Palma Real Varadero

Hi'
We recently returned from a week in Varadero Cuba at the Palma Real Hotel.
The Hotel was previously known as Hotels Siboney and Attabey. It has
undergone some extensive renovations and has had it's management taken over
by a Spanish hotelier. The hotel consists of two five storey buildings and
two smaller three storey buildings. Among it's ammenities it boasts five
swimming pools, which is somewhat of a stretch. There are actually two sets
of two interconnected pools and a shallow pool suitable for children. There
is a main buffet style dining room, a pizzeria, a grill and a chinese
restaraunt.
The food at the buffet restaraunt was good and there was an ample
selection from which to chose, although the fare was rather repetative from
one day to the next. The pizzeria was open all day for snacks consisting of
"pizza", "salad" and pasta along with fresh bread and pastries for desert.
The pizza was not on a bread type crust but rather on a crispy taco type
shell and the salad was a mixture of fresh onion, tomato, cucumber, green
peppper and carrot served with oil and vinegar. One day they actually
included some lettuce. We attempted, on our third day there, to reserve a
table at the chinese restaraunt but were told that it was booked until the
following Monday, which was the day after our return flight home. The grill
had hot dogs, hamburgers, fries, salads and deserts. It would have been nice
if a late night snack was provided, but this was not the case.
There was a bar in each of the two five storey towers as well as a
central lobbey bar and a swim-up/walk-up bar at one of the two pools. The
tower bars were open until 11:00 each night, while the lobbey bar remained
open until midnight. There was a disco attached to the resort which you
could get to by leaving the front entrance and walking down about one block
to the disco entrance. We didn't attend the disco but I believe there was a
$10 US cover which included all your drinks for the night.
The entertainment nightly was held in a large tent-like structure with
an abundance of table seating and was provided by a top-notch entertainment
staff. The entertainment complex had it's own bar with self-serve beer
taps.This really helped to reduce the wait time for service at the bar.
The staff was helpful, friendly and hard-working and the front desk
staff was very efficient and had a good knowledge of the English language.
The hotel is not ocean-front, but the walk to the beach was only about
two blocks and the beach had a fine array of ammenities as well. There was
the usual sports equipment, snorkels etc., hobbie cats, paddle boats and the
like. There was also an included beach bar and grill with burgers, fries,
hot dogs, sandwiches etc. On our one previous trip to Varadero we stayed at
the Superclubs Puntarena and the beach at Palma Real was far supeior.
About two blocks from the hotel was a sidewalk cafe called "Calle 62".
This place had live entertainment each evening in the form of Salsa and
Mambo bands. They prepared the best ham and cheese sanwiches I've ever had.
These consisted of grilled ham, cheese and onion on an English muffin for $2
US. Beer too was $2 US per bottle.
The resort is close to all the businesses of Varadero, lots within
walking distance. About four blocks from the hotel we had dinner one night
at a roadside restaraunt which specialized in seafood. I had a lobster tail,
about five inches long and two inches wide with salad, rice, and more for
$12US. My wife had shrimp, which she also enjoyed very much.
The room we were given was in one of the two towers. It was not spacious
but neither was it cramped. We had a partial ocean view, colour satellite
TV, king size bed, and bathroom with bath and shower. Houskeeping was very
good and the housekeeping staff was friendly and accomodating.
I'm sure there are better resorts in Varadero, but for price and
location, this one can't be beat. We booked our holiday, all inclusive,
hotel, flight from Toronto, airport transfers, taxes, everything except
transportation to Toronto's Pearson International for less than $1600CDN.
I wouldn't hesitate to return to this resort, next time maybe for two
weeks.One week just isn't long enough when you're at a place you like, while
it can seem like an eternity when you're at a place you don't.

Chuck