GRAND ASTON Varadero Beach Resort
Reopening Date & Status
GRAND ASTON Varadero Beach Resort is temporarily closed — reopening date unavailable.
GRAND ASTON Varadero Beach Resort is a family-friendly all-inclusive resort in Varadero, Cuba with 531 rooms. Amenities include Beach, Buffet Dining, Free Wi-Fi, Gym and Nightclub. Travelers rate it 4.3/5 across 1,231 Google reviews.
Things to Know
- Max 2 per Room
- International management withdrawn - operating under Cuban state management with reduced services
Before you book in Cuba
73% of Cuba's hotels are closed, every international chain but one has pulled out, and no card from any country has worked there since June 2026.Read what actually changed →What travelers said before it closed
Traveler Insights
Pros
- +Modern, stylish rooms that stand out sharply against older Cuban resort stock - guests describe them as genuinely 5-star quality with spacious layouts and contemporary design
- +Varadero's famous white powder sand beach accessible directly from the resort - the stretches in front of the property are consistently described as clean and beautiful
- +Buffet food quality exceeds typical Cuban resort expectations significantly, with a variety of options including fresh fruit, multiple proteins, and desserts that surprise guests expecting less
- +A la carte restaurants including specialty dining with lobster and champagne options available at no extra charge with advance booking
- +Energetic nightly entertainment with talented live music in the lobby most evenings, drawing guests to linger rather than head immediately to their rooms after dinner
- +On-site nightclub and full evening programming that gives the resort genuine after-dark energy - rare at Cuba's quieter all-inclusive properties
- +Price point for Cuba-based travel is among the most compelling in the Caribbean when factoring in included food, drink, entertainment, and beach access
- +Free Wi-Fi throughout the resort - helpful for staying connected while on Cuban soil, where internet access outside resort zones can be difficult to arrange
Cons
- −A la carte restaurant booking is competitive and stressful - guests report needing to arrive at the booking kiosk between 6:30-7:30am to secure reservations for popular dinner options
- −Beach section in front of the resort is relatively short in walkable length, positioned near the marina entrance where conditions can be rougher than Varadero's more sheltered beaches further down the strip
- −Entertainment music and playlists repeat significantly across the day - guests staying a week notice the same songs cycling at the pool, buffet, and evening shows
- −Service quality is inconsistent and varies noticeably depending on the staff member and the time of your visit - exceptional interactions are common but so are experiences that fall short
- −Cuba's supply chain realities mean certain advertised amenities or menu items may be unavailable during your specific stay with little advance notice
- −The resort is positioned near the marina entrance rather than in Varadero town center, limiting walkability to local restaurants, shops, and the beach boulevard that many visitors enjoy exploring
- −Some guests have noted cleanliness and maintenance issues in room bathrooms and common areas that don't meet 5-star expectations set by the marketing
- −Cuban internet, even on-site Wi-Fi, can be slow and unreliable by international standards - manage expectations about streaming or video calling from the property
Grand Aston Varadero Beach Resort is one of Cuba's most booked properties, and it earns that status by offering something genuinely rare in the Cuban resort market: modern, well-designed rooms with a food and entertainment program that consistently outperforms expectations. For travelers who have experienced the older, Soviet-bloc-era properties that still populate parts of Cuba, Grand Aston's contemporary design is a genuine revelation. The 531 rooms are spacious and well-appointed, the buffet is praised by guests as surprisingly good, and the live music in the lobby creates the kind of evening atmosphere that keeps people at the bar for a second round.
The beach situation is nuanced. Varadero is one of the Caribbean's great beaches - long, white, and powdery - and the Grand Aston does sit on it. However, its position near the marina entrance means the water can be rougher and the beach narrower than the central Varadero stretch. Guests who explore Varadero beyond the resort find the beach situation improves significantly, but the resort's own frontage is not the prime section. The a la carte dining is a highlight but requires strategic early-morning booking that frustrates guests who paid premium rates expecting a more seamless luxury experience.
Grand Aston Varadero is the right choice for travelers who want to experience Cuba's most famous beach destination with genuinely comfortable, modern accommodations. It's particularly well-suited for Canadian and European visitors who can legally and easily travel to Cuba and want a step above the aging resort stock without paying boutique hotel prices. If your Cuba experience demands both exceptional rooms and the best possible beach position, the tradeoffs here are manageable. If you're a first-time Cuba visitor who wants reliability, modern facilities, and strong nightly entertainment, Grand Aston consistently delivers.
Common Questions
How do you book the a la carte restaurants and what's the strategy?
Is it safe for Americans to travel to Cuba and visit this resort?
How does the Grand Aston compare to other Varadero resorts?
What is the beach actually like in front of the resort?
Does the resort have good Wi-Fi given Cuba's connectivity challenges?
What is the nightclub like and what is the evening entertainment schedule?
What's nearby
Varadero Beach20 min drive · 9.1 mi
Matanzas35 min drive · 20 mi
Cárdenas25 min drive · 11 mi
15 min drive · 10 mi
Mansión Xanadú20 min drive · 7.8 mi
Cueva de Ambrosio25 min drive · 12 mi
More things to do (24)
- Catamaran trip to Cayo Blanco · excursion20 min drive · 10 mi
- Varadero West Beach · beach3 min walk · 0.1 mi
- Marina Dársena de Varadero · marina4 min drive · 1.2 mi
- Varadero Skydiving Centre · adventure park6 min drive · 1.8 mi
- Museo de Varadero · museum12 min drive · 5.0 mi
- Parque Josone · nature12 min drive · 4.9 mi
- Playa Coral · beach20 min drive · 9.8 mi
- Marina Chapelín · marina20 min drive · 10 mi
- Varadero Golf Club · golf20 min drive · 8.1 mi
- Varahicacos Ecological Reserve · nature25 min drive · 12 mi
- Museo Oscar María de Rojas, Cárdenas · museum25 min drive · 11 mi
- Museo Batalla de Ideas, Cárdenas · museum25 min drive · 11 mi
- Museo Memorial El Morrillo · historic site25 min drive · 15 mi
- Marina Gaviota Varadero · marina30 min drive · 14 mi
- Museo Central Azucarero José Smith Comas · museum35 min drive · 18 mi
- Teatro Sauto · historic site35 min drive · 20 mi
- Museo Farmacéutico, Matanzas · museum35 min drive · 20 mi
- Cuevas de Bellamar · nature35 min drive · 19 mi
- Ermita de Monserrate · viewpoint40 min drive · 22 mi
- Yumurí Valley viewpoint · viewpoint40 min drive · 22 mi
- Castillo de San Severino (Slave Route Museum) · historic site40 min drive · 22 mi
- Yumurí Valley viewpoint · viewpoint45 min drive · 24 mi
- Bacunayagua Bridge viewpoint · viewpoint50 min drive · 32 mi
- Base Náutica de Puerto Escondido · marina55 min drive · 36 mi
Amenities
Style & Rooms
Atmosphere
Seaweed & sargassum
Varadero gets sargassum, typically worst May through August, in heavy bloom years.See the month-by-month guide →Google Reviews★ 4.3 · 1,231 reviews
“First visit to Cuba and it was an enjoyable experience! Rooms are very spacious and clean. All rooms have a private balcony either ocean view or garden view. I was warned about the food when choosing to travel to Cuba and it was nit terrible but v...”
“Great resort. We stayed over Christmas 2025. It was a pleasant stay. The staff are lovely. The food was good by Cuban standards. Pretty much same almost every day but it was decent. Bring hot sauce with you if you like a little stronger flavour. The...”
“Nice resort, although the rooms smelled strongly of mold, and some of the walls including our friends room had mold all over them due to the humidity, but that's expected in Cuba. Front desk staff was not always friendly, and did not want to help wit...”