Varadero Hotels

Riu Varadero: Worst hotel ever. 3 people stabbed. Terrible

First I would like to say that I have travled all over the Carribean and Central America and I have never in over 30+ trips have I had a trip bad enough to write a review and slam a hotel.

My wife and I as well as a group of friends stayed there from Nov 22-Nov 29 2011.

It was non stop problems as soon as we arrived, First we arrived with no welcome, waited 15 minutes just for someone to notice we were there, then they had the wrong room in the wrong section booked, we then waited another 25 minutes for a bellhop to come and take us to the correct room, when we got in the room it was not ready, things were missing and such, we met up with our friends and went to get some dinner.

Now let me tell you, I wasnt expecting great food going to Cuba but this meal was the first of the worst food I have ever eaten at a resort of this caliber. Every meal was the same at the buffet everyday and absolutly terrible. When attempting to book the so called ala carte resturants we were told it was a 3-4 day wait to get into any of them as there were 1300 people at the resort.

The very first night a guy tried to start a fight with me at the disco which I quickly brushed off as a drunk idiot. The second night however, My friends and I were sitting out side the Disco on the patio when a huge fight broke out inside the bar, a friend and I ran around the side to look in the windows to see a 60 year old french dude smashing a glass over a young guys head, then he grabs a piece of glass and slashes another guys face then stabs some girl in the arm, we ran back around the front and a different big french guy comes running out the door and grabs a guy half his size and starts punching him. My friends kids were right there so I tried to get between them (with others) and stop the fight, then his buddy sucker punches me from behind and tackled me to the ground, grabbed my phone and ran off with his buddy and their wives.

The next day I went to see the Public Relations woman who at this point was very help full, it turned out that the security had taken my phone from them after but didnt know what roon I was in. I got my phone back, explained everything that happend they apoligised for everything that happend and we went on our way. Later that day I get a call to come down to the front desk to speak to the manager, I figure ok theyre gonna offer me an upgrade or something for everything that has happend. Hell no!!!!!! The "sub director" of the resort ( Hiram de Jesus Perez Mange ) proceeds to blame me and the 2 guys that slashed with glass that its our fault for everythiung that happend at the disco and says we have to pay damages. Refused quite loudly and left to my room. The next morning all involved we brought to the reception for a "meeting" this Director ( Hiram ) then explained again that we would all have to share a portion of the "compensation" by 4 at 259.00 a piece, 1 quarter for me 1 for the ( GROOM ) that was slashed the french guy that started it all ( which was removed by the military ) and the french guy that sucker punched me, whom had already left under his own accord.

I was so mad that I involved Sunwing ( my travle provider ) whom spoke to this manager un successfully the amount stood of I would have to leave. I involved the district manager from sunwing for the whole Varadero Cuba region. He came down and heard us out after the manager cornered him with all his lies. The manager which I do not have his name then spoke privately with the hotel manager ( Hiram ) and came back to say there was nothing he could do, I would either have to pay it or would not be allowed to leave the country. I do believe that the Sunwing guy was on our side but his hands we tied. We then argued another 2 hours with the hotel manager, again un successfully and was forced to pay this 259.00 or face not leaving this terrible country. After waisting 2 days of 7 with this crap we go for lunch and the Sunwing rep ( Maria ) comes and tells me she is going to give me my money back. I get my money back and never speak to another person again. There were fights again ( not involving ) us almost every night at the bars and around the pools.

This all happeneing the night before my wedding anniversary!!!!!

After all this is was still nothing but problems with flooding in the bath room, all the hallways, lights out every where, not hot water, never got clean towles, ( and I was in the "ROYAL" section ) no beach towles for 4 days ina row, disgusting food daily, 2 hours of entertain ment in the after noon but just for the cuban guys to dance with cute little russian and canadian girls, which I actually saw in the mangrove later doing the nasty, water sports are a joke, there was a cool Micheal Jackson show once. booze is watered down and gross, resort is huge and never and transports tho they are everywhere doing nothing all the time, so be prepared to walk a few km a day just for daily routine.

Dont waist your money on the Royal section all you get is a bigger rooms with a tub and shower on the other side of the resort away from all the main buildings and pools.

I will never reccommend this resort to anyone. the absolute worst place I have every stayed with service comparable to a 1 start or less.

Dont ignore the bad reviews.

We did and paid dearly for it. I know for a fact you will probably see at least another 5 reviews with the exact same story.

If your going to Varadero stay at the Iberostar resorts or paradisas las salinas, heard lots of good things at the air port coming home,

I expect to hear from a rep from RIu resorts over all this crap I had to go through or I will be taking this much much further

Unique Quality: none