The Cuban Yaniris Diaz (@yani_renaciendo) shared this week on TikTok an honest review of her stay at the Meliá Varadero hotel, describing a bittersweet experience characterized by the beauty of the beach, the attentiveness of the staff, and the evident shortcomings in the culinary offerings.
The trip was planned at the last minute and was organized entirely over the phone through an agency, with reservations and tickets sent via WhatsApp. Yaniris had to fly through Havana because there were no direct flights available to Varadero, a logistical challenge that reflects the conditions many Cubans face in accessing tourist destinations within their own country.
Regarding the facilities, the reviewer was positive: "the hotel is nice, the rooms are very pretty, they look remodeled, and the pool, as you can see, is also nice." However, the highlight of her visit was the beach: "our beaches have no competition; walking on those fine sands and swimming in those waters are the true pleasures of life."
But the experience had its drawbacks. "You're in Cuba, and as such, the shortages are noticeable," Yaniris warned, noting that the buffet was lacking during the four days of her stay: "there was very little variety of food, and they practically offered the same things." The Cuban clarified that it doesn't personally affect her too much, but since the question keeps coming up in her previous videos, she decided to be completely honest.
In contrast to the material shortcomings, the treatment by the staff received praise: "the workers don't know where to put you or how to attend to you," he said in reference to the willingness and friendliness of the hotel employees.
Complaints about the quality of buffets in Cuban hotels are a constant topic on social media. This is not the first time that a Cuban shares her bad experience in a hotel in Varadero, and the debate about the gap between the image projected by Cuban tourism and the reality faced by guests has been ongoing on social media for years.
In August 2023, the Cuban reggaeton artist Jorge Junior had already criticized the Meliá Internacional Varadero with a phrase that encapsulates the accumulated deterioration: "from what it used to be to what it is now, there’s a big gap", calling for the withdrawal of the establishment's stars.
The review by Yaniris arrives at the worst moment for Cuban tourism in decades. In 2025, the island received only 1.8 million visitors, the worst result since 2002 excluding the pandemic, and in the first quarter of 2026 tourist arrivals in Cuba fell by 48%, with only 298,057 visitors between January and March.
Hotel occupancy in Varadero and Havana is around 20-21%, historically low levels that have led the regime to implement a strategy of "hotel consolidation" with the temporary closure of at least 30 properties. In an attempt to reverse the decline, Cuban hotels have applied discounts of up to 30% in anticipation of the 2026 season, although structural shortages—such as food scarcity, maintenance issues, and the energy crisis—continue to affect the actual experience of guests, as documented in this review by a Cuban.
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