We stayed at Dos Mares twice during our visit to cuba. Our first 2 nights were great. Nice big room (209) with an obstructed view of the ocean but ok. The room was very clean and quiet with 5 windows for a cross breeze. The breakfast is standard cuban fare but sufficent to tie you over for a bit. We like the room so much and the price was perfect 40 cuc for both of us we decided to reserve it for our last two night in cuba since we like it we thought why now. Well when we arrived back at the hotel 10 nights later the room we reserved was not available since the people who were staying there had a 16 hour flight delay and needed to stay another night. (I thought that once a room was reserved they should have moved those people out for there last night since the room was already reserved.) She told us that we can have room 109 which is right below and is the same so i thought ok no big deal. We got the keys and went to the room to have a look. First of the light cords above the bed had no plugs just the wired stuck into the wall mere inches from your head, the toilet had no seat and the towels in the room didn't look all that clean. I headed back down to the front desk to voice my concerns and the woman said that she can give us 101 for the first night and then 209 for the second. The room was smaller but she still wanted us to pay the 40cuc after a long drawn out debate she reinburised us 10 cuc. Thanks for the effort but next time i think they should stick to there reservations. Over all good location just mere steps away from a quiet section of beach and close to everything varadero has to offer.

The hotel is what you pay for. We had quite a big, clean room (we had to pay little extra). Theres TV, bar downstairs and breakfast included (Cuban standart). Beautiful beach behind the hotel. There was a a small lizzard in our room to be honest. They wanted us to pay for luggage stoage the day we were leaving which I found a bit unusual.

Dos Mares is perfectly fine for the cost. Our room was small but quiet enough. There are very few twin rooms. If booking ahead, be careful that you book for Dos Mares itself rather than its sister hotel, the Pullman, most of which is on the main road and looked to us very noisy.

We stayed both at this hotel and at the Pullman a week later. I would recommend this hotel over the Pullman. Like others recent reviewers, we found it noisy: earplugs are a must. I may well be better if you have a room on the inside (not facing the street (Calle 53, I think it is), but ours was just above it. Whatever. Bring your earplugs or, if you're like us and forgot them, get them at the pharmacy, in the shopping complex (a bit expensive but, surprisingly, of excellent quality).
The location can't be beat. You are meters from the beach. In stark contrast with Pullman, the service--both at the desk and in the restaurant for breakfast--is friendly and the breakfast itself is good. We booked through Cubaism (http://www.cubaism.com/cuba-products-and-services.asp?lID=1) and there were no problems. If you're not into the resort scene, try this place (but note that Casas Particulares were just very recently legalized in Varadero. It was too late for us to book one).