We went on our first all-inclusive holiday to Varadero, Cuba, March 22-29.

I am 27 years old and my husband is 32. I travelled extensively in Asia as a child but rarely so as an adult; and my husband had never left Canada/US until this trip. We both work for a University, on holidays we prefer slow-paced relaxation versus intensive activities. My friends describe me as "particular" (they mean picky), and my husband is one of the easiest-going people I've ever known. I hope that gives you some context as to our point of view.

Booking:
We booked approximately 36 hours before departure on selloffvacations.com (I was waiting for my passport for WEEKS!). However, I had been stalking the website and the price we ended up booking at was the absolute lowest (out of curiosity I checked the morning after we booked, about 24 hours prior to departure and it was the same price). So it appears that procrastinating endlessly helped =). I called the 1800 number for selloffvacations morning of departure to confirm all was okay; turns out I should have received e-tickets for printing but didn't. He arranged for me to pick them up at the counter at the airport instead; no big deal. I was really impressed with the service since I've heard one of the cons of booking online is not dealing with a "real person". Not the case for us. I'd book through them again for sure.

Flight:
I wonder why they ask you to be airport 2-3 hours ahead of time... they were not that busy and everyone sat for at least one full hour before boarding. The charter was through Skyservice; I now know what people mean when they refer to it as Squishservice. I got my 6 foot 2 husband a seat in the emergency exit aisle and me across the way; thank goodness or he would have had to sit sideways and I'd have had to sit on his lap. Next time I'd prefer a Westjet charter... but that's just pickiness on my part. The mystery burrito (I still can't figure out if there was meat in it or not hahaha) was strangely delicious, like corndogs from 7-11.

Oh yeah, they're very strict about the size of your carry-on (couple of kids were freaking out cause they couldn't take their suitcase...). Seriously though, you don't need that much stuff in flight! And it's so squishy there really would be no room to put it. Travel light! I just take gravol and sleep. It'd be good for everyone!

Arrival:
Flight arrived 40 minutes early! Getting through customs was fast; waiting for luggage a bit longer. I was disappointed they didn't stamp my passport (I wasn't sure if they'd think I was strange if I asked for it, but next time, I will!) If you're a mosquito magnet like me, be warned there were a few in the airport, since they keep the doors open all day. Took about 1 hour from landing for Sunquest to get everyone on bus and on our way to the resorts. The guide there was hilariously funny (jokes about the "friendly" neighbor to the north, locals wanting to marry you so they can move to Canada, etc etc). As was our experience with everyone we encountered working at the resort and in tourism in Cuba, spoke perfect english (by perfect I don't mean accent-free; if you want accent-free english, don't leave home).

Resort and room:
The resort is beautiful. The lobby is all marble, with a koi pond and everything. Check-in was immediate even though we arrived around 1030/11 pm; we were given a room just off the lobby (105). At first I thought that's way too close to all the activity, but that actually turned out to be real nice since it was so easy to run back to the room for whatever. I think I would have enjoyed an ocean view, but that would have been less convenient. We were happy that it was big (I think it was a junior suite, it had an upstairs part with the main bathroom and bed, and the downstairs had the sitting area, tv, kitchen nook with fridge, and a half bath. It was real nice not to have to compete for the facilities (for some reason my husband and I always seem to need them at the same time). Occasionally we'd get a mosquito or two in the room, but I think that was because my husband kept going in and out of the patio doors. If mosquitos really bother you, bring something to spray or maybe a citronella candle for bedside.

Beach and pool:
The beach is accessed through the back of the lobby; through a gorgeous archway with wooden steps that led down to the sand. (Pic available at my photo album). The sand is soft and powdery, with a bit of shell/coral debrie closer to the resort but like 10 steps closer to the water it's almost pure sand. They seem to rake it or something with a big tractor every morning. A bit of seaweed would come in throughout the day but didn't bother me. What was annoying was other people leaving their drinking glasses all over, straws, other garbage. There always seemed to be staff picking up after them, but how can you keep up wtih that kind of slobbiness! Be good to others, pick up after yourself. Anyways, the beach was beautiful; if you walk to the west it's that big mansion place, if you walk to the east a ways you get to Melia Varadero, the other resort on the property. That one has kids, so we weren't interested in venturing that way; very few people seem to mingle going other direction.

There was no issue getting chairs/palapas; in fact, we were often the first ones on the beach, arriving between 730 and 830 (I guess we were early risers). There didn't seem to be much chair saving going on. They provide chair cushions that they bring out; you can flag the guy by the bar as you pick your place. We went to the same spot every day and after the second day we wouldn't even have to flag anyone down they'd just come right over. We'd leave our towels there for lunch and come back; mostly that was the only kind of chair saving people did. You could go to the beach any time of day and find a chair and palapa.

The water was a bit on the rough side; always waves coming in. We'd only go in when we got hot, jump a few waves, go back to our chairs. There was a red flag for a couple of the days we were there; but you can still wade in; the lifeguard just whistles you in if you go past like, waist deep. I think it was yellow flag for most of our week there; the weather was windy (but not unpleasantly so), between 24-30 degrees or so during the day. It was sunny the entire week we were there other than 15 minutes of rain our last morning, which was refreshing and brought out these adorable yellow crabs all over the beach that would scuttle around!

The pool, while nice, is a bit small for the size of the resort. Someone else who reviewed here said it was "frigidly cold", I wouldn't have called it that-- it wasn't heated, but plenty of people used it, and its temperature (which is on the cool side, for sure) was refreshing. People tended to go there in the heat of the afternoon, around 2-3 pm it'd get busy. The loungers there were harder to come by, and there was some annoying chair savers there (I don't think it's right to hold a chair for 3 hours if you're not going to use it!). You can use the lounger cushions as floating pads in the pool.

Food:
A lot of people "warned" us about food in Cuba... I really have no clue what they are talking about. After Day 1 I was scared I'd go home 10 pounds heavier! The resort had four A La Cartes: BBQ, Italian, International, and Japanese. There's no limits on how often you eat at any of them for dinner, you just have to make reservations which are open at 9 am every day and you can book 48 hours ahead; so we tried them all-- Italian and International has LOBSTER! I adore lobster and had it at both places. Ask for extra whatever if you want, they are very accommodating! The Japanese place wasn't very Japanesy, but the food was still good-- but be warned, eating there takes the longest as they bring out the multiple courses and does teppanyaki (cook on big metal grill thing in front of you). There is also the Lobby Bar for all meals, that's open 24 hours. Try the Spinach Croquettes (stupid me didn't try these until our very last meal there before departure, had i tried them when we arrived I would have had some every day!).

The buffet wasn't bad either; for breakfast it's the same stuff over and over; you can ask for eggs however you like at the omelet station (the scrambled is a bit runny for our tastes). Make sure you try the fried nugget-bread things and the cheese balls! For lunch we preferred the pool bar (this is the BBQ at night). Live music at the pool bar frequently, and and all but the japanese restaurant at dinner.

Drinks:
We're not heavy drinkers... in fact, I think we had more non-alcoholic stuff and coffee than drink drinks. I think they water down their rum a bit, but they pour pretty heavily (especially for my big boy of a husband, his drinks were always stronger than mine haha). Every bartender mixed stuff differently, so try them all before you pick a favorite. We usually went to the pool bar during the day, and would grab coffees at the lobby bar at night. I liked many of the mocktails, I'm a girly drink kinda person. The cappucinos were excellent if you like your coffee strong (by strong I mean you can stand a spoon up in it, yum!). Highly recommend bringing a thermal mug; we had a pair of big ones and it made everything so much more convenient (in-house glasses were very small; our mugs held at least 2x as much stuff). Every evening we'd have double cappucinos in them and have someone ask us how we knew to bring mugs... it's mostly because people on this website and others told me to! When we left I gave our mugs to a bartender.

Havana:
We only did one excursion (since all we wanted out of this holiday was to sit and relax), and it was the Havana Cigars tour... a tour of the city plus cigar factory tour. I am glad I went but I would not go again; the itinerary is a bit rushed. The best part was the cigar factory, and the extensive knowledge of the city and Cuba's history by the tour guide: she gave us a nutshell summary of Cuban history from the revolution to present day in about 10 minutes (if social studies teachers were like her, it'd be every kid's favorite subject). I would have liked to stop at the huge cemetary, but we only drove by that and didn't go inside. If I went to Havana again I'd try to arrange for a private excursion somehow, spend some time doing photography at the cemetary.

People:
We did not have a single bad experience with anyone in Cuba. (There was a waiter that was a bit eccentric, but meeting different people is part of the travel adventure!) Everyone was super nice; I'd especially liked to mention Maria, our maid, who was so sweet and left us towel art every day (she even made a swan and put my bikini top on it, totally made my day!), and Gladys, our tour guide for Havana. We tipped everywhere (that's just our choice, I just feel that when someone does stuff for you it should be acknowledged, and it's not like it cost us a lot-- maybe 100 CUC's total). We'd tip 1 CUC every time we got drinks, 1 for the chair cushion guy, towel person, 2 CUC's for waiters/servers at meals, 1 or 2 when we exchanged cash, 2 everyday for maid (I have a tendency to let my hotel rooms get ridiculously cluttered, and she would fold my clothes that I've left all over the place... and make towel art, of course).

We also met some of the other tourists; a lot of Canadians there, probably 60-70%; the rest European I think. We're not very child-friendly people so I am glad we went with an adults-only resort. Toplessness was not uncommon; maybe 20% of women would take their top off (for me that was enough to feel like I wouldn't be alone, so that was good for me). Didn't really feel like anyone had a problem with it.

Final Thoughts:
We had a wonderful time and would absolutely go back again. I think what you get out of Cuba is 90% based on your attitude, so I guess we went with the right one! This is a great resort for those who want a relaxing vacation without children around. My only regret is that I wish we brought home more Cohiba cigarettes as my husband misses them terribly. If you're going and isn't a smoker yourself, email me! Cigarettes are counted separately from your cigar count for duty-free allowances!! I am also happy to answer any questions that I haven't addressed here if you're about to head off to this resort.

Oh yeah, make sure you take a ride in a Coco Taxi! Cutest form of travel I've ever seen.

We stayed at the Melia Las Americas in Varadero from April 8-15th and had a fantastic time. We are 2 single ladies who wanted a relaxing beach vacation and golf. We chose this resort mainly due to the 4 rounds of golf included by Sunquest and we love Cuba (have been 4 times previously) especially the Varadero Beach. This resort is adults only and right next door to the Clubhouse (a short walk) which made it very convenient. We flew with Canjet and there was no extra charge for your golf clubs (even though their website says otherwise).

Check in/ Out & Room
Check in was very quick although we were at the front of the line. They had an envelope with our room information ready, but we didn’t know you had to get the key for your safe at the concierge desk next door (we came back down for it – no problem). Our room was very nice on the 3rd floor with an ocean view. The décor was a bit dated but the room was clean and bathroom very big. We were greeted with a bottle of rum and fruit plate upon entry.

We had a mini fridge which had pop, beer and water every day and all week our maid was fantastic and only on her day off did we not have towels which was easily remedied.

Since we had a late departure time – we asked for a late checkout. We had to wait for the morning of our departure and we used our MAS card (Melia Award card it’s free on the Melia website) and there was no charge (usually $25CUC) for late checkout of 3pm (instead of noon). We also allowed our maid to change the bedding and anything else she could so she didn’t have to wait until after our late checkout to do everything which she appreciated (and allowed us a bit more time).

Golf
This was one our main reasons for staying at this resort and it definitely exceeded our expectations. The golf course is absolutely gorgeous right beside the ocean with fantastic views. It is very well kept and the staff are friendly and easy going.

You can book your tee times but many just show up and they try to accommodate everyone. I do recommend booking to be fair to other golfers if you want to golf in the morning as it is busiest at 8am. In the afternoon it is not busy and you can just show up. You do have to rent a cart ($33 CUC per cart) and you can rent clubs or bring your own. We brought our own and they stored them for us for the week – no charge. To get your golf voucher you need to go to the PR desk at Melia Las Americas and they will fill it out for you to take over to the golf course. The PR desk is open from 7am-7pm so easily accessible. Bring lots of balls as the course has many water holes and while not really narrow – it is easy to lose them and the clubhouse charges over $14CUC per sleeve. There is a beer/drinks cart on the course and the beer is cheaper than water. They have a few snacks but not much.

Beach
The MLA shares it’s beach with the Melia Varadero and is not on the long part of Varadero beach. That being said there is soft white sand and crystal clear water. You can walk up and down in about 10 mins. There were always loungers available in the morning and lounge pads, by afternoon the pads are usually gone. You don’t have to reserve the loungers at 7am like other resorts. There is beach volleyball, a beach bar and a walkup to the Italian restaurant and BBQ restaurant easily from the beach for lunch. Towel service is only near the Beach bar. If you ask nicely they may give you a couple extra towels as they just record them on your card so you return them.

Pool
There are 2 main pools at this resort. The first one is out and to the right of the lobby. The 2nd pool is a little harder to find. It is in the bungalow area and you have to walk past the Japanese or behind the Theatre and keep following the paths and you will stumble upon it. This has a swim up bar which also serves the best lunch. This is by far the best place for relaxing by the pool and not everyone finds it. You can take your lounge pad into the pool and float on it.

Food/Restaurants
We had breakfast in the main buffet which opens at 7am. We were almost first in line every morning. I loved the omelets they would make while you wait along with the fresh fruit, pastries, juices and breads. This was great before we went golfing and the waitresses would give you a large bottle of water to take with you if you asked. Some golfers also made a little sandwich and took it with them in plastic bags to eat later on the golf course. Lunch was also available in the buffet but we only did that once just because the others were closer. We had lunch most often by the swim up pool bar. The service is quick and you could even order while in the pool and eat right there. Dinner at the buffet was good and they would grill whatever fresh meat they had available which usually included shrimp, chicken, fish and thin slices of beef. They also had a pasta bar which they would make fresh for you and a banana flambé for desert. Dinners at the a la carte’s could be booked at the Concierge 2 days in advance and there didn’t seem to be restrictions on how many times you could go, you just had to be lucky with availability.

Italian – for lunch (no need to book for lunch) and dinner it has an antipasto bar and you can also order pizzas for lunch. Dinner had Lobster which was very good along with of course different pasta dishes – lobster was the best.

BBQ – we only went to this restaurant for lunch one day and it was OK. Others raved about it so perhaps we didn’t order the right thing. It is an outdoor restaurant with a live band that plays at lunch and dinner.

Japanese – this was lots of fun. They cook everything right in front of you and it was very good and lots of food. They kept your drinks and plates full at all times.

International – this is the smallest restaurant but the most “formal”. Food was excellent especially the shrimp and the lobster. And they had live music which added to the ambience.

Bars and other common areas
The main lobby is very big with lots of cushy sofas to relax in (again they are a bit dated but comfy). The lobby bar is usually the busiest and you can order some food as well as snacks there. Note that you are on Cuban time and sometimes it seems that there is only 1 bartender there. They just take their time and if you catch their eye order! They do have waiters late afternoon that are excellent. Be sure to try the Mojitos at this bar – they were the best.

Swim up bar – only 2 servers but once you get to know them – they are like family. We had a big group after golf and we just kept the pina colada’s coming.

Piano bar – this was quiet some nights and hopping other nights. It has a couple of pool tables too.

Beach bar – we didn’t go here much – but there is one.

BBQ bar – at the BBQ restaurant and just downstairs from the pool. Again we didn’t go here much.

General
We never did go to any of the shows as we had late dinners or just enjoyed chatting with the people we met. There were many golfers there. It is not a young crowd and not much to do there in the evening. They have excursions you can book although we didn’t as we have been to Havana and Varadero in the past. There is some shopping beside the resort which you can take the blue train (free) which comes every 20 minutes or walk down the beach to it as it is between the 2 resorts.

Booking / Operator
We stayed at the Melia Las Americas in December 2006 for two weeks. We booked through an on-line agency (itravel2000) and our tour operator was Sunquest.

A little info on us
My husband and I have been to Varadero three times; twice at Breezes, once at the MLA. We wanted to try a different property after being somewhat disappointed our last stay at Breezes in 2004 and for the same price, decided on this resort as it was Adult Only, walking distance to the golf course and golf included in our package. We traveled this trip specifically for golfing, the beach, R&R and our anniversary, therefore did not book any excursions as we have done that on the two previous trips. Other than the resort being clean, we went with no pre-conceived expectations of this property and were pleasantly surprised by the little extra’s we experienced.

Check-In / Room
Check in was fast and efficient. We were in our room (#4204 in the hotel) within 10 minutes. We booked an oceanview room and although on the small side, it was certainly adequate for us and very clean. Our maid service was consistent (10:30am every day) for the two weeks we were there. We had a mini-fridge which was stocked every day with water, beer and pop. Lots of drawers and closet space for your clothes, room equipped with safe, umbrella, iron & board. The electrical outlets in our room were 220V and I did not bring a converter so borrowed one (LOL) from the hotel – it was the size of a car battery and weighed about the same, but served its purpose.

Sunquest
I attended the “Welcome Briefing” the day after we arrived only because we had never been to this property and I wanted more information. Our Sunquest Rep was professional, friendly, frank and very informative. She was transferred to another area within a few days and her replacement was just as competent. He was on-site almost everyday for a few hours and always available to answer questions or help, if needed. Can’t say enough about the Sunquest people (in Varadero)!

The Resort
The hotel lobby is massive! Seating everywhere, marble floors, high ceilings, a little stream which runs through it……the pictures I took and others I have seen do not do the lobby justice. Located on this main floor is the Front Desk, Concierge, the buffet, internet area, shopping, the International ala carte, La Cascada bar, two public washrooms, tour operator area, the public relations desk, the 24hr Lobby Bar and conference rooms. When you walk out the back door of the Lobby, there is a beautiful sitting area which overlooks the ocean and is a nice place to sit and chill. Walk straight ahead, down the stairs and you are on the beach! Turning left will take you to the Mansion and golf course and turning right to the main pool area/pool bar/Italian Restaurant, gym, massage area and the Japanese Rest. Further down the beach (to the right) is where the bungalows are located.

Other Guests & Stuff
During the time we were there, the average age group was about 45ish. There was a mix of Canadians, Europeans, UK peeps, a group from Russia, a few Aussies, a few from South America and one American. Overall, a good group of people. This is not a “party” resort and was fairly low key, which is fine with us. After dinner, we normally watched and “hung out” with the band at the Pool Bar (open 10am – 11pm), mingled at the Lobby Bar (open 24 hrs.) and listened to the piano player and singer then went to the La Cascada (open 7pm – 1am) to catch the evening entertainment (intermittent at best) and chit chat with fellow travelers. I suspect the few younger people there, unless they went to a club in town, were quite bored in the evening.

Golf Course
My husband brought his golf clubs and stored them at the pro shop for about $2CUC per day. The course staff were very helpful, friendly and we enjoyed it very much – the course was in great condition and well worth playing – even to view it – quite beautiful! Cart rental was $33 CUC. Make sure to bring enough golf balls as they are quite pricey at the pro shop - $19 CUC for three. Never booked a tee time and had no problems getting on (time of year perhaps?). A must though……..have a drink in the Xanadu Mansion bar – a definite WOW factor! I also took a tour through the mansion for $2 CUC – it really is an architectural delight! .

Overall Resort Service
We found the service throughout the hotel and other areas of the resort good to excellent. I did find however, that after they started to “know” us, the service just got better! There are always certain staff members that seem to “shine” and we always make a point of spending time to get to know them.

Food / Restaurants
The food…………well, we are not picky eaters and have never had issues with resort food in Cuba. I made reservations at the three ala carte restaurants (Japanese, Italian & International) the day after arriving and had no problems whatsoever. There didn’t seem to be a limit on how many times we could dine at any of them. We enjoyed the Japanese and Italian the best. Service at all three was excellent. Only issue I had with these restaurants is the large quantity of the portions they serve. A total waste, IMO. We ate at the buffet every morning for breakfast and I think only 2 or 3 times for dinner. Very efficient staff in the buffet as well - lots of “shiners” in there! I especially enjoyed the duo who performed and the champagne every morning – a really nice touch – the reason I hauled my butt out of bed every morning! We also ate in the bungalow area and at the pool bar restaurant on several occasions and enjoyed both.

Beach Stuff
The beach is breathtaking! The length of the beach is short compared to the length of the area where Breezes is located as it is between the Mansion and the Melia Varadero and although small, I loved it just the same. There were the odd vendors, setting up “shop” on the beach, but as always, they never approached anyone. The beach is extremely clean with the exception of the “tourons” who can’t be bothered to pick up after themselves. I do bring an insulated mug, but only used it for my water at the beach. The drinks at the beach bar (open 12pm – 5pm) are served in hard plastic cups, not the disposable kind – cuts down on the garbage being scattered around, service plentiful and again great!. I did not notice any “towel, chair saving” games here (thank god) – there were always lots of chairs and cushions available. Only used the pool once and although cool, was very refreshing! In addition to the beach bar, the towel service and washrooms are here as well as a ping pong table and a few dart boards. This is also where the entertainment staff carry out their daily beach activities; volleyball, dance & Spanish lessons. Most days it was very quiet and not much activity going on. On one of our good weather days, we took out the paddle boat and did the ½ hour catamaran trip which is always enjoyable. Also available is snorkeling equipment and diving info.

Depending on weather conditions, on Thursday nite (10pm) the entertainment staff throw a “Beach Party” with dancing, dance contests, open bar (of course) which is worth attending.

Other Services
I did have a massage and with nothing to compare it to, loved it. There is a “Massage Menu” listing the different massages and pricing. I paid $35 CUC (plus tip). The massage and sauna is open 9am – 5pm. The gym is open 24hrs as per their brochure.

There is an internet area (open 9am – 9pm) in the Lobby with two computer stations which I used on several occasions. If I recall, it was approx $6 CUC for 30 minutes. Just past the Lobby area (by the elevator) there is a gift shop which sells souvenirs, t-shirts, beach stuff, cigarettes/cigars, etc. On the mezzanine floor are several souvenir shops, a small art gallery, car rentals and a Cadeca (currency exchange). Also listed in their brochure it states they have a Unisex Beauty Parlor – didn’t see it, but didn’t go looking for it either.

There is a small train which stops by the resort entrance every 20 minutes that will take you to the two other Melia properties (Melia Varadero and the Sol Palmeras) as well as the Las Americas mall.

Outside the Resort
We did do the usual Varadero “touristy” stuff like the Las Americas mall, hopped the double decker bus, walked all of downtown Varadero, did the craft market, took the horse and buggy ride, the rum store, cigar store, hung out at a beach bar and drank ice cold Cristal’s and listened to a fabulous local band. We also stopped at Breezes to visit some staff members and had a nice afternoon with them.

My friend and I stayed at the Melia Las Americasl for a week from Sep 15 till Sep 22, 2006. Fall is cheaper to get a good golf-package but I highly recommend "hurricane insurance" from the tour operator (we payed $30 Cdn each). Even if the hurricane is not on you, it can screw up the weather for days. Our entire all-inclusive cost was $688+ $205 tax, which we thought was well worth it.

The golf course is a 5 minute walk from the back door and it is a decent course, though the greens needed some work. We were told that the Vardero golf course is a 365 day course and the repair work is done in Sept to get it ready for the peak Dec - Feb snowbird season. There are a couple of spectacular signature holes (9th and 18th) and you would definitely want a camera in your bag. E Overall, this place is quiet, relaxing and perfect for honeymooners and couples, not so much if you are single or single at heart. The hotel is where 80% of the flight crews servicing Varadero stays, so there are a lot of groups who know each other and cliques. The beach and the pools were amazing, the bartenders friendly and the food tolerable. Do not miss the pizza at the Italian restaurant or the lobster in the Arcada. Although this is a 5 star hotel and the adjacent Melia Varadero and Sol Palmeros are 4 star & in the same family of hotels, you are allowed to go visit but you cannot eat or drink. We found however that swiching around the armband would work as would tipping the security guy. The managers are the more obnoxious souls.

Melia las Americas is still building a japanese restaurant and a nightclub on the premises. The evenings were dull for us as most of the people chose to retire early. We found other hotels, especially the other Melias had a lot more life. But try out the discotecas in varadero: La Rumba on Sat, La Comparasita on Thursdays, Castillito on Thursdays and Horsone Park on fridays. You will find a lot of locals in some of these places and there were really friendly and most of them could dance your socks off!

Make sure you get to spend a day in Havana. We did not bite on the hotel excursion tour ( $67 to havana and back), but instead took a coco taxi to the Viazul bus station (cost = $4) and boarded the bus to Havana (cost = $10). There are 3 tourist buses daily: 8.00 am/11.40 am/6.00 pm and you can find the schedule at http://www.viazul.com. The buses are very comfortable and cater to tourists and extremely safe (mostly used by tourists as $10 is the monthly wage for most locals). In 2.5 hrs the bus will drop you in Old Havana and you can wander the streets for the day, use your map and take a cab to the Viazul station in the evening when you are done. Knowing Spanish helps, but we were able to navigate our way through our Lonely Planet guide and phrasebook. Also, when you get the cab, make sure they put the meter on, we got scammed for $7 for what would have been a $3.00 cab ride.

I stayed at the "Melia las Americas" in Varadero from Feb. 10 to 17/06. This is hotel is rated 5 * but I would not agree. Although the hotel was clean and the rooms were very nice, I was disappointed in the amenities.

None of the pools were heated and during that week not one person was ever seen to enter the pools. The pool water was frigid. The lighting was very dim all through the hotel. While I was there a woman fell down the stairs and broke her arm and elbow. I also fell from an uneven level that was not well lit and not marked that there was a small drop.

I also got stuck on the elevator for over a half hour in total darkness. There was an other couple in the elevator thank God. The man kept prying the doors open a crack so we could get some air. We did a lot of screaming for help and finally another guest heard us and went for help. The alarm bell did not work. This couple told me they were at this resort last year and there were problems with elevators at that time. I spoke to the hotel manager and he told me the elevators were on order from Germany, he also admitted there was a problem with lighting. some people were quite upset that they had to walk up 4 flights of stairs with their golf bags.

The animation staff were almost non existent. the entertainment was not good either. The bar staff didn't know how to make the most basic drinks. Some things that were advertised in the Sunquest catalogue description of this resort were not available. Of course there were no scuba lessons in the pool because of the water temperature. They advertised Aqua Bikes but they didn't have any.

I have been to Varadero before at a 3* plus and it was a better experience. I think this resort got their 5* rating because they are on a golf course. We are vegetarians and had a difficult time finding food that didn't contain meat or fish. The food items on the buffet were not labeled as to what a dish consisted of, this is also a big problem for people with allergies. No way to know if dish contained some type of sea food or cooked in fish sauce.

My girlfriend and I (in our 40s) spend the first week in February at this resort. We had never been to Cuba before, but have been to many other islands and South America. We chose this hotel because of the good food reviews, golf course and good hotel reviews. We booked this through Sunquest and flew direct from Ottawa.

When we arrived in Cuba, our golf clubs made it, but our bag did not. For some reason (which we never found out), 16 bags were left behind. Not a big deal as we always pack some essentials in our carry on. Our bag was delivered to the hotel the next morning.

It is a 30 min drive from the airport to the hotel. Check in was slow, as they have you fill out some forms, and photo copy your passport and tourist card. Just your first introduction to Cuban time! The hotel is beautiful. Large, high lobby with a lobby bar and several restaurants. We got room 4105, which overlooks the golf course and Caribbean Sea. The room was very clean and had a balcony to sit out on an enjoy the view. The rooms have a small fridge that has some pop, beer and bottled water in. It had two 3/4 beds pushed together (I understand it is a European thing). They were comfortable. The air conditioning worked well, and we left it off except for at night.

This hotel had excellent food - just a little different than many North American people are used to (you do travel to have different experiences!). We ate most meals at the buffet. Always had excellent fresh salads and bread with every meal. Pretty much like most all inclusives I have been to. If your ideal of an excellent meal is a thick steak and baked potato, you may be disappointed. On different nights we did have beef and pork roast, lobster, crab and large shrimp. There were 2 restaurants (one by the pool and one off the lobby), you could eat lunch at the pool one anytime, but needed a reservation for the one off the lobby. Both had good food. Also be sure to check out the restaurant next door in the Dupont Mansion. The hotel will give you a 40 peso voucher (you have to pay for the drinks. Cash only). The view for the tables on the patio is not to be missed. Overall I would give the food a 4 out of 5. If food is key to your holiday, go on a cruise.

The weather was good most days. It was in the mid 20s everyday. It rained twice. Luckily for us, the day we went to Havana it rained on the way there, but stopped when we got to Havana. The other day it rained was the day we left. I would take a sweater, or a long sleeve shirt. Two days there was a very strong wind off the Atlantic (which is where the beach is). On these two days, the red flag was up and you could not go swimming in the ocean. Overall, the weather was very good.

The beach is beautiful. The two Melia's properties share a long white beach. There is lots of umbrellas & loungers on the beach to use. I was not approached once on the beach to buy anything. A refreshing change. There were usually some waves, but the water is a gorgeous blue. You could walk up and down the beach at night --- it was very safe. We walked up to the Meilas Veradero, and had a few drinks. You technically do not have rights at the other hotel, but everyone has the same color wristband, and no one checks very close.

If you are a golfer, take your clubs for sure. The course was fairly busy in the morning, but by mid afternoon it was deserted. We just went over at 3:00, and did not even bother booking a tee off time. With Sunquest, we got 3 free rounds. N. The course was in good shape and some really nice views of the ocean from many holes. Make sure you take enough balls. I noticed in the Pro Shop they were about $7 CDN each. Ideal hotel for golfers, it is a few minute walk to the course.

If you go here, you must see Havana. It is just like the pictures. It is stuck in time in the 60's. Lots of old American cars. Amazing buildings all through the city. Very safe to walk around on your own. We just took the day trip which got back to the hotel around 6:00 PM. There was also some other options to see the Tropicana at night. It is about a 2 hour drive from Veradero to Havana. You get to see the country side and hear some of the history, from the Cuban point of view. Very different from the American view. The tour stops at a rum and cigar store on the way back. The guide recommended one of the rums, as the best Cuban Rum. I later learned I could buy it for the half the price in the hotel store!

Tipping seems to be the norm in Cuba. We tipped in the dining room, bar, our housekeeper and the tour guide. It did get us better service in the dining room, but I did not see any real changes in the other areas. Outside of the resort, to use most washrooms you also need to tip.

We spent from 12-19 February 2006 at Melia Las Americas. Travel arrangements were made through Canadian Automobile Association for a Sunquest vacation, as we have a membership. The trip went just as scheduled. On arrival in Cuba be sure to have passport, tourist card and airline ticket stub as the check in at customs is "strict". You can exchange your money at the Airport or at the hotel. I used both and they were very good. I had to pay a service charge, 2%, for a travellers cheque. A bus was there to pick us up at the Varadero Airport and we were offered drinks, I had one, and then was asked to pay at a later time. My first lesson on asking first, the drink was good and worth the 2 pesos. I used the safety deposit box in my room and it worked extremely well and eliminates worries of losing anything. The hotel was excellent, very clean, well laid out and its location and views are spectacular. The view from either side of the hotel is spectacular so to me being on the ocean or golf course side was mute. The staff were exceptional to very good and very personable and talkative so that when you were waiting for you food to be cooked you mostly chatted about Canada or Cuba or the food. The bar tenders at the two bars are so busy you have to make yourself visible or others will get served before you. The layout of the hotel and its facilities I considered to be extremely well thought out and in my humble opinion excellent. The beach was very good, the towel service is right at the beach, the pool areas are immediately above the towel service area. The restaurants were all excellent. The Terraza was the main restaurant and it was always very clean, lots of food and the staff were tremendous and could not do enough for you during our whole stay. There was live music every morning and did the music and tempo ever help start the day off on an up beat tempo, great. The restaurant, La Caleta, on the beach was great and we had pizza or pasta there on several occasions. The warm air, beach environment, food and drinks just added to the relaxation mode. There was also a ice-cream bar cooler there that you could use anytime to have an ice cream sandwich. It was great to see no one complaining or reluctant to give anything but their best. Excellent Employees. The Arcada is a fine dining restaurant within the hotel, we had a coupon for one dinner, and it was exceptional and reservations 24 hours in advance is almost a must. The dinner music by a bass player and two voilinist was great. The violinist will play at your table if you request, I tipped. The Robleza restaurant was another excellent eating place. We had a coupon for dinner and I had a lobster, whole, dinner that was superb. There was music at the noon meal and at dinner. The hotel lobby had entertainment every night, a saxaphone and piano player in the early evening amd frequently there was dancing in the lobby by amorous couples. The entertainment bar was very much used with cuban dancers in attendance and we attended five of the seven nights. Superb and energetic entertainers who put on a first class show each night and on two of the nights the evening closed off with the dancers and hotel guests dancing and learning to dance on the stage. The beach is very nice and we spent much time in the sun and in the water. The pools are very nice, very clean and the chairs and pads, which double as floating mats, made a day in the sun with a drink or several a very pleasant tanning experience. There is a plaza next to the hotel, a three minute stroll and the most interesting part was the cuban venders throughout. There was no pressure to buy and there were lots of nice and different crafts. We rented a mob-ped with driver, I will call coconut cab, for a tour of Varadero. It cost 15 pesos and a tip for a 30-40 minute trip. It was well worth the drive, a visit to the park, some pictures, and a tour of the main street and then the driver returned via some back streets and it was good to see the areas away from the main street.

The lobby is very comfortable and we frequently had drinks there and met some people in the process. There are very nice mattresses in a gezabo like setting by the pool. A great place to relax with a glass of champagne that was available on a table just beside the area.

Smoking is permitted all over Cuba so be prepared if you are a non-smoker.

The Varadero golf club is literally next door, 500 feet from the hotel and the package included 4 games of golf for myself and wife, The cart is extra and you must rent clubs if you didn't bring your own. If you plan to play 3 or more games of golf it is worth your while to take you own clubs with you. To Melia Las America: the concierges were excellent, Julie who took care of our room on the third floor was exceptional and the bellboy, Alexis was always extremely pleasant and a credit to your organization.

My wife and I (late 30's) stayed at the Melia Las Americas Varadero from Dec 23-30. When talking to people from home about Cuba the first question they always ask is the same: "How was the food?" Quite frankly, the food wasn't good, but it really wasn't bad either. Yes it's fairly bland but the only way that the quality of the food is going to ruin my trip is if it makes me sick, which it did not. I will say that there was not much of a selection of different foods for dinner. Also, as a suggestion, they could place little cards in front of each tray at the buffet so that you actually know what is being served. Clearly the best meal of the day was at the beach bar where they served pizza and pasta. They were both awesome and completely unexpected.

The next major question that comes up is regarding the service. Tipping is something that is forbidden in 5 star resorts in Jamaica for example, but is encouraged here. The problem is, it doesn't seem to get you better service, at least not at the bar. I noticed that the bartenders will take someone's order and complete the task with their head down, probably so that no one else will ask them for something while they are busy. Because of this they don't have a concept of who has been standing at the bar the longest and it can get frustrating. I find this to be more true than the old story that they move at a slower pace than we expect. They are actually working quite hard and quickly too, they just don't keep track of who's next!

If it sounds like I'm being negative, the truth is that those are the only things that bothered me on our trip and I do consider them to be minor. The resort itself is beautiful, with a man made river running through the lobby and outside with tropical fish in it. The rooms are nice and kept clean with no musty smell that accompanies most Carribean resorts. The beach is quite nice although it could stand to be raked once in a while just to clear up some of the seaweed that rolls up. Again, that is a very minor detail. The pools area also beautiful although at this time of year, they were empty because they were quite cold. If you book through Sunquest, 4 rounds of golf are included and I took advantage of that twice. The course is nice with two holes in particular that are Pebble Beach-like, meaning they are right along the ocean. As a tip, the cart rental is not included with that package and if you play by yourself, they charge you 30 pesos for the cart, so make sure you go with a partner to split the cost.

The entertainment at the resort was amazing. Normally when you go to all inclusive resorts, the animation team doubles as the nightly entertainment, which can be a bit of a train wreck. This was not the case here. I don't know if they brought in different people because it was during Christmas but the nightly entertainment was way beyond anything I have seen at an all-inclusive resort. These people were professionals! On Christams eve there were opera singers that were unbelievable. Aside from that, every day at breakfast and dinner, there was a three piece band that entertained us and these were great musicians. This was a very pleasant surprise.

I was expecting Cuba to be somewhat like Jamaica in terms of walking the streets and having people harass you. This wasn't the case. We took a day trip to Havana (which I would recommend) and weren't bothered at all. If you stay at this resort, there was a man named Gustavo who took care of the watersports on the beach who took us into Havana for a price. I would recommend speaking to him to set up something on a small scale versus the big tours through Sunquest.

All in all, yes! Go to the Melia Las Americas. If you want a true 5 star experience, this isn't it but it's real close. I would say 4 1/2 anyway. But if service and food are what will make or break you trip, go to Jamaica (for a fair bit more money too!)

We went to Melia Las Americas, Dec 5 - 12, 2005. We are in our early 50's and just wanted to go to a hot place to relax and enjoy the sun, the sand, the beer and the beach! And that we did!

We arrived at Melia and were greeted by Cari, Sussine, and Meglen (forgive me if the spelling isn't correct) at the front desk. These ladies were very friendly and helpful throughout the whole week. They always had a smile for us. We were fortunate enough to be upgraded to a suite. Since we didn't get there until later in the evening we didn't really know where we were. But in the morning ...WOW!! We had the pool and pool bar just out our front door and the beach was just minutes away. We couldn't have asked for anything better. Helga, our maid, kept the place spotless.

Each morning we would go for a walk on the beach. Now Melia's beach isn't that long (last year we stayed at Breezes and they have a very long beach), so we just walked back and forth and made it a good little workout! You don't need miles and miles of beach, you just adapt to what you have. A couple times we actually crossed over the golf course to the Breezes beach and walked halfway to Varadero.

Then we would go to the buffet for breakfast... check out Osbel's omelettes!! There was always LOTS to eat.

Next was time for the beach... we would lay on the beach and just relax. That's what we went for.. and that's what we did. When it was time for lunch we would go to the pool bar. Alex made sure we always had a cold Crystal in our hands. Rebecca was always smiling and willing to get us whatever we wanted, and Packard would make us something great for lunch each day. "Surprise us" we'd say, and between Rebecca and Packard they come up with something that was very good. We certainly never went away hungry, and if we did it would have been our own fault.

Then we spent the afternoon floating in the pool on the floaters. Talk about relaxing!

Dinner was usually in the buffet. Damarys, Olbert and Castro were always there to see that we were well fed. If there was anything that we needed, they were there to get it for us.

We didn't spend much time at the lobby bar, but the time we were there we did get to know Cutting and Yamil. They were always friendly and willing to get us whatever we needed.

We travelled, Saturday November 19th to Melia Las Americas.

First of all everything planned through Sunquest went off without a hitch. The resort itself, clean, and the staff generally cooperative. My only question upon arrival? If you know Canadian jets are landing, friday saturday and sunday, why wouldn't you have more front desk staff, than two people on a saturday evening, dealing with check in? It wasn't onerous, but I saw more staff at slower times.

We having travelled to Cuba two years ago, had no great expectations about the food, and this resort lived up to those expectations. Do not expect the best. Just expect after some sampling, something that you like and can live with. Frankly the best food we found was at the pool bar and restaurant, and the smaller swim up bar at the far end of the resort.

When we travelled to Cayo Guillermo our only trip off the resort was to the small provincial capital of Moron. Havana is very different. We were not hassled in Moron. In Havana, the begging reminds one of Jamaica. Secondly but most importantly, watch your money. Somehow since the conversion to Cuban Convertible dollars instead of U.S. dollars, the Cubans no matter where you are, don't think you can count or give a crap about what you're handed back.

At the airport which one would suspect is an official government exchange, to the front desk at the hotel, to the bank located in the hotel, every time we went to exchange money we were shortchanged. My wife who counts everything and in this case for good reason, was persistent in telling the clerks who like to play dumb, that not enough Cuban was being given back for our Canadian. Folks, count your money. Know the exact exchange rate, and do not be shy about waiting out the teller. Then eventually will give you what you rightly deserve.

This is a brief review as I am back in England working hard, after returning from a 2 week holiday last Saturday.

I just wanted to say to anyone travelling to this excellent hotel (with lush beach, great swimming pools, nice rooms with friendly staff), that our holiday was enhanced by Osberto and Raul from the Lobby Bar. The 2 guys are really friendly, make great drinks and are totally trust worthy. Like the chap from Canada at the bottom of this review page – Osberto and Raul accompanied myself and my girlfriend, along with a Canadian Friend, to Havana, on their day off. They both speak great English and have an excellent knowledge of their countries history, which made for an enjoyable trip. Their service and friendship through-out the holiday really differentiated the holiday, and is the reason we will be returning to the hotel.

In response to some of the negative comments on this site, it is true that the night-time entertainment is limited, however, criticisms of the staff I feel are unfair as service is very much based on how you treat the staff in terms of respectfulness and politeness, rather than how much you tip. The only people I spoke to in the hotel that received poor service in the bars and restaurants were those, that quite frankly, were rude.

Other Highlights- golf course (awesome- I’m a keen golfer and this course is excellent, although don’t play on a damp afternoon as you will be bitten by millions of mosquitoes); swimming pools and beach; cocktails.

Having traveled to Varadero twice before, we had a great understanding of what is to be expected from both the resort and its staff. The key word in that sentence is 'had'.

Before arriving, I emailed the Hotel in an effort to secure a good room and expedite the check-in process. My fiancé and I were celebrating our engagement and wanted to avoid any unnecessary distractions. Unfortunately, the Hotel did not adhere to my request. We arrived at Melia Las Americas at 12:00pm. After waiting in a 30min line, we were told to return at 1pm to obtain the keys to our room. We waited patiently for an hour and upon returning to the front desk, we were told to come back in 30mins. The staff at the front desk were extremely inconsiderate and rude. The representatives made phone calls to determine when our room would be ready and asked us to return in 30mins. We were asked to come back in 30mins a total of 6 times. The management was no where to be seen as they were working hard to impress the visiting Chinese delegation. Without exaggeration, the check-n at this hotel was a complete disaster. Unfortunately, we were not alone and others including the guests checking out were experiencing similar problems.

We finally received the keys to our room. However, by this time it was 4pm and we were extremely frustrated. While we waiting in the lobby, not a single staff member approached us. Anyone visiting this resort under an all inclusive package will experience a sense of isolation. The green band seems to act like bug repellant but on staff (bartenders and waiters).

When we arrived at our room, it had no balcony and the view was terrible. We called the front desk and requested our room be changed and they obliged but we had to be inconvenienced the next day in the process. However, the room we received the next day was much better. The room was always spotless thanks to our chamber maid. She was polite, professional and very courteous. We reported a problem to her (water leak) and it was corrected within the hour.

The currency exchange located on the 2nd level was open between the hours of 10am and 9pm. Canadian travelers: do not bring US dollars as the rates set will result in a .3 difference. During our stay the buy rate remained around the .71 for CDN while the US was .81.

We spent the vast majority of our time at the beach. We had taken almost all of the tours available over the course of 2 years and wanted to relax. The beach was great. Chairs are available everywhere. Unfortunately, don't expect the cushions/mattresses to be as readily available. Not unless you come prepared with some $$$. Out of nowhere a staff member would pop out and ask whether we were interested in a mattress. Upon returning with our mattresses, the old hand was out and it wasn't out for a hand shake. I have absolutely no problem tipping but when you feel like you're held hostage, the experience becomes unnecessarily stressful.

Our tour operator, SUNQUEST included tennis in the description for this resort. When I approached the doormen regarding the tennis courts, not one could provide me with any directions. When I approached the front desk, I was told tennis is available at a cost of 5 CUC (Cuban Convertible Peso) per hour. This was not part of SUNQUEST's description. When I brought this to the attention of our SUNQUEST rep, she arranged something with another resort at no cost. Unfortunately the tennis courts at this other resort looked like bombs were dropped everywhere and seemed to be used for storing large pieces of metal which left rust type stains throughout the courts. No more tennis for us. We went back to enjoying to beautiful beach.

The food was average for Cuba. I've stayed at Arenas Blancas and Barcelo Solymar and all of them seemed to be on par with one another. The buffet restaurant was not a clean as I would expect. The cooks were extremely unprofessional. I witnessed a few cooks scratch themselves and go straight to serving or cooking food. If you order a beer, you may notice that the waiter will pour 2/3 into your glass and walk away with the remaining portion (to be consumed during his trip back to his area). The entire week, only one waiter demonstrated a professional and courteous approach. If you happen to see Costillo, ask for a Grande Cervesa. He'll make your experience much more tolerable.

The Casada A La Carte Restaurant was the absolute best in Varadero. The food was delicious and prepared to our liking. Unfortunately, the staff proved that the product can be undermined by the service. The waiter laughed out loud when we ordered our drinks. Apparently, unless you drink wine the staff will see great humor in your preference.

The Pizza/Italian restaurant located on the beach has a great deal of potential. The food was actually quite delicious. However, the service was deplorable. We waited 15mins before receiving menus. Another 10mins before having our order taken. The next time we went to the restaurant, our experience got even worse. My fiancé was so frustrated with the service and the staff's complete disregard for its guests that she went up to the waiters area, took 2 menus and took our order to the cooks herself. While this was happening, I heard the waiters refer to us as Americanas which is like calling them Mexicans. Another example of what you can expect if things remain the same. I believe the main problem with Melia is their lack of female staff. Especially in the restaurants. All but a few A La Cartes had a strictly all male staff which resulted in a locker room type environment.

The bars located throughout the resort had the exact same problem. Poor service and no female representation. I witnessed a Dutch Representative wait 10mins before being served. This rep was catering to the Dutch visitors and was compromised by the bartenders poor timing and enthusiasm. It seemed like anytime you were about to get served, someone would go on break.

The pools were great. The gym was the best I've seen in Varadero. All the machines worked and the facility was very clean. The only problem I had with the gym was the mosquito bites. The gym is surrounded by water which is a breeding ground for the little buggers and when the windows are open, its only natural they make their way into the gym.

The check-out was even more exciting than the check-in. We called the night before to confirm when we had to be downstairs. The staff asked us about of flight details and called back promptly with the information we requested. Unfortunately, the information was WRONG. They recommended we be downstairs at 8am (no later). Fortunately, we wanted to get out of Cuba ASAP and I recommended that we be downstairs at 7am. We got downstairs at 7:15am only to see our bus preparing to depart to the airport. The rep called out whether we were with Sunquest and upon the confirmation asked us to run because the bus was leaving. We did not even check-out. Had I approached the front desk to submit the key cards and take care of the paperwork, we would have been stuck with a $100+ taxi tab to the airport.

We have travelled to the Carribean quite a bit in the past 12 years and never stay at a resort less than 4 1/2 stars. Our experience at the Melia Los Americas was wonderful.

Rooms: The rooms are spacious, we had an ocean view with a love seat, coffee table and a rocking chair. We had a balcony with a nice view of the ocean. The bathroom was nice, it was all marble, and you will need an adapter for the outlet. They use 220 v verses our 120v.

Hotel: The hotel was very lovely. There was just a few steps and you were right on the beach. The lobby was really nice with sofa's and chairs, 2 shops, money exchange, and a piano-which was played nightly.

Activities: The activities staff really good. They seemed to get alot of participation from the guests both on the beach and during the nightly shows. The nightly shows were fun. One night they had water ballet and it was beautiful.

Restaurants: The restaurants were beautiful and the food was excellent. The morning buffet was great with lots of choice, great omlettes, bacon, waffles, pastries, cold cuts, cheese, delicious breads and much, much more. In all restaurants there was live music, even at breakfast, it was great. The food was really good at all restaurants and given that it was off season they let us go to the a la cartes a couple of extra times.

Beach: The beach was beautiful, lots of chairs and shaded areas. Ask for the chair pads they are great.

Pools: The pools have really nice chairs, with floatable pads. There are also tables and chairs all around the pools. The pools are not big, but, being a beach person they were fine.

My husband and I just returned from a beautiful week (April 3-10) at Melia Las Americas, Varadero. This was our first trip to the Caribbean and so we have no previous experiences to compare it to. We arrived at the hotel near noon and the check in process was quick and easy. Around 20 of us arrived at the same time. We were quickly escorted to our room on the third floor. I had emailed the resort a couple weeks earlier and requested a 2nd or 3rd floor room and had a reply within 24 hours. The room was beautiful and overlooking the ocean.. The write up had said that all rooms had either a balcony or terrace and our AI package did not include the ocean view. We found ourselves in a corner room that did not have a balcony but an expanse of windows—one or two which opened. It was a beautiful room but coming from snow and ice, we really wanted our balcony! My husband went to the desk and was told to come back the next day at 2:00 pm and they would see what they could do. . The next day, at two, we were moved to a room on the same floor and overlooking Dupont Mansion, golf course, and ocean. The room was great—the beds (2 twin) were very comfortable and there were extra pillows and blankets. The air conditioner worked well. There was lots of clothing storage—2 large drawers in the closet and 4 not quite as large drawers in the dresser and a double closet with mirror doors.. Our TV worked well and got HBO, CNN, some Spanish stations and cartoons. The bar fridge was empty and we mentioned that to the maid when we saw her. Two large bottles of water were left every day but no pop or beer. We didn’t realize you had to tell them at the desk what to refill it with. . There was a steam iron and coffee maker in the room but no clock radio as advertised. I mention the clock radio, as we needed to get up for the Habana trip and for our airport departure. If you need a wake up call, go to the staff sitting at the small desk to the left of the Front desk and near to the elevator and stairs. Both wake up calls were punctual. There was a locked safe with a refundable 25 CUC deposit. The hotel held an orientation session at 4 PM the day of our arrival and we skipped it but it might have answered some of our questions.

The bathroom was large and very nice with very good lighting, two-sided make up mirror, and lots of hot water and good water pressure. There was a hair dryer that worked well, lots of big fluffy towels, Kleenex, toilet paper, and the bathroom itself was spotless with no mildew. There were no face cloths. The last thing I expected to see was a set a bathroom scales! That is not what you want to see on your first day of vacation but in the end were great for weighing our luggage.

This resort is beautiful and laid back and you never felt it was crowded or frantic. There were no line-ups! The landscaping is mature and lush.. The lobby is large with greenery, pools with fish and large overstuffed and comfortable couches and chairs placed in various settings. When you go out the back doors you go down the steps to the beach or you can sit in the large wicker chairs and enjoy the fresh air and the beauty of this place. You can do a lot of walking at this resort and there are many steps and levels but I did notice that there are also ramps beside many of the staircases.

Food:
We really enjoyed the food at the Buffet although I have to admit it took me a day to get used to the different food, smells, etc. The buffet service was very good. Sunday and Wednesday night they serve lobster and Tuesday and Thursday they serve large Cray fish claws. There was a pasta bar, lots of salads, cheeses, breads, roast turkey or beef, or chicken, pork chops, etc that the chef would cook for you. There were lots of sweets for desserts as well as ice cream and fresh fruit. We had no problem getting a clean and set table but were usually there early. Coffee is not served with supper but the Lobby Bar has excellent coffee and Espresso. Forgot all about Tim’s!! Breakfasts were my favorite and there was live music. We had 3 tickets for reservations at the two A La Cartes but only used one at La Robleza as we left off reserving till the end of the week, not wanting to tie ourselves down to being there at a certain time. We had one free lobster meal each, which we used at La Robleza. The meal was delicious but it was here, for the second time (first time at noon of arrival) that we found the service to be frustrating. Our meal started good but we waited over half an hour for the dessert menu and in that one place, I did not really feel welcomed i.e.-no smile, drinks (water, etc) not refreshed. If you follow the walkway through the pool areas and into the bungalow area you will come to the swim up bar and another small snack area open from 12 to 5. They served paella and light lunch/snack foods. The service was quick and very friendly and the food very good. We didn’t find that place till the end of the week or we would have been back!

Beach:
The white, sandy beach extends from the outcropping of rock at Dupont Mansion to the outcropping at Melia Varadero. It is a nice walk but for anyone looking for long walks it might be disappointing. There were always lots of Palapas and chairs with pads, which the pool staff would bring. We would go to the beach at around 9:30 and could pick where we wanted to settle in. There are a number of large hammocks and a cabana with a bed. There is a beach bar, centrally located, which also provided pizza and pasta from noon till 5:00 PM. We ate there 3 times and really enjoyed the Mexican Pizza. Drinks are not served on the beach, which might be an issue for some. The beach bathrooms are clean with lots of tissue and liquid soap and air dryer. We had 2 red flag days due to wind but were in the water a lot the rest of our stay. The water was warm and clear and one day was even calm! We only used the pool one windy day. There were lots of chairs with pads and no need to reserve with the towels. The pool areas never appeared crowded and the pool water was not quite as warm as the ocean.

Bars:
As for the bars—service was good in all of them but we enjoyed the Lobby/Piano bar the best. The bartenders provided quick service at the bar itself, and were friendly and for the most part took great pride in their creations! You could also get snack foods there. This area could get busy after supper and was the only place we could get some juice before leaving for our 6:30 AM pick up to the airport.

Activities:
I cannot comment on the animation staff—we would see them at the beach in the morning. There was a schedule of daily activities posted by the steps leading to the beach. Our stay was short and daytime weather good so we opted for relaxing at the beach and swimming. If the weather had been bad, I think I could have found lots to entertain me—salsa lessons, Spanish lessons, aerobics, etc. There is a beautiful gym on site but this was my week off! The hotel has two computers for guests. I believe I paid 4 CUC for 30 min.

There were nightly shows at 10. We enjoyed the dancing, singing, costumes but found it hard to see, as we were at the back of the room. The Plaza Americas Shopping Mall is a 10 minute walk away or you can take the “train”. I would suggest you do your math before you make a purchase as the numbers on the cash registers do not always add up—learned that the hard way!! This resort is not perfect but I would definitely recommend it and would definitely go back. Some of the staff could probably benefit from more training in hospitality but most work very hard. For us it was the perfect place for rest and relaxation and my biggest complaint would be that the stay was way too short! My rating would be a 4 ½ out of 5 with service being the weakness. Value for what we paid—Excellent.

Excursions
We were only there for a week so we decided on the Bus trip to Habana through our Sunquest rep. It was interesting but as others have suggested it might be better to go in a small group with a local guide. It is hard to hear the Tour guide on the street tours with all the activity going on. Our guide was very informative and approachable.. Seeing Habana, one way or the other, I would consider a must.

My husband and I just returned from a weeks stay at Melia Las Americas.We picked this resort because of it's close proximity to the golf course(a 3 minute walk) and our package with Sunquest included 4 rounds of golf/person and free cub storage.The golf course is beautiful and in great shape.Our tee times were between 7.30- 8A.M. which I would recommend as you beat most of the heat.The buffet opens at 7 for breakfast so there was enough time to have breakfast and still make your tee time.

The resort is beautiful and the beach is the best I've seen.The water in the many pools was very warm and there were always lots of chairs at the pools and beach to use.

The rooms were very nice with lots of drawer space and a very large bathroom.Our balcony overlooked the golf course. The food was great.There were 2 a la carte restaurants open for dinner--both very good.At lunch you had your choice of the buffet or a great Italian a la carte on the beach or the BBQ restaurant by the pool.

There is a lobby bar where you can get snacks 24 hours a day and great drinks and coffee.Also there are bars on the beach and by the pools.The service for the most part was very good.

There was entertainment nightly in the bar off the lobby and Friday night they have a barbeque and party on the beach which was lots of fun.

If you are expecting the service you would receive at any four or five star resort in Mexico this is not the hotel for you. We just returned from one week (March 5-12).

We checked in at 230am into a room that was not what we booked (no balcony) only to be told come back tomorrow after 2pm and we'll try to accommodate you. Which was done with some complaining the next day.

Service at the bars themselves was generally good, exceptionally good in the lobby bar. You will NEVER get a drink brought to you on the beach or by the Pool (no matter what you tip).

The hotel itself is beautiful, it has four outdoor beds, one on the beach and late afternoon a champagne fountain is set up.

The food we felt was very good, not bland like people said. You could get lobster for dinner or lunch and grilled prawns in the buffet restaurant. Very good for a third country I'd say.

The bar serves premium liquor be sure to ask for it though (Jack D, Smirnoff, Beefeater, Bombay, Johnny Walker, etc).

The beach is awesome, and yes there are always chairs available.

The one thing I must complain about again is SERVICE. We had to call the front desk 4 times one night because no one answered the phone, in order to get a wake up call. Upon check out since we were not leaving until midnight, the hotel would not accomodate anyone with a late check out, and for about 15 people that were leaving that night, they only provided 2 courtesy rooms, in which you had to wait 45 minutes to get clean towels.

Again I repeat, if you expect five star service you will be lucky if you get you get 1 star. (except for the lobby bar and swim up bar). Even lunch in the a la carte restaurant takes an hour to get the food you ordered.

This hotel definetly has the potential to be a five star hotel, they just have to get rid of ALL THE FRONT DESK STAFF), maybe the bartenders should teach them a thing or two.

Beside the service, it was a great trip, saw Havana (but don't book with a tour operator) for $40/pp you can get your own driver for an 8 hour day who takes you on the same tour and lets you decide how long you want to stay at each attraction. (talk to OBERT the bar tender in the lobby bar to set you up, I think everyone we spoke to including ourselves went through him with no complaints - we had a new air conditioned toyota corolla.)

Definitely take the catermaran tour to Cayo Blanco (includes snorkelling, lobster lunch and swiming with dolphins) $75/pp with sunquest.

There are only 2 a la carte restaurants (Italian and Seafood) and one buffet restaurant for dinner, so do not expect a great selection. Some websites were claiming there were 5 restaurants. For lunch you have the option of the buffet, pizzia, bbq grill or a la carte. Lunch was generally better than dinner, especially the calamari at the bbq and great service of the adjacent swim up bar.

This was our second trip to Cuba, stayed at the Sol Melia Santa Maria in January 2004. We flew Skyservice and the trip was uneventful.

Airport in Varadaro: No problems at the airport, other than waiting for luggage to be unloaded. Seems as if our two bags never get loaded or unloaded together. There was a line up at the money exchange and we were asked to load onto our buses prior to getting any pesos, so we had to tip the porters in US dollars. There are lots of shops in the departure area to purchase cigars and rum while waiting for the trip home.

Hotel Registration: After a 30 minute bus ride we were met at the lobby and handed a registration form to fill out. This procedure could use some refinement. Trying to write sitting on the furniture in the lobby was not the most comfortable way to do this.We are members of the MaS programme for the Melia Hotels and this was to get us prioity check in. It did seem to help is some respects, but since our arrival was about noon, rooms were not available and everyone was asked to return in about 2-3 hours for room assignments.

Money Exchange: Last year everything was in US dollars, but this year we had to buy Cuban pesos. The exchange rate was based on the US dollar, and Canadian currency could be exchanged at the front desk..the rate varied during the week, getting anywhere from 76.8 to 78 Cuban pesos for $100 Canadian. We were advised not to take Traveller's cheques as they charge a commision to cash them. Candian currency seemed to be the easist way to get pesos. The Las Americas Shopping Mall which was nearby had a bank, but they allowed only one person in at a time and took for hours to exchange money. Most of the stores, with the exception of the vendors in the halls, were government run and accepted Canadian dollars. While we didn't have enough pesos at the end of the week to worry about, we understood that they could be exchanged back to Canadian currency at the airport.

The Hotel: The Melia Las Americas is a fairly large hotel. The views from the hotel are either the Atlantic Ocean or the Varadaro Golf Course. People who were in the hotel rooms seemed to be pleased with the accomodations. The other form of accomodation is in the two story buildings located throughout the grounds. Our ground floor unit had a living room with a tv, dining area and a small kitchen with a mini fridge and sink, coffee maker, a large bedroom with two 3/4 beds, a tv and a full bathroom, tub and shower. We were located beside 3 swimming pools and the swim up bar and garden grill restaurant. We could see the ocean from our balcony. Take a electric converter as the power is 220 and I was unable to plug in my razor.

Food: We found that the food was very good. The buffet had plenty of choice. Breakfast choices were many, from cereals to omlettes prepared as you liked them. There were always lots of variety in breads and rolls. Lunches could be eaten in the buffet, or at one of the many other resaurants, the pizza bar was recommended by many, the beach grill had excellent kabobs, the pool grill had very good fish, the evening meals also had lots of choice. Everyone can sign up for 3 meals in the a la carte dining rooms and everyone gets a coupon for lobster.. We suggest you sign up on days other than Sunday or Wednesday if you are a lobster lover, as the buffet has lobster, stone crab and other seafood on these days.

Beach: While we were there, the weather was cool, due to a cold front in Florida, but there were plenty of lounges on the beach and around the pools, there did not seem to be a need to get up early to reserve your spot.

Golf: 4 rounds of golf were included in our package. While I only golfed once, the course is great. You must rent a cart, but no caddy is required. I rented clubs and they were Taylor Mades, with a 540 driver. Course is only A 4 minute walk from the hotel lobby. While not a long course, the proximity to the ocean and the winds makes it very challenging.

Update: January 22
We received a follow up e-mail from the Quality Service Manager who thanked us for comments made on their questionnaire after our visit to Meliá Las Américas Hotel. The wanted us to know that they have taken the necessary measures from our comments and that they appreciated our opinions because they assist in the improvement of services.

The fact that they took the time to follow up shows that they do indeed mean to serve all their clients with quality service, which reassured us that we will have a repeat visit to the hotel.

We arrived at the Melia Las Americas with our bus load of Sunquest vacationers from Toronto on January 9th. We had heard of problems lately on recent reviews pertaining to bad service to "All inclusive" clients, since the hotel changed to a partial All inclusive, and had written to management who assured us these were being dealt with and would not occur in future. The hotel is in a really good position. Central location, with access through the lobby directly to the beach, and if you golf, a short walk on the path from the lobby will take you to the club house....perfect for golfers, as you save on taxi costs, time, etc. My husband had breakfast before eight, walked to the club house, and was finished his golf in time for a nice lunch and afternoons free. He booked tee times ahead of going, and a message was waiting for us in our package with tee times approved.

We did enjoy our week there, and would go back again, but yes, there are still problems, which we could overlook simply because the hotel suited our lifestyle and age group. We like quieter hotels, close to a golf course, especially a hotel with the bonus of a package of four rounds of golf. We actually enjoy places which don’t cater as much to children, because we enjoy the peace of not having as many children around the pool and beach. This is not meant as an insult to those with kids, but we’ve done the kids bit, and so we now prefer a place where you are not hassled to join in pool games, or have your peace interrupted by music blaring around the pool and beach so that we can’t hear the surf that we came to far to enjoy. This hotel has that nice peaceful environment with the amenities we like attached. There is a nice spot on the beach for games, and dance lessons, but it’s not intrusive. It’s not a hotel for children really, at least I would not have brought them if I had young kids who could not amuse themselves for a week at a time (and who has kids like that these days) and it’s not a resort with masses of entertainment. Nor would I say it is suitable for anyone in a wheelchair, or who has to push strollers around all the time. Not too many ramps, and lots of stairs. It has a lovely stretch of beach, with room enough for privacy with people not packed like sardines in a can on the sand, unlike a neighbour hotel, where the beach is a noticeable comparison as they jockey for their small space. But if the weather turns bad, you have to make your own entertainment for the most part. The hotel does have a games staff, and on bad days will provide games, but there is no real children’s club, and at night, a piano bar, fashion show, and so on, but no big “Show number” reviews that you get at resort type places.

So, regardless of my saying we would go again willingly, I can still provide a “no holds barred” review from our prospective. Some are small things, which most people can easily get over, some need improvement if the hotel wishes to keep their high rating, but from me you are getting the whole enchalada. Here goes:

When we had pulled in, and got our luggage, most of us lined up at the reception to check in. It was a bit of a chaos. After it got a bit more chaotic we were asked to sit in the lobby at any of the sofas, and wait. People were scattered, and as they came in, signage was lacking and no real direction occurred and it would have defused a few people had there been a welcome drink, as we’d travelled long and hard since early morning. There was no welcome drink, and as we’d not been checked in, we could not get one till we had a room number. We could not even purchase a drink, as there was no Cuban money available for any exchange until later that day. Sunday it is difficult to get exchange money, as the banks are not open.

Eventually, the reservation staff came round and handed us packages, which did save us time as they contained room keys and information on what you were entitled to. In addition, the customer service lady gave us a brief overview of all the package contained and a warm welcome. So, we all had our registrations done already and rooms allocated. It was just that there wasn’t enough staff to hand them out and deal with us all on our initial entry. As is usual in Cuba, they took our passports, and said we could pick them up later.

With an apology, it was explained that this kind of problem with check in was unusual, as there were many people to process and this was their busy time. But, it was the first impression of the resort, and people who want a vacation, and are tired from travelling, don’t want to hear about their hotel’s problems the first time they enter the doors. I made a later suggestion to avoid this by meeting the bus, announcing to the passengers where to sit, and having welcome trays of drinks ready, or even some signage in the lobby.

The hotel itself is a lovely hotel, with a nice foyer, and although aging shows in some ways, it’s still a lovely spot. The grounds are landscape well, dotted with clay sculptures, and quiet areas. However, some of the pathways, and stairs are worn in spots, so you have to be careful. Our room was large, with a huge bathroom, good beds, good lighting, and an oceanview. Clean and with a welcome note from the maid, it contained coffee maker and a multi speed hairdryer (don’t bring a curling iron, it will take forever to warm up to anything like a decent temperature), much drawer space, a mini fridge, and large sliding closet. But the one thing we both noticed right away was a stale musty smell, so we opened the balcony doors wide and loved the view and the sound of the surf. We have experienced this humidity and musty problem often in similar climates - humidity will also sometimes make linens and bedding feel damp, even when fresh from the laundry.

I noticed when I opened the drawers the smell was much stronger, same with closets and even the mini fridge cupboard. Having vacationed in many similar places, I carry with me a small travel spray bottle with Febreeze in it. This climatic problem is not the hotels fault, but they could consider things to eliminate it like clean air conditioning filters more often,(as it sometimes smelled stronger when the air was first put on) put odour eaters in rooms, etc. I spray drawers, and also use fabric sheets to line them to eliminate musty smells that wicker and wood unfortunately gather and never lose. Unlike linens, they can’t be laundered. Also, Cuba has no non smoking rules, (there is one section in the buffet restaurant) and it is something to consider if you have a real aversion to smoking, because smoke also gets in wicker, air conditioning vents and filters....which I also use Febreeze in. Fabric softener sheets also are hated by mosquitos. My husband always wears one tucked in his belt when on the golf course.

Unpacking we started to hang our clothes in the closets. Here’s one small thing that is frustrating. They really need to upgrade their hangers, at least they did in our room, and their hanger connectors on the rail, as half the clothes constantly fall off most of the time, or when you move the closet doors. I wished I had brought with me a few of those wire dry cleaning hangers.

We met our maid, who was a lovely lady, called Julia, such a sweet person, and willing to help all she could and she did through the entire week.

We had requested a king size bed, but the room had two singles together. Told that king size were mostly on the lower floor, which may not have balcony, so we preferred where we were. We heard the sea at night, but bear in mind we also overlooked the pool, so if there was entertainment and you were bothered by noise, you would be best to consider a golf course view. Bungalows also have some king beds, but they are on two levels, with the bed above up stairs, so perhaps not your choice with small kids, or the infirm. The bungalows are also further from the main hotel and its amenities.

So, being pleased with our room, we decided to venture out and check out the restaurants.

We decided on the buffet the first lunchtime, for quickness and to see the choice and were surprised. Big roasted turkey on the carving spot, and we had that with salad, cheeses, and the lovely nutty grainy bread. On average, over our visits during our week, the food really was very good, if compared to other “All inclusive” spots, which sometimes churn out endless same buffets. The advantage at this hotel is that you also have other choices. The lobby bar has a menu with snacks and sandwiches, which you can get any time. Hamburgers are made with chopped ham, and are good, as are the cheese and ham sandwiches. Italian restaurant on the beach is open for lunch, and their pizzas and pasta are really good, and it’s in the open air on the beach. We ate there most days, and they soon got used to making me my special drink of a strawberry daiquiri, mixed with ice cream in the blender. Try it also with banana daiquiri. Nice staff members at the pizza place were Olbert and Arians(sp). Pizza was different but everyone raved about it, and we enjoyed it at least three lunchtimes. La Robleza is the BBQ restaurant which is open for lunch and dinner, and near the pool bar. Menu at lunch seemed to be better, I should saym more varied than dinner, which did not change the twice we went. I found that menu a bit lacking in other choices for dinner if you didn’t like fish and seafood, especially as it didn’t change and you can go there twice for dinner. Only other choices were one beef dish, and a vegetarian scrambled eggs or omelete dish. There is also a pool bar at the other pool at the Bungalow end of the grounds, which we never ate at ourselves, but it seemed to have similar to the lobby bar menu. La Arcada is the bit more upscale place, and it’s better, with better presentation, better wine, and meal more gourmet style. We enjoyed our meal there.

With the package from Sunquest, we also could get a voucher if you wished to take advantage of it, for 20 CUC towards a meal at the Dupont Mansion, n