Ocean Varadero El Patriarca

The grounds at Valentin El Patriarca Varadero are absolutely beautiful, and the beach is easily one of the most stunning I’ve ever seen. Soft sand, clear water, and a long stretch of walkable shoreline make this resort ideal for beach lovers. The water stays shallow for quite a distance, which is perfect for families traveling with children. We upgraded to the Allegiance package, which ended up being a good decision. It gave us full access to the à la carte restaurants, making our dining experience much better than relying on the buffet every day. Premium alcohol was also included, and the Allegiance private pool was a nice perk, although we only used it once on a cloudy day since we are more beach people. The staff truly deserves recognition. Everyone worked incredibly hard and was consistently friendly. A special shout-out to our maid, who kept our room spotless throughout our stay—her efforts did not go unnoticed. That said, there were several disappointments. Unfortunately, there was no hot water all week—only lukewarm water—which was frustrating. The rooms are very dated and clearly need a major overhaul. The thermostat was hanging off the wall, and the air conditioning never shut off, making the room uncomfortably cold at all times. Check-in was another major issue. It took 2.5 hours to check in due to only one person working the front desk. After a long travel day, arriving close to midnight, this was extremely inconvenient. We also requested a king-size bed and never received one, even after waiting two days, despite the hotel not being at full capacity. I prefer sugar-free or diet soda, which was not available—this was a minor inconvenience, but worth noting. We also tried to book the spa, as our package included a complimentary 20-minute massage. Surprisingly, we were told it was fully booked for the entire week, even though the hotel appeared to be at about half capacity. One highlight was the excellent coffee shop on site, offering great lattes and cappuccinos. Additionally, there’s a local bus stop just outside the hotel—$5 allows unlimited travel for the day between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., and it conveniently brings you right back to the resort. I typically travel to Cuba for the beaches rather than the food, and this trip reinforced that. The country is clearly going through a difficult time, and the loss of tourism is taking a toll. I truly hope Cuba can recover and that better days are ahead for the people who work so hard to make visitors feel welcome. Overall: Incredible beach, hardworking staff, and beautiful grounds—but dated rooms, operational inefficiencies, and basic maintenance issues hold this resort back from being truly great.

I was hesitant to book this because there were so many bad reviews, but it turned out to be unfounded. The staff is friendly and always at your service. Good, plentiful, home cooked, Cuban style food. beautiful park-like grounds, clean pools and a nice beach. Our room had a couple of issues on first inspection, so they upgraded us to a beautiful large suite. Would definitely return again as the staff is so amazing.

Just horrible. Please do not waste your money in this place. I was there from January 21 -28 No Buffet, no snack bar, no bars except a small lobby bar and one coffee bar One restaurant open with chicken rice fish and rice for the whole week Nothing works ,no hot water no changing sheets or towels unless you beg. We were basically on our own with no employees anywhere to help.