Hotel Hotetur Palma Real

Cuba

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*Palma Real is a disappointment.* Visited: June 2008
Posted by norma
	This hotel has serious failings. The only good thing to be said about it is that the rooms are clean, and the pool areas are well designed. It suffers from a serious mosquito problem, which makes evening entertainment in the main bar unpleasant. Dining in the Piazza restaurant is impossible: the mosquitos will eat diners alive before the first course is delivered. Why would the hotel operator allow this? Because the guests have paid up front for all-inclusive, and the hotel would prefer them to consume as little as possible. The staff is extremely unfriendly, and direct constant verbal abuse at guests, as anyone with a knowledge of Spanish will know. This is the worst of 70s Spanish costas fare in a different guise. The hotel's beach is small and overcrowded, and is the worst in the area.
3 users found this review helpful. 6 found this review unhelpful.
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*It was a mixed bag.* Visited: October 2007
Posted by angel_eyes1_uk
	The hotel itself was a nice large building. The pools were good. The beach was amazing, with plenty of choices of bars and places to sunbathe. There was a good variety of restaurants, too. In addition, the rooms were basic, but very clean. However, the food was terrible! I never thought I'd say that about a hotel, but it really was. The buffet had some very strange choices - lots of fish, but generally with bones and head attached. Practically all the meat was on the bone. It was not very English friendly is all I can say. The breakfast omeletes were good, as was the pizza! The desserts were generally good, but the main meal choices weren't. There were restaurants other than the buffet, however. The snack bar and the snack bar at the beach had limited choices, but were nice. The Chinese restaurant was a bit hit and miss - my advice is you can't go wrong with soup and chicken curry. At the Italian restaurant, don't expect pizza like you get here - but, again, it is edible if you're struggling at the buffet. The pasta was nice, but it was just pasta and a sauce - no meat. There were lots of cheap restaurants off the complex, though. I wouldn't recommend staying in for the entertainment, either. It was generally rather "cringe worthy" and a half hearted attempt on a night. Other than watching sychronized swimming practice, I never found any entertainment around the pool during the day either. However, I would go back to Varadero. I would just stay in a different hotel. The area itself was amazing. It's a shame the hotel let itself down with the food and entertainment.
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*I loved it.* Visited: December 2006
Posted by mya
	When I first arrived, I thought it was going to be very boring. The beach was hard to find, but when I got there, it was brilliant! The food wasn't great, but it was all we had, so we couldn't be choosy. The staff was so pleasant, and they made me feel at home and welcomed in their country. There were a lot of things to do here - swimming with dolphins, a trip to Havana, etc. I'm planning on coming back to this hotel this year because I met some great people, and the entertainment was good.
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*We had good times here.* Visited: August 2006
Posted by keaton20022002
	I went to Cuba and stayed at this resort with a couple of my best girflriends. We weren't sure what it would be like - seeing as it was late August when we decided to go. We had a blast! The food was crappy, but those bartenders weren't cheap on the booze! The "animacion" staff was great fun. All you single ladies -watch out!
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*This was a comfortable hotel.* Visited: July 2006
Posted by shirleyb58
	I stayed at the Palma Real for two weeks. The room was basic, but adequate. A let down was that the room's floor wasn't cleaned properly. My flipflops tended to collect the hairs/dust on the floor to the point that stringy trails gathered around the edges. Apart from this, the bed linens, bathroom, and room in general were well-maintained on a daily basis. Alarm clocks weren't provided in the rooms, so make sure you bring your own if you intend to go on excursions. I'd read reviews on various web sites about the food at the Palma Real, the majority quite negative. Unfortunately, I found the negative reviews to be accurate. The main buffet restaurant offered some very uninspired bland food. I was only happy to eat breakfast there. I usually selected from the eggs, bacon, various selections of bread (which were very good), croissants, breakfast cereals, and fresh orange juice (which was also very good). A partial relief from the bland food came in the form of the hotel snack bar which served hot dogs, hamburgers, fries, and ham/cheese sandwiches. From my exchanges with other tourists and my own experience, uninspired bland food that's been cooked with no passion seems to be quite prevalent in Cuba. After speaking with my holiday rep about tasting good Cuban cuisine, I ate at the La Campana restaurant in the Parque Josone - a beautiful park about seven-minute walk from the Palma Real. I had a flavorful, delicious steak meal. If you want to taste good Cuban cuisine, you have to venture outside the Palma Real and go on a personal quest to find it. Even the many excursions I went on where a meal was included rarely gave good impressions. The meals tended to range from poor to average. Nightly entertainment was laid on around 9:30 pm in the Palma Real lobby or on a stage at the rear of the hotel. Performances consisted of singing and dancing. However, the performances tended to be quite short. The Havana Club was about a three-minute walk from the Palma Real. They played a broad selection of music, and cost 10 pesos to enter. Drinks were included in the entry price. The Club started to get busy/liven up around 12:30 am. It closed at 3:00am. A beautiful beach was about a four-minute walk from the hotel across the main road. Apart from handicraft markets, shopping in Varadero was limited. I took a five pesos taxi ride to the Plaza America shopping centre. There weren't a lot of shops there, but there was a useful supermarket. There was also a small fairground near the hotel which had a few clothes shops.
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*Varadero Ok, but moving from there, great!* Visited: December 2005
Posted by leodoce64
	Actually I went there hoping being in touch with more cuban people, but I only found staff. so, I decided to go to another areas and coming back. I got some friends who helped me to find private accommodations in different areas near Varadero. Then everything was perfect. good for the hotel and every two or three days to a new town to share real cuban life. Holidays had a meaning then.
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*This is a nice place if you want to relax.* Visited: December 2005
Posted by p0mpier69
	I was here with friends from November 27 - to December 4, 2005. It was a nice week. It was a good place if you want to relax, because they didn't have a lot of animations. The beds were okay, but the pillows were horrible. It was a clean place with funny people. But, it is Cuba, so don't expect to eat like a king here.
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*I thought this hotel was rubbish.* Visited: June 2005
Posted by john10
	I found this hotel to be shabby. It was a waste of my money. The rooms were dirty, and I would not let my children go on the floor without thier shoes on.
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*Hotel Hotetur Palma Real was fun, friendly and worthwhile!* Visited: March 2005
Posted by almeyers
	We just got back from the Palma Real on March 15th, 2005. Six of us from Canada went to Cuba for the first time and did not know what to expect. The resort was clean and friendly, and despite some of the other reviews the food was very good. Especially if you like seafood. The Piazza restaurant was fantastic. The pasta and pizza were great. Drinks were flowing like a river, and the staff was very friendly and accommodating. I highly recommend you do the Safari Cayo Blanco Catamaran tour! For $75.00 you get the day on the boat, snorkeling, fresh lobster ($10.00), and then spend the rest of your day on this beautiful island...all inclusive drinks and lunch was provided on the island. This also included a sunset tour either on Monday or Friday which was wonderful. That was not all inclusive, but drinks were only $1.00 convertable peso. The tour of Havana was also very well worth it. I would recommend you buy the book that explains all the meanings of the buildings and things - it was about ten pesos. Bring shampoos and personal hygiene products as well as pencils to Havana, as there were a lot of locals who could use them and they appreciate your help. You just hand them out. You can also bring t-shirts and trade for things in the market. The crafts were beautiful and very affordable. Bring cash or a Visa/Mastercard. They did not have any ATM bank machines to withdrawal money from. You can convert your money at the airport. $100.00 Canadian dollars yielded us 78 pesos - which was equivalent to $78.00. At the hotel we were only getting $75.00. The Havana Club in Varadero was a blast. Ten pesos, and the drinks were all inclusive. We met people from all over the world there! Plaza America was a bust...everything there was high-end stuff and big money... we were disappointed! Be careful on the beaches, as there were lots of Jelly fish. Don't try to pick them up, they will sting. I almost made the mistake thinking it was some kind of neat shell...yikes! If you smoke, you will be in heaven. Cigarettes cost around $1.00 to $1.20 per pack...and at the airport they were $10.00 per carton. But wait until you get through customs. They told us they were duty free and that we could not smoke once past customs....but they were lying! Duty free was on the other side and people could smoke, eat, drink and buy inexpensive souvenirs. If you decide to go to Varadero, the Palma Real was very nice and I would go back again!
19 users found this review helpful. 0 found this review unhelpful.
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*It was very simple, but nice.* Visited: February 2005
Posted by kimpilgrim
	The grounds were done to perfection, the food was good - but not great, and the rooms were more than simple - but clean. Also, there was no entertainment (only for the crowd we met, and it was party central all the way!). I can't wait to go again. But I would go back only for a cheaper rate.
4 users found this review helpful. 1 found this review unhelpful.
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*It was just okay, nothing special* Visited: September 2004
Posted by k123
	I travelled to Palma Real in early september 2004 and had some mixed feelings about the hotel. First of all the hotel is full of dead insects lying around the floor and you would think that they would at least turn on the ac in the caribbean! The rooms were okay, the resort itslef was nice, big pools, and the beach was amazing. The beach to me was the best part of my vacation. The food however was terrible. I lost quite a bit of weight during my stay beacuse the food was very iffy and they used it all day long. I remember seeing the same fruit from breakfast at the dinner buffet, needless to say, not good! The satff was friendly and at times could be very clingy, which I didnt like, Overall it was okay, the weather was beautiful, the city is nice, the location was great, but..it was just okay for me.
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*This was an excellent hotel.* Visited: June 2004
Posted by hanziebaby
	I stayed here last year, and it was excellent. The staff was very polite and helpful, and were there whenever we needed them. We didn't really think much of the food here in the hotel, so we went local to eat (which was very cheap). There was a nice pizza place there which served all different types of pastas. The beach was just out of this world. I would recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Cuba.
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*This was the best hotel ever!* Visited: June 2004
Posted by amandadewsbury_366
	We stayed at this hotel last June an thought it was the best ever. We had about five all together throughout our stay It rained three times in two weeks, and it only lasted about 20 minutes. The hotel was big and had lots to do there. We met some very nice people here, too. The staffed worked so hard, and they always seemed to be tired, but they still managed to go to the clubs every night until about 3:00 am. The beaches were absolutely gorgeous, and were very clean. The hotel rooms were big and spotless. We had no complaints, except our key never worked. The food was okay. We never had breakfast. We always missed it because we came in too late in the morning and slept. There I would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone. The flight was a bit to long for us, but it was worth it.
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*TERRIBLE!!!!* Visited: April 2004
Posted by sport53
	This resort may look nice but its not!! The food is OK, and Its Very Clean But The workers there were very ignorant and would ask to have your things like your shirt while you were eating. Also security is a big flaw there as well. While i was there there were 3 rooms borken into, and when out by the pool you had to watch your stuff very closely, you were always "looking over your shoulder" to make sure no one was taking your towel/sun tan lotion or sandals. I myself witnessed a hotel worker swipe a pair of sandals. When you check out of your room at 12 noon. Try and find someone you trust to put your luggage in there room.The hotel will store it for you but the room was not locked and somebody stole my digital camera. Ive been in the Dominican Republic 4 Times, In Greece, Italy, All over the US and Canada I never Witnessed a Resort Like This Before. Also read the FINE PRINT from your travel Insurance. They Dont Cover Electronics and Jewellry Taken from your Suitcases. Kinda Defeats the Purpose of Buying Luggage Insurance.
4 users found this review helpful. 2 found this review unhelpful.
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*This was a great hotel with great service.* Visited: January 2004
Posted by dks
	We enjoyed our one-week stay. The staff was very nice and our room was great. They served an average buffet fare, but it was in a great location and we enjoyed walking downtown in the evening (very safe!). There was also a beautiful beach just three minutes from the hotel entrance. At the rate we paid, it was a good deal for the whole trip. We would definitely return!
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*Palma Real has the best location.* Visited: January 2004
Posted by kathold
	We picked up a last minute package to the Palma Real and knew nothing about it when we left. We came back from our vacation pleasantly surprised. The hotel had a great location only a short walk to the beach and another short walk to Varadero's bars and night clubs. The hotel staff was excellent. So what if the food was so-so?! Bring your own hot sauce!
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*One word - amazing!* Visited: October 2003
Posted by zoricad
	I just came back from Cuba about a week ago. I'm totally addicted and planning to go again very soon. I was very amazed at the friendliness of all the staff and Cubans in general. The hotel was a normal hotel - nothing to really brag about. But the people and partying was what mattered. I met so many great people - especially the staff at the Palma Real Hotel. I have kept in touch with some of them. All things considered, I had a great time and will go back very, very soon!
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*The hotel was brilliant!* Visited: October 2003
Posted by phil2
	This hotel was excellent. The place was clean, the staff was very friendly and helpful, the food was fantastic, and the facilities were excellent. I would go back again and stay here - it was a totally fantastic holiday!
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*This was a great party spot.* Visited: August 2003
Posted by qtboy80_ca
	This was a great place for our money. We are going back during the last week of August. It was clean, safe, and there were a lot of nice people here. Also, it was big, they offered a lot of choices in food, and it was close to everything. In addition, they had a great beach, with lots of young people - it was a great party.
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*This is a lovely hotel with wonderful staff.* Visited: May 2003
Posted by smithmk127
	I am a second time return visitor to Cuba. The first time, I stayed at Breezes Varadero. When we first arrived at Palma Real, we were not quite sure. It turned out to be a great place. I don't know if they had new chef, but the food was excellent. The staff was very friendly and helpful. I would suggest you make inquiries about Compasita and the Med Bar. Alexi, on the entertainments team, will help with that. Would I return to Hotel Hotetur Palma Real? Yes!
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Hotel Hotetur Palma Real Overview

Hotel Hotetur Palma Real stands in the center of Varadero. Its location allows easy access to the beach and to the lively atmosphere on the city streets. Its architecture harmonizes with the landscape and is inspired in the pure Cuban style. This 233-room resort has facilities available...