Sanctuary at Grand Memories Varadero: We will never return to this resort definitely not 4.5 rating

We have been to Cuba many times over many years and we would never return to this resort. Too many issues to post. One thing we would like send a shout out Noel the butler he was very attentive! Our experience here was not good at all.

Playa Vista Azul: Not a four star😕

Where do I start. First getting to the hotel was alright. However, when arriving to Cuba, make sure to bring your own toilet paper because the coach bathroom does not work and airport bathrooms do not have toilet paper in the stalls. The distance from the airport to the resrort is a solid 35 minute drive including drop offs at other resorts. Check in was delayed by an hour because laundry was not working and rooms were not ready. If arriving to the hotel before 4:00PM (check-in time), make sur [... read more]e to bring a swimsuit and a change of clothes appropriate for the weather on hand because the wait is brutal. The snack bars, buffets and bars are open and served the quality food you’d expect from Cuba. The restaurants are the exact same foods just plated up “nicely”, so don’t waste time waiting for a spot there. The beach is beautiful, clean and clear! The natives of Varadero said the best time to visit is November-December😉. The pool is very live and full early in the morning until 8PM. The staff who work primarily for pool activities and beach activities are so dedicated and great at their job. They do a great job at being interactive with the guests and make it an enjoyable time to all. The rooms were definitely not the greatest during the first two days. We had to walk to the lobby multiple times requesting for assistance that never came until the next day to fix the TV, AC and toilet in BOTH rooms. The heat was horrible to sleep in, in both rooms that my family had booked. The next day when we woke up the technician came to fix the AC and toilet in the rooms and it worked in one but the compressor or something in the other room was broken so we were moved two rooms down. After that day the rooms issue was resolved expect for the fact that neither rooms had shower towels for the whole stay though we requested for it multiple times from housekeeping. They provided us with water everyday which was great and made our beds/cleaned up without out fail! *Keep in mind that in order to get anything done for you anywhere in the resort you would need to tip.* For currency make sure that you DO NOT bring pesos as some Cubans or workers will not accept it or appreciate it. They prefer USD or CAD and essentially every other currency. However, if you are Canadian, I suggest that you convert whatever you have to USD back home before coming to Cuba because they WILL UPCHARGE EVERYTHING you buy 5-10 dollars more. If you are buying souvenirs or going outside your resort keep this in mind. Most of the staff is genuinely nice and helpful but some will be extra amazing if you give them good tips and speak Spanish. Lastly, during the nights there is entertainment that goes on from 9:30-10:30PM! It is AMAZING, if you go have nothing to do at night, go to the lobby at the front to meet people or go to the bar and theatre downstairs. They work so hard and the work pays off with the amazing performance given by the dancers and magicians. Very interactive and fun! Check was a mess and the front was not entirely helpful until the last minute. They deactivated our cards countless times before checkout at 12PM and made it so difficult to fix the issue. All in all, the resort itself was enjoyable and a nice getaway after everything was sorted. The beach was amazing, food was typical but occasionally above average for Cuba, and the staff and entertainment is amazing! Check in and check out is not structured properly and needs help. The resort was not completely a four star and would only come back for beach and entertainment. We were stressed at the beginning of the trip when we should have been relaxed. 3/5 rating.

Royalton Hicacos Resort and Spa: Very nice!

We were pleasantly surprise with the beautiful room. The food at the Italian restaurant was amazing and was our favourite. The ice cream in a fresh made waffle cone was so good. All of the staff were so kind and pleasant. The diamond club was worth the extra. Nicer beach beds, good service on the beach, better liquors to choose from, also before booking inquire about the updated rooms. I read reviews about lots of mosquitoes and tasteless food. Not my experience, salt and pepper on every [... read more] table. Food was very nice without adding salt and pepper. Mangoes were delicious. Lacked in fresh vegetables such as lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers. No bugs or mosquitoes. Special shout out to Salsa who BBQs daily on the Diamond beach and Joey who puts the umbrellas up for you. Overall we had a wonderful time and would recommend this hotel to others.

Playa Vista Azul: Outstanding!

This was an extraordinary property and great value for the price. Awesome staff and great food selection. A site map would have been beneficial to make full benefit of the many amenities. Looking forward to returning next season.

Starfish Varadero: Great staff but low budget hotel

The staff is very good. The actual hotel is spread out over a very large complex, only two small pools quite a walk from the Main hotel or if in the bungalow it’s a good walk to the buffet. I would not recommend this hotel if you have any walking issues stairs and stairs. Lots of people with the shits, FB post searching for people staying asking for Imodium Food was scarce have to get to the buffets early, or they run out (typical cuba) No excuse for the pre-made omelet’s on the fl [... read more]at top. I have stayed in much better places in cuba since 1983.

Melia Peninsula Varadero: Not the most lively resort for younger crowds

The resort was perfectly nice. They have shows in the evenings and activities during the days. The resort is family friendly - one of the two pools was for kids. The non-kid pool was quite warm, it wasn’t as refreshing as I’d hoped on a hot day, but we’re not in Cuba for the pools. The hotel is not ideal for younger crowds who want a more lively experience. Food was decent by Cuba’s standards but not the top/best. Beach water was beautiful but I wish they’d clean up the rocks and shell [... read more]s on the shore by the water - it hurt to walk on and I even saw a piece of glass in the sand. Overall good experience! But I’d opt for another resort for personal preferences.

Melia Internacional: Best beach I’ve been to in the Caribbean

The hotel Melia was very nice. The beach was the best I’ve been to in the Caribbean by far. The water was crystal clear with no sargassum at all. The building and rooms were clean and modern. The ice cream shop was awesome until they ran out of banana ice cream. Some nights the food at the buffet was great. While other nights it missed the mark. The Cuban people were fantastic. We felt really safe there and I can’t say that for other countries we have visited. We didn’t even book at any of [... read more] the restaurants because they were booked solid. My advice would be book those early in your stay and bring hot sauces and spices to add flavour. My suggestion for the hotel would be to provide French fries and chicken nuggets for kids.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Amazing resort!

- service excellent; - staff very kind, welcoming, polite and helpful; - animation and entertainment are excellent; - beach very clean; - nice enjoying atmosphere; - nice restaurants à la carte (especially Japanese);

Iberostar Selection Varadero: Iberostar Selection Varadero

Just came back from a week in Cuba at Iberostar Selection Varadero. Went with 3 teenagers and a spouse and booked the Family room. These are two adjoining rooms with one room having 3 double beds and one room having a king bed. Each room has a bathroom with shower and tub. The hotel overall is very dated and requires quite a bit of updating. The food wasn't very good and is repeated daily in multiple restaurants. Water is very hard to find as they have a water shortage so you must bring your ow [... read more]n reusable bottles and can only get water at the pool bar or main lobby. Staff are extremely slow and not terribly friendly and let me tell you, if you don't tip, even for water while eating dinner you won't get service again. Tipping here is at an all time high due to economic pressures and the Cuban currency at an all time low. Entertainment staff come out asking for tips before, during and after each show. Staff dress up as statues holding a basket asking for tips when you walk around the resort. All drinks are warm as ice is almost impossible to find which means beer is flat, wine is very hot and you can't get something to cool you down. The beach is absolutely beautiful and like our of a movie. You can walk for miles and it doesn't get deep, it was a dream to swim in. The pool is the same but has almost zero shade so bring a hat along with your reusable water bottles. Went snorkeling off the beach where it's $20 per person in CASH to take an hour long trip right off the beach. Was totally worth the $100 for the 5 of us to enjoy. The fish and sea life were incredible. Overall the trip was good but wouldn't go back anytime soon. More so due to the economy and the resort just not having normal essential items right now that I would prefer to have on vacation. Cold drinks, drinking water, clean sheets and air conditioning that runs properly. I know it's Cuba and it's not what we are accustomed to, but I feel the basics are lacking right now and will consider Cuba again in maybe 5 years.

Sol Caribe Beach: Absolutely amazing resort !

Our all-time favourite resort in Cuba is Sol Cayo Coco, but since it will not be available until later this year, we decided to give Varadero a try for our first vacation in almost 4 years. Spent 2 days reading (the scary) reviews about all resorts available in Varadero and almost gave up until I stumbled across Sol Caribe Beach. We have immediately decided this is the place we wanted to go. This newly renovated resort is absolutely stunning and all the reviews are true to the letter ! The hot [... read more]el (main building) is super clean and the well air-conditioned rooms are very modern with subtle LED lighting, new fixtures and comfortable beds. A large flat TV offers a good selection of channels from around the world and an absolute new feature for Cuban resorts: free Wifi ! The wifi is actually quite decent signal-wise and speed-wise (even facetime, youtube etc worked pretty good). The beautiful lobby is also home to Friends Bar where Manuel, Amanda, Gladis, Abel , Cristian and Rainier will happily fill your glass and put a smile on your face too. Not far from there, at the Corner Cafe, Yosladi the master barista will craft any coffee your heart desires ! The lobby is a non-smoking area which is actually a great idea (yes I am a smoker), but you can enjoy your beverage, your smoke and a chat on the cozy patio right outside the lobby bar facing the swimming pool area and the Papagayo pool bar. From here, a short 20 meters walk will bring you to The Kitchen buffet where the super friendly Richard and his lady team mate (cannot remember her name) will greet you with a seemingly endless supply of champagne. The buffet has a wide variety of food, 2 grilling stations and one pasta station. I personally love the Cuban food, their delicious beef, chicken or pork stews and seafood rice always made me get seconds. Great selection of deserts: fruit, cakes and icecream. Past the swimming pool area, on the way to/from the white sand beautiful beach, the awesome Otto and Abdiel at the Brisa Beach Bar will always greet you and make sure you are staying well “hydrated” :) The beach is clean and offers plenty of lounge chairs and palm thatch umbrellas.The ocean is beautiful and warm and it offers a generous distance of shallow waters. Beach activities include stretching, salsa dance class, volleyball and feel free to explore the emerald waters with the free-of-charge pedal boats and kayaks or book ($) a catamaran trip to the deeper waters. Security and life guards are always present to ensure a safe and civilized experience. The evening entertainment is pretty good, with an amazing team of dancers, magicians, cuban music band and also a very good rock band, but they could use a more energizing team of animators to advertise their upcoming shows and events and to build up the vibe amongst the guests throughout the resort. A great and needed addition would be an after hours disco/club for those who would like to burn more energy dancing past the midnight. In conclusion: the staff is polite and friendly, the hotel is very clean, beautiful and modern style, the food is great and plentiful, beverages are of good quality, the beach is clean and comfortable and the entertainment is pretty good. Wall hand sanitizer dispensers can be seen from place to place and UV lights fitted inside the elevators, all linens, glassware and silverware are spotless which shows the Management is serious about the health measures.. No shortages whatsoever and we actually felt pampered during this WONDERFUL VACATION at this gem hidden in plain sight ! Thank you ALL at Sol Caribe Beach Varadero and congratulations for the excellent job !

Melia Marina Varadero: Good summer trip!

My bestfriend and I took this trip and were pleasantly surprised it exceeded our expectations. There was some small hiccups but overall it was great value for the price - the beach was beautiful with clean white sand!

Brisas Del Caribe: Pathetic

They first day. The food unedible, even bottled water. The hotel rooms run down and old. The salad in invisible. I am so sorry to see how bad things have gotten in Cuba. Medical care # 1 with compassion. These ppl are so crushed and over worked. It is sad to go there. The smell, the air filled with urine and gasoline. Ppl working 14 hour days so hot. The place is dirty and unkempt and the employees are too exhausted to try.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Amazing vacation

Property could use some fixing but it didn’t stop us from heaving amazing vacation…great value for money we paid…beautiful resort with perfect beach .I would like to say big thanks to people who work in this resort .They work very hard to make the visitors happy …

Hotel Tuxpan: Great time at the hotel !!!

The hotel was comfortable and had great service by the workers. Small and compact, everything I needed was there. Overall I had a great experience !!! The weather was great, actually it’s always good in cuba. Thanks again CUBAAA !!!

Iberostar Selection Varadero: Great tome

The hotel was very clean and the staff very friendly. The food was plentiful and the restaurants had a good offering of choices. The pool was clean and the beach was beautiful. Clear water and white clean sand. Great place for kids.

Starfish Cuatro Palmas: Great Resort ,best food in Cuba

Was here i July. It was my second stay at this resort. What can I say the resort staff are very friendly and the food the best I've had at a resort in Cuba. The manager went above and beyond to make our stay amazing. The animation team keeps u entertained. A special thanks to Juan Pablo for accommodating our needs. While with cuba u have to expect some corks. Especially post covid. Some times there are shortages of things but always replenished the next day. Beach is amazing and the location th [... read more]e best if you are looking to shop or party outside resort. Will definitely be back.

Playa Vista Azul: Great Resort

The lobby was stunning with the infinity pool overlooking the ocean as a view when your checking in, staff at the front was very helpful and always willing to assist you as soon as you approached the lobby. The room was very clean/huge and the AC worked great, everything was updated. The location of the pool and the beaches were easily accessible and access to the paddle boats/snorkeling was no problem. The entertainment staff was always in a great mood and provided great interactive entertainm [... read more]ent for kids/adults alike. The food was very good both in the restaurants and in the buffet. I would definitely stay there again, I would only hope that the staff would understand English a little more as communicating was a slight issue in making sure they knew exactly what you were trying to say, with that being said I just used my hands more to express myself

Iberostar Origin Bella Vista Varadero: Nice vacation

Very nice beach. Nice and helpful staff. Good hotel. Entertainment and theatre performances were good. Bars and service was good. Enough choices in the bars to choose and drink. Food was just ok. We had a good vacation there.

Grand Memories Varadero: The beach perfect, grounds was perfect, 75% of the time the main Pool Swim-up bar was not open, was messy and smell. The quiet Pool i refuse to get into, dogs always on the rocks above the pool and if they urinated or Mess on the overhead rocks it will end up in the pool.

This Hotel is listed as a 4*, for me its a 2* The rooms were terrible, i changed rooms 4 times. Toilet seepage, other room water always on the floor, another water falling from above. My last room water coming in from somewhere and unto the floor. The manager asked me if i wanted another room, i said no. My family was frustrated and fed-up of packing and moving. The manager tried his best, not his fault the resort is poorly maintained. I get my daughter for 2 weeks in July and 2 weeks in  [... read more]august. Always take her on a vacation, this was wasted time, time i could not get back. Twice my towels were not changed. I have been to Cuba 9 times prior, never had this experience. the food was the worst i ever had, some days no butter or eggs, July 11 the food was ok, but coudn't enjoy the dinner, had to rush to get the bus. My worst vacation, i don't think i will visit Cuba again in the near future. i am now looking at how to get a refund, after-all it was listed as a 4* and it was overrated. False and Misleading Advertisement

Royalton Hicacos Resort and Spa: Nice resort

The employees make this place great. Everyone was kind and quick to get us anything we needed(we tipped at pretty much every interaction) not sure if that had anything to do with it. The hotel is kept well but the pool is shallow and pretty dead in the day probably because of the amazing beach a few feet away. Food was tasty but lacked variety at the buffet. The a la cartes were good especially the Tex Mex and Italian. The only reason I would hesitate to go back to this resort would be the lack  [... read more]of a/c not sure if it was broken or just super low but we were sweating at every meal not very comfortable or relaxing. Also there isn’t much to do at night no casino, no sports/karaoke bar. There was a jazz bar but only had a pianist one of the nights otherwise it was silent not even playing music over the speakers. But all in all the drinks were strong, food was good and beach was beautiful we were not disappointed.