Varadero

THINGS TO BRING (bug repellent, refillable container for the beach since the cups are very small, night light for the bathroom and your own face cloth) RECOMMENDATIONS Put a towel on the chair next to the beach at 7:00 Get a pad from the beach clubhouse to put on our beach lounger Go to the mall to buy wine in order to bring it in the à la carte restaurant Ask for another blanket and will receive it immediately Tip the servers if you want anything done they get a whole lot friendlier Ask for extra foam on the bed since they are hard Put all valuable items in your carry on Make reservation for the à la carte restaurant from the day you arrive otherwise they will tell you its all booked Change small amount of your money at the reception ROOM Check-in time: 15:00. Check-out time: 12:00 Yesumaris is the person to see front desk if the room is not to our satisfaction The first floor rooms had a bit of a smell, second floor rooms not so great, third floor rooms are very nice as well as the hallway and the view on the third floor is great. We had room 3103 king size bed, view of the golf course and water, it was very clean and would highly recommend it BEACH Are very close to the door of the resort Saturday and Sunday more locals on the beach this would be a good day to go out of the hotel No sea weeds No harassment by vendors on the beach DRINKS Cristal Cuban beer is good and cold Cocktail are strong Lobby bar has more variety of alcohol A sweet wine called Legendario is terrible Pina colada is made from powder PLAZA plaza next door (again, in walking distance) for casual shopping and some live entertainment. GOLF RESTAURANT The 2 minute walk from the hotel lobby to the Xanadu (DuPont) Mansion at the golf course, for a drink in the lounge or dinner is definitely a todo. (veal came with a purée of mashed potatoes, vegetable and well presented) RESTAURANTS -The lady who makes reservations Angela was so kind and helped to coordinate our à la carte which was no easy task with so many of us and she did so with a smile. IL LIMONCELLO (Mediterranean food Italian) Mediterranean | À la carte La Arcada (international restaurant with spring quartet music). The croquettes, lobster bisque, chicken pasta and salty fish are very good. The Robleza Barbecue,Cuban | À la carte. Location: Pool area It is open air dining with Cuban cuisine (bbq) lunch is good, Paella is good served for two people or four (seasoned rice, shrimps and mussels) Sakura JJapanese | À la carte Location: Pool area Japanese restaurant was nice the portions are big enough for the women we also tend to love this restaurant super show cooking – an entertainment in itself La Terraza (buffet restaurant)International | Buffet Notes: Air conditioning, Dress code, Fresh fish selection grilled on request Bread is made daily and no preservatives. There is this delicious garlic oil that they would flavor the meat at the meat station or put it your pasta. Bacon undercooked Eggs are fresh eggs Pasta bar is good especially the meet sauce

Hotel is ok, lots of walking to get places to eat and shows which is ok I guess, towels got smaller and fewer each day, food well it's Cuba first off so just ok, lines for pasta every night over 20 minutes at least, bathrooms in lobby smelled horrible never had paper towels as ex and that's all week,

Our stay at memories was fantastic the best resort we have ever been too. The staff is fantastic the manager is friendly everywhere he helps out the staff all respect him and he is always checking with guests to be sure all is ok. We are definitely planning a return trip felt like home to us

Overall had a great time at this resort expect the food was not great. Been to Cuba before and never complained about the food!!

My family, parents and mother-in-law had a fantastic time away at this resort! Two of the three parties didn't upgrade to The Level, and we enjoyed our time equally as much. The food in the buffet was typical Cuban food, but did offer a good rotating variety. Because of the time we went, at the beginning of the pandemic, not all a la carte restaurants were operating (they were on a rotating basis). We found the food at the a la cartes to be alright, but the experiences were a nice change from the buffet. The service all around in all areas was fantastic! The employees were almost all personable and helpful. The hotel is in need of minor repairs, but nothing that stopped our enjoyment of it. The pool and beach areas were relatively clean, and there were plenty of chairs for our group of 7 to sit on. I would recommend this resort!

From the moment we arrived we were treated with such class. The resort is beautiful. There was not one spot I didn't find well taken care of. Upon check in, the front desk staff were friendly and helpful. Our room had the most beautiful view of the ocean right before sunset. The bar in the lobby had the best drinks and coffees. The bartenders were always extremely happy and friendly. They always remembered what we were having. (Pedro, Andreas etc.) The restaurants (Japanese, Italian and Cuban) were all fabulous and easy to book for two people. The pools and grounds are well taken care of and maintained. My only complaint was around the pool towels not being available most days to exchange for a clean one. The beach is extremely clean and well taken care of. The ocean water is the most turquoise color and is wonderful for swimming. There are plenty of beach chairs. The free boat rides are fun! There are many chairs in the shade for those not wanting too much sun. You can easily walk on the beach 15 minutes to the small mall to buy snacks or go to the bank. (plaza america) On the last day I found out about going to the top floor of the main building (11th) the most beautiful views. You can pay extra in the evening to have dinner up here. I highly recommend. Spectacular view and lobster dinner. The internet can be purchased by the hour but I enjoyed turning my phone off and soaking in all the food, culture and language. The snack bar is open at all hours and has a good variety. The service is a little slower. The evening shows in the theater were very entertaining and some excellent different talents. I especially loved the acrobatic evening (Wednesday). The gym facilities and spa are very lovely and not very busy. Tennis lessons were amazing. After talking with other tourists on the bus to Varadero this resort is one of the few that provides free drinks in the room fridge. Was a very nice touch. I can't wait to come back to Cuba very soon!

We didn't get to our hotel, Iberostar Laguna Azul, until after 4 am. We were on the third floor of a building with no elevator. This was a problem for our friends - booked this hotel because it indicated there were elevators. They had two cots, not the king bed requested, My friend & I had the king bed. - Next day, we went to ask for our rooms to be corrected. We're told the hotel couldn't accommodate us & we would have to wait a day or two to be moved. Our friends were moved on the 2nd day of the trip to a building with an elevator. Unfortunately in a building with at least 6 elevators throughout, there was only one that worked. It broke down occasionally too. My friend & I decided to stay in the first room. - Rooms - staff did the best they could for the most part, but they were in poor condition. The shower head holders were broken & could not be used unless you held them. We did not use them that way one day & it flooded our bathroom. We called for assistance to clean up the water. No one ever came Food was pretty good with good variety. Very long lineups at breakfast. Coffee was undrinkable We were given beach towels & told we could change them. EVERYTIME we went to do that we were told there were none & to come back. There were never any available Lobby bar was good but not enough tables.

I loved the layout of the hotel and the fact that I had to walk around. At least I got some exercise! Our bungalow was close to the lobby so we had to walk a bit to get to the beach. The gardens are beautiful and gardeners so sweet and friendly. I recommend this hotel if you want to relax and take it easy.

When I first arrived, my room smelled mouldy, so I asked to change to a different room and that was no problem. The beds are small but comfortable. The food was typical for a Cuban resort, you don't go to Cuba for the food, but for the beautiful beach and sunshine! The resort was clean, the staff was friendly and hard-working. The grounds are lovely, and well maintained. The architecture is colonial-style and very attractive. Food is available round the clock, and the cappuccino and drinks are plentiful. I have no complaints and would recommend this resort to friends and family. It was declared an adult-only resort as of last November 2019.

My 3 visit to this hotel, so I knew what to expect. The location is GREAT! You can walk to the 'souvenier' market, past restaurants and bars, even to the Beatles bar (if you dont mind a long walk). The beach is wonderful, the ocean is turquiose and there are tins of palapas and loungers. There is a beach bar but the beer was for sale in cans. This was a first. But you can sttoll back to the pool bar and refill your beer and it was good and cold. Pools were wonderful, and lots of loungers and chairs. Not as much shade as before, az they dont seem to have unbrellas anymore although the stands are still there. The staff is what makes this place wonderful. They are so helpful & caring. The buffet is ok, the ala cartes are good, you will not starve. Drinks are drinks, but their coffee bar is wonderful. Rooms are clean, and there always seemed to be enough toilet paper in public washrooms. Entertainment is resort type stuff, just go & enjoy. Rooms absolutely need REAL renovations. They cannot keep advertising "renovated" rooms but never having any. Things are falling apart around the resort but no one seems to fix them. Doors dont close, locks are broken, urinals had cardboard over them the whole time in public washrooms, toilet seats missing, burnt out lights where they need to have lights, crumbling walkways and balconies. These are things that can be fixed. Fix them. Paint stuff. Upgrade rooms. This place was probably a beauty in its day. Make it that way again.