Cuba - after Havana Which beach hotel?
Discussion
We're planning to go to Cuba and Havana for 4 days and then to the beach for 10/11 nights. Any recommendations. We've been looking at Iberiostar Varadero and Paradisus Varadero resort.
Anyone been and can advise on what is best. We know that 5 star is not like 5 star in other places, but would welcome a recommendation
Thanks
Anyone been and can advise on what is best. We know that 5 star is not like 5 star in other places, but would welcome a recommendation
Thanks
The jiffle king said:
We're planning to go to Cuba and Havana for 4 days and then to the beach for 10/11 nights. Any recommendations. We've been looking at Iberiostar Varadero and Paradisus Varadero resort.
Anyone been and can advise on what is best. We know that 5 star is not like 5 star in other places, but would welcome a recommendation
Thanks
we had a holiday at the iberiostar at verderado, Was ok nothing special apart from the wonderful beach, evenings got a bit tedious but the chinese restaurant there was really good. They have an amazing table tennis player on the staff too, I used to play a bit at a good level but this guy was pretty special, Not sure i would recommend the iberiostar but it was not overly expensive & i suppose if you want a chill out 10 days on the beach or so then yeah it's fine ,Anyone been and can advise on what is best. We know that 5 star is not like 5 star in other places, but would welcome a recommendation
Thanks
The old cars are great & of course the rum is amazingly good & bloody dirt cheap too
Edited by Black can man on Monday 6th May 22:06
clive f said:
for me 1 day in Havana was enough, fascinating place but pestered left right and center!
hotels in varedero all the same really, glad I went, but crossed off the list and wouldn`t go back.
Wow, I wonder where else you've been.hotels in varedero all the same really, glad I went, but crossed off the list and wouldn`t go back.
Whilst people regularly approached us offering taxis, cart tours, etc, in Havana a firm, but polite, no thanks always saw them leave us alone, nothing like in Egypt(for example) where even I was lured into the odd shop by constant pestering.
My family all loved Havana and we would go back any time. Varadero's got a nice beach, but that's about it.
We stayed in the Breezes Bella Costa, which doesn't even pretend to be 5 star, but it was perfectly fine for us. Relaxed, clean, good sized rooms, decent food and friendly staff who didn't constantly expect tips and seemed genuinely pleased when you did.
Next time we go we'll go somewhere else in Cuba, possibly Santiago.
M.
Just back. Little hassle in Havanna but my standard "sorry old boy, keine sprechen ze lingo" worked its usual treat in confusing ppl enough to leave you alone.
Then did a week or so in Varadero at the Blau Marina All Inc. Lovely beach, gorgeous weather, decent facilities but the food sucked.
Cuba is ok but I feel lacks an X factor.
Then did a week or so in Varadero at the Blau Marina All Inc. Lovely beach, gorgeous weather, decent facilities but the food sucked.
Cuba is ok but I feel lacks an X factor.
DJRC said:
Just back. Little hassle in Havanna but my standard "sorry old boy, keine sprechen ze lingo" worked its usual treat in confusing ppl enough to leave you alone.
Then did a week or so in Varadero at the Blau Marina All Inc. Lovely beach, gorgeous weather, decent facilities but the food sucked.
Cuba is ok but I feel lacks an X factor.
We went for the paradisus hotel in the end... Visas are here and ready to fly in a couple of weeks, hope the food is better than Blau MarinaThen did a week or so in Varadero at the Blau Marina All Inc. Lovely beach, gorgeous weather, decent facilities but the food sucked.
Cuba is ok but I feel lacks an X factor.
The jiffle king said:
We went for the paradisus hotel in the end... Visas are here and ready to fly in a couple of weeks, hope the food is better than Blau Marina
It's been a few years since i was in Cuba, we spent 9 or 10 days staying in a hotel, i think it's name was Las Brisas??? in Guardalavaca, then 4 or 5 days in Havana.Brilliant holiday, can't remember being pestered at all, in fact enjoyed the interaction with the locals, really friendly.
But the food, well all the ingredients were fresh at least, that was something, and it was better than what the locals got. To be honest im not very fussy when it comes to food, so i thought it was adequate, nothing more.
I didn't go to Cuba for the food though, so it didn't affect the holiday.
The food is generally pretty dreadful in any of the state run or commercial "tourist" places. Fresh produce but just very bland. No use of herbs or spices, flavourings etc. However, if you spend some time doing some research and speaking to locals too track down some paladars, then the food can be really quite excellent.
Other than the beach, there really is very little to see in Varadero. It's just a long row of all inclusive European-style resort hotels. Where the vast majority of guests never leave, other than a day trip to Havana. I guess that's fine if that's all you want from your holiday and the price is certainly attractive but it seems a bit of a waste when you are basically spending a day on a plane to essentially stay at hotel in the Med. Which if that is all you are after, you'd be better of just taking a short-haul flight to any number of Med destinations and plonking yourself down in front of the pool.
To get the most out of Cuba you need to travel around, away from the tourist resorts. It really is a great place to explore and the people are just superb. I appreciate that for many people though, this wouldn't be their idea of a holiday
Other than the beach, there really is very little to see in Varadero. It's just a long row of all inclusive European-style resort hotels. Where the vast majority of guests never leave, other than a day trip to Havana. I guess that's fine if that's all you want from your holiday and the price is certainly attractive but it seems a bit of a waste when you are basically spending a day on a plane to essentially stay at hotel in the Med. Which if that is all you are after, you'd be better of just taking a short-haul flight to any number of Med destinations and plonking yourself down in front of the pool.
To get the most out of Cuba you need to travel around, away from the tourist resorts. It really is a great place to explore and the people are just superb. I appreciate that for many people though, this wouldn't be their idea of a holiday
Currency can't be taken out of the country so impossible to get here. We took GPB.
We stayed at the Blau Varedero. Mid-high standard of the ones on the "strip" from what I can tell from other tourists me met travelling round. Food supposedly slightly better than most of the other hotels, but still a bit bland. Fair amount of choice though. Avoid the water on the tables unless you want the runs. Blau had better range of drinks than other places (apparently), and the "entertainment" was a bit crap, though the same as every other place as the acts are exactly the same in every hotel on a constant rotation. Beach great and a really chilled holiday.
Do travel round, have fun and see some of the interior/southern coast.
Be on your guard though - there is crime in Havana (esp. at the bus stops and main tourist areas), even though the (government) guides will say it's perfectly safe. Total for our coach - two pickpocketings, one theft from a rucksack left on the coach, and a wedding and engagement ring stolen on a night out (to be fair the English women was blind drunk dancing with a local who probably slipped the rings off mid salsa). Just be sensible and you'll be fine.
We stayed at the Blau Varedero. Mid-high standard of the ones on the "strip" from what I can tell from other tourists me met travelling round. Food supposedly slightly better than most of the other hotels, but still a bit bland. Fair amount of choice though. Avoid the water on the tables unless you want the runs. Blau had better range of drinks than other places (apparently), and the "entertainment" was a bit crap, though the same as every other place as the acts are exactly the same in every hotel on a constant rotation. Beach great and a really chilled holiday.
Do travel round, have fun and see some of the interior/southern coast.
Be on your guard though - there is crime in Havana (esp. at the bus stops and main tourist areas), even though the (government) guides will say it's perfectly safe. Total for our coach - two pickpocketings, one theft from a rucksack left on the coach, and a wedding and engagement ring stolen on a night out (to be fair the English women was blind drunk dancing with a local who probably slipped the rings off mid salsa). Just be sensible and you'll be fine.
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