distance from our room and beautiful array of fish to watch. The restaurant at the Blau had average food, with every effort to having safe and drinkable water. Service was prompt with every effort to meet ou [... read more]r requests. With a view of the ocean from most of the tables the ambiance was the best you can find.

Los Delfines: Nice small family resort

Hotel is in the middle of everything,right on the beautiful beach which is clean and one can enjoy miles of walking. We have been in the old building with some minor issues which were solved easy. Staff was very friendly and on hand so you can feel like a family.We find that it was plenty if food but it was luke warm and repetitive but that is 3 star hotel and we have been there five times and will go again.

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Great resort

Very nice staff. Wheelchair accessible resort. Lots of activities. Food was best we have ever had in Cuba by far. A fair drive to Varadero but an inexpensive double decker bus runs back and forth all day.

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: Enjoyable stay, would go back

Beach: Very nice. Clean. Had lots of activities like volleyball, kayaks, catamarans (with instructor), dancing and yoga but the activities were not overwhelming which was nice. It was very easy to simply relax if you didn't want to participate in activities. Easy access to the beach bar made getting drinks easy. Main facilities: Main buildings were new and more modern. Areas were clean and welcoming. Public washrooms were in good state of repair and reasonably clean unlike some of the storie [... read more]s we heard from travellers at other resorts. Rooms: Rooms were modern and clean. Maid was very polite and cleaned room nicely. Pillows and bed could use improvement as we often woke up sore. Bathroom was good with both tup (with detachable shower head) as well as separate stall shower. Stall shower design was poor (glass door was installed on center of shower lip and as a result all the water dripping down the glass pane seemed to run out of the sower instead on into it and we needed to use our extra towels to sop up the water on the floor. We ended up using a hand towel and jamming it between the door and the stall wall to hold the glass door in a position inside of the shower so water dripped into shower instead - this solved our problem with all the puddles on the bathroom floor for the remainder of our trip. We really liked that the resort was not like a hotel. Rooms were in little blocks of 12 in each building. Everyone had their own patio or balcony. It was nice to walk out of your room and already be on the resort. No elevators or hallways. We were in Block 11 which is close to the main Lobby. At first we weren't sure we would like that but it was really nice to be close to the main restaurants and lobby for dinner. We always packed our beach bag and spent the day at the beach or pool so you only did the walk (5 mins) once or twice throughout the day. By the end we felt this was better than being close to the beach and having to walk further for dinner and evening entertainment. Food: Food was okay. This was our first time in Cuba and we were warned that Cuba isn't known for food and that is definitely true. We have been on several cruises and even the cheaper cruise lines (carnival) have AMAZING food/choice compared to this resort. That said neither of us got sick and enjoyed our meals throughout the week, you just can't have extremely high expectations but nothing wrong with any of it. A la carte restaurants and beach restaurant: Meals were inconsistent. Sometimes meat was way to over done or under done and other times done to perfection (same meal, same restaurant, different day). Sometimes tender other times lots of fat. Chicken Wing at the beach restaurant is by far the best lunch and always done properly. Buffet: For breakfast and Lunch buffet is good. Similar choices for lunch and dinner so we always chose to go to the a la carte restaurants for dinner. Would have liked to have more fruit (that was ripe) - watermelon, pineapple, etc were not great. Juices were good. Omelette bar for breakfast was good and filling. Pasta bar and meat/grill station at lunch and dinner were good. Sightseeing: Enjoyed the included half day Matanzas and Bellmar cave tour that came with our stay. We also went snorkelling off the beach with a guide (as part of the resort) to a section of coral about 10 min sail away for 20 Pesos on afternoon. This was great, lots of fish to see. We also did a group tour to Havana which was great! The only downside to the tours is the tour picks people up from many resorts on Varadero Peninsula (and same for drop off) so this resort being closer to the tip of the peninsula you end up spending an extra 45 mins or so on the bus simply picking people up before you really get on your way to your destination. Guides were very nice and accommodating. Hidden Gem: the Piano bar (off the main lobby) has great entertainment (as an alternate to the evening shows in the theatre, or attend both)

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Varadero: Great Resort

I was pleasantly surprised with this resort. Perfect weather! The grounds were lovely, common areas were clean. Our room was above the pool with only a 2 minute walk to an AMAZING beach. The employees really went above and beyond what I would have ever expected. Our butler easily arranged all of our reservations for the week and booked a private trip to Havana as well. The food was pretty good, breakfast was my favorite meal, with al a carte and the ability to order an omelette everyday. The oth [... read more]er meals were decent, usually could find something I liked enough. Drinks were plentiful and the coffee was great as well. Matthew at Trip Central was very helpful and we had no issues with our flights, bags or transportation. Overall a great trip!

Melia Peninsula Varadero: Highly Recommended!

My husband and I travelled from Feb 8-15, 2017 and we were both very impressed for the entire trip. The resort was about 30 minutes from the airport and consisted of 2 and 3 story buildings, I believe they were 9 units per building. Big units, clean, extra large shower, (great pressure for the hot and cold water) and seemed extra wide balcony. The grounds were always clean. The food is always a concern when you go to Cuba but again, we were quite impressed. Lots of variety and always hot. I [... read more]f there was one complaint, this resort did not include theme nights at the buffet so unfortunately it was usually the same food every night, but still, quite a variety. Only a few times, they were not able to keep up with the demand. (Long line ups for scrambled eggs in the morning, and it took a while or them to fill up the orange juice.) We definitely didn't starve. Of course the beach was amazing! Crystal clear and you can walk for miles which Cuba is known for. Always chairs available and someone there to assist you setting them wherever you want. And the never were pushy for tips. The pool is quite large and usually a full crowd but the times we went to the pool was later in the afternoon so chairs were a little bit more difficult to find. Just to note, they actually have a totally different area for kids and families including their own shallow pool and play ground. We had fantastic weather the week we were there. We did the hop-on/hop-off double decker bus a couple times into Varadero for $5 (for the day) and always feeling safe. Absolutely no issues there. We would definitely recommend this resort to anyone and we would give this resort a 4 to 4.5 star rating. We were very happy with our vacation.