Starfish Varadero: The hotel and grounds for age are very good,

Very good location. Hotel very clean and very well looked after. Grounds are spectacular and very, very well looked after. Entertainment little too laud. Food ok. Front desk people very efficient and helpful. Restaurants staff ? The food ? A la carts restaurants service great, but food bad.

Grand Memories Varadero: Would not recommend

Half the of toilets and sinks weren't working. Usually no hot water in mornings. Not up to the standards of a RIU. Heard the resort has been sold and it seems they are just letting it go, no repairs being done. Ran out of food and drinks. Could not get bottled water.Very disappointing.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Beautiful resort & grounds but under staffed

The resort is the nicest in Cuba but as usual under staffed. Which means slow service Replenishing supplies like paper towels in the bathroom or straws at the restaurants and bars was hit & miss. Otherwise a beautiful resort but run a little poorly.

Muthu Playa Varadero: Fantastic

Over all a great place to stay. Close to Varadero great beach and pool area. Staff are friendly at the bar and at the desk. Only one problem had to wait until 5 PM for the room when I arrived at the hotel at 2PM

Resonance Blu Varadero: Wonderful time

My 9 year old son and I stayed here early February and had a blast! There's no shortage of activities and the staff is very friendly. Room was clean and the food was better than expected. Can't wait to go again

Blau Varadero: Great trip for group of family & friends!

Overall fantastic resort, great service. Two things it lost marks for with us was that the pool was cold and the mattresses were uncomfortable. The wonderful beach and great food made up for those two small complaints!

Melia Las Americas: It's what your braclet says

We found that if you were a repeater guest you got first class service if your first time their you are treated like a outsider the funny thing we have spent 20,000 in this resort and braclets the same from the first

Hotel Bella Costa: Very good resort!

I've been traveling for over 20 years all over Mexico and the carribean an Cuba four times. Bella costa was by far my favorite varadero stay!!!! It is a great location and I love the layout of the hotel. It's old but very clean and great food, for real!!!! I recommend this hotel because of the staff, location, beach and food and the LOVELY live bands that play in the lobby in the evening ... Wonderful!!!

Melia Peninsula Varadero: Melia Peninsula Varadero - beautiful

We just returned from our first trip to Cuba - Varadero. The staff at this resort were amazing, everyone is only to happy to make sure you have a great vacation. Smiles, service and a great attitude. The grounds were immaculately groomed and the pools were clean and spotless. The beach is gorgeous - clear and turquoise waters. Food was very good - although most might expect to have everything "just like home" - that will not be the case. Both the buffet and the a la carte restaurants have a wide [... read more] variety of food, cooked to satisfaction. Enjoy the culture! We paid extra for the Elegance club and I am not sure that is necessary, other than the bottle of rum and a robe. The room was clean and well appointed.

Melia Marina Varadero: Great for families!

As a family of five, we're always challenged to find all-inclusive resorts that can house all of us in one room. The Melia Marina was a perfect compromise. We spent a week in the Melia Marina Apartments (about 5-10 minutes' walk from the hotel/resort), and were upgraded from a 2-bedroom to a 3-bedroom on arrival - without even asking. It had three full bathrooms, was every bit as bright and lovely as it appears in pictures, and was larger than the main floor of our house! Apartments vs hotel: W [... read more]anting the no-hassle experience of an all-inclusive, we opted to buy day pass wristbands for the hotel, which gives you access to unlimited food and drinks at the hotel (not the apartments), the hotel pool, beach, kids program and gym. I should note that you can't get a weekly pass; you need to go down each morning for a new wristband, so expect it to take 5-10 minutes each morning. They're pleasant, but not quick! Also for 2 adults and 3 children under 12, budget an extra 150 USD per day for this. Food: Everyone talks about food in Cuba, so here's our take. It was our third time in Cuba, so we were expecting basic fare. It was definitely the usual assortment, but we were surprised by the quality and quantity at the buffet. Good selection of everything, and the made-for-you pasta station was exceptional. (Sometimes a long line, but delicious.) The kids also learned to ask for banana pancakes at the griddle in the morning. Delicious... but, again, expect to wait in line. Kids program: We've never bothered with the kids program at other resorts, because they seem very isolated from the action. Not so at the Melia Marina. On day three, the kids program staff actually came to the pool to 'recruit' kids, and the kids' facilities are just off the pool area, so they can pretty much come and go as they please. It also provides indoor space to do crafts or play games out of the sun. They take the kids to the buffet for lunch (there's also a poolside outdoor cafe that's great), host a mini-disco for them many evenings, and even have one night when they host a kids dinner - giving parents a nice evening for quiet dinner alone. If you're a worrier, you may find their approach a bit lax, but we're fairly laid back, so it worked for us. All in all, if you don't mind a bit of walk from your room to the pool/beach, you like a relaxed family-friendly atmosphere, and you're just looking for a week to chill out in the sun, this is a perfect spot. We had a great week!

Muthu Playa Varadero: stay away!!!!

This hotel is terrible! Don't waste your money on Playa D'Oro. The beds are hard and wrapped in rubber, bathroom floods when you have a shower (we were lucky...some people had the whole hotel room flood), and the air conditioner cannot be adjusted...you have to turn it on and off by using the breaker panel. We complained for 4 days to get the broken shower head replaced to staff and the Sunwing rep. They say you can find something to eat when there is not much selection...I ate raw pork, raw chi [... read more]cken, raw eggs, and raw rice. I ended up eating cookies. I was on antibiotics when I got back to Canada. Drinks were beer, a green slushie, a white slushie or orange juice with rum. There was no customer service. I spoke with the manager at the front desk about the waiter in the buffet tieing the back doors shut. If there was a fire 300 people would not be able to get out. She was rude. She said if there was a fire he would unlock the door. Then she asked for my room number. I would not give it to her. The room card that opens the door also opens your safe. There was garbage everywhere because of a lack of garbage cans and staff to clean up. I have travelled to Cuba before and did not have this experience. I have travelled to Puerto Vallarta, Costa Rica, Cozumel, Mayan Riviera, Cancun, Haiti, Dominican Republic and although not perfect, I have never complained. This was a terrible resort and I was ripped off for what should have been a week of relaxation!

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: Tipical Cuba

Must say I expected a little more from this place seeing as it is so new & 5 star. Rooms were nice staff was awesome and the overall vibe of the resort was very friendly, met lots of great people. Food was a little disappointing but you don't go to Cuba for the food right? I would stay at this resort again if the price was right.

Muthu Playa Varadero: Relax, Enjoy the beach and dance!

Mercure playa D'Oro was a pleasant stay overall. The room was nice and clean with comfy beds. There was a big selection of food, so even the pickiest of eaters can find something they like. though I would recommend going to the breakfast/lunch/dinner around the time it starts to get the best picks. The Beach! the beach was amazing made me feel like I walked into a postcard, white sands very clean, don't need to worry about stepping on any rocks. I could just stay there all day. they also have ac [... read more]tivities and dancing classes on the beach. The location is near a bunch of other resorts but its about 5km to town and they offer a variety of trips, so there is always something to do if you like to explore.If you are going to Varadero or Havana I recommend bring some toilet paper with you, because the washrooms may not have it or you will be expected to pay/tip for it. The evening performances are amazing and a must see, very skilled dancers. The entertainment team in general are great and very friendly. As with the bars I recommend bringing your own beer mug because they give you the drink in a tiny plastic container and you have to go for refills sooner. Also I find that some of the bartenders will ignore you unless you have a tip for them every time. Overall it was an amazing experience and i would totally go back!

Grand Memories Varadero: Awesome vacation

The grounds were well kept. The lighting at night on the path to our room was poor. The room was very nice and very clean. The food was good. The a la carts were amazing. The staff friendly. Entertainment very good.

Punta Peninsula Varadero: Blau made my vacation memorable and amazing again

Well we stayed at Blau Marina Varadero from Jan 23rd until Feb 7th. From the check in, to the check out The staff was wonderfull. We stayed in a Oceanview Junior Suite. We lucked out we were in Block 16 (Adult Side) 3rd floor room 1642... from our balcony the View was Stunning, the adult beach, the Bright blue Ocean, the palm trees and just gorgeous. Only issue with my room was the air conditioning unit didn't always work but I am not there to complain, I never even told the front desk... I open [... read more]ed the door at night and left the sheers closed which gave me a beautiful breeze from the Ocean. Block 16 is Near the disco, near the beach, near the lobby, near 1 of many pool, near the 24hour snack bar... just a perfect location... There are many pools on the resort which are all beautiful, and they are spread out so that every area has their pool so no need to walk miles... The resort is made longer so pretty much every building is no more the 2 mins from the beach, this is truly a beach front Resort. The service in the lobby bar was amazing, a couple of the waiters that we made friends with were so good that we sometimes did not have time to sit at a table and the drinks were already there. The rooms were super clean, I have had no issues with cleanliness of my room and we were 4 rooms together and all the rooms were cleaned daily. The lobby had cleaners at all times and they were always going around doing floors, tables, bathrooms. Food, again I am not a fussy eater but the food at this resort BY FAR EXCEEDED all my expectations. The Buffet always had millions of amazing food, and some different things as well that you are sometimes willing to try... or not haha... out of all the A La CARTE restaurants I must say they were all good but the ITALIAN was SUPER Good, and they made you roll off the chairs as there was so much food... I gained 12lbs while away so if that tells you anything. Breakfast Buffet always had a huge selection of food and there are always 3 chefs at back counter as well making omelettes, eggs, pancakes, crepes and what not for you. Lunch buffet and supper buffet as well have 3-4 chefs at back counter where you can order certain things right then and the huge buffet selection to accompany. The disco is open Nightly until 1:30 AM, usually a pretty good time, gets busy around 12ish usually and all the way till close, then a lot of people gather up in the lobby and keep the party going. all kinds of non motorized sports include, pedal boats, kayak, small sail boats, included with your stay and they can be fun. the 24hour snack bar will serve mini pizzas all Day and the snack bar by the kid pool will serve fries, hot dogs and hamburgers all day. 24 hour snack bar is great if you see Maria and Eddy, they work every second night and you will love them they are amazing and a hoot... Eddy's food is always fresh and quick. Restaurants across the street at the marina are delicious, they are of course not included with your package but if you want to go somewhere near to eat something different, they have a Great Steakhouse and also a great Seafood Restaurant. Personally we go to town a lot, we went to eat in Matanza, Cardenas, Varadero, Havana and at local retaurants, not touristique places at all and the culture, the food, is amazing. I have been going to Cuba for MANY years and 2 times stayed at BLAU and they have been very memorable as they are not too big, not too small, you get to know your staff and you get amazing service. I have made too many Cuban Friends to stop going to Varadero now as that is the area they mostly live in so it is very convenient and for as long as I can do it I will keep going back to the Blau Marina Varadero, it is worth every cent you spend and as I said earlier in many years of going to Cuba this was one of my most favorable resort and I am DEFINATELY returning!

Palma Real: Not great!!

Must admit the staff was good but I would not stay there again. One buffet and hundreds of people having to stand in line to get food. Food was not the best. At night not enough light on the pathway to walk over to Block 4.

Punta Peninsula Varadero: Ok place

This place had a good mix of good bad and average. The good was the pool and the service there. Jimmy was great. The beach was great and there were always chairs. Check in was quick and friendly. Check out was a different story. I had to check out at 6 am because I was going on an excursion. The checkout person couldn't understand why I didn't have my towel card. The towel area closed before I came back from my excursion and still wasn't open but she wouldn't take the towel I had. So I left and  [... read more]said I'd bring it back later. I got another person later who tried telling me I checked out two days before. She did take my towel though. Gong show. The 24 hour bar was brutal. Trying to get a drink there was painful. Unless you had money in your had that they could see for a tip you weren't getting service. Sorry bad service means no tip. Overall an average stay. Nothing to make me want to return but nothing that I would say stay away.

Punta Peninsula Varadero: Nice resort at the end of the road

The resort was well maintained, grounds were in great shape, beach was Mint. Staff were all friendly. Little roadway traffic/noise as it's the last resort on the road. Beds weren't great. Food on the resort was less than desirable and that's why only 3 stars.

Memories Jibacoa: A place to come home to!

This was our third visit to the resort over 10 years and it truly felt like coming home to visit. The staff were pleasant, warm and made us feel welcome. The rooms are being upgraded which was needed and with new owners (Blue Diamond resorts) taking over I am sure other changes will occur. Much evaluation was witnessed of the facilities and staff. Service was pleasant in the restaurants and bars. Food selection was good, however freshness & variety of vegetables was an issue at times. We only tr [... read more]ied one a la carte Taberna as was difficult to book in as needed to book several days ahead. Services such as money exchange, towel exchange, gift shops, snack deli, housekeeping, repair services were all very good. The resort attracts an older crowd so I am hoping they may add some services & offer more excursions to attract more 40-60s crowd. A spa is in the works which I look forward to and a massage hut on the beach was also a welcome addition. This service could use an additional staff member to take bookings and payment or advertise/make bookings in the lobby where you have to pay for the service. Snorkeling is still top quality when weather permits and the beach has suffered some this winter with northern storms. Plenty of chairs at pool and beach but palapas at beach look a little weather beaten. The pool is really cool in winter but great on a hot day. All together a pleasant repeat holiday and look forward to seeing what will become of this adults only Cuban treasure in Jibacoa. We met several folks on there 10th visit! We will go again for sure.

Grand Memories Varadero: Okay

Stayed 1st week February 2015 rooms nice. No hot water first 2 mornings. Stayed in adult deluxe section good thing food in restaurant there much better than open buffets. Beach was beautiful went everyday. Pool water too cold hot tub not hot at all same as pool staff majority very helpful and nice room cleaned daily very nice difficult to getal a carte where we wanted assigned before we got there. Not everyone likes fish, seafood. Some public washrooms not in good running order many no taps one  [... read more]of 4 broken little things like that overall goo need more vendors in resort