Рай на Кубе! Paradise in Cuba!

If there is heaven in the world, then this is Iberostar Varadero, Cuba!!!
Thanks to the company "VERANO", which recommended. If you are interested, write to the box, I will reset the contacts.
ROAD.

Flight Kyiv-PARIS-HAVANA. Everything is fine, but smoking in Paris is bad - you can’t smoke at the airport, only on the street - you won’t go out into the street, because. schengen. The airport itself (it is very large and there are different terminals) is a trash can, only when they flew back they were in a normal terminal, and so it was a dump, only there were not enough homeless people. Eat at the airport from about 6 euros for a sandwich, well, and beyond. If you have time and desire, you can ride a bus from sector to sector of each terminal and find a normal sector, and then return to your own from where the flight will be next. Remember the transition from the sectors through aviation security - it means we are filming everything, leaving the drinks. The Boeing 747 plane is hard to fly for 9.5 hours, after the flight from Kyiv, which took 3.5 hours, but we are flying on vacation! The food on the plane is tolerable, the drinks are delicious - you won’t be able to eat to satiety, but you can really get drunk.
Transfer Havana - Varadero. On a killed Land Cruiser 100 (I didn’t even think that it could withstand this) - 140 km - travel time 2 hours 30 minutes. Hard speed limit - policemen measure it by eye. But if you go during the day, it doesn’t bother you - you really like the local flavor. You can buy mangoes on the way (5 large ones - 1 cookie, small ones - even cheaper), and if you speak English or Spanish, the driver will tell a lot about the country.
Transfer Varadero - Havana. Killed Peugeot 306 station wagon. Travel time also took 2.30, but with a stop - manga was bought, and it was raining heavily. To the driver, in gratitude that he drove the whole he gave 10 dollars - he was infinitely happy.
Return flight: Havana - Paris. We flew first class - it's worth the money, the food is better, the drinks are super, there are more places. In Paris, they were transferred to the Ukrainian side "by the hand" - otherwise they would not have had time. One of the suitcases did not reach Kyiv, it arrived only on the second day. So AIRE FRANCE - do not always have time to overload everything.
SETTLEMENT.

I didn’t have time to smoke a cigarette, a “boy” came up and said that we had to sit down and go to the room. The wife quickly filled everything out, she was immediately given an envelope with keys and instructions, the child was given chocolate sweets (surprisingly very tasty) - they just know how to work and appreciate customers. They loaded us and our belongings into an electric car and took us to our room. We thought that we would go very far, it turned out to be 50 meters from the reception - I would have reached it on foot. I gave the “boy” $3 for delivery and bringing things in, he instructed me on the number, told me what was included and where. Then he took me to the dining room for dinner. It should be noted that we arrived at 21-00 local time and the room was free and ready. They usually check in at 14:00 or 15:00. But you will be met anyway, badges will be hung up, things in the storage room, you can change clothes and start enjoying life right in the lobby.
ROOM.
Regular double room: 2 single beds (two adults were comfortably accommodated on one, the second bed was like a screen from a child), a single bed for a child with a normal mattress, not a folding bed; 2 armchairs, a desk, a coffee table, a wardrobe with a TV and a mini bar, a built-in wardrobe, a table for luggage, a safe. Bathroom: toilet, bidet, bathroom - you can lie down and shower - you can just take a shower, washbasin with a large mirror, hair dryer. The balcony has a large table and chairs on it, on the balcony, if mosquitoes do not eat it, it can accommodate 6 adults calmly and there is no one to disturb. Cleaning in the room - no comments, well, just no. They clean every day with the replacement of all sheets, towels, filling the minibar (free of charge) - 2 beers + 2 beers, mineral water with and without gas, tonic, cola, mirinda.
Restaurants and bars
- I didn’t remember the names of bars and restaurants - this is not the main thing, the main thing is to know where they are!
- it is better to specify the operating time - it is written in the instructions. but I think that from 7-00 to 02.00 - it’s not a question at all to drink and eat.
- food and drinks are free everywhere (well, only tips)!
1. Main restaurant. In the main building. There are breakfasts, lunches and dinners.
2. Restaurant by the pool - as I understand it, it's like Cuban (in the evening it works like an alacarta). There is a second breakfast, lunch, "snacks".
3. Mediterranean restaurant. Alacarte, "sea" cuisine, by appointment. Registration at the reception. Were, we liked it.
4. Japanese restaurant. Alacarte, "Japanese" cuisine, by appointment. Registration at the reception. Were, we liked it. But it is more made for the show - to show how the Cuban "Japanese" cook, but still delicious.

5. Snack bar at the entrance to the beach. Grandfather (when he was replaced - the cutlets were damp) fries cutlets and sausages on the grill, eat bread, vegetables, fruits, mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup. Next to bar number 6.
6. Bar at the entrance to the beach. They pour everything that can be poured: rum, tequila, whiskey, vodka, beer, chatterboxes, tomato juice, cocktails, water with and without gas. Waiters walk along the beach, and if you are too lazy to go to a bar, then the waiter will bring everything you order from the bar. I usually gave 1 cookie in the morning, and then I didn’t know where to hide from him - all the time I offered to bring something and, what was most pleasant, he brought everything quickly and in any quantity.
7. Bar near the pool. Same as Bar #6.
8. Bar near the reception. Well, like a cultural bar - in the lobby of the hotel. Occupancy - bar number 6 and even more. I understand that it works around the clock, but I could be wrong. Briefly 7 sorts of whiskey, 8 sorts of tequila, 10 rum - I didn't count further - I broke off. Local beer is delicious. Wine Spain from bottles - no bag of powder, wine is normal. Strong drinks are real, not like in Turkey and Egypt. They pour as much as they like and while you drink, they can offer more.
9. Bar in the animation hall. Works during animation.
10. Bar at the disco. Works during the disco.
Attention. The hotel has a dress code for dinner: men or in trousers, jeans or bermudas, top - a "strict" T-shirt, tennis shirt, shirt; women - perhaps less strictly.
NUTRITION
Breakfast.
Early until 10-00 - in Restaurant No. 1, Late in Restaurant No. 2. Standard continental breakfast: cold cuts of sausages and cheeses, sausages, sausages, bacon, omelets with and without fillings, boiled, fried eggs, toast, bread, rolls , vegetables, fruits, freshly squeezed juices (at least three: orange, mango, grapefruit, melon, papaya, watermelon), juice-based cocktails. In restaurant No. 1 - in the mornings sometimes (as I understood it a day later) there was salmon carpaccio and cold champagne, but this is closer to 8-30 / 9-00.
Lunch/Dinner (Restaurant No. 1).

There was everything. It’s easier to write what was missing, but only missing: herring (real, in the hotel just fish in the marinade), lard. So the food is just super, there were even lobsters. Large shrimps and mussels - it's like garbage - a lot. Meat - chicken, pork, beef. Fish - a lot - stewed, fried, grilled, some fish I don’t even know what I ate. Pickles, salads. There was even an evening of Japanese cuisine - sushi and other Japanese dishes..... Crowds do not go for food - everything is civilized and beautiful. The queue was made only by those who urgently needed this particular meat, and not some other. The work of the restaurant is based on the principle - what ends - quickly cook fresh and serve. You can watch how individual dishes are prepared - grilled fish, grilled meat, french fries, grilled vegetables, grilled shrimp, etc.
Room order.
From 11-00 to 23-00 you can order food in the room. Orders usually include pizza, sandwiches, cold appetizers, scrambled eggs, etc. The order is free, delivery - I think that too.
MAINTENANCE and SERVICE
On the highest level. None of you pulls a tip, everything is done without a tip, but when everything is done for you and immediately removed, then the hand itself reaches for the tip. Tables in restaurants - everything is cleaned at the moment, cleanliness in bars. The territory is cleaned, the buildings are clean. Tipping is usually: 1 cookie or 1 euro or 1 dollar, who has what and how they like it. If at the bar you want to be poured not as written in the recipe or as the bartender thinks - but according to your signature recipe (for example, I have a redlabel of half a glass separately, cola with ice separately), then leave one cookie and the second time the bartender will surely remember you and nice and quick to do everything right.
BEACH
Beach: not to say that it is big, but there was enough space for everyone. Sunbeds, umbrellas, mattresses - everything is free - a "beach boy" comes and lays out everything, including your towels. There are cattle everywhere - they take sunbeds and leave - the places are occupied and there is no one (the staff reserves the right to clean up such places !!!!!! ). The sand is like semolina, the ocean is gentle and warm. The fish swim in the water, but did not bite anything. At night, it’s better not to swim alone - it’s scary to go to the beach (through a clearing in the thickets along the bridge 30 m) - you can’t see what crawls, jumps, flies there, well, you don’t see what floats in the water - the ocean is still.
ANIMATION and ENTERTAINMENT in the hotel

I'm in shock - I went to the animation !!!! ! Really a performance - every day a new show with a change of scenery. Before the performance, the artists rehearse during the day - you can come and watch. Very interesting. You sit at a table - you watch the show, the waiters offer to bring drinks from the bar.
On the beach, everything that is “without gasoline” is free of charge: canoes, catamarans. Offer to play darts, volleyball, rings. Enticed to dance on land and in water.
For a fee: parachute, jet ski, banana.
Disco - it is, but although it is written that it is open until 4-00, but if there are no dancers, then it closes even earlier.
CHILDREN
There is a children's room, open from 10-00 to 17-00. Teachers draw and play. The child was handed over with the teacher and agreed that either you would come to pick it up, or they would bring it, or send the child himself to the room. In the evening before the adult show - for children "mini-disco".
CURRENCY
Peso currency and convertible pesos (kuk). The peso exchange rate is something incomprehensible and, in principle, not very necessary - in shops for locals in Varadero, you need to have strong nerves and health in order to buy something - complete devastation. Tourists pay cookies everywhere. Course: 1 cookie = 0.75 euros = 1.25 am. dollar. (such a course was in the hotel). It might be better in a bank, but you have to go to the bank and take a passport, and how the bank works is not at all clear.
TAXI & CAR RENTAL & TRANSPORT
A taxi either stands under the hotel or you can order it or leave the hotel on the road there are also taxi drivers. A taxi from the hotel to the "free market" (market with handicrafts) cost 13-14 cookies, but the distance is about 15 km. Some go by the meter, some just need to negotiate. Cars in most cases are killed (in Cuba they are all practically killed).
Car and scooter rental directly at the hotel. If I understand correctly, then a Hyundai accent for two days with a tank of gasoline cost 170 cookies. Scooters if for a day it's like 20 cookies a day, otherwise you can pay by the hour.

There is a bus, but you have to walk from the hotel for about 15 minutes. It costs 5 cookies for one day, children under 6 years old are free. The bus is good, but even though it has a schedule, it runs strangely and definitely until 20-00.
TOURS
You can check directly in Kyiv (it happened to me). Prices are almost the same for everyone - bargaining is inappropriate.
There are in Havana, Varadero, Dolphinarium (3-5 km from the hotel), fishing, yacht, catamaran.
We went fishing, it costs 255 euros. Departure 9-00 from the port and return to the port 14-30. The boat is designed for 4 people, each additional plus 30 euros. On the boat mineral water, cola, rum, ice. Beer is better to take with you from the hotel or buy at the port. The boats are different - we got an old one, but big, there were new ones, but small ones. You can immediately agree that you want to catch a lobster - they will either be already caught, or they will be taken on the island. Although some captains catch themselves, the success of the catch is not guaranteed. Fishing consists in throwing large spinning rods that are pulled by a boat. Then, in the channel between the islands, catch small fish on the “donk” (in 20 minutes they pulled 8 pieces, despite the fact that I still kept my wife and child). Fish and lobsters will be cooked for you, this happiness (cooking and lobsters) cost us 60 cookies. In the process of fishing - you can swim in the channel and near the island of Caia Blanca. But it all depends on the captain.
SOUVENIRS
Souvenirs can be bought at the hotel, freemarket or amerikas plaza. Freemarket is the cheapest place and has a very large selection. Although souvenirs were brought to the hotel, they are understandably more expensive.
On the streets in cities with local rum lovers, be careful, but they usually do not pester. You can take candy and chewing gum for hungry Cuban children.
CUBA hates USA!!!! ! So with inscriptions on T-shirts (like: I love the USA), it’s better to be careful and not wear such things.
A LOT of mosquitoes - they are fumigated on the territory of the hotel - but this does not save much.

It is better to close the balconies in the rooms - something can fly in (mosquitoes), crawl (lizards), jump (frogs). Lizards and frogs climb walls and ceilings. There are no poisonous snakes and lizards in Cuba.
CONCLUSION
The hotel lives up to its 5 stars.
Recommended for couples, couples with children