Tryp Peninsula Varadero Hotel

My brother, and I were in Cuba from Feb 3-10, my dad stayed an extra week after that. I had the most amazing time ever! I have travelled to Mexico and other places, and have to say by far that this was the best vacation ever! The food and the people were awesome! Went into Havana and had a blast. Met lots of awesome people. Had an unfortunate moped accident on my last day there, only good thing that came out of it was meeting two amazing guys from Toronto! Too bad I didn't get there e-mail addresses. So Justin and Lance if you guys read this review e-mail me!! It's Steph the crazy Calgarian!!!! This place was by far a five star resort! A must see!

We had a very nice week at the TRYP Peninsula in Varadero, from Frb. 11 to Feb. 18, 2003.The rooms are very nice and the site is indeed beautiful. I've got several issues to mention, however.They lack storage space. You have two shelves and two drawers (half depth) to store everything you have. If travelling with a baby, forget it.Thanks to those that have started giving extra tips (1$) to almost every employee they have contact with, it has become increasingly difficult to get service at this place. Apparently, our experience is not unique. Those who tip may well get little extras (like being served faster), but the others who don't still tip have to wait.So we often ended up waiting several minutes at the bar to be served; empoyees seemed to ignore customers, except when a known "tipper" came in. same goes for getting some lunch at the snack-bar counters. If tourists increasingly want to do this, then perhaps travel companies (Air Transat, Signature, etc.) should consider taking out the "service" fee included in the fare and let every customer pay his own tip. It's easy to go over 100$US per week...Please note that all electrical outlets in the rooms are of the europeean type (two round plugs), but THEY ARE COMPATIBLE with our North American plugs. They have the two required slots and they're polarized (i.e. one is larger than the other). Also, voltage is 220V, so make sure you plug something that can work @220V (i.e. electric shaver, camcorder power supply, etc.). One notable exception is in the bathroom, where there is ONE North-Am. 110V socket on the hair dryer, for electric shavers only.The water in every pool is not heated; since it was very windy and cold during the evenings/nights we were there (bring a warm sweater!), our 2-yr old son didn't enjoy the pools. Older kids didn't seem to care.Great baby club. They have a room full of toys (along with a plastic balls pool) and many videos to entertain the very young ones. It's open from about 9:30am up to 7:00pm; you can leave your baby to them for a couple of hours and go visit Varadero or enjoy the beach. If you want them to babysit during dinner (i.e. past 7:00pm), it's 5$US per hour.The miniclub has lots of activities and a "minishow" they do every evening at the central theater. Our baby seemed to enjoy that show a lot, but was too young to be in the miniclub. It's suited for children aged 4 and up.The turkish bath was still not working (has it ever been?).Buffet is very large, but is about 90% the same everyday. Arrive early if you want to enjoy little extras like some bubbly at the breakfast, or punch at dinner. When they ran out of them, they weren't keen to replace them fast.I'd definitely go back there with babies/children, given all the infrastructure they put in place for them; however, I'd would probably try another place if travelling only with teens and/or adults.

FEB 10-17/03-Just got home. Read the reviews before I left and must agree, the best coffee in the whole resort was in the lounge. The food was plentiful with fresh bread/pastries daily. Lots of selection and many different things to choose from. My only wish...salt/pepper (any kind of spice) Salt was hard to get out of shaker (even with rice inside) and pepper was white (no flavor) I would definately take my own next time. You would think that the food would be spicey, but trust me, it was not. Drinks were plentiful and good. The lounge made the best and had everything to offer. Give the waiter/waitress/bartender one US dollar, and you will be taken care of the whole day. Take your own wash cloths and first aide, (especially band-aids and aloe). They don't seem to have wash cloths and the band-aids were about $0.50 US for one, and they do only sell them singlely. All medicine's, first aide etc. are very scarce, although one group in our resort needed the doctor and did manage to get a prescription filled. The resort itself is absolutely wonderful. The rooms are very clean, spacious and have both a tub and shower (each separate) as well as a walk-in "very large" dressing room/closet, with full length mirror. Our safe gave us some trouble, but found out it was a dead battery. Take our advise, if you are having trouble, go to the front desk right away, we waited and then could not get in the morning we were due to take a tour. The staff was most helpful, but I did find that "few" knew English and those that did, where limited. I was told not to bother tipping as it was an "all" inclusive, but we did start tipping at dinner, and found our table was always held for us and that we had a few "extra's" that others didn't (ie: crackers for the crab as well as finger bowls) Also, if you want to eat at the a-la-carte restaurants, make sure you get in the line-up at the business centre before 3PM (that is when they book for the next day) We never did get t;excellent" and had very tasty food. All in all, I felt, after seeing some of the other resorts, that the TRYP Peninsula, was well worth the money we paid and I would definately go back again. We did not have any children with us, and were delighted that they put families at one end of the resort and that they had their own pool as well. And for those that are afraid of crime etc., I never felt more safe, even at night when I was walking around our resort. I would definately rate this a five star.....

My daughter and I had a great week at TRYP Peninsula. The resort is beautiful. Only slight disappointment was there really are no "ocean view" rooms. Lovely big room. We took, as suggested by previous Cuba visitors, to take little $1. store gifts for the chambermaid. She was so greatful, as rum is $5. a bottle, but toothpaste is $5. a tube. We took fancy soaps, colouring books and crayons, Smarties, gum, and shoes that don't fit, but still in good condition. The beach was beautiful and much deeper and roomier than the resort on either side of us. The buffets are huge and excellent, with lots of fresh fruit. Make sure you book a couple of dinners at the Tuscarora a la carte restaurant. You have to book it between 3 and 5 p.m. the day before. It is excellent, with live dinner music. Also, make sure you try the Gondola drink, in the Italian restaurant. A great time in Cuba with 85 F and constant sun !!

Just got back from the Tryp Peninsula Varadero on Feb.11 2003. Having travelled alot in Mexico, Dominican Republic, the Bahamas and Cuba, I have to say that this hotel is a real five stars. Everything was wonderful: the food, the room, the animation, the staff and luckily the weather was on our side. Not a cloud nor a drop of rain in sight. We were on the beach every single day except one because we rented scooters to go to Varadero: a must do. There is a nice place to go dancing on Saturday nights: The Mambo Club. It is not far from the hotel and it costs 4$ to go by taxi. There are Cubans and tourists. There is a live Cuban band with professional dancers that come and get you to dance. Don't go there during week nights because it's very quiet. By the way, we were two women in our 30s and we always felt safe.T he Tryp is definitely a place to go!!

This resort is beautiful! Well kept, & very clean. All of the conveniences we required were made available. (except an ice bucket) My husband and I went 1st week in February. The weather was around 80 -85 each day - sunny and warm. The ocean was warm and the beach clean. We were very comfortable here. The service was great - housekeeping did an exceptionally good job. They will bring you face clothes if you ask, but it is not a common practice. Suffice it to say we would go back. The food was a little bland, but we tend to like things on the spicy side - not everyone does. The people are friendly and helpful.

We just back on Jan 27th from a really great vacation. The hotel was exquisitely clean, the staff was friendly, the food was definitely not as bad as all the reviews I read. It was more than edible and the choice at the buffet was mind boggling. I gained 5 lbs! (of course that could be the unlimited drinks that I partook of without limits!). The rooms were beautiful and I wanted to take the bathroom home with me! Every room has a balcony and we started everyday sitting out there sipping coffee and listening to the sound of the waves hitting the beach. Then off to the buffet for a breakfast of anything and everything you could think of (don't drink the coffee there! yuck!...go to the lobby bar where its really good). After breakfast we would wander to the beach where there was always enough chairs for everyone though if you wanted an umbrella (we didn't) you had to get there a bit earlier. A few hours on the beach and we would make our way to the pool where we would have a a couple of drinks at the pool bar and maybe get lunch at the snack bar. The food there is okay-ish. If you order a burger and fries, you get a fried egg on the side. What's that about??! :) Then back to our beautiful room for a shower and a nap before heading back to the buffet for dinner. After dinner there is a show most nights and then most head to the lobby bar where they can't make a good drink (or make the same drink the same way twice) to save their lives but after a couple you stop noticing! During our one week stay we rented a scooter and drove into Varadero. This is a must do in my opinion! The scooter ride was a lot of fun and Veradero is only about 20 mins away from the hotel. The town itself is pretty small and not all that much to see though we did find a small thatch-roof open air bar perched at the edge of a beautiful beach where we spent a couple of hours enjoying the scenery. There is also a nice little market there for souvenir shopping. We took the bus tour into Havana. You leave at 7:30 a.m and are back at 8 p.m. at night. This trip was not a pleasant experience. I generally felt unsafe and the people asking for dollars and skulking around us made me distinctly uncomfortable. The market is VERY crowded and once in an aisle you have a very hard time getting out. Not for claustrophobic or agoraphobic for sure! The items at the market were easily found at the hotel or at the market in Varadero without the crowds. It was certainly an experience to go. I enjoyed the cigar factory tour. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and I learned much from him but if I had the choice of taking this tour again, I would turn it down. It was 70.00 U.S., the lunch included was not at all good and I felt generally unsafe the majority of the time we were there. The city, though beautiful in its day, is now tired and run down. If your main concern is not getting some cigars, take another of the excursions available. The resort is not a big party place if that is what you are looking for. Its mainly couples and families. Its very relaxing and stress free. All your needs are met with a smile. *** If you tip the barstaff, they will always motion you to the front of the line. My boyfriend actually had 2 bartenders fighting to serve him and there was a big line of people waiting in front of him! We generally tipped a $1.00 per round (as we would at home) and never did we have to wait. Well worth it I think! *** If you go on one of the excursions, 30 minutes or more of your bus ride will be spent picking up people at other hotels. The Tryp is one of the last resorts on the strip so you are first on and last off. *** The gifts and alcohol that can be bought in the hotel store is generally cheaper than you will find in Varadero or Havana! The cigars are pretty much the same price. I would go again in a second.

I went to Tryp with 6 other guys, and we were hoping for a big, young, free for all...we did not get what we expected. What we got was a lot of excellent food, all we could possibly drink(we are from the east coast)better service than I could have possibly imagined, an excellent amount of beautiful people, men,(We are all hetero) women, young and old, and basically the best time I can remember, or hope to experience in the future. the weather was unseasonably cold, but we still had 3 beach days...it was what we made it, but the accomodations, staff, and overall resort certaintly helped......booking very soon for next year. If you are from Portugal, and are wearing my necklace on your ankle, and thinking of me....(jeffmatche@hotmail.com)I'm trying to reach you..........Yes, I am drinking; again

Being a world traveler, I recently had the pleasure and oppurtunity to stay at the Tryp Peninsula all inclusive hotel in Varadero Beach, Cuba. The staff was friendly prosfesional and knowledgeable. The activities director has an excellent program for clients of all ages, a very especial program for children, and entertainment for adults which rival any top of the line Cruise ship. The food is in abundace, good taste and great variety. In a rating of 1 to 10 I give it a 10+.

Just got back on January 18th, 2003. My husband & son and parents all were there from Jan. 10th-18th. We had a great time but just on returning home my son(3) has been ill with bloddy diarrehea!!!!! He just got diagonsed with"HAMBURGER DISEASE" Not to scare you all just don't eat the HAMBURGERS!!!!!!!!!! The meat at this resort can be contaminated??? Especially if you are taking children play it on the safe side and do not feed them hamburgers!! Eveything else on the resort is faboulous but the kids club is way to far from the beach area. We chose this resort becuase of the kids club but the location was of the club was not great. Our child decided to stay on the beach instead. The weather was not great but apparently this month is very cold. Overall we had a great time, just take extra precaution on what you choose to eat and make sure the meat is fully cooked!