The Cuban journalist Mario J. Pentón highlighted the complaint of a Cuban who criticized the conditions of the Barceló Solymar hotel, a facility in Varadero that is marketed as five stars, but according to tourists' testimonies, is far from providing a service that aligns with that rating.
In a video shared on his X account (formerly Twitter), Pentón displayed images of the hotel lobby with dozens of people waiting since noon without being able to access their rooms.
“Don't be fooled by hotels in Cuba, look at this, by noon everyone is sprawled outside... and this is the Barceló Solymar, five stars”, said the video's creator while touring the common areas.
The recording, accompanied by the phrase "The last thing the ship brought," revealed leaks inside the building, long lines to use the elevators, restrooms without toilet paper, and general disorganization at the reception.
“It’s going to be three o'clock in the afternoon and they still haven't let anyone in,” commented the guest, revealing his frustration at the structural issues plaguing the Cuban tourism sector: lack of maintenance, shortages of supplies, and a management that prioritizes appearance over service.
Although the hotel management maintains an average rating of 3.5 out of 5 on TripAdvisor, recent user reviews tell a different story. Most travelers describe their stay as a frustrating experience, with serious issues in cleanliness, service, and food.
A Mexican user sarcastically commented that staying there “should grant university credits in Extreme Survival and Applied Zen Philosophy to Buffet”.
According to their testimony, the rooms are in poor condition, the air conditioners do not work properly, water is scarce, and the food resembles "a mandatory initiation test for every guest". In their review, they recounted finding stones in the rice, long lines for breakfast, and a service they describe as "invisible with a diploma."
Other customers have reported a similar situation. From Miami, a customer claimed to have been kicked out of a table in the restaurant "for being reserved", even though there was no indication to suggest that.
He also claimed that the waitstaff discriminate against Cubans, especially those who cannot leave tips. “Instead of a vacation, I felt like I was in a torture chamber”, he wrote.
Negative opinions create a litany of complaints. From Uruguay, a tourist described her stay as "horrible": "dirty hotel, terrible food, logistics a disaster, dreadful conditions". Another traveler was more direct: "A hellish place, bad drinks, dirty rooms, too hot, ugly and unattended hotel".
The list of complaints continues with issues regarding wet towels, broken elevators, spoiled food, and endless lines to access the restaurant. Another recent visitor reported that the beans “were disgusting” and that the hotel management “turns a blind eye” to the decline.
Even among the few moderately positive comments, such as one from a user who acknowledged a nice pool and some daily activities, a sense of neglect prevailed.
“The room service never changed our sheets. The mosquitoes were everywhere, and the air conditioning only worked in the room. It doesn't resemble a four or five-star hotel at all”, he wrote.
The case of Barceló Solymar highlights the deep crisis in Cuban tourism, a sector that the government tries to present as an economic engine, but which faces a lack of basic supplies, inadequate training of staff, and a decline in international standards.
The reports and online testimonies reinforce an increasingly widespread perception: behind the "all-inclusive" banner, the reality is quite different.
For many visitors, the Barceló Solymar no longer represents the Caribbean paradise of yesteryear, but rather a portrait of the collapse of a tourism model that was once a source of national pride. “Don’t be fooled,” warned the disgruntled customer.
Their words resonate among hundreds of travelers who, after paying international prices, leave the Barceló Solymar with one conclusion: in today's Varadero, the last thing the ship brought was disappointment.
From "all-inclusive" to "nothing available": Varadero hotels under fire
Complaints about the conditions of tourism in Cuba are not isolated cases. In recent months, dozens of foreign visitors —primarily Canadians— have reported the deterioration of hotel facilities, food shortages, and an increasingly inadequate level of service in the country’s tourist resorts.
In June 2024, Canadian citizen Joe Eastcott shared on social media his experience at Barceló Solymar – Occidental Arenas Blancas, describing his stay as “the worst experience of his life”.
Eastcott shared photos of the "raw food with stones," the broken furniture, and the closed bars, stating that "most days it was impossible to eat inside the hotel." The tourist also reported that he only received one bottle of water per day and that the snacks consisted of stale bread or a raw hot dog.
In response to the growing wave of criticism, in November 2024, the Barceló Group attempted to deny the existence of food shortages in its hotels in Cuba by posting photos on Facebook of a "well-stocked" buffet at the Varadero resort.
Is there a shortage in Cuba? Not at this moment, wrote a representative of the company in a post that sparked controversy by contradicting the accounts of hundreds of travelers.
The defense of the Spanish group contrasted with the reality described by tourists and international organizations: 89% of Cuban families live in extreme poverty, according to the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights, and shortages of food and supplies also impact the tourism sector, which operates under strong economic and energy pressure.
The Canadian agency Sunwing Vacations Group itself, one of the main operators sending travelers to the island, confirmed that it has removed 26 Cuban hotels from its catalog due to quality issues and the deterioration of services.
Tourists want transparency and no surprises,” stated its marketing director, Samantha Taylor, explaining that they are now promoting alternative destinations in the Dominican Republic, Honduras, the Bahamas, and Colombia.
A few months earlier, in March 2024, another visitor identified as Brayan posted a review on TripAdvisor about the Hotel Arenas Blancas, also managed by Barceló, where he described similar shortcomings: lack of hygiene, scarcity of basic supplies, poor staff service, and discrepancies between what is promoted online and the reality of the hotel.
"In five days, they only changed the sheets once, and the food does not meet the standards of a so-called top-tier resort,” he wrote.
These complaints are part of a structural crisis in Cuban tourism, which combines the deterioration of infrastructure, a lack of supplies, the exodus of skilled workers, and frequent power outages.
Although the government continues to present tourism as its main economic driver, the confidence of international travelers—especially Canadians, its most important market—has plummeted.
More and more testimonies point to the same conclusion: the hotels in Varadero, once a symbol of Caribbean luxury, are now facing a deterioration that even foreign chains cannot hide.
And while the Barceló Group denies the shortage, tourists continue to show in videos and reviews a reality of long lines, blackouts, low-quality food, and collapsed services.
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