Gran Caribe Puntarena playa Caleta

I will start with the positive, because that list is very short! The view from our room on the 7th floor was beautiful. The beach was nice and the ocean is very clear. The staff at this resort is some of the best we’ve ever encountered! Every single one of them were warm and friendly and genuinely wanted to help. It’s because of the staff that it makes me sad to write a negative review, but this place is awful! The rooms are run down and worn out. The balcony door is super hard to open and close, and the balcony is tiny. The tub is very worn out and the drain is rusty and gross. Our safe needed repair 3 times in 7 days so we could open it. We had no hot water for 4 out of 7 days, and the elevator stopped working several times a day. We were on the 7th floor, so this was extremely inconvenient. Our last day, we had to haul our suitcases down the fire escape stairs so we wouldn’t miss our bus. The food here was the worst we have ever had, and yes we have been to Cuba 8 previous times, so we knew not to expect 5 star dining, but this was inedible. There were only 4 trays of hot items, which were not hot but only warm, then there was a fish station and a pasta station… which was the same every single night! We ended up going into Varadero 4 out of 7 nights for dinner and had some really amazing meals. New Years Eve supper was a joke and they ran out of everything. The two al a cartes we had weren’t terrible, but they weren’t great either. The dishes, cutlery and glasses in the buffet were not always clean. Sometimes it took several tries to find clean dishes. The public restrooms had no soap and no toilet paper. I know off resort you need to carry toilet paper…. But on resort? The gym is also in total disrepair, no belt on the treadmill, the bike is broken and several weight machines do not work. Only one of the two pools was open and it was freezing cold and had really loud obnoxious music and games, so we spent most of our time at the beach, which again was very nice. I will say that this place has real potential, but needs a complete overhaul. I would like to send a special thank you to Mercedes, the customer relations manager as she tried very hard to make things better. But unfortunately there is no better for this place as it is. Sunwing totally misrepresents the resort in their on line advertising. That upset me more than the fact that the resort needs so much work. Had SW been honest we would have chosen a different resort. We contacted them on day 2 and they said there was nothing they can do and it was up to the hotel to satisfy us…??? Last time we will ever use Sunwing! I would like to thank the staff here, as they really made a terrible situation better.

I am writing in my parents name They are at this resort at this moment and This is more then 10 times they are going to the same resort They just love everything here The people are like their family very friendly The beach is amazing And the food is topical Cuban food The cleanliness is always as a 5 star hotel excellent Special thanks go to MAYELO SANTANA SANDE Thank you thank you thank you For always be very polite always with a big smile on your face and always willing to help and treat my parents as yours Thank you Team of playa caleta for all that you do so your guests are returning every year Until next time with Goads willingness Thank you Tomo and Dosta

This is my favorite hotel in Varadero and i always come back. This place is like my home. It is so nice to see my friends again because its feell like my family. The service is fantastic the beach are the best in Varadero, the weather is very nice. We enjoy the sunny days because its too cold in Canada. We will come back on march.

I have been here for so many times and we are feeling like home. Even the hotel is almost empty the service is good and the people are so friendly. We hope to cone back soon with our family. Congratulations to the stuff

I wish I had taken more photos! My room was 631 and Yarima took care of all my daily needs as my service maid. Vlad provided me with a complimentary bottle of rum upon arrival. The Italian restaurant serves some of the world's best lasagna and pizza (margarita pizza). The white wine was exceptional and there was live music each night. So much talent and charm at this resort. - Mabel makes the BEST mojito in the Carribean, not even kidding. Made with fresh chives and Cuban cane sugar. And I honestly fell in love with the Cuban coffee, better than Tim Hortons! Lala was very sweet and served me with love and respect. I have honestly never felt such hospitality in my life. I felt safe and comfortable at all times. Number 8 taxi (horse and buggy) was superb and very friendly. My room had the most spectacular view in all of Varadero, fridge and AC worked perfectly and I was able to chargey phone in the outlets. The wifi was good, almost better ell or Rogers wifi in Canada. 11/10 for me. Duni my friend, thank you for making me feel like a member of the family.than B

A night in hell....... My friend and I booked an all inclusive vacation. We booked this resort based on some of the reviews we read. I have never walked into a more dingy, dark, dreary hotel in my life.....I understand why it is so poorly lighted......it is their attempt to make the cockroaches less obvious as they parade into your suite before you. Within 7 hours we killed more than a dozen of them, some as large as a bic lighter.......I repeat a night in hell At the customer service desk, as i was speaking with the manager, some sort of nest of insects hatched out of a puddle on the counter top......when I pointed this out....it was as if this was all a normal occurrence..... When we were collecting our things to leave, we noticed the filth of the bathroom....curtains........beds....... the towels are actually hung on rusted hangers, there are skid streaks on the curtains (the same curtain that the cockroaches fell out of) I could go on an on but I really just want to wipe this from my memory

This our 13 times in this Hotel and the service is very well like always . I love the people , the food is good, the Coffee us the vest in Cuba, i would like to mention to Yudi, yeima, my made and Mercedes in Public Relations. I will cone back soon. Love you all.

Staff stealing food from tourists! Right now I'm here and every day staffstealinf for example bacon from breakfast station! I sawstaff stealing alcohol from bar and put it to pants! Something wrong here. Very dirty toilet smells urino. They askedfrom me 30 dollars for good room and toilet doesn't work properly and all sh... T can't go through toilet.very bad smell! Pour meal and no animation. Building is very tired. Don't recommend! Personal doing nothing to improve something

I starts with the downsides first - elevators are not clean and not working well as we had to use the service elevator for a few days. - roof is leaking at multiple spots , wet floor in the lobby area when it rains. - pool has lots of leaf debris at the bottom - there are only about 20 guests during our stay. Buffet was closed. Only 1 restaurant is open with à là carte menu and a salad bar. Same menu with either chicken or pork every day Now the upsides - very nice location , nice building with beach on one side and canal on the other side. - nice and spacious landscaping - staff are very friendly and helpful - I chose this hotel because I’m a fisherman and this place EXCEEDED my expectation ! Caught snappers, barracuda, needle fish, lizard fish… you name it. I heard that this hotel is under new administration, so hope that things will improve in the next few years as I would love to come back .