Barcelo - Barcelo Solymar
Varadero, CubaAll travelers
Our take
All‑inclusive resort on Varadero beach with pools, spa and extensive amenities
- 525 rooms
Resort facts & overview
- Location
- Varadero, Cuba
- Audience
- All travelers
- Brand
- Independent
- Rooms
- 525
- Dining listed
- -
Why travelers love it
“All‑inclusive resort on Varadero beach with pools, spa and extensive amenities”
Guests praise the beautiful Varadero‑front beach, multiple pools and spacious grounds that combine activity options with easy access to town.
Food & drink
MixedFood is the resort's biggest wildcard: some praise variety at the buffet and four à la carte options (Mexican is a favorite), others slam monotonous, poorly replenished offerings heavy on ground meat. Expect Cuban-standard quality with shortages, not international resort dining.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Four à la carte restaurants including Mexican and seafood
- Beach snack bar staff highly praised
- À la carte booking available
- Menu rotates through the week
Heads up
- Buffet frequently criticized as monotonous and poorly stocked
- Limited fruit selection (mostly pineapple and papaya)
- Late arrivals may find little left
- Some report stomach issues
Dining overview
Buffet plus five à la carte restaurants (Spanish, Italian, Seafood, Mexican, Asian/Cuban) with two free per week, plus snack outlets and nine bars.
Beach
StandoutThe beach is the undisputed star: soft white Varadero sand, clear water, and footbath bridges leading directly onto it. Even the resort's harshest critics concede the beach is excellent.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Classic Varadero white sand directly out front
- Clear swimmable water
- Footbath bridges from resort to sand
- Beach snack bar with attentive staff
Wide white‑sand Varadero beach directly in front of the resort; clear water; beach chairs and palapas available early but shade can fill quickly.
Pools
StrongTwo well-kept pools (with access to a third) give plenty of swimming options, and the pool areas are a consistent highlight alongside the beach. Heavy chlorine is the main gripe.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Two on-site pools plus access to a nearby third
- Swim-up bar available
- Shade and nearby bars
- Clean and well-maintained
Heads up
- Chlorine levels noticeably high
Three outdoor pools plus children’s pool and two hot tubs; pool bars, shaded loungers, towel service, entertainment during day and evening.
Rooms & suites
525 rooms525 rooms in varied blocks, each with balcony, minibar stocked daily, digital safe, air‑conditioning. No recent renovation noted.
Room details here are AI-assisted, compiled from the resort's own website and public sources. Categories and names change often — confirm the exact room when you book.
What’s included
MixedFor the price paid, most walk away satisfied given Cuban travel realities; expect solid beach and grounds, not four-star international polish. If you judge it against Mexican or Dominican all-inclusives, you'll be disappointed.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Fair price for a beachfront Varadero stay
- Walkable to town saves excursion costs
- Own generators kept power on during blackouts
- Repeat guests common
Heads up
- Premium liquor (rum, spirits) often costs extra
- Some feel the 4-star label overpromises
- Aging rooms and infrastructure
Package inclusions and upgrade access have not been collected yet. Confirm them for your room and dates when booking.
Amenities & activities
Couples
Good fitA surprisingly strong pick for weddings and low-key couples getaways, with a dedicated wedding coordinator (Natacha) drawing repeat praise. Romance factor is warm and Cuban, not polished-luxury.
medium confidence
What you'll enjoy
- On-site wedding coordinator earns rave reviews
- In-room breakfast and massages available for special occasions
- Walkable to Varadero town for date nights
- Beachfront setting with ocean views
Heads up
- Aging property, not a luxury romance setting
- Nightly entertainment leans lively over intimate
Families
StretchConsistently described as family-friendly with warm staff and space to roam, though tired rooms and buffet shortcomings can frustrate parents. Fine for laid-back families, not a resort with elaborate kids infrastructure.
medium confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Family-friendly atmosphere praised repeatedly
- Two pools plus beach access
- Walking distance to Varadero town
- Attentive staff with children
Heads up
- Rooms can arrive not ready even after 4pm
- Reports of no hot water and broken AC
- Buffet variety may disappoint picky eaters
Peace & Quiet
StrongGenerally calm and well-kept gardens set a relaxing tone, but nightly live music, animation, and a disco mean this is not a silent retreat. Easy to find peace by the pool or beach during the day.
medium confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Well-maintained gardens and grounds
- Peaceful beach areas
- Relaxed daytime vibe
Heads up
- Nightly entertainment and disco
- Some guests want less reggaeton, more Cuban music
Spa, sauna, gym with trainer, beauty salon, miniclub, game room, sports courts, non‑motorized watersports, day/night entertainment.
What past guests say
Latest reviews from Tripadvisor
Loaded live from Tripadvisor when you ask — the newest reviews and the current rating.
Know before you book
- Limited buffet variety and poor food quality
- Service delays and lack of towels or clean linens
- Maintenance issues: elevators, cleanliness, roaches, mold
- Mosquitoes at dusk
What you should know
What to Know
This is an older property in a country dealing with real shortages, so pack snacks and lower your expectations on food and utilities. Rooms open at 4pm sharp and the open bar has real limits.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Backup generators keep power on during blackouts
- Wi-Fi works in rooms
- Walking distance to Varadero town
- À la carte restaurants require sign-up
Heads up
- Check-in not until 4pm, often later
- Open bar limited to beer, wine, coffee and basic rum; premium spirits cost USD
- Intermittent hot water and elevator outages
- Bring snacks from home as backup
Book à la carte dinners early and bring insect repellent (mosquitoes at dusk); elevators may be unreliable; beach chairs fill early.
All photos
Photo: Tripadvisor
Photo: Tripadvisor
Photo: Tripadvisor
Photo: Tripadvisor
Photo: Tripadvisor
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What we know
Everything below comes from data we collected: here's the inventory for this resort.Updated June 2026- Photos
- 5
- Review excerpts
- Not yet collected
- Dining venues
- Not yet collected
- Menus
- Not yet collected
- Room categories
- Not yet collected
- Videos
- 3
- Editorial lenses
- 8
We aggregate. We don't trap. Verify on any of these:
Where this data comes from
We tell you what we know, and what we don't.
- Last updated
- June 23, 2026
- Sources
- Direct resort media
- Completeness
- 50%
Source collection snapshot
These collection totals can differ from the items available on this page. Video totals include screened results; the inventory above counts published tours.
- 5 photos
- 45 videos
Still verifying dining, menus, rooms. If something looks thin, ask Rosie or ask our booking team and they can usually fill in the gaps.