I have no idea what the condition of this hotel is like after Hurricane Irma passed through but I can tell you that when I visited this place last year it wasn't one of the better hotels I stayed at. It's only redeeming quality, in my opinion, was that I was able to smoke my cigar almost anywhere I wanted, I wasn't allocated to the outside of the hotel like a leper in a country where one of it's main exports is tobacco. These last few years, more and more hotels in Cuba are disallowing smoking on their premises and sending smokers to designated areas that are usually somewhere outside in front of the hotel property. Regardless, the fact that we were allowed to smoke on the property didn't make up for all the negatives that this hotel possessed.
Let's start with the room....besides having to walk a fair distance to get to it, when we got to the building it was located in, the guest's elevator was out of order. We were able to use the service elevator but that wasn't a pleasant experience. When we entered the room, the whiff of mustiness entered our nostrils and the age of the furnishings was apparent. The bathroom was moldy and the view from the balcony wasn't appealing at all. As far as the food went, the buffet was marginal with the same boring choices ever day. The one positive note was that on one evening my spouse wasn't feeling well and the dining room manager allowed me to take our food to our room...something that's not permitted. The people working the front desk weren't in the most pleasant of moods either. From what I was able to determine, the inequities of the hotel had worn them out. With all the complaints I had witnessed while waiting my turn in line, I came to realize that they were tired of giving excuses and their mood mirrored the attitude of the irate clientele.
Although we had no intent to go there (it was a chilly drizzly week), the hotel was not located in front of a beach, it was a 10 minute walk across several blocks of road on the other side of the Varadero strip. You have to keep in mind that the hotels such as this one that are located within the town, are older and not all of them are located in front of the ocean. The further you go out along the strip, the newer the hotels are and all or almost all of them are beach front. The positive spin on being within the town is that you're close to where the action is, that is to say you can walk to restaurants, bars and stores. The other thing that made this hotel's location a positive for me was the fact that it was only a couple of blocks away from the 62 Street LCDH (cigar shop). Of course the price was also a factor, this was not an expensive hotel compared to the newer ones further along the strip. For the two days I stayed here, I wanted to be close to the town and after all was said and done, I got what I paid for. I would never want to stay here for one or more weeks but if price and location are more important to you than the other things I mentioned then maybe this hotel is for you.
Bellevue Palma Real Hotel Varadero
Ave 2 Y Calle 64,
Varadero
Let's start with the room....besides having to walk a fair distance to get to it, when we got to the building it was located in, the guest's elevator was out of order. We were able to use the service elevator but that wasn't a pleasant experience. When we entered the room, the whiff of mustiness entered our nostrils and the age of the furnishings was apparent. The bathroom was moldy and the view from the balcony wasn't appealing at all. As far as the food went, the buffet was marginal with the same boring choices ever day. The one positive note was that on one evening my spouse wasn't feeling well and the dining room manager allowed me to take our food to our room...something that's not permitted. The people working the front desk weren't in the most pleasant of moods either. From what I was able to determine, the inequities of the hotel had worn them out. With all the complaints I had witnessed while waiting my turn in line, I came to realize that they were tired of giving excuses and their mood mirrored the attitude of the irate clientele.
Although we had no intent to go there (it was a chilly drizzly week), the hotel was not located in front of a beach, it was a 10 minute walk across several blocks of road on the other side of the Varadero strip. You have to keep in mind that the hotels such as this one that are located within the town, are older and not all of them are located in front of the ocean. The further you go out along the strip, the newer the hotels are and all or almost all of them are beach front. The positive spin on being within the town is that you're close to where the action is, that is to say you can walk to restaurants, bars and stores. The other thing that made this hotel's location a positive for me was the fact that it was only a couple of blocks away from the 62 Street LCDH (cigar shop). Of course the price was also a factor, this was not an expensive hotel compared to the newer ones further along the strip. For the two days I stayed here, I wanted to be close to the town and after all was said and done, I got what I paid for. I would never want to stay here for one or more weeks but if price and location are more important to you than the other things I mentioned then maybe this hotel is for you.
Bellevue Palma Real Hotel Varadero
Ave 2 Y Calle 64,
Varadero
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