Varadero, Sol Cayo Coco Review

Overall Rating

Very little to be quite honest with regard to the hotel. The resort beaches were very good when we were there, but the sea was very cold.

Where do I begin. The beds were mouldy, the furniture in our rooms covered in mildew. The gardens at the time of our visit were scruffy, overgrown and unkempt. No way was this a 4 star hotel. The rooms were cold in winter with no means of heating. The sunloungers by the pool were just hard plastic with no padding or matresses, making them extremely uncomfortable. We have been in dispute with out tour operator Thomas Cook about this since Jan 05, who refuse to acknowledge or uphold any of our complaints.

First I'd like to clarify that the Sol Cayo Coco is not anywhere near Varadero, it is on the island of Cayo Coco, Cuba.

The resort itself was quiet, nothing going on really apart from in the hotels. Because Cuban nationals cannot live on the island and need a permit to visit, you do not see any typical Cuban life. That means, no little independent cafes, no fruit sellers on the streets or beaches or anything like that.

If you want to travel further afield to Havana, be prepared for last minute cancellations of the tour by the operators, this was happening regularly whilst we were there.

An important tip, which is not ever referred to in the brochures, is that if you need even a paracetamol, you must get this prescribed from a doctor! It would have been great to know this in advance, if you are thinking of going to Cuba, do take any medications with you.

The hotel was the most disappointing apology for a 4 star hotel I have ever had the misfortune to stay in. We were given a shabby room, that had clearly had a very poor makeover. All the furniture had been overpainted white and looked like something found in a skip or second hand shop and tarted up, the curtains were crumpled and creased and had never seen an iron, the lampshades were stained. Our first room was dismal and we asked to be moved. We were offered a choice of 4 alternative rooms, none of which were any better, but one at least had a better view, so we moved to this one. Unfortunately we were soon to discover that all the soft furnishings were covered in mildew, and the bases of the beds were full of stinking mould.

I could not sleep, and asked to be moved to another hotel which truly reflected the 4 star status we thought we had bought. We were informed that there were no other hotels available. We changed the chairs, beds and bedding and remained where we were as there was no other choice available to us.

It was cold when we were there, especially in the evening, but there was no heating available in the rooms, we had to wear clothes and socks in bed at night to stay warm.

There was never any toilet paper in the public toilets.

The restaurant was a joke, tea and coffee machines constantly out of order, not enough cups when the machines did work. Some people were drinking coffee from cereal bowls. Food was highly questionable, we saw seriously undercooked chicken being dished up, oozing red blood. Disgusting.

Staff in the restaurant only became attentive when we began to regularly leave a tip at every meal, a bit expensive when you are there for 2 weeks and eating 3 meals a day. Usually we would tip well at the end of our stay, but found this would not be to our advantage. Many evenings we still had our dirty starter and main course plates piled up on our table when we were on dessert.

The gardens were a disgrace, though to be fair work began on these after our arrival, and they did look promising by the time we were leaving. Nevertheless during our stay they were a let down.

I can't believe Thomas Cook are in denial that we have valid complaints.

We would have relaxed by the pool if there had been comfortable furniture to do this on. We found only hard plastic sunloungers, with no matresses or padding. It was an ordeal to lie on them after a few minutes.

I ask you this, if you were to purchase a colour tv, and found you had been given a black and white one and then complained to the supplier, would you be happy if they then offered you a choice of 4 other black and white tv's and told you they had done all to rectify the situation?

I'm certainly not!

There was so much negative stuff about this hotel I have only given brief details here.