The 26 best things to do with kids in Varadero

I don't personally believe that this resort deserves 5 stars. We spent 5 days here in July of 2025. The good: - the property itself is beautiful and expansive - the beach is pristine and the water is incredibly clear and perhaps the best water I've seen in my life - there are things to do on the resort (but not much), there are a couple pools, a gym, tennis court (in rough shape), there's a private pool connected to the spa which is only for guests staying in a specific wing of the resort - the resort staff themselves were for the most part very kind, helpful and always willing to help What needs improvement: - for an all inclusive resort of this level, the food was severely lacking (which is maybe just a signal as to how the country is doing overall) - there were 3 separate restaurants outside of the buffets, however two of 3 of them were booked the entire time before we even arrived, how are you supposed to reserve a restaurant if not even available while making your reservation - We were kind of bored, aside from some of the amenities, there isn't much else to do in all honesty I could write much more but decided to keep it concise, the last thing I will say is it seems that there are a lot of, in my opinion, fake reviews for this property on google, I see a ton of 5 star reviews from accounts that only have 1 google review ever (for this hotel).

Disappointing Experience at Iberostar Varadero – No Accountability After Theft Our family stayed at Iberostar Varadero from March 25th to 29th, 2024, expecting a relaxing and memorable vacation. Unfortunately, our experience was severely disrupted by the theft of my daughter’s backpack from the hotel’s pool area on March 26th around 5 PM. The backpack contained valuable personal items, including an iPhone XR, AirPods, and other essentials. Despite being in a supposedly secure area, and with only hotel staff and a few familiar guests present (as confirmed by security cameras), the backpack disappeared without a trace. We immediately reported the incident and spent the rest of our stay in repeated meetings with hotel security and management, sacrificing planned activities and enduring considerable emotional stress. The last known location of the stolen phone, tracked via the Find My iPhone app, showed it had left the hotel compound and was near the bus station—strongly suggesting internal involvement, especially given the restricted access to the pool area. We formally requested compensation for the material and emotional damages, and initially received a reply acknowledging the ongoing investigation. However, after our follow-up communication, the hotel ceased responding entirely, never assuming any responsibility or offering any resolution. This lack of accountability and transparency is deeply disappointing, especially from a brand that promotes excellence and customer care. We chose Iberostar Varadero based on its reputation, but sadly, our experience did not reflect those values. I sincerely hope the hotel reconsiders its approach to guest relations and security. Until then, I cannot recommend this property to others seeking a safe and supportive vacation environment.

best resort we have stayed at in Varadero by far. This was our 6 time in varadero, first time at this resort. The lobby is stunning and again by far the best we saw vs other resorts. Everything was well cleaned including our room. Our maid SANDRA was excellent. She checked with us everyday to see if we needed anything. Food was really good everyday. and what was a nice surprise is the nightly entertainment is simply amazing. First class each night, pool and beach are both excellent and food is available at both during the day.

I have been to Cuba many times and this is the best resort I have stayed at by far! Service is amazing, food is delicious, and the beach is to die for. The Nightime entertainment is the best I’ve seen and of professional caliber. Special thanks Idelsis at the reception for her warm welcome, Dayana for her cheerful spirit, Daniela at the coffee bar for her amazing cappuccinos, Daniel for his warm smile at the buffet and Deysi at the restaurant for always going out of her way to make sure we are having the best time. We will definitely come back again, and leave having many new friends we look forward to seeing again!

The room was clean, the bed was comfortable and the staff is friendly. The beach is very clean. There are a few restaurants including a coffee bar. The food was decent. The nighttime entertainment is by far the best I've experienced at a resort. There were magic shows, comedy shows, dance shows, acrobats and even a synchronized swimming show.

Great ocean view. Most staff is friendly and willing to help. Some get irritated and it shows if you ask for a certain table. Rooms are very outdated with chipped tiles, cracked walls, some mold, and rust. Service is good. Like I said some people will go out of their way to help you while others will ignore tou or roll their eyes or give you an attitude. The resort itself is decent. Food is decent/good. But the resort is very outdated and oh - THERE ARE ROACHES. IN THE LOBBY AND IN THE BUFFET AREA. SO PRETTY SURE ROACHES ARE EVERYWHERE. Buffet is very small. Some restaurants are only open certain days but when they are open, they get filled fast. ** no bottled water found at all. They only have "filtered water which you can refill" Would not recommend or go back.

This hotel is great! Staff is amazing, starting from room cleaners, buffet service, bar waitresses … amazing people! Very friendly, and doing amazing job! Nightly entertainment is just great! We enjoyed it every night! Diana, the singer is a pro! We recommend this hotel to everyone. We will definitely be back! Thank you to all in iberostar selection Varadero❤️

50 CAD$ FOR 2 ADULTS+ 2 KIDS. 5$ each child for camel ride. June 2025. Few people. Shadow, 30 min show. Good for kids

Nice show for kids. There are two shows per day, at 11:00 and 15:30. If you want to swimming with them, there are 3 slots per day, 9:30, 11:30, 16:00. Best is before show, in the morning. Bring the small bills EUR or USD. Entrance for two adults plus one swimming was 80 euros. Pictures and video are another 50 EUR (55 usd or 70 cad per price list). In bar you can buy a beer or lemonade, there is no water and espresso machine doesn’t work :-). Prices are 5 EUR/USD per any drink.

We flew with Air Canada but they dont offer excursions with Dolphins, so we Booked through Nexus Tours in our lobby to see a show and swim with the dolphins. It was $75 USD per person if we took the bus on our own, which was our only choice as the tour only offers pick up and drop off one day a week and we missed it. With direct transfers it would have been $90 USD. The hop on/hop off bus is $5 per person (USD or CAD cash) and it drops you off across the street. The Dolphin show itself is kind of short and its hard to see due to people standing at the fence instead of sitting in the bleachers during the show. The dolphins do some tricks and interact with the trainer which is really fun to watch. The dolphins look healthy and happy, despite the areas they live in not being big enough in my opinion. When it came time to swim with them, we were brought to a different section, told to change into our bathing suits and got a life jacket. My husband and I were with a group of two other women. There is NO opportunity for you to take pictures of your interaction on your own cameras unless you are with someone who is not also swimming. Anyone with you who is not swimming with them will be waiting on the dock and can take some photos/videos. However, the swimming is really just creating photo opportunities for the photographers. You get a kiss from the dolphins, touch their stomachs, they pull you around in a circle, you do a little jump and then do another circle and its essentially over. We did throughly enjoy the interaction and being in the water with them was really cool, but I do wish the importance was put on the experience of the customers and less on the photos. When you're finished, you rinse off and are told to go get your photos. You cannot buy individual photos, you need to buy the whole package. It was $50 USD or $65 CAD. They had no connection for credit cards and we were essentially told too bad. We pushed because we didn't bring cash (our mistake) and after about an hour someone came with a machine. We were charged $65 as Canadians...but our card was charged in USD so we paid $90 for the package instead. They should have charged us $50. So yep, we got scammed and didn't notice until we got back to our resort. Nexus tours was not helpful in correcting this. We got about 20 photos in total for two people and an 8 minute video including the experience of everyone else in the group. Overall, it was a good experience and I didn't feel bad for the dolphins and their conditions as an animal lover. Nothing felt cruel about their envirnment or treatment which I was nervous about. Mostly disappointed in the payment issue.

Paid $40 for family of 3 (two adults, one 4yo), our Spanish is basic but they were explaining everything in English, too. Pic with the dolphin cost $5 for one but both us took a pic. Show takes about 30min. There is really cool playground, too. The only minus...bathrooms. Don't let me start it...

We tried to visit the place after reading the info on their website and my own personal experience from visiting the place years ago. Unfortunately, the price they charge is not what they advertised on their own website. It is not $60 but $83!!! We were shocked but when I showed them the info on their website, they did not acknowledge it and pretended that they knew nothing and the ticket is $83. This is an extortionate price for a few minutes in the water with the dolphins.

Very very informal business. Few things to take into consideration: 1. If you don't speak Spanish, you better buy a tour in your hotel. If you speak Spanish and want to go to buy your tickets at the door, be ready to negotiate the price. The first price that I got was US$80 and I had to push the price down. 2. If you decide to swim with the dolphins, be aware that you cannot take pics but you will be forced to buy a package that includes pics (around 100) and a video. You will also need to negotiate the price as the first price is $US110. 3. The washroom is very dirty

Absolutely amazing, I we have really enjoyed the show and swimming with dolphins. Very helpful stuff! If you have time definitely recommend.

During my trip to Cuba I visited Varadero 3 times, on each of my 3 trips this place was a must stop. The views are beautiful, the staff are lovely and the drinks are to die for. One of the bartenders said they had the best Pina Colada in Varadero, and I agree, it was definitely the best one I had! Love this park and cant wait to visit again on my next trip!

Wonderful place, very, very beautiful park, with amazing mini lake and awesome landscape, special thanks for wonderful bench, very nice view from top, and very good small bridges, very nice location, inside park few good restaurants and music club, with great music performance every day, i mean Beatles club, THANK YOU VERY MATCH AND GREATEST GRATITUDE FOR YOU DEAR PARK !!!!!!!

The parc ruined my wedding. We paid a big sum of money to use the bar in the parc as a private event. They did not respect that and allowed anyone in. The alcohol we had purchased disappeared very fast because random cubans who were not part of our wedding were drinking our alcohol, people who we didn't invite ate our wedding food. As the bride, I didn't eat at all because they forgot to make my food completely and then they shut it down hours earlier than what was in the contract. My husband had put his backpack behind the bar to keep it safe and someone stole it. Some random lady who was not part of the wedding let my 7 year old autistic kid get on the paddleboat without knowing who she belonged to, I caught that just in time and got her before she was completely on the boat. It was pitch black at that point. They didn't respect anything. Never book a wedding there.

Nice park for a walk or to go jogging in the morning. A couple of animals are running around and they have some nice restaurants and bars which open in the evening. The mini golf place is pretty messed up but I guess it is not active anymore, same for the pool at the back of the park.

A very nice little park, it was rainy so we didn't see too much in it, but it was a very nice little walk around.

I'm not sure what others were expecting from this park but for us it was beautiful I'm very much worth visiting. We hired a boat out on the lake and had a good walk around the grounds stopping in a bar for a mojito or two!

the Pina Coladas we're delicious strong!!!! Try it without rum, it is very refreshing. The service is excellent. Loved this place. My family and I were here for a full afternoon. Worth it.

It's good place to get cigar and rum but they have only one thing, if you speak Spanish you will get different price

Not so much to choose. Everyone will send you here to buy some local rum, but unfortunately there isn't much to choose from, just lots of bottles of the same brand. This place is nice, staff is friendly, they offer you rum tasting and you find cigars here as well. But that’s it, same bottles you can find in any hotel or at the airport with the same price.

La Casa del Ron is a gem in Varadero that rum enthusiasts and casual visitors alike shouldn't miss. As a returning customer, I can confidently say this place maintains its charm and quality. The highlight is undoubtedly their free rum tasting, which offers an excellent opportunity to sample some of Cuba's finest rums. Their rum selection is impressive - arguably the best you'll find in the area. What's more, the prices are quite competitive, especially when compared to what you'd find at the airport or in downtown Varadero Mall. The atmosphere is another big plus. It's a well-maintained, air-conditioned space that provides a welcome respite from the Cuban heat. It's the perfect spot to take a break and relax during your walk through Varadero. For cigar aficionados, La Casa del Ron also offers a great selection, making it a one-stop-shop for two of Cuba's most famous exports. Whether you're looking to taste, relax, or purchase some rum to take home, La Casa del Ron delivers on all fronts. The combination of quality products, reasonable prices, and a pleasant atmosphere makes this a must-visit destination in Varadero. It's an excellent way to experience a bit of Cuban culture and take home some high-quality souvenirs. In summary, if you're in Varadero, make sure to set aside some time for La Casa del Ron. It's more than just a shop - it's an experience that encapsulates the spirit of Cuba in a bottle (or several). :)

Nice spot to visit in Varadero during the day, good selection of local rums with a history lesson on the side

Very nice place with friendly staff and a wide selection of rum and a smaller selection of cigars. There's a tasting area, I would be sure to take your time there. They accept CUC and credit cards, with a 3% fee, which is handy if you end up buying more than you planned - which you might after trying some samples. Prices for rum are quite a bit cheaper than in Canada.

I came in with a tour and we did a rum and liqor taste test. Seriously, get the dark legendario, so delicious! This is a great place to buy the bottles of liquor you want to take home. The prices are some of the best I've seen. Great selection!

I visited this place through TUI, we tasted 11 different kinds of rum and liquors , it was a great experience. You can buy all kinds of them for reasonable price except Santiago de Cuba-in airport is around £13

Omg STAY AWAY save your souls !!! The rooms have bugs and we had a warm in the room , it smelled and no hot water The “restaurant “ was DIRTY !!!! how can you keep food so dirty ?!?! The floors never get cleaned and there is old food on the ground there are birds in the restaurant and NO AC The pool if dirty too and slimy it looks like it never got cleaned After 2 days I thought I landed in hell sunwing thankfully moved us hotels thank god At one point I was crying and asked to just go back to Toronto … so they moved us Why would I leave my clean house with amazing food to a so called vacation with horrible rooms and dirt everywhere and no hot water Am I paying to suffer ???? Omgggg just don’t

Worst experience of my life. I’ve been to at least 8 varadero resorts and never had this happen. Went with a large group. Rooms are moldy, nothing works, my buddy’s room you can barely breath in it. I had sinus issues all week. Maids stole $500 from one girl, headphones from my girlfriend and headphones from another friend. ( I even tipped the maids $15 3 x and made them two gift baskets full of hygiene products) Food was terrible. (It’s Cuba I expected this but this was different) huge shortage only rum and Fanta/ watermelon all week. Terrible place would stay far away from.

My review Location is amazing and beech is lovely. Grounds look well kept save for litter Coffee awesome! Snack bar had edible choices and the staff were super friendly Loved the front desk bar Pool was ok but there was no one minding it and it looked cloudy. Kids ran amuck doing back flips and cannonballs. I wonder if there were any injuries? Parents didn’t seem to care! Smoking everywhere and i mean everywhere. Made me sick, kids were around. Those disposable white cups trashed everywhere and picked up by next day. Throughout the day its a dumping ground. Rooms Keycards constantly failed (hiked back to front time after time) Closet door fell off hinges and nearly broke my foot. Took them days to fix. Dirty linens Balcony door had no lock but I could easily jump over from other room if i wanted to based in divider height. Filthy patio chairs Bathtub very elevated (not accessible and too high off ground) Doors sometimes didn’t lock when i left. Imagine if i didnt check? No elevators. Not a deal breaker to me but when your tired and your keyfob broke how many times?? Ugh Cons A drunk local tried to break into my room accusing me of stealing it while i was in bed… He was kicking and screaming until he figured it out and left. General manager apologized Locals: they cut in line, hoarded all the pastries, were rude to the staff. It appeared that most staying on resort were Cubans Food: Atrocious, even for cubans. Beans and rice were only staples and these all felt canned. Everything was processed No beef whatsoever, this is a cuba thing.. Food handling non existent. Raw meat left on counter right on the counter and right by guests standing in line to get it grilled. I saw sweat poring and dropping over meat. Gross.. Oh one handler was picking up the meat with her bear hands… disgusting It was pork pork pork… Chicken looked atrocious and they were very stingy with it. I know why. I got food poisoning and was sick for days and still feeling affects even back home. I didnt even eat meat Shows. Didnt watch Staff: over worked i saw the same employees from dusk to dawn. They really push them! No wonder they all looked tired but gave it their best when they knew how hard it was Overall.. Cuba was beautiful… Hotel and its management sucked. Id go back to cuba in a heartbeat but not to this poorly managed hotel

Apart from the stunning beach and the drinks, nothing about this hotel were good. The food in the buffet is bland. Although the food from the live counters are edible, the waiting time and the hot weather ruined it. The tips are expected pre-service and even then sometimes the service was delayed/denied. Expect to pay extra to "upgrade" your booked rooms if you want to avoid flooding bathroom and musty smells. Among all these Marium from the customer/guest service is awesome. She helped us a lot to get the rooms sorted. If you are reading this Marium, thank you!

I recently stayed at this hotel and paid $160 per room to upgrade at the front desk, expecting a more comfortable experience. Instead, I encountered several unacceptable issues over my 7-day stay: - Only one set of bathroom towels was provided, with no replacements or changes throughout the week. - The cleanliness of the rooms was subpar, and many amenities were not functioning properly. - The overall atmosphere felt neglected and disorganized. - On top of that, many local guests disregarded basic courtesy and frequently cut in lines, adding to the feeling of chaos. I chose this hotel based on positive expectations, but this experience left me deeply disappointed. I hope you take this feedback seriously and make immediate improvements to ensure future guests receive the quality they pay for.

Just returned home. Pros - beautiful beach, and two awesome pools. Lots of bars, restaurant food was excellent. Friendly staff (we had our 7 month with us, may have made staff more friendly) awesome coffee bar. Snack bar by pool was good food and great staff. Drinks were always good and lots if alcohol in mixed drinks. Water and drinks in mini bar stocked daily. Toilet paper in room stocked daily. Fresh towels daily. Cons - buffet food was awful. Toilet paper only in am in public washrooms, no locks either. Could not find where to exchange beach towels, even after asking. Room was run down, but no big deal. Toilet was broken, we asked to have it fixed and nothing. But a maid noticed and had someone come fix it. Over all, I would return for the right price. It was a good week, expect for the heat which isnt the resorts fault lol 😂

We stayed on the sanctuary (adults only) side, and it was amazing. The pool was extremely clean, the servers/staff were all very kind. The food was really good!! I was super worried about the food considering my past experiences with resorts, but I didn’t have any bad experiences and none of it upset my stomach. Our butler (Remiro) was on top of everything and always made sure we were good. He was extremely kind and accommodating. The beach is absolutely beautiful and quiet on the adults side. If you want more of a party side, you can walk over to the grand memories side. If there is anything wrong with your room or anything else, Remiro is one text away to help. Overall, considering we paid around $1300 CAD per person, this resort was absolutely amazing!! As for the resort itself, it is super beautiful!

This was our second visit to Melia Sol Palmeras this year. We absolutely love it here, the staff in the buffet, the staff in the al la carts are amazing and so welcoming. The food.....well you definitely do not go hungry. We eat more when we are there than at home, plenty of choices...even for children from pizza and fries to multiple types of seafood. The new bar area is stunning, and is great for an after dinner drink or two or just enjoying the afternoon after swimming. The staff have become like family to us, all these things together keep us coming back. The beach is deep and long with plenty of space and beach chairs for all. The pools are great, and we've never had a problem finding a lounger, even when we were there during the March Break. There's plenty to do for all, the entertainment is great, if you're dancing the night away in the disco, you are bound to make new friends. The hotels itself is modern and clean, the staff is always cleaning and making sure that you are having a great time. The bar drinks and staff, both are great. We are already planning our next trip!!!

We've had an amazing time here, this is our second time coming. We appreciate the food, the beaches, the staff, everyone's been absolutely amazing to us. We come for the beach, people and fruit and there's always something to eat, drink and enjoy. We would highly recommend trying the resort and learn the culture, people and what makes Cuba unique. There's indoor and outdoor entertainment all the time and the entertainment staff give their 110% effort all day every day. This is great for families and couples.

first time in sol palmeras ! amazing entertainment and super clean resort! lots to do, international restaurant was amazing. great service from everyone! life guard adrian is super friendly and a vibe! zumba dancing from the entertainment is amazing! definitely will be coming back to this resort

Very happy with my choice. Hotel was the perfect walking distance to all areas and the thing I was impressed with the most was the food. Rice, beans, stewed meats, vegetables, fish, pizza, pasta, french fries, salads mussels and grilling stations. Oh and by the pool they did Cuban lunch omg it was Excellent food! We love the food the meats, picadillo, rice and beans with yucca there’s always hamburger and hot dogs for those that don’t like that. Some say it’s too salty it’s not..the food had excellent flavour! We had amazing coffee every morning at the coffee bar, the best Frappuccino! We did the Italian restaurant it was good food but the service was cold and not welcoming at all. Just basically came up to our table gave us our menu and came back five minutes later was literally like “do you know what you want?” No welcome, No drink offer first, just cold and get them in and get them out. My husband asked for a bit of parm to put in his balsamic and oil to dip the bread in and the male server acted like he was insane for asking and was flat out like umm no you’ll get it when you get your food lol Snack bar was excellent service too and quick. My only complaint would be there are salt and pepper shakers on each table…but they are all empty..also, by the pool by the loungers maybe small plastic tables to put your drinks and stuff so you don’t have to keep on the ground. My room was comfortable a bit hot the air was not working consistently but it was ok. Cleaning did a great job as well. Always replenished when needed. Another recommendation, When people get checked into the rooms have air already running to feel more fresh and welcoming after a long day of travel, my room was so hot and put me instantly in a bad mood lol. I personally do not go to same place twice however, I do recommend this resort for older couples and families. This hotel is excellent for those who can’t fo a lot of walking or have small kids, everything less than 5 minutes walk or less. We experienced no shortages at all during our stay. No outages at all hot water, bottled water and toilet paper Lovely vacation

We have been to Cuba before and we liked it for the friendly people and relaxing resorts, but unfortunately this resort didn’t have the same welcoming atmosphere and was too crowded, While some staff were kind, not all were friendly or helpful. The bungalows are in need of renovation, the lobby was not cool enough to sit and enjoy, and there were too many mosquitoes, which made it hard to relax. The only positives were the good activities and the Chinese and Italian restaurants, which had great food and good air conditionings, Overall, it wasn’t the experience we expected in Cuba.

We’re from Canada and stayed at this hotel for a week — what a fantastic experience! Service: The service was excellent. Everyone was friendly and helpful, and our entire group was very happy. Food: Incredible! There was a wide variety of delicious options, especially seafood. It can get a bit busy during peak times, but the quality and selection of food made up for it. We did not care much for Asian restaurant. Baked goodies are so yummy! Entertainment: Lots of fun! We truly enjoyed the activities and shows offered. Staff: Very warm and welcoming — made us feel at home. Hotel & Rooms: Everything was clean, comfortable, and well-maintained. Rooms were cleaned often. No complaints at all. Location: The hotel is perfectly located right on the beach. We spent every day in the water, and there were plenty of palm trees and beach beds for everyone. The water is stunning — clear and beautiful. This is a true 5-star hotel — even better than we expected. Just a heads-up: there are some tiny beach bugs (I’m not sure what they’re called) that can make your skin itchy, so I recommend bringing bug spray. Overall, I give this hotel a solid 5-star rating. Hats off to all staff, and owners — they’ve done an amazing job!

The hotel is amazing and clean and honestly I’ve had my fair share in Cuba and I’ve had the most amazing experience here. The entertainment team here is amazing and entertaining. The beach party was so much fun , yoga in the mornings was very refreshing , and the mini workouts through the day the entertainment team sets up if not in the pool but also in the ocean.

These week, I am staying in Roc Arenas Doradas where I feel very well served. This hotel staff works hard to please clients' petitions. I have specially enjoyed the food though everyone knows our country's food deficiency; I believe there's a reasonable food variety and the quality is very good. Main courses range from seafood to meat and the drinks are original. You can find what to eat till late night. I feel amazed with the hotel amusement activities and their night life activities. They are being relaxing. And last but not least the rooms are comfortable, clean, and cool. I couldn't have chosen anything better. This is my third time here and I would like to continue coming on my next vacations. Thanks to this wonderful staff for their efforts to make our vacation memorable.

The staff are extremely friendly. The room service is exceptional and they made sure we had all of our toiletries. In terms of eating, the staff were very attentive and kind when fulfilling our orders. The resort is gorgeous and the view of the beach is to die for. Would love to come back for a great experience.

From the moment we arrived at Roc Arena Doradas, I felt welcomed and cared for. The resort is not only beautiful with its stunning beach, lush grounds, and well-kept facilities, but what truly makes it special is the warmth and professionalism of the staff. A special mention goes to Daisy, the Customer Service Manager, whose kindness, attentiveness, and genuine hospitality set the tone for my entire experience. She went above and beyond to ensure that every detail of my stay was perfect. Her approachable manner and quick responsiveness made us feel valued and taken care of at all times. The rooms were clean and comfortable, the food offered a great variety, and the entertainment team kept the atmosphere lively and fun. Whether relaxing by the pool, enjoying the beach, or taking part in daily activities, there was always something enjoyable to do. I left Roc Arena Doradas with unforgettable memories and a strong desire to return. If you’re visiting Varadero and want a resort where you’re treated like family, look no further.

It’s the best hotel I have been here five times and the room is very clean staffs are very friendly. Very welcoming environment. It’s also kids friendly and the entertainment teams are the best around the pool. The food is also great and they have variety choices for everyone. I highly recommend this hotel for great experience.

One of the best place to go and have your all inclusive paid off. We were there for 1 week and we are vegetarian but they took really good care of us. Very nice beach at the resort. 5 starts for pool and activities. Food is always amazing. Canadian travelers usually gets Roc Plus ( highest class) in the resort. That gives you lots of good access and advantages.

I’ve visited Cuba a few times and my bf and I had a decent stay at this resort, we were just there a week ago. The beach was the highlight, absolutely beautiful and well kept. Our room was clean and comfortable, and the restaurants were much better than the buffet. On the downside, the service was underwhelming compared to other Cuban resorts we’ve been to, and there was quite a bit of walking between the beach, lobby, and buffet. Overall, it was a nice getaway, but there’s room for improvement, especially in service and convenience.

Room has large space and clean. Food is excellent. Beach is clean and beautiful. Canadian has a special dinner on Thursday. Only one problem was mosquitoes, so we had to hide instead of attending the entertainment at night

The hotel was HUGE, watching from the beach to the lobby would take around 10-15 minutes. Most of the entertainment was at the lobby or the pool side so walking back and forth was definitely something! The service with the lobby was great, they were understand and kind. The beach was also beautiful and the resort itself was felt safe.

During the month of February I was in Cuba twice, and stayed at the Memories vardero Beach Resort, now known as Resonance Blu and Resonance Musique resorts. I stayed in the Resonance Blu resort and was very happy that I did. This is a quieter resort for those that like the experience of a resort without all the music playing all the time. The Musique resort is geared towards people who like to have music playing much of the time, and this is where all the music and dance parties take place. I like the idea of separating the two resorts like this because it gives people who prefer the party atmosphere the option of staying at the Musique resort, and for those who prefer a quieter experience they can stay at the Blu resort. I can't say enough about the staff at the Resonance Blu resort because I found them all to be very exceptional and felt like I was well taken care of. Cuba does have supply management issues because of the embargoes, so the food selection was definitely not what I have seen in other resorts. However I believe that they did a really good job of creating meals that tasted good and had a reasonable variety. My room was in good shape and the house keeping staff did a great job of keeping it clean and tidy every day. I had a view of the pool from my balcony and it was nice to look at a small group of trees with the pool in the background. I would go back to this resort again.

Trip for 1 week, 4 adults and 2 teens. Always amazing to see the level of service, joy that all staff gives us 24/7. Room good, food was over average for Cuba, I'm aleays impressed with their creativity tocmake everything as great as possible with limited ressources. Laritza was the highlight of the week, amazing work at the restaurants. 8th trip to Cuba, I prefer beaches in Cayo Coco still, but overall great week and site.

Nice resort, beautiful beach. Unfortunately the trip was ruined by thieving maids stealing from my room. Will never go there again

Went in late April the resort was pretty empty and the other guests that were there were around 40+ Not a lot of young people me and my friend were the only girls in our 20s. This caused us to get harassed by all the workers one tried to force himself on me tried to make me kiss him and broke into our room we caught it on camera, and fortunately were able to report it to the manager but the harassment from all of the stuff made us not even want to be on the resort we were pretty much running away from the workers it made us feel extremely uncomfortable, considering most of the time me and my friend were in our bathing suits do not go here if your a young girl

MUST READ!!!! All of the comments on this resort are fake! Please dont get scammed by this resort. The people working are very dirty they never wash their hands while handling food and alcohol. The rooms are decent you might get a clean room but its possible that you dont. This side of the hotel has really big rats that come into your room in the middle of the night. Your towels are not switched or the bed sheets so get ready to use the same things for the entire week of your stay. The hotel shares the same area with resonance musique varadero so you can eat and drink at both hotels. DO NOT PAY extra for this. They will make you pay for it but its not necessary. The people working are lovely dont get me wrong but the management is horrible. They do not know anything and every time you have a problem you have to wait for hours or even days to get it resolved. I had to wait for towels 3 days. So maybe bring a towel for yourself. The foods are okay quality we had good food. But the musique side is not worth your time for food. A la carte restaurants, do not go to italian!!! Its horrible. When you are sitting at open buffet table make sure you are checking the cutlery before you eat because it can be from the previous person. The pools are never cleaned!!! Bring toilet paper as there is a lack of them in each toilet. They advertise this hotel as NEW but its not new!!!!

It is a lovely resort. It's really big so lots of walking. Food has been great & the pool parties are so much fun. Amanda is awesome! The boys Christopher & Daniel sure can get the crowd going! Thanks for keeping us entertained! There is very little toilet paper in the restrooms so pack your own. The food is really good with lots of variety so we didn't find the need to pay extra money to dine in the other restaurants on site. The club cart for shuttling guests needs to run more frequently. The pathways need better lighting. It would be nice to have different entertainers come to the hotel that sing or play music other then the disco party every night. Daily maid service has been great.

I wasn't in the hotel, thank God, I had a Bungalow. My handheld shower head was barely holding on to the wall by one screw that was loose itself. The water pressure was terrible, took 5 minutes just to get the shampoo out of my hair. The toilet was leaking and water all over the floor. I had to walk to the hotel, a distance away to report the leak to the front desk cause at this point all the phones in the rooms aren't used anymore. The repairman came by and he didn't have the part to repair it so he turned off the water going to the toilet but didn't inform me about anything. I used the toilet and then was surprised that it didn't flush cause I thought he had repaired it. I realized that the water was off so I reached behind the toilet and turned the water on myself but immediately water started squirming out big time. I go back to the front desk to report it and was told that the repairman would come back but he never did so I used the common toilets the next 6 days. The door to my room didn't open much of the time so I had to keep walking back to the hotel which was a distance away, to keep reprogramming my door card. I was on the second floor of this Bungalow and had a nice little balcony but I couldn't lock the door cause key was long lost. The room itself was clean enough. Two double beds with so so mattresses. I was alone so I picked the better one. The tv worked ok. The air-conditioning worked fine, again thank God. The food was tolerable. I wasn't expecting much so I managed ok. The Resort itself is kind of run down. Broken tiles, very worn everything. The pools were fine. The Best part of course is the Beach. Beautiful. My Bungalow was far from the Hotel where I went to eat but far from hotel meant extremely close to the beach. All I had to do was go down one floor of some broken steps and cross a small roadway which was used by hotel staff with their golf carts to access these futher rooms and I was already on the gorgeous sand, 20 steps and I was on the beach. There was a little stand on the beach that had cool water that you had to fill your own glass. No problem. There was a worker under some trees at the beach and when I got to the beach late and couldn't find away chairs, I'd give him an American dollar and he would go find me a chair. Overall. I went for the Beach and wasn't expecting much else. So I wasn't very disappointed. Oh, I forgot to mention that I was in walking distance, like 10 minutes to get to downtown Varadero. Plus, I found out on the last day that I was allowed to use the facilities of the resort next door , Arenas Blanca, including their restaurants. I wish I had known this earlier because that hotel was extremely close to me compared to having to walk to my hotel to go eat. I would see early risers like me getting coffee in the morning just steps away but I didn't realize I could go there as well. So, because I wasn't expecting much to begin with, I was very content, especially cause it cost me $695. Well, the toilet thing was a trip but what the heck. Steps away from that gorgeous beach, and minutes away from Varadero Town and the use of both resorts for $700. Fine by me. I have tried my best to give an honest review.

Just had a bachelor party here. The hotel is a bit dated, but for the price we paid, it was totally worth it. The food was surprisingly good, especially considering the usual challenges in Cuba. No power outages at all, which was a nice surprise! Staff were friendly, rooms were clean (though old), the pool was solid, and most importantly—the beach was absolutely amazing!

Horrible service at this hotel. My room was filled with mold, dirty linens and no towels. I was there from August 16-21. I expected the food to not be the best but the service was terrible.Never again in my life I will go back to that place. I tipped them offered them items and still got treated like crap. One thing I can say is that the beach was beautiful. I loved every second of it. But never again!!!! I was so happy to see that Air Transat Plane on Thursday night!!!

This was a disappointment nightmare vacation. If it had been a bargain price then I could be more forgiving. But it was NOT a bargain. The beach was great but the accommodations were an absolute dump. The furniture was literally falling apart as we touched it (chair broke, handles falling of all the drawers). We were moved to another room which was evey bit as bad. There were ant infestations everywhere. Animal feces in the corridor (all week no one cleaned it even though we reported it). Our dining expectations were set low. But even being so low the food was still quite horrible (like slop you see in prison movies). For the price we could have gone to the Bahamans in comfort.

Staff is very rude. Do not waste your money. Checked in here Saturday August 16 with my sister. Was supposed to be my birthday trip and I am hating every second of it. Woke up in the morning, toilet was not working. Called front desk staff after 8 in the morning saying that they will send someone right away. Waited till after 10 in the morning. No one showed up. Asked for towels as there were two people, received a lot of attitude. Called front desk after 12 both times they hung up the phone on me. I went to speak with the manger directly. She stated that they were going to send someone. Someone finally came to fix toilet after 2. Next morning , toilet was stopped working again. Went to Air Transat staff, she spoke with them and all of a sudden we started getting more attitude. Finally received towels after two days of checking in. Asked for a room change and was told that there were no rooms. Went back again and asked for a room change and was told that we would get a new room today. Front desk staff asked why would we change room if toilet was fixed. Went and checked toilet still not fixed after an entire day. Finally got keys to new room and entered room and it was a dirty room. Tried calling front desk staff. They didn't answer the phone. Asked a friend from a different room to call and they answered. Will definitely not be returning. Worst hotel. DO NOT RECOMMEND.

We just returned from a 6-day stay at this resort. Considering the current situation in the country, we were still surprised by the quality of the food and drinks — and not in a good way. As another reviewer mentioned, during breakfast, lunch, and dinner there were times when no one was available to serve you. Normally, this wouldn’t be an issue, but there was also no way to get drinks or even basic cutlery yourself. The beach was beautiful, but as a couple, we honestly didn’t feel very welcomed by the staff at all. The elevators were another major drawback — out of 5 or 6, only about 2 were working at any given time. This often meant waiting up to 10 minutes or resorting to walking up four flights of stairs. Our room was spacious but quite dated — though, to be fair, this ended up being the least of our concerns during the stay.

Our daily housekeeper, Tania, was amazing. She was friendly and helpful. Our room always looked nice. She was so very kind. We would return just to see Tania.

We have been to Varadero before but this time it was very memorable at Bella Costa. We celebrated two of our children’s birthday with the help of the hotel staff especially Dayagne and Ana who went over and above to make it special for the kids with a surprise decor and cake in the room (the decor was paid for). The beach was stunning with beautiful turquoise water and white sand. The rooms were dated but it was still great we had the family 2 room suite which gave us our personal lounge area on the first floor and two rooms on the second floor. Only bad thing was the safe not working in the room but we didn’t need it, so didn’t matter. The staff were great all around, doesn’t matter where you go, the staff was there to assist and help in anyway with a smile. Definitely coming back with the family again!!! Keep up the great work Bella Costa!!!

Stayed here for 7 days. Rooms are really badly maintained. Sewer smell in the washroom. We had to pay extra $500 to do an upgrade to one of the suites because the AC in our first room was not working. The washrooms throughout the resort never had hand soap or Toilet paper ever! I saw a few cleaners just stand outside the washrooms and no nothing while the washrooms always remained dirty. I saw staff washrooms also never had handsoap so I wonder if the servers or kitchen staff even washed their hands. There was a ton of food but it was all the same food for breakfast, lunch , dinner and snack bar. The 3 restaurants were an absolutele joke. Same menu for 3 types of cuisine - cuban, Mediterranean and Italian. The staff are really friendly but some of them at the snack bar will make weird faces behind you if you don't tip them everytime. Entertainment was fantastic every night after dinner! Enjoyed that the most as well as the beautiful beach. Probably won't be returning back.

We had a wonderful stay at the Bella Costa. The family suite was perfect for us. There are two huge bedrooms upstairs with their own bathrooms. The main floor has a large seating area, table and four chairs, small fridge and a bathroom. Although the rooms are showing their age, everything worked as it should and was clean and comfortable. The restaurants were wonderful with the buffets having various fresh deli meats, cheeses and buns. There was soup at each meal as well as fresh salads and fruit. There was fresh to order eggs or omelette at breakfast and the lunch and dinner buffets offered fresh to order fish and meats. Always fresh buns desserts and juice too. There was staff were all outstanding. Everyone was professional, welcoming and hard working. This is a smaller resort but they have everything a large resort offers including daily shows and activities. Everything is very close to get to and the beach is breathtaking!

This was our first time in Cuba. We booked for the purpose of our vow renewal/ wedding photos that we never had the chance to take. The beach was beautiful, perfect soft white sand and the service was everything I could have dreamed of. They picked the perfect spot on the beach, had chairs for guests, and a cute sign made. The photographer took amazing pictures and I had a band following me down the aisle. The dinner reception was private with amazing food. I am very happy with my choice. Considering my expectations were low when it came to food, I was reasonably impressed. Nothing was as bland or tasteless as I was warned about. The menu between the Mediterranean, Cuban, and Italian restaurants was similar but with slight variations. The buffets had fresh to cook omelets in the morning, sometimes fish for lunch or spaghetti. Sometimes they would run out of supplies like milk or ice. But that was to be expected. We were fed and had filtered water in the rooms at all times. The rooms were a little rough but we were only sleeping in them so it didn't matter. Sometimes the toilet would stop working in the room but we fixed it; sometimes the water was cold or low pressure for showers but just waiting for a better time when not everyone is taking a shower would be better. Shower curtains are just held with pressure, so don't pull on it or it'll fall. I would recommend keeping your suitcases closed for the day and food put away, we did have one cockroach in our room and some ants but that's to be expected. The cleaners were amazing and kept the room clean and made little blanket swans every day. The pool could use some repairs, some tiles were falling off but it was kept pretty clean. I didn't find it too busy. Sometimes it was hard to find a good spot on the beach and some of the chairs were also broken. Overall I was happy.

Caution to anyone staying at Bella Costa Iberostar… I recently stayed at Bella Costa through Sunwing, and it was an awful experience from start to finish. First Impressions: Upon arrival, the resort looked dark, dated, and nothing like the photos advertised. At the front desk, they tried to charge me an additional $60 per night for my partner and me to have a king bed instead of two twin beds. After refusing to pay, they “magically” found a king room — but only two hours after the scheduled 4:00 PM check-in time. Room Condition: The room was a complete disaster. • The air conditioning didn’t work. • The toilet couldn’t flush anything solid — we had to leave our room to use the washroom downstairs. • The shower head was broken and only usable as a handheld. • There were no proper toiletries — bottles labeled as “shampoo,” “body wash,” and “body lotion” all contained the same cheap soap. • The bathtub paint was peeling -where you would stand in the shower, gross. The ceiling was leaking. • Bath towels had stains on them. • Ants were everywhere in the room. • The sliding door to the balcony was broken. Food & Drinks: • Drinks were below average — no real juices, and by evening, most alcohols were out of stock except for rum. • Food was just okay! Unfortunately two of my friends found a rock-like object in their rice and beans one night. • Birds frequently landed and walked on the buffet food stations, which was extremely unsanitary. • Plus side was none of us got food poisoning! Overall Resort Condition: • The resort was visibly moldy — mold spores were all over ceilings and walls. • Hallways were often wet, with unknown substances dripping from the ceiling. • There was a constant bad odor throughout. • The entire property was extremely dated and clearly not maintained properly. • There was no soap in the communal bathrooms. No garbages around the resort. Paper cups and other garbage flying around the pool and beach. Pointers to survive this resort… • Being toilet paper from your room to use at communal bathrooms as they did not often have any toilet paper. • Bring your own shampoo and conditioner. • Make friends (by way of tipping) with the lovely and hard working cleaning staff on your floor, they will have your room cleaned and fresh towels everyday. • Enjoy the beautiful beach, this made my day and made me forget about how terrible the hotel is. • Enjoy the fun entertainment every night at 21:30! Conclusion: This resort was unsafe, unsanitary, and falsely advertised by Sunwing. The photos online did not match the reality at all. I would strongly caution anyone against booking here.

Iberostar Bella Costa is by far the worst ‘resort’ I have ever had the displeasure of staying at. Every part of my experience here was truly horrifying. This hotel was built in the early 90s and does not appear to have been maintained since. Please see attached categories for full breakdown. Staff and location are the only reason this stay was survivable. They are very kind and try their best to make up for the infrastructure they have been dealt. Dinner and snack bar staff were especially great (huge thank you to Tanya for being so kind). The beach is fantastic. The location does not make up for the stay. Do not travel to Iberostar Bella Costa. You could not pay me to come back. At no point did I feel relaxed or comfortable while staying here.

I don’t normally write reviews, but I feel I have a duty to warn other travellers about staying at this hotel. TLDR: Do not stay at this hotel unless you like moldy rooms, lack of clean towels, mystery mush foods and a crumbling building. I stayed at this resort with 4 of my friends for 5 days and the entire stay felt like I was struggling to survive. My first impression of the hotel was not good. From the outside it looked dark, claustrophobic, moldy and had a constant moist smell. At first I thought to myself “maybe the rest of the hotel is not as bad” but as we explored the rest of the property, it only got worse.

This is our first time in Cuba. I came here because there was an option to stay for 5 days which is usually enough to enjoy the sun and the beach. We came from Canada and the flight was only 3 hours which is comfortable. I was aware that Cuba is different from other Caribbean resorts due to the sanctions, lack of supply and expected only the sun and the amazing beach with the turquoise waters. Food Very limited but there is always something to pick up Rooms Very spacious but the bed sheets are really not perfect as well as the towels. The good thing is amenities. The shampoo and the shower gel is very good quality and smells amazing. People Are very friendly and do their best to make your stay enjoyable. Their culture is different from European and northern American and Russian ☺️ they didn’t get used to luxury and their life on Cuba is pretty common. That’s why they don’t act like Ritz Carlton employees. But they will give you their warm smiles, garden stuff always brought us small flowers and the lady from the restaurant left a note with a small souvenir for me and my daughter. Guests here are not super fancy so there is no need to bring your silk dresses and pearls for dinners. Paradisus is one of the best hotels in Varadero and here you can find beautiful tropical gardens, amazing beach and welcoming people who really appreciate your tips because even Cuban doctors earn less than 200$ per month. Julia and Athena. Room 4335 (Reserve)

We stayed in the reserved but the amenities we use are all in the main resort. Room is ok but prepare for NO hot water. Buffet service is the best! Yusi and Hansel are our favourites. Always welcoming and thoughtful. Food- I’m not reviewing, I mean we are in Cuba, we know what to expect. Swimming pool, the management let a big dog swim in it, my first time to see in an all inclusive resort. It’s not crowded so plenty of space to swim and chill. Beach buffet is good as well. There is No room service for food but there is a 24 hrs snack bar. It’s a big resort but not all amenities are open to enjoy. Favourite entertainment is the magic show. Beach is nice some side rocky, some side with seaweed and the waves are big but easily enjoyed. Did I Say Yusi and Hansel are the best?! Because they are!

Our personal experience was excellent. The hotel is massive with beautiful pools and lot's of places to relax. The beach is incredible, the views breathtaking. The food options got better a few days into our stay. There was chicken, pork, and various vegetable. Ice cream every day and yummy mango. Our concierge Egle was super helpful and down to earth. She was always available and willing to help us in any way, to the last minute. Our kids met lots of kids to play with so made the experience definitely more memorable. The magic show was fun. Most importantly all the staff were super friendly. Canadians also got to experience a special event by the marina, all for free with a variety of food that was different from the hotel like sushi and smoked salmon. Band was fun. One of our funnest experiences in Cuba so far!

The hotel offers a well-maintained environment and attentive service throughout the stay. Tennis lessons with Miguel were especially worthwhile—his clear guidance and technical approach made each session productive and enjoyable. A solid choice for guests looking to improve their game in a relaxed setting. 🎾

We spent two weeks at Paradisus Varadero in August, 2025. It was our first visit to Cuba. The good points: - The resort has an amazing tennis coach, Miguel, that provides private lessons. He gave my wife, who is a beginner, and my son (8), individual lessons, and he was superb. The place is lucky to have Miguel. It's the only resort in Varadero that has its own tennis coach. There are three tennis courts, of which two are playable. It would be great if the resort could install lights at the tennis courts, as they would be used a lot more. - The beach and the water is really beautiful. The colors of the water was truly amazing. The water was often calm, and rarely any waves. Guests can also use a kayak and a paddle boat free of charge. - The fruit selection during breakfast was sometimes impressive, in particular the mangoes. They had a lady that would make delicious fruit shakes. There were also a couple of egg/omelette "stations." - The staff at the resort were all very friendly. Many of them spoke some English. Ms. Ivis at the front desk was very service minded and helpful. - The size of the room was fine; the beds were really comfortable. the a/c worked well - albeit a bit noisy. The water pressure in the shower was excellent and there was always hot water. - It was nice to see that there was a vast variety of nationalities among the guests. The not so good points: - The first week the place was "invaded" by mosquitoes! It was horrible. The main restaurant is windowless, thus we were pretty much under "attack" during every meal. It was strange that the resort did not have any mosquito repellent candles etc. anywhere. During the second week they closed the main restaurant and the meals were had at a restaurant with windows. During the second week the mosquito problem appeared to have disappeared. - The food was fine, but not a whole lot of variation. We were a tad surprised that there wasn't much spice in their dishes. Some days they would be lacking for example ham, cheese, or fruits. - The first three nights we had a functioning TV in our room, with several international channels, however, for the remainder of our stay the channels disappeared. A tad annoying. = The resort was a bit dark at night; I'm aware that Cuba sometimes has issues with electricity - but it would have been nice with more lights outside. Also, the taxi ride from the airport in Havana to the hotel took 2.5 hours. Overall it was a nice experience. We might return - especially if they can solve the mosquito "challenge."

BEWARE OF THIS HOTEL. WOULD GIVE NEGATIVE STARS FOR THE SERVICE IF THAT WAS POSSIBLE. WE'VE BEEN TO MANY RESORTS, MEXICO AND DOMINICAN AND THIS WAS THE WORST. WE'VE NEVER HAD ANY ISSUE IN ANY RESORTS IN MEXICO OR DOMINICAN. So this hotel on its own is very nice and had a beautiful beach. The issue is the management and most of the people that work here. The hotel has potential but the people running it are destroying this place. Our room did not have warm water for showers for the first few days, we had to ask them multiple times to fix that and showered in cold water. Had to turn off the water every 20 seconds as well or the water would pool and lead into the living room and bedroom area/flood the room. There was no phone in the room for service calls, so we had to go to the lobby everytime to request anything. Room service does not change sheets or leave fresh towels. They would just make the bed and take the old towels. We had to go and ask for new towels from the front desk. The front desk gives no Fs. They just brush you off and pretend they write down a "service ticket". It took us a few days to get new towels. We had to dry ourselves with other clothes from our luggage. Food is essentially the same everyday. They don't even leave water out at the buffet, so you have to constantly chase someone to get a drink while you eat your food. The beach/ natural setting was nice, but there was a lot of glass on the beach that might cut your feet. The pools were never clean, always cups and other garbage floating. Most of the staff are super grumpy and rude/ unhelpful. The only staff member that was nice is Bryan at the lobby bar. He has a nice drink called "the liar" that he made himself and it's pretty good. One other thing is this place is infested with mosquitos, around the lobby area, because they have created these little ponds that are half empty and dirty so it's become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. And since we didn't have a phone we had to go to the lobby everytime, and then be attacked by mosquitoes....it was like the hunger games. Avoid this Hotel in general.

We stayed at Paradisus Varadero for 5 nights and the location was beautiful. Food was the best i’ve had at an all inclusive. I appreciated the amount of cuban food selection there was, it was so delicious. I wish more resort provided their home cuisine for tourist. All the workers, janitors, handymen, bellboys, cleaners, gardeners, etc. were so sweet, kind, and helpful. Our maid was the best, her name is Janet. she took care of us

CASH ONLY! Regardless of what the beach promoters say, you cannot pay with credit card here. Bring CAD or USD with you. Paying in CAD saves you money. The service here is top notch. Small place so they always take care of you. The food is much better than the Resort food so be sure to try it at least once. Recommend the lobster as it is huge!

We were staying at Melia International down the road and found this place and it’s absolutely incredible! The food is amazing, the indoor dining is air conditioned and the atmosphere is so beautiful and calming. We absolutely adored the server Renee and ate here 3 times in a week specifically because of him and how kind he was with us. He made our experience so special and we’re so grateful for him! Come prepared for some menu options to not be available and be flexible, the staff really try their best. We will be back someday!!

This place was amazing. We found it by fluke because there was an accident on the main road. I ate the seafood stew and it was absolutely delicious!!!!!! We also ordered the Vela with mushroom sauce... it was very wine tasting and we asked for medium and it came rare. The view is beautiful. The service was great. The prices are very fair.

When vacationing in Cuba, you have to temper your expectations when it comes to dining, BUT, this has to be the best meal I've ever eaten in my life. I'm not a lobster fan and I'd rather eat shrimp, but the grilled lobster blew me away. The seafood soup was also incredible. The chef came out to our table and I made sure he understood how much we enjoyed our meals. Would recommend this restaurant to anybody going to Varadero. You will be doing yourself a disservice by not eating here. This will be my first meal when we return to Varadero next year.

Went there with my boyfriend ♥️ Food was authentic and service was attentive. Portion is also huge, the lobster is huge and fresh,we barely finished it. Wayyy much better than the resort food!

Loved the food and service. Was amazing. Made a reservation.

Foods amazing and the live performance. Our waiter never came to check up on us. If we needed anything else to drink. Felt like we weren't wanted their.

I had a wonderful stay at this hotel. The service is very good, staff are friendly and attentive, always ready to help. The entertainment was truly unique and great, offering something different every night and keeping the atmosphere lively. The rooms were clean, and the walls are thick with good soundproofing, which made for a peaceful and comfortable stay. Overall, a great hotel experience that I would definitely recommend.

The beach was beautiful and the location is a 10/10. Check in was great and the stay was wonderful. Service was a little slow at times and forgetful, at the lobby bar and buffet they’d take long to bring your drinks sometimes, but overall it was pretty good and they were kind. Food was good, but if it ran out they were a little slow to fill it back up. Drinks were good. Rooms were good and housekeeping was great

We had a great time at this hotel, the staff were extremely friendly and attentive to our needs. I celebrated my birthday here and they sang happy birthday on three different occasions and we had a delicious cake. The beach and pool areas were excellent and very clean. Andres Vital, ensured we had a great time and we had great service and always with a smile. Every day he would check on us to ensure our needs were met. We highly recommend this hotel and we will be back.

We stayed here at the resort for seven days with family of six. We had 2 adjoined rooms. The rooms were large with nice beds, large bathrooms, and beautiful view of the courtyard and the ocean. We were there during the off-season so we understood that somethings were going to be not open all the time - like the in-house restaurants. For what we wanted, it met our expectations. We had one full pool to ourselves the whole time. The lunch bar, had 4-5 options - fries, burger, hotdog, pastas. It was what my kids wanted to eat so it was great. The drinks came quick at the swim up bar. We enjoyed playing bocce ball, the beach, the evening entertainments. WEAR MOSQUITO SPRAY!! They will drink you dry. The in-house buffet was fine. We all ate and enjoyed it. It wasn't anything very extravagant and we knew that going into it. It was good for what they could offer. The in-house restaurants were also more there for the atmosphere than the culinary experience. The food was decent but not 'WOW'. Overall - if you wanting to be blown away by cuisine, this isn't it. It still tastes good though. The staff were great and very friendly. The yard and building were clean and well maintained. It looks like it is well cared for. If we would go to Cuba again, I would have this on the list of hotels that I would stay at.

This is my first time traveling to the south. I had no idea what to expect. Because of my friend, I discovered a country, a culture and beautiful people. At Laguna Azul we met new people but also very welcoming employees, especially Dayron. He is a man with a big heart, always smiling, a super good dancer and always there for the customers. Thanks to him and all the employees, we had unforgettable moments, they delighted us with the shows every night and they made my first experience in Cuba the best I could have had. Thank you very much Dayron and I look forward to seeing you again on my next trip.

The building was a little run down, the room wasn’t clean when we got there and some of the service was just terrible. But on the other hand some of the service was fantastic, and me and my girlfriend landed up having an amazing time. The entertainment was also fantastic and the pool and beach was beautiful.

Best resort ever! everybody was so fun, kind and so helpful especially candy man and chiki - they always make sure everyone is having fun and is taken care of. I can’t wait to come back here. Food wasn’t bad, lots of fun activities, good drinks. 10/10.

We just returned forma our trip and we booked at the Valentín El patriarca resort. Its a great hotel, with beautiful sights and mixe people. The beach si amazing. The restaurants are really great and beautiful as the rest of the place. The staff si very nice and friendly, they were worried about our stand all the time. The spa si spectacular and relaxing. We really enjoy our time there.

I have travelled to Cuba many times. I find the reviews given to be either exaggerated or written by the owners. My experience was not 5 star at all. Starfish had a way better food experience comparatively it’s a 3 star hotel. So if you have food restrictions or allergies I cannot recommend this resort. Secondly if you have mobility issues there are no cart pickups or drop offs. You will have to walk it. Also the advertising is highly suggestive and no there is no ocean view. You’ll need to navigate to the beach to see anything. Pools are nice however. Staff are always friendly and willing to try to accommodate you in English & French. To the best of their abilities. I cannot recommend this resort. Dated March 29th 2025.

Family and friends- a group of 12 adults had a wonderful time at this resort. It is a very pretty, well maintained property. The staff members are friendly, welcoming and very helpful. Front desk staff Veronica is a young, bright, bubbly kid (I say kid is because she is the same age as my youngest child😄) She helped us with connecting to the wifi. Thank you 🥰The wifi is strongest in the lounge area but once it gets busy… it gets frustrating.🤣 This, the property can improve on. The food was great to my opinion as I am a vegetarian and they have lots of vegetarian choices at the Buffet.Shout out to Souse Chef Loius for the delicious meals. He was always making the rounds ensuring the food is good and guests are enjoying. One advice though-do not waste time in reservations. The food is basically the same out of the Buffet menus except plated in a fine dining experience. Additionally, for all three fine dining dinner they couldn’t accommodate 12 people in one seating, so we had to be in two different timings. The entertainment crew was fantastic. We loved the dance by the beach and pool. The Spanish lessons. Thank you.🥰

I'll break it down into segments: 1-Location: this resort is owned 100% by the government which means stricter rules, added costs for anything extra and limited food and drink options. It cost us $30 Cad for a Taxi ride into Varadero, for the price and time of this vacation we could have stayed in a much better resort, closer to the town. The beach for this resort is similar to any other beach in the area. 2-Price: We booked at the same time as two other friends, they booked through Trip Central for the same price, we booked through Air Transat. We were only offered the deluxe package but for the same price they were given the Alegance option. We didn't figure it would mean much, and truthfully it didn't. The food was the same, the service was the same, the only difference, I kept getting kicked out of their smaller pool and restaurant. Like literally kicked out, even though there was no more than 40 pple at this resort. Oct 9-16th. 3-Food: basic for all over Cuba, snack bar: ham and cheese, tomato pasta, sometimes hot dogs and hamburgers served with banana chips. The buffet wasn't open for dinner because there wasn't enough people. We had Italian or Mediterranean for dinner every night. Same food options: pasta, fish, pizza, chicken or pork, usually with some vegetables, rice and/or potatoes. I'm not fussy with my food so I could always find something to eat and not get sick. 4-Drinks: limited to rum, white wine, gin, beer. 5-Beach: was ok, some seaweed and steep drops in the sand at times. Lots of crabs, not a lot of shady areas. It was ok for us bc the resort was dead, but if it's busy there won't be enough for everyone. Depending on where your room is, it can be a bit of a hike to get to the beach. 6-Atmosphere: adults only was great but it was very tranquil, if your looking for lively activities, this isn't the place for you. There was only 2 dance shows and otherwise local singers or musicians in the lobby bar only, the disco was closed, no animation at the pool or beach, no shows in the theatre, too far to go into town for any liveliness. Lots of mosquitoes. 7-Staff: The ladies at the buffet, snack bar, beach bar and lobby bar were great. The lady running the Alegance restaurant is rude!!! Butlers in Alegance are useless. The bartender at Alegance pool asked me to leave two times, when I was just sitting on the lounge chairs. Didn't drink there, went in the pool just for a quick dip. No-one else was there except the four of us. My other deluxe friend wasn't kicked out, just me. 8-Rooms: basic and clean, my A/C stopped working my last night there, no hot water, had to get my toilet fixed the first night. Only two bath towels and two beach towels, no face or hand towels. I didn't see housekeeping all week, they were in my room only to make the bed, drop off water bottle and take away garbage. No replacement towels, I usually hang my towels to dry and reuse them anyway. 9-Check-out/in: They don't have a golf cart to get people around so expect to walk with your luggage to your room and up the stairs. Check-in was simple, night staff don't have ability to change your room, only day staff. My key card didn't work for 6 of the 7 nights I was there, had to keep getting a replacement. Other than Alegance, if you want a late checkout you would have to pay $11US per hour. 10-Overall: I've been to Cuba seven times, this was my second time to Varadero. I wouldn't recommend booking at this resort. It's more rundown than other resorts, there is no nightlife, while some staff were kind, others were extremely rude. Its very limited for activities or things to do in the evening. Food and Drinks are often limited throughout Cuba, but generally, the more common resorts that are partially owned by an Indian or Spanish conglomerate are better options for your stay. They have more knowledge in the tourism in industry.

This hotel is a disaster. We arrived at the lobby and the carpeter was very friendly, but at lunch time everything was a disaster. After waiting an hour and a half, we had to leave because they didn't have food. At lunch time, it was the same. After waiting, they told us they didn't have chicken, which was the only main dish. It's outrageous. Rooms 1425 and 1426 in block 14 were in good condition, but the food is horrible. I don't recommend it here.

A disastrous experience. Today, June 24, 2025, at 8:15 am, I was verbally assaulted by the public relation lady officer. I was humiliated and degraded as a human being. I am a guest in room 3124. I appeal to all good people to avoid this resort. In addition to the very aggressive staff, the resort also has very bad food and breakfast is served by gardeners in work clothes. A disastrous experience

I have been in Cuba many times. However, this is the first time there was no hot/warm water to take a shower. No towels .. no phone in the room.. Didn’t really like the arrangement to book reservations for the restaurants. Most of the staff are very nice specially Alberto and Joel from snack bar.

The people here are amazing and super friendly! We will definitely be back! The food has been delicious and we didn’t even need the ketchup we brought! If you need anything talk to Jania and Alex! They are always eager to help with any requests!

This is our third time at the resort in the past two years. The staff is phenomenal, do their best to accommodate, extremely friendly and welcoming. The pool and beach are great. The food is good by Cuban standards and offers a fair amount of variety. Like most Cuban resorts, the facilities have some small issues, but the staff tries their best to rectify any issues. Great location, great beach and wonderful staff.

The natural beauty of the ocean/ beach (which was impeccably maintained) and the kindness of the Cuban people will be what I remember of my time in Iberostar Tainos. The food was surprisingly good, I always found something fresh and yummy, and the selection was better than I expected. Take note, the rooms in the main building are TERRIBLE (stay far far away, it will ruin your stay entirely), and the rooms we absolutely LOVED and ended up staying in (bungalows) the air conditioning stopped working and it became unsafe for the children who started getting heat rashes. We had to move to another resort which doesn’t have the heart and soul Tainos has💔. I want to continue to support Cuba and travel here. Thank you to the amazing staff and management who tried to address our concerns. You are doing your best in difficult times.

Friendly staff, Jania was the bed with us , food was simple ok, entertainment was excellent and the garden lovely 😍, pool magnificent, I recommend to my friends this resort, where you can find relax, please change the music sometimes, not too much reggae, we are thinking of coming back soon may be

Jany gave me a great massage. It was nice and relaxing. She took really good care of me. Such a sweet lady! I recommend that you get a massage with her too!

Don't go here! Worst experience ever. Bad food, service sucked, you try to self serve your drink they said have a seat. You get 1 glass of water which is done in seconds because it's so hot. Btw it took 30 min before I got served. No air conditioning, the bed I could feel the springs, my back hurt, alcohol was bad

Good, we'd like Alexander, we love aqua fitness, with Juanma, also Elvis, he is a great guy, also the food is delicious, the pool is so nice, and the beach ⛱️ is the most beautiful, around the world

I would strongly discourage anyone from staying at the Melia Marina Hotel. I was brought to the hotel and given a sales pitch to invest in their club. The sales pitch was no pressure but when I returned to the hotel later that day to speak with the salesperson a staff member was extremely rude telling me I did not belong at their hotel. I explained I was there earlier and looking to speak with sales. I was in the main corridor and he grabbed my nieces shoulder spinning her around yelling at her that we could not be at their hotel. I explained again and he just said no he was not interested in why we were there. I asked to speak to his supervisor and and he said no. I asked for his name and he would not tell us his name. Another staff member looked terrified for us in disapproval of this staff person and attempted to translate for him but he just said no and yelled we could not be in their lobby. Other staff attempted to speak with him but he was unapproachable. We left the hotel and walked around to their marina side entrance and were not able to speak with anyone as the sales office was now closed for the day. Needless to say I will not be investing in their club membership at their marina hotel.. The staff are abusive and not only challenge with English but not interested in listening or help from other staff who attempted to explain why I was visiting their lobby. I was told that property was at less than 20% capacity and understand why. The tour we had Ben given by sales at the the neighboring sister marina property earlier that day is vacant and we were told they use the amenities of the Melia Marina property but they treatment is horrific. I wish I had names to share but he refused to tell us. Go anywhere else.

I want to share my personal impression of this "5 star hotel" I will start by saying that we traveled 11000 km to get acquainted with the Cuban culture and to celebrate a personal holiday, which unfortunately we did not succeed. We were hindered by the conditions, which are shocking to say the least. The hotel looks like it was abandoned a few years ago... an extremely sad sight. There were 20 of us in total in the entire hotel. The hotel description says that there are 7 restaurants, of which only one is working, and the food is anything but cheap and tasteless. Prepare and maintain hygiene under any criticism. The corridors resemble those of long-established hospitals. I only know one thing, if you are headed to this destination, research in detail where to stay! I am downloading the photo material .

I return to the Melia Marina Varadero for 11 years with my son. The location is on the the tip of the peninsula of Varadero and it has the best views. Plus the staff is extraordinary and attends to all needs, especially at the Level section. Ask for Lucia, she is the manager, the butter or anyone else and your needs will be met.

"My family and I recently stayed at Meliá Marina Varadero, and I must say, it exceeded all our expectations, especially considering the economic challenges the country is facing. The management and staff went above and beyond to ensure our stay was nothing short of exceptional. Carlo's, in particular, deserves special recognition for his extraordinary efforts. He not only accommodated our every need but also arranged a breathtaking wedding ceremony for us on the beach. It was an unforgettable experience that we will cherish forever. One of the highlights of our stay was the convenient access to boat excursions, as most of them depart directly from the resort. This added convenience made exploring the stunning waters of Varadero even more accessible and enjoyable. We opted to stay on "the level," as they called it, and it truly elevated our experience. The personalized service, exclusive amenities, and attention to detail made us feel like VIPs throughout our stay. Moreover, there was live music every night, adding a wonderful ambiance to our evenings. Additionally, we were impressed by the pristine cleanliness of the beach, which made lounging by the shore a truly enjoyable experience. The resort itself is stunning, with immaculate grounds, beautiful rooms, and a wide range of amenities. The attention to detail and level of service provided by the staff truly set Meliá Marina Varadero apart. Overall, I cannot recommend this resort highly enough. Whether you're looking for a relaxing getaway, an unforgettable wedding venue, or easy access to exciting boat excursions, Meliá Marina Varadero is the perfect choice. Thank you to the entire team for making our stay truly magical."

Went to this hotel on Jan 2024. How anyone would review this hotel with 5 stars? The only reason I didn't file a merchant dispute is I don't want to waste any more time on this hotel. I'm writing this review as a warning to my fellow travelers. Do not book this hotel. Cancel your booking if you already booked. Half of the lights are out in this place. We had to change rooms 4 times to get a room that was "working". The toilet doesn't flush, the shower has no water, and the bed has a huge dent. Most of all the door doesn't lock, and we didn't realize that until the second day... the list goes on. Not to mention the awful buffet. Same food items every day. Avoid at all costs.

I don’t understand how this is a “4 star” resort. I hate to imagine what a 2 star would be like. This place was mostly empty when we stayed there with more staff than guests. The staff didn’t seem to be trained, they were nice but not helpful and very few spoke English. Not even the front desk staff spoke much English and didn’t understand what we were asking for. The first two days our room didn’t get cleaned, there I must have been some mix up, they didn’t seem to understand what had happened. Our toilet didn’t work the entire time, we had to chase down the staff for water, toilet paper and towels. The key cards didn’t work half the time, The hallways were completely dark so we had to use flashlight as the tiles are loose . No beans the entire time, no mint or lime for cocktails, fresh seafood only one night. Only guava and papaya in terms of fruit. I would bring olive oil and hot sauce. Overall janky and dirty. Mostly Russians and people from Latin America staying here, few Canadians.

Most of the staff are friendly. The more you tip, the more friendly they are. Toilet in room wasn't working at first, used waste basket in bathroom to fill with water to flush. I recommend you take your own toilet paper, because even if you run out, they dont leave any unless you ask. Lobby bathrooms were out many times too. Most of the lights in the hallways weren't on and hated walking down them alone. Food was ok, same selection every day. The beach was not close but they offer a ride there and back. Sorry to management, but I cannot recommend this hotel. 😔

AVOID THIS HOTEL!!! We arrived the lady did a half ass job, she forgot to give us info for our beach towels. We got to our room where the locks don’t work, we had no towels in our room and no water! We arrived late at night and could not do anything about fixing it. Next day someone fixes our door and now our room key doesn’t work we went over a dozen times to the lobby to get this fixed and it works the first time then we go back and nothing works again! 0 compensation for the entire day and a half lost for trying to get this issue resolved! We also couldn’t change room because apparently they are over booked!! Buffet sucks barely any food. I’ve been to Cuba a dozen times and understand the food situation but all they had was rice! Comfort wasn’t there either. Beach is dirty. Barely any seating and rocks in the beach. No AC in any restaurants so you can imagine the smell and heat. Barely any alcohol choice. No toilet paper in the public bathrooms, barely any personnel so the service sucks. Do not be fooled by the fact it’s a Melia. THIS HOTEL SUCKS! WASTE OF MONEY!!

The hotel is beautifully situated. Near the beach. Sandy beach. Gentle descent into the water. Kayak and water bike free of charge under Allincusive. Internet in the rooms and on the premises of the hotel included in the price. Rooms large cleaned daily, air conditioning works very well. Furniture are old. Fridge working. No room electric kettle. Tv is inside the room. I don't know are there any programs. Bus stop at the hotel. The ticket price for the whole day is 5 euro (tour bus 9a.m-6p.m). enough sunbeds at the pool and beach. Beautiful well-kept garden. Swimming pool and children's club. Pools clean. Only once - around 24 hours was not water, probably due to failure electric power. Lunch was organised in the other building. Most of meals are the same. You need to remember it is Cuba. Meals are tasty. Waga, rise, fried meet, fried fish, rols, pie, salats, icecreams. Fish soup, chicken soup. Fruits: mango, watermelon, pineaple. And others. Beherages are served. Often you will not get what you want - end of kind of drink. No airconditioning. Lots of flies, they are annoying. The hotel does not have a room where you can shower after you have checked out. You can extend your stay in the room for $12 per hour per person. I'm the most disappointed snacks bar next to the pool. Bar is open 24/24, but snacks are very limited in time and quantity. Poor assortiment. After closing pool, i guess you can order only beer or moijto or rum with ice. To sum up, despite drawback flaws hotel is worth recommending. I think is the one of the best hotels on the Cuba. You should remember where you are fly. Maybe it's not a place which one you want visiting.

The worst experience ever. They sell it as a 5 star and is very far from the truth. From the check in the service was terrible then when we got to the room it was in very bad condition. Phones did not work, couldn’t take a shower until hours later due to a problem in the hotel. Anytime we had to talk to personnel they were very rude. The lunch buffet was very limited and things were out of temperature. The items that needed to be hot were cold and viceversa. To our surprise the dinner buffet was the exact same menu as the lunch. EXACTLY THE SAME! Our stay was for 3 days and we are leaving after the first day. Don’t be fooled by this hotel. WORST EXPERIENCE EVER

Hands down to people that work there from room service to restaurants, snack bar and bars. People are so friendly, ready to serve u with all their heart ♥ even in the scorching heat. Love love the people in Cuba and that hotel. Our room was clean always and the beach was awesome and clean. There were diversity in food even though some bland but in general my family and myself loved it. Thank you Melia Peninsula xoxo

We got the room 3h late. The room were not cleaned at all, there was old lollipop stick under the bed. The sheets were not cleaned, the toilets was licking and the flush not working well. Reception Employees are rude (some from the bar were nice but very few). We had a lot of trouble opening the doors and needed to go to reception all the time to ask for new cards. The batteries of our door were falling out all the time. The food is disgusting. The hotel is basically a nightmare and the 5 stars are a scam it doesn’t worth 1.

Stayed here for 7 nights with my girlfriend. Checked in around midnight, no WiFi password was provided at the check-in because they had a problem in the system. Once I got to my room, had a shower, got in bed and one of the 2 single beds broke in the middle, literally broke without even forcing it, this was the 2nd problem in the first night, we asked reception 3 or 4 times to replace it, spoke with customer service twice, and they only fixed the bed on the 3rd day. Woke up in the morning and noticed we only had 1 chair in our balcony, also spoke with reception, customer service many times, even with maids, at the end of our holiday there was only 1 seat in our balcony, so nothing was done. In this hotel you're meant to have 2 beers, water and soda, replaced every day in your mini bar/fridge, we only had 2 beers on the first night, and we had to constantly ask for water. Our card stopped working 3 times and we had to walk a long distance to get it reactivated. Our beach towels were stolen, even though there is 24/7 security in the beach, they magically disappeared and we had to pay 30 dollars, 15 each, this kinda seems like a staff scheme to make a bit of extra money, but obviously I can't say that for sure, this happened to more people that were staying at the same time as us. The bed sheets were never changed in the 7 days we stayed there, the bath towels we had to ask 4+ times to be changed. The toilet paper we also had to leave an empty roll at our door for them to understand that we didn't have any toilet paper in our room. We checked out at 12 and we had an agreement to have all the services till we left (8pm), however, at 12 we could not access the Internet again, and we heard from other people that even the tv was cut off on their room the night before checking out. It is a shame because the hotel is beautiful, with an amazing beach and our holiday could have been a lot better, without all this time consuming problems. Cuba is definitely going through hard times and we all know that but all these issues should not be happening in a "5 star" hotel.

Worst Experience Ever! Rooms weren’t cleaned properly! Towels looked clean but smelt nasty! Food was just horrible! No drinks in rooms! Had to beg for bottles of water! Monster Cockroaches Everywhere! In the buffet and rooms! We were eaten alive by mosquitoes! Staff were miserable! Shame on the Cuban Government for allowing there country issues to effect the resorts and tourism! I have been to Cuba in different parts of the island sine 1999 and never had this kind of experience and will NOT be going back! Strongly suggest you look to another country for your vacation!

This was my second time here, first after covid. Unfortunately covid hit Cuba in the worst way that they are really struggling to come back. The shortages are real. This particular resort had two towers where u could go between either buffet, five el la cartes and a disco. A 24 hr bar. 24 hr snack bar... Anyways one of the towers was shut down for covid to act as a hospital and it has not reopened and may not from what I heard from staff. The one shut down had the bigger buffet, the disco and three of the restaurants. As well as a more lively 24 hr bar. The beach was awesome, huge, still is, and the resort itself was peaceful being less people. However the amenities are slim pickings. But we had a great time and enjoyed all the extra space of the resort being it was only half occupied. If your looking to just relax be super close to town and the airport and be on the ocean, ( location is wicked) than go here. Rooms were nice and cleaned daily. :) nightly entertainment was pretty good too.

It simply should not be operating This was by far the worst experience we’ve ever had. To make it easier for everyone to read it please find below all the negative aspects we encountered: -the windows did not fully closed which means there was no sound or heat insulation; also it meant it rained inside the bedroom and when we spoke with the staff about it they did not provide any solution; -most of the plugs did not work; -the WiFi did not work most of the time and the when we approached the front desk they tried to deceive us and told us it was not working when we knew it was; -there was piles of sand swept into the corners of the bedroom; -there was water dripping from the bathroom lights; -the air conditioning did not work; -there was no hot water and the water pressure was weak in the shower; -the drinks were served in disposable plastic cups which they washed and gave to the next customers; -the coffee bar did not have coffee; -the bars did not have bottled water; -the maids smoked while cleaning the bedrooms; -the hotel went out of electricity for around a day and we had to take the emergency exterior stairs to go up and down from the 7th floor. There was no backup plan for electricity failure; -there were thematic restaurants which never opened; The restaurant looked like a community canteen where the majority of the people were locals trampling each other to get drunk on free beer while stealing the scarce food in plastic containers. Needless to say all of us got food poisoning. Pure terror! Please do your reaserch and stay away from this nightmare

Let me start by saying anyone who travels to Cuba should be aware of the type of vacation they're expecting. Having said that, my best friend & I took her 3 year old to get away from Canada, and we wanted to withdraw and recharge. We were very aware of the food and amenity shortages, but that didn't stop us. What makes Cuba is the people. FOOD If you want a Michelin-5 star vacay, don't expect that of a 2nd world country battling many, many shortages. I will say, the best food was in the a la cartes. Casablanca has the best beef(vieja ropa likely) with rice & veg. The pizza in the Italian restaurant is delish!! Shoutout to Lazaro! The daily buffet never really changed. They're so creative. They used crumble from the daily pastries that dried for candied ice cream topper. If you notice there is no cheese in the buffet, chances are the Italian restaurant won't be able to open for dinner. ENTERTAINMENT The entertainers are AMAZING! Small scale theater with fabulous dancers. The rock band was amazing and engaging! My rough experiences were not with locals but with some ignorant, demanding, and cheap Russians(Cuba seems to be flooded with Russian travelers, btw) whom I witnessed treating the staff in such demeaning ways. If anyone had to serve such patrons for bare pay, you wouldn't be happy either. CONS (not really, but for some, maybe) 1. Lack of towels(which is understood). However, the weather in Cuba would not allow for anything to dry. After 1 week, you will def need a new towel or bring your own as a backup. 2. Bars close at 11. There really is no food after the buffet closes. The bars close at 11. It all makes sense because they can't keep serving liquor with no food available. Again, if you expect an all-night party resort, this is not for you. PRO TIP! BRING SNACKS if you plan to drink your purchased bottles!! 3. Coordination seems a bit lacking. For example, 1 bar has a mix but no rum, the other bar beer and liquor, but no mix. Seems like an easy fix, but you might be running to different bars depending on availability. PROS We had ROC PLUS - 1. Reserved beach cabana 2. Complimentary bottle of rum 3. No reservations were needed for the restaurants Otherwise It's the only resort to have a free shuttle downtown! 2 massive pools THE BEACH!!!!!!!!!! You can walk for miles. THE CUBAN people!!!!!!!! They do what they can with what they have. They're creative and really warm! Some notable people who REALLY make your stay welcoming, comfortable and are just amazing are YESIEL the lifeguard, OMARA and JUNIE in housekeeping, ANITA la camarera en el buffet, ANNA, MERCEDES, DAVID, LAZARO el camarero en el restaurante Italiano. MUCHAS GRACIAS por todo su servicio. They are assets to this resort, and it would not be the same without them!

Poor food the building appears to be decaying. The beach is nice and the pools were not bad. The place was filled with drunk rowdy Russians. There seemed to be a constant lack of toilet paper,hot water and good food. There are 2 sketchy elevators for all 7 floors. The elevators broke on our last day and we had to take the stairs to our room on the 7th floor

First of all the hotel is dirty, room had terrible smell of mold which was (renovated as per the reception staff) just covered with the layer of paint. Pillows and mattress had awful smell (under the layer of clean sheets to be fair). Very bad (if any at all) sound isolation so expect to hear everything from the rooms next to you, corridors and even wind and rain just as so you can't sleep. Hotel is generally old but that's no excuse for being filthy. Now let's talk about all inclusive buffet... Horror. Dirty utensils, plates and glasses so I had to carry around a pack of detol wet wipes to clean it before use. Food was bellow my standard, but to be fair I will talk about the hygiene only because there's no excuse for awful hygiene of the place overall. Food quality is generally bad in Cuba so you can't blame the hotel for it. Lastly I will write about the staff. When you have great facilities, great food and entertainment than, maybe (just maybe), you could get away with rude staff and employees that don't care about guests. On the other hand, when your facilities are terrible, hygiene bellow any standard, and you literally have no positives in overall picture than your staff should compensate it by being super attentive, kind and caring, which wasn't the case here. Some of the rudest people I have ever met in my life with the exception of the luggage guys and the guys at the bar (considering how much work they had they were actually nice and they were doing a good job). Lastly I have to tell you that this place have couple of different names they offer in travel agencies so be aware of Gran Canaria Group of Hotels, Puntarena Hotel, Gran Caribe Puntarena playa Caleta and generally everything they offer with all inclusive 4 or 5 star package in that area. I sincerely hope that someone will read this review and avoid this place for good regardless of the offer / price.

We just returned on October 18th 2018 we stayed there for a week. This hotel needs much work we were completely bored from 6pm to 930 pm as the pools closed and the nightly shows didn't start till 930 the shows were completely a waste of time. The only one that had some people attend was the glow in the dark one . The disco was a complete disappointment never played good music and you had to leave the club to drink and walk up and down stairs . The staff was at most times friendly but some rude and not helpful at all . The rooms were fairly clean the food was basic always the same stuff morning ,noon and night Would I recommend this hotel , not really unless they change many,many things. If you like the basics then hey all the power to you . We will Not return there next year .....

The resort is acceptable if you don't expect too much. There is not a huge selection of food at the buffet, but the a la carte restaurants are very nice. The staff are amazing, so kind and eager to please. You can take one of the many day trips offered or hire your own driver in a beautiful vintage car and go to Havana or other parts of Cuba. The beaches are beautiful and there are very nice swimming pools.

Avoid this place, I got scammer and over charged for grocery's. The cashiers have the ability to ring up any price and overcharge, then pocket the money, when confronted afterwards, they appears like nothing has happened and treat you badly. Avoid this place at all costs.

I had a great trip from this marina to Cayo Blancos island.

It was absolutely quiet during lunch time. No navigation for tourists on wat to do where to go.

Tried the Cuban cigar, rum and coffee experience here. That shop was amazing, and the ambiance along the boardwalk was incredible.

Lovely place but there wasn't many places open

This is a cute little mall and marina port at the edge of Varadero's Hicacos Pininsula. I took a catemeran for the day and had a nice time walking through the colorful shops!

Beautiful place to relax and have a nice Cuban coffee

Drove by this place. Took some pics

Just a big park, nothing special and its the people that transforms the ambient, especially when a national fiesta is taking place.

It's a nice little shopping mall in Cuba. Lots of stores most are open. I found the cigar store in the mall had more inventory than the flagship store in varadero. One thing to be away of, the washrooms cost money. There is no set price but make sure you have some pesos on you because giving them a 5 dollar Canadian bill would be drastically overpaying. My wife did find a very nice dress there as well. It has shopping that is more like we would be used to in North America VS the flee markets of Cuba.

Worse place to make shopping in Varadero. Most of the shops try to charge you more on the till. Always check the price of the products before go to the till. They always try to take some advantages. Also the humor of the sales are terrible. Always very rude and without patient to tell you the prices of anything.

The place is full of souvenir mini stores that sell almost everything Cuban. With access to the beach, is a nice place to hang out, eat and drink.

I love Varadero. People are very friendly. It is safe to walk around with your small kids, and the beach is gorgeous with white sand and turquoise water. That's my favorite place in Cuba

Avoid the supermarket (hicanos) here at all cost, they blatantly are ripping off tourists by adding $5-10 at the cashier. I visited 3x and it happened 3x so ripping off tourists seem to be the standard policy. When confronted they just pretend as if they don’t understand you. Appalling behaviour.

Get your Credit Cards out! So, my brother is a Cigar Expert, and has his own Cigar Lounge in Canada. My mom and I went down with a list of what he wanted, and the "price" of which they "should be" on hand. If you are just buying one or two cigars, then the store has that option. But we needed a 1000 dollars worth of cigars, our MAX suitcase limit, to bring home back to Canada. The "Main" store, which will look beautiful (Eventually) is being renovated. So we had to go to the "temporary" one, which has way less selection. The ladies were very leery to help us until they saw that we were serious, and had the money. But we knew what the Cigar Values were, so they had no opportunity to overcharge us. Nothing is labelled "price" wise. We had to settle for different Cigar #'s which was fine, however, we were looking for the light ones. If you know your cigars, then you know what I mean. Also, looking at the serial numbers and that the boxes were not opened or damaged. You pay via VISA, in USD. They took "some" Canadian cash, but not much. This is a very pristine store, and quality is what they are known for. Locals can mimic the Cigar and sell you one on the beach and you would never know the difference....But our family does. So if you are in Varadero, and you are at the Plaza America, and you need quality, they offer that. Again, not much selection due to space, so have options, and/or your cigar expert on the phone to negotiate!

A trustworthy government-run specialty cigar (and coffee and rum) Boutique shop located in the heart of the Varadero resort strip. They offer a great selection of authentic Habanos cigars which are sold at the government listed prices. The professional staff are knowledgable and can certainly help you find the perfect cigars. Helpful tip, do some research on Habanos cigars before you visit to make the interaction with the staff that much more efficient for all as they often have many customers at once so the more you know the easier it is for everyone to get what you want quickly with no fuss. I’d suggest having a few different cigar brands and sizes (such as the very popular Montecristo No.4, Partagas Serie D No.4, Hoyo Epicure No.2, etc), and knowing their prices (most non Cohiba cigars are ~$5-$13 CUC, $7-$16 CDN, $6-$14 USD each cigar, so knowing how much you want to spend is helpful in advance as many cigars come in full 25 boxes but some can be found in 3 or 5 packs and the per cigar price is the same regardless of how many you buy...I.e. no discount for buying more). The ladies at the shop are great and will be sure to help you get the right cigars for whatever occasion and budget you’re working with. Enjoy!

Those who give positive comments, are you crazy or maybe you work for this shop? On the box of Cohiba Siglo I it was written 140 USD, but the seller insisted that it was for one piece, and asked 700 USD for 5 cigars. Unseen scammers!!!

Similar to every other cigar shop in Cuba. The staff were friendly and the selection was decent. They were out of Siglo VI, which was disappointing.

Buying cigars at this la casa del habano was like pulling teeth. It took three transactions to purchase the cigars I came in looking for because the staff member could not be bothered to do her job... sell cigars! On a positive note… The prices and selection--although still very limited--were much better than at the hotel

The preferred LCDH in the Varadero region and the prices are spot on as per pricing lists available. If you are nice enough and know your stuff, you will even be allowed into the walk in humidor. I had a great experience here and was able to find some nice finds.

Very rude and arrogant personel, ridiculous prices and stock in poor condition (dried out cigars) - but hey, you're just a tourist who can be ripped off since there's no other shop around. Can buy the same cigars cheaper in Europe and in better condition.

We came here for a lesson. We tried to book by emailing, but had no reply, so we chanced a taxi ride over for 9am. Fortunately, Guillermo was available to give us a fantastic introductory lesson, even though it was a Sunday as well. We were extremely appreciative of him giving his time to us and loved meeting him. Definitely recommend for anyone considering a lesson!

the place is beautiful, with beautiful scenes. Course well technical done. we played in April, the fairways were dry in places, but that is part of this season. I see the shortcomings in the uneven tees, in not providing transfers from nearby hotels, and they didn't give free water to buggies to the game, as is customary everywhere in the world. helpful and friendly staff. great communication when booking with manager Idania. A bit of a problem with the flow of the game some days, Marshall was missing to supervise the slow groups. but the overall impression of the course is fantastic.

Four seniors were to go golf there on Halloween 2022 but, 20 minutes before going to the airport, we heard about the fire of most of the golf carts and lawn cutters. Apparently there was a poor connection to one of the cart's electrical connection. Also there was a delay informing the fire department. Anyway, we had cancellation insurance and came back in April 2023. Being seniors there was no way to walk the course but we reserved new US$20,000 carts at US$44 per person each day for 6 days. The greens were well kept but slow the first few days until they cut them closer later on. The reason for the 3-stars was the poor condition of the fairways. They had little grass to hit off of (no rain) and there was lots of crab grass that they used to remove manually. The sand traps had no maintenance with grass growing in them. The tees were ragged as well. The area around the 9th tee has been bumpy for years. But the course is always fun to play. We will not return until things improve especially with the carts. We like Richard, Idania, Victor, Eduardo, and Esteban who are eager to please. We did experience a few rude golfers who should have patience with the conditions.

Beautiful course can be tough if you're an average golfer. Winds blowing hard at times can make shot making difficult. Played 3 rounds teeing off first thing in the morning just as the sun was coming up. Course was in great shape.

The course doesn't look like much from the road but it is actually a beautiful course. It plays well, good pace and some beautiful views as you play along the water. The staff are friendly and it will cost $66cuc for club and cart rental. The rental clubs are actually good (Taylormade if I recall correctly). The food from clubhouse was good afterwards and pretty cheap. I did get sick later that night, not sure if there is a correlation or not.

Great for accommodating tee times! Great little course. Not too hard and just the right amount of enjoyable to relax on your vacation and not stress about your golf game. Happy to golf in Cuba.

Fun course, gorgeous landscape and scenery by the ocean. Had a great time!

Love it! We took the tourist hop on/off bus for $5 CA. Lots of leather good to buy- very affordable! Beach is as beautiful as it gets, prepare to end your sunny walk with a jump in the ocean! Lots of pretty spots to take photos. We took the horse and buggy ride as well. Not as many food options, may be better off packing your own snacks from your hotel, don’t forget your water bottles! It’s a long walk, not recommended for the weak kneed, unless you take a private retro cool taxi that waits for you- also affordable- $25!

I took hop-on hop-off bus from Melia Las Americas to downtown Varadero. Cost $5 per person. You buy full-day ticket in the bu . The area is full of cozy shops for a souvenir. Good restaurants as well. I got coconut from street with $5. You can take old fancy cars or horse cart for $5. Must go to place if you are visiting any Varadero Resort

Quite and enjoyable walk with choices of restaurant and bar. Prepare your money in advance because some places only charge peso while others only charge dollars. And some of them offer good exchange rate than the others so it’s better to check the places before you go. You can only go to the beach on your walk. It’s amazing to see real life and nice house in Cuba as well.

Downtown Varadero is interesting spot to visit, you can find a little restaurants, cafes, shops & markets with souvenirs. I don’t like that streets not clean properly. City should care better for such interesting heritage place.

Plenty of places to visit including 2 markets the shops unfortunately don't have a lot to sell but when you consider how hard it is for the Cubans as a visitor it's hard to complain just enjoy the atmosphere and friendly people and the old American cars

Varadero shopping centre and market is great, lots of sights to be seen, plenty of shops and restaurants, market really big with tons of holiday souvenirs

The streets were clean. I took horse drwan carriage for $10 USD. Took the hop on hop off bus for $5 USD for the day. I learned they will not accept Cuban Pesos. Can pay by credit card if your from somewhere besides the US.

This is the worst club I’ve ever seen. Super packed while 30 people waiting in line to get a drink from the bartender but wait time for a drink is 1 hour. They said there is no entrance fee but the security is asking for money to let you. Very disappointed & not really a good place to visit try something elsewhere.

I've been to many bars in Cuba and I must say this is the best one so far. Very clean setup very nice and even on a Wednesday night the party was popping 🍾. The disco continued after 2:00 in the morning we left at 3:00 or so

Post covid July 2022: They have completely changed the area around havana club and it looks better. There is a cover charge of 240 pesos which includes a free drink voucher. Thursdays to Sundays seem to be the best time to party. There seem to be a lot more locals than tourists but it's a good time and drinks are cheap! You can get a 750ml of rum in pesos. The conversion is about $10 to $14 CAD. Pre covid: I've been here during end of June 2017 and had a great time. However, end of Sept 2019 was not so great. I would ask the bouncer to take a peek into the dancefloor and see about 3 or 4 people.. during the "busy" time it's a good place to party and dance.

Gotta admit probably the best club I’ve been to in a while! I went last night which is (26/04/25). Yes it does get quite crowded like the rest of the reviews say, didn’t spill anything so thats a plus, for foreigners there is a second line for you to enter in on the bottom, (didn’t know that prior) cover fee was great priced. Music was great loud but good, the party didn’t end till it closed! Alcohol can be on the pricy end 500 pesos per beer and tequila, but if you stick to classic rum and coke, 1000pesos will cover 4 drinks which is quite nice, bouncers are respectful and help if you need. Drinks are on the smaller end but at least the bartender filled it nice. The bar is slow, but quite expected as there was easily 30-40 people at the bar at once with only 3 bartenders. For whoever is wondering, if traveling from any country other than cuba you do not need passport to enter, drivers license will suffice!

Honestly, the most fun I had while in Varadero, hands down. A great, safe and welcoming night club in Downtown Varadero. Perfect for tourists looking to get out and dance with some Cubanna flair. The drinks were strong, and affordable. The music was perfect for dancing, a bit of a mixed crowd of all-ages but everyone seemed to have a great time. Bathrooms were clean (though a reminder to bring your own TP!) The dance floor filled up quickly once people started showing up, and the bass was pumping a mix of modern and retro tunes. Honestly, just go. Have fun, drink, dance and take photos. Chances are, after you leave you may not remember how much fun you had on account of the rum! ;)

View of Cuba, Florida Keys, Florida and FLL from the air on Spirit Airlines. Smooth flight in. Arrived early at FLL. Gate still occupied. Waiting to disembark.

Super fun and safe nightclub in downtown Varadero. Went on a Wednesday and we weren't sure if it would be busy but the dance floor was packed all night. It costs $10 USD or $1250 pesos to get in which comes with 5 drinks👌🏼 despite being busy it never took longer than 2 minutes to get a drink. Doorman was super friendly and let us come in and out all night as we pleased.

(Translated by Google) Little to say: it is famous for being one of the most beautiful beaches in the world (rightly so). (Original) Poco da dire: è famosa per essere una delle più belle spiagge del mondo (a ragione(

(Translated by Google) Varadero beach is excellent! Without a doubt, the best in the world. Highly recommended. Visit it and take a Varadero Bar Crawl with Civitatis and Revolutravel. (Original) Excelente la playa de Varadero! Sin duda la mejor del mundo. Muy recomendable visitarla y realizar un Tour de bares por Varadero junto a Civitatis y Revolutravel

(Translated by Google) Superb beaches! (Original) Superbes plages !

Whenever in Havana you’re gonna wanna take your family to the most beautiful beach in the country Varadero Beach! It’s about a 2 Hour from Havana but it is absolutely worth it. There’s a couple stops on the way. There are a few bars and restaurants in town. But for the beach I would highly recommend buying bottles of water snacks and sandwiches if possible for the beach. There is a floaty obstacle course for kids that’s fairly cheap there’s a lot of water toys and activities including snorkeling on a catamaran. Very fun very affordable the water is literally perfect! I’ve been to many beaches in around the world and this one so far is my favorite even better than Hawaii!

All I can say varadero beach is gorgeous 😍. Its about a 2 hour drive from havana. The sand and ocean is pristine. The water clear and blue. It's not overcrowded. Only thing is the Pina colada drink wasn't good. There are beach chairs for rent. When we reached all the chairs were sold out. Overall the beach is 100%

Beautiful beach north east of Varadero that stretches well over a dozen kilometers. It has light and clear blue water and fish a plenty to view by snorkeling. This stretch is where the majority of the resorts are but you can enter the east part of the beach through the town of Varadero. The sunset viewing opportunities are also magnificent. This is one of the nicest and cleanest beaches in the world.

If you’re from a country where people don’t litter on the beach you’ll be disappointed. Was covered in rubbish when I was there. I hope local authorities act on this because once word gets out the beach has rubbish everywhere, tourists won’t want to come.

What an amazing place! This is the best beach I’ve ever been on in my life! Truly breath taking!

Amazing nature 3h from La Habana. Long sand coast with many resorts and very good gastronomic offer.

One of the nicest beaches I have ever been to. The sand is white and soft and the sea and an amazing blue and is as clear as can be.