Memories Varadero Beach Resort Cuba

It has been years since we have visited Cuba and we were excited to head back to one of the most beautiful beaches. Memories Varadero all-inclusive Beach Resort is located on a beautiful beach making it a great getaway for anyone. It is approximately a 40-minute drive from the airport. We have always loved traveling to Cuba for their beautiful, unspoiled beaches and for the friendly, warm people.

Memories Varadero Beach Resort Rooms

Memories Varadero Beach Resort offers deluxe accommodations in 1,035 guestrooms in a wide variety of categories to suit all budgets and tastes. The rooms are comfortable and nicely furnished with a fusion of traditional colonial style and tropical Caribbean flair. The rooms are large and spacious with either a balcony or terrace.

Before heading to Cuba, check out things to expect when you visit Cuba.

Diamond Club Memories Varadero Beach Resort

We stayed in the upgraded Diamond Club™ and received additional services and exclusive extras. I would recommend upgrading to Diamond Club as it includes some extras such as welcome VIP cocktails, personalized check-in and check-out, concierge service in the lobby, in-room beach towels, premium alcohol at the Diamond Club bar and discounts on spa and beauty salon treatments. We also had a mini-bar in our room that was restocked daily with water, beer and soft drinks.

Memories Varadero Beach Resort All-inclusive Amenities

Memories Varadero Beach Resort offers a variety of all-inclusive amenities and services for a wonderful vacation experience. There are 9 bars and restaurants to choose from. You can choose from a variety of activities or simply lounge by the pool or on the beach with a cocktail and take in the sunshine.

Memories Varadero Beach Resort All-inclusive Dining

There is a diverse selection of restaurants to choose from including Japanese, Mediterranean, Creole, Italian, and Mexican. If you can’t decide where to eat, there is always the international buffet serving up everyone’s favourites. Diamond Club™ guests can also enjoy the on-site French gourmet restaurant.

Most people who travel to Cuba will tell you that they don’t travel to Cuba for the food. This can be true as sometimes menu items can become unavailable at times. My husband and I didn’t expect much in terms of the food but we were pleasantly surprised. The a la carte restaurants have great menu items and even the buffet has a large assortment of different types of food that will please anyone.

International Buffet

Dragon Rojo | Japanese Restaurant

We loved the Japanese restaurant at the resort. Not only was the food delicious but we also had an entertaining chef.

Colonial | Cuban Restaurant

Memories Varadero Resort Map and Getting Around

The Memories Varadero Resort is a fairly large resort so it’s great if you love walking. The walk from the main lobby to the beach will take you approximately 10 minutes. It is a nice walk but if you have mobility issues there are golf cart shuttles that circle the resort.

Resort Activities and Entertainment

Memories Resort offers great entertainment. There is, of course, the beach and the pool but there are also a number of free day and evening activities for kids, families, and adults. There are daily pool and beach activities, music on the beach, dancing in the square at night as well as the various evening shows in the theatre.

Memories Varadero Pool and Beach

There are two adult pools on the resort premises; a quiet pool for relaxing and an activity pool for more upbeat fun. Unfortunately, only one pool was open during our stay so we were only able to experience the activity pool with the slide. Families loved the water slide that provided all day entertainment as well as other activities for the entire family.

If you know me, then you know that the beach is my happy place. This is where we spent most of our time, basking in the sun on this beautiful beach. Cuba’s beaches are unspoiled with powder white sand and crystal blue waters. Cuba generally doesn’t have palm trees on the beach so it is nice to have the mini straw umbrellas for some shade as it does get extremely hot.  Did you know that Varadero beach was voted as the number one beach on Trip Advisor?

Memories Varadero Resort Tips

Banks and Exchanging Money

There is one currency exchange service desk located on the resort that is located in the front lobby. You will need your passport for identification when exchanging currency. Make sure to ask for smaller bills for tipping. I would recommend only exchanging what you will use as you won’t be able to exchange the currency at home.

WiFi

There is no free Wifi at hotels anywhere in Cuba. Once you arrive at the hotel you will need to purchase cards that will allow you to access the Wifi. Each card is valid for one hours use of Wifi for one Cuban Peso. Unfortunately, WiFi is not reliable and didn’t really work when we were there. This is a great time to unplug and enjoy your time in Cuba.

Packing Tips for Cuba

When visiting Cuba there are some items that are a must to pack for your trip.

• Sunblock is a must no matter what time of the year you travel to Cuba.
• Insulated mug is perfect to keep your cocktails cold while lounging by the pool or beach.
• A stainless steel straw as we don’t want these floating around on the beach and hurting the sea life.
• Items from the dollar store that you can tip with such as toiletries, hair accessories, kids items.
• If you have a favourite snack I would suggest packing it as it is very unlikely you will find it in Cuba.
• Flip flops and a bathing suit will likely be your daily attire.
• If you are travelling to Cuba in the winter months I would recommend packing a light sweater as sometimes the nights can get cool.
• If the bugs love you as much as they love me, I would recommend packing bug spray.
• Although the power supply in Cuba is mainly 110 volts, most of the modern hotels have dual voltage with all the sockets in the room being 220 volts. Usually, in the bathroom, there is a 110-volt socket suitable for shavers and charging batteries.
• If you love reading about a destination before you travel, make sure to grab a Cuba Travel Guide

 

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Day Trip From Varadero to Havana

Havana is a must see if you are in Cuba. Havana is the enchanting capital city of Cuba where you will take a step back in time to some of Cuba’s best attractions.

On this trip, you’ll discover Havana’s best attractions in one whirlwind day. On this tour, we took in the sights of the 16th Century El Morro Castle and harbour, we strolled the colourful cobbled streets of Old Havana (Habana Vieja). This UNESCO World Heritage site is stacked with Baroque cathedrals, plazas, and museums. It truly was a spectacular day exploring the cities interesting history and sipping cocktails at Ernest Hemingway’s favourite bar.

 

Morro Castle, named after the three biblical Magi, is a fortress guarding the entrance to Havana bay in Havana, Cuba. This is an iconic symbol of Havana’s past as this fort dates back to the late 16th century. Check out 15 Havana Museums you must see when in Cuba.

We ended the evening at the world-famous Tropicana Show. Havana’s Tropicana is a world-famous cabaret show that is an important part of Cuba’s national heritage. The first shows here were performed in 1939 in what was one of many casinos in Havana. The nightly show dazzles the audience with dancers and cabaret singers, elaborate costumes, and a large orchestra that plays a full repertoire of tunes in original Cuban rhythms.

Memories Resort is a fantastic resort to take in the beautiful beaches of Varadero and to explore Havana. Thank you Memories Resort Varadero for hosting us on this beach and cultural getaway. We loved exploring the resort as well as Havana and mingling with the warm people of Cuba.  Before heading to Cuba check out the perfect Cuba Itinerary, everything you need to know.

 

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