Iberostar Selection Varadero
Carretera Las Morlas Km 17 1/2 Sector Punta Hicacos, Varadero 42200 Cuba
Full view
View all photos (11,367)11,367
Pool & Beach (3062)
Room & Suite (1326)
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Travel safe during COVID-19
Visit our Travel Safe hub to see how we're helping you make more informed travel decisions during COVID-19.
What you can expect during your stay
- All linens sanitized in high-temperature wash
- Face masks required for staff in public areas
- Floors marked for social distancing
- Hand sanitizer available to guests & staff
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Staff required to regularly wash hands
Read more
Updated 11/25/21 Safety precautions are provided by the property and are not checked by Tripadvisor for accuracy.
A note from Iberostar Selection Varadero
Updated 11/25/21 Safety precautions are provided by the property and are not checked by Tripadvisor for accuracy.
About
#5 of 96 hotels in Varadero
Location
4.5
Cleanliness
4.6
Service
4.6
Value
4.4
Travelers' Choice
A 5-star establishment, this hotel is the perfect choice for a family holiday that's full of water sports, entertainment, and culinary experiences right on the seafront of Varadero beach. The hotel features very comfortable rooms and suites, plus an all inclusive accommodation package, SPA Sensations, a children's playground, Star Camp with activities for kids, water park, meeting rooms, Cigar Lounge, 5 restaurants and 5 bars, night-time entertainment with a Cuban orchestra, tennis court, spaces for weddings and many more services for your comfort. This country with lots of history awaits, and it offers you a unique holiday!
Read more
Suggest edits to improve what we show.Improve this listing
Property amenities
Free parking
Paid internet
Pool
Fitness Center with Gym / Workout Room
Bar / lounge
Beach
Archery
Babysitting
Secured parking
Pool / beach towels
Outdoor pool
Yoga classes
Fitness / spa locker rooms
Fitness classes
Sauna
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Breakfast buffet
Complimentary welcome drink
Kids' meals
Outdoor dining area
Snack bar
Swimup bar
Poolside bar
Boating
Diving
Snorkeling
Tennis court
Archery offsite
Billiards
Darts
Entertainment staff
Evening entertainment
Table tennis
Board games / puzzles
Video game console
Indoor play area for children
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Kids club
Kids pool
Kids' outdoor play equipment
Airport transportation
Car hire
Taxi service
Conference facilities
Banquet room
Meeting rooms
Spa
Couples massage
Facial treatments
Foot massage
Full body massage
Hand massage
Head massage
Makeup services
Manicure
Massage
Massage chair
Neck massage
Open-air bath
Pedicure
Salon
Solarium
Steam room
Waxing services
24-hour security
Baggage storage
Concierge
Currency exchange
Gift shop
Shops
Sun deck
Sun loungers / beach chairs
Sun umbrellas
First aid kit
Infirmary
Umbrella
24-hour check-in
24-hour front desk
Laundry service
Ironing service
Show more
Room features
Blackout curtains
Bathrobes
Air conditioning
Desk
Minibar
Cable / satellite TV
Extra long beds
Bidet
Housekeeping
Interconnected rooms available
Private balcony
Room service
Safe
Sofa
Telephone
VIP room facilities
Wardrobe / closet
Bottled water
Clothes rack
Iron
Wake-up service / alarm clock
Refrigerator
Flatscreen TV
Walk-in shower
Bath / shower
Complimentary toiletries
Hair dryer
Show more
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Value
Family
Languages Spoken
English, French, Spanish, German
Location
Full view
Contact
Carretera Las Morlas Km 17 1/2 Sector Punta Hicacos, Varadero 42200 Cuba
Getting there
Rental CarsSee all Varadero rental cars
9660Reviews1525Q+A100Room tips
Reviews
Traveler rating
- 6,469
- 2,244
- 650
- 172
- 126
Time of year
Traveler type
Language
More
Selected filters
- Filter
- English
Popular mentions
Sort by:
Most Recent
I am Cuban, this is my experience during the first days of August 2022. According to TripAdvisor this is the number one hotel in Varadero, however my spectatives were not fulfilled, on the contrary. It is important to highlight that I live in Cuba which means that my "needs" are very basic or simple (I'm used to certain shortcomings). A magnificent beach and hotel, a sad & bad gastronomic offer and the variable service (from an excellent treatment to unacceptable behaviors). I will mention just some examples: Buffet restaurant with little variety (even for my standards, which are not high), it is a greater achievement to get bacon at breakfast and a deadly challenge to achieve more than one portion of Grilled meat at dinner or lunch. Prepare yourself to make long lines at the restaurant waiting to "toast your bread" or get some foods (ice-cream, or any grilled). Do you like seafood? Forget them or try to "fish them" inside the daily paella they prepare next to the pool (excellent the boys who prepare it, with affection I greet them). Under no reason accepts a reservation for the Cuban specialized restaurant, flee from that place for the good of your family and your own, I will say no more. Pool bar: excellent service. Bar on the beach: visit it only if you are not Cuban. Night cabaret show: just excellent. I understand that many shortcomings are the result of the situation that our country is experiencing, but taking into account the price that we payed this is simply unacceptable. This is supposed to be a 5 -star hotel, a top in its range, the best one can visit and it wasn't like that. I'm not saying all this from any resentment or anger, but from the point of view of a Cuban who observes with shame and aspires to a better country.…
Read more
Date of stay: August 2022
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip: Not good for elder/walking deficits (long distances and stairs). Not a place to enjoy...
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
2 Helpful votes
Helpful
I have been coming to this hotel for 14 years in a row and its success level has decreased so much and it is atrocious. The lack of products and organization is not because of Cuba its because of the hotel's management. The staff is so friendly and hard working but there is no leadership at all to guide them. The price that this hotel costs is not worth coming for. The hotel is clean, the service is good but there is a complete lack of basic food products everywhere. The Mediterranean restaurant was just so amazing but this time me and my family felt so dissapointed when we found our the whole menu has been changed and reduced. The starters are pathetic, the desserts are awful and there is no beef meat. Since the opening of this hotel there has always been beef meat until now. In addition, the WIFI connection is the worse and there is no signal and data doesn't work. We feel heartbroken and we know this hotel is a special place but eveeything has changed to extreme worst. I don't recommend this hotel at all...…
Read more
Date of stay: September 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Just to make clear, if I was writing this review on the staff alone this would easily be a 5/5 star review. Unfortunately the things that let the place down really impacted our holiday. Staff- absolutely phenomenal, every single person is soo friendly, they would absolutely go out of their way to help you. These people living in Cuba are having an extremely hard time but they were all welcoming, always had a smile and nothing was ever too much trouble. Staff will always offer you an alternative if they cannot get you what you have asked for. Hotel grounds- superb, the hotel itself and the grounds is stunning. Everywhere you go there are cleaners, gardeners, window cleaners, people cleaning the pool. It really is super clean and well kept. Rooms- very mixed views on this, they gave us a room next to the kids water park which was great and really thoughtful as my daughter is 18 month old. The downside was that our room was up 2 flights of stairs and there was no lift! This was not ideal with our daughter and a push chair. TUI who we booked with advised us we would have a queen bed, when we got in the room there was 2 beds but they were very small doubles which wasn’t great. Near the end of our holiday the air con broke. Someone came quite quickly to fix it but they couldn’t. We got changed rooms and the room we were moved to, I believe this is the initial one we actually booked. There was 1 bed this time and it was huge !!! The comfiest bed I have ever slept on. Just a shame we didn’t get this from the start when it’s what I thought we had booked. Unfortunately we ended up moving rooms again as a “lizard” got into our room and no one could catch it ha ha. Absolutely not the hotels fault and they moved us for a 3rd time only 2 doors down. Food- this is unfortunately why i rated this 2 stars. This negative review regarding the food is absolutely nothing to do with the fact Cuba is experiencing food shortages. This is due to the lack of hygiene. I have never ever been to an all inclusive hotel before where the food is not covered. There are flys absolutely everywhere, landing on the bread, cakes, pastries, everything!!! I have seen in previous peoples reviews that the hotel replies advising they “will take feedback on board” but this clearly has not happened! Also, bizarrely, none of the food is even labelled which I find ever so strange. I have a 18 month old little girl and there was genially nothing for her to eat. This is not due to food shortages this is because of the lack of choice by the hotel. For example, there were potatoes pretty much every day (awful lumpy soggy mash) but they couldn’t put fries on? There was chicken but they couldn’t put chicken nuggets on? I don’t understand how this is a family hotel but absolutely nothing for kids to eat! My poor child came home like a bag of bones!!! Sickness- all 3 of us on this holiday (my partner, my daughter and myself) had severe stomach ache and diarrhoea. The cramps and pains in my tummy have been horrific. Luckily my partner and daughters sickness cleared up after 5-6 days however I am nearly 2 weeks on and still in a lot of pain. Beach- absolutely phenomenal, the best beach I have ever been to. Extremely clean, beautiful white sand and crystal clear water. Free sun lounges round the beach and always plenty available. Unfortunately my partner experienced racism at this hotel (at the beach bar) by another guest. My partner was very shocked and I stepped in and got into quite a heated argument with another guest. This is absolutely not the hotels fault or issue but it was very upsetting and actually quite unbelievable at how uneducated some people are. Japanese restaurant- not great, exactly the same food from the main buffet just served in a different way. The chef cooking infront of us and doing the “show” really tried and was amazing. Only went once would not return again. Mediterranean restaurant- the best of a bad bunch, my partner really enjoyed the lobster. Location- beautiful (as in close to the beach) but there literally is nothing within walking distance. Taxis are an absolute rip off and we were frequently asked “where are you from?” Before given a price!!! Bakery- such a lovely lady working in here, food was okay (ish). Coffee was drinkable but not great. Was nice to have the option to go here when the main buffet was closed. A very nice touch to the hotel. All in all a very disappointing holiday that we paid a lot of money for. For the simple fact of the disgusting food hygiene, lack of food for my daughter and the horrendous stomach bugs we caught.…
Read more
Date of stay: September 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
Room Tip: Don’t go to this hotel until they sort out their food hygiene!
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
2 Helpful votes
Helpful
Having visited Cuba many times previously, we were so looking forward to this long awaited holiday post Covid. The weather was absolutely beautiful for the entire 2 weeks, the beach of course is beautiful. The food was absolutely appalling - Very little choice/lack of vegetables/anything pre-cooked was freezing cold and I think we only saw one dish containing potatoes during our stay ! The service was sadly lacking & the tables were not being cleared quickly enough to cope with the number of guests - this was also reflected by the constant queues to access the restaurant. The a la carte restaurants were ok but we had to leave one of them very early due to the intense heat and no a/c - not a comfortable environment for dining. Most of the staff were very friendly & helpful (apart from a couple of grumpy people on reception/guest services) who made us feel like we were being a nuisance for asking anything. The Wi-Fi was very hit & miss & we had to keep logging on & off to get any service (even then it was very sketchy). Severe lack of entertainment day and night, we have been to other countries and other hotels where the entertainment team are always about & chatting to guests (sadly not the case here) and the evening 'entertainment' was awful - The same show every night with a different title, again there was no sign of or any interaction from the entertainment team. After the 'so called' show, there was only one bar open (the lobby bar) which was extremely hot & stuffy because everyone had gathered in there, the drinks were served in plastic tumblers and many times they ran out of various drinks - No fresh fruit for cocktails, just some sickly syrup stuff from a squeezy plastic bottle for a banana daquiri. We know all about the shortages in Cuba, but this holiday fell well short of the promised 5 star hotel that we had booked. Suffice to say that we will not return to Cuba unless things change dramatically and that won't happen any time soon. To summarise, we are very disappointed with TUI & Iberostar for even thinking of marketing this hotel as a 5 star as it clearly is not.…
Read more
Date of stay: August 2022
Value
Rooms
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
2 Helpful votes
Helpful
We visited in early August. The room was OK, if a little shabby and in need of a re furnishment to make it 5 star. The furniture is quite shabby, there were electrical sockets which poorly fitted and potentially dangerous as they were loose. We had booked a room with a king size bed but were allocated one with 2 separate beds. The sofa bed, which was used by our adult daughter, was extremely poor. The mattress was very thin, she could feel all the springs. It was not flat, and was angled and bent in the middle. This caused her back issues. Nothing like what she has experienced anywhere else. The food was abysmal. Very repetitive, often undercooked, no labels which is a serious issue for anyone with allergies. It was very basic, pizza which was a basic one ( margarita type) all the time. Rice and beans in many disguises and pasta. All very cheap options. The meats were chicken, more than once this was pink and had to be taken back as it was clearly not cooked, and chewy pork. Food ran out including things like bread. Once told ‘is finished’ half an hour before the end of breakfast! Lunch at the snack bar was burgers……and more burgers day after day. Vegetables very limited. I have no idea what a vegetarian would do at this hotel. Food was erratic, cheese appeared occasionally, then disappear for days. The speciality restaurants were better, but very limited menu eg lobster soup or nothing, and even they ran out of some options more than once. Drink was of a very low quality. The fizzy drinks lacked fizz, and the flavour was often poor. Cocktails were limited and very often the ingredients to make even the most basic cocktails ran out. Drinks were served in plastic tumblers, even in the evening indoors. On occasions they ran out of beakers or the few glasses and guests had to wait for up to 40 minutes to get a drink. Saw beer served in a prosecco glass, and baileys in a daiquiri glass! Some drinks ran out so they would simply substitute and try to claim it was similar…..Advocat instead of Baileys? We understand these are not branded, but the local equivalent, still not a substitute. Hygiene was terrible. We saw a cockroach running over the food counter in the restaurant. Flies everywhere, but with no effort to reduce their number. We understand there will be flies in hot countries, but measures need to be taken. Flies landing and walking all over meats, salads etc is not acceptable. There was a leak in the dining area with towels on the floor to mop up the water, and occasionally a cleaner with a very smelly mop would attempt to dry the area. Tables often covered in dirty crockery from previous guests, staff were not efficient at clearing. Severe stomach upsets were suffered, something that we have never experienced elsewhere and can only put down to poor hygiene. The hotel claims to be air-conditioned. The rooms are, but fixed at 21 as a minimum, however a thermometer showed it does not get anywhere near that! The main reception is open and therefore not air conditioned, so it is very hot and humid. The restaurant has limited air-conditioning. While we were there a new air conditioning unit was installed in one of the speciality restaurants, it was very obviously cooler! The pool went green for 5 days and was closed for large parts of the day while they tried to clean it a little ,manually. They had run out of chemicals to clean it, apparently. It left little faith that it was entirely clean, just that the green algae growth had been removed. It is amazing how many people with one review only give this hotel a fantastic rating! The beach is fantastic, but that is nature. We paid 5 star prices to go there, and it is a 5 star Iberostar hotel. It falls far short of any other 5 star hotel we have been to, including many in poor countries. At best the hotel is possibly 3 star, but the food is 2 star at best. Would we recommend this hotel, certainly not. If this is the best Cuba has to offer then don’t go to Cuba! We are well aware of the sanctions against Cuba, but what the hotel offers needs to be accurate and priced accordingly. If this is typical of Iberostar hotels we would avoid using them in any country.…
Read more
Date of stay: August 2022
Value
Rooms
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
The stay was super awesome, I met this bartender at the pool his name is Isaac he is the super human he was the best through out y the stay !!!! He deserves a job well done and a high raise of salary… Good human., Isaac served is with the best drinks by the pool side. Food at the hotet was good. THE beach side was good too.
Read more
Date of stay: September 2022Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
clean almost maniacal clean in every corner of the hotel, clean rooms polite maids, I can't stay where there's dirt and there hasn't been a single moment when I saw dirt, in the room in the common areas in the service bathrooms by the pool at the restaurant in amazing beach !!! The hotel workers are better than some customers........ and above all more elegant than some customers who at the table seem to have never seen food in their life. the food was for all tastes, they weigh for us Italians who are very fussy. cleanliness everywhere, friendly staff, customer care is 5 star luxury (I often stay in 5 star luxury) never seen anything like this in Cuba where I have been in over 25 structures in 20 years. believe me i am a real customer and very very demanding! I love Cuba and respect their shortcomings but I have never found any here. thanks to everyone who made our stay extraordinary.…
Read more
Date of stay: September 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
Room Tip: if you are European you love a more elegant environment and you like to eat in peace without...
See more room tips
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
First visit to Cuba. Beautiful beaches, friendly, courteous and very talented staff. Lovely resort. Excellent food. Always greeted with either a swan, flowers or some creative decorations on return to the room. Already planning next trip here!
Read more
Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: September 2022
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Bibiana Carbonell Castelo, Other at Iberostar Selection Varadero
Responded 2 weeks ago
Dear guest, We are happy to know that this first experience in Cuba has been so pleasant and that you have granted us the privilege of welcoming you. We look forward to offering you another wonderful stay with Iberostar style. Kind Regards, Quality Manager Iberostar Selection Varadero
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Visited here for two wks in august 22, hotel was nice and clean and staff overall was amazing, This was a 5 star hotel and we paid slot of money to come here but the food and drink was awful, I know the country having problems with embargo and trade etc but as much as I feel for the people, tui the operator are a disgrace and should not be selling this hotel as 5 star.. food was 2 star tops, there was very little choice and very little quantity, drinks was poor , very few branded drinks and never had what you asked for, entertainment of a day was non existent and only 1 hour a night of staged dancing and singing , very repetitive and finished by 10-10:30 pm, tui rep David was excellent with are issues but unfortunately he couldn’t do nothing to help With food, such a shame because the staff and Cuban people as a whole was very welcoming and friendly and they deserve better…
Read more
Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Bibiana Carbonell Castelo, Other at Iberostar Selection Varadero
Responded 2 weeks ago
Dear guest, Thank you very much for taking the time to share this review of your experience. We offer our sincerest apologies for not being able to satisfy you with our gastronomic service. As with all Iberostar hotels, we know that food and beverages are paramount to the overall experience of our guests. We assure you that we will take your feedback very seriously and promise you that we will strive to do everything in our means to make improvements in this area. Our first priority is to provide a well maintained and comfortable environment for our guests. We hope you visit us again. It will be a pleasure to welcome you after completing all the changes we have planned for the near future. Kind Regards, Quality Manager Iberostar Selection Varadero
Read more
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
they give a room at the back of the building at the front of the garbage can with a terrible odour we made the complaint they told us for change the room we have to paid 600 dlres and the room no have a shower head smelling terrible inside.we paid 2500 for this terrible experince we travel wit red Tag and the food horrible. the snack bar empty nothing at all. I going to give a lot of bad reputation to this hotel.
Read more
Date of stay: July 2022
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
ALSO KNOWN AS
iberostar varadero hotel varadero, iberostar cuba, iberostar varadero cuba, varadero iberostar
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Iberostar Varadero
LOCATION
CaribbeanCubaMatanzas ProvinceVaradero
NUMBER OF ROOMS
386
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your Listing Frequently Asked Questions about Iberostar Selection Varadero
Which popular attractions are close to Iberostar Selection Varadero?
Nearby attractions include Varadero Beach (1.2 miles), Cueva de Ambrosio (0.3 miles), and Varahicacos Ecological Reserve (4.2 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at Iberostar Selection Varadero?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include a swimup bar, a pool, and an on-site restaurant.
Which room amenities are available at Iberostar Selection Varadero?
Top room amenities include a minibar, air conditioning, and a flat screen TV.
What food & drink options are available at Iberostar Selection Varadero?
Guests can enjoy a swimup bar, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge during their stay.
Is parking available at Iberostar Selection Varadero?
Yes, free parking and secured parking are available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Iberostar Selection Varadero?
Conveniently located restaurants include Xanadu Restaurant, Restaurant La Arcada, and La Panchita.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Iberostar Selection Varadero?
Yes, guests have access to a pool, a fitness center, and a sauna during their stay.
Does Iberostar Selection Varadero have airport transportation?
Yes, Iberostar Selection Varadero offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Does Iberostar Selection Varadero offer any business services?
Yes, it conveniently offers meeting rooms, a banquet room, and conference facilities.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Iberostar Selection Varadero?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English, Spanish, French, and German.
Are there any historical sites close to Iberostar Selection Varadero?
Many travelers enjoy visiting Cueva de Ambrosio (0.3 miles).