Hotel Bella Costa: Exceeded my expectations.

I always find going on such vacations, you need to have low expectations. What can you expect when their main dependency is tourism. We stayed in the family suite, which was a loft style accommodation, 2 bed rooms upstairs and family room style on the main floor. Food was better then other resorts in Cuba, with lot's of choices, people were very friendly. There were small tiny ant's in the room, what I felt helped was leaving the lights on and not taking any food in your room or leaving anything [... read more] sweet out.

Grand Memories Varadero: Needs Improvement

Workers not very friendly, when food at buffet was done did not seem to be replenished with the same food. Gardeners were not around until 3 days into our trip. My toilet would not flush complained twice never got it fixed. Had to use my garbage pail to flush the water down. Long line ups at buffet and not enough staff to support the lineups. All and all I think for the size of this resort they were well under staffed. Could not get coffee after my meal in the buffet area had to have dessert the [... read more]n leave and find an outside bar for a cup of coffe or tea. Definately not a 5 star as advertised.

Club Karey: No frills

My expectations were exceeded. Same sun, beach, weather, airport/ bus and Cuban hospitality, as a higher star. Less frills...minimal evening entertainment(2 good shows), 2 bars ( lobby one the better) clean large room w tub:) occasional hot bath:) brought my own plug and screen guard for sink , in case I drop something in sink. Mosquitoes and critters , but as Rene the bartender proclaimed ' What do you expect??! It's a tropical country' I of course brought bug spray and wore pants at night:) Be [... read more]ware in continent people's: Public area bathrooms were in need of constant attention. Food was very low on my demands, but I was surprised by the provisions:) for a 2-3 star ( in varadero)there was way more then I expected!!!!! :) the staff as usual tolerated and endured with their Cuban hospitality and attention, to the whining and complaints of the dissatisfied guests. I rewarded them with a gratuity of 1 cuc at every sit down meal and left with only my carry in luggage, as gifting is my favorite reason to travel to Cuba .

Hotel Tuxpan: Very nice resort!

This property had a nice layout. Just a short walk to everything on the property. It is not wheel chair friendly though so don't book here if you need wheel chair accessibility. Although there are three elevators, there is stairs to the outside and buffet areas. The staff were all friendly, always a greeting of some sort. Tomas at the pool bar was excellent. He went out of his way to make us happy. Nice choice of snacks at the pool bar: hot dogs, ham and cheese, grilled cheese, fish and sometime [... read more]s pizza. We ate lunch at the pool bar or beach bar most days. Buffet staff remembered what our usual order was, such as how I took my coffee and my husband having juice in the morning. Great selection on the carving station each evening, even lobster one night. Even picky eaters would find something to eat. Two choices of soup every day which were tastey. The beach was great! Did not have to go too early to find chairs. The beach bar had burgers and fries every day. We chose a bad week for weather as it never got above 24 Celsius and was windy for 4 days. We did not let it ruin our vacation. I recommend the Varadero tour and definitely take a carriage ride into town. If you ask for Hugo, he gives you a lot of info about Cuba.

Melia Las Antillas: Lovely time!

Had a lovely time, service was excellent (especially Ramon in the upper lounge bar) rooms were clean, beach was great, entertainment good - although the daytime entertainment guy needs to come up with better games, food was good for me as there was alot of selection of vegetables and fresh meat to be grilled and since I've been to different parts of Cuba alot where it wasn't great this resort surpassed all of them in selection. My one complaint was I was looking forward to spending time in the o [... read more]utdoor jacuzzi...no luck as it was cold...if it had been hot water both myself and others that I met down there would have spent alot of time in it over the vacation...too bad!

Grand Memories Varadero: The Worst Vacation I have ever been on

I dont have enough room to express how terrible our vacation has been . There was 6 of us (all adults). It took 45 minutes to get a coffee int he lobby. Our toilet did not flush and we asked them to fix it. No music throughout the resort. Ran out of food at the buffet. Meat was raw. There is only 3 tables set for 6 people so we had to make one up. Had to wait 1 hour in line to book an a la carte??? only can book 2 days in advance?? strange place, I will never go back to a RIU ever.

Melia Marina Varadero: Happily surprised

Just got back from a lovely week at the Melia Marina in Varadero. I didn't know what to expect since the last time I was in Cuba was over ten years ago. Was happily surprised. The resort is new and very nice. The rooms are small but well designed and unless you are planning to be in your room all day, it's not that importan. We had some difficulty in getting extra towels and better pillows but we learned to deal with it. Everyone was very nice and tried to help . The food was abundant and they h [... read more]ad everything for every taste.the salads and cheeses were yummy. The entertainment was the best I have seen in any resort ( and we have been to many) the variety was great, from Opera to water aerobics . Plenty of room at the pool and the beach was very nice. I'm not a great swimmer and the water was just right, we could walk for miters before we reached the deep end. The resort is not right on the beach but if you don't mind a little walk it's just across the street. We had the pool view and if you get a high floor you can also see the ocean. The view was nice. I would recommend this resort to everyone ( not the best for wheelchairs )

Roc Arenas Doradas: Terrible!

Classified as a four star resort yet should only be a two star resort. Only source of food was a buffet that was lacking, a la carte restaurants are impossible to get into,of all the guests we met, couldn't get into a la carte. There is no WIFI even for payment as the website erroneously advertises. There is ONE computer that you can purchase an Internet card for. Lots of peddling by local merchants and even staff. The beach is beautiful but water activities in. Snorkelling were not available as [... read more] advertised. No bikes, no night time entertainment besides 45 minute show (it was alright) and a dance club that was for teenage locals. Rooms were dated and seemed scuzzy, can't flush TP, supposed to throw in bucket adjacent to toilet thought the resort. Very disappointed with the resort. Only one bar open past 6 pm, nothing else to do...

Grand Memories Varadero: Average in comparison to others

This is a simple resort with excellent staff, but poorly managed. We are well travelled in Cuba and for your money, there are better resorts to go to. Staffing in busy areas needs improvemnet, set up of resort is poor, and money exchange should be more than just one window - line ups all the time!!!

Blau Varadero: Very nice Resort !

Very elegant neat Resort, grounds and public areas kept clean,rooms are very nice, washroom clean and spacey, gorgeous ocean view, very friendly staff all over, high level quality entertainment (pleasantly surprised),very good food in buffets and restaurants ,fantastic clean beach. Excellent place for unforgettable holiday !

Hotel Los Cactus: Older but friendly!

The Veradero Breezes certainly has impressive grounds,a great beach area,and unique architecture and infrastructure ! The friendly staff exudes genuine care for the guests. However, competence is a bit limited in the details. This hotel probably offered a four star experience some time ago, but is now slipping somewhat, with old and broken chairs abandoned on the beach, apparently unrepairable TV remotes, tiny,flickering TV screens, rusting shower heads, portruding mattrass springs etc. Neverthe [... read more]less still charming like a good humoured aged debutante with her toiletry neglected.

Resonance Blu Varadero: Very Good Value for your money

I stayed at this resort Jan. 21-28 and had a lovely time. The food was good, the room was clean, the staff were friendly. The grounds were well kept as was the beach. Overall a great value for the money.

Resonance Blu Varadero: beautifully laid out resort.

I am not one who likes to go back to the same resort but I would definitely go back to this one. I was very happy with the room, food and entertainment. The beach and grounds were specactular. This was the only time I have been to cuba and gained 5lbs. in one week. What struck me as exceptional were the staff. The maids and the waitresses in the resturants went all out to please you.On the negative side the only problem I encountered were the public washrooms had some toilets and urinals not wor [... read more]king.The management needs a plumber on staff.

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: Did not meet expectations

Went as a couple for the first time to this hotel. Our experience left us feeling that many changes need to be made for this resort to be rated any higher than three star. Although the rooms and linens were clean there was, for lack of abetter description, an infestation of some small unidentified insect that enjoyed anything left on the night stands and tables. Ran out of clean plates at buffet during supper. Took 20 min to get them. Ran out of butter at breakfast, took about 10 min to get that [... read more] and it was large chunks of butter and no tongs to pick it up so people were picking up with their fingers. Dirty coffee cups left on table and being refilled for new people sitting down. Some very rude staff. Tipping requirements were extreme. Restaraunts are first come first serve and people would skip the line offering a tip to the waiter and he would take it and sit them. The juice is heavily watered down no juice taste at all. Drinks at the bar and the coffee varied greatly in the quality dependant on the staff. Entertainment was very repetitive and when we had a good night at the disco they shut it down an hour early at 1:00am. The tour staff were less than helpful and made us feel like they were being bothered by our inquiries. It seemed as though nobody care if we ever came back. Unfortunately, if you are someone who has no problem over tipping to get some attention this place may work for you. We gave out over 400cuc, add 27% for CDN exchange rate for the week in tips

Villa Tortuga: Amazing Beach

We took a recent family vacation to Villa Tortuga. We had a great time. The people working there are very friendly and helpful. Although the resort could use some cosmetic upgrades, it suited us just fine. Great value and beautiful beach!

Royalton Hicacos Resort and Spa: Perfect quick getaway

My partner and I stayed for 5 days at the end of January. Very pleased with our choice to stay here. Food is really good, and staff is friendly and helpful. The full day Havana tour a lot of bus time, the better choice would be to go in a private car. Minibar restocking was sometimes hit or miss, a couple days only one beer and one bottle of water for two guys. We had Diamond Club, which was nice, especially the private beach area with an AMAZING bartender, but it's not really necessary to enjoy [... read more] the resort. If we ever decide to return to Varadero we'd definitely have no reservations about staying at this resort again.

Muthu Playa Varadero: Terrible resort hospitality and food

This resort was the worst. From the physical features to hospitality and unsanitary eating conditions as well as poor food. The resort itself, says they have a pool bar, does not mention it has been closed for two years, no washrooms at the beach bar/restaurant, closest washrooms was at the non poolbar, pool bar, which all toilets out of order but one. The only working toilet was either disgustingly full and not able to flush, or no toilet paper, and once had red splatters on the toilet paper. T [... read more]he only other washrooms were in the front lobby, washroom doors were so short you can make eye contact with others while in the stall. Best choice would be to go to your room for the washroom. The front desk was useless, there's a sign that indicates 24 hour currancy exchange, and when you want to make an exchange you'll be told to come back later, many more ignorance with the front desk attendants full of attitude. No matter what you need help with they are not willing to help. Once your checked in, that is all. We were given a room with two beds instead of one, so my spouse and I could not sleep together. We pushed the beds together, but who wants to sleep on the crack? When we asked if we could have a room with a king bed we were constantly told to come back the next day. There was not enough garbage bins, and the few they had were always full. There were a few good bartenders, but these were very slim. Some would just completely ignore you. The drinks were gross, they put do much alcohol in its disgusting. The buffet was the worst, only good thing was crepes for breakfast, and the tuna slop for lunch and dinner. Not only did the food suck, but there were birds flying all around, with nests in the vents on the ceiling. I saw plastic strips and garbage from these nests fall onto the tables, unhygienic. The BBQ restaurant by the beach had cats hounding you while you ate. We tried the Italian a la carte which was disgustingly disappointing, but also had a cat constantly trying to get onto out table, gross. The beach was absolutely beautifully amazing, but such a hassle as all the outside sales people harassed you non stop. It was awefully annoying and makes you want to leave to only good part there. Seriously. It was brutal. The old cars are a real sight to see. But those are all over Cuba. I would not EVER go back there, not if it was free, nor if someone paid me. This resort should not be recommended. In conclusion, we absolutely hated this resort, and this vacation was nothing but a waste of money. Cuba is a beautiful country, but based on this bad experience we will not be retiring to cuba. Extremely disappointed Hanzel.

Hotel Bella Costa: Very Safe, Friendly Resort

This was our third trip to Cuba, and our first time in Veradaro. The resort is showing its age, but the staff are warm and friendly and they do their best to keep it clean. The beach was very good, with lots of lounges and plenty of shade to be out of the sun if you choose to be. The food was very good with lots of choices; their bread and cheese selections were excellent. You could make a salad from many choices of vegetables and fruit. We avoided most of the meat selections... just personal ch [... read more]oice.

Punta Peninsula Varadero: Great beach and staff!

Loved the beach! The resort is 2 km long so the beach never felt crowded. The water was so clear and blue it looked straight out of a postcard! I preferred staying at the beach area by the lighthouse. It is a bit away from the main areas so it was nice and quiet, not too busy. Great if you just want to relax or read a book without screaming kids running around. Food was decent. Not great, but not terrible. Can't expect much else from Cuba. You may want to consider bringing your own ketchup, pea [... read more]nut butter, etc. as there are not a lot of condiments provided. If you are going to the buffet restaurant for dinner, I would recommend getting there at 6:30 when it opens, as it tends to fill up quickly and there is often a line of people waiting outside the door. Didn't try any of the a la carte restaurants so can't comment on those. Staff is great - very friendly and they work hard. There was a problem with the safe in my room so I called the front desk and they had maintenance up to my room within 5 minutes to fix it. I stayed in block 17 and my room was pretty clean - Belkis is wonderful and I loved reading the little notes she would leave me everyday! You are provided with a 1.5L bottle of water in your mini fridge which was more than enough for me every day but probably wouldn't be enough for families with children. I did see some people ask the service staff at the buffet for an extra bottle - just make sure you tip! You're allowed to bring back up to 1.5L of rum (2 bottles) per adult. I bought mine from the hotel gift shop for $10 CUC total, but if you are worried about customs you can always purchase from the airport duty free after you check in. There are a lot of activities and offsite attractions/tours available for a cost. My West Jet rep did all the booking - available in the lobby every morning. Definitely bring bug spray! The lobby had quite a few mosquitoes at night and in the early morning, but I didn't find it too bad. The weather was a bit chilly and windy during my stay so that probably helped keep them away. There were only a couple in my room which were easy enough to kill. Wifi is available in the lobby for $4.50 CUC per hour. Definitely make sure you log out when you are done as per the instructions provided, otherwise you will continue to remain connected and it will eat up your time. Also make sure you set aside $25 CUC per person (including children) for the departure tax. I did this right away as soon as I exchanged my money and kept it locked in my safe with my passport so I didn't have to worry about it. Only major complaint is I'm pretty sure housekeeping didn't replace the towels with clean ones everyday. Not a big deal for me as I brought my own, so I would recommend doing the same otherwise you will have to call the front desk and ask for more. Overall, I really enjoyed my time at the Blau Marina! Will likely return if I stay in Varadero again!

Occidental Arenas Blancas: Above Average Resort 3+

The grounds were lovely. A very old cactus (The Veteran) is on the premises. The beach is immaculate (Antigua standard). The pool is lovely though shallow, and very large. No swim up bar. The food is above average for Cuba. The fish is excellent. Fresh fruit and vegetables. Mojitos not always available due to a lack of mint at each bar. Pool bar closes too early. Access to Barceló Solymar a bonus. Gym is run down but functional. The toilet in my room required repairs, as did my bathtub which di [... read more]d not drain. However, as an avid backpacker these are for me minor considerations, and for the price of this resort the facilities were in fact "superior". Bring your passport to Havana!! Getting money is very difficult and your MasterCard will not work anywhere. You can get money with your MasterCard and your passport at the resort bank if you go early in the morning, but in Havana be prepared to wait in a line for two hours. Cash everywhere!! Overall, I would definitely go back. The staff are friendly and helpful, though restricted. They can't solve all your problems just because you whine about them. It is Cuba after all. You can't impose your standards or force your desires. Just go with the flow and have fun. I would definitely return to this resort.