Here's a review of the resort I stayed at this past Christmas:
Departing from Toronto in December 19th, I spent the next week at the Paradisus Varadero. I opted from the Royal Service package offered through Sunwing vacations and was thoroughly pleased.
Both flight segments were with Sunwing airlines. My experience with them was exceptional even though both flights were delayed by roughly 2 hours. The airport and flight staffs were friendly and efficient. One problem is the 20 kgs of baggage allowed. I did not pack heavily and was over. Some arranging of items from checked to carry-on resolved that issue. It might be worth the $50 extra to pick your seat in advance and increase your entitlement to 30 kgs.
Arriving at Varadero, I was met by a taxi and delivered to the resort. A component of the Royal Service is private transfers to and from the resort. I loved check-in process for Royal Service as there was no standing around in a mob of people waiting for your turn. Just have a seat in the very comfortable high backed armchairs, fill in the registry and tell the bartender what you would like to drink. The porter then scoots you over to over bungalow (they are actually 2 storey buildings but why quibble) and carries the luggage in.
The suite was spectacular. Two double beds and a sitting area formed the main part of the suite. There was a high mounted LCD television that swiveled so it could be view from any part of the room. There was a bar setup in the room that had 4 750ml bottles (scotch, gin, vodka, and Cuban rum), a bottle of Chilean red wine, Spanish cava (sparkling wine), and a mini fridge with waters (still and sparkling), sodas, and juices. All of the above could be altered by speaking with your butler. Yes, there is a butler assigned to each room but more about that later. A walk-in closet completes living area of the suite.
The washroom appeared to be larger than my living room at home. I could be entered through a sliding door on either side of the bedroom. The toilet and bidet are off to the side in a small ante-room with a privacy door. There is a sink and massive amount of counter area in each side of the room. No need to wait while your partner is shaving or putting on make-up. The bath was a massive two-person jetted tub. The resort supplies superior quality bath towels and robes, bath salts and a toiletry pack as well. There is a shaving kit (cheap disposable razor – use at your peril), shower gel, shampoo, dental kit, comb, cotton swabs, and bar soap. The shower is outside in a very private area which is surrounded by a 3 metre high wall. Showering outside is an amazing experience.
I was in Suite 3632 and my maid Yacquiline was fantastic. The room was spotless every day. She made the effort to find out what my personal preferences were and then delivered. There is a nightly turn down service that was nice on those days that I had an afternoon nap so I didn’t have deal with a messy bed when I come back at night. I never really appreciated turn down before and normally wouldn’t give a fig about the condition of the bed sheets but this is Royal Service after all.
Cesar was my butler and he was great. He would arrange the a la carte reservations and look after any need I had. Many times he came looking for me when I was out and about on the resort if he needed me. I ate every breakfast at the Royal Service restaurant. There was a nice selection of pastries, juices and fresh fruit to go with the menu items. I had 3 minute soft boiled eggs, toast and bacon almost every morning. If you like your bacon crispy, ask for it buen hecho (well made).
Lunch was catch as catch can. A couple of days at the Royal Service as the lasagna was magnificent there. One day at the beach bbq; the grilled sardines were GREAT. A couple of days saw me eating at the poolside café for burgers and the rest were at the main buffet.
I visited all of the restaurants for my evening meal. The Royal Service was excellent with continental cuisine and French service. The menu included a cold and hot starter, the main plate and dessert. The Chateaubriand with sauce béarnaise was delicious.
The “Romantic” restaurant was very similar to the Royal Service but the food was not of the same quality. The onion soup was very salty. This was the most disappointing meal of the entire week.
The Japanese Restaurant was okay and provided me with an opportunity to meet follow guests as it is teppanyaki. There was myself and a family of 3. Just remember that you don’t go to Cuba if you love and MUST have Japanese food.
The Caribbean restaurant was fine but the portions were very small. I mean really small.
The Italian restaurant was primo. The margarita pizza was thin, crisp and large enough for two. This resort did a very good job at presenting pasta meals.
The Christmas Eve meal was the only evening meal I ate at the buffet. Their presentation was spectacular with chocolate displays, ice sculptures, handmade candy decorations, and Cuban delicacies to celebrate the holiday. The selection was varied and vast.
Talking about food, if you suffer from heartburn, bring your antacid with you. No Tums, or Rolaids, or any over the counter remedy is available. I visited the resort doctor and she had a bottle of Cuban “Maalox” sent over from the pharmacy. No charge for the doctor but $16 for the small bottle.
Normally, I will go sailing at least once a day. I didn’t get out once this time. The weather was too rough a couple of days and I was too busy the other ones. The free scuba was awesome. We drove across the island and drove in the Bay of Pigs. It was thrilling to be 15 metres down and overlook a sea cliff that went down another 750. I wasn’t told about the $20 CUC charge for a second dive and only brought a $10 CUC note with me. Another diver was in the same boat; pardon the pun, as me so we waited while the rest of the group went on the second dive. There was a hut along the side of the road that sold a 750 bottle of rum and 2 litre bottle of “Sprite” for $4.50. Needless to say, the time past very merrily, as did the bus ride back.
The drink selection at the Paradius was top shelf. Some brands were only available through the all inclusive package at the Royal Service bar. They could be had at the main lobby bar for a surcharge. Jorge Luis at the RS bar was a very competent barman. I look forward to meeting him again.
Would I return? Absolutely. The Paradisus was well worth the price. It is a wonderful resort and I thoroughly enjoyed my week there.
Rigby Reardon: All dames are alike: they reach down your throat and they can grab your heart, pull it out and they throw it on the floor, step on it with their high heels, spit on it, shove it in the oven and cook the shit out of it. Then they slice it into little pieces, slam it on a hunk of toast, and serve it to you and then expect you to say, "Thanks, honey, it was delicious."
All dames are alike, they reach down your throat so they can grab your heart, and pull it out, and they throw it on the floor, and they step on it with their high heels, they spit on it, shove it in the oven and they cook the shit out of it... and they slice it into little pieces, slam it on a hunk of toast, and they serve it to you, and they expect you to say,"Thanks, honey! It's delicious."- Rigby Reardon
