Palma Real: Great trip. Excellent value.

This was our first trip to Cuba so we didn't know what to expect. We have stayed at numerous other resorts with various ratings. For the money, we got exactly what we expected during spring break. The grounds and pools are well kept and clean. The rooms are clean and the beds are comfortable. The AC works fine. The staff are friendly (but you need to remember to be friendly too! I witnessed numerous growly and otherwise over-privleged guests that were treating the staff really lousy. Of cour [... read more]se the treatment you get back can be curt). The housekeeping is great and the kitchen staff are good. Service in the buffet dining can be a little slow, but for the most part they are swamped. At some times in the day there are not enough staff to handle the numerous demands of the numerous guests. Regardless we were pleased. The food in Cuba isn't exactly gourmet. I tend to refer to it as "home cooking". You're not going to get filet mingnon and sushi. So don't go expecting it. The restaurant dinners were VERY good and the service is great - make a reservation if you can. And I definitely recommend the Cuban and International restaurants. The beach is one of the best I've ever seen. But don't be afraid to walk away to either side if you want quiet. The entertainment staff have salsa lessons and other avtivities and they can be loud. Play beach volleyball - it was awesome. The staff at the beach hut were wonderful! They are great at the bar and really fun. Beach food is good, they kept bringing out paella and burgers and fries (I'd avoid the hot dogs). Don't listen to stories about bland food or no sauces or lame ketchup. Their ketchup is fine, they have hot sauces available! Be willing to try and taste new things! Don't be stuck up! =) The entertainment staff were really good too. Look for Alberto! The two evening shows we saw were great, there is a lot of musical talent in Cuba. The other GUESTS were what made the trip a little lousy. We were expecting to have a more subdued trip (We're Canadian, and pardon our prejudice, but we were happy to see no loud Americans) but the idiotic younger girls from PQ and rednecks from ON and rude Russians were just too much for us. This trip renewed my faith in our American cousins. I'll take a trip to Cancun with loud Americans any day, given that the other gueses in this hotel were waking us up at 5:AM shouting and even fighting in the hallway. The Newfoundlanders and guests from Spain were AWESOME! The other hotels right nearby were a little more expensive. I WOULD come back to Palma Real some time in the future. This is good value for the money. Next time we will save up a while longer and visit a more "upscale" hotel.

Muthu Playa Varadero: OK resort.

Had asked for room close to beach, but the room was quite a walk, and I have a walking disability. Not pleased. They had no wheelchairs or handicapped assistance other than ramps to their main lobby and buffet. Buffet very repetitious and food was just ok.

Villa Tortuga: adequate

the room we had smelled of the sewar and urine..fortunately everything in the room worked fine. The staff were friendly. Food was poor. Close to the beach. and close to the town. used the bicycles, tennis courts, ping pong, and the gym. also used the kayaks.

Muthu Playa Varadero: Overall very good for a four star in Cuba

The rooms were clean and everything worked. The food was average for Cuba but the beach BBQ for lunch was wonderful. The staff were friendly regardless of the tips. Beach was breath taking. Overall all a good experience.

Royalton Hicacos Resort and Spa: Fabulous Resort

This was our 8th time to this particular resort. Excellent food, superb nightly entertainment, very clean and staff were very friendly and helpful. Resort grounds and foliage were very well kept. Will definitely be back for our 9th vacation!!!

Roc Barlovento: Decent food and friendly environment!

Location of this resort is fantastic - it's easy walk to markets, the downtown and the hop on and off bus. The food was quite good and no complaints overall. The pools and the beach are well maintained and clean. Rooms are dated but in the process of being renewed. Having been to other resorts, we came here not expecting too much, but were very pleasantly surprised, and might actually come again.

Club Karey: Simple. Basic

It is a simple 2 stars hotel. You'll get what you paid. Not a gourmet experience. Quiet and peaceful. People at service is nice. Beach is ok and offers snorkelling a few feet from shore. You can also do basic fishing.

Hotel Los Cactus: Cuba Love

Spent March 13-20 at Breezes Varadero and had a fantastic time! The hotel itself is a little tired and desperately in need of a coat of paint, which included our hotel room. I found our room dirty - nothing the cleaning staff could do would make it better - it needs a reno. Shelf in shower falling down, stained mirrors, floors and counter tops. Luckily we did not need to spend much time in our room Spoke to other guests and their rooms were nothing like ours. Hotel has renovated some rooms, the  [... read more]ones closer to the disco, I think. We were in building D. I was a disappointed with the room considering I was there for my 50th birthday - which we told our travel agent - and still was put into a very dirty room. Hotel was full - there was no moving. That said, we still had a fantastic time! The weather was perfect - hot and sunny everyday and we spent everyday on the beautiful beach, it was heaven. We spent our evenings on the patio of the Lobby Bar. We met so many lovely people - it was a lot of fun. You may notice I haven't mentioned the food - no need. This is Cuba. You do not come for the food. The grill by the beach which was run by the grill master Carlos was great. Don't think it was so much the burgers and hot dogs as it was Carlos - he was great. They also had 1 beach bbq for lunch one day, I really enjoyed that. We ate lunch everyday on the beach, as it should be! On our last night we did go into Varadero City to a restaurant called The Waco Club. The food was fantastic and very reasonably priced. I would highly recommend the restaurant to anyone who need a break for the resort food. I would also recommend The Beatles Bar in Varadero City - no cover - outdoor show - Cuban bands covering great Rock 'n Roll Music. A great time!!! Would also like to mention the one day tour into Havana. A must do if you have never been there before. Our Transat representative booked it for us with a company called Cubatur. Our guide Raffy was FANTASTIC! He taught us so much about his country and people we came home with a much better understanding and appreciation for Cuba and it's wonderful people. Staff at the hotel were friendly and helpful. I wasn't impressed with the pool area which is ok, my husband and I are beach people. All in all, we love Cuba, we loved the beach and the night life but did not love the hotel. But we did meet many people who return year after year....their rooms were much nicer than ours. I want to recommend this hotel - fight for a nicer room.

Resonance Blu Varadero: Average.

Resort was beautiful but very large so be prepared to do lots of walking. Relatively close to the airport. Food was what is expected in Cuba. There was always a lot available but sometimes the lines are a little long. Lady who makes omelettes was the most friendly. Bring peanut butter, ketchup, hot sauce etc. Staff were friendly and usually helpful. They do expect to be tipped though. We tipped regularly and received great service. We travelled on March Break when there were a bunch of "S-tri [... read more]ps" going on which meant there were a lot of teenagers drinking on the resort. I'd recommend not travelling on March break.

Hotel Bella Costa: Great first time in Cuba

Our room was perfect for our family...except for the ant infestation and not sure what bugs I washed out with hot water in our shower. Wasn't a big deal. Enjoyed the food. The staff were hospitable our cleaning lady was awesome.

Melia Marina Varadero: Great vacation option for the right people;)

We had an incredible time at the movie at Marina Varadero apartments and the flexibility that the European plan offered to our family was wonderful. We read about five hours of reviews beforehand and packed a lot of dried goods with us. This plan will work for you if you are aware that the selection of food is nothing like what we have at home but there are lots of options like eating in great restaurants in town or cooking something simple in your unit. There is also the option to purchase all  [... read more]inclusive day passes for the resort at 42 CUC per adult (half for kids). We enjoyed all of the walking that comes with staying at this place ...for example popping out to the store about 10 minutes each way to go and get some milk/coke for our Ron or to check at the café to see if they had any fresh bread. The apartment was beautiful with a few little quirks that we didn't even bother to complain about because who wants to complain on vacation? There is a small pool 2 to 3 times the size of the backyard pool at the apartments which we loved and the beach is breathtaking, but a good 15 min walk away - we never had any trouble finding four lounge chairs in the shade no need to head out early in the morning to reserve a spot! We had a fabulous vacation and will definitely return;)

Grand Memories Varadero: Pleasantly surprised!!

After reading many terrible reviews, my boyfriend and I weren't too sure if we had picked the right resort for our march break getaway. All I can say is, we did not encounter any of the problems that we read in any of those reviews! We were very pleasantly surprised. Arriving at the resort, the check-in was very quick and we requested to upgrade our room and this was done without a problem and for a little cost (we went from building 15 to building 24 which is ocean view). The employee at the fr [... read more]ont desk exchanged money for us because we only had canadian currency and the bank at the resort was closed; so right from the get go we were impressed. As for the grouonds of the resort, they were beautifully maintained, flowers everywhere and men working all day and night to keep it looking nice and clean. The hotel itself (rooms, villas, lobby) were in pretty good shape. There were a few minor cracks in walls and cracked tiles but nothing that really changed the overall quality of the resort. Our room was always cleaned by our maid and we had fresh towels every single day. The lobby was always very busy (such a fun place to hangout at night) and the staff was so helpful, always asking if we wanted a drink or simply saying hello. We spent most of our days at the pool with the swim-up bar...this was the best part of the trip. This pool was always clean and full of people. The staff around the pool and the entertainement crew were so nice and so friendly. All the employees on this resort always seemed to be in the greatest mood! Of course, the beach was beautiful, very well-kept and clean. As for the food, we did not go to Cuba expecting to have amazing food. The breakfast was very good and lunch at the beach snack bar was great. Dinner was alright, somewhat bland but we could always find things to fill our plate. We read many reviews saying that people got sick from the food...we did not, we simply made sure not to eat any items that we did not know what they consisted of. You simply need to be careful. Overall, this resort was very nice and the staff was very friendly and we really don't have a single complaint. We would probably rate this hotel a 4 star, we have been to five star and this is not quite as nice but no complaints, and very happy with our stay. Out of the 5 times I have been the Cuba, this has been the nicest/best resort I have stayed at yet!

Melia Marina Varadero: Good Experience w Melia Marina

Very clean. Staff very friendly and helpful. Surprised though they didn't speak more english! The food was OK. Coffee was excellent! We stayed in the apartments which was nice as it was away from the crowded areas.

Gran Caribe Sun Beach: Average resort as we expected for 2.5 star.

The room we had was very clean and sufficient. The grounds were well kept. The dinning room table cloths need attention and should be changed when soiled. The food was as expected but very repetitive. Same old same old. Fish was excellent. Recommend only if they know what they are in for. It is a true 2.5 star. Staff need to be more friendly, found very few you appeared to enjoy what they were doing as well as their guests. It is the service industry after all and one should not be ignored while [... read more] staff chat up their friends. Location is very central to everything if that is what you want. Noise in the evening will probably keep you from sleeping sound but who sleeps on vacation anyway.

Punta Peninsula Varadero: The Resort was great people very friendly beautifu

The Hotel was excellent clean, food good , people great. Had great time beaches excellent. Travel accommodation was excellent. Rooms clean service good. service was great. weather perfect. IT was perfect had a great time

Melia Peninsula Varadero: 4 1/2 star...I don't think so Tim.

Patio Door had no locks Bathroom door would not shut No chairs in our room to sit on in room AC was noisy, couldn't sleep Food...meh. Should be rated 3 star, different expectations Luckily, we got to move when they were oversold

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Fantastic Resort!

This was our second stay at the Iberostar and it was amazing! Beautiful surroundings, wonderful people and an incredible beach. What more can you ask for. The food was decent as well. No complaints whatsoever. Plan on returning next year!

Muthu Playa Varadero: Bring your own towels!

We went for a family vacation on March Break, 6 of us (the kids were 17/18). The kids did not mind the hotel, but all agree we have been in much better. The rooms were "motel" like rooms. Made of wood, cheap and broken down. Bathroom was a mess. I wish I had complained and moved rooms. The linen never got changed for an entire week, and towels were the "new currency". We only got beach towels in day 4. Never changed either. The room towels were at a premium - had to give gifts to the maid to get [... read more] a towel. Laundry facilities were broken. Hidden gems - The resort was small - we loved this. Beach and pool were really close. The nightly entertainment was not bad. Don't expect Michael Jackson.... But they did have a fantastic rock band. The beach was awesome. The weather of course - perfect! So if you go for sand and sun - good place. If you wanted to throw in a little luxury - not the place to go to. Definitely would go back to Cuba - not this resort (unless it was free).

Grand Memories Varadero: Our Stay in the RIU Veredaro

Had to wait till the very last minute to get our room, not 2:00, not 3:00, not even 3:30, no it was right on 4:00. Sat around the hotel from 11:30ish to 4:00 to get our room. Room was damp and musty smelling. There was always chairs available at the pool. And the weather was fantastic for sitting around the pool. Buffet never opened on time and the food was always cold. (Unless you had fresh pasta made) which I ate lunch and dinner most days.

Grand Memories Varadero: Decent Resort

The resort has a nice layout with pretty features and clean overall, however it is a bit run down. Also towels did not always get changed everyday and lots of line ups from waiting for food at the snack bar to making restaurant reservations, exchanging $$, etc. A bit disappointing was that the guests "hogged" beach/pool chairs even though the chairs weren't used, towels took their spots. Should be a rule not to be able to hog chairs if away for 1 hour or longer. Some of the staff expected tips b [... read more]efore they would pleasantly do their jobs with a smile. However, there were some staff who seemed to enjoy their job and being around people. They made our day! Piano bar was great at night to enjoy listening to with our friends. Before our trip, we did some research and knew to expect some of the downfalls of this hotel so we just took it easy and did not sweat the little stuff.