We just got back from a vacation in Cuba. We were there last week from FEb. 27 to Mar. 05. I wouldn't rate this hotel as a 5 star but more of a 4 (low 4).

The food wasn't very good. The buffets served the same thing every day. My husband had a hard time getting his eggs cooked the right way, they were always well done. The 4 a la carte restaurants are not all a la carte, there is only one choice in the menu (seafood restaurant). At the seafood restaurant we had a lobster tale as an entre (very good) but a pork chop as our main meal!! The bread is very good, so we ate bread all week!! If you want to eat some good seafood go to the El Rancho restaurant in Varadero. Very good!!

In our room, the patio door wouldn't lock, I called to have it repaired but it broke the next day, I didn't call back. The screen door was torn and one night it could hear the sound of cruppling paper, so I checked in the gabage pail, which had a plastic bag in it and there I found a roach!! (my husband didn't believe me, so at 1:00 in the morning I threw the garbage pail outside the door). Besides all this the room was ok.

It was windy all week and very cloudy. This was our second time to Cuba, I don't think we will be going back in the near future.

Claire

This was our 2nd trip to the Tryp Peninsula - it was not up to the same standard as last time - they were overbooked when we arrived so we were sent to the Paradisus for 2 nights. We were not the only people who were in this predicament. We lost a day at the beach being transferred twice, had a fridge that didn't work (my husband had to finally carry it to the lobby after 6 phone calls), obtaining beach towels was like pulling teeth, we were told the hotel had no king size beds in existence (although one of the couples we met had a king size bed). They have a problem at the reception desk BELIEVING what their guests are telling them!

The positive points are that the food is pretty good (other than the Italian Restaurant which is so/so) and the beach is wonderful.

The staff could use more English training - I realize it is a foreign country but Cuba's biggest industry is TOURISM - come on people!

My wife and I stayed at the TRYP Peninsula Varadero from February the 15th to the 22nd, and while we had a great time with good food and drinks, we found that to be well enough time for our first trip together.

This resort is rated five stars and deserves every star. It is still quite new and the grounds are kept very clean with a beautiful landscape. The beach is also kept very clean. The only thing to watch out for are the jellyfish. We saw many of them on the beach. There are security staff by the beach and throughout the resort to inform tourists about the dangers of the jellyfish and other dangers. Many of the resort's staff spoke mainly spanish, but it was usually easy to figure out what they were saying. However, some spoke english very well. Whether english or spanish speaking, the entire staff was extremely friendly. So friendly, infact, that they were a highlight of the trip! My wife would occasionally receive a beautiful flower from one of the gardeners, and many of the restaurant and snack bar staff remembered not only our names, but also what we liked to drink. Our chaimber maid always made our room look lovely with creative design and she also gave us exta supplies when we asked for them. The ladies cleaning the main lobby and other areas of the resort always wore a smile when greeted and they left a shine where ever they had been. All these people got both gifts and tips from us.

Travelling outside the resort into Varadero was not quite as pleasant. There are many markets to visit and things to see, but if you need to use the bathroom, be sure to carry some toilet paper with you otherwise you may need to pay and will likely get a very small amount. I also tried to take a picture of two police officers, but they were not friendly and refused to have their picture taken. The children in Varadero, however, clinged to us when we told them we had caramelo (candy). They also had big smiles for the camera!

There are tours which can be booked from the resort. My wife and I had the opportunity to swim with the dolphins on one of those tours. Tours cost extra, but are worth it. Just be sure to bring a hat and plenty of sunscreen. I became quite sick from too much sun. Don't forget to drink lots of water also.

Our trip to the TRYP was very memorable, and although I am happy to be back in Canada's winter wonderland, I would make another visit this resort again just to see the people!

We visted the Tryp for 6 nights between the 12th and the 18th of February 2005. We are a family of four with two daughters aged 16 and 18. Overall we found the holiday to be very enjoyable.

Rooms: The rooms were very well equipped with 2 almost double beds, effective air conditioning, TV with limited english channels, walk in wardrobe, sofa, desk and large bathroom. The shower was always hot and was very powerful. We were in bungalow 27 and found it was perfectly positioned for us. It is the closest bungalow to the beach and the furthest away from the buffet etc. This meant that we could pop down to the beach and not worry about forgetting things. We could also hear no noise from the theatre in the evenings.

Beach: The beach was the best beach we have ever seen. The sand was always clean and got extremely hot after 12:00. The sea shelved gently into the water and even when standing 20 metres from the shore you could still see everything on the bottom. It was extremely clear. There was always a surplus of loungers on the beach and plenty of shade provided by palm umbrellas. The watersports equipment on the beach was free to take out and we used the kayaks, pedaloes and catamarans frequently. There was always sufficient watersports available for everyone.

Weather: The weather was perfect every day we stayed at the Tryp. Most days the temperature was around 28 degrees and the sun shone all day. The wind was sometimes quite strong on the beach but the safety flag was always on green for 'safe to swim' It can get chilly in the evenings if there is a breeze.

Food: We ate in the buffet every breakfast and every dinner but one. We found that the selection was very good and there was always food that everyone liked. We did find that a tip to the waitress/waiter in the buffet helped to speed up service of drinks. Some of the food on offer was warm rather than hot but generally we found that the best food was the freshly grilled meats and fish on the barbeque and the freshly cooked pasta and carvery. These were always very tasty and hot. We ate at 'la laguna' the beach restaurant for lunches. Here, burgers, chips, calamari, paella and pasta were all freshly cooked and very enjoyable. It is very busy at lunch but if you wait around for 5 minutes there is usually a table available. We ate at 'le gondola' for one lunch which made a change because it was completely empty compared to the other restaurants. This is the italian a la carte but no reservation is required for lunch although it is the same menu. A good range of pasta and pizza were available and the service was superior to the other restaurants. We ate at 'la laguna' a la carte one evening but found that it was not that great, although the live music was great! Overall, for such a poor country, the range of food they were able to supply was excellent and although some dishes could have been better, the food was generally very nice.

Drinks: We loved the cuban cocktails and found that for those people who don't like rum they can be served without. The pina colada and the mojito were particularly good. Both the red wine and the rosé are fine. The drinks are the best at the lobby bar. All drinks except for speciality whiskeys, champagnes etc. are included in the price.

Pool: The pool was lovely but very cold. We preferred to spend our time at the beach because it was so beautiful!

Overall, the Tryp is an excellent hotel with a wide range of facilities, perfect for a family holiday.