Palma Real: needs some work

For the positives first. The place is clean, they are starting to put some money on the look of the place mainly decorating, the grounds are well groomed considering the temperatures in July, the majority of the staff are both warm and accommodating. The hotel beach area across the road is good with lots of sun beds, and an area where you can get limited food and beverages. The negatives. The food was very dire, lots of flies in the restaurant, even in the Italian restaurant on site so called [... read more] "a la carte". Best place to go is the "La Fondu" just around the corner on the main drag where you are able to get reasonable sea food at reasonable prices and friendly staff.

Palma Real: Awesome time

This hotel is in the perfect location Renovations were ongoing The staff at this hotel are so friendly and will help you This place is so close to restaurants and lots of clubs. I have stayed at Palma Real many times and plan to return real soon

Palma Real: Great resort

Very clean resort, staff was friendly and very accomidating to your every need, food was good for most of the part but honestly a good barbecued steak back home was well appreciated! No complaints what so ever, great weather, great pools and beach:))

Gran Caribe Sun Beach: For a better price I would go back again.

I do keep in mind that this is a 2 * resort. But there is no need for it to be dirty. I did not think of this when I booked it. But because it is a cheap resort, the people that are there are more trashy group. (Not being mean or rude. Its just a fact. I wish I would have thought of this befor we went.) Mind you our room was very clean. Just the public areas were dirty. (Washrooms ,pool) the lift is rotten and very dangerous they need to fix it before someone gets seriously hurt. The front desk  [... read more]wanted to hold my pass port for 24 hr. I had an argument to keep it my self. Service was very unfriendly. We had one worker ask us for our shoes at the buffet, we said no. She walked us over to the table. I had to ask for cutlery that same server came back and she thrown the cutlery at us. We were both in disbelief. great weather.

Palma Real: Location, Location, Location

This resort is right in the thick of it, next to many attractions including nightlife (Havana Club, La Comparsita, Block 62 and 59), as well as Jasone Park. Food was good, and the resort staff were friendly, would definitely recommend this resort.

Palma Real: Good value...great location

Received a welcome drink on arrival while we were waiting to check in. Check in time was quick. Pools clean. Room very clean - hot water available, air conditioner worked, blow dryer worked, attentive maid service every day, plenty of towels. Lots of healthy different food, fresh grilled fish every day, no processed junk food here, i.e. French fries. Close to Beatles Club for nightly entertainment and renowned Varadero beach. Great excursions available. Fourth time here... want to go again!

Palma Real: Bellevue Palma Real

The resort was dated but what resort in Cuba isn't. The staff was friendly the grounds where kept up and a lot of updates were being made while we stayed. I would recommend this resort based on location beach was 5 minute walk (Canadian time not Cuban) The food was very good the one thing I really enjoyed was the fact that each lobby of your complex had it's own bar very nice. The burger bar was great for that late night snack or after a long day and night of drinking.

Palma Real: Decent resort for our money spent

I feel this resort was great for what I was looking for. I don't go on vacation to get pampered like a queen, I go for the vacation. Good was good compared to others I stayed at in Cuba. Room was decent to lay my head when need be and the grounds 23rd perfect. Not too large but jus enough.

Gran Caribe Sun Beach: motorcycles???

front desk people rude. rude,rude!!! would not even look up when we went to speak to them! the food and service were barely passable. if you like bikers,this is the place for you. in full leathers and colors on their bikes around the pool deck and in the lobby as well. we also got to watch the biker mama pluck her eyebrows while sitting sipping her espresso in the front lobby!!!tacky tacky!never again!!

Gran Caribe Sun Beach: Great Resort for three price

Hotel is in need of some repairs but clean. Pool and beach were great food was a good variety every day Elevator broke down twice but was fixed quickly .there is a great flea market just around the corner of the resort and they also have some great local bars just a short walk from the resort

Gran Caribe Sun Beach: Amazing Cuba for 373$

Couldn't be happier! Moncton, Cuba flight direct 2.5 star hotel are the best! People that go there are well aware at what to expect and not very difficult to go to. So we went and dropped or suitcase into the room, rented a car and traveled down to Vinales and up to Cayo Jutias both paradise that you should go in the world. A big thank you to the staff at trip central and Air transat.

Palma Real: Great Resort

This was a great resort, the ground were beautiful. The rooms were nice, good size, and clean. The food was good, with a large selection, we brought some spices with us but did not us them, there was a lot of dishes that we didn't what they were, so you had to try them, most of them were good. Great swim up bar and 3 other pools to use. Beach was great, just a 2 min. walk, once there you didn't have to leave because they had their own bar and food service on the beach. All the staff was friendly [... read more]. Great location, you could walk down town from the hotel. We would go back again.

Palma Real: Great location, amazing staff!

This was my first trip to Cuba and the Palma Real was a great place to stay. it is an older resort and it shows it places but the staff are wonderful and more than make up for the hotel. the hotel is well located with the beach, shopping, restaurants and bars all within easy walking distance. I will defiantly be returning.

Gran Caribe Sun Beach: Great People

I was there from March 22th to 25th.This was my first time to travel by myself. It was safe and very welcoming.The lobby was great for all drinks.I meet so many people from Cuba.My new family. The beach was beautiful.

Gran Caribe Sun Beach: Cool Hotel

I read so many reviews about this hotel and a lot of bad ones. I am glad i did not take them into consideration. We went for the week of April 4th 2016 and the hotel was very decent,the room was clean, the bedsheets were clean and we had an ocean view room! The service was great. The food in the buffet was actually pretty good! Better than the Iberostar in Varadero. My only advice is bring your own facecloth and a beach towel cause sometimes they run out. And lastly this hotel is all about locat [... read more]ion location location! Best location in Varadero.

Gran Caribe Sun Beach: OK Place to Rest Your Head

This is more an old hotel trying to be a resort. It has some positive and some negative aspects but if you get a great deal and want to use this hotel as a base of travel to see a bit of Cuba (as we did) then you will be OK. Food is not bad for Cuba and the staff are hit and miss. The beds are not very good (ask for room 816, best on the resort). Buy your own booze and mix as they don't have any variety at all.

Gran Caribe Sun Beach: Sunbeach Funbeach

We had another great trip to the Grand Caribe Sunbeach. This is a no frills hotel located in downtown Varadero. It was our third stay in the hotel and this year I'm happy to report that our room was clean, our lovely housekeeper Judy gave us fresh towels and did a wonderful job of keeping our room spotless. The food had improved since last visit (the toaster is now fixed - yay) so that was a pleasant surprise. The location of this hotel is great because if you choose to dine out some evenings th [... read more]ere are lots of good, inexpensive restaurants nearby. The cons for our visit this time was the presence of lots of virile cats (that were in heat - not pleasant) roaming around in the lobby and in the gardens outside. The staff did try to take control of the situation but from a sanitary point of view this needs to be corrected. The other con was the constant influx of Cuban visitors staying at the resort. The staff cater to them and ignore the other tourists. It used to be that this happened on weekends only but this year it happened all week long and was quite frustrating when trying to get bar or food service. Overall a good trip and we found that Osmandy (Manager on the front desk) continued to be extremely helpful and customer service focused.

Gran Caribe Sun Beach: No Frills but A Great Time was Had

We are a family of 4 with 2 children - boy 7, girl 16. They don't allow more than 3 people per room so we had to get 2 rooms. We all stayed in the same room and used the second for extra showering, bathroom, napping, sleeping etc. Don't expect a 4 star because you will be disappointed. We went with low expectations and although we were surprised by how run down the place was, our rooms were clean and that is the most important thing to me. Yes the rooms are dated and the furniture old and ricke [... read more]ty, the bathrooms we had were renovated and very nice. Ask for an even number room if you want a balcony, there is always so much to watch outside. We were facing the street at the end of the entrance and got to watch guys playing stick ball every night. We went for long walks and felt totally safe, do make sure and do the orientation because Kenia has very good information and can answer any questions. People who say the food is no good, that is just their opinion. I found the food to be fine, some of it very good (chicken skewers, fried rice, plantain chips etc.). The good thing about the buffet is that each meal they offer something new. Be warned that because there are 2 grills in the buffet, you will be sweating. If you don't like to try new things there is something for everyone even bland plain white rice, salad, fish etc. Be prepared to wait in lines most of the time and you are waiting "Cuban Time". There are 4 bars, lobby, pool, snack bar and beach all of which you can wait in a line or get there at the right time and not have to wait, there are ebbs and flows to it all. The beach is a short short way across the street and there are lots of lizards in the grass off the path and on the rock walls. They were a treat for all of us. I hate public washrooms and never used these because my husband said the mens was disgusting. Don't be surprised if there is no toilet seat (at all) in your room we had one in the room we stayed in and non in the other. I was most impressed with the nightly shows. The dancers were great, the costumes colorful, the music upbeat etc. On 2 different nights we played a game where the announcer asks "Name the song, name the singer?". It was so much fun! If you got it wrong you had to give up your sandal. I won't give away anything else but the whole family played and we had a ball. There are snacks at the snack bar, ham & cheese grilled sandwiches, pizza, hots & hams. They often run out and you will wait a long time to get your food. They have one person cooking in front of you and they only make 1 thing at a time on demand. I found that most of the employees don't speak English very well, so they may get your orders wrong or misunderstand you. We met so many nice people who work there, Raul (buffet), Ariel, Lazaron, Luis, Leandro (bartenders etc.) Everyone was so nice. The beach was beautiful! The water clear and we didn't even need our water shoes because there was no coral there just soft sand. We were able to take out the paddle boats and kayak with no wait any time we wanted. There were always enough lounge chairs on the beach. Another story at the hotel, there were so few and people would go down early in the morning and put their towel on them, then you wouldn't see them all day. Good thing I brought an umbrella or I would have roasted because there is very little shade at the pool. The pool is ok and not too deep for children, there is a basketball net and you have to ask at the entertainment hut for the volleyball in order to play, you have to sign it out. There are tv screens in the lobby, pool bar and snack bar. People were really into the soccer games. There are a bunch of little things that most people complain about, table in the room was old and falling apart, tv didn't work, door got stuck etc. We also had issues but we made the best of it. Our A/C leaked onto the balcony so we ended up with a pool as soon as you stepped out the second day, we simply took one of the garbage cans and put it on the balcony, wiped up all the water with a few towels and voila! We had to empty the garbage can everyday but the low price we paid for a family of 4 it was worth the money. I couldn't go to the Best Western here for 5 nights for the price we paid per person for 7 days. Yes, it was run down and old looking in areas but it's right in the heart of the city and the flea market is literally next door, you can buy any souvenir you could possibly think of for great prices. We walked all over and again I thank my umbrella, or I wouldn't have survived the scorching sun. There are cats/kittens in the hotel, stray dogs walking everywhere even on the beach but they are friendly and not scrawny looking. There are chickens and roosters walking freely about and horse drawn carriages everywhere. Do take one of the coco taxi/3 wheeled scooter, they are fast and fun, plus it was so cool with the breeze blowing on you. The banks offer a better exchange rate than the hotel but they are a 20 minute walk in either direction which is worth it because you also get to see where the restaurants are. You can eat for very cheap if you don't want to go to the buffet. Keep in mind that the bank experience is not like here, enough said. There are pelicans on the beach, people catching crabs in the canal, people fishing etc. This place is perfectly fine and it IS WHAT YOU MAKE OF IT! We had a blast and would definitely go there again for that price. We ate, swam, danced, laughed, rested, ate some more and slept little. All in all, we had a great time!

Palma Real: excellent resort

Grounds were very kept. Food was fantastic. But limited. To eggs in the morning. I have taken my family to Cuba 12 times. And always craved Wendys when returning to Toronto. But for some reason. This time my self and the group of 8 were satisfied.on the drive home.All and everyone working at this resort.Are super kind and do there best to please with a smile.Not an inconvenience. To have you visit there resort. I have friends that have been there at least 30 times. And i will be returning there  [... read more]in 3 weeks.If work allows. at the very least i will be sending my children. 600.00 all inclusive. What more could u ask for. being on a budget. With 2 kids in collage.SPEND TIME ON THE STRIP LIVE BANDS PLAY FROM 12.00 NOON TILL MIDNIGHT. 2.00 a drink free pour. There is a pile to do in Varadero. unlike santa lucia cayo coco santa clara santa maria. Not being stuck at a resort playing 50 games of cards. Personal preferences. Great food at Fondue bar on calie which i believe is call 63 but expensive. Barba Coa right at the beach entrance is excellent . Travel down to call 49 at noon live bands. to call 63 all day fun. thanks Troy

Palma Real: Will Never Return

This was my 3rd stay at this resort so I know and am not expecting a 5 * resort and I like to have a good time while on vacation. The customer service and building/room maintenance has declined dramatically since my last stay. Good: Location; Entertainment; Restaurant Staff & Chefs and Cleaning staff; Food Choices Bad: Long line-ups at lobby bar; Many rooms/Buildings in disrepair - mould/dampness and smells, holes in ceilings, no lighting in halls and hallways with pools of water, no more entert [... read more]ainment in the lobby before dinner BUT good entertainment at pool & evening shows. Terrible: Front Desk check-in and customer service was the worst. My experience checking into our room after a day of flying was so bad that I will NEVER stay at this resort again. Reception staff were less than honest and helpful.