Occidental Allegro Varadero All Inclusive

This hotel has become my base for a holiday in Varadero. To be honest, I didn't choose it by accident - what attracted me was that in 2022 it underwent restoration. And I have to say that overall price=service choice disappointed me with a lot to tell. --- Location and first impression The hotel is right by the ocean, 8 km from the centre of Varadero and about 37 km from the airport . When we arrived, the first thing that caught our eye was the well-kept grounds and beautiful lobby, where immediately wanted to take a couple of photos to remember. The grounds have 1 main 5-storey building with lift and 5 bungalows of 3 floors without lifts. The hotel has 443 rooms in total. I chewed in the bungalow for a $50 surcharge if there were places to put up there. Room: tired and needing attention The room was spacious enough - definitely not cramped for the three of us. The room had everything you need: air conditioning, refrigerator (minibar free!), TV, safe, hairdryer and even iron with ironing board. But frankly, the rooms are tired (some reviews have sort of had a post-Covid renovation) but don't notice. Furniture and plumbing have seen better times - it feels like the restoration of 2022 was shallow, and refreshed mostly the facades and public areas, not the rooms. There were chairs and a table on the balcony - it was nice to sit in the evening overlooking the field and construction. By the way, for an extra charge, you could get a room with an ocean view - they say it's worth it, but we were told that everything is occupied and won't be available anytime soon. Cons: - There are no foot towels in the bathroom the tiles are very slippery, it was annoying. The towels were only changed once every four days. That's weird for a 4* hotel. There were no bathing tumble dryers and no swimsuits in the room, so we got ready and took the rope with us. 'Furniture's been shattered in places, doors are creaking, I'm falling out of the charging sockets because they're smashed to the brim,' said the room is clearly asking for renovation. --- 🍽️ Meals: queues, heat and dining Food is probably the most controversial thing. There was food, but I didn't enjoy it. Everything is fresh, dry, hard. What was: - For breakfast - porridge, milk cereal, slices, pastries. They've probably had eggs a couple of times all along, and not everyone's had them. -For lunch and dinner - chicken, beef, pork, fish, pasta, rice, beans. What's better is always the queue. Fruit: papaya, guava, pineapple, watermelon. For some reason, only heat-treated bananas were given, there were no fresh bananas. Ice cream is delicious! It was a salvation. But the most unpleasant thing is the queues at the main restaurant. I had to stand for 15 to 20 minutes, for meat. And when he finally came in, it was really hot inside. The air conditioning could barely cope, especially at lunchtime, and eating in that spirit was just uncomfortable. It feels like you're not in a restaurant, but in the dining room at rush hour. The hotel has several à la carte restaurants: Italian, Mexican, Cuban and international. I didn't make it, but the range is good overall. Bars work everywhere in different ways, COHIBA from 7:30 to 11:00 p.m., bar by the main pool around the clock, but there already by 1 a.m. all the rum was running out, and cocktails - as lucky . --- Comparison with the past: when the hotel was Bahia Separately, I want to point out that I already stayed at this hotel when it belonged to the Bahia chain. And frankly, he was much better then. Before, the level of service was higher, the meals were more varied, the rooms were fresher, and most importantly - there was no such feeling that the hotel "reached" due to the old glory. Now, with the rebranding to Vila Gale, a lot has changed. I heard the hotel was downgraded in the ratings and called an "economy club with claims". Unfortunately, it's felt in everything from food to staff work. Former employees in the comments confirm: under Bahia, guests were treated much more carefully . Right now, it feels like inertia is working, and the hotel is holding on to an old name. --- The beach and grounds are the main plus of the hotel! The beach is big, clean, white sand. The entrance to the ocean is gentle, the water is clear, the bottom is smooth - even with children, it's convenient to enter. There are sun loungers and umbrellas for everyone, there were no problems. Wi-Fi on the beach only catches closer to the building, but in the room and lobby worked quite decently for Cuba: you could watch YouTube and make WhatsApp calls . Animation - by day on the beach and by the pool, by night - shows and concerts. Children have a mini club and playground . --- Bottom line: Should we go? If you're going for the beach and the sun - yes, it's a great option. Beautiful beach, normal territory, basic service package. But don't expect gastronomic delight or perfect service. But be prepared for tired rooms, restaurant heat and lines. If you've been here before under Bahia - prepare for the level to drop noticeably. Hotel Vila Gale Tropical Varadero (formerly Sirenis and formerly Bahia) is a solid troika with remains of former glory and popularity. Large area used at 40%. I probably wouldn't come here anymore, there are better options, this calving is not my best choice. 😊

The hotel is very nice, but they are remodeling the main building, since it was recently acquired by a Portuguese chain; so half of the services they offer as all inclusive were not available (daytime and evening entertainment; theme restaurants) We were accommodated in the Beach Club, comfortable, clean rooms, terrace with sea view and exit to the pool, always impeccable water and all the surroundings. In the 9 nights we never got to be 15 guests, I think that was the reason everything was limited. The beach was a bit dirty with seaweed and after a rain and wind storm, washed away a lot of waste and we had to ask one of the gardeners to please clean up a part so that the children were not in contact with the trash. The best thing about the hotel was the attention and excellent willingness of the chef, Ramon and his team, to do everything possible to make our stay pleasant. Xiomara and Amanda were attentive and attentive to our requirements. Also noteworthy is the kindness and empathy of Javier and Micaela at Bar El Mojito. To close the comment, I want to thank and have a special mention for Marcherin (I don’t know if it’s spelled that way) who did everything possible and more, so that the children and adults had a beautiful memory of our family vacation. They made a special celebration for my son who was 40 (the reason for the trip). Undoubtedly, the best thing about the hotel was the warmth and attention, at all times, of all the staff and the beaches with their turquoise and crystal clear sea.

My friend and I booked a last minute trip to Vila Gala, then proceeded to have the time of our lives! I've travelled moderately and this has been by far the best all inclusive getaway I've experienced. At first, we were a little concerned on how few people were staying at the hotel but this quickly tuned into the biggest positive of the whole trip. The hotel is undergoing some renovations, they appear to be nearly complete. This had zero impact on our stay, and after touring the other side of the resort we prefer the half we stayed at. The entire resort is well kept, clean and the paths all around are worth walking to see birds, small lizards and beautiful flowers. The food is the best I've had in Cuba by far. Chicken, pork or fish are the staples of each meal, but each time they were prepared a different way. The flavours are incredible. A buffet was set up as more guests arrived, there were delicious options for everyone. I had an omelette with ham and cheese each morning for breakfast and recommend trying at least one Spanish coffee. The beach is clean, soft white sand and the colour of the ocean is stunning. There are plenty of sunshades as well, one day I had a nice nap in the shade listening to the waves. There is a pool with a bar that our rooms where very close too, this was excellent for cooling off in the afternoon heat. There was and endless variety of drinks and two or three options for beer. Pina colada and mojitos are a must try! The most incredible part of this trip were the employees. We must have interacted with 30 or more employees working hard to make sure our stay was enjoyable. With the resort being quiet we developed special bonds and friendships with many of them. Now that I'm back at home I'm really missing the warm smiles, friendly hugs, laughter and genuine companionship from each and everyone. I don't speak Spanish, with the use of the translator app on my phone I was able to easily interact with everyone but they all made their best effort in English. Thank you everyone at Vila Gala for an experience that will stay in my heart forever.