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Palmeras Varadero

Varadero, Cuba

4.4(3,209 reviews)

FamilyCubanacan

Palmeras Varadero is the hotel that was Sol Palmeras, Meliá's first hotel in Cuba, until the summer of 2026. Its story this year is a strange one: Meliá closed it for four months of repairs, reopened it on July 1 with a retiled main pool, a reworked pool area and step-free bridges to the pool bar, and then on July 24 ended every management contract it had in Cuba. The state chain Cubanacán, which had owned the hotel with Meliá since 1990, runs it alone now under the shorter name. So the freshest renovation in Varadero is being operated by a company that did not do it, in a country where no card from any country has worked since June and the grid collapsed nationwide eight times this year.

Things to Know

Formerly Sol Palmeras - now under Cuban state management

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 →

Traveler Insights

Pros

+Reopened on July 1, 2026 after four months of repairs that retiled the main pool, reworked the pool area and added step-free bridges to the pool bar, so the resort is in better physical shape than most of Varadero
+Guest reports from August through October 2026, all after the handover, are consistently good: never a lack of good food and drink, wonderful staff, exceptional service for families and, in October, excellent cleanliness and food quality
+Varadero's white-sand beach is the main draw and this resort has good access to it; an October 2026 guest called it the best beach in the world
+Family-oriented, with a baby club and daily programmes for children aged 5 to 13 on the current operator's listing
+One of the cheaper beds among Varadero's former chain hotels, with resellers quoting nightly all-inclusive rates in dollars
+A large resort on a quiet strip, which in 2026 means restaurants and bars that stay open rather than consolidate

Cons

−Meliá, whose first Cuban hotel this was, reopened it on July 1, 2026 and left it 23 days later when it ended every contract it had in Cuba; the state chain Cubanacán runs it now, and the renovation that Meliá paid for is being operated by a different company
−Cash only: no Visa or Mastercard from any country has worked in Cuba since June 6, 2026
−Cuba's grid collapsed nationwide eight times in 2026, most recently on September 18 for about 32 hours; the reopening plan promised backup generators for the bungalow area, which we have not been able to confirm
−No Canadian airline flies to Cuba until further notice, which removed the market this family resort was built for
−A July 2026 guest reported the kids' club not yet running after the reopening; the operator now lists it, but check before booking if it matters
−Food depends on the island's supply system: the 2026 reports here are good, but they describe a resort running well below capacity
−Mid-tier by any measure outside Cuba: an older, large property, renovated but not transformed, and the same money buys a newer resort in Mexico or the Dominican Republic

The reports since the handover are good, and there are more of them than for most Cuban resorts. Guests in August 2026 said there was never a lack of good food and drink and called it one of the best in Varadero given the country's situation; a family in September found the service exceptional, with excellent food, pool bars and reception; October guests praised the cleanliness and the food, one calling the beach the best in the world. A July guest reported the kids' club not yet running after the reopening, and the operator now lists a baby club and daily programmes for five- to thirteen-year-olds, so confirm it before booking if it matters. The reopening plan promised backup generators for the bungalow area; we could not confirm they went in, and on an island with 32-hour national outages that is a question worth asking the hotel directly.

This is a resort for budget-minded travelers who want Varadero's beach without Varadero's premium prices, know what a Cuban all-inclusive is, and can get there, which with every Canadian airline suspended until further notice means Europe, Mexico or Panama. The repairs are real and the recent reports are better than the Cuban average; the money still buys a newer resort in Mexico or the Dominican Republic. One correction to older guides: there is no adults-only section here. Sol Varadero Beach, which Meliá also dropped this year, is a separate hotel two kilometres away.

Common Questions

Is Palmeras Varadero still a Meliá hotel?

No. Meliá reopened it as Sol Palmeras on July 1, 2026 after four months of repairs, then ended all of its Cuban management contracts on July 24. The state chain Cubanacán, its partner in the hotel since 1990, runs it alone now and resellers list it as Palmeras Varadero with 'formerly Sol Palmeras' beside the name. The renovated pools and rooms are what Meliá left behind; the management is Cuban state.

What changed in the 2026 renovation?

The main pool was retiled and its surroundings redesigned, with step-free bridges to the pool bar, and the June reopening plan also described a second pool with new tiles and underwater lighting, remodeled rooms and backup generators for the bungalow area. The pool work was reported done at the July 1 reopening; the generators we could not confirm, so ask the hotel.

Is there an adults-only section?

No. Older guides describe Sol Varadero as an adults-only wing of this resort, but Sol Varadero Beach is a separate 16-and-over hotel about two kilometres away, which Meliá also gave up in 2026. Palmeras is a family resort with a baby club and children's programmes; for adults-only in Varadero, look at Royal Hicacos.

What have guests said since the handover?

The August to October 2026 reports are consistently positive: good food and drink without shortages, wonderful and attentive staff, exceptional service for a family, excellent cleanliness and a beach one guest called the best in the world. They describe a resort running well below capacity in a hard year, so treat them as what the hotel can do rather than a guarantee.

How does the resort handle Cuba's blackouts?

Cuba's grid collapsed nationwide eight times in 2026, the last time on September 18 for about 32 hours, and daily cuts are normal. The reopening plan promised backup generators for the bungalow area, which we could not confirm; no post-handover guest report we found mentions an outage, but none describes the generators either. Ask the hotel what its generators cover, and expect essentials rather than the full resort.

How do I pay and get there?

Bring cash for everything: no Visa or Mastercard issued anywhere has worked in Cuba since June 6, 2026, and that includes tips. Every Canadian airline has suspended Cuba until further notice, so the packages this resort was built for are gone; travelers arrive through Madrid, Mexico City, Cancún or Panama and book through Cuban-channel resellers, which quote nightly all-inclusive rates in dollars.

What's nearby

Varadero Beach
3 min drive · 1.0 mi
Cárdenas
30 min drive · 15 mi
Mansión Xanadú
4 min drive · 1.3 mi
Cueva de Ambrosio
8 min drive · 4.3 mi
Cueva de Saturno
30 min drive · 18 mi

More things to do (23)

Catamaran trip to Cayo Blanco · excursion5 min drive · 2.1 mi
Matanzas · town50 min drive · 29 mi
Marina Chapelín · marina5 min drive · 2.1 mi
Varahicacos Ecological Reserve · nature7 min drive · 3.7 mi
Museo de Varadero · museum8 min drive · 3.9 mi
Varadero Golf Club · golf8 min drive · 1.7 mi
Parque Josone · nature8 min drive · 4.0 mi
Marina Gaviota Varadero · marina11 min drive · 5.8 mi
Marina Dársena de Varadero · marina14 min drive · 7.3 mi
Varadero Skydiving Centre · adventure park20 min drive · 7.8 mi
Varadero West Beach · beach20 min drive · 8.6 mi
Museo Oscar María de Rojas, Cárdenas · museum30 min drive · 15 mi
Museo Batalla de Ideas, Cárdenas · museum30 min drive · 15 mi
Playa Coral · beach30 min drive · 18 mi
Museo Central Azucarero José Smith Comas · museum40 min drive · 22 mi
Museo Memorial El Morrillo · historic site40 min drive · 23 mi
Teatro Sauto · historic site50 min drive · 28 mi
Museo Farmacéutico, Matanzas · museum50 min drive · 29 mi
Cuevas de Bellamar · nature50 min drive · 27 mi
Ermita de Monserrate · viewpoint50 min drive · 30 mi
Yumurí Valley viewpoint · viewpoint50 min drive · 30 mi
Castillo de San Severino (Slave Route Museum) · historic site55 min drive · 30 mi
Yumurí Valley viewpoint · viewpoint55 min drive · 33 mi

Amenities

Mini Golf

Babysitting

Yoga Classes

Nightclub

Diving

Tennis

Kids Club

Snorkeling

Show 4 more amenities

Nightly Entertainment

Buffet Dining

Gym

Beach

Style & Rooms

Atmosphere

Mid-RangeFamily Resort

Room upgrades

2 Bedroom SuitesFamily Suite

Seaweed & sargassum

Varadero gets sargassum, typically worst May through August, in heavy bloom years.See the month-by-month guide →

Every all-inclusive in Varadero →

Google Reviews★ 4.4 · 3,209 reviews

Melodie M.

a week ago

“Third visit. Excellent ! Beach of course is amazing. No issues with loungers, plentiful, and the resort was busy. Staff inside and out work diligently to assure cleanliness. I have yet to see an unwanted insect anywhere on the inside. Buffet offers...”

Nataly W.

a month ago

“Hidden gem!!! We had an absolutely amazing stay at this resort in Cuba. I know many people worry about mosquitos and food when visiting Cuba, but I can honestly say there were no issues at all here. What truly stood out was how much the staff go abo...”

Bren *.

4 months ago

“This was our second visit to Melia Sol Palmeras this year. We absolutely love it here, the staff in the buffet, the staff in the al la carts are amazing and so welcoming. The food.....well you definitely do not go hungry. We eat more when we are ther...”