TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

While it might be a little antique this hotel is very charming. The staff members went out of their way to make our stay extra special. They all always had smile on their faces, were friendly, lively, and hard working. No complaints, this was the best resort I've stayed in cuba and I've been to a handful. The food was delicious and there was a good variety from day to day and the live music at every meal really brought in some culture. The animation team did a great job. The location is ideal right in the city, i went off the resort multiple times with my family and felt extremly safe walking around with my kids. The market and bars close by are a must see. If you prefer to stay in the resort however there are lots of things to do volleyball, basketball, gym, dance, etc and even spending the whole day at the beach is incredible. I can't wait to go back.

Well Cuba is Cuba..and you have to take everything with a grain of salt, bring peanut butter crakers and snacks. It is an older building but the staff are super friendly and work very hard to keep the place looking it's finest..food is ok drinks are good they even have Pepsi and cola

I spent two weeks at Arenas Blancas and enjoyed my vacation. I arrived late at night from Toronto and was checked in very quickly as per my request in a room on the second floor. A couple of times the single working elevator was unserviceable and the walk up two flights when you are in your 70s takes a bit of time but I looked at it as good exercise. The hotel is spotlessly clean; my room was large and everything worked well. The buffet food was tasty and sufficient. Once a week, there was an outdoor BBQ and party with ladies walking around on stilts, a colourful parade, dancing, music, sugar cane stalks being pressed into liquid for rum drinks, fresh coconuts were served and tasty BBQ. There was no butter except for the last three days (not the end of the world)....that's Cuba and its shortages. There was a shortage of wine but with what little they had, they created Sangria that was wonderful. I loved it. The grounds are beautiful; the beach.....the best; lots of sun chairs and palappas. Workers were busy building more palappas and installing them on the beach in preparation for the high season. Weather was cool with high wind most days in December and it took a bit of courage to go in the ocean on the days there were gentle waves; the pool was freezing but kids didn't mind. The entertainment staff worked tirelessly in the activities department. Location to downtown is convenient because you can walk across the street to the Beatles Nightclub and on to the markets, shops, restaurants and pretty Josone Park. Varadero is a very nice beach destination. I recommend Occidental Arenas Blancas and its sister resort, Barcelo Solymar right next door that allowed us to use all their facilities except the buffet. Well done everyone.

Cockroech hotel in the buffet section and restaurant's in the lobby, never again varadero cuba is not the same people are rude specially at this hotel and Quatro Palmas, good luck with the ridiculous packages prices, hopefully the government will clean the hotel from dirt and cockroechs and rude staff.

This was my 14th time to Varadero, first time at this hotel. I kept in mind that this hotel is 26 years old. I read lots of reviews before we left. The biggest thing I noticed from reading the reviews, asking questions on Facebook and our experience is there is NO CONSISTENCY at this resort. TIPS: Bring baggies or containers for sandwiches Bring condiments Bring an adapter Be prepared to use the stairs Bring a travel kettle Bring disinfecting wipes for your table in all common areas Bring all over the counter medications with you, Benedryl, Tylenol and especially Imodium (we needed it!) If you think you will need something, bring it with you Bring snacks. A regular can of Pringles was $10US at the airport Take a Coco taxi...it's SO much fun! BEST TIP: Join the Facebook page for this hotel and ask questions before you go! We stayed at Arenas Blancas from December 26, 2024 to January 2, 2025. We arrived at the hotel at 9pm. RECEPTION: Check in was fine, we were the only ones because we took a taxi from the airport and the ladies at the desk were very nice. I requested a room in block 4 because it was close to the beach. We were given a room in my requested area, room 4319. NOTE: first floor is floor 0 and the rooms have no balconies, just windows. Check out was also fine. ELEVATORS: There are 6 elevators, but only ONE worked SOMETIMES all week. From 9am to 5pm, a very nice lady rode in it ALL day to make sure people didn't overcrowd it (capacity for 8 people on the sign, but they were only allowing 3 at a time.) This elevator was also used by staff with carts. Many guests talked about getting stuck in it. Fortunately we didn't, but the elevator creaked and groaned every time we were in it. All of the 5 other elevators were out of service. ROOM: My first issue was the safe. We were given two room access keys. The same type used here in Canada and the USA. But one was for the safe and the door, the other would just open the door. HUGE RED FLAG. If an access card can open the safe, and the maid and maintenance staff have access keys, is it possible they can open our safe? Maybe! Not secure. I took no chances and kept our money and passports in my fanny pack every time we left the room. Super inconvenient, especially at the beach, but at least I knew they were secure. The room was large and clean. Very high, vaulted ceilings. We had one king bed and a pull out couch which we didn't use. The bed was very comfortable, but the sheets always felt damp. I think it was the type of fabric (cotton /polyester). Sheets and towels were changed daily. The A/C worked great all week. All plugs in our room were 220v. My digital clock got fried, so bring an adapter. Some of the 220 plugs were two prong, some three prong. We had a fridge and it worked good. There was one large bottle of water in it when we arrived. Our maid left 2 Moosehead beers the next day and she always left extra water when we asked. No kettle or coffee machine in our room. I brought a travel kettle, just in case. I am sure our maid would have brought us a kettle or a coffee maker had I asked because I read some rooms had them. There was also a hair dryer, but you have to hold the button down the whole time you use it. Another thing I wasn't expecting was a magnifying makeup mirror in the bathroom...nice to have. The tub (very deep as mentioned in another review), toilet and bidet were in a separate room from the sink and closet area. Nice feature. We had lots of hot water and very good shower pressure all week, although a hand held shower head would have been better than the big rain shower head. There is a dispenser in the shower with shampoo and two small bars of soap were provided. There is lots of closet space and hangers. Iron and ironing board too. The safe is in the closet (access card YIKES) Our maid, Yunia was fantastic! She was the best part of our trip. Very friendly and thoughtful. She left nice notes daily in our room. Our room was always clean. FOOD and BARS: The food was just as Michelle described in her review below. We toasted buns all week and made cheese and lunchmeat sandwiches every morning. Sometimes there was butter. I sometimes made an extra sandwich for lunch. The buffets had minimal selection and much was questionable (how long had the meat they were grilling been sitting unrefrigerated?). When something was gone, meat for example, it was not refilled. There was a staff member rationing the lunch meat and cheese as Michelle said. The lobby bar/coffee bar is a nightmare. The ladies are rude and pretend you aren't there. My husband tipped EVERY TIME and still not even a smile or recognition. Again no consistency. Sometimes there was ice, sometimes no ice. It was almost as if no one saw they were getting low on ice and went to get some BEFORE it ran out! No rum at this bar the whole week, but there was rum at the pool bar. If vodka is your choice, there was lots of that. No frozen drinks anywhere all week. No beer at this bar, just at the pool bar. One of the ladies was coughing like she had COVID, then touching your glass to make your drink. No hygiene standards at all. LOCATION: One of the best in Varadero for walkability. This hotel is directly across the street from Calle 62, the new area with lots of bars and restaurants. It is between Starfish Quatro Palmas and the Solymar. The Beatles bar is a 10 minute walk. The craft market at Calle 51 is in walking distance too. The biggest craft market at Calle 15 is a short taxi ride. THE BEACH IS STUNNING! Lots of loungers and lots a space. MANAGEMENT PLEASE give your staff name tags! It is very, very difficult to remember names (especially because they are not common names to foreigners). I was there a week and the only two staff members names I remember are my maid, Yunia, and Theresa, the customer service manager. Theresa, if you see this review, thank you for your kindness! It will not be forgotten. Would I stay here again, maybe, based on price and location. I am a prepared traveller, so that makes a big difference. I hate it when people say, it's Cuba...don't expect much. It's a beautiful country, so rich in history. The people are amazing, it's very safe, and it relies on tourism. Go with an open mind and remember how fortunate we are!