22 Best Hotels in Western Cuba, Cuba

This top-of-the-line, rather grandiose resort has an impressive pool with dramatically eclectic design elements, including domed temples on islets, connected by Venetian bridges. Thatched palapas provide private shade on one of the smoothest stretches of beach, and there are calm waters on the peninsula. Other sophisticated features in this columned pleasure palace include Japanese and Mediterranean options among the five restaurants, an ultra-luxe spa, a nightclub, and sports ranging from archery to tennis. The elegant, spacious rooms and even larger junior suites are spread over 11 thatch-roofed, low buildings. Decorated in shades of peach, these rooms are among the most luxurious in Varadero. The large bathrooms are notable for their high-quality fixtures,walk-in showers, and decorative tile work. There are organized activities for kids 4 to 12, but this is mostly an upscale, adult environment.

One of the best of Varadero's all-inclusives, this resort stands out as an all-suites, adults-only luxury property with five lagoon pools swirling around lush gardens and handsome, three-story buildings with Spanish-colonial architectural flourishes. The impressive main lobby feels more like the entry hall to a European chateau, but painted in Caribbean colors. All activities and facilities are found just off the Plaza Viaja, with its Old Havana-inspired architecture. Rooms are spotless and furnished with Edwardian-style, dark-hardwood antique reproductions. Sea-view rooms are on the upper two floors and there are 12 ground-level suites for landlubbers. Bungalows A, C, and D have ocean views. With eight restaurants—two of them exclusively for ultra-luxe Royal Service guests—you won't have a chance to get bored with the buffet. One of the most enticing features here is that you can swim your way from some suites directly into the largest pool. It's at the farthest end of the peninsula, away from town, but close to the new marina and Las Morlas shopping center.

Varadero's reigning luxury resort for adults creates an aura of castaway-island seclusion, amid swaying Royal palms, tropical gardens and an unequaled beachfront that's dotted with thatch-roofed shelters. Sparkling-blue waterways wind throughout the property and guests travel shaded, flower-edged paths to spacious, sophisticated, two-level rooms that have sitting areas overlooking bedrooms. Brand-new, contemporary bathrooms have separate tub, vanity, and toilet areas, and each room has a private, white-railed veranda with either a sunrise or sunset view. The modern, all-white, main lobby, with a 24-hour bar, is where guests meet their private concierge, who will look after all their needs throughout their stay. Along with excellent à la carte restaurants, the hotel features a mini-village of cafés, featuring French crepes, homemade ice cream and Italian coffee, which is all included. There's also an impressive, air-conditioned cigar emporium. Two night clubs—one a disco, the other, live jazz—complement the nightly entertainment on an outdoor stage beside the largest of the resort's two pools. Tennis courts and a serene spa offer other diversions. Many of the mostly Canadian, British, and German guests are repeat visitors, seduced by the service and attention to detail here, orchestrated by a Canadian-based management team.

If an active beach vacation is what you're looking for, this centrally located, really big, all-inclusive resort combines two properties that share a plethora of pools, restaurants, and activities. The Arenas Blancas side has a striking interior courtyard adorned with hanging plants that fall for the length of the four-story construction, along with newer, more contemporary rooms than the older Solymar side. This is a busy complex, attracting families with kids of all ages, as well as younger crowds who mass at the property's main bar every night. Close to the center of town, it's also the ideal location if you want to get away from the crowd and explore on your own.

Ten bohíos, simple, traditional cabins with thatch roofs, ceiling fans and private bathrooms are scattered around a field with a few shade trees. Five of the cabins have hot water and there are also two small, single rooms in the main building with air-conditioning. Most guests are up early since this is a good base camp for early-morning bird-watching or fishing expeditions in the nearby Parque Nacional Ciénaga de Zapata. Guests can also rent bikes to explore the countryside. The Cuban home cooking in the on-site restaurant ($) is also a boon in these parts. The frituras de yuca (fried yucca), tasajo (shredded beef), and the mango sauce with cheese are classics.

This towering, sloping structure has the boldest architecture in Varadero and an excellent reputation as a family-oriented resort. Inside the peninsula's highest building there's an impressive, 100-foot high atrium, draped with ivy that cascades down to a contemporary lobby. Sports facilities are abundant, with a huge quatrefoil-shape pool, tennis and basketball courts, and water-sports facilities. A walkway passes through a narrow band of trees to the wide beach. The brightly colored, contemporary rooms have two twins or a king-size bed. Suites have a separate living room and two terraces. The first child, age 2 to 12, stays free. Be sure to book a room facing the ocean rather than the road.

Sunrises and sunsets viewed from this elegant hotel's hilltop setting are unequaled. Overlooking the valley and the town, you're not likely to miss the sunrise once roosters down in the valley start crowing at first light. The hotel's 62 rooms are arranged in two-story wings, each with shuttered French doors leading out to a small private terrace. Columns, arched transom windows, and red-tile roofs add a Spanish flavor to the yellow-brick buildings. The rooms are on the small size, as are the bathrooms, but they have quiet air-conditioning, safes, minibars, and satellite TV. The rooms with the best views are Nos. 57 to 64, but everyone has a spectacular sunset view from the restaurant at dinner. A good-size swimming pool is in the center of carefully groomed lawns. There are well-kept tennis courts, as well as riding and hiking excursions around the valley. The restaurant ($) serves passable fare (breakfast is excellent), and the staff is attentive.

Be sure to take an early-morning walk along the dirt roads between La Ermita and the center of Viñales to see how the locals really live.

Once a Castro bass-fishing refuge (Bohío 33 was El Comandante's), this odd hideaway is perched on 12 little islands in the Laguna del Tesoro. Scattered throughout the islands are circular cabins with good screens, air-conditioning, and adequate comforts—though the mosquitoes can be fierce. It's a 15-minute boat ride (CUC$15 round-trip per person) to headquarters, which is on stilts, as are all the cabins, connected by wood walkways over the lagoon. The lake is stocked with largemouth bass. This is an interesting place, but definitely only for fishermen or the adventurous.

This quiet, castaway-island resort is devoted to diving and snorkeling. Rooms, in wooden bungalows facing the beach, are modest and decorated motel-style, with air-conditioning and ceiling fans. More important, every room has a veranda with ocean views and breezes. The restaurant ($) serves passable Cuban specialties, fresh-caught lobster and pargo (red snapper) foremost among them. The bar is a lively spot after hours, and in the true castaway spirit you'll meet all of your fellow guests; Spain and Italy are especially well represented in summer. This is a good place if what you're seeking is sun, sea, diving, and snorkeling.

One of the best values in Varadero, this cheerfully retro property is right in the center of town, though it nevertheless has a great beachfront. The round pool is small but well designed, reminiscent of Cuba's glamorous, 1940s heyday. Rooms are simple but decorated in a riot of tropical colors. Along with the usual resort activities, this friendly place offers dancing and Spanish-language lessons.

Western Cuba's grande dame of hotels is painted rosy pink and is highlighted by arcs of stained glass windows over shuttered French doors that open onto balconies with spectacular, panoramic views of the valley and its limestone mogotes (steep-sided hills). All the hotel's rooms have air-conditioning, satellite TV, and safes. The 14 original rooms on the main building's top three floors have fresh, contemporary white-tile bathrooms with tubs and are tastefully decorated in subdued shades of yellow. There are no elevators, so if stairs are a problem, the next best rooms are the 14 large tropical bungalow suites on a slight slope below the main building, with verandas overlooking the valley. Newer, smaller rooms are arranged in a two-story 1990s addition that faces the huge pool, which is in need of some paint and repair. Comfortable poolside lounges are perfect perches for enjoying the view. The restaurant ($) is better than average, and the bar is gorgeous, with a carved-wood ceiling and more stained glass. There's Wi-Fi in the public areas of the main building.

On the highest forested part of Las Terrazas Biosphere Reserve, this "ecologically" designed hotel makes its point with a huge carob tree growing in the lobby, its branches escaping through skylights. The red-tile roof, green wood railings, and white walls echo the colors of the Cuban flag. The 21 original rooms on two levels have floor-to-ceiling windows looking on to private terraces, and come equipped with minibar, safe, and flat-screen TV. Modern bathrooms have tub/showers with leafy views. Sixteen newer rooms have higher, slanted ceilings and are a little more spacious. There are also five self-contained, modern rooms attached to community houses nearby. There's Wi-Fi in the lobby (extra charge) and in the restaurant, which has tables on two terraces suspended over the valley's edge, as well as a cozy inside dining room. Try the roasted Moka chicken bathed in a coffee liqueur sauce ($). This singular spot in the middle of a forest is still less than an hour from Havana. Activities include an 11-platform zip line (CUC$20) or a three-hour scenic walk. There's also a smallish pool in a forest setting.

Built by the duPont family, this grand, three-story 1920s mansion is Varadero's only true boutique hotel; with only a half-dozen rooms, it often sells out. Dark-wood paneling, a grand staircase, and heavy furniture give the place a slightly somber air. A little worn around the edges, it's more shabby genteel these days, but the historical ambience is intact. Winston Churchill—and more recently Vladimir Putin and members of the Kennedy family—are just some notable guests who have stayed here. It's also a bargain when you consider the room rate includes breakfast, dinner, and 18 holes of golf at the Varadero Golf Club. The upstairs restaurant ($$–$$$, reservations essential) is one of the peninsula's prettiest places to dine, even if the food is overpriced and below par. If you just want to lap up the ambience for an evening, head to the third-floor bar at sunset to enjoy the views and the experience of living it up like a duPont. Sunday is often quieter, and there's less chance of sharing the mansion with noisy tour groups.

Strictly a resort for grown-ups, Las Americas overlooks the Varadero golf course with its small lakes on one side, and a postcard-perfect beach on the other. Built in 1994, its "modern" architecture is already a little dated, but the rooms are spacious and impeccably maintained, decorated in flattering shades of peach. Rooms on the third and fourth floors have the best views. The bungalows have recently been redone and offer separate living rooms with large flat-screen TVs. If stairs are a problem, choose a ground-floor bungalow instead of a second-story one. The hotel's air-conditioned, marble-floor lobby has lots of comfortable, plush seating. Outside, you can cool off in two large and two smaller pools, or head to the 250-meter-wide beach, which is simply gorgeous and serene, minus any children under 18. Guests can dine at four à la carte restaurants—Japanese, Caribbean, International, and Italian—once each during a week-long stay. The golf course is one of the biggest attractions here, with special, all-inclusive rates for guests and free golf clinics by visiting pros.

This upscale, family-focused resort has a village-like feel, with avenues of palm trees leading to white-clapboard, Key West-style buildings. The open-design entryway is pleasing, with classical columns, contemporary furniture, and naturally lighted interior gardens that offer a pleasant welcome. Classic rooms occupy the two- and three-story buildings; Grande Suites are close to the beach and have two bathrooms. Premium rooms are in an adults-only area, while the 10 family-friendly junior suites are close to the kids' pool and have two bedrooms, one with a single bed plus a bunk bed. All rooms, decorated in a peach-and-watermelon "Caribbean" style have walk-in closets. On the waterside, there are picturesque lagoons and three pools—two of them for kids—plus a baby paddling pool. The 400-meter-wide beach edges calm, shallow water. There are nine restaurants and snack bars to choose from, plus nightly entertainment and programs for both kids and teenagers.

Varadero's first luxury hotel remains in the top tier of area resorts with six wings that fan out like flower petals from a lush circular atrium; the quality of the rooms and five à la carte restaurants don't disappoint. Paella is the lunch specialty at the casual, beachfront Ranchón restaurant. There are two pools and the requisite white beach. Although there is no kids' club, there are lots of child-focused, programmed activities. Rooms are sleek and modern and each has a balcony, with garden, pool, or ocean views (extra). Level Two rooms are close to the beach and have concierge service; premium ocean-view rooms have corner terraces with double the view. For golfers, there is a free shuttle service to the nearby Varadero Golf Club plus discounted rates.

In some ways, this rambling complex of pseudo-colonial-style, concrete bungalows and outbuildings epitomizes all that's wrong with Cayo Largo's tourism program: it lacks any authentic local character. The landscape is scrubby but the beach facing this spot is a cut above those farther east, and all the rooms are arranged around the pool. The Sol Pelícano does offer every imaginable activity, from basketball to diving to windsurfing, and there's also a kids' club.

This formerly dismal hotel has had a recent makeover with many improvements, including air-conditioning in all the rooms and spruced up interiors. The huge hotel pool has been repainted, and thatched umbrellas now make the windy beach more inviting. A crumbling, concrete sea wall, though, is still an eyesore, but it does keep the water a little calmer for swimming. About half the hotel's bungalows and rooms are now in use and they have been painted in cheerful tropical colors. Interiors have been freshly painted, with new wicker furniture and twin beds that are simple but fresh. All rooms now have safes (extra charge). The bungalows have one-, two-, and three bedrooms and there are also attached rooms in a row facing the beach. The best bungalows are Nos. 94 through 97, closest to the beach. This all-inclusive hotel has a large dining room and some evening entertainment on an open stage by the pool. The dive center and the hotel's organized excursions are the best reason to stay here.

Bay breezes help cool these basic, crinkle-top roofed bungalows that dot the lawn of this large property, which borders a good, sandy beach. All the bungalows, painted peach and turquoise, have separate sitting rooms, one or two bedrooms, and an outside covered sitting area. They are nothing fancy but they do all have air-conditioning. Ask for a bungalow as close to the beach as possible. As in most Cuban government-managed hotels, the food is nothing to write home about, but you won't starve. There's a pool and a breezy terrace bar where you can watch sunsets over the bay. This is a sound base for bird-watching treks and hikes in the Zapata wetlands, fishing excursions to the Laguna de las Salinas, or diving. It's encouraging to see some solar panels being used here.