Sanctuary at Grand Memories Varadero: Excellent place for R&R

The Sanctuary is a beautiful adults only resort inside the much bigger Grand Memories. The gardens and pool are very nice, the layout of the bungalows convenient to the lounge and restaurant. The food was consistently good at the Sanctuary restaurant, as well as the pool bar for snacks and sandwiches. Rooms were clean and spacious, and hot water and A/C worked great every day. Service at the Sanctuary was excellent, can't say enough about the people who work here. The beach is very nic [... read more]e, and happy to have our own Sanctuary section. While we had access to use the amenities at the GM, we ate one night at the buffet and regretted it. We also sat by the main pool for a few hours one afternoon and it reminded us how happy we were with our choice to stay at the Sanctuary. The gym is adequate for a vacation workout, and the Gourmet and Asian a la carts were both very good. This is our 15+ time to Cuba in past 15 years at 7 different resorts, and I would definitely stay at this resort again.

Occidental Arenas Blancas: Not what we booked! Shame on SUNWING and Tripcentral!

We arrived on Jan 25th, when we finally got to the resort after having to wait for other travellers at the airport, we were tired and looking forward to unwind and get to our rooms, as it was now almost 11pm. We unloaded our luggage, I went tot he front desk, I was told the resort was overbooked, it was not there fault and they had no rooms to offer. I was told we would have to go to the Solymar, my partner had to flag down the bus and reload our luggage that was the start of the nightmare. We a [... read more]rrived at the Solymar to be greeted by no one. THe front desk was curt and unsympathetic. They told us if we were unhappy with our room we could change it the next day. No one there to help with our luggage. We get to the room and open the curtains to a sea of construction and workers by now its 1130pm. The construction went all night and into the morning. At 9am we had a loud knock were ask in if we wanted the mini bar! We got up so very tired from the inconvenience of the night before, it took five rooms and 7 hours before we got settled into a pool view room at the Solymar. When we explained we are booked in a superior room we were told they are all superior rooms! This is simply not the case. In fact even the maid told us not to take the one room that was full of mold, water damage, broken furniture, the other room had two broken beds, no shower head, couch ripped apart. We settled on room 1222, noisy pool view. On our 7 day we were locked out of the room,,and safe, front desk just shrugged their shoulders reloaded new keys. The very next day the safe key would not work, my partner needed his medication I called the front desk, they hung up on me, he called than I went down to the desk, they told me to go back to my room and wait for the security technician, thank God my partner finally got his meds as potentially could have been life threatening, and sadly no one cared. it took a good 6 hours to have the safe reopened. Sadly we could not even drink a glass of water since they did not fill the required water which is only one liter, per day, they missed two days we had to purchase our water, when we informed the front desk they said they would write a report, but in the mean time too bad. No coffee in the room either, and every time I called the front desk I was hung up on when my male partner called they talked to him! Unbelievable water was not available where drinking seem to be the main theme of the resort when they bars were open! So deep breaths going to the beach but alas no service no beach towels no reason as to why. THe Solymar was suppose to be an upgrade, it was not. The promised 11 bars, all that close except for one at 11pm, than they only offer draft beer, if you wanted premium drinks at the other 11 bars and when they were open you had to pay, that is not all inclusive. There was no water in the hot tubs, no archery, no shuffle board, and the entertainment staff did not talk to us once, when our room maid had her day off her replacement left the dirty towels in the bathroom piled in the corner, floor was not sweat, sink was not cleaned. The staff simply did not care about us or our issues, they did not apologize or smile, they did not acknowledge our frustrations, it was like we were inconveniencing them for being there. The food was edible, until I made some toast one evening in the large buffet and found the cockroaches were also eating the bread. It was impossible to go on line to complain as no internet, and the SUNWING rep was not helpful, he said "when you get back to Canada tell customer relations,he smirked and walked away. My partner and I know Cuba, and have enjoyed our passed vacations there, we went hoping to relax and regenerate, both of us have stressful jobs and needed to get away, this vacation stressed us out more then we needed, we spent our hard earn money for dissapoitment, I would stongly advise agaist going tothis resort and I am hoping tripcentral.ca and SUNWING hear my complaints and compansate accordily.

Melia Marina Varadero: 3 star resort

This hotel was nice and modern , beach and pools were beautiful, very friendly staff although ... food was not good at all, every bathroom smelled awful and there was little to no entertainment . I understand the country is not very wealthy but would have liked a little tastier food while spending so much money and time there .

Melia Marina Varadero: Overal very good resort

Pros: We booked the classic marina view, however the woman in the reception gave us the European apartment! After entering the room we realized this was not what we paid for. When I returned to the reception, she said oh she didnt have any availability. This was really weird cuz she just sent us to the European apartments without telling us she is doing so. She was a bit rude too! Cons: Since I insisted to be moved to the classic room, we were moved there the next day. The room was clean, fo [... read more]od was ok. I would say based on the cleanliness and the nice performances at night I would definitely suggest this resort to my friend and we will be back next year! T

Club Kawama: Just Plain relaxed fun

Loved our last stay at Kawama. Booked a superior room and got what I think was one of the best in the house. We had a terrace with a roof and spent our only rainy day happily enjoying friends and laughs. Our housekeeper was great and had a sense of humor. Found our hats incorporated in her towel sculptures and swans hiding in the bathroom. The food in the ala cart restaurant was good. Loved the old feel of the place and the mature gardens. We had no real noticeable inconviences. Any we found bec [... read more]ame secondary as the majority of the people were great.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Awesome Resort!!

We had a awesome time at this resort. The service at the front desk that we received was friendly, courteous and fast. We ended up having to change our room for the bar fridge sounded like a freight train running through it, with a constantly blinked light and a strange order. The front desk was very apologetic and gave us a new room that we were very satisfied and happy. Zule our room maid was always happy to greet you with a smile and willing to serve you with an extra towel if needed. Th [... read more]e bartenders Victor and his opera singing coworker who had the ladies at each note were funny, friendly and musical. Indira who was our towel girl, what can you say when you meet someone who is lively as her. Enough about the staff and let me move to the resort itself. The resort was immaculate, well spaced out, with lots of room to walk around and easy access to the beach. There was NO need to bring sauces to spice up your food for the food itself was great no matter where we went on the resort, at the buffet or at the five restaurants that we made reservations at. This comes from people who have visited Cuba and complained that the food was very blah, not at this resort. The day at the beach was lovely, white sand, blue\turquoises water and to finish it off a drink or two, couldn't get better than that. At the end of our week we were very sad to leave, if we could we would have stayed another week. I would most definitely recommend this resort to anyone who wishes to visit Cuba.

Occidental Arenas Blancas: Close to souvenir shopping if that's what you like

The overall place was fine. Not too much for kids to do unless they are young and go to the day program. The weather was not great so that really dampened our spirits as we like to travel for the sun and heat never expected so much rain and wind. Beach was beautiful even though we weren't able to go in much due to the weather.

Punta Peninsula Varadero: None like this one!!

This hotel is amazing, not too big, 2kms of beach frontage with one of the best beaches... amazing food, close to many things, best staff in the world and well kept... there is a reason I return here!

Sol Varadero Beach: Not worth the money!

Nothing about this resort impressed me.After staying at resorts in Mexico, Dominican republic, and the Bahamas,this one was the worst.Tropical drinks here are made from kool aid mix! I dont know how many times I ordered simple drinks like a banana daquiri only to recieve something completely different like a rum punch.Any other resort I had drinks at were excellent because when you ordered a banana daquiri they would put real fruit in the blender to make it,not here! They dont even have the prop [... read more]er things to make one.Dont let the pictures fool you,this resort is ghetto,things falling apart everywhere and the service is mediocre at best.Our washroom didnt even have a toilet paper holder? I could go on and on about this place, do yourself a big favour dont waste your money here,you will be dissappointed.

Resonance Blu Varadero: Nice but go Diamond

This is my second time at memories,very nice resort ,food is a lot better than last time (3 yrs ago),the people at Diamond Club were great,very helpful ,,but the main counter gives you the run around every times,could not even call your room from there???? As for the shows they were good, and service at the buffet and a la carte was very good,,It's a good resort to bring children age 4 to 10 We took the jeep safari GREAT and went to Havana Tropicana show it was a nice day..Overall we had a  [... read more]good time....

Club Kawama: HOME AWAY FROM HOME

This was our 4th time to Club Kawama, we were very pleased with some improvements from last year. The food was better, the Italian A la Carte was open this year and the food was amazing. We enjoyed the privilege of attending the Repeaters Supper, it was great to meet up with old friends and meet new ones. Leida was happy to see us and and did all she could to make our week the best it could be, she is an extremely hard worker and should be recognized as one of Kawarma's most valued employees.  [... read more]We plan to go back again in April and look forward to booking our trip with Trip Central as always, thank you once again.....

Playa Vista Azul: Would come back!!

Lovely resort. Nice big and clean rooms. Small issues with lack of towels but nothing we couldn't live with. Love the way that it is laid out. Would love to see a beach dining area on the side of the beach where it meets up with the hotel Naviti. The buffet is not well laid out, very crowded. Also the bread bar is awkward. All the food in the buffet was cold or lukewarm, never hot. We ate at the grill just so we could have hot food. The staff was lovely and accommodating. The shows v [... read more]ery entertaining and the lobby entertainment was most welcoming. All in all, a great stay!!!

Blau Privilege Cayo Libertad: Absolutely fantastic!

We were expecting good but we got more than great! From the kind, generous staff to the immaculate grounds, clean rooms, beautiful pool area and private beaches. We loved the option of visiting the Blau Marina which always had a shuttle available to go back and forth. There was always something good to eat with several choices to please any pallete. We would highly recommend this resort to anyone who wants the peacefulness and privacy of a small resort with the option of taking in some actio [... read more]n with the bigger resort. 5 out of 5 strs indeed! Linda & Derm

Iberostar Origin Tainos: Average resort

The resort is old and needs to be updated. We had trouble with our room - air conditioner did not work properly and I got locked in the bathroom and had to have staff get me out. After each incident we were told that it would be repaired tomorrow. Well, tomorrow never came. After 2 days of complaining, we were moved to a cottage. Much nicer and quieter but ended up having no hot water the last day.The beach was beautiful and it was great to walk in the sand. The staff was fantastic. We enj [... read more]oyed the entertainment in the evening but found that there really wasn't a lot to do at the resort but sit around the pool or the beach. Because the weather wasn't great, we found time long. Definitely would not classify this resort as a 4.5 star resort as advertised. More like a 3.

Memories Jibacoa: Exactly what we wanted

Resort was very clean,quiet (after 10:30pm). Staff went out of their way to help you.Beach was lovely the first week, lots of snorkeling with the huge reef right there. However the second week there was lots of garbage washing on the beach for three days, perhaps from a cruise ship? Anyway we didn't use the beach then, just the pool. The only complaint that I have is that they did not clean the piles of garbage on the beach for at least 3 days, not good for tourism. If you go to this resort it [... read more] is adults only, upgrade to the diamond club, they will give you a special dinner which includes the best steak and lobster they have, plus live music for dancing and upgraded drinks. You also get your own concierge (Vinny and David ) and Butler service on the beach, best value around, plus special dining at lunch time plus more a large Carter restaurant reservations. Best bang for your dollar. When we return to Cuba, we will be staying there again. 5 Stars from me. Gilles Audette

Memories Jibacoa: Beautiful Resort

This resort is very picturesque with the mountains around it and the ocean on the other side. The grounds were very well kept and the staff very friendly. We've been to Cuba about 8 times and this is the first time at this resort. The food was the best we've ever had in Cuba. The beef was so tender both in the buffet and the International restaurant. This is a great place to relax and recharge. Havana is only an hour away so it's a great place to take a tour from. We went with a driver, J [... read more]unior, and an English speaking guide, Giselle. They were perfect - knowledgeable, friendly, funny. You will find many repeat guests at this resort - some have returned 30 times! We didn't upgrade to Diamond Club but friends of ours did and they were very well taken care of. We were taken care of as well but the Diamond Club staff greeted them wherever they saw them and were ready and willing to fulfill any request -eg. booking an a la carte...they mentioned which one they wanted & when & it was booked & confirmed for them. There was no need for them to go into the lobby and book it themselves. This resort seems to be mostly people over 35 although there seems to be plenty for adults of all ages.

Sol Varadero Beach: Not sure what to think!!?? Could of been better...

Here goes: 1. Resort itself grounds were ok 3/5 --- pool was cold, many times dirty, unkept. The rectangle pool... Do not go in!!! People that swam in it developed serious rashes and hives!! (We stayed away) 2. General staff in lobby 3/5 3. Room service 1/5 No room service for first 3 days after we asked 3 times for towels, linens / no hot water at certain times and when there was hot water didn't last long. The room itself was disgusting, mold on ceilings, batch shower and in bathroom  [... read more]ceiling. Awful smell, damp, moldy smell. The room was nothing like advertised (the pictures looked better than the real thing!!) 4. Food was ok 2/5 most of the food were cold dishes with some exceptions (dinner food better than lunch) --- we were suggested Proel as a la cart choice (being romantic)... Horrible! There was nothing romantic about it and the selection on menu was sparse ... Most of the food we ordered wasent available and we had to settle for whatever they did have, we literally got up and left ... The Italian a la cart was pretty good ... Last day into our vacation we discovered another buffet style eatery (they turn it into the Cuban a la cart at night) this place had bbq pork, chicken and beef (which the other buffets didn't have) it is also located literally a few steps from beach 4. The free drinks ... 2/5 most bartenders did not know what the drinks we asked for were!! I.E. We asked for Miami vice, drink we were given was green and disgusting!! Also every drink was watered down ... Even the fruit smoothies 5. Staff in general at the bars 2/5 they made you wait extensively, to the point we walked away often very frustrated and ended up at the 24 hour bar (which had little selection but less busy) 6. Tipping wasent too bad, generally we were not harassed for it but asked a few times 3/5 7. The beach 5/5 it's the ONLY thing we would rate 5 on the resort!!! No complaints there.... The beach was gorgeous! However the free salsa dance lessons I didn't see!!! In general we were very disappointed by many things about this resort, in particular: the room , room service and food/drinks. We both enjoyed the beach and often times we lounged around at the beach. The nightly shows didn't exist. There was only one show when we first arrived. There was a pool party but we missed it. There was very little night life/entertainment. There is a club at the sirenas side and we had to ask for directions because it's located in a hidden area. Nothing too special about it either. But definitely a bit more entertaining than the other on site activities. There are excursions you can take away from the resort, probably well worth it (since at the resort you'll probably be eating, sun bathing and swimming mostly oh and lounging around) we ended up at the market (the big market) great place for gifts. We took a bus $5 each for 12 hours. You can hop on and off and check out the town. Overall we only booked 4 days and we were happy it was only 4 days!!!! We would not recommend this resort, unless it was simply for the beautiful beach!!! Cayo Coco looks like will be our next destination. I hear Warwick is amazing!! (This is a new resort, well recently upgraded) If we had to sum up sol sirenas coral... Definitely not a 4 star resort!!!! You are better off to save the extra money and book a 5 star!!! Always go five stars!!! We learned our lesson!!!

Playa Vista Azul: Loved this resort!

I had a great time at the ocean vista azul! The staff was very professional. The food was good. The rooms were clean and modern. The main beach was a bit hard to find but very nice and lots of chairs were available. The entertainment was excellent at night and good during the day. Not sure if this is good or bad but drinks never tasted the same although they were always good. Cons: it was a bit of a challenge to get fresh towels. Check in was slow because they only had one staff at the front d [... read more]esk. The pool water was too cold for my liking. All in all, my favourite resort yet! :)

Playa Vista Azul: Good times

This hotel is beautiful and modern. The grounds are well kept. The staff is professional and friendly. The beach is small for Varadero standards but still amazing. They are building a new huge Iberostar next door slated to open in March 2017. Not sure how congested the beach area will be or if they will then only have one beach (instead of two). Thank you for having so many beach chairs! No need to get up at 6 am to find one! In January the pools were too cold and no one used the infi [... read more]nity pool. Lots of great little spots, around the resort, with lounge chairs and hammocks. The food was good for cuban standards. The food somewhat varied thru the week. Breakfest includes a fresh juice bar. The waitresses were the nicest people on the resort! So friendly! The animation staff was reserved and not the most outgoing. They seem to flock and follow the guests who go regularly. One of them didn't speak or entertain us all week and on our last day she handed me a card asking me to give the amination staff a good review on TripAdvisor! Most of the guests are couples so probably most people don't care as much for animation and entertainment. Mostly couples in their 30s-60s. The nighly shows are often a short 30 minutes ending at 10:30pm. Not much happening after. The theater bar is loud with a few seats. The lobby bar is quiet and closed at midnight. (Although the most charming bartenders are in the lobby!) The other option is the 24 hr snack bar located by the beach which is also their "disco" until 1 am. Be warn, the beds and pillows are terribly uncomfortable and the towels are stained and aren't always available. They don't change the towels daily. On the last day they randomly took one of our blankets away. Even though we had been tipping. The service is random and inconsistent. Good selection of tv channels including CTV and CNN if you want to catch up on news from back at home. Great new resort located close to the town. We enjoyed the hotel so much that we are considering returning again!

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: good friendly resort

the grounds were beautiful and well kept the buildings were showing need for minor maintenance ( paint repair etc) observed it being done just slow process) food was top notch drinks were perfect except -pina coladas Staff were friendly beach was beautiful piano bar and the cigar lounge, lobby bar were great , night club was closed for reno booking el la cartes restaurant was always a long wait and availability issues pool swim up bar could use some attention  [... read more] , slow process to serve down below as alcohol was position up top it was a bad set up , also i believe the bar tenders could be more alive games shots energetic etc the complimentary scuba diving was good over all a 3.8- 4.0 out of 5 star