Roc Barlovento: Nice beach

Hotel was nice, one of the nicest along the strip. Beach was amazing, smaller hotel so a little less to do at the hotel, but if you budget more money, there's lots to do offsite. While they did their best with what they have, the food was as reviewed by others, Cuba food. Catamaran trip was amazing! As was our trip to Havana. Just don't make eye contact with the car owners, and vendors! we tipped, but not excessively, as you don't have to. Off site its expected more. We spent most of our time at [... read more] the beach, and a couple of days at the pool. We had a great relaxing time.

Starfish Varadero: Needs lots of upgrades

The weather was 28-29 C. all week. The beach is wide and wonderful, the ocean was peaceful all week. The front desk staff could never provide change for tips, always saying it was the banks fault.Not the most friendly group. The hotel has 220 electricity, therefore if you have any North American 110 service appliances, like sleep apnia machines, then you are in for some trouble.The rooms are certainly 2 star.The dining room is too small to accommodate the number of guests. I once heard some sat  [... read more]they ran out of cutlery! When at the front desk, I heard to many times that " your room is not ready yet"

Barcelo Solymar: Great for partying

The hotel is perfect if you want to party! The beach is absolutely stunning. Only bad part is the lack of fresh towels and cleanliness of the rooms. Right downtowm location so ypu can walk to the bars

Hotel Internacional: Pretty good resort!!!

I'm really surprised with this resort. It was clean, very good treatment, amazing and variety of food. I advice everyone to be there. In addition, it has a beautiful part of the beach and with great swimming pool. Awesome!

Melia Las Antillas: Great spot!

My fiancee and I spent 7 days at Melia Las Antillas. It was a great spot, everything was well organized right from the bus ride from the airport. The buffet was excellent, staff was super friendly and it was an all around great experience.

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: Great beach and pool!

We enjoyed a relaxing time here from Dec. 13 to Dec. 22. We were a family of 3 (mom, dad and a 16-month old). We stayed in Block 22 which was close to the lobby, Mike's cafe and the restaurants. This is a quieter block. The rooms are nicely appointed and spacious. The bathroom has a separate rain shower and a separate deep tub. We spent most days at the beach and enjoyed lunches at the beach restaurant. In the mornings, the entertainment crew are at the beach and in the afternoons, they go to th [... read more]e pool so we followed them there and spent our afternoons by the pool. The buffet always has something for everyone and we loved the omelette station in the mornings and the pasta and seafood grilling stations in the evenings. We tried out all three a la carte restaurants and they were nice. There are shows every night and a great kids program/ club. We highly recommend this resort.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Very low value for price paid. Disappointing

Grounds fairly well kept. Not enough lighting on pathways. Room very shabby and grubby even though supposed to be 'premium junior suite' and updated. Only good feature of room were the nice towels and the patio. No bottled water in the room until the second day and after 2 phone calls to the front desk. Restaurants were pleasant with good service but food very mediocre and bland. Entertainment was very good. Unfortunately smoking was allowed everywhere except in closed restaurants and made the l [... read more]obby bar very unpleasant even though it was semi open. A very high number of smokers here. No hot tubs working. WiFi, which cost 4.50/hr out the majority of time. All staff was pleasant. Spa good but do not take credit cards only cash.

Royalton Hicacos Resort and Spa: Good Time!

This was our first time in Cuba, with my husband and our 2 adult sons. This resort is on the quiet side, it was clean, staff friendly, room was nice, entertainment okay, beach clean, and food surprisingly good! Our day trip in a '55 Chev to Havana was very much enjoyed!

Los Delfines: Good deal for the price

This hotel has the best beaches in all of Cuba but the food is mediocre at best. I was quite happy with the hotel overall and is was a very restful holiday. It is quite close to Havana which is a big plus.

Punta Peninsula Varadero: Great resort!!

This hotel is very clean!! The rooms are spacious, clean and vibrant! The staff are one of the best!! There was only one restaurant though. They could use a few more as the food gets repetitive! Other than that, I love this resort and I'd highly recommend it to anyone!! I would definitely go there again that's for sure!

Hotel Internacional: It really is falling apart. ..

Having travelled to this resort quite often, I have no choice but to report that it really is time for it to go. The food, the bugs, the prostitution...it left a negative impact. Estimated time for new resort to open...probably 2 years.

Be Live Turquesa: Don't waste your money

I will be candid, as I have been in the past. It will be a reflection of my experience – good and not so good. I love Cuba and the Cuban people. We stayed at this property from Dec 27th to Jan 3rd. I have been to Cuba several times and do not expect a lot. In fact, I was in Varadero in April, 2014. There were more complaints at this property than you can ever imagine. I thought if I paid a bit more than the last time and went up a “star” it may be OK. We paid $1,700.00 each with Air Transa [... read more]t. It was a total waste of money and we were made to feel like they were doing us a favour. This vacation was more stress than I needed at the end of the year, when one is tired and simply wants pay and let someone else do everything for you. Not so at Turquesa. I spent over $100.00 on tips, so that was not the problem. We arrived at Be Live tired and hungry after a late afternoon flight out of Hamilton. By the time we showed passports, paid $14.00 for a safety deposit box, etc., and get shown to our room in the dark, it is now around 9:00 p.m. We asked for a second floor room and were told there were none left. We were shuffled off to a room in the 5th block, entrance under a stairwell. When they opened the door, we took one look at the place, which had cracked walls, was dark, dingy, a cot made up for God knows whom (obviously not for us), we simply walked out. I asked to be moved to another hotel, as this was certainly not worth $1,700.00. Of course you are told there is no space anywhere as all the hotels are booked solid (smile). We were then shown to a second floor room (one suddenly became available). This room was a lot better. We dropped our stuff off and just needed a drink or some form of nourishment by this time, and went to the front desk to find out where the restaurant was. We were told it was closed. We asked where we could grab a bite to eat and they said nowhere (we had been travelling for 9 hours by this point), and I said that was impossible. Apparently, we had to wait an hour for the snack bar to open. I said that was unacceptable and that, surely on a resort of this size, there has to be a kitchen somewhere to get a coffee and some bread for a toast or something… Because I was not going to move, they then arranged for someone to make us up a plate of food = some stale fruit and a sandwich (as a special favour). We then went back to our 2nd room (#126) to find that there was no soap to wash our hands and no hot water. I went to phone the front desk to ask for assistance and the phone did not work. So I walked down the stairs (now pitch black as there were no lights on the stairs) to the front desk again to ask them to do something about the water. At this point I thought there was no hot water in the hotel, but others told me they had hot water. There was no bottled water to drink. I was too tired to walk back to the reception again, so went to bed exhausted. In the morning we tried to put our money and passports away, but the safety deposit box did not work (I’m familiar with all types of locks). The toilet did not flush properly. The bathroom window latch was broken and could not close, resulting in mosquitoes coming in when you put the lights on. The bathroom door could not close at all. Mold on the curtains. Balcony door does not lock (which is why I wanted a top floor). We were in a rush as it was Sunday and we had planned on going into town for Sunday Church and, because the safe did not work, had to carry all our money, etc. into town with us. We came back around noon and I asked for another room where things worked and I also asked the front desk to give me my $14.00 back as the safe did not work and likely would never work. They were not equipped to do this, as I gathered, because they are not equipped to giving money back. I got my money back. They were then very hospitable and showed me two other rooms. One right behind the Italian restaurant toilets and near the nightclub - lower level, and the other one upstairs. The only thing I wanted at this point was a shower – I checked the hot water and there was none. Why bother moving all our stuff again so I went back to the front desk and asked if they could simply FIX some of the stuff in our room - at least the phone in case of an emergency. Day 3 still no hot water, phone, etc. I finally met with Michelle, our Air Transat representative, and shared some thoughts on the standard of care and how they misrepresent their properties to us in Canada. This was certainly not a 4 star or a 3 star when nothing worked and we had not had a shower yet. She was very apologetic. I have to say that they have a very good representative in her. She apologized on behalf of AT and asked what they could do for us. I said give us back 3 days of our time. She did stir up some waters and, amazingly, the water was fixed, we got a bottle of drinking water, soap, shampoo/conditioner. Yamile, from the front desk, came over personally and fixed the safe (with the proper lock) and brought another phone that worked. I asked for a bulb so that I could climb up and change the light outside before one of us fell down the stairs and broke a leg, and that too was fixed. Finally on day 3 we got to shower. Malika, the customer service manager(?) from the hotel asked to speak to us and took down notes of all the things that did not work and also apologized on behalf of the hotel and asked what they could do for us. I explained to her that we, in Canada, like her, also work full time and save to go away for one week of vacation. When 3 days go with fighting for basic necessities, how can you give us the time back. I told her how much we paid and she seemed shocked. We did not see the beach till the 3rd day because we had to be in the room getting it fixed. She was a very sweet girl, and, frankly, I felt sorry for her. I would not like that job. She said that the hotel would like to offer us a late check-out, seeing as we would be leaving around 4:00 p.m. and did not have to wait in the lobby. Michelle from Air Transat also let us know that a late check-out was arranged for us (at no extra cost) because of all the disruption. We had to simply activate our room key on the morning of departure. Michelle also offered me 25 pesos from Air Transat towards any AT stuff. I told her not to insult me and to give it back to her boss for a coffee. Dec 30th we were awoken in the middle of the night by loud voices and a man shouting in Spanish on a walkie talkie and someone responding right outside our door. A man and a woman shouting and a lot of confusion. Of course we did not dare open the door. I asked the front desk what the trouble was outside our unit the next day and she said nothing. I said I would like to know what was going on and she called the head of security and he said he was not aware of anything. To which I responded that I was letting them know there was trouble outside our unit that night. They were not in the least bit concerned. On the day of our departure (smile) I went to re-activate our room key and was told that there would be a charge. I said No, we had a free extension. Of course they did not believe me (I was apparently lying) and called the front desk manager (who comes around from the back with authority) she said: No, check out is 2:00 p.m. so it was a fight again… this constant begging was way beyond my ability. We got to the lobby around 3:00 p.m. (as we got a call from the front desk), why prolong it. Michelle from Air Transat advised that the bus was on its way from the hotel up the road and was running a bit late. No problem. We had asked for a bell boy to get our suitcases and he locked them in the luggage room. Well, the bus arrived and we could not find the bell boy (who is the only one who has a key to this room) - UNBELIEVABLE. The bus operator comes into the lobby and advises my “senior” travelling companion (who had never been to Cuba before and was sooooo longing to go there and see Havana) that the bus would not wait for us. This unnerved her and put her into a panic, as she thought we would miss our plane if we did not get on the bus. At this point I could not find our AT Rep. and went to the Can Jet Rep. and the other local Tour operator and told them our predicament. They said the bus will not leave without us and I asked them to go and deal with the diva on the bus, which they very kindly did on our behalf in Spanish. The entire front desk was in full view of this, but not one of them moved to go and find the bell boy. Fifteen minutes later he shows up and the bus driver was now hopping and the diva equally not happy. GOD HELP ME!!!! Get us out of this place. We tried to get some pesos for tipping and were told they did not have any. Not true - as we saw them put a stack of pesos away. I see from previous reviews that a manager, Filip Hofman, has come forward to respond. It is unfortunate that these people are nowhere to be found when they are needed. They simply send their staff to face the music and hide behind the curtain. This is not the way to run a business. Especially when you have such competition within walking distance. Where are the owners of this place. They need to greet their clients with open arms and ensure that rooms are fit to live in (I am sure theirs are) and should train their staff accordingly to manage a hotel. Guests should not have to fight for each and every little thing upon arrival and stay. Miraculously everything worked after we screamed, which leads me to believe that it is possible - so why make tourist go to those lengths when they should have everything working, ready and checked, prior to arrival, especially at their busiest time… Owners/Mangers please note that you are not doing us a favour – we pay to come there, which means we are entitled to food on our arrival and should not have to beg for it. Note: there is no regular tea in this hotel at all (I had taken my own – but not enough for a whole week). I t

Punta Peninsula Varadero: Good Value

The hotel was average and it was a good value for our money. We enjoyed the evening entertainment and the beautiful beaches. If you decide to visit this hotel make sure you brig bug spray, lots of mosquitoes in the evening.

Roc Arenas Doradas: Comfortable, relaxing trip

As a woman in her late 50's travelling alone, I felt very safe at this resort. The staff were friendly, the Housekeeper was very pleasant and very appreciative of the tips and small toiletries that I left for her. The food was a bit bland but certainly adequate. The room was fairly plain but clean and comfortable. The balcony door never did lock even after 2 repair visits from "the mechanic" but there was a safe included in the room to store valuables, and I found a stick to put in the sliding d [... read more]oor to prevent it opening enough to enter, plus the room was on the 2nd floor - don't sweat the small stuff. Catamarin sailing trip and the "Havana Special" trip were fantastic, highly recommended. I wanted a comfy safe spot with a beautiful beach to relax for a week and this was just right.

Sirenis Tropical Varadero: Nice

The hotel it's self was terrible. The room had roaches, the toilet leaked all week, and I had to body check the door to get into the room all week. The public bathrooms had no toilet seats in the stalls either. I thought the grounds were nice and most of the staff seemed ok. Not looking to ever book at that resort again. This was my first ever trip and it was disappointing.

Hotel Bella Costa: sad state of resort

No toilet paper, soap, or hand towels in public wash rooms .entering many times after cleaners were there..ceilings leaking, water over hallway floors, mold on bedroom, hallways, main floor lobby, This resort should be torn down.It is not a 4 star! Pictures look nothing like resort.Pictures are from when they first opened. I'M sure.Staff are not helpful at all.unless you tip, tip, tip! Food sucks .Not children friendly.Play centre is rusted with very sharp edges.One bottle of water per room per  [... read more]week.Not good if you have children or your diabatic..We could not book other restaurants as they were all booked.We were told to come back to book last part of our week.Guess what they were lined up out the door.Again sorry no more reservations! We ate at Jimmy buffet all week.We lived off rice and pasta all week.Bird droppings in the food they think you should eat it.Some one needs to teach them about health regulations.OUR FAMILY WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS RESORT.WE WILL SPEND OUR MONEY ON CRUISES WHERE YOUR TREATED FAIRLEY. WE WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS RESORT!!!!!!#!!

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: Wonderful resort

We stayed in the privilege section of the resort which is well worth the extra it cost. The staff at this resort are just amazing and they take very good care of you. This was our second visit to the resort and will likely visit again.

Punta Peninsula Varadero: Great resort

Amazing beaches, clean rooms, fantastic entertainment staff that worked all day long with dance lessons on the beach, Aqua aerobics, yoga and volleyball. It's a big hotel, with nice grounds, but never felt over crowded.

Punta Peninsula Varadero: Would not go back

Resort was very disappointing from the minute we arrived. Huge line ups to check in. Rooms not ready till well after 4pm. First room we checked into smelled of mould, no water in the shower, sliding door broken. Moved to another room. Slightly better but still smelly and furniture had stains. No baths or beach towels available for the entire week. Food was pretty bad. Bread was mouldy. Very poor food handling (cook at the grill used same tongue to handle raw and cooked chicken). Everyone was com [... read more]plaining!! Beach was very nice though and weather was great so made up for it.

Punta Peninsula Varadero: average....

I do not typically write reviews, but after this trip figured it was worth it to share our experience. We did not have high expectations, especially after reading reviews and knowing it was cuba. However, after spending what we did (we stayed from dec 27-jan 3 = expensive because of new years), we did expect to at least have a functioning room.....(see below) Immediately upon checking into our room, the toilette was broken, and phone didnt work so we could not call to get it fixed, we waited u [... read more]ntil the morning. The room was dirty. I do not care for modern beautiful hotel rooms, because I do like the culture in the cuban decorations, but this room was dirty. Literally every day we had to go to customer service for things breaking... hot water didn't work, towels NEVER available (they had some shortage of towels so we did not get to have towels for a few days which is difficult when trying to shower after a day at the beach! and forget about getting a clean beach towel...). Our safe broke, our door broke twice, literally every part of the room that was electronic/mechanical kept breaking. That being said, whenever we did have an issue it was promptly addressed (except the towels, which was out of their control). Staff was good, a couple of staff really stood out and made the experiences that much better so we thank them for that. One waitress knew we liked to drink only water during the day, so she would sneak us water bottles everyday after lunch which was great because you only get 1 bottle in your room to share, which includes brushing your teeth with!! The beach is amazing. Lots of seashells, but the softest sand I have ever seen in an ocean out of all of the places I have traveled. Lots of loungers available. The one great thing is no matter where you went (beach or pool), there was always loungers! I have been to resorts in the past where you need to get up early to put your towel down or forget about getting a spot anywhere for the day. so that was really great. We did not partake in any of the day time activities, we stayed on the quiet beach by blocks 18/19 where there was no music and was fantastic there. We also stayed at the smaller pool in the middle by the lighthouse which was also quiet, although no bar there if that is what you are looking for. Apparently the day time entertainment was good if you are looking for that. Alcohol was alcohol, same as any other all inclusive. Didn't have to wait too long to be served, however the group we were with tipped well so I am sure that helped the situation. Food was okay, we're not super picky though. We always found something to eat. The only time we got sick from food was when we ate off the resort. We found the one thing that was terrible was the pizza from the lighthouse, the cheese was horrible. A lot of people did not like the light house, that was the only time we ate there for any meal. We heard their other snacks/meals they offer were horrible so we stuck with the main buffet and our alla cartes. We ate at the fish restaurant one night which was good (is in the lighthouse evening gets changed over), and were supposed to eat at the italian but ended up going out off resort instead. Across the street there is a marina with some shops and a grocery store and cafes it is a great walk, beautiful location! We also rented a scooter to go into varadero - broke down on us and had to pay a taxi to get back. luckily the worker gave us our money back, but we lost out on the 20 peso taxi ride back to get to the hotel. if going into varadero, they offer a hop on hop off bus for 5 pesos which is amazing (if you have ever traveled europe you know that is CHEAP in comparison). We did not take it, because after the scooter breaking down our time was limited so we just taxi'ed because we were meeting up with people. The taxi to downtown is about 20 pesos. Overall, we had a good trip because of good company. We would not go back to this hotel again. We would also not fly can-jet again, as they were an unorganized disaster. They picked us up an hour late to go to the airport, and we did not get through security and everything at the airport until 30 minutes AFTER our flight was supposed to leave. luckily the flight did not leave without us. (and just so you know, the airport is a disaster also - most unorganized mess ever)