Varadero

Upon arriving we were upgraded to Select Oceanview. The staff were amazing and the entertainment was the best I have ever experienced in Cuba. The room and view was perfect. Food was great and the Al a Carte's were excellent. The grounds and resort were beautiful. I have absolutely nothing bad t0 say about my stay at Blau. I will be returning on Feb 14th for a week and can't wait!!

Very beautiful resort that was always clean and safe, with friendly, helpful staff! Very large resort with many restaurants, gym, spa, etc. I loved that it was adults only. BEAUTIFUL beach with restaurant on the beach. I have a disability and can't walk very far, and don't do stairs well, so I struggled to get across the resort and especially to the second floor. The buffet, two restaurants, and the piano bar are on the second floor, and the staircase is about two flights tall. The only elevator was not working and staff said it needed to be replaced. I had a very hard time getting up that staircase... there were also several steps all over the walkways, so it was not a very accessible resort. No information in the room, no app or anything like that, to explain things like the hours of the restaurants/menus, or the extensions to get room service lobby, etc. I kept having to ask staff questions and they didn't always speak English well. You can only have a cocktail at the main the lobby bar, nowhere else will make one for you. You can only have beer or wine with your meal. Restaurants had limited food choices and very small portions, but the food was really good! They never ran out of food or booze! However, room service will only bring you items like a sandwich from their bistro, nothing from the restaurants and no alcohol. Half my week was rainy and there were no real activities or entertainment during the day. I tried to get into the spa an it was fully booked, not sure if that's normal or just because it was raining. The nightly entertainment was fun, wish I had known the schedule for it. The piano bar was open during the same hours as supper as opposed to after it like the night club, so I didn't get to enjoy it as much as I had wanted. The pools were colder than the ocean was! and there appeared to be a hot tub with jets, but it was full of cold water... I get the cold water when it's super hot, but if the pool was heated a little or if there was a hot tub, we would have been able to use them when it was cooler and rainy. There was plenty of seating and recliners by the water, which was great. My room was always cleaned really well and it had a huge two person bath tub that was really fun! The excursions set up by Nexus were pretty awesome. You need a European plug for the power outlets so be prepared! Free Wifi that actually worked all week! No power outages, the resort has it's own generator, and no mosquitoes! The resort was beautiful lit up at night and I always felt safe walking around, even in the middle of the night after drinking. This was my first all inclusive tropical vacation so I wasn't sure what to expect, but due to issues like the accessibility problem and not being able to have a cocktail with my meal, I'd rate it a solid 4/5 stars.

This was the 2nd time we stayed at the Sol Varadero in 2025 and had an amazing time as we did the 1st time. The resort is very clean and the staff are all friendly and provide amazing customer service. The food was good and we walked miles on the beach and the beach at this resort was the best of them all. We will be going back in 2026 for sure.

The hotel needs a major renovation

We had an amazing stay at Playa Vista Azul and would absolutely return. First off, the rooms were very comfortable — the beds were some of the most comfortable I've slept in at a resort, and we always had hot water with great water pressure in the shower, which is not always a given in Cuba. What truly sets this resort apart is the staff. Every single person made us feel special no matter where we were — from the front desk, to the pool staff, restaurant teams, and even the gardening staff. Everyone was friendly, welcoming, and genuinely happy to help. You could really feel the pride they take in the resort. The beach was cleaned as much as possible, though we did experience very windy weather early in the week, which brought some jellyfish to shore. Once the weather calmed, this completely settled and the beach was beautiful. The entertainment was hands down the best I've ever seen at a resort — there was truly something for everyone, and the energy and talent of the team was incredible. And for Cuba, the food was great — good variety, always hot, and plenty of options to choose from. Overall, Playa Vista Azul exceeded our expectations. Comfortable, welcoming, fun, and memorable — highly recommended!

A special shoutout to Juanita (front office) we love her, she is a Gem! Also shout outs to Yousdani, also a Gem (buffet & beach bar) Jorges is another fun beach bar server! as well as Jose the gardener, he always has a smile and a quick phone translation chat with us. If you love beautiful beaches and rich cultural experiences, Sol Palmeras in Varadero, Cuba, is a fantastic choice. Having visited for six years with my spouse and adult children, I can say this hotel offers more than just sun and sand. Over time, we've met wonderful people and enjoyed vibrant local music and evening dancing. While the food isn't gourmet compared to what we have at home, it's always satisfying. Cuba isn't about luxury hotels; it's about friendly staff, lively beach activities, and a welcoming atmosphere. If you can bring small solar-powered items to share with locals, it makes a big difference and is deeply appreciated. Whether you're seeking relaxation or connection, this gem in the Caribbean truly feels like a second home. We arrive again next week and can't wait!

We knew what to expect, beautiful beaches, wonderful culture and beautiful Cuban people. Room was very clean and we had everything we needed. We had steady hot water, air conditioning, drinking water, lots of food and alcohol. We were well cared for.

The main hotel lobby and grounds are lovely. Beaches and pools are great as well as the staff are friendly. no toilet paper in main hotel bathrooms most of the time. The rooms are showing age and need some updating. Air conditioner in roof was leaking on floor, wet towel soaking up water on floor not changed by staff. Patio door very hard to move, wheels worn out, towel hanger loose on wall, dirty towels changed only once the whole week. Couldn't get clean pool towels all week. Bathroom mirror needs replacing as all rusty, shower drain clogged as almost overflowed. Phone not working in room, so couldn't call for ride to buffet, long walk for those with issues. but ok for us. Ocean views are great, though we thought we were staying in main hotel, but put in smaller building quite far away on grounds, so don't know how the main hotel rooms were. Food was very nicely prepared, but very repetitive (no beef) and lacking flavour. The drinks were mostly less than good, artificial flavours, not fresh lemons or limes, they put in artificial juices like tang or something similiar. I personally would not go back, heard from others that other hotels had better food an drink, but somehow I doubt it, as Cuba doesn't have access to a lot of things we enjoy normally in Canada. I was told not to expect much, and enjoyed the time there inspite of what I mentioned.

It is the perfect vacation when looking for quiet and relaxation. Entertainment was awesome, we really enjoyed the Canada afternoon. The beach bar and grill had excellent food and drinks. The pool bar also had excellent drinks. The lounge bar was a great place to hang out when it was too windy and wet for the beach.

Overall I would say its decent, not overly impressed by the hotel amenities. but the beach blow me away. So good that if I will just make a recommendation for the beach I will give it at 100%! worth it!