Need an idea for your trip to Cuba? We have a resort set among tropical gardens: with the crystal-clear waters of the sea on one side, and the Varahicacos natural reserve on the other. The Iberostar Selection Varadero offers an endless array of options so you can choose when and how to relax and have fun. Let us walk you through a few of them You can delve into the island’s underwater world with our scuba diving center or enjoy a massage a stone’s throw from one of the most famous beaches in the world, float in the SPA Sensations while the water jets relax your muscles and listen to the tales of adventure that your children will tell after each day at Star Camp. And of course, it’s All-Inclusive. The only thing missing is you!
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
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Nestled in a prime spot close to the beach, Iberostar Selection Varadero garners applause for its central location and all-inclusive offerings. The hotel's cleanliness, from the rooms to the grounds, is frequently lauded by guests. The array of amenities, including diverse food options and lively entertainment, contributes to the property's appeal, though some minor drawbacks are noted.
While opinions on value show some divergence, the staff's dedication to service shines through. Room experiences vary, with cleanliness being a consistent plus, amidst some dated decor and occasional noise.
Location
Beachfront
Atmosphere
Lively
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Meticulous
Service
Attentive
Amenities
Pampering
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This is our 14th time to Cuba and our third time retuning to Iberosar Varadero. Twelve of our fourteen visits have been to various Iberosar resorts across the country and our experience has led us to conclude Iberosar Varadero stands out from the rest.
There are several individuals who truly exhibit the values of this Spanish franchise and must be mentioned as they truly are leaders in their various disciplines at this resort.
Susel at front desk is exceptional at her job. She handled all our inquiries with a professional and kind approach. Even when approached by grumpy, angry tourists she responded with kindness and a smile, keep up the exceptional service!
Belkis the wedding coordinator is extremely talented and has a way of making the most challenging task a walk in the park. Her attention to detail was very appreciated and helped take our wedding to the next level. Her experience was a great refreshment, if anyone is considering getting married at this resort don't think twice.
Diane Our concierge in block 17 was wonderful ready to help with whatever we needed. His flexibility in handling various duties was great, we even saw him working at the beach helping cover a coworkers shift.
Emise at the health spa is a breath of fresh air. His smile is contagious and very welcome when on vacation.
The food at the resort is excellent. For those who wrote negative reviews about the food are you sure you stayed at this resort? The options at the newly renovated buffet seemed endless, definitely something for everyone.
The service provided by the above mentioned individuals helped make our vacation an exceptional experience. They made us feel like family! Management must definitely recognized these individuals for their exceptional CRM skills.
We will definitely be returning to Iberosar Varadero.
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
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Response from QualityMCuba, Quality Manager at Iberostar Selection Varadero
Responded Feb 18, 2020
Dear Jack, The fact that we were able to offer you a great holiday experience is extremely pleasing to us as we work hard every day to achieve this. We try to think about everything to provide our guests with a perfect holiday. We thank you for sharing this wonderful review of our hotel and we hope that we will be able to see you again in the future. Kind Regards, Quality Manager Iberostar Selection Varadero
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Iberostar Varadero was a beautiful resort. We were a group of 10 with 5 rooms and stayed for a week at the end of February. The grounds are very well taken care of. The rooms were clean and spacious. The resort has wifi that worked fine for the most part but could be hit or miss. Judith was the best maid that we had in building 11. She went above and beyond to add special touches to the room like flowers and towel art.
We really appreciated the resort taking steps to be more eco-conscious with its “Wave of Change” campaign! All of the cups and glassware for drinks are reusable and they offered paper straws. They also had glass water bottles with filtered water in the rooms. We walked along the beach and noticed garbage in the sand from plastic cups and straws in front of the other resorts. I hope more resorts in Cuba make these positive changes too so the beaches stay clean. If you bring your own insulated water bottle or drink tumbler the staff was happy to fill it for you.
We rented the canopy beds at the beach one day and it was a fun experience ($15). Erlán was the staff person that set up the beds for us with fresh sheets and got us whatever drinks we wanted from the bar. He was so kind and helpful and made that day extra special!
We quickly learned that foreign currency is a hot commodity and all the locals want foreign money (Canadian, US, Euro) way more than their own currency. Because of that, it’s best to bring small bills with you. Even when you go to buy souvenirs at the market they will try to get you to pay with your foreign currency instead of the CUP peso. Don’t bring coins, they can’t be deposited by the locals at the bank so they are useless to them.
On the last day, our group was checked out and waiting for the airport bus in the lobby when a maid came and accused one of the couples of taking a face towel. They ended up being charged $10 by the front desk. They were so embarrassed. It was an awkward situation that left a weird last impression after an otherwise great week in the sun.
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Date of stay: February 2022
Value
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.
Response from Bibiana Carbonell Castelo, Other at Iberostar Selection Varadero
Responded Mar 30, 2022
Dear guest, It is a pleasure to confirm such a wonderful time in our hospitality. We would like to reassure you that all of our employees are without exception kind and polite professionals, who are chosen carefully and given constant training. We sincerely regret that you did not receive this impression the last day of your visit. We would like to thank you for taking the time to share this wonderful review of your experience with us. We are proud that you have highlighted our commendable efforts to keep our hotel a single-use plastic free destination. Iberostar is committed, among other lines of action, to replacing these products with others made from more environmentally-friendly materials. We look forward to have anothe opportunity to welcome you back again. Kind Regards, Quality Manager Iberostar Selection Varadero
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A lot to digest? Read an AI-generated summary of recent traveler reviews.
My now wife and I got Married at the Iberostar Varadero in March 2022 and it was a day and holiday to remember. Our wedding co-ordinator Belkys Rodrigues organised everything from start to finish when we booked 9 weeks previously.
We were married in the hotel Garden Gazebo which was beautifully decorated to our taste. As it was just the two of us Belkys arranged the Notary and witnesses, photographer/videographer who were first class and very professional. We also added in a classic Pink Cadillac which was a fabulous addition for the video and photos.
The wedding package also included hair/makeup for the bride and also a Violinist who was superb, also arranged by Belkys.
We added in a romantic meal at the beach in the evening and Belkys supplied a surprise Flutist to play during our meal which was a lovely touch.
The Hotel was brilliant with a large swimming pool with swim up bar. We had a third floor room in Block 17 with a sea view and also sunset views. Drinks were plentiful and the Restaurants at the Hotel were brilliant and the service from everyone at the hotel was first class.
We did the open air hop on bus tour of Varadero which conveniently stops at our hotel reception $5/person which takes 1 hour 30 minutes. We also did a full day, 8 hours, tour of Havana in a classic car which cost $185 with a guide and it was brilliant and good value.
As we heard before our holiday that Cuba was in short supply of certain items we did take goods with us ......... Toothpaste/Brushes, Paracetamol/Ibuprofen, Vitamins, Reading Glasses, shampoo/soaps ........ everyone was very appreciative.
This was our first time to Cuba and it wont be our last ..... we will be back.
A very special thank you to Belkys Rodrigues and everyone involved in making our wedding so special and memorable.
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Date of stay: March 2022
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:Block 17 Top Floor has a brilliant sea view
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Response from Bibiana Carbonell Castelo, Other at Iberostar Selection Varadero
Responded Jun 21, 2022
Dear guest, Your review of our hotel is very much appreciated. We are always very happy to receive confirmation that our guests have enjoyed a wonderful holiday and have left with happy memories. Our combination of both competent and friendly service is one of our main priorities and we are constantly working to provide our guests with a genuine experience. Again, we thank you for your kind comments and we look forward to welcoming you back again soon. Best Regards, Quality Manager Iberostar Selection Varadero
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This resort has been by far the worst place I have ever been. The food was awful, mostly inedible. I barely ate all week. We were a large group with no one escaping intestinal issues.The rooms were falling apart, black mould on the ceilings and walls. The maids kept it as clean as they could and ours was friendly ensuring we received towels daily. Beach towels were only available for exchange once in a 7 day trip. The tiles throughout the resort were badly broken and a tripping hazard. We had a 12 year old with us and daily there were adults fully nude on the patios. They did nothing about noise levels with loud parties nightly past 1am. The only staff who were truly friendly were our maid, room 30424, Leo at the lobby bar and Caesar in the main buffet. All 3 had a smile and were prompt to assist. The beach is stunning but over crowded and very difficult to get a drink. The ladies washroom in the lobby had 7 stalls( 3 locked, 2 with no toilet seat and 2 functional with seats) once the paper towel roll emptied in the am there was no more. I have travelled to other countries, some equally as poor as Cuba and have never experienced a resort in such disrepair that was rated 4.5 star. They have main areas posted as non smoking but nothing is enforced so there was really no place to escape smokers. All in all the worst place ever and at $1550 pp for a week a true rip off
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from QualityMCuba, Quality Manager at Iberostar Selection Varadero
Responded Mar 9, 2020
Dear Karen, Thank you for taking the time to write this review. We are very sorry to hear about your holiday experience and that your time in Cuba did not live up to your expectations. However, from the details you mentioned and from our records, it is clear that your description does not correspond to the resort Iberostar Selection Varadero. We would be extremely grateful if you could publish your valuable opinion again to the correct hotel. Thank you for your kind collaboration and we hope to welcome you in the near future at our resort. Best Regards, Quality Manager Iberostar Selection Varadero
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I just got back last night. Here is a simple breakdown of my experience:
Pros: Excellent beach, smooth clean sand, water is beautiful and crystal clear. They also have a private section where you can pay 15$CAD to rent an elevated king mattress with a sun shade for the entire day. Resort is kept very clean, staff is very friendly and if you tip well they go the extra mile for you, tip for Canadians is 5$ because apparently coins aren't really easy to convert. Pool area is very nice, lots of shaded areas, lots of lounge chairs however if the beach is windy those pool areas fill up fast. And of course the mattresses near the pool area get snatched by early birds so that staff tipping comes in very handy here because they will reserve for you. Rooms are well air conditioned, cleaned well enough, sheets felt damp at times but most tropical resorts have that issue. Masks are only required when in the buffet and the a la carte restaurants.
Cons: Like many others, it's the food. Let me elaborate on that. There is food, but they ration it. All meats, chicken, pork, beef, lamb, are scarce. When they do have them they give little at the buffet. Yes the buffet where usually is an all you can eat, they cook most of the popular meats in front of you in order to control the overeating and wasting. When there is chicken for example they will give you some and you feel almost guilty asking for more because there's about 12 other hungry guests waiting behind you for the same thing. Fruits are very limited. There's only 4 or 5 options and it's mainly local fruits like papaya, pineapple but they don't taste like what we're used to. Vegetables are also in that same boat, very limited vegetable choices. And of course as usual, most of the food lacks salt. I also noticed favoritism for people who speak Spanish, like Spaniards from Spain got preferential treatment often. On that note, be patient with the staff, many of them including management might know very very limited English. The excursions are also very limited. Beware for those coming after a long time or for the first time. The prices have gone up significantly, for everything. If you do go on an excursion bring toilet paper because the rest stops force you to pay for a tiny bit of toilet paper in order to use the toilet.
That's all. Have a safe vacation.
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Date of stay: April 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
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Response from Bibiana Carbonell Castelo, Other at Iberostar Selection Varadero
Responded Apr 16, 2022
Dear guest, Thank you very much for taking the time to share this review of your stay. We are delighted to hear that you felt so comfortable in our beautiful pool area and with the cleanliness of the rooms. We are saddened to hear that our culinary offerings were not to your complete satisfaction. We are equally concerned to receive your comment about the behavior of some of our staff. At Iberostar all guests are treated with the same kindness and respect regardless of their nationality. Perhaps the combination of several factors left you with the wrong impression, although we promise to carry out all the necessary investigations. We hope that you will grant us another opportunity and that we will see you at one of our hotels in the future. Best regards, Quality Manager Iberostar Selection Varadero
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I have just returned from staying 10 nights at the Iberostar, as with anything there were pros and cons but overall I loved it. The room’s are very spacious and have a good sized balcony there is also Air conditioning and a ceiling fan. We tried 2 of the listed restaurants Gourmet and Cuban they were both great the Japanese wasn’t open and we don’t like shellfish, the main food court offered both seats inside and outside the food is very repetitive but there is plenty of choices including fresh made pizza, steaks and fish on the grill, there are also 2 snack bars offering burgers hotdogs etc. The entertainment wasn’t bad it was only on for 30 minutes it was the same team just a different theme each night they worked very hard at keeping everyone entertained. The rooms were cleaned daily and the water was replaced daily. The staff are wonderful they go out of their way to make sure you are happy there are so many name I could list Ely, David, Andy are just a few. There is Wi-Fi throughout the hotel you just have to remember your username and password however you are only given 7 hours initially but if you run out reception will extend it for you . The downside to this is there’s no mini bar even though they advertised it on the website, you have to pay for the pool towels for a 5 star hotel I wasn’t expecting that Mastercard doesn’t work in the hotel and they don’t accept cash, only Visa seems to work. Covid is still high in Cuba you have to wear a mask entering the restaurants and in reception,there are hand sanitiser machines everywhere and the hotel and gardens are very clean and maintained.from time to time there are shortages of stock so in the food court you can’t help yourself you ask for it and they will serve you but you can go back if you want they are trying to keep waste down. If you want a winter break then this place is up there the beaches are beautiful and clean,
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Date of stay: March 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:the best way to get Cuban currency is off the lifeguard he can get you more for your money, also...
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Response from Bibiana Carbonell Castelo, Other at Iberostar Selection Varadero
Responded Mar 21, 2022
Dear guest, Thank you for such a positive review, we are very pleased to read that you had such a pleasant experience with us. We would also like to express our gratitude to you for mentioning ""how we care"" our health and hygiene measures that we have implemented to keep everyone safe. Furthermore, we would like you to know that we appreciate your constructive feedback and we will, of course, take it on board as we can only improve on the basis of valuable comments like yours. Again we thank you for sharing this wonderful review of our hotel and we hope that we will be able to serve you again in the not too distant future and wish you all the best. Kind Regards, Quality Manager Iberostar Selection Varadero
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Great staff, good, healthily cooked and varied food, great beach, very nicely architected hotel, very good entertainment and day activities - all that would warrant a 4+ rating. But one major issue: small mosquitos/sand flies that eat people alive, all guests staying more than a couple of days had lacerations on legs, arms, hands, etc. The two of us had 28 major bites between us after one week, despite using copious amounts of mosquito repellent mornings and evenings. When I challenged the desk staff, I was told that "it is complicated" and the spraying service has not come by in a while and they can't help! In other Iberostar, and other chains in Dominican or Mexico they spray twice a day in the peak mosquito season. This is a deal breaker for many, everyone on the bus to the airport was saying that if not fixed, they will not come back. Medium complaint: no North American electrical receptacles in the rooms (not as advertised about Cuba in general) and no adapters at concierge, no prominent warning on the hotel web site. Smaller issues: very cheap, disintegrating towels in the rooms; peeling paint on buildings, cracking wall ceramic in the showers;
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.
Response from QualityMCuba, Quality Manager at Iberostar Selection Varadero
Responded Feb 24, 2020
Dear Adrian, We would like to thank you for choosing our hotel for your holiday. Your kind review is an incentive for us to continue working in a motivated fashion and to give our absolute best. We would also like to thank you for your helpful feedback and will be forwarding it to the appropriate department on your behalf. We regret any inconvenience caused by the insects and we would like to assure you that we do regularly fumigate the hotel, but unfortunately there had been an interruption in the service during your stay. Again we thank you for your kind words and look forward to your next visit to one of our hotels. Best Regards, Quality Manager Iberostar Selection Varadero
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Well designed lay-out of this beautiful resort with easy access to all facilities. The whole resort is kept extremely clean, lovely groomed landscaping, with a daily swept patrolled beach. Service was always friendly and efficient. Outstanding was Sandra, our house maid who did a great job and looked after all our needs. The Star Friends team do an amazing job of entertaining nightly with dancing, singing,and a good variety of acts and shows, Lion King being my favorite. In Cuba it is definitely worth it to book a five star resort and experience the best in choices of restaurants and food. The main restaurant buffet had left nothing to be desired and always had chiefs freshly cooking, beef, chicken, fish, pasta, omelets, sea food and more to your liking. We even preferred the Ambrosio buffet restaurant to the specialty restaurants.
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Date of stay: January 2020
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.
Response from ReputationOnline, Quality Manager at Iberostar Selection Varadero
Responded Feb 5, 2020
Dear Lorraine, First of all, we want you to know we are really pleased that you had such an excellent holiday with us at Iberostar and we want to thank you for sharing your experience with others. The entire team is not only genuinely friendly, but is also given continuous training of best service and working practices. We are therefore very pleased that both the efforts of our employees and our passionately prepared gastronomy have left a wonderful impression on you. Thank you again for sharing your motivating comments and we look forward to your next visit to our hotel. Best Regards, Quality Manager Iberostar Selection Varadero
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Our family of four stayed for four nights and had a great time. The warmth and kindness of the Cuban people is amazing and made our vacation so much more enjoyable. My two boys aged 7 and 9 enjoyed both the pools with the aqua fit activities, the beach and the soccer field next to the tennis courts. We were able to borrow a soccer ball from the clubhouse which is the same place where you get the towels. There was also archery available with a qualified instructor to help. This was our first time to Cuba and we had heard about the food being bland but honestly the food was tasty and they do the best with what they have. Tips were not expected but always appreciated. We had a garden view room which was nice and quiet. The air conditioning and fridge were not working on the first night but they promptly fixed it the next day. Bottled water is provided in your room each day. You need to put down a $30 deposit per towel which you get back at the end of your stay. We left our towels by the pool while we had lunch and one was missing by the time we got back. Laura from customer service was extremely helpful and patient in helping me resolve this issue, and even got security to review the CCTV footage and prove that another guest had taken it. We didn’t convert any money and found a combination of CAD and USD worked best for tips and purchases. Wifi was free and worked best in the lobby (it was available in our room as well but would drop very frequently). We made reservations at the Mediterranean and Cuban restaurants and enjoyed both very much. I would recommend making reservations at customer service after you check in as they fill up fast. Gourmet restaurant was adults only so didn’t get to try it. Burgers were also available on the beach and were very tasty! We loved seeing random animals every now and then (geckos, birds, fish, turtles, dogs and a cat). Overall a fantastic stay and we would definitely be happy to come back one day!
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Traveled with family
Room Tip:Be dressed ready to swim if you arrive several hours before 4:00pm check in. Towels are not...
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.
Response from Bibiana Carbonell Castelo, Other at Iberostar Selection Varadero
Responded Jan 18, 2023
Dear guest, Thank you very much for having trusted in our services and personalised attention to enjoy your holidays in Cuba. We hope this is the first of many experiences in our hospitality. Kind Regards, Quality Manager Iberostar Selection Varadero
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Our experience was wonderful! If you are gluten and dairy free I suggest bringing your own milk and bread. Due to covid we didn’t have additional soft drinks in our room, we got 2 bottles of purified water. Our stay was nice and the areas were clean. We brought gifts (toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss, hair elastics, etc for our cleaning lady).
This resort the food is amazing compared to a lot of other resorts.. a lot of people were complaining on the bus that they needed to go out in the city and buy food. The Iberostar Sélection resort in Varadero the food was fresh and they even make the food in front of you. Buffets for lunch and dinner were amazing. Breakfast they had the same food everyday.
Beach is long, and very nice. If your a walking person who is active you can walk 2 hours out on the beach.
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Date of stay: March 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.
Response from Bibiana Carbonell Castelo, Other at Iberostar Selection Varadero
Responded Apr 6, 2022
Dear Christina, We would like first of all to thank you for your kind review of your recent holiday with us. Such a friendly review of our hotel is a great pleasure to read and confirms for us that our daily actions are worthwhile and that we are on the right path with our numerous efforts. Again we thank you for your pleasant review of our hotel and hope that Iberostar will continue to provide you with excellent holiday experiences in the future. Best Regards, Quality Manager Iberostar Selection Varadero
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Hello, I have been to Iberostar Selection Varadero for over 15 years. They do not have a "Prestige" Section.
However, They do have "Junior Suite" which the rooms are a little bigger. No added perks. The regular rooms are a nice size. All depending how many people you are in a room and if you need an extra bed.
Enjoy your trip.
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