This is an attractive Islazul property with 39 rooms featuring attractive all-stone, two-storey bungalows marvelously situated along the headland overlooking the river mouth. It´s rustic but full of ambience. Facilities include a small pool plus a restaurant. Some villas are modest with small bedrooms, others are huge with a pleasing contemporary feel; some even have kitchens.

Halfway between Havana and Varadero, this is a splendid 4-star resort run by the Jamaican all-inclusive chain Super-Clubs. There are 250 rooms and 10 suites on 10 acres of lush landscaped grounds with 300 meters of beach. This beautiful resort with a contemporary take on classical architecture, is centered on a vast swimming pool. Our personal highlight are the sizzling Jacuzzis on the edge of the pool.

This was formerly known as the Gran Hotel and with its lurid pinks, yellows and greens is somewhat difficult to miss. This is part of the Cubanacán chain, although since January 2009 has been managed by the Spanish group Hoteles C. It is a reasonable mid-range offering, which we are not convinced lives up to a 4 star billing.

Budget hounds are usually satisfied with a stay at this intimate little hotel, which occupies a former castle-like mansion on the main drag, one block from the beach and just a 15-minute stroll from the main center of activity in Varadero. We believe, with caveats, that this hotel offers good value for penny-pinching travelers who shun the all-inclusive resorts in favor of independence.

This is a popular option for budget travelers who can rent a one-bedroom apartment with kitchenette and small balcony at this Islazul property. It is a block to the beach which is a bit of a drag but given the price and pleasant ambience not an insurmountable one.

The 78-room Acuazul is a good Varadero budget option for, despite the jarring pink and blue façade, this stalwart hotel located on 1st Avenue in Varadero´s center is still close enough to the beach and offers friendly laid-back service and comfortable if unglamorous rooms.
There is a swimming pool in the back which is pleasant enough and the food will help with your diet.

What was once a shoddy and outdated Soviet-inspired hotel metamorphosed in 2005 as a splashy and endearing option with a stylish 21st-century aesthetic. The bold new color schemes may be a tad overdone for some tastes, but we like this Phoenix from the ashes. It is run as an all-inclusive by Spain´s Hotetur group. Although billed as a four-star, we consider this a three-star hotel.

If we were honeymooners seeking an upscale romantic resort in Cuba, this all-suite all-inclusive at Playa Rincón Francés would be our top choice. It opened in 2005 after protracted negotiations between Jamaica´s Sandals hotel chain and the Cuban government, producing a unique result—profit-sharing for staff (Sandals does not permit tipping). Combined with Sandals´ renowned staff training programs, the result is a level of service a notch above normal for Cuba.

Just a few minutes stroll from the heart of the action in Varadero, this contemporary hotel is a perfectly adequate four-star all-inclusive establishment that is advantageous for its proximity to central Varadero. Some people might find the rich tropical-fruit color schemes a tad too overripe, and much of the infrastructure and furnishings are dated.

The 5-star Barceló Cayo Libertad Hotel is best seen as an exclusive adjunct to its much larger twin the Barceló Marina Palace which is connected by golf buggies and to whose facilities you may also use.
It is located on a small exclusive Cayo Libertad Royal Island (the exclusive area of Barceló Marina Palace) and was opened in February 2006. It features 80 spacious junior suites, 4 large suites and 1 exclusive garden villa.

Perhaps our favorite all-inclusive beach resort hotel in the country, this beauty knocked us out the second it opened in December 2005. As if hinting at its exclusivity, it commands the very tip of the Hicacos Peninsula—a superb breeze-swept location just minutes from the Gaviota marina. Here the winds have kicked up sand dunes along the beach, sheltering the hotel grounds and adding a touch of drama to the local coastline.

Here´s a hotel that stole our hearts the moment we entered the lobby of this mammoth and architecturally-inspired hotel, which opened in 2005. The sloping, Mayan ziggurat-style structure—“Wow!”—is approached via a sweeping elevated drive framed by international flags. The cavernous, albeit sparsely furnished, atrium lobby speaks to the hip contemporary vogue, such as brushed stainless steel rails, that infuses this property throughout.

Spain´s Sol Meliá group has its formula well rehearsed by now and the opening of the Paradisus, in late 2005, proves the point. Take a gorgeous beachfront (in this case Playa Rincón Francés), add low-rise units tucked below the palms, grace said units with plantation rails and a sprinkling of thatch, and decorate throughout with Meliá´s trademark sponge-washed Robin´s-eggs blues and tropical fruit pastels with blinding whites for clinical counterpoint.

A lovely property, this is one of our favorite all-inclusive hotels on the island, and ranks well against the nearby Sandals and even many similar properties on neighboring islands. Launched in 2005 at the far eastern extreme of the peninsula, this sprawling and gracious resort is centered on a huge irregular swimming pool framed by a faux Spanish castle. There´s nothing outdated here, though.

Initially opened in 2006 as an all-inclusive run by Jamaica´s Sandals hotel chain, today this gorgeous property is now managed by Spain´s Sol Meliá group. It´s an all-round winner, from its sensational location at Punta Hicacos and its low-key colonial-inspired architecture to its sophisticated guestroom decor—as upscale as any in Cuba. We have no hesitation in recommending this 434-room, all-suite hotel. It is billed as five-star.

This was the fomer Sandals (Beaches) report. It has long been one of our favorite all-inclusive resorts in Varadero. The pluses include a handy location close enough to be away from the “downtown” action yet with Varadero village a short taxi or horse-carriage ride away. The grounds here are a riot of colorful bougainvillea. And the staff earns high marks, not least because the employees here have a small profit-sharing incentive ...

This hotel was renovated in January 2007 and re-opened under Iberostar management. It is located towards the end of the Hicacos Peninsula and occupies some prime beach real estate. There are 391 rooms including 4 junior suites and 40 connecting rooms.

Getting a room at this hugely popular hotel is always pot-luck. If you´re seeking to base yourself in the thick of things, making the most of Varadero away from the beach, then this three-star—but officially a “four star“—hotel immediately east of Parque Josone cannot be beaten.