Hotel Bella Costa: Amazing Time A+++

Great staff, Great food and even better beach....plan on returning very soon. Thanks Rein for helping pick this resort as it was exactly what we needed and very kid friendly. Great times had by all.....

Hotel Los Cactus: Awesome trip

Beach was amazing, always loungers and palapas to be had. Can walk to varadero beach front which is nice too! I had no difficulty finding food. Usually when I go away I have a hard time eating but I was able to eat at every meal and have something so delicious. My boyfriend and I are in our mid 20's, we were definitely a minority there in terms of age But that alone had its perks. We were in c block and the room is bigger than our apartment at home. We had a lizard in our room last night. The [... read more]y eat bugs though and someone came and caught it for us.

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: Amazing resort

Small resort with quaint two story buildings. Main lobby busy and lively just the way I like it. Resort very clean and nicely landscape. Loved the restaurants, no reservations required. Loved the beach. The entertainment team day and nite was top notch.

Hotel Blau Las Morlas Varadero Beach: It was ok

It has the potential to be an awesome place, it's smaller and easy to get around. It is a little dated and could use some paint and upkeep on the grounds. The food and menu choices need to be reviewed and changed a bit more often.

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: Clean, friendly staff and food was not bad at all.

No issues with this resort, was better then what I was expecting. The staff were so friendly and respectly. The food was good, we enjoyed the Italian restaurant the best. The Michael Jackson show was Vegas quality and the water show is a must see.

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: Best beach by far

Had an excellent stay from Apr 23-30. Mikes cafe perfect place to jump start your day and have an after dinner speciality coffee. By far one of the best beaches and beach entertainment. Wonderful al a cartes with no reservation necessary.

Palma Real: A decent choice for families

Did all those people that gave this hotel horrible reviews actually go to this hotel? Based on some of the reviews I read, I went to the Palma Real with very low expectations. I was travelling with my wife and two teenage kids. Upon arriving, I noticed that the exterior of the building is in need of painting and the buildings are showing their age. The water level in the quiet pool was consistently below the skimmer, rendering the pumps and filtration system useless. The tiled steps leading to m [... read more]y unit had some chunks missing from the ceramic tile. The grass was yellow and there was no sign of an irrigation system although I later found out it hadn't rained for almost 9 months in Varadero. I could go on with the deficiencies but I think you get the idea that a lot of money needs to be spent to upgrade this property. Having said that, I didn't go there to purchase the hotel so the deficiencies didn't affect the enjoyment of my stay at the Palma Real. Our room was very clean and everything was functional. The A/C worked very well and we had to turn it down at night or it was too cold. The toilet, shower and sink worked properly and we were never without hot water. All doors and windows were lockable, which was important to me since we were on the ground floor of building 2 (Siboney). The walls were painted an ugly green, but again, I'm not looking to purchase the property. We had two single beds pushed together to make a king size bed although my wife and I ended up sleeping together on one of the single beds which are actually about the size of a double bed by Canadian standards. The mattresses were firm and they were wrapped with a plastic liner underneath the fitted sheet. Our family had no problems sleeping in our beds. The TV worked but had only 3 English channels to watch. The electric receptacles look the same as those in Canada, except the voltage is 220 volts. If your chargers or electric devices are designed for both 110 & 220 volts, then you will not need a power transformer or adapters. I plugged my iPad charger directly into the wall receptacle. The staff work very hard and I made sure to tip them whenever they provided services. As the week progressed, the service got better and they made me feel like a VIP. We never gave more than a 1 CUC tip to anybody but they really work hard for their tips. A fellow traveller I met joked that the word "tips" stands for " To Insure Prompt Service". My wife also left some costume jewelry to our maid and she loved it. The food was ok and there was always something there for everyone. My advice would be to go for meals early to get the freshest, hottest and best choices. Popular foods sometimes run out and they may or may not replenish the supply. Breakfast was good and I especially enjoyed watching the "egg man chef" cook up any kind of egg dish you asked for on the hot plate. Lunch and dinner were also good and I usually waited for the grill chef to give me a piece of whatever meat or fish he was grilling. If you only eat beef, then you will be disappointed because the beef they served was either tough, fatty, or full of nerves and tendons. The chicken, pork and seafood dishes were quite good. There was usually a good selection of side dishes although don't expect gourmet foods. I enjoyed the desert table. The fresh tropical fruits, pineapple,guava, mango as well as watermelon were great. There was usually 4 flavours of ice cream and I really enjoyed the coconut ice cream. We only saw two of the nightly shows but they were both very good. The first show we saw was synchronized swimmers in the pool and the second show we saw was a choreographed dancing performance at the outdoor theatre. There are also plenty of places nearby to go out at night within walking distance such as Havana Club, The Beatles Bar and Calle 62 just to name a few. The noisy pool was where most of the younger, single people hung out during the day. This pool has a swim up bar on one end and a volleyball net across the other end for playing pool volleyball. A DJ plays loud music there until 5pm. There are plenty of lounging chairs surrounding both pools. Towel service is available although I didn't use it. It looked like a great place for single people to chill. I did not use any of the pools because I go to Cuba for the beach and the ocean. The beach is a 3 to 4 minute walk from the hotel depending on where your room is on the property. The beach is beautiful white sand with turquoise water. The beach looks like something you would see in a postcard or a travel brochure. The Ocean water is lukewarm and very inviting. I miss the beach already. A DJ plays Cuban and American music on the beach, as well as conducting salsa lessons, and morning stretching. The beach bar is very convenient and serves snacks between noon and 5pm. The selection at the beach snack bar is limited to ham and cheese sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers and French fries. Our kids enjoyed these snacks at the beach. There is also a bathroom next to the beach snack bar. Overall, it was an enjoyable experience and I would recommend this hotel to anyone on a tight budget. You will get your money's worth at Palma Real.

Palma Real: Very good

V. Good location , close to good live music , good kitesurfing spot,to many guest, not enough people to serve, you,same times short of food ,glades , you need to tips , if you want to get good service.

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: Ok resort

Resort had major towel problem, no hand towels. Only left one beer per day in our fridge...for two adults! Had to call and request water each day. Room was very nice. Ala carts were good.night entertainment was very good.

Occidental Arenas Blancas: Good Resort

The hotel was pretty old, was clean, had to get bath towels a couple of times. not sure why they didn't replace them with clean ones. The toilet seat was sliding from side to side when you sat on it, I'm a plumber just a poor design. The grounds were well maintained . The staff were very friendly and kind. The beaches were the best I've been on, World class. Lot of things to do during the day.

Hotel Los Cactus: Great vacation

We had been to this resort in 98 and loved it then. We loved it all over again. Not too big, clean, friendly staff and good food and drinks. The beach is fabulous will go back. The only thing that would have made it better would have been better water pressure in the shower.

Los Delfines: Great location, room, service and food.

Just got back from 12 days, great vacation, best food I have had in Cuba. The staff were all lovely, room service excellent. Entertainment was good, would like to see more activities during the day maybe some dancing lessons, Spanish lessons. Lots of good fun, small hotel. great location. No complaints value amazing.

Hotel Villa Cuba: Excellent value for the money!

Was absolutely surprised by the tasty dishes we had. I expected bland food as we're used to in previous experiences (resorts in Cayo Largo, Cayo Santa Maria & Brisas del Caribe also in Varadero). This one had ketchup, mayo, mustard (missing in some resorts). I had low expectations but I was pleasantly surprised by everything. Of course, it's not a brand new resort, you do see some signs of wear and tear and there is a repugnant smell that emanates from the hotel complex on your way to your room [... read more] from the elevator, but it doesn't last very long. There is no swim up bar but the pool bar is literally next to the pool so what's 5-10 steps to get a drink, right? There is no beach bar on the beach so you do have to walk about a minute or two to go to their "beach" bar which also serves bbq lunches (love the grilled meats and sides). Overall, it was a great experience. Calm beach on the first few days then we got some waves toward the end of our trip. It was awesome! Great weather too Mar 23-27 (after March Break).

Hotel Los Cactus: Beautiful Resort

This older resort with gorgeous mature vegetation had a comfortable feel the minute we arrived. The staff is friendly and helpful. I am not celiac but have to eat a gluten free diet. I had no problem finding food at the buffet and the restaurants had choices without gluten. I am not a pool person. I thoroughly enjoyed the amazing beach everyday for two weeks. There seemed to be a few free beach chairs everyday no matter what time people arrived. We went early and stayed all day most days. My hus [... read more]band enjoyed the golfing.

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Great Resort don't be afraid to book it

The resort is very nicely set up and everything is close be. Very clean but it could do with some upgrades in the rooms and the buffet. However with this said for Cuba it's a pretty good hotel. I would recommend that that get better beach chairs because the plastic chairs are hard to sit in all day if you are a beach person. Food was ok. Always found something and there is always pizza and pasta made for you. coffee was excellent and the drinks in the lobby were good especially the mojitos Ent [... read more]ertainment is pretty good we especially enjoyed the music by the pool in the evenings. The rooms were clean on time every day. A couple of days they were short on towels but not a big issue as we just made do with the hand towels. Just have to remember that this is Cuba. Just go with an open mind and you will enjoy it.

Hotel Tuxpan: So-so resort.... but Varadero has a beauty beach!!

This hotel/resort was mediocre at best. My biggest complaints are with the food, and the drinks. The food is not good...the best thing we had was some turkey at the buffet one night, and omelettes in the morning, and the rest was awful. We tried each a la carte restaurant and they were worse than the buffet, but the service was very good there, constantly refilling the wine, and being very attentive to us. The drinks were inconsistent. Some bars had some, others didn't. Getting a drink was like  [... read more]spinning the wheel. Mojitos at the beach bar, rum punch at the lobby bar. If we found a place to get a decent drink one day we stuck to it. The room was sufficient, but a little sketchy looking, and very dated. The beds were fine, we saw a lot of complaints on the bed before going but they are okay. We had to switch rooms because the air conditioning was broken, and we got a much lesser room, but it was "all they had", and sleeping without a/c is not okay. Despite the resort, we spent most of our time on the beautiful beach. Varadero beach is amazing!!

Blau Varadero: Great Vacation

My husband and I really enjoyed our week at the Blau Varadero. The pool is very nice as well as the beach, the only issue with both and it's not the Blau's fault is the fact that people "reserve" loungers even though the hotel has posted not to do so. The other little issue was the fact that the elevators were constantly not working for one reason or another which makes the trip up to the higher floors very challenging at times. The staff were all very nice and always greeted us with a smile and [... read more] a "Hola"! We would have liked to stay a little bit longer - maybe next time! Thank you

Resonance Blu Varadero: Fun for all ages!!

The hotel is laid out very nicely. Lobby at the front with the quiet pool directly in front of it. We stayed in building 22 and it was a nice quiet area, close to lobby and quiet pool but far from beach. The staff were amazing, so friendly, went out of their way for anything you needed especially the quiet pool bartender who would run to the lobby for champagne for me upon request...sweetheart :) the cuban culture and staff are so appreciative that only a few small gifts (toiletries, candy, chil [... read more]dren and adult sized clothing, 1 peso etc.) and they were over the moon and made sure you had plenty of bottled water and clean towels when they had them. There are a few downsides to this resort (but i've learned it's just this way in cuba due to the communism) is that the resort did not have fresh beach towels daily and often wasn't until the afternoon. The beds very uncomfortable. A/C in the rooms worked very well. The activity pool became very loud, obnoxious, repetitive with the music and activities were the same thing every day. We only spent time at this pool because it was the one that had the waterslide for the kids and we could not get away with the walk to the beach without a stop off for a slide. The slide structure Looked like the bolts needed tightening but the resort did not seem to have those kinds of maintenance people on hand so again you have to sort of turn a blind eye to these kinds of things. The a la cartes were disappointing. They are trying hard to present a nice meal but the food just is not up to par for an ala carte. The buffet is much better and defintely embrace the cultural foods and you'll be set..don't count on a good hamburger or anything and you'll be fine. the fish is very well done and selection was amazing with a different themed country every day/night. beaches were nice, very little seaweed, warm clear water, small waves. 24 hour money exchange made it very convenient to change money over when you needed it right at the resort...awesome! Gift shop prices were not overinflated and very fair. Overall the resort was definitely a 4 star again the biggest thing i would say not happy with was the sharing of the waterslide pool with the younger louder crowd but perhaps if i was part of the younger louder crowd i would probably care less..it would have been a very fun resort for that crowd i'm sure. I would return to this resort and recommend it. Quiet area ask for a room in the 20's buildings, louder areas close to theater ask for a room in the 30's and then close to beach but far from lobby ask for the 40's. Bring small gifts and clothing for the staff. Excursion to downtown veradero very safe, worth the money and got all our sovenirs for cheap.

Hotel Bella Costa: Fun Resort everything is right there in the Resort

The staff from the Lobby , cleaning & kitchen , dining Buffet , verything nice & clean, very friendly !! Amazing Entertainment every nite , kudos to all the dancers ! Would have been much better had not me & my husband both got sick , couldn't really eat or drink at all , so much for all inclusive !! :-(( Don't travel without Immodium !!!

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: Amazing Resort!!!

My husband and I went to this resort for a 25th anniversary getaway with 13 of our friends!! We had an awesome time!! They upgraded our room to the Privilege section, gave us a romantic lobster and beef supper in the restaurant of our choice and a huge breakfast brought to our room on the day of our choice. We found the service was excellent...from Miguel in the buffet room to Tatiana our maid. The staff was one of the reasons this trip was so enjoyable..from the woman at Mike's Cafe, the piano  [... read more]lounge, the beach staff and the buffet restaurant staff all contributed to an amazing time. Our Air Canada Vacations representative Osvaldo was very helpful and was a joy to talk to. We had a great excursion to Havana and did the Rum Tour and Cigar Tour...unfortunately it stormed like crazy in the middle of the day but still had a great experience and would recommend that tour. I will say we found this resort very clean, from the floors in the restaurants/lobby to the men working in the gardens I noticed everyday how clean everything was. I also wanted to point out there was never any issues with towels or beach towels, our maid replenished everyday and we never once had a problem with anything. The woman at the public relations were also great to deal with concerning the upgrades we got and the late check-out on our last day. I was concerned about the food going to Cuba for the first time but we enjoyed the food and had lots to chose from the main buffet and the beach buffet restaurant!! I would definitely recommend this resort and would love to go back with my older children!