In Varadero, a communist paradise built in Cuba cracked. This resort is the most bourgeois decaying piece of Liberty Island. Everything is there, even golf courses are the only ones in the country. The beaches of Varadero is an endless strip of white sand that goes beyond the horizon. From the sea, the coast reliably shelters the largest in the Caribbean. Thanks to him, the water here is very warm, without waves and dangerous inhabitants.
Varadero is chosen by families with children because of a gentle approach to the sea, young people - for fun parties and discos, and American pensioners - for the service and services of the highest level. The hotels in this resort are mostly represented by world-wide chains, mainly Spanish: Barcelo, Sol Melia, Iberostar. In recent years, many hotels have begun to practice the All Inclusive system. This article is dedicated to Bellevue Puntarena Playa Caleta Resort. How to relax in this hotel, read below.
Trips to Cuba: what you need to know about them
Despite the closeness in ideology, Russian tourists discovered Cuba relatively recently: five to ten years ago. And so far, only the richest of our compatriots have stepped on the Island that defeated the revolution. Yes, trips to Cuba can not be called budget. But this is solely due to the high cost of the transatlantic flight. Therefore, if you have a dream to see the mausoleum of Commander Che Guevara, smoke a self-rolled cigar, lie down on the white beaches of Varadero and drink coffee in the bar where Hemingway himself has been, you need to know some tricks.
Firstly, when to go to Cuba. The climate on Liberty Island has only two seasons: high and the so-called wet. But daily rains do not yet mean round-the-clock showers. Precipitation lasts a maximum of two hours, and they do not in any way affect the temperature of air and water.
Secondly, you need to constantly monitor stocks of airlines. It is during the rainy season that you can most often catch attractive offers.
And thirdly, travel with children. Often hotels lodge and feed for free small guests who are not yet twelve. And it is very economical. The usual seven days in a three-, four- or five-star All Inclusive hotel, together with air travel and a transfer to the hotel, start from forty thousand rubles per person.
Resort Features
Bellevue Puntarena Playa Caleta Resort 4 * hotel is located a thirty-minute walk from the center of Varadero. By the way, water surrounds the hotel on two sides: on the one hand, the ocean, and on the other, the Paso de Malo canal.
What is famous for Varadero? First of all, with its beaches. The sand in this part is like flour of the highest quality and grinding. Plus, palm trees and other exotic plants on the shore. Another "trick" Varadero - coral reefs. They protect the coast from the waves and like a magnet pull divers towards themselves. Therefore, the main contingent of tourists at the resort are young athletic guys. In order for divers to have something to do after sunset, Varadero has many discos and nightclubs. Snow-white beaches and a gentle approach to a calm sea like a lake attract families with small children. Many hotels in Varadero are on the first line and offer all-inclusive meals.
Territory
Hotel Puntarena Playa Caleta Resort 4 * is a seven-story building. It was built a long time ago, but in 2005 it was completely renovated in accordance with modern standards. Then the hotel was called simply “Playa Caleta”. Now the hotel has acquired a second twin building, which is called Puntarena. Between them is a huge swimming pool, tropical garden paths, a bar. The territory at the hotel, according to reviews, is large, like a country hotel. The buildings themselves have a lot of greenery. The feeling that you live in the jungle, and not in a seven-story building. In addition, the hotel has a good location. For all excursions, tourists are taken from him last, and brought first. A free shuttle bus runs to the center of Varadero from the hotel. There is a lighthouse near the hotel. Pelicans like to gather there in the evenings. Birds are almost tamed by tourists who feed them fish.
Guest rooms
For a surcharge at the reception in the buildings of Bellevue Puntarena Playa Caleta Resort 4 * you will be given a room with a view of the ocean. But this is not necessary, assure reviews, since the second half of the rooms also overlook the water, only the bay. The rooms may seem cramped (especially triple), but this is the style of Cuba. Each room has its own balcony.
The bathroom is equipped with a shower and has a hairdryer. The technical facilities include satellite TV, air conditioning, a safety deposit box and a minibar. If you leave a tip, then they will be cleaned very diligently and weave all kinds of figures from towels. But even without financial encouragement, linen and towels are changed every day. There are no subdivisions into the categories of rooms in the hotel. The soundproofing in the rooms is good.
Food
Those tourists who booked "All Inclusive" claim that this program operates around the clock. This means that you can hardly leave the bars and restaurants. Alcohol is very good, especially dark rum and various cocktails “Pina Colada”, “Cuba Libre” and others.
The cafe serves delicious ice cream and serves natural coffee and fresh fruit for breakfast. As for food in the main restaurant, which serves customers in buffet style, it corresponds to the declared four stars. There are always several meat, fish and vegetable dishes. In addition to the main “Vista al Mar”, the Bellevue Puntarena Playa Caleta Resort 4 * hotel has three a la carte restaurants with Creole, Italian and Chinese cuisines.
Some tourists only ordered breakfast, given the fact that food prices in Cuba are quite low. Most guests were satisfied with the morning meal. They serve everything that Europeans are used to eating for breakfast: sausages, toasts, granola, yogurt. Reviews mention that they give a lot of fruits, including exotic ones.
Beach and Pools
The canal from the city once served as a pier for small ships. Now there are no boats there, but no beach either. Everyone bathes in the ocean. The beach in the Bellevue Puntarena Playa Caleta Resort 4 * hotel complex is beyond praise. Even those reviews that described the hotel in dark colors sing praise on its coast: white sand and crystal clear turquoise water.
In the resort of Varadero, the hotel has its own diving school. There are plenty of sunbeds and umbrellas on the hotel's own beach. The hotel complex has a huge swimming pool stretching windingly throughout. On its square there is also no shortage of beach equipment.
Services
Hotel Bellevue Puntarena Playa Caleta Resort 4 * (Varadero) offers its guests a free shuttle to the city center. Those who do not want to bind themselves with the bus schedule can rent a bicycle, motobike and even a car at the reception.
There is a hotel and currency exchange. True, the reviews recommend getting local pesos at the airport (there the course is more profitable). Wi-Fi internet access is available for a fee. The speed is sufficient to communicate with relatives on Skype. The hotel has a doctor’s office, and you can hire an individual nanny for your child. The hotel takes care of the health and beauty of its customers. On the territory there is a tennis court, a diving school, a small golf course, a spa center with a sauna and a massage room. Children can have fun in the games room, and adults can dance in the disco in the evening.
Bellevue Puntarena Playa Caleta Resort 4 *: reviews
Many tourists liked the Puntarena Playa Caleta Resort Hotel. Some say that the hotel is fully consistent with its four stars, while others even believe that it is worth five. The rooms, although small, are equipped with new furniture, and the view from the window is such that you forget about all the minor flaws. The staff is very helpful and friendly, many speak Russian.
Tourists are advised not to stay at the hotel, but to travel actively, because the prices in Cuba are low. To get started, you can ride on Varadero on an open top bus (5 cookies). Then go to Havana - this is a "mast-si" in Cuba. Tourists recommend paying only the transfer (60 cookies in both directions) without a guide. In Varadero itself, you should visit the Varajikakos Park, where there is a cave with bats.
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one). Choice of date of rest.
We flew 11/05/2016, back 11/16/2016. At that time there was no hellish heat, it was sunny, hot enough (felt like Russian 26-28g.), Often cool in the evenings, so I had to wear something with sleeves. The sea (well, of course the ocean, but it’s more convenient to write) is cool, but pleasant. In general, it was a very pleasant temperature for rest and movement. The first 2-3 days there were strong winds, partly cloudy, drizzled a couple of times, the sea was packed with tall waves. But this did not stop, but it was interesting to jump on the waves! It was warm anyway, the sun was peeking out, so this did not affect the rest, but even diversified! Most of the vacation at sea was calm. It was possible to swim with a mask, but they still missed the waves. I warn you that the probability of typhoons remains until the end of November. If you don’t like the weather, you can always go to the Caribbean Sea (2.5 hours drive) - there the weather is always good and the sea is calm.
For reference: friends went to Cuba in July, it was 40g. heat, warm ocean and occasional light rains, friends ponra. In winter it will be cool, but sunny and without rain, but in March it seems to be the most normal.
The flight from Moscow there is 13 hours, back 11. They are fed 2 times on the plane. The hotel is half an hour from the airport.
2). Hotel location and general information.
The hotel consists of 2 high-rise buildings (Playa Caleta and Puntarena), between which there are a couple of pools. Located at the very beginning of Varadero. Pros - a cool view from the balcony - either on the sea, or on the canal, or on the lighthouses (the photo has a view of the canal). You can take a walk to the lighthouses - there are fishermen and pelicans. Less - far from the center of Varadero. But this did not bother: there is a free bus that runs at 11:00 and at 15:00, back at about 12:15 and at 16:15, better find out more precisely. It is better to take a bus from the second building of the hotel, as there it is filled first. You can get to the center by taxi or horse. The price can be from 5kuk for 1 person. up to 5cook for the whole car, how bargain.
The hotel area is large, green, beautiful. Pools, bars, a couple of places where they make sandwiches. Everything's Alright.
Most Russians and Canadians rest in the hotel.
Reception speaks English. Basically, Cubans only speak their native Spanish, some know a few Russian words.
3). Beach.
The sea is awesome! Atlantic Ocean! Just for the sake of it is already worth going to Cuba! Bright azure color, transparent! White sand shell. The beach is private, sunbeds and umbrellas are included. In the middle of our vacation, the number of visitors to the hotel sharply increased (the season began), and sometimes the sun loungers became scarce ... Towels are taken in the pool house, it works from 10:00 to 17:00. To take a towel, you must first pay 10kk of security deposit at the reception. So maybe it’s worth some part of the money to be changed already at the airport (you need to check there so that you don’t deceive).
Take fins and masks. Near the coast there is a dark spot - this is such a sea oasis, where algae, sponges and other corals with interesting fish. We decided it was a riff :). The fish are not very colorful, but still tropical. There are jellyfish and needle fish. Jellyfish are burning. Still there are cool flounders and ramps, and quite large. They can not always be found immediately: eyes can stick out of the sand and guess the silhouette. It is necessary to swim closer and touch a little (you can use a wand if you are afraid of a spike on the tail), they will shake off the sand and swim. In short, you need to be more attentive! There are octopuses (hiding in the reef holes), you can see only by looking into the hole. If you stick a twig, then he will stick out the tentacles. There is moray eel (also in the hole, so you have to look). They said that on the beach of neighboring hotels there are giant barracudas.
There are no dressing rooms on the beach.
You can also go to the Caribbean Sea (2.5-3 hours drive), there is such a normal reef, there are many colored fish. On the Red Sea, reefs are probably more interesting, but look anyway.
4). Room.
Photo attached. It’s quite normal. There is a refrigerator, a safe, a condo and a TV set screwed to the table with a self-tapping screw)). The bathroom has a bathtub! They are cleaned perfectly, they made all kinds of geese and crocodiles, every day without any tips! BUT! No hot water. At all. It seems that hot water was in another building, which is Puntarena, and in our Playa Caleta only on the 1st floor.
The lamps did not work. They were repaired only after 3 days, after the nth reminder at the reception.
Some (not ours) had classic cockroaches (one or two). We once found a cute gecko in our bathroom. A couple of times in the corridor met giant cockroaches such as Madagascar - cool!
Sometimes the elevator did not work. Walked to go to our 6th floor (read - 9th because of 2 floors of the lobby and one technical) on foot up the stairs. My personal towel fell from the balconies from the wind onto the roof of the 2nd floor - they stole it during the day, they didn’t have time to pick it up ...
At first they give only one key card for the number. Ask for a second for another person if you are 2nd. Only one will open a safe. The card was sometimes demagnetized. When restoring, it was necessary to bring both cards, because if one was restored, then the second stopped working.
You can check in from 14-16 hours. If you arrived earlier, then your suitcases will be put in specials. room, and you can walk, swim, eat, etc.
5). Food.
Fed more or less. Not cool, but quite normal. Tasty fish. Delicious croissants, maple syrup and real juices for breakfast. There was always a long queue for fried eggs in the morning and grill for lunch and dinner, it was annoying. The same queue was to the machine with tea. He worked crookedly, to pour boiling water for tea it was necessary to press the button 8 times, each time waiting until a couple of milliliters were poured. Real torture. Then it seemed to be repaired. There was trouble with tea and coffee. They were only for breakfast. Well, also on the first floor at the bar in another building. We did not drink tea and coffee at lunch or dinner, neither in the dining room nor in the bar. Only wine-beer and other soda. By the way, there was no black tea, only chamomile, mint and something else like that. Free tables, plates, glasses, mugs, spoons - all this quickly ended! It made sense to get food early. In principle, it was possible to ask for the missing devices from the staff, usually they solved the issue. Another toaster was, but did not work)).
You can enroll in 4 restaurants, 2 in one building and 2 in another. You can sign up from about 15:30 to 16:30 (but it may not come out, one of us was closed). It is better to do this on the first or second day and at once in everything, because there are always no places for the coming days. The restaurants are great, we were in 3x. The best is Casablanca.
From the dining room, food can be taken away - there are (though not always) plastic containers.
In Varadero you can eat lobsters in restaurants. The restaurants invite hosts right on the street. The price is about 15kuk per serving, which includes lobster, salad, rice, drink. We got to the action, we had 15 lobster for 15kuk, and it was very tasty cooked!
Also, lobster can be taken on a hotel beach for 12kuk. Norm, but the restaurant tastes better.
Also, if you sign up for a Chinese restaurant in Puntaren, then they will offer you lobster for extra. fee in 10kuk.
6). The drinks
Ohhh !! Rum flowed like a river !! That was cool! The guys drank rum with cola, I drank pinacolada, adding red syrup to it. Sometimes it was possible to take mojito. It's great to take cocktails from different liquors, there are plenty of them! Nice cappuccino at the Puntareni bar. Sometimes the guys took coffee with rum. Wine and beer are also quite tasty.
7). Animation and entertainment
There is a pool table, a cool gym. There is volleyball on the beach and at the hotel, but somehow you have to pull everyone yourself so that they give the ball and organize the game. They also played basketball.
Sometimes there was aqua aerobics in the pool and fun rides on the beach, carried out by a round kubinka.
The entertainment pools were not enough, but on the other hand near the theater music was constantly playing by the pool, mostly Cuban - great !! You can dance !!
At the theater at 21:30 every evening the show. 4 girls and 4 guys are dancing (always the same). Sometimes it’s very cool, sometimes it’s so-so, but they have cool supports and extensions, and in general we love them. Sometimes there were singers (awesome!), Sometimes contests.
At 23:00 disco in Puntaren. They put Cuban, Russian, American music. The people are not very many. There are discos and salsa clubs in Varadero, but we were not, unfortunately ...
8) Excursions
Tour operators and agencies in Varadero have the same prices - gigantic. Guided tours cost 60, 70, 100, 130, 250 cookies (read Euro) per person. We wanted to rent a car (right at the hotel there is a point), but it turned out to be impossible - for 2 days in a row in the morning there were no cars. These are state agencies, if not in one, then not anywhere. If you are lucky, then you can take the car for 85-100kuk per day, at least 2 days. But you have to pay for gasoline, it is expensive there - 1.4kuk / l.
A good way out is to take a car with a driver, or with a driver + a Russian-speaking guide. Communicate: everyone has contacts of such guides with drivers. At lifeguards on the beach, at security guards, at sellers, other vacationers, etc. You can just leave the hotel in the morning and you will be offered a car. The usual price for a trip to Havana is 100-120cook. In Montansas, we were offered a trip to Havana for 80 cookies, but we didn’t come to us and we lost a business card .. It’s better to negotiate immediately with guides without intermediaries - it will be cheaper. Also cheaper are those cars where there are no specials. stickers and the sign "taxi" (for a sticker taxi drivers pay a lot of money to the state).
We drove to Havana in an old American car, which turned into a convertible, but with an unclosed window, holes and other additions, but with an engine from Merca - for 120cc (4 people + guide + driver). Old cars are 6-seater.
To the Caribbean with a stop in a crocodile farm - for 110cc (4 + guide + driver).
In Matanzas + Saturno cave with a lake + Belyamar cave - 60kuk without a guide (a taxi was caught on the road by accident, he agreed - a Hispanic taxi driver).
You should definitely go to Havana. The road is 2.5-3 hours. On the way, they are usually still brought to the observation deck of the highest bridge in Cuba. There is the most delicious pinacolada !! In Havana, the Old Town is interesting, the view of Havana from the statue of Christ, the bars and the Hemingway hotel, a cemetery, a park with ivy-covered trees, a promenade, a souvenir market in one of the former port warehouses (the same as in Varadero, in principle, can not walk), a restaurant in a nearby warehouse, where they brew ofigenskoy fresh beer (beer 3kuk, shrimp with salad 5kuk). We bought another cigar - 30cook for 25 cigars (offered on the street and brought home). It’s a bit scary (I heard that tourists were robbed in Havana in a similar way, but we had a crowded street, and everything worked out).
Matanzas is a town very close to Varadero, and the caves are also great. First, drop into both caves (5 cookies each). In Saturno Cave, the lake is blue water, it’s so great to swim there! Belyamar - a giant cave with stalactites and stalagmites. And then walk around Matanzas. There, the guys bought cigars from local people, bargained at 30-35 per box of 25 cigars. At the same time, they also lead to a local apartment. We were in Matanzas on Saturday, there were musicians playing in the square.
Go to the Caribbean for 2.5-3 hours. On the way there is a farm with crocodiles (5cook entrance), there is an iguana, turtles, the oldest fish and Cuban rats. With a small crocodile you can take a picture. Feed the crocodiles. In the Caribbean, snorkel - a reef with fish. Nearby there is also a separate lake in the reef - it is also great to swim! Fish can be fed with a roll. On the way back we had dinner: crocodile meat, turtles, crab, spiny lobster - all this together + a side dish of rice with beans - 17cook per person.
nine). Money
Carry the euro. They don’t like dollars there and the exchange rate is bad, there is no way to exchange rubles there either.
Convertible pesos for tourists called "cookies" (1kuk ~ 1evro) and local pesos are used in Cuba. In one cookie 25 pesos (you will change - they will give 24). If you go to a small town like Matanzas, then you can exchange cookies for pesos on the street with any seller, then all kinds of street pies and other nishtyaki can cost you very cheaply. Do not change much, because in tourist places, everything is just for cookies, and maybe you will not change the peso back.
You can change at the airport, but often cheated - check carefully! At the hotel we could not change. The hotel guide (ANEX-TOUR) did not have one either. But then, it seems, they changed already in a few days. We changed at exchange offices or banks. There is an exchange office in the center of Varadero in the "Centro de commerciale" - in the large shopping center below. This exchange point is difficult to find for yourself, go to the shopping center (everyone knows it) and ask someone there, for example, a policeman. This item also works on Sundays, unlike banks. To exchange money, you need a photocopy of the page of the foreigner or he himself (you can take a photo of the foreigner on the edge, we had this option too).
ten). Other
Cubans are cool !! Very friendly and smiling, they love Russians. You can all wave your hand and say hello, they will wave and say hello in return!
Dance where you can! Where orchestras play a lot, it’s so colorful and so cool!
In Varadero, go to the Beatles cafe - during the day the guitarist plays there, and from 21:30 groups.
Also a cool place in Varadero "Havana Club", near the Beatles, after the Havana Club disco. This is a small shop, at the entrance of a statue of a devil. There is a free tasting of everything that you can alcohol, including expensive !! You can buy one cigar for trial for 3.4cc.
It’s easy for bartenders to buy rum on the cheap. It’s possible to take out only 2 liters, but no one checked with us, we exported 4 bottles each, but I think that more can be done. You can also take out 50 cigars, but they also seem to not be checked. We exported 50 each.
The name of the hotel was worn off on the bracelets. We accidentally wandered into Varadero to a tower (such as a fort), next to which there is an iron statue of Don Quixote on a horse (it is beautiful and interesting there, but far from the center of Varadero, it is probably better to take a taxi). Opposite the hotel. We spent the whole day at this hotel (including food, animation, etc.), everyone had white bracelets like ours))) So food and animation are better there, and they also make cool hot dogs.
We were taken from the hotel to the airport at 5 in the morning, but they did not give lunch boxes, although they promised (before this evening they approached the reception and the hotel guide), they were hellishly hungry. So just in case, pick up food from the evening in the dining room.
Money back to you will be changed to duty-free, 6kuk you need a minimum.
In general, Cuba is a super-cool country, very interesting and colorful, with an awesome ocean. This hotel, with all its drawbacks, is not bad, it was very cheap - we got into it for only 61tr per person for 11 days (flight from Moscow, we took a ticket 4 days before departure). But if you are pretentious, then you might be better off looking for another hotel - more expensive.
Rating 3.0 of 10
Were in Cuba, Varadero, in February 2019 2 weeks, the Grand Caribe Puntarena Playa Caleta hotel, a standard room with an ocean view. I decided to write a detailed review out of respect for tourists who want to get everything that was promised and paid for after 13 hours of catering for priests on the plane. ... More ▾ Were in Cuba, Varadero, in February 2019 2 weeks, the Grand Caribe Puntarena Playa Caleta hotel, a standard room with an ocean view. I decided to write a detailed review out of respect for tourists who want to get everything that was promised and paid for after 13 hours of catering for priests on the plane. So, in order;
For some reason, the tour operator sells the hotel as 4 *, although all the others (I mean Canadian and German tour operators) sell this hotel as 3 * Given that this is Cuba, we have 2 * - 2.5 * with 3 * elements, such as pools, the number of restaurants , bars, grounds and the beach. But guys, this all requires a long time to clean, wash and repair. The hotel is practically on the beach, at the beginning of the spit of Varadero. There is a free bus to the market 3 times a day to the city. 3 hours to Havana by retro car for 35 сuc or by sightseeing bus for 95 cuc
The rooms are small, with a balcony, and if you have a sea view, then wow if in the case of Caleta.
The mattresses and pillows are old and uncomfortable; they wobble like all the furniture. Hot water in the morning and after 6pm. Bed linen is changed once a week. The staff is lazy and spoiled by gifts and tips that Canadians leave them. Clothes and shoes are being transported to Cuba, especially for children, cosmetics, bicycles, etc. Perhaps those who took well to their chests and did not feel, but many soberly complained of a strange smell in the rooms at night. I confirm - this is the smell of gas emissions from the territory opposite the hotel. And the guide confirmed this. And it was every night and often in the morning.
Food. This is a guys test of the strength of your stomach. Everything is cold in the buffet, stand in line for a hot meal - for frying meat or rarely fish. Fruits and vegetables are second-rate, they do not know how to cook. I don’t know where they get such fodder papaya and pineapple. In the evening from restaurants you can go to Chinese (do not think that it is CHINESE) and international. Cuban - I do not advise. They don’t know how to make cocktails, they are served in soft plastic cups. No mojito (mint in short supply). Coffee - if you are an amateur, you don’t need to go there. At the buffet you need to come to the opening. Food ends quickly and if replenished, then not soon. The tables are cleaned, but not covered, there are no clean appliances.
Beach and ocean. Well, actually this is the main segment of the trip. The beach is good- and swim and take a walk. It was comfortable in February, without the grueling heat. Sunbeds old and torn, must be taken early in the morning, not enough for everyone. The pool is free, the water is cold. Children's pool not working. There is no beach bar.
Evening. Show of the dance group (not bad), a disco in the Puntarena building and 2 bars, for the hungry bar with hamburgers after 11 pm. On the territory and in the lobby - semi-dark, lamps save.
If you are not bored and read to this place, then I dare to give advice
You have a modest budget and you WERE NOT in this region, like to drink / smoke - fly in. The best time is the end of February, March, April. December is cold. In the summer it is very hot, but cheap.
You were in the Dominican Republic or Mexico, or maybe on a cruise in the Caribbean, you DO NOT NEED Varadero, and especially this hotel. If to Cuba, then choose other resorts - Holguin, Cayo Coco, Cayo Santa Maria -Hotels there are newer, service and food are better.
You may ask, why did we fly to this hotel? Is logical. These guys were well, very cheap for 2 weeks, and 3 hours to fly. Flew away from the winter. But no more foot. Has been many times in the Caribbean, at resorts and cruises, if you have questions - you are Welcome!
Natalia.
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0 CommentsRating 7.0 of 10
For the sake of interest, before writing my review, I read what people write about the hotel. Some reviews were even a little shocked. There are a lot of tastes and opinions, BUT people!, First of all, consider that this is Cuba, here even 5 * do not reach the standard four. ... More ▾ For the sake of interest, before writing my review, I read what people write about the hotel. Some reviews were even a little shocked. There are a lot of tastes and opinions, BUT people!, First of all, consider that this is Cuba, here even 5 * do not reach the standard four. Again, such a magical, amazing, excellent and many more epithets can be picked up, the ocean, you will not see anywhere else! Even though the country was lost somewhere in the 50-60s, and it blows with a scoop throughout its territory, the service is at a good level, even if you press on the tip, and if you do not skimp, you can get VIP service for a penny. We arrived early, immediately at the reception they gave 10 euros, (by the way, I advise you to take exactly the euro to Cuba, it will be more profitable when exchanging) and we got the number right away, and even with a view of the ocean. Do not forget the smile. In some cases, you can get more for it than for money)). Room on the 5th floor, spacious, naturally not new, this is also expected, but for the present from the homeland in the form of tights, chocolates with ordinary felt-tip pens, our room was almost perfect clean. After meeting our maid Raquel and leaving her a tip several times, we became almost the best of friends). The hotel also makes sure that there are no insects on the territory and in the room. No mosquito or insect bit us. Our new friend changed our bedding immediately to a new and clean one, brought fresh towels, so we rested in comfort. And the cost of the hotel on the first line, and even in Varadero, came out very pleasant. A few words on nutrition. You can eat in the restaurants of both hotels. There are some shortcomings in terms of queues and a small lack of dishes, but if you turn to the waiter, they will pick up a convenient table and bring drinks and clean appliances will always be. They chose a certain time, half an hour later, after the opening, and there are no queues, and the choice of dishes remains the same. So do not rush to the opening and stand with everyone in the flea market. Plus, the hotel is not expensive, and the majority of our compatriots, so as to where the queues come from, make your own conclusion)). You can still have dinner at the restaurants à la carte, but book in advance, and time is also limited. My husband and I, again for a smile, and not without the ubiquitous bank ticket of Cuba, agreed, and we had a table in the restaurant almost every evening. Thus, both time and nerves were saved. You could have a good fast food snack by the pool, in the main restaurant the choice is not great, but meat, poultry and fish were present every day. There are not many fruits, more vegetables, but they are recharged with vitamins)). Again, the alcohol in the hotel is of high quality, and if anything, then you can buy almost everything from the bartenders, an order of magnitude cheaper than in stores. The main thing is that the pleasure from the ocean and the sun that we planned to get, received in full, and even more.
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0 CommentsRating 7.0 of 10
The hotel was chosen in a hurry, I just wanted the sea and the sun and a good beach. For a long time they were looking for something to fit into the budget and with normal conditions, and finally found this hotel. ... More ▾ The hotel was chosen in a hurry, I just wanted the sea and the sun and a good beach. For a long time they were looking for something to fit into the budget and with normal conditions, and finally found this hotel. The main fat minus is the accommodation is very old rooms, and given that the hotel is a state hotel, someone is in no hurry to update anything. The furniture of Stariya as a whole does not fall apart, and the bed is fresher in relation to other furniture, but everything looks a little sad. Although it’s comfortable to sleep, and if it weren’t for the dull look of the furniture, the whole stay is quite comfortable. The food is a pretty good choice. Of course, you won’t be able to speed up your ice and if you rest for two weeks, then everything’s decent, but they cook well and have no problems with alcohol. Sweets fruit ice cream everything is available. There was also plenty of meat to choose from, but do not really count on the sea products. Yes, we didn’t really need it) Plus, you can visit ala cart restaurants for free, which also diversified our menu quite well. The only thing that is a little inconvenient is what you need to write to them. Well, what can you do what the price of this hotel is. But all these minuses are covered by an excellent beach and the whole overall color. Plus, the hotel from the center, albeit far away, is carried free of charge there and back daily. But it is not so important, we were looking for an inexpensive option for the sake of the beach. I also want to say thanks to all the hotel staff. Although the service is not direct, it’s excellent, but the people are pleasant, cheerful and kind. A couple more points. Upon arrival, they will offer to take a room with a view of the sea for an extra charge, we took an extra charge of twenty dollars and the view is much better, this is basically a trifle for money. And it's cool that for half an hour a day you can take a canoe and a catamaran for free. With children in this hotel, I will not advise the food is not very suitable for children, and as a whole everything is fine!
Like you like 11
0 CommentsRating 7.0 of 10
Of all the options that we went through, this hotel was one of the most inexpensive fours, and in principle we expected even a little worse than it turned out. The choice fell on Varadero because of entertainment and a good beach. ... More ▾ Of all the options that we went through, this hotel was one of the most inexpensive fours, and in principle we expected even a little worse than it turned out. The choice fell on Varadero because of entertainment and a good beach. The center of Varadero is far from the hotel, but it was also nearby what to occupy yourself with. Now about the hotel itself. Something has been recently renovated, the territory is large and clean, two swimming pools, many palm trees and greenery, a nice wide beach with clean sand, a warm ocean. That is, if only briefly. We arrived early, checked into the room almost immediately, without surcharge for earlier check-in. Our room was on the canal side, but the view from the windows is also very picturesque, especially in the evening. The plus is that on this side the wind is less felt, and in the morning or in the evening you can sit on the balcony. The room we had after a little repair. The bed was a combination of the two, but you can sleep. The cleaning is good, for small tips twisted various figures on the beds and in the bathroom. In general, even though the hotel belongs to the state, it is quite decent. We did not sit in the room, but otherwise everything suited us. The hotel is budget-friendly, for that they saved on entertainment, excursions, walks, clubs, why they flew)). We quickly picked up the hotel, quickly made out everything, and the price was cheaper than the tour operator. The hotel itself has its own free entertainment. You could take a boat or a catamaran for half an hour and ride the waves. The beach is generally very cool. Loungers themselves are not entirely new, but they were always abundant. We didn’t have to occupy places in the morning, you can come at any time and find free. The food in the restaurants is good, there is not much variety, but it was every day. Chicken, beef, fruits and vegetables. Still very good A-la Maps, in each of the four you can sign up in the morning for the evening. In them, of course, the dishes are tastier and the service is better. If we talk about the service as a whole in the hotel, don’t count on much, it’s the state one. But the tip here is good for changing your attitude for the better)). Two cookies on the bar, and rum with drinks will be immediately an order of magnitude higher. So, if you do not plan to spend all the time only at the hotel, then he will be quite satisfied with both the number and the nutrition.
Like you like 11
0 CommentsRating 3.0 of 10
Like you like 9
0 CommentsRating 7.0 of 10
In a nutshell, this is an ordinary Cuban four. Of course, I am not a specialist and we were in Cuba for the first time and I am writing a review for the first time, but rest in Cuba is not Egypt or Turkey for you, but something else. ... More ▾ In a nutshell, this is an ordinary Cuban four. Of course, I am not a specialist and we were in Cuba for the first time and I am writing a review for the first time, but rest in Cuba is not Egypt or Turkey for you, but something else. They don’t go here for service, but rather to get to know the country. The people and the atmosphere here are completely different. But this, of course, is purely my impressions, but now we will definitely visit this country. The hotel is certainly not new, everything is outdated and the hurricane is a little patched, although everything seemed to be restored. Well, this did not affect the rest. I'll start with food. They didn’t stay hungry but don’t expect super wide variety. Many side dishes of beef, chicken and pork are cooked differently. Restaurants ala karta did not make any impression whatsoever that the main restaurant is that ala karta, as for me, is the same in another way. We really liked the grill, fried meat fish. I would like more vegetables and fruits, but there was a choice. Sweets, ice cream, everything is there. Alcohol is normal, but I can’t adequately judge it, I don’t drink enough, but I liked rum) Well, I think these things are purely individual, we are not picky on the whole) Yes, everything is already outdated but at the same time nothing is falling apart. Everything you need in the room is probably just not enough dryers could come up with something. Clean well. A comfortable bed, though not new, but not well-worn to holes. Well, however, these are all trifles. The beach really liked the clean, with a beautiful view of the sunbeds, albeit not all new, but at least it wasn’t necessary to occupy) You can ride a catamaran for free on the beach. I was just delighted with the beach, it’s not Turkey for you. Well, the Internet here is a separate song, however, in other hotels it is the same, it is paid on cards for 1, 5 cookies for 1 hour. Well, we didn’t come online to sit, so I think it's a trifle. Well, in general, the hotel is certainly not perfect, but it was fine with our money!
We were at the hotel for 10 days in July 2019. We do not differ in special pricing and whims. We were 5 adults in 3 rooms. Of the 5 bars that we counted at the hotel, only 2 worked, so they always had lines. The bar pours rum and not tasty coffee. The declared cocktails (the whole list), exhibited on the tables) - do not. Bartenders sell bottled drinks to tourists, as a result, they don’t have any variety for “all inclusive” and they pour what is left. There is trouble in the hotel with water, both drinking and hot in the shower. In one of our rooms there was no hot water. A bottle of water was put on the room every day, from 10 times they brought us 3 times. Also, just a couple of times the set bottles with shampoo reached us. The rooms crawl huge exotic cockroaches. IN another room was broken safe, also not repaired. I work 2 or 1 out of 3 elevators, so there are constant queues for elevators and a long wait. In our room, the switches beat electricity and the phone did not work (the only way to communicate with friends without running legs to their numbers). The food in the restaurant is normal, no complaints. Claim for an ever-working coffee machine. As I understand it, the reason for his non-work is the same - tourists sold coffee beans and there’s nothing to put into the machine. The staff is not friendly, your problems will not be solved. We got an ugly story. Russian-speaking citizens of Canada came to us - our friends. They tried to call us from the reception by phone (but it doesn’t work for us!). Therefore, they sat down to wait for us on the sofa next to the reception. A guard came and told them to get out onto the street. To the question: why? Said: "I know Russian! Get out!" The girl burst into tears from such humiliation. When I came and began to demand this "Russian expert" to bring us and apologize, they hid him and pretended to be the whole hotel that they were looking for him. This story will be a separate trial, as a Canadian citizen wrote about this case to the Canadian embassy. Let now they understand the knowledge of the mighty Russian language. But an unfortunate fact remains: if friends between themselves spoke English or French, no one would have conceived such a thing! So make conclusions how Cuban friends relate to us. All Russian-speakers were accommodated in rooms with views of the highway, not the ocean. Those who wanted the best paid bribes. The hotel itself is very uncomfortable - 3.5 km from Varadero itself. To get to Varadero costs 10 cookies (700 r) and back the same amount. So you think every time whether you need to stick your nose out or not. Cuba is a country for tourists dear. Trips to excursions are not very cheap, so from 10 days most of the time you have to spend at the hotel. And the hotel should be called "Everything is broken / for you we have nothing / We are not happy for you." Full trash. It’s definitely not worth flying 12 hours to get such a dubious experience. The beach is good, but the ocean and beaches are also in other countries, with much more decent service.…
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Date of stay: July 2019Trip Type: Riding with Friends
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Response from director_general88, Head of quality, BelleVue Playa Caleta
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Dear customer, Thank you for letting us know your comment about our Puntarena Playa Caleta complex, we are already working on all the observations that you give us. Certainly each bar presents a letter for our client "s options, as we also have drinks for sales that do not relate to those we offer for the included The fulfillment of the replenishment is daily of both water and amenities. The management of the complex analyzed these issues and those responsible for the dissatisfaction we may have caused were required. We are also working on a series of improvements for the complex and ensure better operation. We truly regret not having met your expectations, but we would like to contact you and once again receive your visit to our complex and to be part of this family to enjoy the cocktail of repeaters. Dear greetings. Head of complex quality
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