Roc Arenas Doradas: 8th time to Cuba

ROC Arenas Doradas The grounds were beautiful and the beach was fantastic. the pool was a lot of fun -clean with good entertainment. The pool bar was also very good. The staff at the resort we're friendly and kind but just didn't seem to have that genuine friendliness that I have experienced in Cuba in the past. At the end of the day, they are there because it is their job, but they don't seem to have that friendly Cuban sparkle. The food at this resort is very bad. This was my 8th time to Cu [... read more]ba so I know not to expect "good" food. I usually stay at 31/2 star resorts and the food has always been edible. We probably spent 300$ going out for dinners because the food in the buffet was so bad. To the reorts defense, there was an obvious presence of managers on the resort at the time we visited, and it seemed like they were making improvements, so maybe the food will improve. The rooms were all different. out friends got put in a terrible looking/smelling room and asked to be moved. when they were moved their new room was absolutely fine. If you go to this resort and are not satisfied with your room, ask to be moved because there are nicer rooms. The buildings need a paint job and look run down. This was a fun trip as the Weather was great and the people were friendly, however we will try a new resort next time.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Not bad

This is our 13th to Cuba, 10 of them to Varadero. We love Varadero as it is a short plane ride, quick ride to the hotels and just love the Cuban people. We usually stay at Royal Hicacos but it was sold out so we wanted another Adult only resort and thought that Princessa Del Mar and the Paradisus name would prove to be awesome. I think if you stay in the Royal section, you might better enjoy your stay. There were 6 of us. They did accommodate our rooms being side by side so that was nice however [... read more] the rooms very extremely musty, moldy smelling....more so than the usual tropical smell you have come to expect, maybe because we were on the ground floor...not sure. Anyway, we lived with it & did not complain. Our fridge was only stocked every 2 days, the 2 other couples were daily..not sure about the inconsistency. We would ask for coffee as we liked to sit on the balcony first thing in the morning with a coffee. They would leave us 1 pkg of coffee but no filters (you need filters for these coffee machines). Anyway, trivial complaints! The food was great, however, in the buffet, it was very cold all of the time. It was nice to see lobster every night in the buffet. We went to 3 A La Cartes. Sakura was amazing...could have eaten there every night. The Hill Top, located in the Royal Section was awesome but the Italian one was terrible. Our opinion of course! They had a BBQ section daily, always something roasting on the spit, usually a pig and they had a 24 hr snack restaurant that served home made pizza...very good. The only complaint we had about the restaurants was the breakfasts cooks were painfully slow. There was always line ups for fresh cooked eggs, omelettes etc and the cooks would only cook 2 items at a time. The bars, that was another story. The service in the lobby bar was terrible the entire stay. Not because it was busy, the staff preferred to be chatting together and slipping out back to drink then to wait on anyone. The other bars were famous for running out of stuff like beer one day at the coffee bar and tonic was always hard to get at the beach bar. The swim up pool bar was always slow too. Cuban time I suppose. All in all...it was a good vacation but I think I would recommend trying the Royal Section. It seems that is what they were trying to sell at this resort

Grand Memories Varadero: Great place! !!!!

Going by Sunwing? The support by Sunwing at the hotel is awesome. The hotel staff is really good! Food restrictions? The buffet gives you a lot of choices. All in all, the Riu is a great hotel that offers a lot to do in 5 acres of beauty. Rooms are nice and the lobby bar is busy every nite!

Hotel Bella Costa: Old resort, amazing beach

The hotel is NOT a 4.5 star, more like a 2. Resort was very clean, but old and in desperate need of a renovation. Our very thin mattress was very uncomfortable and had little ants in our room everyday. We had an oceanfront villa. It took 2 days to get a extra bed (booked one) so one child slept in the big bed with us. We've been to Breezes in Bahamas and Jamaica and this Breezes by far was the poorest. Beach is amazing. Resort was large, big clean pool, great evening entertainment. So, if you ca [... read more]n get past the so-so food and old worn out rooms the beach tops the charts. Maybe they'll spring for an update soon... starting with the more expensive rooms on the ocean.

Melia Las Americas: Remember - it's Cuba.

Beach was great. Weather was great. Place was clean. But it is Cuba, so food was average - very bland and juice watered down. Fruit not as flavourful as you hope in Caribbean. Supplies run low. For Cuba, a great place, but I'd go somewhere else in Caribbean next time.

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Good Value for your money Beach Resort

I have stayed at an Iberostar in Cosumel and loved it. However this Iberostar on Veredero Beach was not a 5 star as stated. Pool area was very nice with waterfall you could go under. Lots of fun activities to do around pool. When we went to book a la carte restaurants we were not informed that if you stay for 5 nights you only got 2 a la carte restaurants. Chop house was good, but service in International restaurant was poor. We did get a room away from the disco overlooking quiet pool. Not sure [... read more] were music was coming from one night boom boom sounds until 1.30 am. The room smelled of meldew and I had to remove the bedspread as it really smelled bad. White towels were stained. No face cloths or bar of soap. No soap at all around sink. Buffet food was not bad. Service there good overall. Got to know one waiter who made us feel special. Spa was not fancy but service was good. Had a massage and a wrap. Had a small store. Able to exchange money at our resort. We booked an excursion with our rep.

Gran Caribe Sun Beach: Disappointing (First visit 3 years ago) was better

New paint but still same OLD building. Waited an hour for Holasun representative to show. No-show, no call. Lobby clerk said we would have to pay to phone her. Asked another rep to get her to see us. NOTHING. We will try iTravel2000 next time and another resort. Had better luck with them.

Resonance Blu Varadero: great over all

The food was good everyone ate well, entertainment was great, kids had great time. The only problem was our bed not the best quality but clean service was good the beach was great we were on the private side loved it we want to go back.....

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: Beautiful Resort/Amazing Staff

Stayed in the Privledged Section of the resort in a Junior Suite. Accomodations were great, overlooking the privledge pool with the sound of the waterfall. Very peaceful . Jay out butler was absolutely amazing, came to check in with us about 3 times a day to make sure our stay was everything we wanted. Ate at the a la cartes and they were pretty good, enjoyed Mike's coffee amazing special coffee's, Piano Bar was a highlight with the 3 piece entertainment., Beach was nice but the privledge could  [... read more]be a wee bit nicer. Enjoyed the privledge lounge and restaurant. Only complaint was WiFi was awful and we had to pay for it. Could not facetime my children back home so that was disappoingting. All in all this resort was well worth the price point and Privledge is the way to go. You are treated like royality

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: very nice adult only resort

This is a very large resort so lots of guests.Excellent beach with bar and service.Pools are well situated and because of number of guests need to reserve chairs early in morning.Buffet has many choices for breakfast ,lunch and dinner.Would not recommend the Italian nor Asian restaurants but woulr reserve the Japanese twice in lieu of.Service in all restaurants is excellent except for the two mentionned above.The service and food at the Miramar is excellent as well as the ambiance. housekeeping  [... read more]is very good as well as the accomodations.Note there are no elevators only stairs so upper floors require mobility.Bars are open 24/7 so if buliding is close by your sleep may be disturbed if in front section.If going for golf the Royal service which has its own private section and pools as well as the Miramar restaurant with unlimited golf would be the way to go. Recommend the tour to Havana which is all day but would not bother with the 4hr tour to Varodero as not much to see other than ALS Restaurant and flee market.

Hotel Los Cactus: Breezes Varadero, Movember 2014

Excellent beaches, amazing ocean, acceptable resort, but the food was unacceptable. Got food poisoned twice. Poor kitchen hygiene, half-rotten vegetables and the staff was recycling the left over repeatedly. We ended up having lunch and supper at restaurants in Varadero and of course, we had to pay for each meal: so much for the all-inclusive.

Melia Peninsula Varadero: Amazing vacationing at Melia Resorts!

I had such a great experience at the Melia Peninsula in Varadero, Cuba. The room was clean, sheets changed everyday, clothes and shoes organized every day. The staff very friendly and helpful. Selection of food quite good: i could always chose something for myself. And amazing bartenders !!! They always listened to my wishes and made the best drinks i have ever had... Very memorable stay at Melia Peninsula Varadero. Im thinking already about going back soon, even though I just came back a week a [... read more]go. Recommend to everyone.

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: Very Nice Resort

Very nice Resort----Very clean lobby--washrooms-- rooms--Landscaping and pools very well looked after----Lots of good food and drinks---beach well groomed--all litter picked up at all times---Cuban people very nice and helpful

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Great Resort

The hotel room was clean and spacious. The food in the buffet was good and the selection was fine. They were serving fresh lobster every evening that we ate there. The Japanese restaurant, Hilltop restaurant and Cuban restaurants were very good. We did not care much for the Italian restaurant. The beach was very good and the only problem is the shortage of shaded areas over the lounge chairs. By 0800 every morning all of the good spots were taken (towels/books placed).

Iberostar Origin Laguna Azul: Preetty Nice Hotel

10th trip to Cuba and have stayed in Holguin, Santa Clara, Cayo Coco and Varadero. I really like Cuba for the lovely landscape, interesting architecture, beaches and, most of all, the residents and staff. I understand that Cuba really strives to maintain their hotels and provide an enjoyable stay for all tourists. Having said that there were great things about this hotel and not so great things. Now, the not so great things did not bother me as I know what to expect but I feel I should point the [... read more]m out to those who are deciding where to go on their vacation. THE EXCELLENT This hotel has a good beach and very beautiful, well-groomed grounds! There are 2 quiet pool areas with a snack / bar area as well as a central pool with a swim-up bar and games. The resort was fairly easy to navigate and you did not have to do stairs if you have mobility issues, In fact, we observed many folks in wheelchairs using ramps and elevators. The entertainment was good. There was a piano player every night in the main lobby and the music could easily be heard on the main terrace. There was a talented saxophone player most evenings in one of the bar/terrace areas on the grounds. There was a waiter in the quiet pool areas. The evening shows were well-rehearsed and fun. There is an ice-cream stand open all day and the resort store had a variety of sundries and personal needs items (female hygiene) as well as gifts and clothing). There was also a small cigar and rum store attached to a cigar bar. As a smoker I loved that many areas allowed smoking but there was a non-smoking bar and, naturally, there was no smoking in the a la carte restaurants or inside the buffet area. In Cuba we find the staff friendly and cheerful even though they often work extremely long hours. I recommend tipping. As in any other bar or restaurant in Canada or abroad, a tip can go a long way in showing your appreciation for excellent service. Our practice is to tip a convertible peso about every other round of drinks for the two of us. We also tip the maid about 5 pesos each time but leave the do not disturb sign on the door every other day as we do not need the bed changed or made every day and we hang our towels so they can be used more than 1 day. We feel it helps conserve energy and do this at home as well. There were nice mattresses or cushions available for the loungers at this hotel and it made such a difference in our comfort when sleeping or reading by the pool. The hotel asks that you do not take the cushions to the beach area but for some, such as the elderly, or overweight, these cushions are imperative in avoiding aches and pains later. I did see some taking them down to the beach. If you do take a cushion to the beach, please take it back to the pool area when you leave the beach. At the towel exchange hut there is also a small book exchange. I found that the breakfast buffet was good and had an omelette station, smoothie station, a selection of meats (sausage, bacon, black pudding). There was also lots of fruit, pastries and croissants. We took the bus into Varadero and had a 3-hour tour for 9 pesos where we visited a house reputed to be owned by Al Capone and the Dupont House (yes the paint family) as well as a stop at the craft market and the rum store. I would recommend this as an inexpensive way to do a little exploring and see a bit of the city. For those who are a little more adventurous you can take the bus for 5 pesos and get on and off all day long. Cuba is quite safe but you may experience scammers and beggars just like Jamaica, Mexico or any other popular tourist destination. I suggest wearing a bracelet or watch over your wrist-band so they cannot suggest they know you from the hotel which I have been fooled by before. THE NOT SO GREAT The water pressure could have been better. The dinner buffet was typical for Cuba. I had expected a bit more from an Iberostar 5* hotel but as always in Cuba, we found things to eat and did not go hungry. Some tricks I have learned are that there are not always tomatoes on the buffet but you can get a few spoonfuls of chopped tomato from the pizza or omelette stations and use them in a salad or on a toasted-tomato sandwich. I did not see peanut-butter at this resort which was a little unusual so if you have kids or a love of the stuff, like I do, take a small jar. If you like to go to sleep early, I would suggest a quick email requesting not to be placed on the backside of blocks 15, 16 & 17 as they face the entertainment pavilion and the disco. We did not mind as we sat on the balcony and listened to the show and then amused ourselves watching inebriated young adults leaving the disco and acting silly. What can I say, we are evil, middle-aged and a bit jealous of their youth ha ha. OVERALL OPINION This was a very nice hotel and I would recommend it to folks.

Playa Caleta: Exceeded our Expectations in Most Areas

My husband and I chose this resort because it was an incredible deal and the bottom line was we just wanted to sit on a beautiful beach. We knew that the food would not be great but it turned out to be a bit better than we expected (we would rate it at a 6/10 most days). The staff were EXCELLENT and the room was clean and bright.

Roc Arenas Doradas: Enjoyable Vacation

Rooms weren't anything special and the beds were a little bit hard but the location of our room was right between the beach and the pool; everything was a short walk away. The food in the buffet was not good, I highly recommend booking your a la carte's as soon as you arrive or earlier if possible. Taking a cab in to town for your dinner's was our preferred option.

Sol Palmeras: Wonderful resort!

This was our first time in Cuba and all-inclusive resort and our experience exceeded our expectations! We stayed in Sol Palmeras from October 29 to November 8 and it's an amazing hotel! It is very clean and well maintained. The area around the building is beautiful and the beach is just about 100 meters away. The resort is quite big, including 5 zones of bungalows, but mostly along the sea shore. We stayed in a main building and we prefer that, because everything (restaurants, customer service,  [... read more]bars) is close and yet, no noise from the lobby or bars could be heard in the rooms. Our hotel room was excellent! It was very clean, spacious, with all necessities inside (iron, blow dryer, A/C, etc.). Everything was functional. The balcony was huge with a set of chairs and side table. We were amazed with how maids were maintaining it. If you wish, they would come in everyday, to replace the sheets (they don't do that in Canada) and towels and clean it. The nice touch is swans and other patterns they make out of towels. The beach is paradise: beautiful white sand, warm sea, not deep, which is great because we went with a six-year-old. It's kept clean and there were always available beach loungers and sun umbrellas. Food was excellent! There are 6 different restaurants in this resort, plus the bar on the beach, where we had great hamburgers, fries and salads. One restaurant is a buffet with more than plenty of choices for every meal and five are à la carte featuring: Italian, Mexican, sea food, steak house and Chinese. We tried them all and they're all good, but we liked the Italian restaurant the best (personal choice). I know that many people complaint about food in Cuba, but I cannot give an explanation for that. I would just like to say that their meat: chicken, beef, pork, lamb, no matter how prepared, is the best meat I've ever eaten (I'm very picky when it comes to meat). It tastes natural and I'm quite sure it's all organic. Kudos to all chefs! WiFi is available in designated area and it costs 4.5 CUC per hour, which is $6 CAD. It is very fast and efficient. There's lots of entertainment in the resort, for everybody. There is a Mini Club for children, where you can leave them for hour and a half in the morning and afternoon. They do all sorts of activities with them, mostly around the pool. Last but not least, nay probably the most important and valuable asset Cuba has is people! Cubans are so nice, warm and welcoming that it left a great impression on us. Staff at Sol Palmeras really impressed us! We felt like we were good friends, visiting regularly. I am sorry I can't remember all the names (I should've written down), but I will mention those whose names are still in my mind. Our maid Yuleidy is the sweetest lady we've ever met. She kept our room impeccable. Staff at the buffet restaurant are all so nice, smiling and welcoming; we loved going there and chatting with them. They keep a good care of their guests and I would like to mention our regular servers: Humberto, Yuleidis and Rosita. Ariadne from the Mini Club is another wonderful soul. Right from the first contact with her I felt like I've known her for my whole life. She is doing a great job with kids and is very caring and gentle. Madeline (an ice cream lady) and Alexis (beach tower rentals) were super friendly and wonderful! Osvaldo (from the beach) and Manueal (the gardener) were also doing a great job! Receptionist Yani gave us an excellent room on the second floor, facing the pool and didn't let us wait to check in as we were very tired. I would also like to praise all lobby bar personnel who were making us coffee and the best cocktails in the world! Thank you all guys! Big thanks to all the wonderful Sol Palmeras staff who made our stay there nicer and better than we could imagine! We had an incredible time at Sol Palmeras and certainly hope to go back many times. We would highly recommend this resort to everyone!

Iberostar Selection Varadero: Great Food

Third time to Iberostar Varadero and loved it as much as the first two times. My sisters and I love the pool, beach and activities. Very clean and great food. I will go back again next year. Donna from Hamilton On

Valentin El Patriarca Varadero: I am reformed - Amazing

I was not a big fan of Cuba, but this resort changed my mind. I loved the hotel, the people and the food was quite decent. The beach was spectacular. The staff are always smiling. I would return in a heart beat.