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Barcelo Sol Y Mar 08/22/02
Reviewers Rating:  Excellent
Varadero Cuba August 2-9, 2002 I have read all the reviews regarding the Barcelo Sol Y Mar in Varadero, Cuba. Everyone that has been here has had different views of their stay at this hotel, some good and some bad. All I can say is that my family and I (among other people we met there) were pleased with Barcelo. We had a nice time and it was very relaxing. We've been to Cuba twice already, - 1990 Varadero and 2001 Cayo Coco Tryp. We have been satisfied with all of our trips. The beach is just beautiful and there is no other like it. The sand is powdery white, no seashells or rocks, even in the water. The water is crystal clear turquoise and very warm. In the morning the blue sky and ocean are interwined as one. In the afternoon, the water is shallow so you can walk in as far as you want. Let's face it, it is the Caribbean waters we are talking about. It is breathtaking. There are alot of water sports on the beach like cayaking, paddle boating, sailing, and the best one of all the "banana ride" boat. There is also aerobics, dancing, volleyball, soccer, and different kinds og games and competitions on the beach. The animators are fun to be with! Alot of the reviews that I read have expressed disappointment in regards to the Cuban cuisine. If we want to be picky or compare Cuba to Canada or the U.S. or even Europe maybe we should think twice before going there! Don't expect to have the same (flavor) of cuisine you would have here or elsewhere. The food is edible and they have a wide selection from buffet style to a la carte restaurants. There is alot to choose from and if you think that some foods don't agree with your liking just don't eat it. Don't expect to see bagel with cream cheese or bagel with lox! Breakfast is served in buffet style: eggs are cooked in any style you want and you will find a variety of breads, cereals, milk, coffee, juices, fruits, etc. You can create your own breakfast. As for lunch and dinner you can choose from the Grill Restaurant next to the pool or the Creole restaurant on the beach. The buffet restaurant is also open during lunch and dinner and the a la carte restaurants are available only by appointment in the evenings. They have International, Italian, Seafood, and Creole restaurants. I went to all of them except for the Creole and we were pleased with the food. Everyone has different tastes and preferences when it comes to their food and most of us like to have heavier spices in our food. So you will find their cooking very mildly seasoned and not as rich. A small footnote about the dress code in the restaurants: They ask you wear pants at the a la carte restaurants but I saw men wearing shorts and they didn't throw them out! As for the staff's attire being too formal, well, what do you want them to wear beach shorts or look bumpish? I think they were dressed nicely, and I think that is their uniform in order to stand out from all the tourists. One thing we have to give them credit for is that they could stand wearing pants and a bow tie under 35 degrees celcius! The staff were kind and pleasant. They made sure you were properly served and kept the hotel very clean. I was especially impressed how clean they kept the hotel when some people would come from the beach with sandy feet and dripping in water from the swimming pool. I can go on and on about how nice Cuba can be no matter where you stay because we were happy. We love Spanish music, the language, and the people. Don't forget you are not going to Florida! You have to try to make the best of it and I am sure you can. We are not that peaky and we we did not expect too much. As long as the hotel is clean and as long as there is food to eat. My children ages 7 and 11 were very happy and did not want to leave. The people of Cuba are very poor and they work very hard to please the tourists. Cuba is known for it's beach and weather and of course their hospitality. You would have to take the chance and experience it yourself and not let the reviews scare you away. Several people I have spoken to that have been to Cuba more than once and have gone to Barcelo, Tryp Cayo Coco and Tryp Peninsula, El Senador in Cayo Coco, Villas Las Serenas, Varadero, etc. all had mixed views. Like I said earlier, to each is own and it depends what you want. If you were to ask me if I would go back to Barcelo, the answer would be YES! Mary K.
Mary K.
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