Varadero

This is my second time that I've chosen to stay at the Blau Varadero resort in Cuba. I find the accommodation, extremely friendly staff and the buffet well above average and would highly recommend it to anyone considering staying there. AND of course .... the beach and ocean out front are breathtaking and very, very relaxing. A BIG "thumbs up" to the Blau Varadero!

We love it here and will definitely be back!!! The beach, staff and resort are all amazing!

Had a great time, beach was excellent and close to a bar.

The hotel is truly the memory of grand resort it probably used to be but will not be a grand memory after this year for me. Although beach and grounds are reasonably well maintained the pool shaded areas are reserved by guest who may only use it for a short time, Food quality could be better of course but I could find in general my choices. Lack of bread for 2 days was a disappointment .Poor internet access is a norm. Rooms in Sanctuary are neglected and need basic maintenance which is not present or addressed. I had to change a room due to water leak from a ventilator shaft and water dripping from bathroom ceiling which was waste time for me since you pack and unpack and wait for the time to move. Loud music is forced upon you at the beeches and the pools. I would not return to the Sanctuary at Grand Memories and would look for another resort.

I'm writing this after our second visit to Memories Jibacoa…and my first comment is we will definitely be back again. We've actually discussed making it an annual visit! This resort is perfect for us. Its location is great. Between Varadero and Havana, right on the beach. The size of the resort is another plus. Big enough that it's not crammed with people, but small enough that everything is in close proximity. The best thing about this resort is its wonderful staff. Every single person who works here is delightful and so many of them will become your second family by the end of your stay. They're all so warm and accommodating. There's plenty to do here if you're into being busy, as previously mentioned there's the beach, which has a lot of water activities and awesome snorkeling, the pool, a sports bar with games, and the entertainment team provides lots of other daily activities and shows. …there's also so many nice places to just sit and relax if that's more your speed. A couple of things I want to mention given the situation currently in Cuba… if you've done your homework you'll have seen there's country wide power outages. This resort has backup generators so this has not been a problem here in our experience. Another issue is supply of anything… this means that there could be shortages of certain items at any given time meaning food/materials… the resort does the best they can with what they have and will always do their best to meet your needs. You will always still have ample choice at the restaurant(s), and even with other supply shortages we've seen a number of upgrades being done to the resort between our first and second visit (5 months apart). It is good though to keep these things in mind and keep yourself in check when faced with any issues that may be beyond the hotel/staffs control.

The hotel was clean with friendly staff, it does show some wear and could use a bit more TLC. The rooms have a comfy bed and very clean towels are are a bit short but no deal breaker. The beach was definitely the star of this resort along with the staff can't say enough. Pool is nice not heated and could be cleaned more often. Then there is the food, it's cuba so we weren't expecting much but feel it still fell short.

It was a great resort, would come back, good location, good food (for cuba), close to the mall. Could use a beach bar or an extra bar because line ups are long at the pool bar.

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.

This was our 3rd time to this resort. Had the Star Prestige upgrade which is great. No buffet line ups and so much quieter. Beautiful roof top bar and restaurants. Also adult only. Nice improvements to the hotel since last year. It really is the people that keep us coming back. Diana our concierge is a gem and will make sure everything is perfect. The staff at the restaurant and bar are amazing. Miss them already. Also the staff at the pool bar are the best. Big hugs to our friend Ernesto. You will surely meet the hotel's community manager, the man, the legend, Javier! Loves his job and is the most fun loving guy! If you are traveling there soon please bring him a black tie as I won't be back there till next spring.! You will know why when you give it to him! He will really appreciate the gesture. Hope you have a great experience like we have had. Hugs to all our Cuban friends, Hope to see you all soon.

The staff was very nice and helpful. Loved the pools. Beach was no to far to walk. Food-buffet was ok. Lots of activities.