Hotel Palma Real

Me, my boyfriend, my mate and her boyfriend (24-25) have just returned from our holiday at Palma Real in Varadero and can honestly say we had a wonderful time. Carry on reading for more details: TRANSFER - We travelled from Manchester to Vardero airport through Direct Holidays and we were on a Thomas Cook Flight. It took approx 9.5hrs to get there. Once there it was a very slow proceeding through customs but after this there is was no problem. The coaches were already there, the reps easy to find and the it all went very smoothly. On top of this it is only a 20 minute coach drive to this hotel. LOCATION - Having travelled round Varadero on the open top double decker bus I would definatley say this is the best location of all the hotels available. There is a small craft market just outside the hotel and you are a walk away from Josane Park which has various bars, restaurants and is also lovely to just have a walk around. On top of this there are plenty of little bars on the stroll up there and past it as this hotel is located right next to the lively part of Vardero. There are also clubs near by at a walkable distance which the staff will happily direct you to. ROOMS / CLEANLINESS - The room is a decent size for an all inclusive hotel and is very well air conditioned (You do NOT have to leave your room key in it for it to work which is a bonus). There are plenty of draws and wardrobe space as well as a safety deposit box which is available for use for a small fee. There is a TV with various channels but NO english football is shown. There is a english speaking sports/news channel and a movie channel with a couple of films on a day.The rooms are cleaned and towels are changed on a daily basis (Tip - ensure towels are in the bath when u go out in the morning if you want them changed). Also you will find a lovely little creation on your bed on your return made out of the towels. The only small problem was that as there is only 1-2 maids in each block twhich meant the rooms were not sometimes done until 3.30-4 Pm however this was not a major issue. POOLS - There are 3 pools available. All of which are clean both in the pool and the surronding area. There is the pool with the pool bar which is nearest the Lobby. This is also the most lively and loud pool so not your best bet if your after some time to relax. There is then another large pool situated by building 3 and with this you also have a kiddies pool. There is suitable shaded areas provided by palm trees and sunbeds available at both pool areas. BEACH - The hotel does have its own private beach that also has a snack bar available serving drinks and light snacks. There is also an abudance of sunbeds and various water sports such as wind surfing and pedalos that are included within the all inclusive band. The only downside to the beach is that you have to walk over a road to get there, however it isnt that busy, not that far and is well worth the walk once you get there. FOOD - There are 4 pl

Six of us (3 adults, ages 42 to 52, with our kids ages 13, 16 and 19) stayed at the Palma Real from April 23 to May 1 and it was a fantastic vacation! It was my family’s second time to Cuba (first time went to a 4.5 star at Cayo Coco) and my sister and her son’s first visit. The resort was great for the price (we paid $569 plus tax each). The staff and other Cubans we met really made our vacation very memorable. There were guests of all ages and all mixes: Canadians (French and English), British, Germans, Spanish and other Europeans. It seemed to be a very “down to earth” crowd, which appealed to us. Accommodations: We had 3 rooms in building 4. The rooms were basic and clean. Maids made nice towel art daily. Bathrooms had a bath tub and shower with good strong water pressure and we had hot water at all times. The beds and bedding were comfortable and the pillows large and comfy. There were a few very minor repairs needed in the rooms but nothing of any consequence. The inside of the building was painted the week we were there it really freshened up the colorful look. Building 4 was furthest from the reception area and our rooms were on the top floor which made for lots of exercise. There were 2 working elevators if we were too tired to take the stairs. If you are elderly and/or have trouble walking any distance, then I’d recommend you request building 1. Next time I go (and I do want to return) I might request building 1 - on the other hand, the walk to the building 4 and up the stairs provided some necessary exercise. Both buildings 1 and 4 had their own bar, pool table and tables and chairs in the lobby area. The food was excellent for Cuba – lots of variety, hot and plentiful. The desserts were amazing. As others have said – the fresh squeezed orange juice at the buffet and bread are not to be missed. The Italian a la carte was very good, as was the Cuban a la carte. We did not try the Chinese – book early if you want to try the Chinese. I had a hard time tearing myself away from the buffet to even try the Italian. No reservations are required for the Italian but reservations are required for the Chinese and the Cuban a la carte. The Cuban a la carte is also open 24 hours for snacks but is used solely for the a la carte between 6:30pm to 9:30pm. The snacks at the Cuban (hotdogs, hamburgers, fries, ham and cheese) were good even according to my 13 year old son who is a very picky eater. I thought the food at the 4.5 star last year was good, but the food at Palma Real was even better. It seems that most of the recent reviews agree the food is good - could it be that there were different cooks when the earlier “complaining reviews” were written? The staff at the buffet were simply awesome - they absolutely made our trip! Yes, we tipped because we wanted to, but a smile and being respectful to everyone will also go a long way. Tips are not expected but appreciated. We always had a table waiting for us, with o

We stayed at Palma Real the first week in April and had done much research on this site prior to booking. Having stayed there the recent reviews pretty well describe the hotel accurately. Great value and friendly people made the overall experience extremely positive. The clientele at this hotel is all ages and there seems to be a place for everyone whether you're young and single, family, senior , romantic couple or whatever - you will find others to mix with! Location - Best spot to be in Varadero we thought. Close to downtown, nightlife, shopping, amazing restaurants, and one of the best sections of Varadero Beach. It is a real gem even through it's not right on the beach. It was rated 3.5 stars but we felt it would be at least a 4 star if it had been directly on the beach. We have stayed at a wide range of hotels in the past from 3 star up to 5 star and overall this property is more like a 4 for Cuba. Our trip cost $1500 for 2 people including taxes and we felt we got more out of it than what we paid (considering other vacations we have taken cost over double). Flight - We flew down on West Jet which was a dream compared to other charter flights we've taken in the past. The Varadero airport experience went quickly and no problems at all. The transfer to the resort was also quick and the tour rep on the bus made us feel right at home. Front desk/Service - Check in at the Palma Real ran smoothly and we found the front desk staff to be very professional and helpful all week. Our first impression of the lobby area (when we arrived around 8pm) was that the was an abundance of energy from the people enjoying themselves at the hotel. Everyone was talking to each other and having a great time. This place immediately demonstrated that people were happy and content on their vacation. The same positive attitude amongst hotel guests could be seen all week long in every area of the property including the service from staff. All areas of the staff extend their services to make your vacation as best as they can make it. We tipped staff with Cuban convertible pesos plus gifts from home. Grounds/buildings - Everything was clean and well kept considering it was rated a 3.5 star. There is constant work done done on the gardens, cleaning around pools, common areas. The property is spacious and there is enough landscaping to make it attractive. The common areas are decorated nicely and relatively new. There were many areas to sit so there was never any overcrowding of guests in any area. Our Airtransat rep was extremely helpful and gave a very informative talk the morning after we arrived in the entertainment area. He had maps and info about tours. We did book a half day snorkel trip to Coral beach and then went to the Saturno cave for a fresh water swim but we booked it through the Baracuda dive shop only because we wanted to be with dive instructors. Think it was the same trip anyways but it was about $30 per person for 9:45am until 1:30