Cubanacan Marazul
Ave Sur y Las Terrazas Santa Maria del Mar, Havana Cuba
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About
#220 of 234 hotels in Havana
Location
3.9
Rooms
2.7
Value
3.4
Cleanliness
3.1
Service
3.0
Sleep Quality
3.1
MARAZUL Hotel all inclusive resort located on East Havana Beaches, only 25 minutes away from the international airport ( HAV). Facing the spectacular beaches of Playa del Este, the resort offers a privileged location just 20 minutes away from “Old Havana”, inviting guests to discover this international cultural heritage. Enjoy the stunning white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters of the Caribbean and delight yourself with one of the world famous Cuban Mojito. MARAZUL Hotel offers different room categories with unparalleled views as well as a wide selection of guest services, making it the ideal choice for a relaxed vacation of beach & culture.
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Property amenities
Secured parking
Public wifi
Pool
Bar / lounge
Beach
Game room
Airport transportation
Convenience store
Pool / beach towels
Outdoor pool
Restaurant
Breakfast buffet
Complimentary welcome drink
Snack bar
Poolside bar
Billiards
Entertainment staff
Evening entertainment
Table tennis
Currency exchange
Gift shop
Shops
Sun loungers / beach chairs
Sun umbrellas
Infirmary
24-hour front desk
Room features
Air conditioning
Housekeeping
Safe
VIP room facilities
Room types
Ocean view
Non-smoking rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Ocean View
Great View
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Location
Ave Sur y Las Terrazas Santa Maria del Mar, Havana Cuba
Getting there
Jose Marti Intl Airport
18.9 mi•
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Juan Gualberto Gomez Airport
49 mi•
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Rental Cars
22 Restaurants
within 5 miles
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Detailed Reviews
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A few months ago I traveled to Cuba and I would stay in this hotel, I am from Mexico, I read reviews in which I really imagined the worst, I was about to cancel, when I arrived at the hotel I expected the worst, but I write this review because I believe that the hotel is poorly rated, although it is a somewhat neglected hotel in terms of infrastructure, I thought the service was good, the people do their part to serve you, the buffet was not bad at all, I have eaten in good restaurants and I think it is not bad at all The hotel's one is bad, the draft beer is very good and the quality table wine. Maybe the cocktail bar lacks variety but it's not bad at all compared to the reviews I heard, it's true it's a bit far from Old Havana but there are many options to get around in taxis. For me, a hotel that has very bad reviews and is not really as mentioned, things to improve but a place to spend a nice vacation in Cuba
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Date of stay: July 2023Trip type: Traveled with friends
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Hotel Tropicoco
SOLYSUN/HOLASUN REPRESENTATIVE: Wow!!!! is the only way I can describe him. Elias Valor my hat is off to you. This gentleman is an awesome person. A 10/10 does not adequately represent his value compared to tour reps we have had in Mexico. Maybe 12 or 13/10 is more apt. He very quickly makes you feel welcome in a foreign country and unlike most tour company representatives he is “VERY VISIBLE” and willingly offers whatever guidance and assistance he can for whatever need you have. He has very good fluency in at least 4 languages. We asked his advice on which “one” tour to take and it was one to the northern west most province and some of the scenery was breathtaking. For a 12 hour tour the cost was 52CUC which in Mexico might be a 3-5 hour tour, so it was well worth the money. Once we had settled on this tour, he saw me waiting for him as he was talking to a new incoming group, he excused himself, came over to me to collect the money so I would not be inconvenienced by any wait. After he was done with that new group, he arranged the tour for us, he then personally delivered the receipt/voucher to our room, arranged the wake up call AND ensured that the kitchen staff had a sandwich and drinks available for us since we were scheduled to leave ½ an hour before the dining room opened for breakfast. That was above and beyond the call of duty when you think that this is a 2* rated hotel. A 6* person.
HOTEL ROOMS: More than adequate, quite large, always kept clean by a very accommodating cleaning staff. They could use a bit of sprucing up in that a couple of the hooks that hung the curtains up were broken and the shower had the hand held end shower head and if you turned it on with the hand held part in its proper holder it shot right to the ceiling. The step-up lip on the floor out of the shower is maybe ½ an inch at best so you get water outside the shower area most times but this is something that has me baffled as I have had the same situations in both Mexico and Cuba, from 2* to 4.5*. You get used to it and learn how to minimize the excess water quickly. They could use a hair blower in the bathroom. They could use some bigger bed sheets since with one sheet you aren’t able to tuck any corners under the mattress but just ask for a second sheet & put them sideways and you can tuck them under so they stay in place. All in all, no big complaints, but the could use dressers to put your clothing in, rating 7/10
THE BEACH: To set matters straight, in a couple of the previous reviews there were complaints about the beach and its overall cleanliness. First of all, the Hotel/Resort “DOES NOT” own the beach!!!! It is a public beach, the same as Wasaga Beach is up here in Ontario is, on Georgian Bay. And consequently ignorant people leave messes behind themselves for someone else to clean up. Regrettably it seems to be at least ½ and ½, as to locals and we visitors. It is too bad that we as a whole can’t respect their country a little more and help keep it clean for both them and us. Granted one of the down sides is that the garbage cans are few and far between. Yes, I did find a little bit of glass laying around but it is something that I was consciously looking for given the previous reviews so I picked it up. No big deal as I do the same at Wasaga, Presquile, or Hamilton Beach down by Hutch’s.
The sand itself is quite nice and made up of a lot of broken down coral and shells. It is very pleasant to lie on. The view is quite beautiful and the water is very clear such that you can see the sandbars out in the water and go out a fair distance without going over your head. The downside to all of the sand out in the water is that there is nothing for the fish to eat so snorkeling in front of the hotel was a wasted effort besides for seeing how the bottom shifts with the waves which was sort of neat in itself.
Given that this is a public beach, there are thatched beach umbrella’s for hire at 2 CUC and the normal chairs we are used to are 1 CUC. There is a supply of chairs for hotel guests down by the beach though at no cost. These are sort of a unique design where your rear end sits directly on the sand and if you lean to far back you feel like you might go over. After a couple of shifts you got used to them. I can’t say that I ever saw all of the umbrellas being used at the same time.
There is a Catamaran and some paddle boats available on the beach which I did not partake of. The cost of the catamaran seemed to change with the tide. One time I was told $12/40 minutes but another $12/hour. The last two days we were there, the water was too rough for it (and us) to go out on the boat which was a shame as I wanted to hire the boat for 2-3 hours as he said there was a nice place to go snorkeling about 20-25 minutes away. Oddly enough he wasn’t very busy over the course of any day and may have only set sail for 1-3 trips per day. Quite a poor ratio of use, so chances are for a longer trip of more than an hour I am sure that he would negotiate a cheaper price per hour.
There are a few restaurants (to varying degrees) set up on the beach that serve booze, or booze and food. We only sat at one and had a couple of local coolers called “Loco”. They were “mucho tasty” especially at 1.5 CUC each. One person told me that these govt authorized restaurants were the reason the Hotels “Juice Bar” did not serve any alcohol. They weren’t allowed to and the hotel had to negotiate hard for even the little strip of land it is allowed to use across the road on the way to the beach. The juice bar seemed to be open from early morning to late afternoon. From the front door of the hotel to the waters edge is about a 2-3 minute walk, so very close and convenient. There are some armed guards on the beach but they were quite pleasant and in some regards, they did make you feel safer. On the whole 6or7/10 for beach and the atmosphere.
GETTING INTO TOWN: The hotel offers a free shuttle service at I believe 9AM, 3PM and 8PM. But you do have to book it and if its full, its full, so book it early. For convenience a 12PM shuttle would be much more nicer, so we took one cab company (ordered from the entrance of the hotel) into Havana 13.04 CUC (La Habana) and Panataxi back 12.84. Panataxi was cheaper by about .20 pesos. No big difference as they both go by mileage. Unlike one reviewer I would not recommend public transit in any way shape or form even if it is dirt cheap. Describing the transports as a tin of upright sardines would be quite appropriate. The shuttle bus could be arranged in a better manner by the hotel, so only 5/10 on this
THE RESTAURANT/BUFFET: The wait staff is quite decent to deal with. You have a whole range of waiters/waitresses from the rookies who are scared to try any English to those who are seasoned pros and know how to ask diners if they would like white/red wine or cervesa with dinner in English or French. They are quite attentive most times.
The food on the whole was very reasonable in quality and variety. Sure they could use more spices and variety with the fruits. They almost always seemed to have a beef, pork and chicken dish available. Their veggie selection was a bit on the lacking side but its hard to complain when you have choices such as Roasted Whole Turkey, Beef Tenderloin etc on some nights. Their sauce for their pasta dishes left a bit to be desired as per a tomatoe sauce, but it was still palatable. My favourite part of dinner - deserts. No real difference from the Grand Flamenco Xcaret 4.5* in Mexico, or the Blue Bay Club 4* in Cancun or Club Maeva 3* on the Mayan Riviera. They look better than they taste :>)) They didn’t have the selection of the others but there was usually at least one item that was good and a couple that were Ok.
My biggest gripe in the dining room was the itsy bitsy teenie weenie little dinky drinking glasses. To get a normal sized glass of juice you needed 3- 4 of them. BRING your own MUG!!! The flavour of the juice could also be drastically different from day to day. I did accidently try some juices that I normally wouldn’t have and some were really good.
One thing that I had to keep in mind, is that this is a country that has been blackballed by the USA since at least 1962 (more likely 1959) and consequently they lack many of the goods, foods and services that we take for granted. For the most part, the chicken you eat in Cuba is Canadian and most of the beef is either Canadian or from Argentina. It will be a sad day for the Cubans when the Americans lift their blockade, their way of life will forever disappear. It is very quaint to see all the cars from the 1930's, 40's and 50's driving around and it would probably take 1-2 years for the old vehicles to end up in the US. In summary Food 6/10, service 7/10, atmosphere 6/10
One item that was mentioned by a previous reviewer was bird droppings in the food. Well yes this is a possibility even though I can’t say that I personally saw it or heard about its happenstance. Since there are large windows left open in the dining room, there is a sparrow sized bird that shows no fear of entering the dining area to comb the floor for food. Personally I found that this does give the place a more tropical feel to it but there is always the potential for the old saying “birdie, birdie in the sky you put whitewash .......... I like birds and have had pet budgies in the past but it seems our feathered friends have but two purposes in life - eat and poop.
THE BARS and the DRINKS: Yes it is possible to get sick of the Drinks here. The selection is quite limited to beer and RUM. They do have a few other available drinks but what they could really, Really, REALLY use are some good recipe books as to how to make various mixed drinks using Rum. Even if they had these books then the next question would be availability of the additional ingredients to make drinks such as Planters Punch etc. One of the stupidest things I came across was how different bars had different types of drinks or lacked specific items. The pool bar didn’t have ice or beer. The lobby bar (to the side of the front desk) had beer, pop, a few mixed drinks and Rum, the lounge bar had Scotch and some liqueurs but no beer or pop. A real pain in their small plastic cups!!! Again hit Tim Hornies and but a Timmy MUG. After getting tired of Rum & cola, I was drinking Scotch and cola which meant a trip to two bars each time I wanted a drink. The scotch was actually quite good, in fact closer to a rye whiskey in flavour than a expensive Scotch. The pop is horrible in flavour. Worse than PC cola. You can buy Pepsi or Coke but even those have a different flavour since they come from South American countries. The bartenders have elbows that have a tendency to seemingly cramp when they are pouring the liquor so I got used to splitting what I normally got into two cups. When it wasn’t busy in the Lounge bar the one bartender was actually kind enough to do my pop runs for me when I had my notebook up and running. My utmost thanks go out to Fernando for courtesies shown and I promise when I return I will remember his school aged daughter. The service 8/10, the selection of drinks could be much better, so 5/10.
THE ENTERTAINMENT GROUP: I can’t really vouch for this as I only saw parts of two shows. One was a dance troupe that was brought in and they were very well choreographed and the costumes certainly didn’t leave much to the imagination. Another night the hotel staff put on a show and I saw one skit and that was enough. They did seem to have a presence on the beach during the day but again, they did their thing and my wife, daughter and I did our thing. It wouldn’t be fair to rate them.
THE FRONT DESK: There were some comments made in previous reviews that they really didn’t want to help people. Personally I think that their biggest problem is fluency in languages other than Spanish and how people describe the problems they have. In my daughter’s room once you flushed the toilet it kept running and running and running. Since it was a push down to flush rather than a lever, after my daughter and wife reported it to the front desk, I realized all you had to do was grab it and pull it back up and problem semi-solved. Try explaining that in a language someone doesn’t fully understand. When we went down to cancel the repair request they said that someone would be up in 10-15 minutes but we told them not to bother. In hindsight the trick may be to get someone who speaks your language and is fluent Spanish as well to explain your problem to the women on the front desk. Mid-trip I also asked for 20 single CUC’s from the front desk (for tips) and I left one behind for the desk clerk and she looked genuinely appreciative and when I came up for something else later she jumped up and was right there to help. At the beginning there was also one minor issue where my daughters room was initially on a different floor than my wife’s and mine. The front desk had that resolved in about 10 minutes at check-in. Rating 7/10
THE AIRPORT: We flew Cubana Airlines on this trip and the experience was far better than Skyservice or Air Transat. The supplied food was actually a decent quality and the seating area seemingly bigger. The exchange rate here is about as good as it is going to get, so you may as well use it here. Customs was quite easy to clear. Please note though that all DVD’s are illegal in Cuba so I pulled my DVD-ROM out of my notebook and left it in Canada and taped over the opening and got through quickly. For more information go to the Cuba Tourist Board in Canada @ --- where you will find more information and contact info if you have specific questions as I did with my notebook. The wait to leave the Havana airport is a little on the aggravating side. Its about a 25 minute drive, so the guestimate would be about 20CUC to get to the hotel by cab. If you can split the cost then this might not be a bad option, BUT if you do please let the tour rep know that you are doing it!!!! We waited an extra ½ hour, at the airport, on the bus, waiting for a couple that never showed up, but beat us to the hotel. Cubana Airlines compared to others 8/10. I still miss Wardair for service. Airport experience and conveyance to the hotel maybe 6/10. Probably be higher if it weren’t for the ignorant couple that didn’t check in at the airport and caused us to wait the extra ½ hour.
The CUBANS: On the whole they are phenomenally friendly and helpful. Their society is very different from ours in that their basic necessities are taken care of by the state. All health care and education are free. Apparently 1 out of 7 have a university education. The receive food rations that give them approximately 3 weeks of food, the rest they have to purchase themselves. Housing is relatively cheap and their utility bills are almost non-existent. Their overall cost of living is quite low. This is how they are able to exist on salaries of 9-17 CUC per month. To us an unbelievably low amoun,t since the CUC (Cuban Convertible Peso) is pegged at the same rate as the US dollar. When we returned to Canada we ensured that we brought virtually no money back, as we tipped a little bit of money, to a lot of different people to hopefully make their lives a bit easier. Even the beggars that we saw were pleasant and if you said no then they still looked at you and smiled.
IN SUMMARY: Given the cost and 2* rating we went to this hotel expecting no more than a beach, a hotel with a restaurant that had free drinks. Tropicoco and their staff far exceeded my initial expectations. Yes, there is a lot of room for improvement from the food preparation (spice it up), to the room decor to the over all appearance of the hotel, but I would not hesitate to return and am still wishfully eyeballing the cost of 2 weeks ther right now. Knowing what I know now, my second trip to this hotel and locale would be much more fulfilling. I would be better prepared to see the sights in and around Havana. Take a map of Havana with various sights to see and a large cup (large Tim Hortons Mug would be ideal) for you to get drinks with for meals and everyday drinks whether it be water, juice, beer or liquor.
SOLYSUN/HOLASUN REPRESENTATIVE: Wow!!!! is the only way I can describe him. Elias Valor my hat is off to you. This gentleman is an awesome person. A 10/10 does not adequately represent his value compared to tour reps we have had in Mexico. Maybe 12 or 13/10 is more apt. He very quickly makes you feel welcome in a foreign country and unlike most tour company representatives he is “VERY VISIBLE” and willingly offers whatever guidance and assistance he can for whatever need you have. He has very good fluency in at least 4 languages. We asked his advice on which “one” tour to take and it was one to the northern west most province and some of the scenery was breathtaking. For a 12 hour tour the cost was 52CUC which in Mexico might be a 3-5 hour tour, so it was well worth the money. Once we had settled on this tour, he saw me waiting for him as he was talking to a new incoming group, he excused himself, came over to me to collect the money so I would not be inconvenienced by any wait. After he was done with that new group, he arranged the tour for us, he then personally delivered the receipt/voucher to our room, arranged the wake up call AND ensured that the kitchen staff had a sandwich and drinks available for us since we were scheduled to leave ½ an hour before the dining room opened for breakfast. That was above and beyond the call of duty when you think that this is a 2* rated hotel. A 6* person.
HOTEL ROOMS: More than adequate, quite large, always kept clean by a very accommodating cleaning staff. They could use a bit of sprucing up in that a couple of the hooks that hung the curtains up were broken and the shower had the hand held end shower head and if you turned it on with the hand held part in its proper holder it shot right to the ceiling. The step-up lip on the floor out of the shower is maybe ½ an inch at best so you get water outside the shower area most times but this is something that has me baffled as I have had the same situations in both Mexico and Cuba, from 2* to 4.5*. You get used to it and learn how to minimize the excess water quickly. They could use a hair blower in the bathroom. They could use some bigger bed sheets since with one sheet you aren’t able to tuck any corners under the mattress but just ask for a second sheet & put them sideways and you can tuck them under so they stay in place. All in all, no big complaints, but the could use dressers to put your clothing in, rating 7/10
THE BEACH: To set matters straight, in a couple of the previous reviews there were complaints about the beach and its overall cleanliness. First of all, the Hotel/Resort “DOES NOT” own the beach!!!! It is a public beach, the same as Wasaga Beach is up here in Ontario is, on Georgian Bay. And consequently ignorant people leave messes behind themselves for someone else to clean up. Regrettably it seems to be at least ½ and ½, as to locals and we visitors. It is too bad that we as a whole can’t respect their country a little more and help keep it clean for both them and us. Granted one of the down sides is that the garbage cans are few and far between. Yes, I did find a little bit of glass laying around but it is something that I was consciously looking for given the previous reviews so I picked it up. No big deal as I do the same at Wasaga, Presquile, or Hamilton Beach down by Hutch’s.
The sand itself is quite nice and made up of a lot of broken down coral and shells. It is very pleasant to lie on. The view is quite beautiful and the water is very clear such that you can see the sandbars out in the water and go out a fair distance without going over your head. The downside to all of the sand out in the water is that there is nothing for the fish to eat so snorkeling in front of the hotel was a wasted effort besides for seeing how the bottom shifts with the waves which was sort of neat in itself.
Given that this is a public beach, there are thatched beach umbrella’s for hire at 2 CUC and the normal chairs we are used to are 1 CUC. There is a supply of chairs for hotel guests down by the beach though at no cost. These are sort of a unique design where your rear end sits directly on the sand and if you lean to far back you feel like you might go over. After a couple of shifts you got used to them. I can’t say that I ever saw all of the umbrellas being used at the same time.
There is a Catamaran and some paddle boats available on the beach which I did not partake of. The cost of the catamaran seemed to change with the tide. One time I was told $12/40 minutes but another $12/hour. The last two days we were there, the water was too rough for it (and us) to go out on the boat which was a shame as I wanted to hire the boat for 2-3 hours as he said there was a nice place to go snorkeling about 20-25 minutes away. Oddly enough he wasn’t very busy over the course of any day and may have only set sail for 1-3 trips per day. Quite a poor ratio of use, so chances are for a longer trip of more than an hour I am sure that he would negotiate a cheaper price per hour.
There are a few restaurants (to varying degrees) set up on the beach that serve booze, or booze and food. We only sat at one and had a couple of local coolers called “Loco”. They were “mucho tasty” especially at 1.5 CUC each. One person told me that these govt authorized restaurants were the reason the Hotels “Juice Bar” did not serve any alcohol. They weren’t allowed to and the hotel had to negotiate hard for even the little strip of land it is allowed to use across the road on the way to the beach. The juice bar seemed to be open from early morning to late afternoon. From the front door of the hotel to the waters edge is about a 2-3 minute walk, so very close and convenient. There are some armed guards on the beach but they were quite pleasant and in some regards, they did make you feel safer. On the whole 6or7/10 for beach and the atmosphere.
GETTING INTO TOWN: The hotel offers a free shuttle service at I believe 9AM, 3PM and 8PM. But you do have to book it and if its full, its full, so book it early. For convenience a 12PM shuttle would be much more nicer, so we took one cab company (ordered from the entrance of the hotel) into Havana 13.04 CUC (La Habana) and Panataxi back 12.84. Panataxi was cheaper by about .20 pesos. No big difference as they both go by mileage. Unlike one reviewer I would not recommend public transit in any way shape or form even if it is dirt cheap. Describing the transports as a tin of upright sardines would be quite appropriate. The shuttle bus could be arranged in a better manner by the hotel, so only 5/10 on this
THE RESTAURANT/BUFFET: The wait staff is quite decent to deal with. You have a whole range of waiters/waitresses from the rookies who are scared to try any English to those who are seasoned pros and know how to ask diners if they would like white/red wine or cervesa with dinner in English or French. They are quite attentive most times.
The food on the whole was very reasonable in quality and variety. Sure they could use more spices and variety with the fruits. They almost always seemed to have a beef, pork and chicken dish available. Their veggie selection was a bit on the lacking side but its hard to complain when you have choices such as Roasted Whole Turkey, Beef Tenderloin etc on some nights. Their sauce for their pasta dishes left a bit to be desired as per a tomatoe sauce, but it was still palatable. My favourite part of dinner - deserts. No real difference from the Grand Flamenco Xcaret 4.5* in Mexico, or the Blue Bay Club 4* in Cancun or Club Maeva 3* on the Mayan Riviera. They look better than they taste :>)) They didn’t have the selection of the others but there was usually at least one item that was good and a couple that were Ok.
My biggest gripe in the dining room was the itsy bitsy teenie weenie little dinky drinking glasses. To get a normal sized glass of juice you needed 3- 4 of them. BRING your own MUG!!! The flavour of the juice could also be drastically different from day to day. I did accidently try some juices that I normally wouldn’t have and some were really good.
One thing that I had to keep in mind, is that this is a country that has been blackballed by the USA since at least 1962 (more likely 1959) and consequently they lack many of the goods, foods and services that we take for granted. For the most part, the chicken you eat in Cuba is Canadian and most of the beef is either Canadian or from Argentina. It will be a sad day for the Cubans when the Americans lift their blockade, their way of life will forever disappear. It is very quaint to see all the cars from the 1930's, 40's and 50's driving around and it would probably take 1-2 years for the old vehicles to end up in the US. In summary Food 6/10, service 7/10, atmosphere 6/10
One item that was mentioned by a previous reviewer was bird droppings in the food. Well yes this is a possibility even though I can’t say that I personally saw it or heard about its happenstance. Since there are large windows left open in the dining room, there is a sparrow sized bird that shows no fear of entering the dining area to comb the floor for food. Personally I found that this does give the place a more tropical feel to it but there is always the potential for the old saying “birdie, birdie in the sky you put whitewash .......... I like birds and have had pet budgies in the past but it seems our feathered friends have but two purposes in life - eat and poop.
THE BARS and the DRINKS: Yes it is possible to get sick of the Drinks here. The selection is quite limited to beer and RUM. They do have a few other available drinks but what they could really, Really, REALLY use are some good recipe books as to how to make various mixed drinks using Rum. Even if they had these books then the next question would be availability of the additional ingredients to make drinks such as Planters Punch etc. One of the stupidest things I came across was how different bars had different types of drinks or lacked specific items. The pool bar didn’t have ice or beer. The lobby bar (to the side of the front desk) had beer, pop, a few mixed drinks and Rum, the lounge bar had Scotch and some liqueurs but no beer or pop. A real pain in their small plastic cups!!! Again hit Tim Hornies and but a Timmy MUG. After getting tired of Rum & cola, I was drinking Scotch and cola which meant a trip to two bars each time I wanted a drink. The scotch was actually quite good, in fact closer to a rye whiskey in flavour than a expensive Scotch. The pop is horrible in flavour. Worse than PC cola. You can buy Pepsi or Coke but even those have a different flavour since they come from South American countries. The bartenders have elbows that have a tendency to seemingly cramp when they are pouring the liquor so I got used to splitting what I normally got into two cups. When it wasn’t busy in the Lounge bar the one bartender was actually kind enough to do my pop runs for me when I had my notebook up and running. My utmost thanks go out to Fernando for courtesies shown and I promise when I return I will remember his school aged daughter. The service 8/10, the selection of drinks could be much better, so 5/10.
THE ENTERTAINMENT GROUP: I can’t really vouch for this as I only saw parts of two shows. One was a dance troupe that was brought in and they were very well choreographed and the costumes certainly didn’t leave much to the imagination. Another night the hotel staff put on a show and I saw one skit and that was enough. They did seem to have a presence on the beach during the day but again, they did their thing and my wife, daughter and I did our thing. It wouldn’t be fair to rate them.
THE FRONT DESK: There were some comments made in previous reviews that they really didn’t want to help people. Personally I think that their biggest problem is fluency in languages other than Spanish and how people describe the problems they have. In my daughter’s room once you flushed the toilet it kept running and running and running. Since it was a push down to flush rather than a lever, after my daughter and wife reported it to the front desk, I realized all you had to do was grab it and pull it back up and problem semi-solved. Try explaining that in a language someone doesn’t fully understand. When we went down to cancel the repair request they said that someone would be up in 10-15 minutes but we told them not to bother. In hindsight the trick may be to get someone who speaks your language and is fluent Spanish as well to explain your problem to the women on the front desk. Mid-trip I also asked for 20 single CUC’s from the front desk (for tips) and I left one behind for the desk clerk and she looked genuinely appreciative and when I came up for something else later she jumped up and was right there to help. At the beginning there was also one minor issue where my daughters room was initially on a different floor than my wife’s and mine. The front desk had that resolved in about 10 minutes at check-in. Rating 7/10
THE AIRPORT: We flew Cubana Airlines on this trip and the experience was far better than Skyservice or Air Transat. The supplied food was actually a decent quality and the seating area seemingly bigger. The exchange rate here is about as good as it is going to get, so you may as well use it here. Customs was quite easy to clear. Please note though that all DVD’s are illegal in Cuba so I pulled my DVD-ROM out of my notebook and left it in Canada and taped over the opening and got through quickly. For more information go to the Cuba Tourist Board in Canada @ --- where you will find more information and contact info if you have specific questions as I did with my notebook. The wait to leave the Havana airport is a little on the aggravating side. Its about a 25 minute drive, so the guestimate would be about 20CUC to get to the hotel by cab. If you can split the cost then this might not be a bad option, BUT if you do please let the tour rep know that you are doing it!!!! We waited an extra ½ hour, at the airport, on the bus, waiting for a couple that never showed up, but beat us to the hotel. Cubana Airlines compared to others 8/10. I still miss Wardair for service. Airport experience and conveyance to the hotel maybe 6/10. Probably be higher if it weren’t for the ignorant couple that didn’t check in at the airport and caused us to wait the extra ½ hour.
The CUBANS: On the whole they are phenomenally friendly and helpful. Their society is very different from ours in that their basic necessities are taken care of by the state. All health care and education are free. Apparently 1 out of 7 have a university education. The receive food rations that give them approximately 3 weeks of food, the rest they have to purchase themselves. Housing is relatively cheap and their utility bills are almost non-existent. Their overall cost of living is quite low. This is how they are able to exist on salaries of 9-17 CUC per month. To us an unbelievably low amoun,t since the CUC (Cuban Convertible Peso) is pegged at the same rate as the US dollar. When we returned to Canada we ensured that we brought virtually no money back, as we tipped a little bit of money, to a lot of different people to hopefully make their lives a bit easier. Even the beggars that we saw were pleasant and if you said no then they still looked at you and smiled.
IN SUMMARY: Given the cost and 2* rating we went to this hotel expecting no more than a beach, a hotel with a restaurant that had free drinks. Tropicoco and their staff far exceeded my initial expectations. Yes, there is a lot of room for improvement from the food preparation (spice it up), to the room decor to the over all appearance of the hotel, but I would not hesitate to return and am still wishfully eyeballing the cost of 2 weeks ther right now. Knowing what I know now, my second trip to this hotel and locale would be much more fulfilling. I would be better prepared to see the sights in and around Havana. Take a map of Havana with various sights to see and a large cup (large Tim Hortons Mug would be ideal) for you to get drinks with for meals and everyday drinks whether it be water, juice, beer or liquor.
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Date of stay: January 2005
Value
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I stayed one week at this hotel and i will certainly return. The hotel is clean. the service is good and the beach is amazing. The hotel service is beyond my expectation. Experience Tropicoco for your for yourself. Do not make your decision based on all the crappy reviews posted. There is no locals bothering any one continously. The hotel is very safe and the staff is very friendly. My advise to travelers is a little tip in Cuban $$ goes a long way, and you will have a great time. Everyone go there for a nice relaxing vacation and what ever they do is for their own happiness.
Please keep in mind that you cannot pay for fish and expect Lobster. Go to Tropicoco and enjoy what is have to offer , Ignore the crappy reviews posted by guest who go their to condem this wonderful place. It is a place for everyone regardless if you are gay, lesbian or straight. No one impose their preference on you. Visit Tripicoco and enjoy what it have offers . There is always some nice foods to eat..you will not starve.
Please keep in mind that you cannot pay for fish and expect Lobster. Go to Tropicoco and enjoy what is have to offer , Ignore the crappy reviews posted by guest who go their to condem this wonderful place. It is a place for everyone regardless if you are gay, lesbian or straight. No one impose their preference on you. Visit Tripicoco and enjoy what it have offers . There is always some nice foods to eat..you will not starve.
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Date of stay: January 2015Trip type: Traveled solo
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip: Ask for rooms from the 4th floor and up.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We went here at the beginning of March 2020. WOW ! Still baffles me why Sunwing would have this place on their site. Im guessing they haven't had the experience of staying here. So after a 10 1/2 hour delay and a 2 hour bus ride we were greeted by a empty counter,banged on the desk asking if anybody was here. A few minuetes later she appears. Get our room card ,had to force the door open cause it was rubbing on the concrete . I seen a 2ft path between the beds and the wall , looked like an old army camp, curtains were a few panels short so you could'nt close them,little red ants swarming the bathroom floor which was a step up (tripping hazzard) Went back down to change rooms but go figure none available so back up we go,elevator is filthy . Lay down on top of the bed (with clothes on) it was damm near breakfast time by then so we go down , just had toast cause the fly's were munching on the fruit and scrambled eggs. Asked for a bottle of water they told me I had to buy it at the store, Went to the beach which was nice and waited for our Sunwing rep to show up (Serge) He tried to show other rooms but they were all the same .Bartender and breakfast greeter were good but front desk and management not so good for customer relations. I had to give this place 1 star because you don't have the option for 0. Thanks to our rep 15 min.later we were moved to another Resort.
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Date of stay: March 2020
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It is not what is offered, bad customer service starting out, internet limited to only two hours a day. The rooms are terrible, they smell bad, old, with cockroaches and poor hygiene. Bad infrastructure, old, deteriorated, ugly elevators. The food is horrible, you can tell it's dirty. The worst experience, what bad service!
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Date of stay: January 2024Trip type: Traveled with family
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: No es lo que se ofrece, mal servicio al cliente iniciando, internet limitado solo dos horas...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It was hard to find bottled water and milk for the children. Do not go to this hotel. Don't spoil your summer. We lost power a couple of times and the wi-fi was intermittent. Transportation from the airport to the hotel took a while. The beach was fine.
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Date of stay: July 2022
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip: Beach was fine. Rooms were small.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Crap hotel crap service. 1/4 star at most. No local attractions or events. No shows, bad food and bad service. Sold an upgraded vip package that is nonexistent. No water in room, no hot water, no towels. Fridge never stocked. No airline representative to inform us of departure time to airport. Go anywhere else.
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Date of stay: December 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The worst hotel I have ever stayed in, dirty, bad food and the worst service. If you don't tip them, they are treated badly, internet for only one hour, old and horrible rooms. Totally disgusting, we couldn't even give our opinion because they didn't even care what you said, the elevators are dangerous, everything is bad. My worst experience in Cuba! What you offer is a lie!
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Date of stay: January 2024Trip type: Traveled with family
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: El peor hotel en el que me he quedado en la vida, sucio, mala alimentación y la peor atención. Si...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Just like any government owned establishment, it clearly shows the lack of interest to run productively a business. I do not have nothing positive to say about this property except the beach was incredibly beautiful and kind of balanced things out for us beach lovers. Found a food bungalow by the name of Don Pepe were a lot of tourist attended. Food was fresh but plan to stay an hour do its kitchen size.
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Having travelled to many parts of Cuba in 2-5 star hotels, over a 20 year period, this hotel really stands out. Clearly, by the male guests' own admission to me, this place is known as a sex tourist destination. They were surprised that I did not know of this reputation. Not that it doesn't go on elsewhere, but here it pretty well was the only activity going on.
I was the only single female, among groups of solo male "travelers". Within hours, sometimes days, they were paired up with young Cuban women at meals, on the beach and in their rooms. Most arrangements were made by front door security and reception staff, though open solicitation was regular on the beach and sidewalk.. Police did not seem to notice.
I had to overhear crude conversations about prices of the girls, which ones were particularly good (classified by race), what skills were performed, etc.
No activities were offered during the day, as I have experienced in every hotel I ever visited before. No aerobics, Spanish classes, bingo, pool volleyball. The massage therapist was nowhere to be found, I made appointments and he just showed up for those. Evening shows were offered. Upon arrival around midnight, I was simply handed my key and pointed towards the elevator. Had to find my own room in a barely lit hallway, in the middle of the night. Apparently no budget was spent on staff.
If you are going to Cuba to easily procure a beautiful young (very) Cuban woman, go to Tropicoco. Leave your memories of your daughters and grand daughters at the door.
If you are a female or traveling as a family, I highly recommend another vacation spot.
If I had known this information, I would have gone elsewhere. Hopefully I have helped prevent another unsuspecting tourist from having to be immersed in the flourishing prostitution trade at the Tropicoco.
I was the only single female, among groups of solo male "travelers". Within hours, sometimes days, they were paired up with young Cuban women at meals, on the beach and in their rooms. Most arrangements were made by front door security and reception staff, though open solicitation was regular on the beach and sidewalk.. Police did not seem to notice.
I had to overhear crude conversations about prices of the girls, which ones were particularly good (classified by race), what skills were performed, etc.
No activities were offered during the day, as I have experienced in every hotel I ever visited before. No aerobics, Spanish classes, bingo, pool volleyball. The massage therapist was nowhere to be found, I made appointments and he just showed up for those. Evening shows were offered. Upon arrival around midnight, I was simply handed my key and pointed towards the elevator. Had to find my own room in a barely lit hallway, in the middle of the night. Apparently no budget was spent on staff.
If you are going to Cuba to easily procure a beautiful young (very) Cuban woman, go to Tropicoco. Leave your memories of your daughters and grand daughters at the door.
If you are a female or traveling as a family, I highly recommend another vacation spot.
If I had known this information, I would have gone elsewhere. Hopefully I have helped prevent another unsuspecting tourist from having to be immersed in the flourishing prostitution trade at the Tropicoco.
Read more
Date of stay: September 2009Trip type: Traveled solo
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I've never seen any, but that is not to say there isn't. Sorry I could not be of more help.
Phone: +53 7 7971371
Or you can go to their site and fill in a contact us form. Tripadvisor does not allow URL's to be include, so you will have to google the hotel site, and choose "Contact Us".
JF
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"Try are renovating the hotel...starting at the top floor (6). Great, unless the 2 elevators are broken, and you have to carry bags."Read full review
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ALSO KNOWN AS
tropicoco hotel havana, hotel tropicoco, tropicoco havana
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Tropicoco Hotel
LOCATION
CaribbeanCubaCiudad de la Habana ProvinceHavana
NUMBER OF ROOMS
188
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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Claim Your ListingCUBANACAN MARAZUL
Frequently Asked Questions about Cubanacan Marazul
Which popular attractions are close to Cubanacan Marazul?
Nearby attractions include Santa Maria del Mar (0.2 miles), Playas de Este (0.5 miles), and Museo de Gallo (4.4 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at Cubanacan Marazul?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include a pool, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge.
What food & drink options are available at Cubanacan Marazul?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant, a lounge, and a poolside bar during their stay.
What are some restaurants close to Cubanacan Marazul?
Conveniently located restaurants include Chicken Little, Restaurante 421, and Don Peppo Pizzeria.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Cubanacan Marazul?
Yes, guests have access to a pool during their stay.
Does Cubanacan Marazul have airport transportation?
Yes, Cubanacan Marazul offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Cubanacan Marazul?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English and Spanish.
Are there any historical sites close to Cubanacan Marazul?
Many travelers enjoy visiting Lookout Farm (Finca Vigia) (9.8 miles).
Does Cubanacan Marazul have any great views?
Yes, guests often enjoy the ocean view available here.