See why so many travellers make Hotel Roc Arenas Doradas their resort of choice when visiting Varadero. Providing an ideal mix of value, comfort and convenience, it offers a family-friendly setting with an array of amenities designed for travellers like you.
The rooms offer a refrigerator and air conditioning, and getting online is possible, as paid internet access is available, allowing you to rest and refresh with ease.
Arenas Doradas features a concierge. In addition, as a valued Arenas Doradas Cuba guest, you can enjoy a pool and breakfast that are available on-site. Guests arriving by vehicle have access to free parking.
Travellers looking to enjoy some shrimp can head to Pizza Piazza Restaurant.
During your visit, be sure to check out a popular historic site like Ambrosio Cave, which is a short distance from the resort.
We’re sure you’ll enjoy your stay at Hotel Roc Arenas Doradas as you experience all of the things Varadero has to offer.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Value
Park View
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Location
Autopista Varadero, KM 12, Varadero 42200 Cuba
Hotel Roc Arenas Doradas
6,355 reviews
Getting there
Car recommended
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
This summary was created by AI, based on recent reviews.
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Hotel Roc Arenas Doradas seems to have a vibrant atmosphere, bolstered by live music that many guests enjoy. However, opinions on value are split, as some visitors have expressed concerns over hidden fees and the state of the rooms, which, while clean, are often described as needing upgrades.
The amenities generally receive positive remarks, particularly for their cleanliness and the friendly nature of the staff, though there have been mentions of shortages. Service quality appears to vary, with reports of both commendable staff interactions and frustrating delays in addressing guests' needs.
Atmosphere
Lively
Rooms
Dated
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Mixed
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Satisfactory
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There is many reasons why we return every year to Roc Arenas Dorades. You can't beat the personal touch that this resort provides. What can I say? From the VIP days anytime of the year to the week long events they have for us in April and September. It lets you stay in touch with friends you make from all around the globe. We see the same friends every year when we come and even keep in touch during the rest of the year. Yuya who works with the animation team is a great friend, wonderful personality and keeps things by the pool, etc. hopping along with Yas and the rest of the team. Not to mention the free bottles of Rum you can win playing games at the beach and around the pool. From Canadian day to Cuba day it is all incredible. The entire team at Roc Arenas Dorades keeps us coming back. From Daisy and Daniel at the pool bar which we spend most of our days around enjoying the sun to Pepe, Miladys and Rolito at the lobby bar where we spend our morning having an Americano and tea while we watch the sun rise, I can't say enough. They will even make a reservation for you at your favourite restaurant if you require. Jesus at the snack bar always has a friendly smile and they can dish up a nice snack and ice cream throughout the day. Elizabeth from housekeeping adds a personal touch when caring for your room and making sure you have all the necessities she has on hand. Coming back every year is like coming to visit family. There is a reason we spend my husband's birthday here every year, we don't see our at home family but this family is a fantastic and great stand in. We come for two weeks and always wish it was more. Try out Roc Arenas Decades and become family.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Santi_Arenas, Director de Relaciones Públicas at Hotel Roc Arenas Doradas
Responded Feb 3, 2020
Dear 950adrienneb, Thank you so much for your nice comments about us. We are so glad to receive once and once again in your second home! Our staff is our jewel, we are very proud of them. As always, we are at your entire disposal. Thank you so much. Regards
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We chose this hotel because our original destination was cancelled, not actually wanting to go to Varadero. Travelling with our 8 year old granddaughters, we took TripAdvisor's advice that this hotel would be a great place for kids and just booked it because of the smaller size of the hotel and the availability of a junior suite. I love my granddaughters but a single room was not happening! We were pleasantly surprised on almost every count. Our rooms, although scantily furnished (I really wish that there had been a dresser in the bedroom) were very clean thanks to our lovely maid Anismary. Every day our girls were eager to see what sort of bird she had created on their bed with towels and blankets. We got to know some of the wait staff but would like to single out the always smiling Suriemi for praise. She was efficient and joyful as she greeted everyone and remembered how we took our coffee. Mayelyn made pancakes and pizza for the girls and was just so sweet. My husband had some nice chats with gardeners Delvis and Adrian who climbed the tree to get us fresh coconuts and made liitle fish and crickets for our girls. Unexpected and wonderful treats. The girls enjoyed the Kid"s Club activities, at the clubhouse with Beverley and around the pool with Grette. The resort is centred around the pool, with a walkway down to the beautiful sand beach. I have some mobility issues so having our room close to the buffet, pool and life-sized checker board made travelling with kids ideal. We took lifejackets for our girls so if they wandered into deeper water in the pool, we could rest easy. They take up extra luggage room but were worth it. I will do a review of the jeep safari, expensive for us but a great day. I do not understand people who complain about the buffet food. I could get fresh fish and meats coooked right in front of us. There were always a variety of salad fixings, breads, fresh fruit and desserts. I did not have to cook or clean. What else do you want? The ambience of of a la carte restaurants was a nice break from the rather echo-y buffet restaurant but the food was not really any better. It was a treat to sit down and have the food brought to us. We would have loved to have seen the evening shows but after a day at the pool and beach, the 9:30 start was a little late for us. Even though we were close to the disco, the sound of music was never so loud that it interupted the rest of our evening. I know this is a long review but that is what I like to read before I choose a place to travel. Our family was glad we found this little jewel nestled among the bigger glitzy hotels on the strip. If I was going to make a return trip to the Varadero area of Cuba, I would certainly consider Roc Arenas Doradas.
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Date of stay: March 2020
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip:Units 5, 6, 7 closer to beach, 1 , 11 closer to buffet. Some units face sewage lagoon.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Santi_Arenas, Director de Relaciones Públicas at Hotel Roc Arenas Doradas
Responded Mar 12, 2020
Dear Excursion607605, We are very proud of your beautiful comments about our hotel. Thank you very much to sharing here, for us it is very important that other future customers can read and feel comments and experiences like yours. We work hard everyday and it´s a satisfaction to read your comment about the hotel, the services and the staff. We invite you to return to offer you an even better experience. We are at your disposal. Regards
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My best friend and I spend a week at this resort, December 17th - 24th and had a fantastic time. We were both first timers to Cuba and I have to say we will certainly be back to stay at this resort again. We stayed in block 9, we had an older room but it was kept very clean by housekeeping daily. A big thank you to Marleny (not sure if that is spelled right), who was our house keeper. All of the staff we encountered were fantastic and always greeted us with "Hola" whenever we would see them. I was told prior to my trip to not have high expectations of the quailty of food in Cuba but I was shockingly surprised because the buffet and both of the a la carte's we selected were great. The grilled tuna at the restaurant Natura was some of the best I've had. The bartenders at the pool bar make a mean margarita, I highly recommend trying that! I would also recommend bringing a voltage converter if you plan on using hair tools, but regular iphone chargers will work in the room plugs. Cannot wait to visit this resort again and bring along more friends to join in on the fun! See you soon RAD!
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Date of stay: December 2019
Value
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Santi_Arenas, Director de Relaciones Públicas at Hotel Roc Arenas Doradas
Responded Jan 4, 2020
Dear AlisonRandell, We are very proud of your beautiful comments about our hotel. Thank you very much for sharing here, for us it is very important that other future customers can read and feel comments and experiences like yours. We invite you to come back very soon to offer you an even better experience. We are at your disposal. Regards
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My friend and I had the most amazing time. The staff was awesome from the time we checked, someone came right away to take out bags to our room and made sure everything was ok. The house cleaning staff were so sweet and went above and beyond by making things out of our towels and blankets and leaving little notes to have a good day! The entertainment who put on all the games were upbeat and so much fun, they made the experience super great with so many things going on all day. The food was amazing in the Natura restaurant, I had the shrimp cocktail and the beef stroganoff and it was spectacular and could eat it everyday. The coffee spot was the best part of my morning and the barista were so kind and friendly. I would 100% come back here! If you come ask for Yas he will make sure you have an amazing time!
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Date of stay: March 2020Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Santi_Arenas, Director de Relaciones Públicas at Hotel Roc Arenas Doradas
Responded Mar 9, 2020
Dear Mirandasmarch, We would like to thank you for choosing our hotel to enjoy your vacation. We are pleased to know that you had a great stay, we work exclusively for the satisfaction of our customers. We invite you to return to offer you another great experience and a personalized service as a repeat customer. We are at your service. Regards
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We (my wife and I) went to Roc Arenas Doradas for the 4th time from Feb 25,2020 to Mar 3,2020. My sister, Kathy and our daughter, Amy, have gone with us for our last 3 trips there. We really like it there. It is not too big and the service is usually very good. This last trip we were upgraded to one of the updated rooms, received a bottle of rum for being a repeat client and were invited to share in a drink with other clients and staff of the hotel. On our first night there, our daughter, Luana ,and her family, surprised us by showing up at the hotel, when they were supposed to be back home looking after our cats. It was the best surprise ever! We mentioned to the staff (Suriemi) at the main buffet that it was our daughter, Amy's birthday on March 1 and the staff provided us with a cake and a bottle of sparkling wine on her birthday. Thank you to all of the staff serving us that night. (Arasay, Pedro, Hugo, and there was another woman whose name I cannot remember, but they were all very good servers.) We would also like to thank Vilma from Westjet who arranged for us to go to the Continental Cabaret in Varadero for one of their shows. It was a fantastic evening and didn't cost that much (40 cuc each and 15 cuc for the taxi to and from our resort) If you would like to watch a cabaret show and don't want to go to Havana for it, then I would definitely recommend this one. We are definitely going back next year. Also a band called Bad News played at our resort and they were a really good rock and roll band, who also perform at the Beatles bar in Varadero. Every year that we go, we are amazed at the variety of performers there and the fantastic job that they all do. Thank you to them for performing for us. As always, we would like to thank every member of the staff for making us feel welcome, speaking to us in our language, forgiving us for our mistakes in their language, and treating us like family and providing us with an enjoyable week.
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Date of stay: February 2020
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Updated room. Blue accent lights. Reading lights on each side of bed. Rainhead in large shower....
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Santi_Arenas, Director de Relaciones Públicas at Hotel Roc Arenas Doradas
Responded Mar 8, 2020
Dear Rick H, We would like to thank you for sharing your experiences during your holidays in our Hotel. We really value the repeater customer review. Our goal is our clients have a pleasant stay and that they want to return once again. Thank you and we will wait for you one more time. Always at your disposal. Regards
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Pros Good selection of food. Nice pool area for small children and adults Small resort, so easy to walk everywhere Beach is wonderful. Lots of chairs and palapas. Liked the Dolce Vita restaurant Kids club was nice and well maintained even if not many activities and closed most of the time.
Cons No mini bar, only water Resort is very Dated, Walkways need repair, water fountains not working or with stagnant water. Rooms very old unless you pay 200$ more for a Roc Plus room Rooms in bloc 11 are close to the outside theatre and are very loud.
Roc Plus Option. We paid extra for the roc plus option thinking we would get a renovated room BUT if you have children they will automatically give you a suite in bloc 11 instead. they are huge with two rooms, 2 TV, 2 air conditioners but NOT renovated. It could be a good option for larger families.
We requested a change to a renovated ROOM in Bloc 3 or 4 since we were only 3 people and two double beds were fine for us. (A 4 year old child in a large suite in another bedroom was not a good option for us) We loved our quiet renovated room so much better.
The only other bonus for the Roc Plus room was a free 3PM check out. instead of noon. Also had reserved seating at beach but others went there anyway. No updated drinks of any kind.
With children we liked this resort a lot better than memories.
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Date of stay: January 2020
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Santi_Arenas, Director de Relaciones Públicas at Hotel Roc Arenas Doradas
Responded Jan 27, 2020
Dear Louise D, We would like to thank you for choosing our hotel to enjoy your vacation. Thank you for sharing your opinion for us is very important. The renovation of our hotel is a priority, we already have 2 blocks of renovated rooms and we will continue in the future with more blocks. In addition we continuously carry out renovations in public areas of the hotel. We hope you visit us again to offer personalized attention and an unforgettable experience. We are at your service. Regards
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The hotel is a little dated but everything is clean, workers extremely nice. Room was clean and the maid was bringing a 2 l bottle of water every day. The food was excellent, various& fresh: fruit, vegetables, all kinds of meat. There are two grills available and the cooks are always there for you. The beach was clean, the seaweed was cleaned every day; water is fantastic, very suitable for small children. You get fresh towels every day, there is a special cabin where you go and get them, based on a ticket you received upon your arrival. You have a bar very close to the beach, one by the pool and one in the lobby - unlimited cocktails, coffee, pops. You can give tips in convertible pessos (which is 100 CAD= ~68 CUC). We travelled with Sunwing, they were very professional. We got instructed the first day we arrived about the money, water, trips, locals, stores, transport, everything. I suggest you go to that meeting if it's your first time there. The reception went quick when we arrived, as well as when we left. The connection from and to the airport was good, about 30 minutes with the bus. If you don't want to take the bus, you can rent a taxi. I suggest take the trip to Havana, and have a drive with their taxis. I was very impressed by our guide, Ray.
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Date of stay: January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Santi_Arenas, Director de Relaciones Públicas at Hotel Roc Arenas Doradas
Responded Mar 5, 2020
Dear CarPet202020, We would like to thank you for choosing our hotel to enjoy your vacation. We are pleased to know that you had a great stay, we work exclusively for the satisfaction of our customers. We invite you to return to offer you another great experience and a personalized service as a repeat customer. We are at your service. Regards
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Best part of this resort is the beach. Soft powdery sand and crystal clear turquoise water. Always found loungers at beach and pool without reserving them. Food was okay although variety was minimal at times. Would have been nice to have some sort of potato especially at breakfast as most other resorts offer. Drinks were good especially the frozen lemonade at the lobby bar. Service at the buffet was poor. Most times had to fill our own water glasses from drink station. Tables not cleared and reset in timely manner. Food at Italian and Steakhouse was good. It is possible to get an updated room without paying the extra Roc Plus fee. We ended up with updated rooms in Block 3 just by asking. Loved the close proximity to the pool and beach. The resort is smaller so can easily walk everywhere. BRING BUG SPRAY! The mosquitoes were swarming us in the evenings. I saw many people with bites on their legs (not just from mosquitoes). A tip to anyone going into Varadero: always confirm the price before taking horse/buggy ride. Driver told us 10 CUC for 1 hour. He didn't mention that was per person so it cost 40 CUC for 4 of us to take buggy ride for approx 50 mins. Big rip off considering we took a convertible taxi back to our resort for 15 CUC.
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Date of stay: February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Santi_Arenas, Director de Relaciones Públicas at Hotel Roc Arenas Doradas
Responded Feb 24, 2020
Dear Karen C, We would like to thank you for choosing our hotel to enjoy your holidays. Thanks for sharing your opinion, it is very important for us to have this feedback. We work every day to continue improving our offers in the Buffet restaurant as well as try to offer a fast and professional service despite the high occupancy. We must point out that although we carry out all the precise actions, the fact that we are in the Caribbean allows the occasional presence of mosquitoes in outdoor areas. We invite you to return to offer a better experience. We are at your disposal. Regards
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My wife and I went to Roc Arenas Doradas, Cuba, in January 2020. Vacation was booked through Westjet Vacations. Our room was terrible....mold on the ceiling, broken lamp with exposed, live wires, a toilet that was missing the flush button, ground level patio door that was held closed by a night chain, staining on walls, broken mini fridge and old shabby furniture. Went back immediately to request another room but were told that it would cost an extra 40 Pesos per night. I brought the matter up with the Westjet Rep and showed her the state of the room. Said she would take it up with her management but we never saw her again. Given the circumstances we had no choice but pay the extra ( $497.02 CDN) with hopes of taking it up with Westjet. Complaint to Westjet was useless. They said they investigated our complaint ( although they twice declined to view photos that we had) and deemed the room acceptible. It was their opinion that I had opted for an "upgrade" Apparently a renovated version of our room ( clean, safe and healthy) is considered an upgrade. Final response from Westjet Vacations was to offer 200 Westjet dollars, which I declined as it would require giving them a few thousand "real" dollars in order to avail of it. In their final communication they told us to not contact them anymore and if we did it would be ignored. Two stars to the hotel.. I would give negative stars to Westjet Vacations if I could.
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Date of stay: January 2020
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from pedroRocHotelsCuba, Supervisor General at Hotel Roc Arenas Doradas
Responded May 21, 2020
Dear overandout315, We are very sorry because you not enjoyed your holidays at our Resort. We are considering that probably the badunderstanding with your representative was the beginning of your nonconformity with our services in general. We are very sorry.
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The service was awesome as always! Yes, there is more locals than prior, however you need to understand that Cuba is also trying to recover from the pandemic like the rest of the world. The staff is always smiling and asking if everything is good.
The rooms are clean, some are dated, some are updated. Block 3 & 4 are renovated rooms and they are continuing to work on blocks to renovate. Was hoping that they would update the suites (block 11) that has not happened yet. The renovated rooms only have showers no bath tub (for someone looking for a tub).
The location is perfect halfway down the peninsula, beach is stunning white sand and turquoise water. Be aware that sand fleas are active at dawn and dusk. We never had an issue, however people have had an issue. Best solution is do not go at dawn or dusk or use Vick's vapor rub around ankles.
Cuba is known for friendly citizens and beaches, if you have high expectations for food you will sadly be disappointed. We never have an issue with food, take a little of each to try. The Al La Carte's were fantastic, with a lot of choices for main course.
From the front reception, coffee bar, lobby bar, pool bar, entertainment, kids club, towel exchange, beach bar, a la carte restaurants, beach restaurant, maids, gardeners, security and maintenance all amazing staff.
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Date of stay: April 2022
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Malaika Garcia Martinez, Sales at Hotel Roc Arenas Doradas
Responded Jul 25, 2022
Dear 285debbyf, We want to thank you for once again choosing our hotel to enjoy your vacation. We highly value the opinions of our repeat customers, they motivate us to continue working to improve our offers and provide an excellent service. We are at your service. Regards
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There are more places to choose from in the Varadero area.
ALSO KNOWN AS
arenas doradas varadero, arenas doradas cuba
LOCATION
CaribbeanCubaMatanzas ProvinceVaradero
NUMBER OF ROOMS
316
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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