Well, we were bumped from Breezes Varadero to Melia, and I must say I was very pleased. I was nervous at first, not knowing what to expect.

Resort: Hotel style...grounds well kept...everything within short walking distance...lots of elevators and stairs. There is 1 buffet restaurant...not very busy. There is a cafeteria that is open 24 hrs with hot dogs(yummy), sandwiches, lasagna, hamburgers and drinks.
There is a piano bar where everyone meets before dinner...lots of fun! There is entertainment there every night. There are 2 huge gazebos in this area also with some big comfy wicker beds/sofas to sit. These are beautiful! The a-la-cartes are outside, scattered around the resort on the waterfront with amazing views.

There is a disco, where everyone meets at midnight, and the staff will take you in cabs to the discos in the area. Lots of fun!

Rooms: Very small, hotel size. Not great if you are there for 2 weeks which we were. Not alot of storage space. Small closet with no shelves. 2 drawers in closet...and 2 nightstands. Very few hangers.
Very small deck. But we made due! Bathroom was a pretty good size...
comfortable and clean! Shelves in the bathroom with lots of mirrors. There is a cold fridge and is always filled with beer, cola, and water. There is also a safe in the closet for no extra charge. The TV is small and there is a CTV station, but it is not programmed into the remote. You have to type in the channel 32.

The rooms you see online are the deluxe suites and there is not many of them. They have a wrap-around deck.

Pool: Fantastic...very big with a volleyball and basketball net. No swimup bar though. There is a pool bar though but you have to get out of the water. Loved it though!

Beach: Very nice...but short. As you can see from some pictures the beach is to the left of the resort...not a far walk...(no farther than any other resort) But the scenery makes up for it. The resort is built on a small cliff with a fantastic view. It truly is breathtaking. The waves are constantly crashing in. There is a gazebo on the edge of the cliff for weddings. Probably the most beautiful spot for a wedding that I have ever seen. They will also do a private dinner for you on the gazebo at sunset for a price. The first part of the beach is rocky, but if you go down a bit further, it is worth it!

Staff: I cannot say enough about the staff! In all of our 8 years of travelling, I have never experienced such fantastic staff. Our maid (Isabel) was the very best...The restraunt staff were outstanding...
the piano bar staff were lots of fun...even our security guard was amazing! The front desk staff were always very helpful. They made our trip even more memorable!

Food: Not the type of buffet I am used to, but I didn't go hungry. Actually, I gained weight. The only problem was the food each and every night was the exact same...no special meals. They did have rotissierie chicken every night with potatoes and fries, and vegetables. A pasta bar, and the bread was delicious. Lots of fish and chicken dishes...the usual.

The A-la-cartes were fantastic. The steakhouse was amazing...I had beef tenderloin 4 of my 15 nights. The "Trinidad" was fantastic, with fantastic staff...strictly fish, but amazing! Lobster was on the menu every night, and you could have up to 3 servings of each meal at a time. The Trinidad was also open for lunch...sit down service...with a fanastic fish dinner! The International Restaurant was great also...
try the lamb! The Chinese Restaurant was truly amazing also! But book these restaurants early!

Location: This resort is located right next to the mall and in between 2 other Melia resorts which you have access to. Those are the only 3 resorts on this beach. The Melia Las Americas has the most amazing pool! The golf course is directly across the street. If you want to go into the town of Varadero, you have to walk to the mall (3 minutes) and there is a double decker bus which you can ride all day for 5 pesos. It takes you from one end of the peninsula to the other end...
stopping at each resort. It's great if you have friends(which we did) at other resorts. For a couple of pesos, the security guard will let you on other properties to check them out or to visit!

If you take the bus, travel to the very start of the peninsula, and you will see the home of Al Capone...the bus stops there for about 15 minutes, go behind the house for a fantastic view of the beach. You can get on and off the bus whenever you want. There are markets all along the strip. Great way to spend an afternoon!

Entertainment: Not so great...we went to 3 shows and they were identical, so we stopped going. Great dancers, but very boring! We had more fun at the piano bar anyway! There were always things going on in the afternoon with the staff. They were great!

There were 2 ping pong tables, but they were outside in the sun, you couldn't play them at night. There was also a pool table at the piano bar,but it costs to play...not impressed with that!

Overall, We had a great time mainly due to the staff and the fantastic crew we met from Nova Scotia, PEI, Europe, and Germany!!!! Staff and new friends made this the most memorable trip we have ever had!!!

We just got back from our second trip to Cuba and 1st time staying at Melia Varadero. Being rather discerning, we spent some time on Trip Advisor reading reviews on where to stay. On our last trip we had visited the Melia just to look around and the reviews for the most part seemed to back up our first impressions so we made the decision to stay there. We are very glad we did!

The beach is absolutely gorgeous -- nestled between two small cliff-like points with palm trees from end to end. A great pool scene with lots of levels and patios to choose from -- our favourite being the cliffside view next to the chill-out cabanas. The food was really good despite a lack of fresh vegetables and the usual repetition you get at any all-inclusive in Cuba. Both buffet and a la carte restaurants had a good variety and some had some really exceptional dishes. The restaurant and bar service was for the most part quite good, but it really depended on the individual barman/waiter/tress -- some can really make you feel both like royalty and family all at once! This personal touch really made our trip special. Entertainment was good as far as hotel shows go, but we did venture out on several occasions to the clubs for more of a nightlife scene. However, pre-club was always at The Piano Bar for some of Leo's special Mojitos (which were fabulous) and met some interesting fellow travellors. As mentioned in other reviews, this hotel has a very European clientele which really added to an overall international flavour -- which we love. All in all, an exceptional experience. We will definately go back and recommend without hesitation!

A few tips and details (FYI)

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Check-in: We arrived at night so our check in was swift. However, we did notice that the lines for check-in in the morning were much longer.

Lobby/main space: Beautiful. There is a tropical atrium in the centre of this star shaped hotel with a huge skylight that allows streams of sunlight to flood into the space. The atrium was filled will tropical plants, fountains, brooks, vines hanging 5 stories and even hotel pets (parrots, fish and 3 cute cats that roam around).

Grounds/Upkeep: Impeccably kept. Grounds were 5 star all the way. Never saw anything that seemed in need of repair. Washrooms, both interior as well as the washrooms at the outdoor restaurant (servicing also pool area) were well-kept, especially considering the amount of traffic.

Area: Well located beside a large shopping mall that you can walk to for banking, supermarket and cigars & rum. The cigar store in the mall has a good selection at what seemed like good prices, but we aren't avid cigar smokers so a little green on pricing. There is also a cigar shop in Varadero town (La Casa de la Habana). Don't wait to buy your cigars at the airport as the selection is very poor.

ROOMS
Well, you get what you pay for! We paid the lowest rate for a one week stay and got a room that was truly in keeping with the rate. Because of the shape of this hotel the closer to the atrium you are, the darker the room and less view -- these are the budget rooms. Our first room (before we were upgraded), was one of the worst. Situated on the first floor and the first room off the hallways. It was dark and our balcony had a view of a rooftop. But with a little persistence at the front desk, we were moved to a much nicer room by our second night. Rooms included most amenities including a large room safe and an iron and ironing board.

Note: We were there from April 8th to 15th and the hotel was completely overbooked in which they had to move guests around to other hotels (even to Havana) to compensate. Next time we go, we will make sure we pay for an oceanview room to ensure our place if they are overbooked. We were probably quite lucky to have our room changed given the circumstances. There are some really amazing rooms to be had, especially the ones on the very tip of each arm. We suggest trying to book rooms on floors 3 - 5 as the 1st & 2nd floor rooms have palm trees that obstruct the view (if you plan on spending time in your room). We actually didn't spend much time in the room as it turned out but it is nice to have a view to wake up to and light pouring in.

BEACH
What can we say -- incredible! As mentioned, the beach is flooded with palm trees, soft pure white sand and the most beautiful turquoise water. The first 20 metres of the beach is coral but after that, it's georgeous white sand. There are free double & single kiyaking, peddle boats, catamarans as well as some beach activities such as volleyball and mambo lessons.

Note: The beach seems quite busy until around 2pm making lounge chairs hard to come by. We guaranteed our spots most of the time by taking our towels down to reserve chairs before breakfast. But when we didn't, it was not long before we were able to get chairs. There is no washroom directly located on the beach, which is a bit of an inconvenience. The beach has a "snack bar/ bar" which is nothing special but good for quick beer/water/snack. We always ate lunch up at the restaurant which overlooks the water (The Trinidad) and got our drinks at either the Beach Bar or the Piano Bar. Note on catamarans: you need to book a ride with beach staff early in the day, as they get booked up quite fast.

POOLSCENE
Top notch! A good mix of sun and shade. Again, lush with palm trees for shade but several good areas of pure sun/less shade for tanning. Wonderful small deck overlooking ocean (our favourite) with padded loungers and adjacent to 3 chill-out cabanas with mattresses for having afternoon siestas. (note: cabanas are snapped up early in the morning)

There is no actual swim up bar, but there is a ledge that surrounds the circumference of the pool bar that you can sit on with drink in hand and feet in water and chat with other pool-goers. On a few other reviews of this hotel it was mentioned the pool was cold. Maybe by April the pool warms up -- as it was quite warm when we were there.

RESTAURANTS
Main buffet restaurant: Good selection both breakfast and dinner. At breakfast, we enjoyed the omlettes, eggs/sausages, and amazing fresh fruit station. At dinner, again, something for everyone. A little repetition/reusing going on, but hey, you are in Cuba.

Cuban/Seafood (The Trinidad): By far our favourite for lunch and dinner. On top of a small cliff overlooking the ocean this tiki-inspired open-air restaurant is the best for ambience and we found the service fantastic. It is "cuban-style" for lunch and seafood for dinner. Recommend: Catch-of-the-day (Talapia) for lunch (served with roasted squash and black-bean rice) and both the fish, and shrimp are quite good for dinner. People are 50/50 on review of the lobster (we never tried). There is a live band which plays at lunch (btwn 1 and 2:30) and at dinner, at both 7pm and 9pm settings, which again, adds so much to the tropical ambiance of this restaurant.

International: Our second choice for a la carte. Nice atmosphere and good service. We had both the fish and the steak and both were quite good.

Steakhouse: Good, but was a little lacking on ambiance. However, many people we talked to really liked this restaurant.

Chinese: Never got there -- it was booked up solid for a week.

Cafeteria (open late): Do not recommend. We arrived on our first night after all restaurants had closed and had to suffer our way through a "meal" at the cafeteria. But it is good for "after-hours" beverages and espressos in the morning before the Piano Bar opens. It is open 24 hours.

Note on a la carte reservations: It is suggested to book your a la carte reservations as soon as you arrive as the restaurants are small -- and we concur with that. Even though we did book upon our arrival we were not able to get into an a la carte restaurant until our 3rd night. Not to worry which one, book away... they are all good.

BARS/LOUNGES/NIGHTSCENE

Bars: The Piano Bar served the best drinks and had the best service we found. Once you get to know the bartenders they'll get to know you and how you like your drinks prepared and even make you special cocktails! We gravitated to the Mojitos for the most part, as we found the Pina Colada, Planters Punch, and other tropicals too sweet for our palettes.

Entertainment: Melia Veradero has shows every night and have an outdoor stage as well as indoor if the weather is not happening. The shows we attended were fun -- good energy, talent and well-attended. Make sure you check the activities board to see what's going on each night. The shows start at 10:15 and run for about an hour.

We did venture out at night to a few nightclubs for some dancing. Our first outing was to the club at The International hotel. We saw the tropicana show which was absolutely worth it! -- very professional and alot of fun. It was $25 per person which included drinks, the show and then gave us entrance to the danceclub which followed the show (but from then on drinks not included). This club has appeal to any one that just wants to dance, get lost in the crowd and not have to try too hard. If you are looking for a harder beat that you can really dance to, and a cooler scene, head to La Rumba (5 minute cab ride). We went on a Friday night which we had read was the better night to go. Make an effort to put on your best clubwear though and by all means don't go in your beachwear (you will feel out of place). The Dj did try to play a little something for all tastes which meant we had to wait for the more danceable tunes to come back a few times, but all in all this was a good nightclub with better music than we had anticipated.

We never ventured to The Cave or Mambo Club... -- next time.

OVERALL

Great time. Great hotel.
Enjoy!

Well, what one say about the resort. It was excellent, each morning we were greated with hugs and a table ready for us, the activity staff kept uor 10 year old busy. They treated him and looked after him as though he was their brother. The bar at the pool was excellent, it is amazing how far manners will take you, and that is what we were told by all the staff we became friends with. The al a carte restuarants were all excellent. We were a little worried due to the reveiws that some have written about the food here, but we soon came to realize that too much rum and sun can cause for upset stomachs, it is not always the food. There was so much food on the buffet both morning and supper time that one did not know where to start, but definately if you could not find some thing to eat it was your own fault. It was hard to leave on our last day, our son sat at the table and was crying, because it was hard for him to say good bye to all the friends that he had made. Needless to say the staff were comforting him and some even had gifts for him. They all made us feel so welcome that if I could I would be back tomorrow. But if you do go say hello to Roger he is one of the activity guys, and he is in love with all things Canada. The only piece of advice is there may not be any Americans there, but the Europeans can be just as rude.

We stayed at this hotel for Spring break, March 24th -31st. We arrived at the the hotel and were given our room, we were charged for three full fares (myself, wife and our 15 year old son) the room consisted of two 3/4 beds and a roll away cot, leaving little if any space in the room to move. I was advised by my travel agent when booking that we would receive a Jr. Suite for the price. Upon speaking to the front counter staff they assured me that was the room I had paid for, well after some debate and having to reattend the front counter the following day it was agreed upon that I would pay an additional $30.00 U.S. per day to upgrade to the room I was originally told I was getting.
The new room had a teriffic 180 degree view of the ocean and surrounding area overall well worth the additional funds. The food as stated by other guests was very blah and repetitive, we spent most of our meals at the 24 hours restaurant relying on the spaghetti and hamburgers. The grounds and surrounding area are very beautiful and well maintained. We have travelled alot especially the Caribbean and Cuba has a very "safe" feel. We were approached three times outside of the resort by locals who had basically the same story of no shoes for their two year old daughter and proceeded to show a picture of a young child and asking for money. Staff in the hotel were generally very friendly , but we noticed an improved level of service once we starting tipping in the restaurants (2-3 peso's per sitting) you would walk in and staff would call to you to sit in their area's, drinking glasses were never empty and dirty plates were removed as soon as your fork was put down. We ate at the Steak house and the international restaurants for our a' la cart's, due to a allergy we were allowed to attend the same place twice. We did meet a few guests who were given 4 a' la carts for their stay, don't know how this worked, but it did for them. Overall this was a beautiful resort with a few normal travel hiccups where we made the decision not to let it ruin our vacation. On a couple of our excursions we met other guests from Canada, who had a few horror stories from their hotels ranging from not up to standard cleanliness to a spring break outbreak with drunk and rowdy students from Spain impairing the peace and quiet by the pool etc.. I will return to Cuba and am very glad our hotel was clean and livable (rated 5 star by their standards) We met other guests from central Canada who had paid around the $1000.00 price for their week and in my opinion closer to the actual value of this trip and not the close to $2000.00 per person that we had paid. We paid the $20.00 per person V.I.P. to have expedited check in at the airport as well as a restricted lounge to relax in especially with the bus getting to the airport 3 hours prior to departure. I'll give this hotel
3 1/2 to 4 stars.