Once again we chose to stay in the centre of Varadero, therefore booked into one of the older, smaller resorts. Los Delfines in situated exactly in the centre of the city, this allows for easy walking access to many restaurants, bars and markets, and you could catch the bus or take a cab and cover the entire area for around $5.00 (5cuc).

Prior to booking I searched reviews of the hotels and resorts in the town centre, all are in the 2-3.5 star range, the 5 star properties being newer are built on the edge of Varadero and on the penisular. last year I had stayed at Hotel Club Tropical (3 stars) and in spite of many reviewers rating it in the lower range of hotels I was pleased with my choice. Los Delfines is owned by the same group, Islazul, but they carry a 3.5 star and even more impressive they rate 22 out of the 58 resorts located here on review sites.

Location was excellent, the hotel is small which is perfect if you are a people person but you will get to know and be known by your fellow guests and the staff so if you seek annonimity then opt for one of the newer larger resorts. the staff are excellent with the exception of the beach staff, who for some reason are paid to sit in the shade talking and relaxing while everyone, male, female, young and old, drag their beach beds to their desired location. The only time I saw them move was to try and sell a catamaran trip to snorkel and feed the fish for $15 ($15cuc) other than that the only other time they appeared was to haul all the beds back to the storage area at sunset.

The entire resort is spotless, rooms are immaculate and the staff and friendly but never intrusive. It is quite normal for staff at the resorts, also in restaurants and bars to drop hints or ask outright for stuff you have, clothing, shoes, tips etc. but at this resort, not one staff member in any way solicited for anything. I always tip and I bring gifts with me which the staff are delighted and grateful to receive but this is truly the only place I have stayed at in Cuba where the staff never gave any impression of wishing for anything other than a thank you for their work.

Food here wasn't as good as the Tropical, but it was as expected for a hotel with this rating. breakfast is always a winner, omelette station, or eggs cooked as you like, fresh bread and pastries, yogurt, fruit, fresh juice etc. Lunch and Dinner carried similar foods, there is always , beef, pork or chicken, in the evening, there would be something at the carvery section a turkey of roast beef, and the omelette station served as short order pasta station both lunch and dinner.Wine is served at lunch and dinner if you wish and always soft drinks tea and coffee are available.

There are two bars, the pool bar is open daily and has a variety of drinks also they serve burgers or toasted sandwiches and fries. The other bar is open 24 hours and they do a great selection of mixer drinks and cocktails and also a fabulous espresso or cappuccino.

The exchange rate at this time is great for Canadians with the bank offering a rate of $1.08 per 1cuc and the hotel giving a rate of $1.11.

The Varadero bus is $5 (5cuc) for an all day ticket and kids under the age of 6 travel free. this is a perfect way to get around, try the different markets, visit a few sights. The bus runs from early morning till around 7pm and it is open topped, perfect for sightseeing.

If you are walking around and encounter someone with a snake, a hawk or other exotic animal, they will strike up a conversation, and ask if you want a picture taken, be prepared to part with a few dollars, this is a money earner for the individual who owns this animal they have to feed and care for it on limited resources so your donation is expected.

All in all Los Delfines is a good hotel in an excellent location, and given the price range it is in I believe it merits at least a 3 star rating, however given the choice of Los Delfines and Hotel Tropical, I would choose Tropical.

I spent a week at this resort and I would go again. I wasn't expecting much considering what I paid but was pleasantly surprised. It isn't exactly luxurious, but the rooms are clean and have everything you need. It's a smaller resort so it seems more personal and comfortable than other sprawling resorts you'd find elsewhere. The food was basic.. lots of pasta. Some nights not so great, a couple nights delicious. The a la carte restaurant is a bit of a joke though. It was nice to be able to walk around Varadero vs relying on taxi's or bus' if you stayed further down the peninsula. Only complaint I had was the irritatingly loud music they played around the pool during the day... But that's fairly typical. Nightly shows aren't that bad... some may be a bit odd but entertaining either way.

In short , had an awesome time, rooms were clean staff was great... food was good...very clean and beautiful grounds.... you really should do the catermaran trip and jeep your... both were great. Entertainment was top notch....

Experiencing Cuba...Cuban Style! Travelled in a group of four ladies aged 20 - 47. Planned on meeting Cuban friends who also stayed the week with us. We arrived late evening and were greeted by a clerk at the front desk who was well versed with the english language. This made check in fairly easy.

The rooms were decent and kept well by the maids. We purchased small trinkets etc from the dollar stores to leave as gifts/tips. They were happy with these kind gestures. You may want to speak to the front desk to ask for an extra key card to keep in the slot inside the room while out. If not you will notice that as a power saving technique the a/c and mini fridge will stop working and your room won't be cool after a day out. I did see a rather large "bug" one day and had a little bit of a freak out...my friends Cuban husband killed it for me and didn't hesitate to tell me "I make all this trouble over one little bug" lol

The hotel is small so getting to know staff and fellow Canadian travellers was quite easy. We made new friends who we shared wonderful experiences with us. The entertainment staff was fantastic, i love you Jordan, your passion for your country, shines through in your willingness to share yourself and life with visitors. Luceano, is one of the funniest, compassionate, hospitable men, that i met while at Los Delfines, they are a definate asset to this resort.

As for the food, you get what you pay for so don't be picky, i had a willingness to try what looked good, if i didn't like it i didn't eat it, most days, the food was quite enjoyable. Security was good, i felt safe. The pool was good, clean and well maintained, and pool edgelines were freshly painted "that was an awesome view" to watch being done.

Clubs were within walking distance, and others no more than a 8 peso cab ride. Crystal, smooth like Coors Light, Sangria quite yummy and ya gotta get the beach bartender to make ya a Veradaro Sunrise.

Overall, we all enjoyed out Lovecation in Veradaro LOL, with plans to return in january, definately will be returning to Los Delfines, when the price is right, ya can't complain.