Advantages: Excellent service, climate and people
Disadvantages: menus need a review, water features...

...Introduction 'Welcome to the independent people's republic of Varadero', our driver commented dryly as we passed the security checkpoint at the start of this 20km peninsula of hedonism. 'You are now leaving Cuba'. He had a point, and the point is this: If like thousands of Brits, Canadians Germans and the odd sanction-busting Yank you fly direct into Varadero on a charter flight, you are probably looking for a week or two of blistering Caribbean sun, a few cold ones and the cosseted pampering of an all-inclusive resort. If that's you, then look no further. However - and it's a biggie - if you chose Varadero over, say, Jamaica, because, well, it's Cuba innit, then you might be disappointed. This isn't Cuba, it's bland, sterile, feels like it could be anywhere in the sub-tropics, and outside of the seňor or seňorita who... Read review

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Advantages: Beautiful beaches & pretty cheap when you get there
Disadvantages: Lots of begging in Havana

...don't agree with it. Those are hotel facilities and if no-one is using them, they should be available for other guests to use. This alone would put me off staying here again as it the pool was like that EVERY DAY. Varadero is a tourist-based town with very little of the real Cuba. However, if you like the beach, it is fabulous here and the hotels do have all the food and drink and amenities you won't find in the local towns. There is not really much to see in Varadero but there is a local park called Parque Josone. This is a beautiful public park with a lake in the centre. You can hire a small boat to use on the lake. There are different types of animals to see here and there are nice places to eat. There is also Varadero Museum which is housed in an architect's house dating from the 1920s. Inside are several displays on archaeology... Read review

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Advantages: Tropical Paradise, Havana, All inclusive hotels.
Disadvantages: Scary Customs.

..., breadfruit etc) and more standard fare (bacon and eggs for breakfast) my wife was very impressed that she could have ice cream for breakfast. Drinks as well are included and a variety of Caribbean cocktails were consumed including the Mojito, basically rum, and soda water with sugar and mint. Varadero itself did not really have a huge amount to offer, there were quite a good number of high end clothes shops (good as I had no clothes and was buying on my travel insurance). It is mainly hotels and beaches and has a large nature reserve. I guess it would be possible to have a very relaxing and filling holiday hanging around the hotel and beaches but personally I like to get out and about so on with the excursions. Nature Preserve Cuba has a massive nature reserve and we took a trip into it on double jetskis, this takes you right... Read review

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Advantages: No need to take too much spending money!
Disadvantages: The all inclusive can induce 'cabin fever' after a while

...Spent two weeks at the Sol Coral/Sirienus All Inclusive resort on the lovely Varadero beach. The fact that water sports are included in the package means that you can really get away with spending nothing at all during the day. The kids will find it cooler by the sea edge and the water is extremely shallow and warm - v. safe! A nice added extra was that the beach loungers and canopies are also free. My main complaint would be the standard of food - several people were ill after eating under cooked meat and food which birds pecked at. Still, it is was very cheap and I guess you get what you pay for! Our room didn't have the hairdryer it promised nor the fridge, but the later was brought up to the room after we queried this. Unfortunately my hair was a state for the rest of the holiday ( ... what do you mean it didn't make... Read review

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Advantages: Varied destinations, great people
Disadvantages: Can be hard work at times

...carnivals at various times of the year. Beach bums will love Varadero (from where you could easily take in at least a little of Havana on a day trip), Guardalavaca in the far east of the island and Cayo Coco with its white beaches and coconut palms in the north east. Cayo Coco is also the place to go to see flamingoes. Santa Clara is the place where people wishing to learn a bit more about the revolution head. There is a massive monument to Che Guevara here and a museum dedicated to the revolution in addition to the unmissable Museo de la Revolucion in Havana. Wildlife buffs should head to the Zapata peninsular which is great for bird-watching and the nearby Bay of Pigs from where some of the best scuba sites can be accessed. GETTING AROUND Independent travellers will find that Cuba is pretty easy to get round. Most buses... Read review

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Advantages: excellent holiday
Disadvantages:

...I certinally wasn't disappointed. I chose to go to cuba because I love the music and i got a cheap last miniute package deal. I dont usually go on package holidays but this was to good an offer to miss. go to Cuba with an open mind, it was very differnent to how i imagined it would be. THE RESORT: I stayed in varadero, its basicly little more than a large tourist complex, the beaches are beutifull and the sea is clean, there plenty activitys and entertainment around and a few tourist shopping centers. If you want to see the 'real cuba' don't stay in varadero though, but if you want the beach and the sun its ideal. There are oil feilds around, but we never noticed them. THE SALSA: If you don't know the steps many of the hotels do dance classes, the best place I went to to dance in the evening was the Mambo club, it was $10 to get... Read review

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Advantages: All round good pick for those wanting Caribbean on a budget. Great beach!
Disadvantages: Probably not quite up to 5* standards like some other hotels, but we didn't mind!

...I stayed at Hotel Palma Real, Varadero, Cuba in September 2005 with a friend. We both had a fantastic holiday. I would rate this as a 3/4 star hotel, as it is typically at the lower end of the pricing for holidays to Varadero. However, don't let this put you off this merely makes it even more value for money! Location# The hotel is situated approximately 150 metres from the beach. Literally cross the road and you are there. Facilities on the beach include sunloungers, parasols, snack bar serving food and drinks, watersports, dance classes. The beach itself is beautiful and is around 20 miles long so you can walk as far as you like. We didn't find a problem with the beach being across the road, if anything it made us explore a little more than if we had been staying at hotel that was on the beach itself. Hotel Facilities... Read review

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Advantages: The beaches and beautiful people
Disadvantages: Hustlers and aggressive souvenir merchants; expensive trips to Havana

...Veradero may not be Rio De Janeiro, but it has its own sets or charms. Among are the resorts, the beaches, the constant sunshine and the people. Veradero is a beautiful place. In my mind, it is one of the richest cities of Cuba thanks to the tourism industry. If you intend to spend some time hanging around a pool and enjoying the Caribbean ocean, this is the place for you. Just know that you are not going to be close to Havana. Any time you want to go there, it will cost you some money. Going to Old Havana can be an exciting trip for you if you get the time to see some of the historic buildings. On any given week, you can expect to find a lot tourists from European countries such as Germany, Belgium, France and so on. I think the Germans outnumber everybody else. Every now and then, you will run into some other nationalities... Read review

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Advantages: Very Pretty and relaxing.
Disadvantages: Some poorer parts may put you off.

...Varadero. If your keen to simply lie on a sandy beach and soak up hot rays, Varadero promises you total contentment. This is the island's top resort, consisting largely of excellent modern hotels strung out along the coast. It has 20km of sizzling,soft,white,sandy beach and palm trees dotted around.Turquoise-blue caribbean sea, powdery beaches ,lush greenery, and exotic wilde life will all be waiting for you at Varadero. Its a perfect little hide away,wet still is lively when you want it to be. Thats one side of cuba The other side you proberly wont see (unless you are thinking of taking a trip there) but in most cases this will be a good thing. Some of cuba is very poor and traveling out of your hotels and resort will lead to the poorer part of Cuba. Most of the people there dont earn a lot at all and so... Read review

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Advantages: Beautiful country, very friendly,food is good
Disadvantages: some places are dirty

...Cuba is one of the largest Caribbean islands and is still very underdeveloped and if you bear that in mind you wont be disappointed. The cubians income is about $10 a month so they rely on tips and good faith to keep their families. Some areas are very poor and dirty but unless you go for executions you don't really see this part of Cuba. The island itself is beautiful, with sandy beaches and warm blue sea. We went in October '98 with our 19 mth old daughter, Jessica. It was an all-inclusive holiday and I would highly recommend going anywhere on holiday with this as you don't have to worry about food or drink, just spending money and we went for 2 weeks. The people are very friendly in the resort in which we stayed in, which was Super clubs Ponterina, Varadero. The hotel was two towers of seven floors each, but one was closed due... Read review

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