Hotetur Palma Real Hotel, Varadero
Hotel Information
Hotel Class:
Hotel Description:
The Hotetur Palma Real Hotel is located very near to the beach, Hotetur Palma Real is better than ever. Managed by the Spanish Hotetur chain, the Palma Real has undergone many recent renovations and now offers fabulous value in the hub of Varadero. The Hotel Palma Real stands in the centre of Varadero. Its location allows you easy access to the beach and to the atmosphere on the streets of the city. Its architecture maintains the harmony of the landscape inspired in the pure Cuban style. loading...
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Hotetur Palma Real Hotel Reviews
" Excellent Holiday "
Submitted By: mnadin
Stayed in 4 Hotetur chain hotels prior: Majorca, Lanzorote, Mexico, and now Cuba! This hotetur is the best standard by far!!!
General: Hotel was in a fantastic location about 2 minute walk from the beautiful picturesque sandy beach of Varadero. Close to Calle 62 outdoor bar, which served excellent drinks at reasonable prices. Internatinal night club was a 10 minute walk away from the hotel. It cost 10 cuc entrance fee but it is well worth it!
The hotel was extremely clean, and the rooms were cleaned daily and the helpful/ friendliness of the cleaning staff is exceptional. Reception is very helpful. Bar staff can be quiet miserable and don’t really interact but they get the job done.
The restaurant is pretty and nice to eat in…. The staff are lovely and helpful… Cleaning is exceptional. However the food isn’t great… Not much choice and the food is extremely poor standard. Every meal time they serve fish, not much choice and not child friendly. I lived off chips but they are always cold. The deserts are poor and the best thing is the ice cream. Snack bar tended to be a better option for lunch.
Drinks generally poor, not much selection as it is a poor communist country it is to be expected the Cubian people are lovely!!
Alex the Thomas cook rep is helpful and friendly. The entertainment staff are wonderful: Black diamond, Jennifer, and Energy!!!! The entrainment in the hotel is typical Cuba style all the time, but you get used to it!
Overall Excellent and good value for money! Go for it!!
General: Hotel was in a fantastic location about 2 minute walk from the beautiful picturesque sandy beach of Varadero. Close to Calle 62 outdoor bar, which served excellent drinks at reasonable prices. Internatinal night club was a 10 minute walk away from the hotel. It cost 10 cuc entrance fee but it is well worth it!
The hotel was extremely clean, and the rooms were cleaned daily and the helpful/ friendliness of the cleaning staff is exceptional. Reception is very helpful. Bar staff can be quiet miserable and don’t really interact but they get the job done.
The restaurant is pretty and nice to eat in…. The staff are lovely and helpful… Cleaning is exceptional. However the food isn’t great… Not much choice and the food is extremely poor standard. Every meal time they serve fish, not much choice and not child friendly. I lived off chips but they are always cold. The deserts are poor and the best thing is the ice cream. Snack bar tended to be a better option for lunch.
Drinks generally poor, not much selection as it is a poor communist country it is to be expected the Cubian people are lovely!!
Alex the Thomas cook rep is helpful and friendly. The entertainment staff are wonderful: Black diamond, Jennifer, and Energy!!!! The entrainment in the hotel is typical Cuba style all the time, but you get used to it!
Overall Excellent and good value for money! Go for it!!
Good for: Beach
4 out of
4 readers found this review helpful
- Date of Holiday:May 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" Perfection "
Submitted By: CarolineandAshley
Hotel Palma Real,
Location: 9/10
The hotel is not located directly on the beach, but its a few seconds walk across the road. Its a good location and theres a beach cafe as part of the hotel that is directly on the beach. While on the beach the hotel has its own bit, however it is a very small space so it can be hard to find a bed thats free. The beach though is stunning, its clean and lovely, and there is shade also. The sea is like a warm bath and theres little stalls that go up and down the beach that sell bits and bobs real cheap.
Food and Drink: 8/10
All inc is the best way to go on this type of holiday becasue everything is free. inc alcahol ! We found that the food was really yummy, but didnt change much in our 2 week stay so our meals became slightly predictable, which was a shame. Desert tho was amazung and yummy.
There are pool bars also, but we found the staff very rude, and wernt at all interested in us. We were waiting ages for some water while she was chatting on the phone =/.... Other than that theres a nice italian resturant also which makes a change but the menu is slightly restricting but it makes a change.
Things to do: 8/10
We were occupied the whole time we were there, theres soooo many things you can do. Theres swimming with dolphins, boat trips, bannana boats, horse riding, shopping and the beach, plus a whole lot more.
So i thought there was totally something for everyone.
Accomodation: 8/10
Rooms are big, nice bathroom, cleaned everyday and they leave flowers and make shapes out of the towels. The sleeping arrangements we found real good, cant find any faults at all.
Location: 9/10
The hotel is not located directly on the beach, but its a few seconds walk across the road. Its a good location and theres a beach cafe as part of the hotel that is directly on the beach. While on the beach the hotel has its own bit, however it is a very small space so it can be hard to find a bed thats free. The beach though is stunning, its clean and lovely, and there is shade also. The sea is like a warm bath and theres little stalls that go up and down the beach that sell bits and bobs real cheap.
Food and Drink: 8/10
All inc is the best way to go on this type of holiday becasue everything is free. inc alcahol ! We found that the food was really yummy, but didnt change much in our 2 week stay so our meals became slightly predictable, which was a shame. Desert tho was amazung and yummy.
There are pool bars also, but we found the staff very rude, and wernt at all interested in us. We were waiting ages for some water while she was chatting on the phone =/.... Other than that theres a nice italian resturant also which makes a change but the menu is slightly restricting but it makes a change.
Things to do: 8/10
We were occupied the whole time we were there, theres soooo many things you can do. Theres swimming with dolphins, boat trips, bannana boats, horse riding, shopping and the beach, plus a whole lot more.
So i thought there was totally something for everyone.
Accomodation: 8/10
Rooms are big, nice bathroom, cleaned everyday and they leave flowers and make shapes out of the towels. The sleeping arrangements we found real good, cant find any faults at all.
Advice: Amazing, relaxing and absolutly gawgus
Activities: Swimming with dolphins, Havana
Good for: Beach
4 out of
4 readers found this review helpful
- Date of Holiday:Jul 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Booked Independently
" Staying at this hotel spoilt our holiday "
Submitted By: hmgvs
We have just returned from the Hotel Palma Real. Unfortunately staying at this hotel ruined what would have probably been a nice holiday in Cuba. I feel so strongly about this that I have written to the hotel management in Palma, Majorca (I don’t feel that the management at Palma Real would take any notice of any comments) with my concerns in the hope that they may address some of them.
This is my report – No apologies for the length, I just want you to know what it’s like!
I emailed the hotel before we went requesting a specific room. They did not reply to me email until I contacted them for the fourth time when they said they would try to accommodate us but could not give any guarantee. When we arrived we found ourselves in a room far away from the one we requested ,which had been allocated to someone else on the same day that we arrived, so obviously no intention of trying to accommodate us.
We asked, after one day, to change rooms but they said none were available and to check back after a few days however there was someone asking to change their room located in the area that we wanted and they were complaining because of all the noise that went on all day around the pool which was located near to the room so we did not bother.
ROOM: Our room was basic but clean except for the blankets in the wardrobe which looked mankey so we did not use them, we used our towels and coats when we were cold. There was no fridge and no sun at any time of the day. The room was facing the road which was quite noisy. The cleaning of the room was very good and when I asked for a faulty bulb to be replaced it was done the same day. The noise level In this hotel is also terrible. The corridors are very echoey and unfortunately most residents are not considerate when coming & going to their rooms. The shouting and whooping in the corridors and slamming of doors was constant, especially when the disco shut at 4-5am or when people were leaving in the middle of the night, they would bump their suitcases on wheels down 4 flights of stairs!
Someone we spoke to had a really bad smell from the drain in their room which came and went during the holiday, they also suffered a lot with no hot water, a problem which we never had.
FOOD: The food at this hotel is dire. I had read many forums so was prepared for the food not to be the best but nothing could have prepared me for what we got. 99% of the dishes were either luke warm or cold and very bland lacking in taste. The pasta sauces were as thin as water, the salads & vegetables very uninspiring. My husband loves fish and had several cooked on the griddle but unfortunately many times they were raw in the middle. The deserts consisted of melon(no taste) pineapple(unripe and sharp)orange(ok), icecream(providing you got there quick before it run out) and cakes(these looked lovely but don’t eat cakes so couldn’t be sure). The free red & white wine was like vinegar and the orange juice tasted like powder mix.
I think the bacon at breakfast must have been deep fried from frozen as you would get 4-5 sliced all stuck and cooked together. Also they would serve up food not used from the night before such as liver (we had this 4 days on the trot at every meal) and brussel sprouts & broccoli.
After trying to eat here every night we got so despondent that we eventually gave up and eat out at local restaurants and had lovely meals. We also had lovely meals at other hotels we stayed at on trips out.
Don’t give me the old story “poor country, no food etc…” we have been to poorer countries and had food 500% better than this, also other hotels managed so why not here!
The plates were always cold and the tablecloths were always dirty unless you were the first person to use them. You got a knife and fork and maybe either a teaspoon or a desert spoon depending what was available. I also often found hairs I my food.
CUBAN RESTAURANT – Don’t bother with this, it was worse than the main restaurant with less choice.
CHINESE – What would it take to get a Chinese chef? At least you would get something resembling a Chinese not just chicken casserole with a dash of curry powder.
PIZZA RESTAURANT – The only place they can make a Pizza without tomato’s!
The pasta sauce is like dishwater and the birds are flying around inside this place, crapping all over the tables.
There were also people smoking in restaurants which was awful.
BARS & DRINK: There are several bars; the main one is in the lobby of the hotel which is also the main relaxation area in the evenings. They serve cocktails that have absolutely no resemblance to cocktails that you may know. They have two ‘slush’ machines, one lemon one clear (?), every cocktail starts with a glass of this and is then topped up with some alcohol and some colouring from a squeezy bottle. Some cocktails they have ready made in jugs! I had a Pina Colada and if you had blindfolded me I would not have been able to guess any ingredients! The beer was often flat and the wine undrinkable, it was like vinegar. I resorted to Pineapple juice, my husband drunk rum & coke. Bars shut at 11 & 12pm.
There were no named brands of drink i.e. Baileys, Gordons Gin, Bells whiskey etc that you could even have paid for if you wanted.
The noise level in the main lobby in the evenings was also really bad with everyone trying to talk loudly so they could be heard above everyone else. I would liken it to a swimming pool if you can imagine the crescendo of sound it was very similar. There is a high element of young people in this hotel and so there is a lot of drunkenness and game playing going on. Now I am no fuddy duddy and mix with a lot of young people (Rugby Club!) at home but would have liked to been aware of this so I could decide if this was what I wanted on my holiday.
BEACH BAR: of all the place to eat and drink this was probably the best of the worst. The food (burger, hotdog or chips) was at least edible & hot, probable because it was freshly cooked so get there fast or it will be gone! The paella they served up at 12.30 every day was stodge! The drinks were the same as the main bar but the beer was always fizzy as the barrel was new every day due to the number of Canadians filling up their ridiculously large thermos mugs (what is it with these!! Can understand you want to keep drinks cold but why be so greedy and have such large capacity ones?) Due to this fact the beer often run out long before the bar closed.
This area was always filthy though with bins overflowing with litter and food all over the floor encouraging birds & cats to frequent this area. One morning we found that the rubbish from the previous day was still in the overflowing bins. There were only 3 tables and 9 chairs here so nowhere to sit & eat food.
Beware of the jellyfish that appear on the beach and in the water, two girls got stung whilst we were there.
HOTEL FACILITIES:
Internet: There is no internet in this hotel. The leaflet in your room says ask at reception – when I did I was told to visit another hotel or go to the internet café down the road (quite a long way down the road!). There obviously had been internet in the past because there is an empty room which says “INTERNET” on the door and on looking through the glass you can see where all the equipment used to be. This room is next to the post office room where a girl sits all day incase someone wants to buy & post a card. I wouldn’t have thought it would be hard to incorporate this room with hers so she could cover both. In this day & age internet access id almost a must – we felt really cut off without it! There was even internet access in the hotel we stayed in high up in the mountains so why not here?
Information: The lack of information at this hotel is astounding. There are no maps of Varadero, no information on tourist buses, local cabs or how to get around.
There is a shop, a post office and an independent tourist desk in block 1 but unless you are staying in this block you wouldn’t know they were there as there is no indication in reception. Unless someone has told you of the Cuban and Chinese and the need to book then again, you would be unaware of this. There is no explanation of what places you can eat at in the hotel or what their opening times are.
We asked the reception staff several questions about local places to visit and they just shrugged their shoulders and said “we don’t understand”, which was their stock answer to most questions. On going outside and talking to a Cuban taxi driver he understood straight away!
The clocks went forwards when we were there – there was one notice pinned to a door which almost everybody missed consequently turning up for breakfast the next day to find the restaurant closed!
It wouldn’t have taken much to have put a printed slip of paper on the beds when the maid cleaned the room.
We had a rep from Sunset holidays who can to the hotel and would answer any questions we had but if you wanted to see him then it meant hanging around the hotel until his visit whereas it would have been more helpful to have had this information available in the hotel.
.
GYM: Don’t bother with this, most of the equipment is broken. When my husband used what there was, the person supervising him left and told him to lock the door on his way out!
SWIMMING POOL: The Water looked clean but was littered with cigarette buts and garden debris. The water level was below the filter scuppers on most days which would result in the water not being filtered/cleaned. The surfaces of the pools were in very bad condition with many cracks and in areas several large patches of tiles missing. My husband actually cut his heel on a broken tile.
After swallowing a large amount of pool water on one occasion he developed a throat problem – coincidence?
We often found broken glass around the pool area.
GENERAL: There were always empty or half empty glasses or cups and saucers laying around in this hotel, not on the tables so much but around the seating areas, left on the pool table, shelves and cupboards, grass, sunbeds etc.. It may be that people just couldn’t face drinking these awful drinks or they just couldn’t be bothered to take them back to the bar area. We would often come down in the morning in the lift (when it was working!) and find half empty glasses left on the floor of the lift or even on the stairs. If the bar was busy the night before it would just be piled with glasses waiting to be washed when the barman came on duty – very off putting first thing in the morning (talking 9-10am not really early). Also ashtrays would be overflowing and cig butts littering the walkways.
The room cleaners and gardeners (who did a splendid job!) did their best to keep clear but what would it take to have a few extra staff on to specifically go round clearing all areas?
TRIPS: I would thoroughly recommend the “Rambo 2 day Trip” if you like to see the countryside and real Cuba. It involves a 3 hr walking trip through the Eco forest in the mountains and an overnight stay in a mountain resort. The Overnight Havana was also good but give the Tropicana a miss as it is so touristy and not worth the money – you would be better to go into Havana and seek out music in a bar.
We chose Varedero as it was supposed to have lots of bars in the area and places to walk. The bars mostly close at 10pm so unless you get out early you will be walking on empty streets, there are not many people around as they are drinking in the all-inclusive hotels. We went to Calle 62 a few times as we thought it would be typical Cuban entertainment according to forums but found it to be so touristy with drinking and kissing games and then tacky pop music, the same every night.
On a more personal note – I found that the prostitution that was blatantly going on was very upsetting. There is security on the main door of the hotel but they obviously let there girls and their minders in. There was a man (elderly) who came out on our trip who was with different girls (very young) and their minders over the time we were there. They were not wearing the all inclusive bands and he was going to the bar and getting them all drinks before making his way (with girl) to his accommodation block at the end of the night! Now I am not so naïve to think that this does not happen but this was open and unashamedly taking place in the lobby bar every night.
We also found that Calle 62 was another place where this was happening.
Had we spent £500 on this holiday then I would have put it down to experience and said ‘Oh well you get what you paid’ for but we spent £2000 , hardly a small amount, another £500 on trips + all the meals when we ate out trying to get away from this hotel. We travelled with Thomas Cook.
I read many forums regarding this hotel and did not think the comments were that bad but on re-reading them it would seem that most comments come from Canadians, usually young, for whom the cost is much less and they are obviously happy with this level of hotel. It was like Butlins with a much lower level of service & food!
It was not only us that were very disappointed with this hotel but several British couples that we met at this resort felt the same. We were all counting the days during the second week until our flight home!
This is my report – No apologies for the length, I just want you to know what it’s like!
I emailed the hotel before we went requesting a specific room. They did not reply to me email until I contacted them for the fourth time when they said they would try to accommodate us but could not give any guarantee. When we arrived we found ourselves in a room far away from the one we requested ,which had been allocated to someone else on the same day that we arrived, so obviously no intention of trying to accommodate us.
We asked, after one day, to change rooms but they said none were available and to check back after a few days however there was someone asking to change their room located in the area that we wanted and they were complaining because of all the noise that went on all day around the pool which was located near to the room so we did not bother.
ROOM: Our room was basic but clean except for the blankets in the wardrobe which looked mankey so we did not use them, we used our towels and coats when we were cold. There was no fridge and no sun at any time of the day. The room was facing the road which was quite noisy. The cleaning of the room was very good and when I asked for a faulty bulb to be replaced it was done the same day. The noise level In this hotel is also terrible. The corridors are very echoey and unfortunately most residents are not considerate when coming & going to their rooms. The shouting and whooping in the corridors and slamming of doors was constant, especially when the disco shut at 4-5am or when people were leaving in the middle of the night, they would bump their suitcases on wheels down 4 flights of stairs!
Someone we spoke to had a really bad smell from the drain in their room which came and went during the holiday, they also suffered a lot with no hot water, a problem which we never had.
FOOD: The food at this hotel is dire. I had read many forums so was prepared for the food not to be the best but nothing could have prepared me for what we got. 99% of the dishes were either luke warm or cold and very bland lacking in taste. The pasta sauces were as thin as water, the salads & vegetables very uninspiring. My husband loves fish and had several cooked on the griddle but unfortunately many times they were raw in the middle. The deserts consisted of melon(no taste) pineapple(unripe and sharp)orange(ok), icecream(providing you got there quick before it run out) and cakes(these looked lovely but don’t eat cakes so couldn’t be sure). The free red & white wine was like vinegar and the orange juice tasted like powder mix.
I think the bacon at breakfast must have been deep fried from frozen as you would get 4-5 sliced all stuck and cooked together. Also they would serve up food not used from the night before such as liver (we had this 4 days on the trot at every meal) and brussel sprouts & broccoli.
After trying to eat here every night we got so despondent that we eventually gave up and eat out at local restaurants and had lovely meals. We also had lovely meals at other hotels we stayed at on trips out.
Don’t give me the old story “poor country, no food etc…” we have been to poorer countries and had food 500% better than this, also other hotels managed so why not here!
The plates were always cold and the tablecloths were always dirty unless you were the first person to use them. You got a knife and fork and maybe either a teaspoon or a desert spoon depending what was available. I also often found hairs I my food.
CUBAN RESTAURANT – Don’t bother with this, it was worse than the main restaurant with less choice.
CHINESE – What would it take to get a Chinese chef? At least you would get something resembling a Chinese not just chicken casserole with a dash of curry powder.
PIZZA RESTAURANT – The only place they can make a Pizza without tomato’s!
The pasta sauce is like dishwater and the birds are flying around inside this place, crapping all over the tables.
There were also people smoking in restaurants which was awful.
BARS & DRINK: There are several bars; the main one is in the lobby of the hotel which is also the main relaxation area in the evenings. They serve cocktails that have absolutely no resemblance to cocktails that you may know. They have two ‘slush’ machines, one lemon one clear (?), every cocktail starts with a glass of this and is then topped up with some alcohol and some colouring from a squeezy bottle. Some cocktails they have ready made in jugs! I had a Pina Colada and if you had blindfolded me I would not have been able to guess any ingredients! The beer was often flat and the wine undrinkable, it was like vinegar. I resorted to Pineapple juice, my husband drunk rum & coke. Bars shut at 11 & 12pm.
There were no named brands of drink i.e. Baileys, Gordons Gin, Bells whiskey etc that you could even have paid for if you wanted.
The noise level in the main lobby in the evenings was also really bad with everyone trying to talk loudly so they could be heard above everyone else. I would liken it to a swimming pool if you can imagine the crescendo of sound it was very similar. There is a high element of young people in this hotel and so there is a lot of drunkenness and game playing going on. Now I am no fuddy duddy and mix with a lot of young people (Rugby Club!) at home but would have liked to been aware of this so I could decide if this was what I wanted on my holiday.
BEACH BAR: of all the place to eat and drink this was probably the best of the worst. The food (burger, hotdog or chips) was at least edible & hot, probable because it was freshly cooked so get there fast or it will be gone! The paella they served up at 12.30 every day was stodge! The drinks were the same as the main bar but the beer was always fizzy as the barrel was new every day due to the number of Canadians filling up their ridiculously large thermos mugs (what is it with these!! Can understand you want to keep drinks cold but why be so greedy and have such large capacity ones?) Due to this fact the beer often run out long before the bar closed.
This area was always filthy though with bins overflowing with litter and food all over the floor encouraging birds & cats to frequent this area. One morning we found that the rubbish from the previous day was still in the overflowing bins. There were only 3 tables and 9 chairs here so nowhere to sit & eat food.
Beware of the jellyfish that appear on the beach and in the water, two girls got stung whilst we were there.
HOTEL FACILITIES:
Internet: There is no internet in this hotel. The leaflet in your room says ask at reception – when I did I was told to visit another hotel or go to the internet café down the road (quite a long way down the road!). There obviously had been internet in the past because there is an empty room which says “INTERNET” on the door and on looking through the glass you can see where all the equipment used to be. This room is next to the post office room where a girl sits all day incase someone wants to buy & post a card. I wouldn’t have thought it would be hard to incorporate this room with hers so she could cover both. In this day & age internet access id almost a must – we felt really cut off without it! There was even internet access in the hotel we stayed in high up in the mountains so why not here?
Information: The lack of information at this hotel is astounding. There are no maps of Varadero, no information on tourist buses, local cabs or how to get around.
There is a shop, a post office and an independent tourist desk in block 1 but unless you are staying in this block you wouldn’t know they were there as there is no indication in reception. Unless someone has told you of the Cuban and Chinese and the need to book then again, you would be unaware of this. There is no explanation of what places you can eat at in the hotel or what their opening times are.
We asked the reception staff several questions about local places to visit and they just shrugged their shoulders and said “we don’t understand”, which was their stock answer to most questions. On going outside and talking to a Cuban taxi driver he understood straight away!
The clocks went forwards when we were there – there was one notice pinned to a door which almost everybody missed consequently turning up for breakfast the next day to find the restaurant closed!
It wouldn’t have taken much to have put a printed slip of paper on the beds when the maid cleaned the room.
We had a rep from Sunset holidays who can to the hotel and would answer any questions we had but if you wanted to see him then it meant hanging around the hotel until his visit whereas it would have been more helpful to have had this information available in the hotel.
.
GYM: Don’t bother with this, most of the equipment is broken. When my husband used what there was, the person supervising him left and told him to lock the door on his way out!
SWIMMING POOL: The Water looked clean but was littered with cigarette buts and garden debris. The water level was below the filter scuppers on most days which would result in the water not being filtered/cleaned. The surfaces of the pools were in very bad condition with many cracks and in areas several large patches of tiles missing. My husband actually cut his heel on a broken tile.
After swallowing a large amount of pool water on one occasion he developed a throat problem – coincidence?
We often found broken glass around the pool area.
GENERAL: There were always empty or half empty glasses or cups and saucers laying around in this hotel, not on the tables so much but around the seating areas, left on the pool table, shelves and cupboards, grass, sunbeds etc.. It may be that people just couldn’t face drinking these awful drinks or they just couldn’t be bothered to take them back to the bar area. We would often come down in the morning in the lift (when it was working!) and find half empty glasses left on the floor of the lift or even on the stairs. If the bar was busy the night before it would just be piled with glasses waiting to be washed when the barman came on duty – very off putting first thing in the morning (talking 9-10am not really early). Also ashtrays would be overflowing and cig butts littering the walkways.
The room cleaners and gardeners (who did a splendid job!) did their best to keep clear but what would it take to have a few extra staff on to specifically go round clearing all areas?
TRIPS: I would thoroughly recommend the “Rambo 2 day Trip” if you like to see the countryside and real Cuba. It involves a 3 hr walking trip through the Eco forest in the mountains and an overnight stay in a mountain resort. The Overnight Havana was also good but give the Tropicana a miss as it is so touristy and not worth the money – you would be better to go into Havana and seek out music in a bar.
We chose Varedero as it was supposed to have lots of bars in the area and places to walk. The bars mostly close at 10pm so unless you get out early you will be walking on empty streets, there are not many people around as they are drinking in the all-inclusive hotels. We went to Calle 62 a few times as we thought it would be typical Cuban entertainment according to forums but found it to be so touristy with drinking and kissing games and then tacky pop music, the same every night.
On a more personal note – I found that the prostitution that was blatantly going on was very upsetting. There is security on the main door of the hotel but they obviously let there girls and their minders in. There was a man (elderly) who came out on our trip who was with different girls (very young) and their minders over the time we were there. They were not wearing the all inclusive bands and he was going to the bar and getting them all drinks before making his way (with girl) to his accommodation block at the end of the night! Now I am not so naïve to think that this does not happen but this was open and unashamedly taking place in the lobby bar every night.
We also found that Calle 62 was another place where this was happening.
Had we spent £500 on this holiday then I would have put it down to experience and said ‘Oh well you get what you paid’ for but we spent £2000 , hardly a small amount, another £500 on trips + all the meals when we ate out trying to get away from this hotel. We travelled with Thomas Cook.
I read many forums regarding this hotel and did not think the comments were that bad but on re-reading them it would seem that most comments come from Canadians, usually young, for whom the cost is much less and they are obviously happy with this level of hotel. It was like Butlins with a much lower level of service & food!
It was not only us that were very disappointed with this hotel but several British couples that we met at this resort felt the same. We were all counting the days during the second week until our flight home!
2 out of
7 readers found this review helpful
- Date of Holiday:Mar 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" Amazing holiday "
Submitted By: 2shy1
We'v been with my better half for holiday in Palma Real Hotel a few days ago.I mean exactly since 6th to 20th of January anno domini.I heard bad things about Cuba's food.Thats actually truth but if someone come for holiday to fat himself then i'm really sorry with him.Music is everywhere,fantastic band'Son Morteno',brillant entertainment.People very friendly(I mean staff ),not very loudy Canadian people without manners(is about 90 % of them over there).Staff always smiling,very polite and helpfull.Special thanks for'Mojito Bar'staff-Carlos,Noel,Yvette-they the best ones.Kirenia from restaurant-brillant girl.Its probably one of cheapest hotels in that area with fantastic location(is near everywhere).Breathtaking beach about 300 meters from hotel with very nice bar crew.Facilities in the hotel very good.Four pools,five bars one of them is swim up bar,non stop entertainment from dawn to dusk.Our time over there was unforgetable.For sure we will come back next year.Special thanks for Thomas Cook travel agency for organisation the best holiday.Anna and Wojciech
Advice: just go over there
Activities:
Good for: Beach
1 out of
1 reader found this review helpful
- Date of Holiday:Jan 2009
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" palma Real "
Submitted By: Chuckle-Vision
Excellent hotel especially if you like night life.
The food is good as far as cuban standards go, but could be more varied, and the el Mojito bar is supurb.
The staff a friendly and polite, and you don't have to wait for service, as someone is always there to look after you at meal times.
Best areas are main dining hall, and pizza restraunt for food, chinese is ok but not like home, and they have a Cuban bar/cafe that is open 24/7
Swimming area is good with 4 pools, and a swim up bar, plenty of sun loungers are provided to bathe.
There is also just over the road from the hotel an exclusive beach area, and a free bar that does some limited food.
There are also some nice local restraunts that are good and reasonably priced.
This is the Hotel for night life too, with the Havana club next door, and a good local bar at Calle 62, where you can meet the Cubans, and dance to salsa every night.
They are very friendly and make you feel very welcome, and the street is very lively from about 10:00 pm onwards with people dancing in the street outside.
The local markets are also close to here, and there is a park nearby too, where you can ride on camels, hold crocodiles, and lizards, or just walk around, with a crazy golf course over the back of it for just .50 CUC around.
There is also a tour bus for the peninsula for which you pay 5 CUC and can tour the area all day getting on and off whenever and where ever you fancy.
I have now been here twice and would go back again, as the location is supurb.
Ideas if your thinking of going are to visit Plaza America, the Dolphin arena where you can watch a show, and swim with them, and a supurb catamarang trip which takes you to a desert island. It includes, drink on board and food and drink on the island, and stops 2/3 of the way out so you can snorkel, and see the fish and coral.
The food is good as far as cuban standards go, but could be more varied, and the el Mojito bar is supurb.
The staff a friendly and polite, and you don't have to wait for service, as someone is always there to look after you at meal times.
Best areas are main dining hall, and pizza restraunt for food, chinese is ok but not like home, and they have a Cuban bar/cafe that is open 24/7
Swimming area is good with 4 pools, and a swim up bar, plenty of sun loungers are provided to bathe.
There is also just over the road from the hotel an exclusive beach area, and a free bar that does some limited food.
There are also some nice local restraunts that are good and reasonably priced.
This is the Hotel for night life too, with the Havana club next door, and a good local bar at Calle 62, where you can meet the Cubans, and dance to salsa every night.
They are very friendly and make you feel very welcome, and the street is very lively from about 10:00 pm onwards with people dancing in the street outside.
The local markets are also close to here, and there is a park nearby too, where you can ride on camels, hold crocodiles, and lizards, or just walk around, with a crazy golf course over the back of it for just .50 CUC around.
There is also a tour bus for the peninsula for which you pay 5 CUC and can tour the area all day getting on and off whenever and where ever you fancy.
I have now been here twice and would go back again, as the location is supurb.
Ideas if your thinking of going are to visit Plaza America, the Dolphin arena where you can watch a show, and swim with them, and a supurb catamarang trip which takes you to a desert island. It includes, drink on board and food and drink on the island, and stops 2/3 of the way out so you can snorkel, and see the fish and coral.
1 out of
1 reader found this review helpful
- Date of Holiday:Nov 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" We arrived home 28th sept 08 and we... "
Submitted By: Miss K O''Hare
We arrived home 28th sept 08 and we are depressed,we had the best time ever.The hotel was amazing really clean and the staff are so friendly,they all work really hard epecially the bar tenders.We tipped them a couple of pesos and we didnt have to go back the bar,they would wait on you all night and there was 9 of us.The beach was so beautiful,very clean and the water was gorgeous very blue.There are quite a few places in the hotel were you can eat,there is the main buffett area,the snack bar which is open 24 hours which we loved,the pizza place which was nice they also done pasta there which was yummy and the chinese resturant which we never went to because due to the hurricane the week before it was closed.At the beach our hotel has its own snack bar which is good so you dont have to go back to the hotel if your hungry (the beach is only 1 min away from the hotel). There is a swim up pool bar which we loved again it was nice and clean and had little seats in the water.There is a little club in the hotel which we went to every night with a few of us,they do dancing and put acts on for about an hour then there is music until 12.If you dont want to go back to the hotel after the club you can go outside to a club called calle 62 were the beer is cheap and its amazing as you see all the cubans dancing in the street.If you go on any trips while you stay there you have to go to havana,we done the overnight stay were the first day you go on a guided tour through the main city of havana,then you stay in a 4 star hotel for the night and they take you to club tropicana were you get to see all the amazing dancers-the costumes are fabulous.The next day you go back to the city of havana again you have a guided tour then you have about 3 hours of free time were you can go and explore for yourself.I would suggest going to the flea markets as everything is cheap there and another bit of advice if you go to havana take your own toilet roll with you as they either dont have any in some of the toilets or there is a woman sitting outside who you have to tip to get like 3 sheets.The weather was fab,some people think september is all rainy well its not i know its hurricane season but while we were there for 2 wEeks it didnt rain once in the day.Beware of mosquitos me and my boyfriend have never been bit in our lives but as soon as we got to cubA we got bitten all over so please take some repellent even if you've never been bit.It was a fab holiday n we'd defo go back. WE LOVE CUBA SHOWTIME!!
1 out of
1 reader found this review helpful
- Date of Holiday:Sep 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Direct Holidays
" We had our honeymoon trip at Palma... "
Submitted By: Other Mr. BJ
We had our honeymoon trip at Palma Real. Our flight was delayed 2 days. But everything went fantastic. We enjoyed our time and didn't want to come back :)
Food was good if not great, but they have tons of choices and we, as vegetarians, had enough choice to eat.
We had 5 great sunny days and it we made good use of them, without taking any excursion trips to anywhere.
We were on second floor and we didn't see any bed bugs or anything. We brought our mosquito spray and that was huge difference in enjoying our time as those mosquitoes will eat you up if you let them.
Beach is few blocks away from hotel, but not too far. It's beautiful with white sand.
We took bus trip around Varadero and it was fantastic value for $5.
Please...if you go there dont do topless tans for thing as it makes people with families uncomfortable. Yes, I didn't like people doing it..and there were lots doing that.
Anyways, if you go there go with open mind and dont let anything ruin your holidays.
Food was good if not great, but they have tons of choices and we, as vegetarians, had enough choice to eat.
We had 5 great sunny days and it we made good use of them, without taking any excursion trips to anywhere.
We were on second floor and we didn't see any bed bugs or anything. We brought our mosquito spray and that was huge difference in enjoying our time as those mosquitoes will eat you up if you let them.
Beach is few blocks away from hotel, but not too far. It's beautiful with white sand.
We took bus trip around Varadero and it was fantastic value for $5.
Please...if you go there dont do topless tans for thing as it makes people with families uncomfortable. Yes, I didn't like people doing it..and there were lots doing that.
Anyways, if you go there go with open mind and dont let anything ruin your holidays.
- Date of Holiday:Aug 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Transat
" We had a fantastic time staff... "
Submitted By: Mrs A Macdonald
We had a fantastic time staff couldn't do enough for you. Plenty of choice in food chicken, pork or fish every day fresh burgers kebabs. had an 18 month old with us no problem finding food for her. they were very busy painting and maintaining building1 as they had closed this as is quiet season for Cuba at moment. beach superb were there 8-30am as it got very hot later need high sun Factor and lots mossie spray for evenings leave perfume at home mozzies love it? Animation staff great worked all day then took groups out clubbing every night. room was fantastic whole resort very clean. Did jeep safari and day trip to Havana again both superb. only complaint we heard was too much Cuban music and food We were in Cuba maybe they should have stayed at home.
We would go back tomorrow It was Fantastic
We would go back tomorrow It was Fantastic
- Date of Holiday:May 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" Lovely hotel staff friendly and very... "
Submitted By: Mrs D Fisher
Lovely hotel staff friendly and very helpful the only problem was it felt like club 18-30 for Canadians must have been their spring break or something they were there on mass and cannt they drink ! They moan about the Brits send a camera crew over there we are mild compared to them. Food was basic but this is Cuba, beach was 5 minutes over the road but worth the walk,very clean and the beach staff look after you really well. Would go again and recomend it to friends. If you go with Thomas Cook your rep Alex is really helpful. Go to La Fondue just by Calle 62 the steaks are out of this world and so cheap to eat there as well.
- Date of Holiday:Apr 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" Lovely hotel staff friendly and very... "
Submitted By: Mrs D Fisher
Lovely hotel staff friendly and very helpful the only problem was it felt like club 18-30 for Canadians must have been their spring break or something they were there on mass and cannt they drink ! They moan about the Brits send a camera crew over there we are mild compared to them. Food was basic but this is Cuba, beach was 5 minutes over the road but worth the walk,very clean and the beach staff look after you really well. Would go again and recomend it to friends. If you go with Thomas Cook your rep Alex is really helpful. Go to La Fondue just by Calle 62 the steaks are out of this world and so cheap to eat there as well.
- Date of Holiday:Apr 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" I booked this holiday two weeks... "
Submitted By: Mr A Young
I booked this holiday two weeks before we flew so we did not know what to expect and as I am a very fussy eater was worried about food but there was no to be worried. The hotel it self was very clean and brightly decorated it was a warm and very friendly atmosphere right from the start the staff were very friendly and they certainly looked after you day and night the rooms were very clean with the maid calling every day it was only 2minute walk to the beach which was out of this world and again there were staff there to help you with sun lounger,s I have and will continue to recommend this hotel to friends . The night time entertainment was a bit low key (only down fall ) but we found it very safe and friendly to go out and about day and night with a choice of bars and restaurants on door step.Overall we really enjoyed this holiday and can safely say that we will be returning to this hotel
- Date of Holiday:Jan 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" Please ignore the last 2 reports as... "
Submitted By: Mr P Walker
Please ignore the last 2 reports as they are not a true reflection of the Palma Real, Varadero (people who can't locate hotel rooms or who arrive at the wrong airport (Montego Bay!!) can't be relied on).
We stayed here from 14-28 January and found the following:
Location, although not directly on the beach (5 min walk), its on the edge of Varadero town and has more to see of Cuban life than resort hotels further out on the peninsula. It was an easy walk into town past Josone Park, flea markets etc.
Check-in at hotel was quick an efficient.. directions given to room were easy to follow.
Room clean and spacious with L-A-R-G-E beds, small balcony with table and 2 chairs.
Maid service excellent (how do they come up with some of those towel sculptures on the bed!)
Maintenance dept. good... light bulb reported and replaced within the hour.
Food plentiful, well prepared and presented... at the buffet fresh fish and meat were always available at the grill. There was always plenty of choice (we didn't even get round to visiting the Pizza and Chinese restaurants).
Dining room and bar staff efficient and pleasant (even though some of their customers were not).
Pools clean, but brrr... not heated.
Entertainment from fashion show to Cuban and Caribbean nights were there for you or a quiet drink in the other bars in each accommodation block.
Not all rooms have a perfect view... we had a room in building 4 which faced a palm tree and the opposite wall, we asked to be moved and after 48hrs. were given pool/sea view room in building 1 (make sure your request is noted on 'the list' in reception).
Beach bar is basic/OK but its wash room/toilet facilities poor.
The beach is excellent.
Overall, the Palma Real is good value.
Tip: to help you get your bearings, take a trip on the 'Varadero Beach Resort Tour' bus from the main road (stop No.6 at Calle 62). Every half hour, this takes a loop into town and back out to Playa Americas Shopping Centre and the hotels further out along the beach. (5 pesos for day ticket, pay on bus.)
ps If you like music, the famous Cuban band Buena Vista Social Club are currently playing the concert hall at Playa Americas 1st & 3rd Wednesday each month.. well worth 25 pesos.
We stayed here from 14-28 January and found the following:
Location, although not directly on the beach (5 min walk), its on the edge of Varadero town and has more to see of Cuban life than resort hotels further out on the peninsula. It was an easy walk into town past Josone Park, flea markets etc.
Check-in at hotel was quick an efficient.. directions given to room were easy to follow.
Room clean and spacious with L-A-R-G-E beds, small balcony with table and 2 chairs.
Maid service excellent (how do they come up with some of those towel sculptures on the bed!)
Maintenance dept. good... light bulb reported and replaced within the hour.
Food plentiful, well prepared and presented... at the buffet fresh fish and meat were always available at the grill. There was always plenty of choice (we didn't even get round to visiting the Pizza and Chinese restaurants).
Dining room and bar staff efficient and pleasant (even though some of their customers were not).
Pools clean, but brrr... not heated.
Entertainment from fashion show to Cuban and Caribbean nights were there for you or a quiet drink in the other bars in each accommodation block.
Not all rooms have a perfect view... we had a room in building 4 which faced a palm tree and the opposite wall, we asked to be moved and after 48hrs. were given pool/sea view room in building 1 (make sure your request is noted on 'the list' in reception).
Beach bar is basic/OK but its wash room/toilet facilities poor.
The beach is excellent.
Overall, the Palma Real is good value.
Tip: to help you get your bearings, take a trip on the 'Varadero Beach Resort Tour' bus from the main road (stop No.6 at Calle 62). Every half hour, this takes a loop into town and back out to Playa Americas Shopping Centre and the hotels further out along the beach. (5 pesos for day ticket, pay on bus.)
ps If you like music, the famous Cuban band Buena Vista Social Club are currently playing the concert hall at Playa Americas 1st & 3rd Wednesday each month.. well worth 25 pesos.
1 out of
1 reader found this review helpful
- Date of Holiday:Jan 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cook
" It took us two hours transfer time to... "
Submitted By: Ms E Almond
It took us two hours transfer time to reach this hotel from Montego Bay airport, which would be ok on the expected luxury coaches. Unfortunately our coach turned out to be an old bus, probably dating back to the 1960's!
Check in was a slow process but we eventually got our room keys and discovered that, even booked 11 months prior, the children were put 7 floors away from ours! Sounds quite good, but had booked a family holiday and did want to spend some time with the children!
The rooms were disappointing, small and half painted. The view was certainly not what we expected after paying so much for this holiday; we were situated in the North Tower facing two large, noisy generators and the staff car park. If you are planning a trip to this hotel ensure that you get placed in the South Tower, which is more updated and have great views.
The hotel complex itself was great, bar and dining room staff were extremely helpful. The pools were plentiful and clean, as was the beach and the space for relaxing. Plenty of bars (and drinks) to choose from, but the food did get a little repetitive.
Overall, I would say that the complex was great; the rooms were the disappointment for this holiday.
Check in was a slow process but we eventually got our room keys and discovered that, even booked 11 months prior, the children were put 7 floors away from ours! Sounds quite good, but had booked a family holiday and did want to spend some time with the children!
The rooms were disappointing, small and half painted. The view was certainly not what we expected after paying so much for this holiday; we were situated in the North Tower facing two large, noisy generators and the staff car park. If you are planning a trip to this hotel ensure that you get placed in the South Tower, which is more updated and have great views.
The hotel complex itself was great, bar and dining room staff were extremely helpful. The pools were plentiful and clean, as was the beach and the space for relaxing. Plenty of bars (and drinks) to choose from, but the food did get a little repetitive.
Overall, I would say that the complex was great; the rooms were the disappointment for this holiday.
- Date of Holiday:Dec 2007
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:First Choice
" We have just returned from Cuba. We... "
Submitted By: Mrs C Sinclair-wellings
We have just returned from Cuba. We stopped at this hotel; we didn't rate it at all. Food wasn’t nice, and in the morning it had some leftover food from the night before, and had left over food at dinner from lunch time. Service was not very good.
We could not find our room when we got there. After being on a plane for 10 and half hours going to the first airport Holguin, then stopping there for 2 hours waiting for a flight to take us to Varadero airport, then getting on a bus for half an hour to get to our hotel. The last thing you want to worry about is finding your room.
The room wasn’t very clean, it had a needle in the bathroom and dirty paper and little insects by the sink every day. Under the bed was very dirty.
The rep wasn’t there when he told us to meet him the day after we got there. We could not find him to ask him to stay at another hotel. The only good thing about this hotel were the pools. We will not stop there again.
We could not find our room when we got there. After being on a plane for 10 and half hours going to the first airport Holguin, then stopping there for 2 hours waiting for a flight to take us to Varadero airport, then getting on a bus for half an hour to get to our hotel. The last thing you want to worry about is finding your room.
The room wasn’t very clean, it had a needle in the bathroom and dirty paper and little insects by the sink every day. Under the bed was very dirty.
The rep wasn’t there when he told us to meet him the day after we got there. We could not find him to ask him to stay at another hotel. The only good thing about this hotel were the pools. We will not stop there again.
1 out of
1 reader found this review helpful
- Date of Holiday:Jan 2008
- Board Basis:All Inclusive
- Tour Operator:Thomas Cooknew year
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The food is not great, and often unless you constantly tip, the service is indifferent.
The rooms
We were in block 4. Blank corridors made it look a bit like a hospital. Only 1 of 2 lift worked.Public area was not air conditioned, had a bar, some soft seating + table tennis table - bats + ball avail from pool towel kiosk.
The rooms were basic, 2 double beds, kept clean and air con worked well. Maids left a different towel sculpture everyday.Shower over bath worked fine + always plenty hot water.No mini bar though.If you want some laundry done, the maids will do it for 1 peso per item.
The Beach Club
A short walk from hotel,You have to be down quite early for a sunbed.
There were free pedalos,kayaks + catamaran available on the beach. Banana boat great value at 5 Peso + they take you out to reef for snorkeling for 15 peso.
You could also do free windsurfing but no lessons available.Entertainment team had various beach games
Beach had lovely white sand, sea- nice + clean + warm + shallow.
Beach bar was "all inclusive" too + had snacks available, although we didnt hang around here much due to getting constantly bitten by mosquitos, even in daytime -July /Aug is really bad for them - they totally ignore the 50% deet repelent we had on 24/7 + bite you anyway.
Swimming pools
There are 2 pool complexes.
The top one has the pool bar, music and games and occasional shows.The animation team try to get folk involved. Ther are plenty sunbeds. These dont have matresses so after a while get a bit uncomfy.The loby bar and Pizza cafe are at this end.
The lower pool complex is quieter, a bit more space too. The 24 hr burger/hot dog place is at this end ,and you can get your drinks + snacks from here.
Entertainment
The outdoor "showtime" venue was only used a couple of times duu to the evening storms + then it was being renovated, so most of the 1 hours shows were held in the loby area- not really suitable for the amount of people.
The entertainment staff worked hard to keep it going but to be honest, most of the singers/bands were awful.
Exceptions being aqua ballet, one night at lower pool and the guest partition type shows.
For those wanting a late night party, the animation team at 11.30 took them to a different nightclub each night. (10 peso entrance + drinks around 2.5 )
The Food
Certainly not 4 star- Ive had similar in 1 and 2 star hotels.
The Buffet
There were always a chicken, meat or fish dishs, normally in a sauce of some kind .Plenty salads + veg. I liked their soup most nights.Breakfasts were ok. First hotel Ive seen green beans + mixed veg + pizza at breakfast though
You will not starve, generally find some combination, but Gorden Ramsay would give the chefs a serious slap around if he went in this place.
The 24/7 hotdog + burger place.
Very basic choice. They also do toasted sandwiches + you can get breakfast here till 11 if you have a long lie.
Pizza Place
Incredibly thin pizzas, very little toppings. When smothered with Tobasco sauce, just about edible. Service poor in here.
In the evening , you can also get soup + past.
Chinese
You need to book a few days in advance via reception. Service was good here, although the menue was limited, it was a change from the usual stuff.
Eating outwith the hotel was cheap, there are about a dozen resturants within 400 yds of the hotel. I think on ave we paid between £6 and £10 each (inc a couple of drinks) and this certainly enhanced our holiday, although if its fine dining, I dont think Cuba is the place.
Drinks
Tipping certainly works. 1 peso every round for a group or maybe every 2nd for a couple and the drinks arrive swiftly + in a real glass. Otherwise its a throw away plastic cup.
Beer was good and cold. We also had white + red wine + tried some of the rum cocktails. Their speciality is "Moquito" which is made with fresh mint leaves + rum. I liked the "Rum Punch" - Rum, cherry +Banana liquers toped with orange juice.
Public Areas
This hotel would be greatly improve if their public + dining areas were air conditioned. A few ceiling fans just werent enough + most nights we were absolutely wringing in sweat.
Excursions
Gave Havana a miss, didnt fancy bus journey.
Catamaran to desert island good trip at 69 peso + swam with dolphins 89 peso
Sports
there are tennis and basketball courts. There is a small, air conditioned gym. Several of the machines (running + step) were broken the full 2 weeks we were there ,so unless you were specifically doing weights, it wasn't much use
Overall
We did enjoy the holiday. July/Aug was exceptionally hot, well over 100F.but that was our choice to go then.I think winter months are maybe more comfortable.Small changes to the Palma Real would greatly improve this place
For the price we paid, we did have value for money but if its luxury you want, Id go elsewhere
Advice: Varadero has a beautifull white sandy beach
Activities: Enjoyed catamaran day out and dolphin swim
Good for: Beach