10+ Best Resorts in Varadero [2024]: Ultimate Varadero Resorts Guide
Varadero is hands-down the best destination in Cuba for a resort vacation, and it’s easy to see why. With pristine white sands and crystal-clear, calm waters that win it a top spot among TripAdvisor’s annual list of the best beaches in the world, Varadero offers both budget backpackers and luxury travelers a beach vacation to remember.
Planning your own getaway to one of the numerous resorts in Varadero? As locals, we’ve spent countless vacations in Varadero; these are the Varadero resorts that are worth considering as you plan your own stay along one of the most beautiful beaches in Cuba.
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Best Resorts in Varadero
In Cuba’s premier beach destination, travelers have no problem finding a range of choices for places to stay. Whether you’re looking for some of Cuba’s best all inclusive resorts to boutique, laid-back hotel options, these are our top recommendations for resorts in Varadero Cuba:
- Best Adults-Only Resort in Varadero: Royalton Hicacos Resort & Spa
- Best Family-Friendly Resort in Varadero: Iberostar Selection Varadero
- Best Boutique Resort in Varadero: Mystique Casa Perla by Royalton
While many of the resorts in Varadero are adults-only (some are for 16+ years of age and others are 18+ years of age, so make sure to check before you book!), Varadero is also perhaps the best beach destination in Cuba for families. Plenty of resorts offer kids’ clubs, and the proximity to Havana makes transportation a breeze.
Keep reading below for the full reviews of each of these spots – and the other Varadero resorts worth considering for your stay.
Varadero Resorts
1. Royalton Hicacos Resort & Spa
Best Adults-Only Resort in Varadero
Our top recommendation among resorts in Varadero is one of the very best resorts in Cuba. Set on an enviable stretch of Varadero beachfront, the Royalton Hicacos Resort & Spa is a 404-room adults-only all-inclusive resort that instantly stands out among the other countless resorts in Varadero to choose from.
Royalton Hicacos Resort & Spa has what feels like endless amenities, with a golf course, eight restaurants, a spa, and beautiful, expansive grounds where guests will discover a number of pools, beach bars, and places to enjoy the laid-back beach vibes of Varadero.
This resort is also one of the more recently renovated spots in Varadero and has breezy Caribbean decor and a welcoming feel. The resort’s grounds are massive and while the resort is large, friendly service means travelers leave with a much more boutique-feeling experience.
Reviews and Bookings: Royalton Hicacos Resort & Spa
2. Iberostar Selection Varadero
Best Family-Friendly Resort in Varadero
One of our top recommendations for family-friendly resorts in Varadero is the Iberostar Selection Varadero, another resort pick that lands on our list of among the best resorts in Cuba. This resort’s excellent kids club and additional babysitting services ensure that kids and teens always have plenty to do during their stay.
Another important feature for families is the resort’s great variety of cuisine options, and restaurants make flexible meal times easy. The proximity to the beach and the amenities needed for a beach day make enjoying time on the sand a breeze.
Iberostar Selection Varadero is undoubtedly family-friendly, but this all inclusive resort has plenty for those traveling without kids, too. Four outdoor pools, a gorgeous spa and wellness center, five restaurants, a golf course, and plenty of water sports options abound.
Reviews and Bookings: Iberostar Selection Varadero
3. Mystique Casa Perla by Royalton
Best Boutique Resort in Varadero
For the most part, resorts in Varadero tend to be quite large, so if you’re looking for a more boutique experience with the amenities of a resort, Mystique Casa Perla by Royalton is our top recommendation. Just ten rooms spread across this beautiful beachfront property ensure the best in service and the ultimate in adults-only seclusion.
While the resort is not all-inclusive, the location is just two blocks away from the best things to do in Varadero, including a number of shops, restaurants, and bars, making it a perfect quiet spot from which to enjoy this great beach town.
Overall, the Mystique Casa Perla by Royalton is a totally unique accommodation experience in Varadero that we have loved. We look forward to seeing more of this type of accommodation in Varadero!
Reviews and Bookings: Mystique Casa Perla by Royalton
What to Pack for Cuba
Check out our Ultimate Cuba Packing List to help you pack for your trip – we’re sharing exactly what to bring to Cuba and what we never travel without.
4. Melia International Varadero
Long considered one of the best all inclusive resorts in Varadero, the updated, upgraded Melia International Varadero resort still holds a place at the top of our list of the best places to stay in Varadero. Whether you’re traveling on a romantic getaway or with family, it doesn’t get much better than a vacation with a brand well-known for its family resorts in Greece, luxe beachside spots in Spain, and beyond.
Among the experiences that await travelers at Melia International Varadero are a great kid’s club for travelers with kids in tow, a number of restaurants, and a particularly impressive beachfront. Upgrade to “The Level” for additional amenities, access to additional areas of the resort, and even more personalized service.
Travelers will find everything they need within the bounds of the resort, but the resort’s location, just a few minutes walk from the downtown center of Varadero, makes for easy exploring and convenience.
Reviews and Bookings: Melia International Varadero
Travel Essential
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5. Paradisus Varadero Resort & Spa
With a beachfront as nice as it comes on Varadero, wider and more palm-fringed than anywhere else in town, it’s easy to fall in love with Paradisus Varadero Resort & Spa. This family-friendly all-inclusive resort has beautiful grounds, with expansive pools, plenty of beach bars and places to lounge, and a great YHI spa that even Varadero visitors at other resorts love to use.
The rooms and suites at the resort are stylish and have been recently upgraded, while the rest of the resort offers a modern Caribbean style. Upgrades for guests traveling adults only include options for Royal Service and to stay in the Reserve, which each include access to additional spaces in the resort, including private pools and a private beachfront area.
Reviews and Bookings: Paradisus Varadero Resort & Spa
6. Grand Memories Varadero
The beautiful sandy beachfront and great outdoor installations make Grand Memories Varadero one of the most popular resorts in Varadero.
With a family-friendly area and the adults-only Sanctuary at Grand Memories Varadero, it’s a popular resort with all styles of travelers and is a bit more budget-friendly than some of the other Varadero resorts that make this list. For travelers visiting without kids in tow, the Sanctuary at Grand Memories Varadero is totally worth the upgrade and has some nice added amenities.
Varadero is home to two adjacent resorts, Memories Varadero and the slightly more upscale Grand Memories Varadero, so make sure you know where you’re booking. Together they are some of the largest resorts in Varadero, with Memories having over 1,000 rooms and suites.
Reviews and Bookings: Grand Memories Varadero
7. Sol Varadero Beach
The adults-only all-inclusive Sol Varadero Beach is an affordable resort with a great variety for its price point, offering 11 restaurants and bars, a great pool area, and the white sand beachfront so characteristic of Varadero.
One of the highlights of Sol Varadero Beach is the comfortable rooms, recently refurbished and upgraded with some great new additions that make it among the nicer budget-friendly Varadero resorts. While Sol Varadero Beach doesn’t have all the amenities of some of the larger resorts in Varadero, it’s a great choice.
Reviews and Bookings: Sol Varadero Beach
8. Sol Palmeras
Among the nicer budget-friendly Varadero resorts that are family-friendly, Sol Palmeras has separate spaces for both adults and kids, making it a popular option for both couples and families. Two outdoor swimming pools for adults and one for kids are spread across its grounds, with the beachfront just beyond.
Some of the rooms at Sol Palmeras could use stylistic upgrades, but the hotel is a welcoming one with all the amenities and activities visitors could ask for. The resort offers a number of restaurants and good cuisine with plenty of options and variety, from international cuisine to local favorites and snack bars and beach bars around the property.
Reviews and Bookings: Sol Palmeras
Travel Insurance
Cuba requires that all travelers have proof of a comprehensive travel insurance policy in order to enter the country. Check out our guide to travel insurance for Cuba for more details. We recommend these brands for Cuba travel insurance:
- Visitors Coverage: Coverage for Cuba travel available to citizens of all countries, though not currently available to residents of New York and Maryland in the United States.
- Insubuy: Coverage for Cuba travel available to citizens of all countries and states of the United States.
9. Melia Las Americas
Long considered among the best resorts in Varadero, Melia Las Americas is one of the most impressive places to stay in Varadero. The resort’s beautiful grounds, with ample pool and beach space and a true laidback feel, offer that barefoot luxury feel that makes for the perfect beach vacation.
The resort offers 340 rooms, surprisingly on the smaller side for resorts in Varadero. Of those, 90 are upgraded rooms in The Level, the Melia brand’s club area, which offers a private pool and beach area, additional dining options, and more personalized service, among other great amenities.
With direct access to the Varadero Country Club, Melia Las Americas is considered the best golf resort in Cuba, a highlight for golfers who will find few options to hit the links on the island.
Reviews and Bookings: Melia Las Americas
10. Paradisus Princesa del Mar Resort & Spa
The adults-only all-inclusive Paradisus Princesa del Mar Resort & Spa, located towards the more reserved and quieter end of the Hicacos peninsula, is a great spot for a particularly relaxing getaway in Varadero.
The resort’s excellent wellness center includes a spa and gym, while the optional upgrade to Royal Service offers access to a private area of the resort, with its own restaurants, pool, and beachfront. It’s a great option if you are looking for a little extra luxury.
Some of the rooms and suites at the resort are a bit dated and could use some upgrades, but gorgeous beachfront and pool areas are where you’ll be spending most of your time anyways. Plenty of loungers and sun beds, and nice palapas on the beach, make it a particularly lovely spot for a day in the sun.
Reviews and Bookings: Paradisus Princesa del Mar Resort & Spa
Cuba Accommodation Guides
Carley Rojas Avila is a bilingual travel writer, editor, content marketer, and the founder of the digital travel publications Home to Havana and Explorers Away. She is a serial expat and traveler, having visited 40+ countries and counting. Carley has written for publications like Travel + Leisure, MSN, Associated Press, Weather Channel, Wealth of Geeks, and more. Find her front row at a Bad Bunny concert, befriending street cats, and taste-testing every pizza in Havana.