Delfines Hotel, Varadero Beach Cuba. 3 stars.

I would recommend this resort.
My first room, 2010, is accurately described as a dump. There were too many things wrong to list here. I don't understand why they would put anyone in such a room. I was moved to another room, 1163, and it was mostly perfect, except for the large red stain on the bedspread. I had to ask them to replace it. They don't replace the soaps or clean the glasses or counter top. But they do replace the towels every day. The toilet paper is like newspaper and there is no privacy in the bathroom. Just a half swinging door separates it from the sleeping area. The grounds very well kept. Free from litter and dead leaves. Lots of flowers and well trimmed. CUBAN BANKS DO NOT ACCEPT FOREIGN COINS. So don't take Loonies and Twoonies for tips. You can't even change them at the resort's bank. You can trade foreign paper currency, so take your fives's and ten's to exchange or I could just charge Pesos to my credit card. Also, it is good to take soaps, nail polish, lip stick, sun glasses, hats, pens, razors, crayons, colouring books,etc. to use as tips. These things are not easily available in Cuba. I went to each on the A La Carte restaurants once. They don't serve coffee there but they do at the buffet. Strange. Some items on the menu were not available, especially desserts. The food was a little better than the buffet, but the steak was like leather. The buffet was acceptable. Lots of food and lots of variety but the quality was hit and miss. The beef would be too tough to chew one night and great the next. No peanut butter or jam. The bread was excellent. Red wine excellent. Fresh squeezed orange juice for breakfast. I went on the Spectacular Sugar Express. A tour of Moron and Ciego De Avilla. Well worth the 75 Pesos. An 8 hour tour that takes in an Alligator form, sugar factory, cigar factory, museum and lunch. I had free time in each city and I was not hassled as I walked around. BEACH:- Great!!! Lots of sand and lounge chairs

Very nice persons
It is one of the most historically and internationally best-known hotels in Varadero Beach, and boasts vast experience and deeply-rooted culture of welcoming visitors. Distinguished by its personalized treatment of clients and its warm, inviting, ambiance, this facility is located on the beach, in one of the most privileged areas in Varadero. "Juan Gualberto Gómez" International Airport, 16 miles.

“Change your booking ”
We arrived here to a distinctly poor welcome. Our room was dingy, grubby and noisy from the broken air con. the fridge was rusty and broken and there was a view of the road. The bathroom was ghastly with broken towel rails odd lightbulbs and cracked tiles. Towels were in a drawer because there was nowhere to put them. food was ok but the dining room was dark and unattractive with dirty cloths. My husband was bitten and had to go onto antihistamines. Our request for another room was not acted on and we moved to another hotel. It was ghastly definately not 3 star. It needs completely refurbishing.

“Don't Do it !”
My boyfriend and I decided to take our third trip to Cuba together. We saw the ratings were good for this hotel and it was fairly cheap so we decided to give it a shot. We are not picky people, however this hotel is not one worth your money. There is no lobby, the rooms are small and outdated, there were barely any vacationers staying at the hotel, there were no options for food other than fish, cucumbers and rice. It was honestly not what we had expected at all and our worst experience in Cuba. The snack bar closes at 6 and the buffet closes at 930, therefore if you want food you have to go to a restaurant in town. I would not recommend this hotel to anyone.The entertainers however were fantastic, very upbeat and friendly, as well as there was a pool table, a ping pong table, and a nice beach. We ended up transferring hotels after two nights because the bad outweighed the good by far. Save your money and go elsewhere because you will not enjoy your trip.

“Spend a little more * Get much more!! ”
I stayed at this resort from Sept 21st to October 5th and was deeply disappointed. I tore the ligaments in my ankle on the 3rd day and staff was less then concerned we had to ask them to lower me to a ground level room as I could not walk and we were moved to the wheel chair accessible room which helped a little. The room / bathroom had bars installed on every wall for support but the most important bars in the shower were hanging from the wall very unsafe. I did not want this to ruin my trip.. I purchased 2 canes from a flea market and slowly recovered (no cruthces at the Varadero clinica?). It was shorlty after this that the effect of the food kicked in. I have never been so ill in my life. The food was hardly cooked never mind warm, the reserved vegetables were cold, water logged,repetitve and simply put gross. Meat\s were not marked thought the liver I was eating was beef, We spent hours in our room in pain and running to the bathroom, hearing the same stories from other resort guests. We have both received antibiotics since returning home. We were advised the day we arrived 12 people from the week prior were hospitalized from a food / water illness and we hoped they had recitifed this, We noticed our 24 hour bar bartender washing our espresso cups with his finger under tap water then putting it back for the next guest. The resort uses goat's milk only which we discovered later as it s ufually poured from another bottle (ie. Tukola bottle). The head of security was so rude after getting in an arugment with him he proceeded to give us the finger and grab his crotch from the bar area as we sat on the beach. I will say a handfull of staff were super sweet and helpful but this alone would not get me to back to this location. The resort does not have bottled water instead they fill bottles with their purified / chlorinated tap water which was disgusting.. On my flight home I was jealous and embarrassed to see photos of a guest from the new Melia for what I paid and they paid I felt robbed!! I would review this resort as horrible as a whole the only good point they get is for the beach / sea it was beautiful except for the day poop floated up on us in the water we were told it came in with the tide from the public beach where locals hang out all day with no bathroom (not the results fault) but public beaches were on either side. The beach itself was generally clean. In closing I will say only if this resort was free would I consider staying here and I would NOT eat anything here!!!

“Stay close to a toilet ”
Stayed Sept 7-14.Been to Varadero 4 times this year .I am not a picky eater food at this resort was poisonous.More than 50% of people we spoke to received diarrhea ,it was the only thing consistent about the food.I think I had food poisoning once.For one of the days I ran a high fever and was unable to leave the room. Hotel ran out of eggs at breakfast ,fries buns and burgers at the snack bar .I don't normally eat this type of food but by the end of the week I was afraid to eat at the buffet.

“Not the same resort! ”
Went April 5th-12th/14. Had been to this all inclusive resort/hotel in 2009 and 2011 - loved it. That's why we went again. Well let me tell you, NOT the same as before! We have been to Cuba approx. 15 times over the last 20 years and this is only the second time that my stomach would actually roll when I entered the dining room. We don't go to Cuba for the food but it was not fit for human consumption this time. Plus, at best food was lukewarm bordering on cold. Breakfast was the only meal we could stomach; after all, pretty hard to mess up the bread you toasted yourself and a boiled egg! However, still loved the tea! On our fourth day, we found Nonna Tina's! An amazing Italian restaurant right around the corner from the hotel "hidden" in the alley way. Waited two hours the first night to get in. Awesome pizza the first night. Went every night after for dinner. Would so recommend this restaurant; it's on either Calle 38 or 39 I think. Rooms: hotel starting to fall apart now; needs major repair but it's my understanding it's being torn down anyway. There is now a new road (about 1 yr old) that goes right thru the middle of the resort; we were told by a local that all hotels on the beach side of this road are being torn down in hopes nature will undo the damage to the beach done over years of tourism and using the sand for construction. Staff: well, gotta be honest. Found that unless you were from French speaking Canada or Italian, you got served last at times! English speaking guests got the short end of the stick! It didn't seem to matter at times that I spoke Spanish. Did complain to our rep. and it did seem to help some. Beach: still beautiful but I have never seen so much garbage before - both from tourists and locals. On that note: if you're a tourist PICK UP YOUR GARAGE! The plastic glasses are killing the turtles! Cienfuegos, Cuba has turtle farms now to try and bring back the turtle population due to us tourists (and I'm sure locals too) killing them with our litter. Still enjoyed our walking jaunts on the 'strip"; still love Cuba. However, will NOT be returning to this hotel. For our next trip will be going somewhere else. You are an old friend Cuba, but we now need a break until you get your act together again.

“NOT Great ”
Well where does one start? This was trip 23 to varadero and the first time I stayed in downtown varaero. This resort is pretty good for the price I will admit.However, the bar staff is abosolute crap, They serve when its convienent for them, theyre rude, and seem to only want to cater to quebecoius. That said it seemd to be a fav hotel for quebecois as its over run by them and good god hey are rude. The front desk staff is horrible. They tll you nothing about the place and where things are. I had to sign for my money back from towel rentals which is fine and i totally get. But she tried to get me to sign somene elses and then tried to tell me I had one towel rather than 2 like MY slip had shown and tried to keep 10 peso. Security at front lobby could care less about things. The food was actually ok. Remember you dont eat cuban food at resorts here. You eat their version of canadianized food. The restaurants in varadero are extremly affordable to eat at so have a supper or 2 at one and you will love it. Ent staff, well all I will say is WHAT ent staff? 1 girl who all I saw all week was open the door at the buffet everyday. Luciano who is the ent director apparently and all the guy/gal (I say that as he doesn know what he is himself) does is fly around the resort whistling at people and being vey obnoxious with his whistking and over the top flambouant acting. We are here for a holiday not to hear him and see him being so iritating. They use the cheapest alchol in cuba, Good luck getting a havan club rum here. They have a couple bottles on display but thats it. The bar staff never willmake you the drink everytime despite thats wht you order,They are more interested in talking with eachother and watching the tv than serving you unless your a quebecoius. As well they do not like to speak anything but spanish or french. All in all the rooms are dated but clean and small. The fridge is never stocked with anything not even bottled water which you cant get anywhere on resort. Theyll give you a galss of it but not the bottle. Would I say this is a good resort? ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh NO. It rates a 2 1/2 star at best. Pay the little extra and stay at a better one.

“Cheap, nice beach, that's it.”
We had 8 nights here in early March 2014 and apart from the price and the beach it fronts on to I cannot really say any positives. Very basic room with a shower that was hot, cold, weak and strong at the same time. I could never find a good time of day to use the shower, morning, afternoon or evening it did its own thing. The food was truly awful, I ended up eating omelettes, cheese and ice cream for the duration of the stay. You can opt for pizza and chips at the snack bar but I only managed one pizza in that time, the stock answer seemed to be "no pizza". The bar staff didn't seem to want to serve anyone who was not tipping and who wants to tip poor service, catch 22 I think. The entertainment was a bit silly and juvenile, but it appeared to please some of the guests. My advice would be to spend a bit more and stay elsewhere. Varadero is an excellent resort so do yourself a favour and stay at a decent hotel

“Won't go back. ”
The hot buffet was always cold.I did report it to the food manager but it made no difference. One day the same meal for lunch and supper was served again. I started carrying toilet paper as on more than one occasion there was none in the bathrooms. \Reported hall light was not working outside our room , was never fixed. ON the last two days of our trip there was a rank smell in the room which we were told was from the gas refinery or the sewers. The mastresses had a dip in them , pillow was of poor quality, suggest bring your own pillow. Air conditioner did not work. Poor service unless you tipped Employees were asking for cell phones, toothpaste , shampoos etc.. The beach was great. Went to supper at La Rompa two blocks from hotel. Lobester dinner for $18.00 . Service and food was excellent.. Good location for the downtown area. Met other people who had been staying at the resort for years but wouldnot be returning next year.

“Bad drinks, poor service ”
Our background: group of friends in their 20s, went for fun. We'll write about what we think is important to know, not absolutely everything. 1. SERVICE: - the bartenders weren't very nice (unapproachable, rude -- made fun of you sometimes in Spanish) which we could have overlooked, but... -...the DRINKS SUCKED! Big time! Very inconsistent. They would also run out of basically everything except rum by 12am. Absolutely nothing was good except the Spanish coffee and the beer. But there's a catch here too... -...NO BEER at the 24 hr bar (unless you pay for the canned one, 2 pesos). They do have beer on tap at the other bar that closes at 10pm. - the "24hr snacks" were poor in quality...when you could find any since they ran out after 2 people asked for them. The snacks from the other bar (10pm) were quite good. - Overall, the FOOD WAS OK. Keep in mind that this is Cuba and the expectations weren't high in the first place. The variety was on the poor side. The ice cream was good :) - the guy who reserves spots for the only a la carte restaurant was nowhere to be found when needed. We spotted him in the buffet twice, he said he'll "be there in a few minutes"; we never found him... 2. VALUE: - the fact that we paid the same amount of money in the same period, and we got a lot more for it, very poor value for money for this resort (we include drinks, food, entertainment/activities, and the liveliness of the place -- there were probably 40 people in the whole resort and they were definitely not young :P) 3. ACTIVITIES: - we'll start by thanking Luciano (the main entertainer) who did his absolute best to keep everyone in a good mood, especially given the lack of resources he had to work with - except a sporadic dancing, a nightly show, a pool table, a ping pong table and a volleyball field, there's not much to do. There aren't really any activities organized within the resort. - "non-motorized water sports" are NON-EXISTENT - there is no disco on the premises, but this is Varadero so we gave a shot to 2 of the local discos (30-45 minute walking distance). Havana Club was good -- fun music of all kinds, decent prices for the drinks. The other disco, oh boy! Read below... - before I start bashing this place, let me mention that we are definitely not including it in the rating of the resort but it is useful information. STAY AWAY FROM LA COMPARSITA! Certain individuals in the resort might advertise it as a cool place and might convince you that the 10 pesos entrance fee is worth it because of the open bar. IT'S NOT. The "open bar" is a 6-foot long window where 200 people try to get drinks at the same time...I waited 45 minutes for 6 drinks, almost got in a fight with a pushy 400-pound dude and got drinks spilled on me like there's no tomorrow. Not to mention the extended number of people trying to get money from you for different reasons. OTHER: - the beach was VERY NICE and long, white sand, clean, no rocks in the water - some of our keycards glitched and we had to change them - the pool was pretty cold, being surrounded on almost all sides by buildings - you have to cross a road to get from the entrance to the beach, not bad, just curious for us :) - the hotel is nicely located, close to shops, restaurants, the bank, and Varadero is a nice place to walk around -- that makes up for the lack of things to do inside the resort

“cuba excellent place dirty ”
This was my 6th time to cuba.I understand all about the poor quality of the food.This was not a problem for me since when it is hot i am not too hungry.There are good points to this hotel but it is mainly about the people and its location.Staff is ok but some of the staff are just fabulous! Like Marcelle ,security ,and yanili at the reception.What dissapointed me was the beach since we arrived on saturday and a lot of people on the beach.The next morning i went out for my walk along the beach and could not beleive the quantaty of garbage along the shore.It made me want to cry.When swimming you could find beer cans under your feet,everything from garbage bags to tampons in the water.THe hotel never did pick up the garbage.Its a tractor that just passes by and hides the garbage in the sand.There was plenty of sunchairs available but all thru the sand there were cigarette butts .A lot of cigarette butts!!Larger hotels did clean their part of the beach but not Los Delfines.We changed rooms because of cockroaches and dirty pillow cases and sheets.Buffet was very poor,many flies n the food.I did not pay a lot for the trip..580 including taxes so i knew that i could not ask for much.But bugs,dirty linen and dirty beach was not what i expected.The up side was that the ocean is always beautiful in cuba,I met a lot of great people ,tourists and cubans alike.The weather was great and we did have an excusion that allowed us to touch a dolphin.So if you dont want to pay much and dont mind a bit of bugs and garbage lol..its ok.Yes it is well situated but so are other hotels.I would pass on this hotel as picking up beer cans from the water is not what i want to do on vacation.

“Definitely not what I expected. ”
Left overs were served for every meal, and there were flies all over the food. Most of the time we took cold showers, but even when there was warm water, there was almost no water pressure. The syrups and drink mixers at the bar had ants crawling all over! Not sure why the reviews on here are so great for Los Delfines. People are somewhat friendly, but rarely speak english. If you have very low standards, you may enjoy this. The location was still great and view was still beautiful.

“The good, the bad and the ugly. ”
My husband and I are in our mid 30's and got a spectacular deal. For the price, it was worth it. First time to Varadero (3rd to Cuba) and after having read the reviews, we had a good idea of what to expect. The Good: -Amazing ocean view room!!! Room 312 in the building that has the 24hr bar. -24 hour bar - The beach, white sand, turquoise water, no rocks, always a lounger available -Central location, close to everything downtown (tip: eat at Nona's Italian restaurant which is on the same block as the main entrance, we didn't find this gem until the last day and wished we had of found it sooner, since the food was pretty bad!) -Friendly locals, safe off the resort, even at night. -Tanya our chambermaid, super friendly and attentive. -Entertainment staff. Everyday they made a genuine effort to get people involved, whether it was yoga/stretching on the beach in the a.m., afternoon dancing in the surf or evening activities in the bar area. The Bad: Although the room was exceptionally large compared to the rest in the resort, it was lacking some basic amenities. -Showerhead broken right off the wall (which we managed to improvise with by tying a ribbon around the neck of the showerhead and attaching it to the shower rod? made for a wet floor, but at least we made it work.) - Water pressure and temperature always irregular -This resort seems to draw an older client base, so the music was never played after 11pm. If you wanted a true "night-life" you had to go off the resort to get it.) -The fridge didn't work -The first room they attempted to give us was in the same building but on the 1st floor that had a beautiful (but massive) tree blocking the ocean view. It also had no working a/c. We asked our bellman to move us to another room and he told us they were all booked. After walking back to the main lobby, the receptionist moved us to a better room with nothing blocking our ocean view and a working a/c.) - No exchange available on-site. Had to walk into town for this, but banks are very nearby. Don't expect to be able to walk right in though, they are locked and monitored by a guard who decides if he will even let you in, or send you to another bank. ATM's are available right outside though, so not too difficult to get pesos. The Ugly - The buffet, eat off the resort if you don't want re-cooked food. It was more a miss than a hit for sure!! - The ratio of French to English speaking Canadians (found most of them rude, staff tended to cater to them more) All in all, it will be what you make of it. We're not big foodies, but this was even too much for us. We go for the beach and stunning views so it met our must haves with flying colour!! Thank goodness we had the best view going... it's just too bad that the food was as bad as it was 9 times out of 10. Advice: find a great deal, plan to eat off the resort, book the superior ocean view room, pack your camera a good book and head into town daily less than 30 seconds away and you should be able to make it an enjoyable experience.

“So So ”
Just back a week ago. The Hotel is ideally located in the midst of Varadero and the beach is big and beautiful.The resort itself is in need of being refurbished. Initially we were located in the building above the beach bar.Our room(101) was the size of a closet,the bathroom window wouldn't shut,TV volume couldn't be changed-always loud etc.After two days we moved to room 127 overlooking pool. This room was significantly bigger and better - even had a fridge(old,noisy) and bidet in bathroom, with sink separate from toilet area.Our maid Fany kept our room beautifully clean.The curtains in most of the rooms are pretty sad,lacking half the hooks needed.Most of the bartenders in the hotel,as well as many of the restaurant servers need a refresher course in how to cater to the people that are responsible for their employment and tips.Tipping didn't seem to improve performance.The entertainment director(Inaudi?) was very good;full of energy from morning til night. Wednesday's evening show was the best one;but the shows should start earlier than 9:45 and supper time is too late also,beginning at 7:30. PS- don't go here for the food-it was primarily poor and cold.Pasta was our staple at lunch and supper.Desserts and ice cream were good but overall breakfast was the best meal. The weather was spectacular and compensated somewhat for our general disappointment in the hotel.Would we go back? For a giveaway price yes,but otherwise no.Might be better advised to spend the extra money on a different destination.

“Not a bad little place. ”
stayed at los delfines for the last week of February 2014, First time there and weren't expecting much. The hotel is dated but the rooms were clean and the staff was fantastic. Bartenders were fun and never had to wait. The breakfast and lunch buffets were okay, really how can you screw up an omelet or pasta. Dinner however was not that good. Do yourself a favour and search out local restaurants like El rancho or better yet Nonna Tinas around the corner from the hotel.

“Your mom's favorite resort. ”
My first experience at this hotel was pleasant enough so I went back this February, 3 years later. The hotel hasn't changed that much aside for a new road that cuts through it and the now pathetic pool area. The reviews for this hotel praise this as a great resort and I think it would be for a certain type of guest that I am not. The hotel is almost exclusively 50+ year old guests so there isn't much for a younger crowd to connect with but you're never too far from Varadero clubs off the resort. I was able to forgive this resorts shortcomings because of its great beach, and its location in town within walking distance of restaurants, shops, the bus station and markets. If you're a more mature traveler, this place is for you... If you're looking for a more younger crowd to mingle with, I'd keep looking. Pros Great beach Decent rooms 5 minute walk to Viazul bus station to Havana or other destinations 20 minute walk to large souvenir market 5 minute walk to shops for anything you need Nightly variety shows Cons Almost completely 50+ Only 1 bar usually open with rude bar staff Clean, but run down rooms Average Cuban food - lots of spaghetti

“It is what you make it ”
This is our 3rd time at Delfines, and we will continue to go back. It doesn't have a disco - which we like. There are very few rooms - it's a nice small resort. Some rooms are smaller than others, but we only sleep in our room - the rest of the time we are out and about. The pool is sparkling clean, the beach is heaven. If you want to party and you're younger - this isn't the resort for you. If you're older (say late 40s and up) and you don't party too hard - this is the resort for you. However, this year I will note as others have that the food was particularly bad - often cold, sometimes undercooked. From speaking to other people at other resorts, this seems to be a problem this year. But we didn't go hungry - and at the cheap prices, go out and find one of the private restaurants (La Rampa was amazing) for a meal. I am horrified at people who take large amounts of food from the buffet and then leave it on their plate - and I know that the servers are frustrated with the waste of food. Food is a valuable commodity in Cuba - but as visitors many people just act as if this is home (Canada, Europe) where food is tossed in large amounts daily. This is Cuba. Remember you are a guest in their country. They do their best within the limits of their economy and resources. Celebrate Cuba for its people, its complex soul, and its beauty. Overlook the older furniture, fixings and limited food selections. Be kind, be open and be gentle, and you will find friends in Cuba that will enrich your vacation and your life.

“Luc ”
Excellent value in the heart of Varadero, will go back anytime, people very nice and ground and beach very clean, good food for Cuba,it is very nice to be able to walk downtown Varadero, feel very safe even late a night,

“Simple, old, but maintained beachfront resort ”
This is your average 3-star resort in Varadero. Rooms are dated and tired looking, but clean and no bugs. Front desk staff were nice and room was ready by 2pm for check-in. Ground well-maintained. Resort consists of 4 buildings with a tiny street running in between them. One bar is 24h which was great for a 6am coffee before my flight home. Beach was excellent but pool was empty. Music late at night kept me up from 1030pm-1130pm when it was turned down due to complaints. Ask for a room far from pool if you need to be up early. Food was edible but that's it. Lunch buffet had chicken breast in cream sauce, two types of rice, beef tongue, and sweet potatoes with salads. I didn't touch the bread or fruit (flies) or dessert (horrible). Note that the same rice dishes and one beef dish were again served at dinner. There is a fish grill but unlucky for me, I don't eat fish and the smell of fish permeated the buffet and outside the entrance. House wines were decent enough for Cuba and actually passable! Bars were decently stocked with generic brands of everything, so I stuck to beer, wine, and bottled water. It is a 3 minute walk from the bus station and 5 minutes to a local shopping plaza. Duty-free at Varadero airport offers same low prices on rum as found at souvenir shop in hotel (next to beach bar), but prices on other spirits are very high. Note that Varadero airport had no running water in washrooms and minimal food available for purchase so plan ahead. Would return to Los Delfines for 1 night but could not dare spend a whole week. Fork out the extra couple hundred dollars and go 5-star if you want to do Varadero and eat better than a college first-year student with a microwave and a can opener.

“You get what you pay for. ”
Bring your own soap and shampoo. Beds are okay. Rooms were clean. Bathrooms decent. Food was typical. Beach was great. Staff was friendly. Lots of different shows to see each night. Good for a fun younger person travelling alone.

“not bad for the buck ”
It was an older building but very well maintained and very clean. The maids did an excellent job cleaning. The place is right in the shopping district and so close to the ocean. The people are very friendly felt very safe at all hours. The food well it could improve,we went to a restaurant on Calle43 for 15 pesos you got 2 lobster tails, rice,salad and a drink was very good we went there 2 times. The only thing that bothered me was seeing a lot of the european men wearing their speedos and had the Cuban girls with them for the whole time they stayed the men are old enough to be the grandfathers of them it was disgusting

“Could be so much more with a little effort to detail ”
Just returned from a wonderful week in Varadero. The weather was great and the company wonderful. This is our second visit to Los Delfines this year and based on our cost of the trip we feel we got our monies worth. I think with a little attention to detail they could bring up the level of this hotel. The staff and room were great. The food was a little better than it was in January but, there is a lot of room for improvement. They need to bring in a system of trays with plastic lids to remove the flies from the food. This was also a problem in January so I think that the flies are a year round problem. The a la carte restaurant was very well done. The resorts public restrooms need an update. There is no real functioning toilet in the reception area and the pool washroom never had soap or toilet tissue or seats. This is an easy fix but one that is definitely needed now. The beach in January was very clean but, this time I was disappointed with the amout of litter we saw on the beach. This was garbage left by the locals, not the visitors. I mentioned the litter to the Hola Sun rep. and the nexted day it had been picked up. The Hola Sun rep. suggested a Classic car private trip to Havana with our own tour guide and I must say that this was a very informative trip and the highlight of our vacation. We would probably go back to Los Delfines but, will be reading the reviews before we book to see if anything has improved at the resort. The location is great and on the whole we enjoy coming to this resort.

“Small friendly resort ”
We went August 3rd for one week. Travelled with Hola Sun. We checked in and were given a lovely pool view room. The room was small but nice and clean. Two big single beds, comfortable bedding. Nice bathroom complete with bidet, very european! The front desk staff all week were super friendly and accommodating. Most of them spoke pretty good english. Note they did not always have currency readily available to change. We requested a fridge and they brought one the next day. It did not work and one of the cleaning staff took it upon himself to report it, a technician came and fixed it within a few hours. Cleaning staff were great and always came when it was convenient for us, and did a great job. Note this resort is in two main buildings. One where the main reception is and the rooms around the pool, the pool and snack bar. There is no bar in the reception lobby which is quite small. You have to cross a small beach road to get to the other buildings which house the lobby bar. The rooms in this building are ocean view and apparently are older rooms. This building is where you will find beach towels if you can find the guy who is often busy doing other things like sweeping etc. Then on this side of the road, which is beach side, is the building that houses the buffet restaurant and the ala carte, upstairs from the buffet. Everything is in close proximity to each other. And there is security at all entrances. This resort caters extensively to Italians and in fact has an entire Italian Guest tourist office off of the lobby bar. We found service in the lobby bar to be terrible. We always tip and we discovered that this did not make a difference in getting any service. We were often ignored whilst other guests went to the bar and ordered. We noticed no one else was tipping and yet getting much better service, so we stopped. The pool bar service was better. The snacks at the pool bar were very basic and not good. The buffet was standard for Cuba. The Ala Carte food however was very nice and the service was excellent. The dining room is quite small, only about 6 tables. We took the only table outside on the balcony overlooking the ocean. Because the restaurant is small, they will book reservations for tables around the pool area. It is not the same but it is the same food. The guy booking reservations for dinner is in a room on the ground floor of the main building off of the pool area. He was very accommodating and spoke english. The beach is great, you can walk out quite far in the ocean. The location if fantastic. You are very central to the town. There is a great restaurant at Calle 40, two blocks from resort, where you can get a fabulous lobster dinner for $18. The lobster tails are equivalent of two of ours here. I also recommend walking along the beach road where you can sample street vendor food which is very cheap and delicious. As always we felt very safe in Cuba, the people love the Canadian tourists.

“Wish I could say "loved it" ”
My daughter and I went to this hotel the first week of September. I love Cuba and had gone in April but the price of this vacation was too good to pass up. $756.00 all in for two people. We had to take a chance...didn't we?? We are used to three star resorts in Cuba as we don't want to spend a lot of money for the same beautiful beach and weather so off we went with no expectations other than a nice relaxing beach holiday. Flight with Canjet was o.k although I have to say I do prefer Sunwing. I think we left relatively on time. Arriving in Varadero we quickly got to our bus and arrived at Los Delfines. First impressions were o.k. It's small, a bit rundown but we were expecting that. One odd thing, at check in they kept our passports for an hour. Never had that happen before. We got our room. It was o.k. Overlooked the pool, it was quiet as there was no nightly show at the pool. Basic hard beds and flat pillows but clean enough. We quite liked the set up, although there was a small road to cross to the beach it was not a big deal. Everything was to hand. Bar and pool just downstairs. Another bar at the beach (within the second part of the hotel) There was another beach bar which you had to pay for drinks at, so we didn't bother. Would have loved to have stayed at the older original hotel but didn't ask but we did see the rooms and they were quite different. Very colonial with lovely features and spacious with high ceilings. Talked to one guest who had a room in the older building with a terrace and it sounded perfect if I were to go back I would request it....but...I'm not sure I would go back. What really lets this hotel down is the food. I'm not new to three star Cuban hotels but this one needs to work on the food. Quality, presentation and variety were all very poor. Fish a couple of nights was o.k and one night there was a pig roast but overall not very enjoyable. The best meal of the week was the a la carte Set in the dining room of the old part of the hotel, the setting was lovely, food was great and we so enjoyed it all but alas that night and for four days after, I was not very well. I hate to think that it was this meal in particular that made me sick but I had to stay in bed on the last day of our trip and actually went to the doctor on return to get antibiotics. I also had to miss two days of work. Such a shame really, as I wanted to enjoy this hotel and write a great review but my experience was a bit too much on the negative. The staff for the most part were great. Beach was good (it's Varadero) Although was very disconcerted to see human waste floating up to the beach on one occasion. Never had that happen before either. Weather was more rainy than I had experienced before in Sept and one day I think we had a tropical something come through as the lightening, thunder and torrential rain went on all afternoon. Flight out was confusing. On arriving at the airport it showed our flight leaving an hour early...great we thought but it wasn't to be. Not sure what went on but it left at the scheduled time. So yes it was cheap vacation but don't think I would want to repeat the experience.

“First time to Varadero ”
I was at Hotel Los Delfines March 24-31. It was my first time to Varadero and I travelled with a friend. We lucked into one of the large rooms over looking the ocean. This room was huge! with a gorgeous balcony. We were on the second floor so our view was amazing!!! I found the staff to be good...Luciano, in charge of entertainment, was a lot of fun. The hotel itself is in two parts. The front half has rooms around the pool and has the bar/snack bar. This bar is open until 10pm, with food available until 6pm. The back half of the resort has rooms overlooking the beach or looking towards the pool area, the entertainment area and 24hr bar. You have to pay for beer at this bar because they have no draft tap. The food. It was not the best. Their one a la carte was alright. I enjoyed being in Varadero and I found this resort to be a decent cheap get away

“Excellent value for the money but you get what you pay for. ”
We stayed 2 weeks. It's Cuba... therefore you need to be realistic with your expectations. For this hotel the bang for the buck (less than $70/day including airfaire!) is there but keep remembering it while you stay there and don't be shy to go outside of the resort for a diner if you are not pleased with the food as it will happen but I didn't bothered to much as our vacation was so cheap that I could afford little extras. There are many restaurants around that are pretty cheap. There is also the "a la carte" restaurant but you must reserve the Monday Morning at 10:00 AM to the concierge room, cross your fingers as they might or might not be there on time... But it was worth it as the diner was pretty good. Most of the staff is pretty nice and will do there best with what they have... The location is quite good as you are walking distance from most of the places in Varadero. 2 weeks was more than enough with the bed quality... but overall I'm satisfied with the service and would probably go back.

“Have been twice ..will go back!!!”
Ive been to cuba many times,mybe 20 times...that being said,If you expect sandals,then you should book there!!this is cuba,,,this place has a great feel,smaller..in the center of town awesome staff...pretty good food (for cuba)....lots to do in town,great clubs,places to eat at your doorstep!!! the rooms are sufficient and clean...also pretty good entertainment....if you want an old "feel" get a room in the colonial section...I loved it...will be going back soon.

“A friendly, clean resort ”
A group of 14, ages 52 to 75, enjoyed the hospitality of this resort from Mar, 28th to Apr.4th. We all had a great time. The buffet was not as good as last year. The selection was very poor but there was always something to eat...even if you had the pizza and fries at the pool snack bar. The a la carte was fabulous!!! If the weather is good (not too windy) ask to be seated on the front porch....fabulous view. We had an ocean view room in the newer building, above the 24 hr bar. It was not as noisy as I thought it would be. It was clean and big. Most of the entertainment was over by 10:30 PM and it was fairly quiet after 11. The entertainment was superb this year, the highlight being the water show!! Luciano, the entertainment director, put together some very good shows and got people involved in activities during the day. The drinks very cold, the ocean, warm and the sun, hot!! The beach is well groomed and great for walks. This hotel in in the center of Varadero so take advantage of the fact that you can walk almost anywhere. There are little markets, restaurants and bars all along the main street. (Make sure you bargain for anything you buy!) Try Nonna Tina right around the corner from the front of the hotel, La Fondue at Calle 62 and all the restaurants in Josone Park. Remember, this is an older 3 star resort. It is not fancy with a lot of extras BUT it is friendly and clean. I will be returning again next March....can't wait!!!

“We were pleasantly surprised! ”
My boyfriend and I stayed here for the first week in March. The hotel has 3 buildings, one across a small street above the pool area, one on the beach area above the bar and a third smaller building above the buffet restaurant. We stayed in this one and I strongly suggest asking for this building when you check in, our room was gorgeous! Very spacious with high ceilings and a huge balcony with ocean view! We were room 114. I did have a peek at some of the other rooms and we definitely hit the room jackpot. The beach is gorgeous here and plenty of chairs. Some days they blasted music really loud which we found annoying at times, but no big deal. We found the food pretty much inedible. I honestly dont know anyone ate it, but they did and we are foodies so that might explain it. We went on this trip with the intention of eating out every day as the cost to stay here is so low anyway, so if you have the same plan the resort food isnt a big deal. *Note- if you stay up late and want a snack there is nothing available to you here, so plan for that. This hotel is quiet but there is PLENTY of places to go eat or dance walking distance or a short cab ride away. The staff was really friendly as well. I would stay here again if the price remained as affordable.

“Perfect Location ”
This hotel is located on the wonderful strip in Varadero . White sandy beaches on one side, and the other side is a main street in Varadero with shops restaurants parks and banks on the other side. Yes the hotel is older and full of charm. The staff is very attentive andn helpful. The buffet has interesting foods. The hours for the buffet are shorter than stated. Very peaceful. Air conditioner worked very well. Combination safe was great. Room was very clean. The location was the best part. If you find this hotel for a good price the value is there. I would return as long as the price is right

“Best Bargain in the Caribbean ”
Spent a week there last year and already booked a return visit this spring. Food may not be the greatest but have you seen a hotel in Cuba yet that has great food. Not likely and this hotel has the standard buffet as well as a nice little snack bar by the pool and the added advantage of being right downtown where you can walk to several good resaurants with authentic cuban food at very reasonable prices , and its located on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Clean rooms, nice pool and freindly staff too. Only draw back we found was limited cocktail selection and very hard uncomfortable double beds (no kings), but considering the price its got to be the best bargain in the Caribbean. A solid 3.5 star selection at a price less than half that of the bigger resorts in the area.

“Excellent value in the heart of Varadero ”
My husband and I just got back from a week at Hotel Los Delfines. The hotel is a bit dated but everything (well almost) works and as it is small it is eay to find your way around. The Food: The Buffet was a pleasant surprise. Breakfast was a bit bleak but lunch and supper were pretty good. There was a good variety and the service was nice, too. Levan was always ready with a big smile and was very attentive. The Beach is lovely and well kept. You can sun bathe, lie in the shade, swim or walk the beach without being bothered by anyone. The room: We had just a standard room but ours had a side view of the ocean. The balcony was really small and swamped by two huge chairs. How you are supposed to enjoy that I don't know. The beds looked quite uncomfortable but were actually ok. They are not what we are used to but we slept just fine. The shower squirted a bit out the side and soaked the floor if you weren't careful but we always had water pressure and hot water. The maid service was excellent and Fany took care of us well. She brought us water when asked, fixed our A/C remote and did a great job overall. Lovely lady. The Bars: The "Lobby Bar" is the best bar to get a coffee or drink. The bartenders are fun and work hard to make sure everyone has what they want. Jania, Levi and Elian were our favourites. We had a lot of fun with them. The "Pool Bar" is not so well equipped but is also a snack bar which offers french fries and hamburgers etc. Pretty good food but not very friendly. The Entertainment was good and Luciano kept us busy in the evenings with song Quizzes, dancing and singing. There was a show every night which was not bad. Kind of hokey but they try so hard. It's generally dancing and singing every night. We loved the location! When you walk out the front door you are in the centre of Varadero. You're not far from wonderful restaurants, shops and taxis. We went to Nonna Tina's for fantastic pizza (calle 38) and KiKi's down by the canal. 9.75 for garlic bread with cheese, pizza and two beers. Excellent! We also went to Al Capone's and the view was gorgeous but the prices are steep. The beachtour bus may or may not go all the way down to Al Capone's it just depends on your driver. We had a great time overall and recommend this hotel if you're into exploring and not looking for a fancy place. The price is right

“Luv this hotel ”
Luv this place..have been 5 times going back in a few weeks..the staff is awsome..the food you can always find somthing to eat..beach is awesome..i always bring snack..i always bring different things and share with the friends i have made there..a little goes a long way..cant wait to go back

“location location location ”
First time in Varadero Cuba, loved it. This hotel is perfect for those that like to walk around Varadero without having to get a taxi. The location is perfect.The hotel is nice, not huge which was fine for us, the food was ok , there are many great restaurants around within walking distance.I would go back to this place. The price was great as well as the staff.

“Can't wait to go back!!! ”
My bf and I stayed here in January because the deal we got was too good to pass up. I have to admit however, after reading reviews I was a little nervous. I will admit check-in seemed to take an extreme amount of time since we were a bus full of people but it could also be that we arrived at 10:30pm and I was exhausted! Beware: this is a very small resort. If you are not a people person, this might not be the place for you... We spent the week with the people we met on the plane/bus and the only time you can get away from them is to leave the resort, we cant really complain though; we met some good people! THE RESORT: older but clean, 4 buildings now seperated by a very quiet street (it sounds weird but its nothing really) I cant say much for the pool because we didnt go in it once but it looked clean (small though) we spent a part of our day at the pool bar to keep out of the sun and the rest of the day at the beach where there is also a bar and various activities that go on throughout the day (a couple shows at night as well at the beach bar). There are several cats around the resort but they mostly sleep all day. THE ROOMS: (our room was in the lobby building) small but who really stays in a room down south?! It was perfect for sleeping and very clean. Our housekeeping staff were really friendly, and so were all the other employees there. THE FOOD: very repetetive but reasonable. Omelettes for breakfast and pasta for lunch and supper with your choice of sauce and meat. The dinning area is dated but I'm not a fancy kind of girl so it didnt bother me. Beer is free at the pool bar however they charge for beer at the beach bar since locals are aloud at this bar as well. LOCATION: perfectly situated on the main strip, walking distance to banks, clubs, boutiques. EXCURSIONS: there are people selling excursions on the resort and they are worth it! We did the jeep safari and had a blast. There were a few toddlers around but the resort was mostly older (by older i mean 30+)

“Los Delfines - Varadero ”
I've been in many hotels in Varadero and this is one of the best. Downtown, so it's close to everything. In my experience it makes sense to be downtown and save the money from the cabs. The pennisilla is beautiful but remote and full of mosquitos. Been there, done that. The grounds were well kept and the staff great. Right on the beach. Its a small hotel so it was never a problem to get a chair. The room was always clean. We did have a flood one day but it was cleaned up immediately. It shorted out the safe and they also fixed this immediately. So they look after this hotel. The foods boring but that's Cuba. Your so close to restaurants that are well priced, it will give you a little variety. The overall food in Cuba is a lot better than it used to be. There was no beef at one time. The pasta bar was good and the egg bar in the morning was great. I liked the hot dogs and pizza at the pool bar. Drinks were great...but try to get the ingredients....they always change. I've seen a lot of complaints on here about cats....this is Cuba and like most of the caribbean, cats and dogs are free....you are no longer where your from so get used to it, Your only there for a week or 2. My greatest complaint about Cuba is not the hotel but that everyone wants a ti and Panhandlers on the streets. It never was like this and used to be against the law. We actually had to pay to use the washroom at the big market...oh and bring your own toilet paper if you'll be walking around. Hotels have, but everywhere else doesn't...they may not even have a seat. The reason for this is that the real Cuba doesn't have a system to handle toilet paper and most houses don't have seats....its just the way it is. We went on the jeep safari...not impressed. I don't know how you snorkle in a lifejacket...makes it very hard on the neck to see anything as you float upright and look down :) , the boat was fun, but you just go up and down the river...we kinda felt like cattle. Then off to the farm. Lunch was a good traditional Cuban meal (I have friends there, so I know) but again we were asked to tip....tip, tip, tip. Then off to the cave. Be prepared, it is beautiful but 74 degrees. So getting back to the bus we were then asked to tip. So for me no more tips in Cuba. One CUC peso is worth 24 of theirs. The people that work in Varadero are rich compared to the rest. I;ll be giving my tips to the locals away from Varadero, but be careful that only who you give to sees or you will be swarmed.

“I would go back today”
For the money the hotel was clean, the staff were friendly, the food was a little on the bland side and repetitive but it was not bad and there are plenty of other restaurants within walking distance that are good and very reasonably priced. The beach is one of the best I've seen and the weather was amazing. It was nothing like I was expecting.

“For the money - GREAT value! ”
Travelled with Hola Sun for 1 week - October 19-26. Group of 4 women. Flight was good, transfer was smooth, check in was fast, and at 11am our rooms were ready despite check in being 4pm. Given rooms 141 and 142. The rooms are average. For the price you pay to stay here.. they could be MUCH MUCH worse. Rooms were very clean, maid was great, towel art and restocked amenities daily. Bathroom had a stand up shower (no tub) and a bidet. Safe in the room is electronic and free to use. Never saw bugs in the room. Beds were older, had a few springs in my sides, but I think it depends which room, again, wasn't an issue. The AC worked TOO well, so cold, but you could turn it on and off or up and down yourself. We got plenty of english channels on the TV. We had a view of the pool/partial ocean which was really nice. Pool was tiny, but no one really uses it, so it was plenty big enough for the 4 of us and the other 2-10 people that were ever at it. The drinks were great, too much alcohol all the time, not a problem for us, we asked for less if we needed to. The lobby bar is across the street on the beach, and you do not have to pay for beer, they have a keg. You can buy canned beer in the gift shop there, but we ordered beer and never had to pay. They make great spanish coffees/espressos etc at the lobby bar as well. The street you have to cross to get to the ocean/lobby bar is NOT busy, ever, it's a short walk. As for food, We ate at the buffet only ONE time for dinner, 0 times for lunch, but did have breakfast everyday. Limited selection yes, but the "resort" only has about 100 rooms so we weren't expecting much in the way of options. Breakfast had an omlette/egg station and some fruit, cold cuts, fresh croissants, buns, toast. We made due. The A la carte was AMAZING. It was really good, more food than we could finish, great service, MUST do. Very yummy. We ate out for dinner at local restaurants nearly every night ( Esquina Cuba, El Caney, Nonna Tina's, El Rancho... MUST DO.. very reasonably priced and HUGE portions, GREAT seafood). Entertainment was alright, Luciano is SO fun, and really cares about the guests. You will meet him if you stay here, he makes a point of it. For the show, they alter nights between the lobby on the beach and the stage in the pool... VERY VERY loud when in the pool if your room is viewing the pool, but hey it ends before 11 so you can't really complain. The resort is very quiet, mostly couples, older generations, a few local families came in and that was my only complaint, no mannerisms (blowing noses in the pool) things like that. Remember to tip, the staff really isn't making much and a peso goes a long way. The Sangria at the pool bar is great! To get a beach towel you need to deposit 10 dollars which you get back when you return it. You pay at the main lobby, then go across the street near the pool tables to a little door where security will unlock and give you the towel, you return it there later, get your piece of paper back, take it back to the main lobby for your refund. Calls from the room to canada are 1.90 per minute, no connection fee, which is cheaper than what it was on my cell phone. There's a cabarete show included, which is located at hotel international (6 peso cab ride in an old style cab), VERY worth it, you get a welcome mojito very yummy and the show is very cool to watch). Our shower was broken the first day, we told our rep and within an hour a whole new shower head was put in while we were at the pool relaxing. The resort is so cheaply priced that it really is a gem in downtown varadero, we can't complain. The food could be better, they could do with a bit of updating/fresh paint/some renovations, but truthfully for the price you pay for this resort (under 500/week or 800/2 weeks) it's quality for sure. I'd go again if the price was right. Be sure to go out and try local restaurants though, they really are amazing.

“Cuban Hospitality”
This was my first trip to Cuba to visit my husband's family in Ciudad Habana and we decided to take our 4 nieces to Varadero for a night. We did not have reservations but when we stopped into this hotel and they were so nice and accommodating. They were also reasonably priced. Obviously, if you've been to Cuba, you realize how poor the country is but where they lack in that area, they are abundant in hospitality. I'm sure there were nicer places if you were willing to pay an arm and a leg but we were so happy here. The front desk staff, security, entertainment, restaurant and bar staff were beyond belief. I have been in customer service for over 25 years and for me, that can help me overlook some basic issues with the room, grounds, etc. I've paid three times as much for a hotel here in the US and was extremely disappointed. Believe me, when we visit again, we will certainly stop in again!

“If you want to feel Cuba vibe ”
If you like luxury don't come here, if you want to be secluded don't book here. This downtown hotel it has personality, here you will feel how much fun Cubans are and see Varadero as a beautiful beach town, you can walk all the way 1st street at midday or midnight and see how they live, if you like nightlife, several clubs are less than 5 min away. If you don't like the food at this hotel, there are several options less than 5 min walk too. And for the price you probably will pay for this all-inclusive, you will see that it is a real bargain.

“Very good service ”
We went for the first time to a three-star hotel in Cuba, usually we take a four-star hotel but this time we decided to spend less on the hotel and more on tours around. We had an all inclusive deal for a very good price. The food was better than in the four-star hotels we were before, the beach was beautiful. The service was wanderful and the people in the hotel very helpful. What I liked best was that it was a small hotel and everything was near, the restaurant, the bar, the beach, we didn't have to walk far under the hot sun. Also this hotel is very well situated in the center of Varadero. What I didn't like was the matress, very old and thin, nor that after 10pm you couldn't eat anymore. But maybe this was because we went on low season and the snack closed at 6 pm before the opening of the restaurant. The good thing about going off season is that we could find a "palapa" anytime.

“Best vacation ever! ”
Lets talk about the dirty details .... There is nothing bad about this hotel , except the fact that its old,. I was worried when i read some of the reviews before i left .. I stayed at the hotel from 18-25 january 2014... But once i got there all the worries were gone .. Some rooms in the hotel are smaller then others but very clean , i checked for bugs and there were none.. The food was good, something different everyday , if your more picky their are tones of restaurants right around the corner beside the hotel.... The staff was very friendly and they try there best to help you.. The beach is simply AMAZIN, they cleaned the beach ever morning the only problem are the people who are dirty and don't pick up after themselves... Overall for a 3-star resort it was worth my money .. Im certainly going back next year...

“Exceeded our expectations!”
My girlfriend and I decided on a one week Christmas trip to Varadero and we initially chose Hotel Los Delfines because of it's central location in the downtown core of the city. I also much prefer the option of walking the streets of the city rather than being stuck on a resort for my entire stay and this hotel was perfect. Quality/Price/Initial Impression: The hotel is an older one but is well maintained. Previous reviewers also gave this hotel a more positive rating than others in its price class. You can see that the staff really do care for the cleanliness of the rooms and grounds. Some previous reviewers have indicated having problems with their toilets and/or showers but ours were functioning. There are three main areas of the hotel, the buildings surrounding a large pool and stage area, the old colonial building which also has the buffet restaurant and the more modern building which has the clubhouse on the lower level. The more modern building and the colonial building are separated from the rest of the hotel by a small public street. All areas have rooms for the guests to stay. We paid more for our trip because of the time we went but there were shows on the main stage every night and the Christmas meal and stage show in particular was really well done. In addition, the staff always have optional beach activities planned for the guests which we also participated on a regular basis in and made our trip even more fun. I have stayed in a higher rated resort in Cayo Coco previously but this hotel was definitely more enjoyable overall so I personally feel that I got more than my money's worth. Beaches: Simply put, the beach is amazing! This is the main reason you go to a resort and this beach does not disappoint. Los Delfines has access to a large area of the Varadero beach and there is always a place for you right by the water. You never have to fight for a spot. The beach is clean and the water is warm (even in December!) and was never too wavy. Highly recommended! Room: The standard room we initially received was not very large. The bathroom area was also divided between the sink and the toilet by a door which made it somewhat inconvenient. We requested a room change but because the hotel was full (on account of Christmas) we could not change it until 3 days into the trip. However, the hotel manager, Efram, personally took care of things and changed us to a larger and more expensive suite overlooking the ocean. The unobstructed ocean view from room 312 was simply incredible. Please note that the new room was also located above the clubhouse so the music was playing until 11pm but we were out every night so it really didn't matter to us. For those preferring a more quite room, other reviewers have suggested getting a room overlooking the pool or one in the old colonial building also overlooking the ocean. This is of course assuming the hotel has them available when you request them. Front Desk/Reception: The girls at the reception desk were helpful to our needs and pleasant to deal with. I also personally dealt with the hotel manager and found him to be very agreeable. He seemed genuinely concerned in our comfort while at the hotel and this was something I really appreciated. Cleaning Staff/Security Crew: The cleaning staff was also good with keeping our room organized on a daily basis. We had absolutely no issues. There are plenty of security personnel on staff and visibly present so you always feel safe. We made sure to tip when possible and brought items with us like toothpaste and soap to give away as tips to staff because Cubans have difficulty in obtaining these items. Food/Restaurants: Regardless of what some may say about Cuban food, I found it to be quite good overall. The buffet had a wide selection of dishes for guests to sample on a daily basis. All selections were also well prepared. The hotel also has one a la carte restaurant which you have to book early on to ensure you get a table because it is small. This restaurant also had excellent food and service although the menu selections were more limited. We also tried a restaurant outside the hotel on Calle 43 which served 2 lobster tails as well as salad and a drink (a Mohito) for only 15 pesos per person which we thoroughly recommend for those willing to try. Phone/Internet: I did not use the internet while I was at Los Delfines. Cuba has difficulties in accessing the internet in general because of the current embargo as most internet infrastructure is located in the major US cities. As such, do not travel to Cuba expecting to use your computer devices or smartphone. Cellphones will work in most places but are expensive to use ($4/min for talk and $.75/text). Besides, aren't you on vacation? If you must use internet, you can buy minutes to use in a public internet location but it is also very expensive for only very limited time. Phone service can also be spotty. I called home to Toronto from my hotel room which worked both times (which I recommend over other communication options) but a public phone card did not work at all for me (I wasn't able to put out a call when I tried). I did not use my cell phone except to text which worked only at the airport. Overall: We were thoroughly impressed with our first stay in Varadero. Despite the hotel being older and smaller, the staff and in particular the hotel manager went out of their way to make our trip memorable and pleasant. I will certainly consider booking here again and I would recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a thoroughly enjoyable vacation experience in Varadero Cuba.