Gran Caribe Sun Beach

The staff, especially at reception, were friendly and tried to help with everything. They gave me good advice about where to find things outside the hotel. The hotel itself was terrible, though. This is from mid August 2023, and about half the place was under construction or being repaired, including the pool, so there was no pool. From what I could see, finishing the work looked like it would take a few months. We found a tempting deal when we booked, but nobody told us about the construction or lack of pool, which was a big surprise. The room was bad too. We killed a roach on the first day, and it stayed there all week. Housekeeping only made the bed and never removed it. Part of the bathroom had no light. I reported it twice, but they didn’t have that kind of bulb in stock and couldn’t move me because the hotel was full. You might wonder why it was full. The government was using it as a summer camp for children with diabetes. I have nothing against the kids, but having a bunch of them together was a challenge. For example, they played Ding Dong Ditch at midnight.

The staff were nice, and the lobby, restaurant, exterior areas and pool were all fine. The rooms were a disaster, though, and the food was disgusting. The window air conditioner wasn’t installed properly, the bathroom door wouldn’t shut, the toilet wouldn’t flush, and the sofa bed looked like someone had just napped on it. Part of the closet wall had exposed concrete, and all the walls were sweating. They moved us to another room that was somewhat better kept. Locals we spoke to all said it was the worst hotel in Varadero. Sorry, but the place needs an overhaul.

I had a wonderful time, and for a 3-star hotel that’s being renovated, I think it’s okay. The staff were good despite having few resources. Breakfast was the only meal included, and we ate outside the hotel.

The only good part of my week here was the country’s natural beauty. Without that, this would’ve been the worst trip of my life. Reception worked well when I first arrived, but after that it felt like you needed a miracle. The restaurant was the worst. Dishes were dirty, as if nothing got washed, and the tablecloths were already dirty when I arrived and weren’t changed during my seven days. There weren’t enough dishes, so we had to wait for other people to finish before getting any. By the time it was our turn, the food was usually almost gone, with only a cold leftover portion. The hotel didn’t have food available all the time like you’d expect from “all inclusive.” At night they claimed to offer a sandwich, but it was just a piece of dry bread. The bars didn’t serve all day, had no drinks after 11 at night, and the daytime drinks, when available, were poor quality. Even water had to be bought. The pool water was dirty all the time. The rooms didn’t keep noise out, had broken light bulbs, and ran out of hot water sooner than you’d expect. The television looked like it was from the 80's and had no channels, LOL. Maids wouldn’t change towels or sheets without tips. Apparently the whole place, and Cuba, works on tips. Nobody treated me well, as if every bit of service was a favor. Only two people were nice to me: the kindest, cheerful black waitress in the bar, and a very sympathetic black woman who waited tables in the restaurant. The only good thing from my whole time in Cuba was the tours offered by AirCanada. They’re very good but very expensive. One more thing, they don’t like Americans very much, but everything is paid in American Dollars. If you see a price, it’s certainly American dollars.