Hotel Playa Vista Azul

The kids had a great time with the pool and activities, and we adults got to relax and reconnect. Our family stay at Playa Vista Azul left us with some lovely memories, and we felt looked after throughout. The reception trainees were friendly and professional, so arriving was easy and welcoming. The Public Relations team and Community Manager also helped keep everything coordinated. We were happy with the atmosphere and service.

What made the stay special was the staff. Adryan in the premium section kept checking that we had what we needed, and when our flight was delayed he arranged a later room checkout at no charge, which helped a lot with our 3 kids. Katia, our waitress, always found a table for our family of 5 and made sure we were happy. The gardeners by the main pool were lovely too. They’d offer the kids a coconut or little leaf sculptures, which they loved. Lulu and the tall entertainer whose name I can’t remember could turn any moment into a party, and Lulu braided my daughter’s hair. At the beach, Johnny made sure we had a spot and took time to chat with us. There were many other kind people too. The hotel and rooms were pretty good, and I’d recommend the resort especially for families with kids of any age.

The beach was nice and there were plenty of chairs, and the bar and restaurant staff were good. Beyond that, the stay was poor. Reception and general service around the resort were weak, and I had no fresh beach towels all week, with no explanation. My key card stopped working three times and nobody apologized for the hassle. The safe needed batteries and the toilet wouldn’t flush. The AC was good, and I actually like a hard bed. Groundskeepers started mowing right outside the rooms at 7am. Rooms weren’t properly cleaned. The cleaners seemed to have only a couple of jugs of solution and a broom. They emptied the bin and arranged the blankets, then left. Water was only left if you tipped daily, and getting bottled water around the resort meant practically begging. Food was terrible and limited. Dinner started at 6:30, but by 8pm the buffet could be down to bread and rice. The beef and pork portions at the grill seemed to depend entirely on your tip. The À la Cartes were open some nights and shut on others, with no reliable schedule. We tried the Italian one: service was good, but the food was the same as the buffet. The buffet was generally very dirty, with too few tongs, and some guests touched the food with their hands. Be wary of the good reviews. A lot of the 5 star reviews on Google and Tripadvisor are from people with very little review history and oddly mention the animation team, whom I barely saw. It feels like the hotel is spamming reviews.

The location was really convenient, close to downtown Varadero and about 30 minutes from the airport. We had a great stay and would happily return. The beach was a trip highlight, and there was plenty of food variety so we never went hungry. Rooms were clean, comfortable, well maintained, and a solid 4 stars. The maids, bartenders, and other staff were A1, friendly, hardworking, and helpful. The entertainment team was fantastic too, and the shows were fun and well done.