Rating:
"I thought this was a very friendly hotel. The staff were very helpful or course I did tip. I was warned about the food in Cuba and was suprised because it was better than I expected. The beach was beautiful. I will be returning to Villa Tortuga often."
Reviewer: reviewer4353
Date: May. 21, 2011

Rating:
"Villa Tortuga was a very relaxing hotel to stay at. The rooms were clean and the staff very friendly. The beach location is a bonus. The only complaint would be the food. By day three you need a change from the buffet meals."
Reviewer: reviewer900
Date: Mar. 04, 2011

Rating:
"Staff : The batteries from the tv remote control were stolen in the room on

the first day of our arrival. No hot water in the shower for the 7 days of

our stay with just excuses and no other options. Only hot water in the sink

on rare occasions ; same problem for several other visitors. Very little

english or french but enough to get around. Most staff was kind but not all

of them. So i have to give 2 stars out of 5 for that because we didn`t feel

secure at all time for our belongings and because i had to take cold showers

all week. That`s a lot to discourage many people ..

Food: If you like milk, beef, tomatoes, green vegetables or a coffee after

your meal at the restaurant, don`t count on it.. It is as rare as finding

water in the desert but most of it is rare in Cuba anyways except for the

coffee.. Expect to have aldente pasta in oil for lunch, the same pasta re-

heated in sauce for diner and sometimes the pasta from the day before in a

mixture of sauce and cheese . The soups are all re-mixed with the addition of

differents ingredients so nothing is lost day after day. On the other hand,

the fish, pork or chicken of the day was excellent. If you are vegeterian,

avoid the place at all cost. The meals are very similar from one day to the

next and from lunch to diner. I respect the fact that most cubans dont have

access to those kind of meals but i`ve had so much better at other resorts in

Cuba. So for the food it`s 2 stars out of 5.

Entertainment : It felt as if it was offered by high school students . The

shows are repetitive ; the same show was presented twice on the same week.

Many people watch the first few minutes and walk away.. If you like having a

drink or two and expect to dance at some point during your stay, the

occasions are rare. So many great artistic talents in Cuba and it seems like

they didn`t want to be seen at that hotel. A poor 1.5 stars for

entertainment.

Environment and others : The beach is beautifull and the installations are

looking good as well. The toilets next to the beach are closed when the

dining room is closed. You have to make sure that you reserve your A La

Carte diner days in advance or else forget about it. The exterior showers

next to the beach don`t work . Take your time to tour the site because you

will not receive any informations at all about the installations on site. On

our last day, since we have to check out at noon and leave the resort at 6pm,

we were promised a room so we can wash and change. Surprise.. i really did

not expect the lady at the front desk to tell us in a very rude manner that

they will not respect that engagement . It felt like she didn`t give a damn

about anyone once they are to leave the premises. A bunch of us just had to

change in the nearest outdoor bathroom and of course we could not get a

shower before going back home for the long road to come. Another 2 stars for

that part of my personal evaluation.

Villa Tortuga again, i`m not sure.. I regret not having spent a few extra

dollars for another resort."
Reviewer: reviewer9641
Date: Jan. 09, 2011

Rating:
"My experience of this hotel was overall satisfactory. This resort was about a 3 star equivalent of that of a Canadian hotel. But being that Cuba is a Communist Socialist country many of the people are not working for themselves and mainly for the government being told what job they will do for life. So with that being said none of the staff are overly concerned about helping you out, however they are very polite and courteous.

They speak basic English as well as french, I rented a motorcycle and was cut off by a taxi and ended up smashing into a boulder at low speed. When trying to explain this to people in the hotel none could tell me the appropriate actions I should take or really understand what I was saying. In the end I had to pay the equivalent of $80 Canadian, however there was a slight miscalculation on the Cubans mathematics that I had noticed very quickly. Which may or may not have been a mistake but which dropped the repair price down about $30 less.

The pool was amazingly refreshing as well as the beach, lifeguards were always available and within sight. The food is moderate but you must take into account that to an average Cuban it would of been a 5 star buffet but being that I come from Canada and am used to regular average day food of the typical North American lifestyle. Most people complain about the food because they are not used to the customs of Cuba, and being that most people in North America are overweight/obese it is fair to say that we love our food no matter the fat or calorie content.

You will definitely get your moneys worth if you are going to drink their shots are equivalent to twice the size of a regular North American shot. Beer and wine are also pleasent. They have live activities throughout the week ontop of the snack bar which is centrally located. So for the price that was paid to visit this resort it was not that bad. I would advise learning a bit of spanish however to make communicating a bit more easier.

Hotel room was very clean everyday, maids did not steal and were very pleasent. Towels replaced and sheets changed most days unless you did not use your towels as they are trying a green approach. Would suggest bringing your own travel mug as hotel drinking glasses are very minute in size.

But overall not bad no food poisoning, just a really nice tan and really cute maids."
Reviewer: reviewer4936
Date: Mar. 27, 2010

Rating:
"There are a few GOOD things about the Villa Tortuga. The beach is AMAZING and the hotel is beachfront. The location is great, right near downtown Varadero. The pool was super. Very cool and refreshing.

There are a lot of BAD things about the Villa Tortuga. The service is dreadful. It takes ages to get a drink. Speaking of drinks, YUCK! They are all rum or vodka based and said rum and vodka is terrible. It makes me sick just thinking of the Mojito's I forced myself to drink down, trying to get my money's worth. The food is beyond bad. The Buffet was the same, for the most part, for every meal. Even breakfast! I ate only bread for the 8 days I was there. When we arrived at 8am on Sunday morning, we were told we could not go to our room till 4pm. I heard this was normal for all hotels in Varadero, but I thought it was bad. I would have paid a fee to get an early check in, as I was tired and just wanted a shower. The rooms are OK. The shower had no water pressure, so I felt filthy the whole trip. The beds were not that bad, but the linens smelled of smoke and sand. Not nice! The chambermaid was kind though and made an effort to make fun designs with our towels and blankets. It was cute.

The beach is great, but lots of beaches are great. Villa Tortuga and Cuba are for sure not on my list of places I want to go again."
Reviewer: alexjamesd1407
Date: Mar. 09, 2009

Rating:
"Had a great time. Beach is absolutely beautiful. Staff are friendly. A good place to stay for the price. Right in the middle of all locations. Food is OK,as most places in Cuba. Outside entertainment every night after dinner at the main stage."
Reviewer: Anonymous [via Escapes.ca]
Date: Jun. 22, 2007

Rating:
"After staying in several hotels in Varadero this property was a major disappointment. The buffet is terrible, the beach is dirty, the bartenders at the lobby and pool bar are more concerned with watching TV than serving you, the beach bar is a hangout for the security staff. The rooms are average but noisy at night. Staff is not too concerned if you have a problem or request. This is a 2 star resort tops. I am a very low maintenance traveller but had to change hotels after 48 hours"
Reviewer: Anonymous [via Escapes.ca]
Date: Dec. 09, 2006