Melia Las Americas: Melia Las Americas

Cuba is one of our favourite destination in winter. Melià Las Americas in Varadero is our choice hotel for those holidays. It feels homey with it’s large lobby newly decorated with style, embellished with striking flower arrangements positioned artistically around the place. The marble floor terrace adjacent leads to a very wide wooden staircase descending directly on the beach and to the sea. We’ve had superb Cappuccinos sitting around it with other guests while admiring the view. Since  [... read more]golf is a priority with our couple and the hotel sits right on the golf course we like to stay for several weeks at a time. The golf course is pleasant enough with the 16th hole being a real challenge. The hotel site is perfect, the beach invitational, the ocean spectacular and the adult clientele very respectful and well behaved. Most are Europeans, British , South Americans with some Canadians, like us, mingling nicely with them. Contrary to popular beliefs about Cuban cuisine in the complexes, the food at Las Americas is very good and sometimes exceptional . There is always a variety of fruits and vegetables to choose from along with cheeses, cold meats and salads of course. The meat, fish and eggs are cooked on a grill to the client’s specifications. There are all sorts of condiments available for those who wish to add extra flavour to their meals. The wine is surprisingly pleasant both red and white. Chilean I’ve been told. I drank champagne most of the time. Could be sparkling wine but it is very good and served in flutes which I appreciated. My husband enjoys Crystal beer. The rooms are large nicely decorated and clean and all have access to a balcony or small patio. About the restaurants; At La Terraza we are greeted by the Director/ Manager of the hotel himself, accompanied by the Chef and the Director of the main dining-room, while the hostesses graciously offer us champagne. It adds a nice touch to an already delightful and convivial atmosphere. Il Limoncello the Italian restaurant is decent enough. We ate there once. It used to be open at noon which was nice for pizza and salads on its veranda which overlooks the sea. Sakura, the Japanese restaurant, is worth a visit if only to watch the Chef cook Japanise style. Arcada is my favourite because of the decoration, the festive atmosphere, the music and the service which is grandiose. It’s a place to dress up for and it feels like a real night out on the town. We like to eat lobster in this restaurant. Could be Langoustine but… It is very good. The staff at the hotel is professional and generally affable. They are appreciative when a few Spanish words are spoken. But all speak several languages sometimes surprisingly well. Some attendants deserve more praise than others but generally speaking the staff is attentive to the client’ needs. Senor Rafaël director of the main dining-room is generous with his time and goes out of his way to make us feel well taken care of. I like that he sometimes walks clients to their table and pulls the chair for ladies. Nancy I admire for standing for hours serving Crêpes Suzette in the dining-room; I wish someone would provide a stool for her to lean on. Irmalita at La Robleza is charming and diligent. Her memory is exceptional . La Robleza is the place to eat for lunch as it is close to the pools and the beach. The “calamores” are superb and the sea food night is out of this world so I have been told as I missed it. Angela who takes reservation for tours and restaurants is so very helpful. She speaks many languages and goes out of her way to accommodate everyone. I wonder how many hours she works as she seems to always be at her desk. I attended all the Yoga classes on a great terrace overlooking the sea and with the blue sky as a roof. This place is very conducive to meditation. My husband came along some of the time. The instructors are knowledgeable and dedicated. Lazarus has a gift for adapting his method to the students and individualizing his teaching which I found remarkable. The doctor’s office is next to this place so I meet the nurse and the doctor. I experienced first hand their dedication and professionalism. Both women always acknowledged our presence on the vicinity and we felt reassured that there was someone to turn to if needed. And last but not least is Ariel . He is a facilitator for entertainment. We saw him on the beach mostly but he is busy all over the complex at all times. He works with enthusiasm even after more than 10 yrs. on the job and is fluent in at least 4 languages that I can decipher. We can tell when it’s his shift on the beach. His karma transpires. The night entertainment is nice. We did not see all the shows as we mostly stay in the lobby with friends at night and usually retired early. The main addition to Melià Las Americas which we already loved is the Director/Manager M. Bernard Meyer. It’s obvious he has things well in hand and the changes brought about by his presence are significant. My husband thinks he has the gift of ubiquity . Under his management the hotel is getting a serious facelift and is on it’s way to become a world first class hotel.

Hotel Bella Costa: a nice small resort

it was easy to get around. good for peoople who don't like to walk too much.our trans-at rep was very good. the tour we took into havana was an eye opener.flying out of hamilton is wonderful.it was our friends first trip, they loved everything.

Muthu Playa Varadero: It was a good resort and more safe and secure.

nice and clean it was well organized but somebody need take care of this hotel. improving with new technology like internet phone that every body should be happy for about all of that and easy to contact with their family in case of emergency.

Starfish Jibacoa: Great Location

We had a very nice stay at the Villas Jibacoa. We chose this Hotel for three very specific reasons:the snorkeling, the hiking, and the proximity to Havana. All of these things were excellent. The snorkeling was amazing with lots of coral and some very interesting fish. The trail up the mountain behind the resort took us to a beautiful look off and led us down to a nice farm. We were able to rent a taxi and go into a Havana for a day for a very reasonable rate and had a wonderful time. The resor [... read more]t was nicely landscaped, has a nice beach, and a nice pool. The rooms were basic, clean and comfortable but the mattresses were on the thin side. The buffet was small with limited variety and the food was often warm not hot. Service was hit and miss. The A La Carte offered a very nice meal. This was our 5th trip to Cuba and we found many staff to be less friendly than other resorts.

Occidental Arenas Blancas: Very disappointed.

Hotel is very run down. We were on the third floor. Was not clean. The doors are very dirty and falling apart. The grounds were o'k. The pools are beautiful well kept. We were supposed to get a superior ocean view room, did not get it. Got one overlooking pool.The sheets on bed were very dirty when we arrived. The room maids need to go through retraining for cleaning.Dust was thick on headboard.I could go on and on. Took pictures. Rating was mostly for cleanliness of third floor and for hotel be [... read more]ing run down.Have stayed in different hotel 2 years ago and it was terrific expected the same here. Sadly No.

Starfish Jibacoa: Relaxing Place

Beautiful grounds - not over developed, very long beach with excellent snorkeling just a short swim out. Very friendly staff and good buffet. A couple of great restaurants just off the site within an easy walk. Quiet place not for those looking for a big party.

Brisas Del Caribe: Very restful resort.

My husband and I and two other couples stayed at this resort for two weeks, the second and third week of February, 2015. We have been travelling for ten years and this was our third trip to Cuba. The grounds around the resort were very well kept up, as were the bridges around the bird ponds. Many, many perfect places to take pictures!! The inside of the resort reception area was being overhauled and it would have been great to see it when it was done. The a la cartes are a must!! They were aweso [... read more]me. Breakfast buffet was very slow, not even a toaster! The one man that was making the eggs and omelettes worked with a smile and was very pleasant. You don't really mind waiting a bit because you were entertained with his bantering, jokes and noise effects. Our rooms served their purpose for sleeping, although our mattress was more tired than we were. They were very clean and the maids were very good, especially using their imagination in towel art! They always made us smile. The beach area was fantastic but mostly old chairs and many broken ones. It was very clean and the ocean great. Also many shade huts!! I realize that this is Cuba, but my one complaint is very few if any TOILET SEATS !!! For travelers in their 50's and older, many have knee and hip replacements or just feel the need to sit and do their business, not hang!! Lets face it, we go for the warm weather but some conveniences are a must!

Punta Peninsula Varadero: Windy Beach and Sand Fleas

Located end of Varadero and extremely large property.Buffet restaurant and bars too small for 900+ guests. No toilet seat in Handicapped bathroom and often public bathrooms dirty & no toilet paper.Coffee at buffet self-serve, only available at breakfast. Food decent, insufficient serving utensils.Little interaction with staff other than Nancy at Customer Service who was excellent.

Starfish Cuatro Palmas: Best Beach & Location of all the hotels

This place has place has the best beach in Varadero. The food has improved since last year, and the service has been wonderful. We will definitely return to this hotel, and recommend it to others. We have met several people who have been coming back to this hotel for more than two decades. That has to tell you something about this place.

Roc Arenas Doradas: Good price, good resort

The staff were pleasant, the accomodations were suitable. This was my first time in Cuba and think it unfair to compare to Mexico or other more commercialized beach destinations. The resort food was better than I had expected. The staff were great, the layout was nice and the beach was beautiful. I would recommend the place to others but I am likely to stay closer to Varadero on my next trip to Cuba.

Hotel Bella Costa: Showing it age

The villas are getting run down and showing its age . I have been to Cuba before and found the food acceptable and usually likabale ,not so much this time very disappointed ,the service was good including the cleaning staff and bar attends . I think that that rating of 4 star is a stretch .

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: Beautiful resort, poorly managed

The hotel grounds, public areas and rooms were amazing except for the beach sand that seemed polluted by the nearby building site. There was a variety of bars and restaurants with outstanding interior design. Everything was very classy and created the right ambience for a perfect vacation. The evening entertainment was at a very high level, absolute top class performance. The food in the main restaurant’s buffet was also very good. Most of the personnel was very friendly and hardworking. Howe [... read more]ver, I would not recommend this resort as there seemed to be some scams going on that ruined the entire pleasure of our stay. It is a pity that the efforts and hard labour of so many goes to waste because of the fraudulent activities of a few. For instance, there seemed to be a scheme with the beach towels. Ours disappeared on day 1 from the beach chaise-longues and after multiple negotiations, we were graciously allowed to pay 15CUC for one towel only, as the other one was miraculously found (of course on the day of our departure). We could have taken advantage of their generous offer to get other towels against a deposit but we did not want to take the risk of paying for 4 towels at such an outrageous price and exchange rate of 0.72 cents for a CAD. I am not sure if the foreign management is at all allowed to influence the recruitment process or make any personnel changes but if at all possible, these should be investigated. In addition to that, we also booked a trip to Havana only to find out that the tour guide was mostly focussed on taking us to those places where he gets commission from. We have been to Cuba before and we have always had a wonderful time there. We really hope this time it was just a bad luck and not an overall tendency.

Hotel Bella Costa: Great vacation

Great vacation all round. Clean comfortable accommodation, friendly attentive staff, perfect beach. The beach was amazing! Warm tranquil and crystal clear waters. White powdery sand :) The food was decent and there was always enjoyable selections. Very good value.

Grand Memories Varadero: Great resort!

The resort was really big! The hotel staff were so friendly it made the stay better. I liked that they had two buffets because the resort was so big. The pools were amazing, one of the pools had a waterfall! The only thing I did not like was the beach was on the other side of the report it was a 15 minute walk. The repsort was great! Would definitely go back.

Hotel Bella Costa: Resort

Grounds were fair Some areas not too clean Food was average Staff were good Rooms need repair Windows need repair Entertainmemt was average Beach chairs as well as deck chairs need cleaning and repair

Punta Peninsula Varadero: Good resort

Rooms was OK but walls were not quite clean, bathtub was dirty. I asked room attendant to clean it and gave her a tip. She took a tip but didn't do anything. It was very windy all 7 days - sand penetrated everywhere

Punta Peninsula Varadero: Good resort for Cuba

We stayed at the Blau marina varadero march 6-13/2015. I had read a lot of negative reviews prior to going which made me very nervous. For the most part I would say most of it was not true. The resort is very large so depending on your wants there are a lot of options... The main pool with water slide is where the action is:) so if that's what your into I would recommend staying in blocks 10-14 ( 11 and 12) are best) if you prefer a quiet vacation you can enjoy one of the other 2 pools. Pros- fo [... read more]od was good( pizza at the light house... Be prepared to wait),nice people, great beach, pools big and clean. Cons-washrooms (could be cleaner and better maintained) , rooms are just ok , no place to swim... All pools are waist deep ( good for little ones), the beach and pool bars are good for beer and basic drinks but if you want something different you need to go to the lobby bar, towels not always available. yes, I would return to this resort:)

Los Delfines: Something for everyone!

The Resort was overall very well maintained, especially the landscaping. There was a good variety of food and fresh fruit and vegetables for the meals. There was an upbeat feeling with the music and Entertainment for the young people. The Staff was wonderful! We made some great friendships with all ages. The only problem we had was that there was NO internet in the resort and we had to walk about a Kilometer in either direction and then wait in line for an available computer. This may not be a p [... read more]riority for many people. The resort is located in the central area of Varadero with lots of restaurants and craft vendors to see nearby.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Beautiful adults only resort

This is a beautiful, clean, well maintained, quiet resort with friendly, attentive and helpful staff. We have stayed on the regular side as well as Royal Service and been happy with both. Royal Service side is fairly new with less developed gardens and trees and is very quiet, but the food at breakfast and lunch buffet is excellent; a la carte supper not so great, as with all a la carte restaurants; oceanfront room was spacious and beautiful with a wall of windows and a huge Jacuzzi tub with vie [... read more]w of ocean; service was extremely attentive with follow-up calls to all requests to make sure they had been fulfilled and we were happy. Lots of cots on beach at all hours. Beautiful long beach for walking; great swimming. Because Royal side was quiet we often spent time at regular side pool for colour, music and activity. Previous visits to regular side provided bright clean rooms and friendly staff. Food at main dining room varies from year to year from quite good to okay - always lots of fresh grilled fish and meats, salads and good cheeses and breads and desserts. Great Cuban coffee in lovely open air main lobby and bar. Use bug spray in evenings for mosquitos!

Oasis Islazul: do noy go to this resort

where to start well if your get a room with a toilet seat and it will flush you are lucky. then our room flooded twice and it took them 7 days to put use in another room and the patio door wouldn't close all the way and we had $250,00 dollars stolen out of our suit case the safes never work they can't find keys to fit them. the food is cold breakfast was the best meal all day because they cooked the eggs the way you wanted them. the beach and the pool was nice. they treat you very poorly when yo [... read more]u complain they will not wait on you. people next to use also lost money too and one had a $700.00 dollar cell phone stolen. when we called the police they do not speak English so you don't know what they are saying. when we stayed at a 2 star before the room was nice and we had no problems with the food. if you book here be prepared for continuous pluged sink and toilet. learn to shave and brush your teeth in the shower if it works. .if you are looking for looking for a stress filled disapointing vacation this is the book here..