Superclubs Breezes Varadero Feb22-Mar1 2003

D (M29) and S (F30) Ontario

I intended for this to be a short review, but, its quite in depth...read on!

Flight/Arrival - We booked through Air Canada Vacations on the Superclubs Surprise program. We found out 2 weeks prior to departure that we were being sent to Varadero. Our flight was on an Airbus A320 operated by Air Canada Tango. For those who might not know, Tango is the no-frills domestic airline owned by Air Canada. The Tango jets have 19 more seats than the similar Air Canada A320 used on international flights. We were informed minutes prior to boarding that the plane had been switched and that some people might have to check their carry-on due to limited overhead storage space. There was some rumbling in the gate area by some passengers, but in the end, nobody had to check their carry-on, and the flight went fine (and we still got all the food and drink that you would have got on the Air Canada flight) Many others we spoke to at the resort who were on Air Canada also flew in Tango jets. I suspect that the flights were just overbooked, and that swapping jets was the easiest solution. Be prepared to hurry up and wait once you get to the airport in Varadero, the baggage claim seemed to take forever. Customs was fairly uneventful, we were immediately met by an Air Canada representative who quickly guided us to our bus. A little over a half our later, we were checking in.

The Resort - Our package had us booked into a junior suite. We asked to see the room prior to accepting, and also asked to see an oceanview suite if there was one available. The clerk working the front desk that night was more than accommodating and showed us both. We decided to upgrade to the oceanview for an additional USD$160. If you aren't already booked into an oceanview/gardenview suite, do it. Trust me, its worth it. Just keep in mind, they might not always have them available. Also be aware that the front desk keeps your passport overnight the first night. From what we were told, they do it everywhere. Why? I don't know, but you get it back the next morning.

Our room was on the upper level, and had a large balcony with an incredible view, sitting room, king size bed (two doubles put together) TV with HBO, Showtime, CNN, MTV and a handful of other channels, CD player and an in-room safe. The bathroom was visited ongoing throughout the day by a small group of tiny ants that seemed to come from the drains. It wasn't until late in the week that we did a little experimenting and found that some shampoo around the drains seemed to stop the little fellows from getting anywhere. Our maid left us with neat towel arrangements of swans/hearts or some other pattern every day. We did notice however that she didn't really have a set time that she came by. Some days it was ten in the morning, others, nearly 4 in the afternoon.

Your room and safe key are your "wristband" for the resort. The only time we were asked to produce it was by security at the main gate after a quick trip into Varadero. There is also a guard at the beach entrance, and a few walking around the grounds at any given time. For those who are concerned about safety, you will have nothing to worry about.

The grounds are also very well maintained and very clean. There are little signs identifying all the different plant life, and a small "eco-trail" with all kinds of plants. On the topic of the local fauna, there are little lizards, but don't worry, they're harmless, and they take off pretty quickly when you get anywhere near them. Mosquitoes you might ask? I don't know what the fuss is about, we were never bit once. Maybe they're seasonal.

The Beach/Pools -. The beach is just incredible, with soft white sand, and if you get out early enough, there are thatched roof palapas to sit under to take some shelter from the sun. I've read various opinions of the practice of placing your towel out in the morning, and coming back to it later. If you want the good seats, it seems that it's what you need to do. Friends of S had been to Varadero the week before and told us to watch out for the jellyfish. We spent 4 out of 7 days on the beach and saw none. The pool is large and was cleaned every morning, with a constant depth of 1.25 metres except for a small shallow area There were always chairs available around the pool. There are three hottubs, with the one by the pool being the largest and most popular. There are two smaller ones by the beach bar and the Duna bar.

The Food - The part you're eagerly waiting to hear about. Ranged from pretty good to pretty blah. We eat out quite often, and might have had too high of an expectation of what we were in for. Just remember, you're in Cuba, years of American sanctions probably make it difficult to get a lot of the basics.

The buffet had three sittings, with breakfast turning out to be our favorite. They have pretty much everything, eggs, bacon, waffles and omelet station, fruit, awesome fresh milkshakes, and a selection of the previous nights leftovers recycled into some kind of breakfast dish. At lunch there was a pasta station. The gala night (Friday) had the best dinner selection.

One thing that we that we found curiously absent from many if not all the reviews we had read before going was the birds in the buffet. The buffet is open air on two sides, and there are little birds coming and going all the time. It was raining the first day, and we assumed they were just taking cover, but when they were there again the next day we knew that they were there to stay. The bread stations seemed to be their favorite landing and feeding area. Others we spoke on the bus to the airport on Saturday who stayed at other resorts said they had much the same experience.

The beach grill had these great little pizzas, burgers, hotdogs, and popcorn too. Awesome for a snack in the afternoon, and we often found ourselves going there for lunch instead. Barbara who works the grill is great, and even gave me a little Spanish lesson one afternoon! Hint -> throw a little garlic and tomato onto the pizza to jazz it up, people standing around might look at you funny, but they're yummy.

Los Bohios (a.k.a. the beach grill @ night) was pretty good, but book your reservation for early in the evening so that you get a seat at the tables up top, (above the bar) otherwise you're on a picnic table down below.

El Mojito (Cuban) was quite good, the food was great and the service/atmosphere was a lot of fun.

Martino's (Italian) is probably the closest you'll get to what you're used to at home. The decor is quite nice, and the food was excellent (try the salmon carpaccio appetizer its great! - but stay away from the tiramisu for desert - uggg, we're not sure what it was, but it wasn't tiramisu!). Our only disappointment was the service. Our waiter pretty much disappeared half way through the meal.

If there is one thing about the a la carte's that we can't stress enough is book your reservations as early as you possibly can. Don't wait until a few days after your arrival, because it will be too late. We spoke to many couples who could not get a reservation.

A note on the water - everyone you ask at the resort will tell you the water is safe. Its' heavily chlorinated, but if you're still worried, you can pay a small fortune ($3/bottle) for the bottled stuff in the gift shop. (they even had 6 packs of Corona one day - only 4 of them, and they sold out quickly we were told!)

The Bars - Seven of them. Need I say more? Once the glassware (which I only saw at a few of the bars) runs out, you're drinking out of the little plastic cups. So bring your own thermal mug, you'll make fewer trips to the bar, and you'll keep your drinks colder. The lobby bar (24 hours) had the best selection of booze, and you can have whatever you want, all you need to do is ask. The piano bar is air conditioned, so if you're looking for some refuge from the heat at night, that's the one to hit. The Cuban beer is pretty good, Cristal is a pretty light beer that goes down waaay to easy! If you want something with a little more giddeup, try the Bucanero brand.

Booze/Cigars - If you're a cigar smoker, then this is your paradise. Prices here are a steal compared to what you'll pay for them back home. We found the prices at the airport only a little lower than what we paid on the resort, and the selection was pretty good. They didn't have exactly what we were looking for, so they ordered some in for us, we had them in our hands the following day. You can always go to the Habanos store in Varadero, apparently they have quite the selection. The booze is also priced pretty well, with the prices at the resort appearing to be the best. If you want a receipt, the easiest way is to pay on your Visa. We almost had to pull teeth to get a receipt for cigars that we paid cash for. As a side note - you'll hear alot about keeping your receipts so you won't get your cigars confiscated by Cuban customs. We were not asked a thing by Cuban customs on the way out. But declare them when you come back to Canada! If you travel often, you'll know what I'm talking about.

Entertainment/Day Trips - We both work very hectic schedules and travel alot for work, so we went on holidays strictly to relax. As such, we didn't book a whole lot of off-resort activity, though there was sooo much available. Countryside Jeep excursions, Havana, Golf (we didn't go, but the course looks quite nice) Jungle tours, deep sea fishing, etc, etc, etc. If you can't find something to your liking, ask around, there may be more available than what your tour rep is offering. You can book yourself into the trips other tour reps offer. We went on the "Crucero Del Sol" catamaran cruise (USD$70 each) and had a blast. You get picked up at about 8:30am, back by about 5pm. The trip takes you out on a brand new catamaran, where you stop to do some snorkeling at a coral reef (you won't believe how many fish are swimming around you!), lobster lunch at Cayo Blanco, and then in the afternoon you go swimming with dolphins. For ten dollars, you can get your picture taken with a dolphin "kissing" you on either side. Our Air Canada Vacations rep Johanne was great, always ready with an answer and a smile!

We didn't take in any of the evening entertainment, though we had heard differing opinions ranging from grade-schoolish to really good. I guess it all depends on your tastes and expectations.

Tipping - A topic of much debate, I feel we need to comment on it. Being that its an all inclusive, the expectation is that you don't have to tip. The truth of the matter is that tipping happens, and in some circumstances, service seemed to be dependent on it. We tipped those who we felt had given us good service, and usually only a dollar, and a little more in the a la cartes. We spoke to people who were tipping heavily, and they received second reservations to the al la cartes (remember, there were people who couldn't get reservations? curious huh?) People tipping heavily like this raises the expectations, and makes it unfair for those who don't/won't/can't tip. Remember, the average income in Cuba is somewhere in the range of 12-20 US dollars per month. A dollar is huge to these people. I'm not writing this review to tell you how to spend your money, but if you do choose to tip, do it discreetly, and within reason. We also spoke to many people who barely tipped at all, and felt that the service was fine.

Overall - I haven't been anywhere else in the Caribbean, and I was quite impressed with everything. S has been all over the area and thought that there were better places. I would definitely go back. If you're looking for a reasonably priced, clean, safe, fun resort, then you should do alright at Breezes Varadero. You can make this place as busy and fast paced as you'd like, or do like we did and just turn the meter right down to a lazy week on the beach.

Tips/Hints - Learn some Spanish before you go, you'll be amazed at how much easier things will be (don't do like I did and hope to learn enough on the plane!). Bring your own beach towel, they'll be so much easier to find in the sea of brown beach towels. Bring your Tim Horton's travel mug to keep your drinks cool, they're a great way to spot other Canadians. A waterproof camera (disposable or otherwise) because you'll be mad at yourself if you miss that shot in the ocean or pool. Obviously, bring all the meds you think you will need, and if you want to leave them behind, the nurse is grateful for anything. Bring lots of sunscreen, you'll be amazed at how quickly you go through it. Bring a travel alarm clock, there isn't one in the room. Also, just a hint, if you need something done or feel you deserve more than what you get in terms of service, don't be afraid to speak to the management, they'll make it right for you.
 

D&S