TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

My husband and I together with another couple friends of ours enjoyed our seven days stay in Barcelo Solymar. Staffs are courteous and helpful all the time, facilities are clean, sunset views from our balcony is amazing, foods if you know how to make it interesting are good- we brought our own condiments and hot sauce, entertainment team are good but we wish there is an open air performance by Neptuno one night instead of always backing up the dancers. We've been to Habana so many times so we took a calesa ride all over Varadero one day, did the snorkeling through Barcelo watersports tour instead of big catamaran since we've been in those tours so many time, visited Parque Josonne one morning- their drinks in the bar are amazing- never a dull day and of course just relaxing by Varadero beach is amazing. We have stayed in Barcelo Bavaro Palace in Punta Cana, visited Barcelo Tambor in Costa Rica and I can say Barcelo Solymar didn't disappoint us. We will be back.

We booked 5 nights for New Year and this was nothing like a 5* experience. This was a 60th birthday treat, not. We have been complaining since and have had no recompense. The food hall was awful, each day there was something unavailable, bread, juice, eggs, etc. what was available was poor quality. Our top end suite was so damp that we couldn’t use the downstairs due to the smell, upstairs was falling apart. Water dripping from the aircon, rust and damp in the bathroom, toilet took minimum of 5 attempts to get anything to go down. After 3 days we’d not had a towel or linen change. After our complaints we eventually got one on the day we left, but even then the supervisor and maid had an argument in front of me. We decided to try the Mexican restaurant. This advertises a starter of nacho’s, they had none, they told us that the beef and pork were not available so we had a chicken burrito and chicken fajitas. These meals were exactly the same apart from the burrito was rolled. The dessert was vanilla ice cream and the only option. The food was barely average and to top it off they had no beer. The pool was freezing and the sun bed area had no parasols or shade. We went to the beach, there were insufficient sun beds, the beach bar had no staff just 2 dispenser’s for water. The whole complex of 2 hotels was shabby, the staff constantly just shrugged there shoulders if we complained. We asked the reception if we could get a transfer back to Havana and they passed us to a waiting Taxi guy. His price was very high and we got one way cheaper in the boulevard which worked out great. Thankfully the hotel is close to the Varedero boulevard so we went there to eat and drink. The food there was fantastic, music and dancing in the evenings and this made our holiday. We did Havana before and after Varadero and have nothing but praise for where we stayed there, the service and food was great. I am sad that what was expected to be an amazing start to my 60th year, in a 5* all inclusive resort was such a failure. We ended up paying for food and drinks elsewhere and would suggest that you carefully read the reviews before booking here. We work hard and save hard for our yearly holiday in December/January, We have travelled around the world extensively and I am not usually someone who complains but I am getting nowhere with this hotel. I wouldn’t even rate this place as 2*

Love the Barcelo Solymar Fantastic Location . Easy to Walk into town The Staff are amazing and so accommodating. Food was good . We take some of our own condiments like peanut butter jam. Potato chips . You are close to town so you can experience some of the reasonable restaurants in around the Hotel . Great beach crystal Clear blue waters . There are many return guests over the years .

Mayra del bar las dunas Was very nice and kind. I used to go to the bar every day. She works hard and is a very good employee. Please give her a very good salary and a better position. She is very nice to visitors. She is the best employee in the hotel.

The hotel is very nice. The cleaning lady who helped me was pleasant and helpful, as was Miss Lisandra, who cleans the areas. The hotel staff is very competent. I am more than grateful for the excellent work of the entertainment team, especially Miss Elizabeth from the Mini Club. My stay here has been very pleasant. However, I would like to suggest that they should improve the rooms and replace the elevator systems. They are very old and almost always broken, making it very difficult for an adult to access the floors via the stairs.