Rating:
"I visited the Riu hotel over Spring Break with my family . There were 5 of us altogether. I had previously stayed at the Riu in Los Cabos, Mexico and as the Riu had been a positive experience thought this resort would be fine also. It was a shame because I was very mistaken.......

My main complaint at the resort was the lack of TOWELS. Both bath and beach towels were in very short supply. I found out that the resort has 1100 rooms and they do not even have their own laundry service !!!! They have to send towels out of the resort for laundering.If you times 1100 rooms based on a double occupancy that is over 2000 people and 2000 towels.

Also the food was terrible in the buffet rooms and even the restaurants. At the buffet it was scary as some food was very gross looking..If you love your food...this resort is not for you !!!!!..Thank goodness for omelettes and bread and fruit !!!! My kids were sick by day 5 and not sure if it was due to food or a virus ...???
We did enjoy the beach , although crowded at times we were able to discover a quiet, beach in Veradero with hardly any people on it. It also had white sand and blue water. It was magical !!!

A lot of times on the resort if you used the bathroom there would be no soap, no paper towel or no toilet paper.Also the garbage cans were full of garbage.
I think the resort is too big by far to accomodate so many people.I also think its poor management of food, and guest services. I will not return to this resort again and I will not recommend it to my friends. I'm not sure if we will return to Cuba because of this experience. "
Reviewer: reviewer8804
Date: Apr. 03, 2012

Rating:
"Traveled 16 jan to the 23 with my husband and another couple.As of the hotel is nice and new.We were in a junior royal suite building 31 top floor,lots of step in dark at nigth but quiet.Just love the room with good new safe.nothing bad to say about the room.our maid was nice,had beach towels in are room when we check in.did not have any problem with bath towel.Freege always full or just ask the maid no problem even a bottle of rum.Royal section was nice and quiet everywere.Good food and premium drink at the pool bar and the cigar bar.And it not far from the beach and the main pool.Only complaint about royal secton was the pool was to cold,never any body in it.Beach very nice but a little to busy,but it didnt boder me.the water is so nice.But dont forget to take a shower after coming out of the beach or you will have bite they say,seen people with those,think it comme out of the water.seen the same thing at home it comme from the water,not sand bugs like they say.One more thing the food is not goog but always found something to eat,just got to look around ,Snack bar ok.breakfast omlet ok.Had fish even calamari.lobster,Ham,spegetti bread and coissant great.took somme in my room every day for a snack.Not to much fruit,had somme can peche one day.Dessert was good and ice cream.Lobby bar to busy.Coffee bar had good.Bring cash can only use visa at the bank in Varadero.Went to Varadero in taxi 20$ there and back.Had burgers there was not good.Had havana tour good.Went jeep safary to much driving not recomend. No toilet seat in cuba and u have to pay for the bathroom .Not the resort had no problem with that.had problems with the toilet a few morning but has ok.We got the shit one day even after taking (durkolks)dont now from what maybe the super on our jeep tour. Our friend was sick for 4 day same nigth ater getting home. Will not go back to this resort and no Cuba again. went to a riu before in this is not a real riu. If you have to go go royal .Dont forget Royal have privet check in in out so fast. when you get off the bus just tell the man at the entryway will get a shuttle.for U.royal section can make resevation at the a la carte when checking in.U can get the royal restaurant every nigth but u need to make resevation. "
Reviewer: lise
Date: Jan. 31, 2012

Rating:
"Just returned from 1 week for New Year's Eve in Cuba. The hotel location, services, staff, food, amenities and grounds were very good. WE went scuba diving, horseback riding, golfing, swimming with the dolphins, windsurfed, sailing on a catamaran, got massages at the spa at the hotel, dancing, watched shows... Did it all. During the winter seasons, the days are shorter and therefore somewhat chillier in the evening. Getting there and back was another issue. Both flights were delayed by several hours and the return we were re-routed to Toronto airport not because of weather but it would seem that the Montreal airport has a curfew and therefore does not accept incoming flights after 1:00 a.m.. My family and I spent the whole night at Pearson Airport in Toronto getting our luggage and re-checking in with a $15.00 voucher for breakfast which we never used because the whole process was way too long and only Tim Horton's and a couple other restaurants were available because the entire food court only opened later. My only suggestion would be why doesn't Sunwing simply schedule earlier flights in order to avoid this unfortunate situation. Too bad we returned on a sour note despite everything else which was pretty awesome."
Reviewer: reviewer7845
Date: Jan. 16, 2012

Rating:
"First I would like to say that I have travelled all over the Caribbean and Central America and I have never in over 30+ trips have I had a trip bad enough to write a review and slam a hotel.

My wife and I as well as a group of friends stayed there from Nov 22-Nov 29 2011.

It was non stop problems as soon as we arrived, First we arrived with no welcome, waited 15 minutes just for someone to notice we were there, then they had the wrong room in the wrong section booked, we then waited another 25 minutes for a bellhop to come and take us to the correct room, when we got in the room it was not ready, things were missing and such, we met up with our friends and went to get some dinner.

Now let me tell you, I wasn't expecting great food going to Cuba but this meal was the first of the worst food I have ever eaten at a resort of this caliber. Every meal was the same at the buffet everyday and absolutely terrible. When attempting to book the so called ala carte restaurants we were told it was a 3-4 day wait to get into any of them as there were 1300 people at the resort.

The very first night a guy tried to start a fight with me at the disco which I quickly brushed off as a drunk idiot. The second night however, My friends and I were sitting out side the Disco on the patio when a huge fight broke out inside the bar, a friend and I ran around the side to look in the windows to see a 60 year old french dude smashing a glass over a young guys head, then he grabs a piece of glass and slashes another guys face then stabs some girl in the arm, we ran back around the front and a different big french guy comes running out the door and grabs a guy half his size and starts punching him. My friends kids were right there so I tried to get between them (with others) and stop the fight, then his buddy sucker punches me from behind and tackled me to the ground, grabbed my phone and ran off with his buddy and their wives.

The next day I went to see the Public Relations woman who at this point was very help full, it turned out that the security had taken my phone from them after but didnt know what roon I was in. I got my phone back, explained everything that happend they apoligised for everything that happend and we went on our way. Later that day I get a call to come down to the front desk to speak to the manager, I figure ok theyre gonna offer me an upgrade or something for everything that has happend. Hell no!!!!!! The "sub director" of the resort ( Hiram de Jesus Perez Mange ) proceeds to blame me and the 2 guys that slashed with glass that its our fault for everythiung that happend at the disco and says we have to pay damages. Refused quite loudly and left to my room. The next morning all involved we brought to the reception for a "meeting" this Director ( Hiram ) then explained again that we would all have to share a portion of the "compensation" by 4 at 259.00 a piece, 1 quarter for me 1 for the ( GROOM ) that was slashed the french guy that started it all ( which was removed by the military ) and the french guy that sucker punched me, whom had already left under his own accord.

I was so mad that I involved Sunwing ( my travle provider ) whom spoke to this manager un successfully the amount stood of I would have to leave. I involved the district manager from sunwing for the whole Varadero Cuba region. He came down and heard us out after the manager cornered him with all his lies. The manager which I do not have his name then spoke privately with the hotel manager ( Hiram ) and came back to say there was nothing he could do, I would either have to pay it or would not be allowed to leave the country. I do believe that the Sunwing guy was on our side but his hands we tied. We then argued another 2 hours with the hotel manager, again un successfully and was forced to pay this 259.00 or face not leaving this terrible country. After waisting 2 days of 7 with this crap we go for lunch and the Sunwing rep ( Maria ) comes and tells me she is going to give me my money back. I get my money back and never speak to another person again. There were fights again ( not involving ) us almost every night at the bars and around the pools.

This all happeneing the night before my wedding anniversary!!!!!

After all this is was still nothing but problems with flooding in the bath room, all the hallways, lights out every where, not hot water, never got clean towles, ( and I was in the "ROYAL" section ) no beach towles for 4 days ina row, disgusting food daily, 2 hours of entertain ment in the after noon but just for the cuban guys to dance with cute little russian and canadian girls, which I actually saw in the mangrove later doing the nasty, water sports are a joke, there was a cool Micheal Jackson show once. booze is watered down and gross, resort is huge and never and transports tho they are everywhere doing nothing all the time, so be prepared to walk a few km a day just for daily routine.

Dont waist your money on the Royal section all you get is a bigger rooms with a tub and shower on the other side of the resort away from all the main buildings and pools.

I will never reccommend this resort to anyone. the absolute worst place I have every stayed with service comparable to a 1 start or less.

Dont ignore the bad reviews.

We did and paid dearly for it. I know for a fact you will probably see at least another 5 reviews with the exact same story.

If your going to Varadero stay at the Iberostar resorts or paradisas las salinas, heard lots of good things at the air port coming home,

I expect to hear from a rep from RIu resorts over all this crap I had to go through or I will be taking this much much further"
Reviewer: jordan2011
Date: Dec. 02, 2011