Barcelo Solymar Vacations

This place is amazing. Not only is Varadero beach unbelievably gorgeous, the staff here goes wayyyy above and beyond to make sure you have a great experience. I've been a repeat guest for four times to solymar. And plan on continuing here since I feel so welcomed and part of family.
Thank you all, specially Alejandro Florat for all you've done to accomodate us.

I stayed 12 years ago... and that's why I returned... what a disappointment, how everything changed, but these are things that cannot be overlooked, and I feel sorry but I have to write a review.
They gave us a room and within 5 minutes we had killed 10 mosquitoes (they came out through the air duct), I went down to reception and the solution they gave me is to sleep with the air conditioning (without a regulator because it didn't work), because the mosquitoes flee from the room. cold..
We had to sleep with blankets and long sleeves... the next day, dead from the cold and with bites... they finally changed our room, a “little” better, still very neglected (broken knobs, bathtubs in poor condition, humidity. ...).. cockroaches in the hallways, elevator that at any moment you could get locked out...
Let's not talk about the buffet (breakfast, lunch and dinner the same), super scarce, I imagine that the way the country is, nothing matters, only the food that the earth produces. We saw a cockroach in the pancakes... juices that are a shame to have for breakfast... the tables all half broken... no napkins on the tables... few desserts...
All inclusive? What includes? Not a cocktail... just rum... no type of alcohol... no Coca-Cola... nothing at all... they serve you water, which I imagine will not be bottled, with ice sheets (if you want it cold)..
This hotel does not deserve 4 stars, nor does it deserve 1..
If they are not constantly maintained everything decays... and they cannot sell something that does not exist!

The only thing we stayed with and liked was the animation!

And with outside (paradisiacal beach).

Very disappointing! The country is suffering a very strong crisis, and it is reflected in everything!

I hope it helps to lower the stars because a 4-star all-inclusive is not this!

The first day I arrived I went for a drink at the lobby bar. I asked for a piña colada, there wasn't any. I asked for a rum, there was none. On the third question, the bartender called
ALAIN turns to the guests at the bar and humiliatingly says out loud: “Do you understand me? Or am I not clear?”

I didn't see the need to be rude to the guest when it was their responsibility to tell me what drinks there were.

I indicated at reception for two days that I wanted to talk to the manager about what happened to which I only received delays and excuses. I was never able to discuss what happened with his superior or someone who would channel the matter.

I DO NOT RECOMMEND. This should be a place of rest like all the hotels in the chain and not a place where you are exposed in this way in a country where you don't know and are on vacation.

Outdated hotel bathroom very maganer. Good site.

There was a serious hygiene problem. They did not change the towels in 5 days. The bathroom tub was awful. Cockroaches were crawling around in the bathroom. I even saw bugs in the restaurant The plates and glasses were not clean and the food was terrible. Only the beach is beautiful.

Very bad experience...no clean towels for 4 days...flooding from rain that we have to collect and clean room.byourself ....I got bite in room from just God know what ..have to go doctor...4 days same food

.no coke.
.no sprite no bread ..to point we have to pay lots of money to transfer to other hotel what we did...thank to Orlando ...do not go never back even of is free..

Elevator was a issue if you have any disabilities with your legs forget it. Bakconey door would not open.

First time here, I could say one of the worst hotel I have ever stayed in, very dirty, no water pressure, none of the elevator works, lots of cockroaches and mosquitoes in the rooms, they don’t replace the bedsheets, only reorganize them.
No WiFi, No TV, the AC is as laud as a train passing by. The food is worse, they reheat the food from previous dinner or lunch and serve them again. I can go on and on but this could be a ( One Star Hotel).
The last two days I moved to a different hotel ( Melia Internacional de Varadero Hotel)
It is just next door but the difference is huge, very clean, very hospitable and the food was way way better.
Overall I don’t recommend Barcelo Solymar, for couple of hundred dollar more I really enjoyed
Melia Internacional.

I have stayed at Barcelo Solymar and room had issues. Hot water run very low pressure, so taking a shower was a hustle. Minibar, while advertised to be refilled daily, had only water and beer was not beyond second day. Talking to the front desk brings more confusion as stuff didn't know their website had it a a benefit o the summary page. While I know what to expect when traveling to Cuba with regard to food, this time aroun, food was beyond basic. No eggs, no milk, no coffee most of the time, no selection of fruit (pineapple, papaya were cut and even cooked to bring diversity). Special dinners at Ala Carte restorant was pretty much the same food as a buffet but sit down, and if I had known this, I would not have booked it. Elevators in disrepair from five in some distant past were only two working. By middle of the week, one remained running. On my last day, no elevators were running at all. Had to carry laguage from 4th floor using stairs....

With regard to beach it was amazing as always. Most stuff were pleasant, and it was sad to see how little they had available to provide any level of service.

Would be nice if price was reflecting conditions that I have experienced this time around.

The hotel is very run down, the service was good, but the buffet is terrible. They don't inform you when you arrive that there are more restaurants, and that you have to make a reservation the day before

The main problem with the hotel is the buffet where you have to eat. If you don’t give a tip (I remind you at the buffet where you eat every day, 3 times), they will start driving you off the tables and pointedly ignoring you. I was ready to forgive the hotel for the lack of cleaning, the poor condition of the rooms, and even the monotonous food. But I have never seen such rudeness in a buffet anywhere. I’m not ready to tip you for dirty plates and forks, but for this they simply cut off your access to drinks, because only the waiters know where to pour tea, coffee, and beer. For some reason this is not the case in the lobby bar; the staff there is polite. 1 star for the sea, the second for the rum.

Hello, this is a terrible hotel, it does not deserve even half a star, starting from the treatment they gave us as soon as we arrived at the reception because the carpeters, according to them, we had to pay 2 thousand pesos in cash because they had no connection to make the payment by card to be able to enter to the hotel, when we had already paid at an agency for the service for three days, abuse, rudeness, speaking even out loud, their names are (Dairys and Kattya), I do not recommend it to anyone, we were thrown outside the hotel until 4 the afternoon with little children, and all we wanted was to spend a few nice days with the family.
Ahhhhh and foreigners arrived with us and if they let them pass, I don't understand why they did and not us?? Because they were paid quite well

Before vacation I was reading reviews and didn't believe what people say but now I can told you this is the worst experience in my life.They check us in in very dirty room with no towels and toilet paper,power switchs feeling from walls,stains on the sheets etc.After complaining we get moved to another room litle bit better but with same issues,we didn't have towels for 3 days..Food in restaurants was not changed for now 7 days and it was really, really poor even for Cuba(this is my 8 visit),Bars have 5 different drinks (mostly time they don't have beer and rum).Front desk is extremely rude when you complaining and they not even trying to do something better.One day I asked to give me spoon to eat soup and they just say kitchen is closed and they can't do nothing to help.

Horrible experience! Nothing works not the elevators not the A C not the sink. “Cleaners” don’t clean ! You’re constantly being told that things will be fixed with zero results. I stayed here twice before and 2017 in 2018 and it was a much different experience. However now in 2024 is strictly not the case I will definitely not be returning and it’s definitely not worthy of a four star at best it’s a two star motel experience. Most Cubans are very nice and pleasant to talk to. However, our experience here has felt like everybody only wants you for your tips and listen to your complaints but you’ll never get any results. The food was horrible after the fourth day of being sick. We finally went to town and found some local grub that was decent. However, if you eat at the buffet any three of them they’re completely disgusting and it’s all the same recycled food day after day. I would highly recommend that you do your research and find a better location because after this trip, I will never return to the Barcelo Solamar, or the other two that are adjoined to it. Paid 2 k for a weeks nightmare of let downs.

You have to realize that this is Cuba. A country where many things that are normal for us are luxuries (e.g. butter). The buffet was therefore very simple and not of great quality. Every now and then basic things were missing, like bread. This always depended on the kitchen staff of the day.
The hotel was very friendly to us and always helpful. However, we often had to go to reception because the key or hot water didn't work.
The staff was different. Many were very friendly, but didn't give the impression that they wanted to work. So the answer was: We didn't. However, based on inquiry and research, many things were possible. You have to speak up and demand it.
The beach was gorgeous, probably one of the most beautiful in the world. That alone made up for a lot.

All in all, a successful stay in Cuba

Worst hotel experience we’ve ever had :-) go somewhere else. Horrible food, almost out of everything all the time (including beer). Bad service..

The hotel is a 4-star hotel, but the kindness of the staff, the ocean, sun and white sand cannot be compared with any Turkey, much less a Russian resort

Apparenty the hotel was open 5 years ago but I think it was more like 10...
Here's the list of the stuff that are NOT WORKING in this hotel; elevators (one for six is working), safety; you can easily lift up the tiles by the pool, some are broken already and super sharp, so watch your kids in there, keys; as the system is down 73647 times a day, you might be locked out of your room, housekeeping; we had the towels changed once during our 7 day stay and our beds were full of sand, restaurants; buffet was hit or miss; if you get up before 8am, you're fine. So called Italian restaurant is closed, others booked 9 days in advance, bars; there is no mint past 7pm, forget about piña colada, sanitary; no toilets by the beach.
What is working; absolutely best staff in the world. Outstanding service we received from Lisandra, German, Maria, Yakelyn, Demeris and Ana, weather; it is sunny, it is hot, beach is stunning.
If you decided to travel to Cuba be advise; people survives on your tips, deodorants, tampons if you can, it is amazing giff. Don't expect fancy food, take some peanut butter and jam for your kiddos.

This hotel does not deserve a single star, the worst vacation of my life. Moldy curtains, dirty cutlery on the buffet table.
Little variety of food, there was no bread, there were no sweets, there were only meringues as sweets.
The beer only lasted a few hours, the elevator was broken and to complete the night around 11 we saw two rats running through the lobby. A complete disaster. That hotel is sad and disgusting

Worst food, worst service and worst resort