My two girlfriends and I flew to Cuba for a celebration vacation. We all turn 40 this year and wanted to do it right! Well with the assistance of Francisco this trip went beyond all our expectations and we can hardly wait to return. Arriving at 12:40 am we were thinking we would just fall into bed, but once we got to our very nicely air conditioned villa room and saw that we were so close to the 24 hr bar, the party was on!

The resort is large, but walking through the well maintained grounds is a pleasure. We had fantastic weather, with only an occasional shower. The beach was great, with fantastic snorkelling right of the shores off the resort. As well included are endless rides out on the small catamaran's. This was an absolute blast and we send a warm hello to Ivan who thoroughly made the rides out and back hilarious!

Realizing this is a 3 star resort, we had no great expectations regarding the food. There was nothing really to complain about, we didn't go there to eat. We did however have a couple of amazing lobster dinners. One on a day trip and one on the resort! I think people should be very aware that while we sit there and push our plates away with what we may not consider acceptable, the people removing your plates would give anything to have just a bit of that to take home to their family.

The alcohol flowed and we want to suggest to anyone that goes to this resort to say hello to Abel at the pool bar and request one of his infamous "Slide downs".....delicious!!! That pool bar really does end up being the gathering place and its also only steps from the beach which is quite handy.

Wonderful market right beside the resort. Most individuals you can barter with, just don't insult them. Beautiful quality and unique gifts.

One of the final things we did was have a local take us out with his horse and buggy to local homes so that we could personally give them items we had brought with us. Things like shampoo, soap, toothpaste, pencil crayons, small note books, hair ties, toothbrushes etc. Again they are so grateful for anything, and we come there with so much.

Do the day trips! They are a blast and worth the money. There are a number of pools. The pool with the pool bar is a little louder that the others, but it is a great deal of fun. If you just want quiet than go to the far end of the beach or to the quiet pool between the 24 hr bar and El Benny's.

My husband and I (33 and 28) spent our summer holiday (15-30 August) at hotel Club Amigo Atlantico. We were surprised by the size of the resort, we didn’t expect it to be this large. We stayed at the bungalow part of the resort and have no complaints about the accommodation. But we were disappointed by the lack of choice for restaurants:

The only a la carte that was opened during our stay was the El Benny’s restaurant, and for the buffet only the restaurant in the main building. This was a big disappointment!
Food at El Benny’s was OK, but food at the buffetrestaurant was not up to our standards: most of the time the food was lukewarm or even cold, although it was supposed to be warm. It didn’t matter what time we came. Food should be kept at the right temperature! No wonder that many of our group got stomachproblems. The service at the bars and snackbars was bad, tipping in advance was the only way to get their attention.

One of the other things that bothered us about the resort was the music. On the beach, and by the pool the music was turned on really loud. As we like to relax and read, this was really irritating.

We loved eating at a small restaurant outside the resort, “ El Cayuelo”, good service and really nice food, while enjoying the ocean view. Going there by taxi took us less than 5 minutes and cost 2 pesos. For less than 15 pesos you were able to enjoy a starter, main course and a drink. The pizzeria just outside the resort was nice as well.

If you decide to go to Guardalavaca be sure to take a trip to Santiago de Cuba, take a carriage ride (stops near the hotel), go on a snorkeling trip and visit the souvenir market just outside the hotel. The beach and the countryside are really beautiful and it was a pity that we were advised that it’s not safe to drive due to all the different kinds of vehicles that use the road and weird traffic laws.

Hi, went to this resort with Sunset part of Thomas Cook We shopped around for prices and some of the other travel agents could not believe the price we had been quoted for Cuba by traveldealsdirect.co.uk so if you are thinkng of travelling please look at their site. We stayed in the VILLA rooms, which were clean and spacious and looked out onto the beach. These were two storeys and the upper rooms had balconies. Air-con was brilliant. TV showed US sitcoms, news channel and a movie channel which was great for the teenagers when they had too much sun or could not be bothered to get out of bed.

Humidity off the scale. Weather very hot, only one real downpour although there was lots of thunder. Beach lovely. To the left on the beach lots of locals but to the right a lot quieter probably cos no straight beach access for them. Countryside looks like something out of Jurassic Park.

Pedaloes, snorkelling and catamarans (with driver) free but need to be booked in advance.

Please remember this is 3 star so value for money I would say good.

Buffet food OK, there was always something you could eat.Not air-conditioned downside.

Chef serving from hotplate at the end, different choice each night fish or meat. 3 restaurants you could book. El Benny best of bunch, staff friendly, nice setting- lobster prawns extra 10 pesos but not worth it, take one of their options pork and beef both good..Try black bean soup. Other place cannot remember name opposite main buffet based on Columbus so waiting staff in hats, once again friendly. All meat on skewers, plus prawns. If you go for early sitting seem to get more meat. My husband asked for separate plate for prawns and got about 20. Needless to say ate them all. Italian option poor basically same as they serve during day as snack.

24 hour bar by quiet pool do nice breakfast and snacks. Pizza, burgers, spag bog etc Shame that drinks are served in plastic cups. Couple of times got glasses-yipee. Some of barman happy to make cocktails with smile others look plain bored. One would serve the other two would talk. Customer service not big here. Tip at begining this always gets better service and sometimes table service so you can avoid the Q.

First night we tipped barman then did not see him for 7 days, although on day 8 he remembered us.

Do the dolphin trip, excellent value for money my 14 year old son said best thing he has ever done. He also enjoyed the speed boat trip where he got to drive around the bay and thru a swampy bit. Can also take horse and buggy ride.

The overnight trip to Havana was good despite the travelling time .4 star hotel food was excellent..Colonial Havana lovely despite lot of it falling down..Havana where the ordinary people live and shop? depressing take a valium. Hemmingway bar Floridita v nice .Food disappointing. Cocktails lovely. Did not visit his room in Hotel - others did, rooftop bar there has views over city and great drinks, sorry we missed this.

Were told there is local bus which stops outside hotel main reception and it takes you on trip around Indian park and inlet where Columbus was said to have landed. Cheaper here than the rep trip and you can do it in your own time.

Did not really see 16 year old son the whole time we were there, he made friends and spent lots of time at disco which he said was very basic but after couple of drinks improved. He said best holiday he has had so far, but then he did not spend it with his parents or boring younger brother. Ha ha. Daytime activies very basic and shows in eve basically band and poor games. Entertainment staff -where? Went to Dominican couple of years ago and entertainment were in uniform and high profile in good way ,here seemed to be non-existent. Volley ball was played in main hotel pool most days. This can be viewed from swim up bar between 11 am and 4 pm. Hubbie done archery twice-ok.

One of reasons we booked, the brochure talked about basketball court and football area which we thought might be useful for the boys. Both areas unuseable.

All in all we had very lazy holiday and we met some really nice people so we enjoyed ourselves here but would not rush back. - Worth going.

Liked: Air conditioning,in room and huge big bed in room.Daiquiris when made in glass.Quite pool and 24 hour bar.Couple of nights there till 2 and 4 in morning.

Disliked: no air conditioning in main buffet.main hotel quite shabby

Excellent Value

Recently returned from a 1 week stay at the Club Amigo Bungalow section (Air Transat). This is our second time to this resort in 6 months and again we had a wonderful time. In all honesty the only really thing that ticked us off was the 3 hour delay while waiting in the airplane before take off on the way home--but it was not to be helped as there apparently was a security issue with a passenger who had to be deplaned then they had to find his luggage.

The resort is a budget 3* hotel and if this is what you expect you will be pleasantly surprised! We paid $652 (plus tax) per person (high season rates) to go to this resort and we couldn't have been happier with what we received in return. If you want 5* quality at a 3* price shell out some more money!

Check In/Out:
Extremely fast and efficient.

Rooms:
Our room was basic and a bit out dated but we always had hot water, always cool remote control A/C, enough good channels (we mostly watched CNN, a movie channel, ESPN and TBS) on our TV. We only had 3/4 beds but I have had the same style in all of our 5 trips to Cuba--so it was no biggy--we just sleep closer together (or if you prefer you can both have your own beds!). We found the mattresses and pillows to be quite comfortable and we slept great every night.
Maid service was great everyday except one where our rooms were not cleaned until after 4pm--but it only happened once so it wasn't a big deal--in fact some days the rooms were cleaned before we returned from breakfast.

Food:
There are a lot of places to eat at this place! In total there are 4 snack bars, 3 buffets, 3 a la cartes.
For breakfast you have the choice of the 24 hour snack bar, or a buffet in the Bungalow, Alantico or Gaurdalavaca section. We stayed in the bungalow section so for breakfast we only ate there---we found that the breakfast was excellent most days; the fresh omelettes and freshly squeezed OJ were consistently great!
The rest of the buffet that was offered for breakfast was usually good but some days not on the hottest side. After breakfast we always headed to the snack bar for a excellent cappuccino or cafe latté.
For lunch you have the choice of a buffet in the Alantico or Gaurdalavaca (we preferred the Gaurdalavaca) or a snack (i.e. pizza, burger, pasta, fries etc.) in the Alantico pool area, Bungalow snack bar, Gaurdalavaca snack bar or the 24 hour (Villa) snack bar. We found that we always had enough to eat for lunch.
For dinner you have 3 a la cartes--we ate at them all and found that the meat was good at all of them but at El Furte and Los Americas the side dishes were the exact same canned veggies and rice. We preferred the side dishes at El Benny's (Cuban) where you tasted authentic Cuban sides. You also can choose to eat at any of the 3 buffets--we only tried the buffet for dinner in the Bungalow section and it was actually quite good. Lastly you can eat at the 24 snack bar--for again, burgers, fries etc.
We were repeat guests so we were invited to a special dinner where we had lobster tails, shrimp, champagne and ice cream cake. It was quite nice. All in all we were quite happy with the food as we always found something we liked.

Drinks:
There are only domestic brands at the resort but this didn't bother us in the least. Most people in our party drank the beer and quite enjoyed it. I also drank red wine at dinner and enjoyed a Bloody Mary or Gin and Tonic from time to time.

Beach:
The beach is very nice--but not extremely long--it only took about 30 mins to walk the length and return. Clear blue water and nice sand. If you want to go on the catamaran or peddle boat you must book these but if you want to snorkel it is first come first serve. This was a bit of a disappointment for us as we booked the paddleboat specifically to go out and snorkel but all the snorkelling equipment was already out. We made due with 1 mask and still enjoyed the great snorkelling this area ( go out approximately 200 metres) has to offer. Also there are not enough loungers for all the people at this resort--so you must put towels out early morning if you want to sunbathe after breakfast.

Pools:
There are 4 very large pools (one in each section). All were kept clean and none were overly busy. The water was a bit cold in the pool--but I suppose that is to be expected this time of the year.

Service:
Service was decent--as all resorts, some staff are fabulous, some are great and a few look tired and bored--

Location:
This hotel is close to a little market (approximately 8-15 vendors depending on the day) and about 10-15 little shops. The stores don't carry much but on cooler days it can be fun to look around in them. The hotel also has 3 gift shops.

My boyfriend and i booked this deal for £602 each for 2 weeks. We didnt expect much as we got the holiday for such a cheap price but we ended up having the best time ever!!!!

The food was brilliant, so much choice, even if you are a fussy eater there would be something in the resort you would like. It was a bit strange to get used to, e.g. scrambled eggs with vegetables in for breakfast, but there was alot of 'normal' food aswell. There are 3 buffet restaurants and 3 al la carte. The buffet restaurant '1720' in the bungalows section is the best. As soon as you check in, book at the al la carte's as they can be really hard to get into! The snack bar in the villas section is also great, they serve pizzas, burgers etc

We had a room in the main part of the hotel which had a great view of the sea and was plenty big enough for the 2 of us. It was cleaned every day, the maids also made swans and hearts out of our towels. The rooms in the bungalows and villas sections did look nicer but if you going to spend your holiday in your room, theres no point in going in the first place!

We went on a trip to Holguin on of the main cities. This was a brilliant trip with a very informative and friendly tour guide. On that trip we went on a tour of the cigar rolling factory. This was an eye opening experience and def worth going too! We also swam with dolphins which was amazing!

The people in the hotel are so friendly its untrue! They were constantly going out of their way to make the tourists happy and they always had a huge smile in their face.

As it was all inclusive we didnt spend hardly any money, the moeny we did spend was on tipping. When we went to the cigar factory we were told that the cubans made 12 peso a month!!!!!! We couldnt believe this as there are 1.5 peso to every english pound. Tips are greatly appreciated and really make all the difference. We also took things like pens, sweets for the children, make up to tip the maids, toiletries etc.

General: This hotel is a 3-3.5 star hotel in Cuba, not the place to take your luxury dream vacation. If that is what you are looking for do yourself and everyone else a favour and spend a bit more to go to a better hotel. There are lots of them. We choose this spot, because the reviews were good and we were looking for a quick getaway that we could afford. We paid $2,800 for 2 of us for 2 weeks, for a tropical room, I wouldn't pay much more. This fit the bill. The food is typical Cuban fair, not a culinary experience, but it was fine.

The Flight & Arrival: Sky Service is terrible, what else can I say. I practically needed a shoe horn to get myself in and out of the seat. It was a miserable experience. The return flight was delayed 8 hours due to weather in Canada, unavoidable I guess, but would have been good if they had given us a bit of warning. Arrival at the airport went smoothly and the bus ride to the hotel was uneventful. If you want beer for the ride, buy it at the booth by the airport door (inside) it costs more outside of the building. There is a place to change money at the airport, but also a bank in the hotel. Check in went OK, but for the first couple of nights we were on the 4th floor of the main hotel and the elevator was out of service, so hauling the luggage upstairs was not fun!

The Hotel: Our first room was really small, but had a balcony with with a spectacular view of the ocean. Probably would have toughed it out, but I'm getting to be an old guy and with the elevator out of commission the 4th floor sucked, also nothing in the room worked. So after 3 nights of (pleasant) regular complaining, they moved us to a much nicer room in the Bungalows, but without the view. We had friends staying in the Villas section, their room was great. If the better rooms are available when you get there, you can upgrade much cheaper than booking them in advance, but you take your chances on availablity.

Excursions: We looked at the Santiago de Cuba excursion, but for the price, it was way cheaper for the four of us to rent a car and drive. The car cost about 300 pesos for 3 days with unlimited mileage and a full tank of gas (which was enough). If you do this be aware they only have standard transmissions available. Invest in a good map and get directions before leaving. Our Sunquest rep tried to talk us out of it, saying it wasn't safe, don't listen. Be sure to leave early in the day, you do not want to drive at night the roads are terrible, there are very few signs and you will have a hard time finding anyone who can speak english to give you directions. You also want to arrive before dark so you can find your way around. The first night we stayed at the Hotel Las Americas for 69 CUC per room. It had beds, airconditioning, a pool and booze, all the necessities, it also included breakfast. We would have stayed the second night but they were booked up.One of our group had done some research on Casa Particular and had brought the info, we did some phoning and arranged to stay in a beautiful house with some great people. The rooms were 20 CUC, you could opt in or out of breakfast and dinner. We opted in and had 2 great meals very reasonably priced.We went out to Casa de la Trova and saw an amazing Cuban Band - Maria Ochoa. Other highlights were the Castile del Morro, this is really worth seeing, the Moncada Barracks museum, the Rum Museum and just general sight seeing. Santiago de Cuba is a very beautiful City, but not a beach spot. It is also worth noting that most of the time when we ordered coffee, they had no milk, taking 2 or 3 of the tetra packs of milk could make you very popular.

We also signed up for the Catamaran 3 times, but each time it was cancelled due to weather. So we never did get to do it.

The Beach: The beach is quite beautiful, very close to shore the sand ends and a very wide strip of vegetation starts, with lots of stuff living in it. Once you pass this there are a series of small reefs with lots of fish. You could probably walk all the way to were the reefs start, it stays quite shallow, but I would not advise it especially not without proper foot protection the grasses are full of sea urchines. Also our first day there, after snorkelling out quite far when we came back in our friend took off his fins and stepped on what the locals called "Las Rayas" a small stingray, it is quite rare for them to be in that close, but it can happen. They bury themselves in the sand so they are difficult to detect. He received two very painful stings had to undergo medical treatment and was in rough shape for a couple of days. I advise water shoes or diving "booties" they look dorky, but they keep you safe.

The snorkelling was quite good, at times we were out at least a mile and a half from the shore, so far that we could no longer see the beach. If you don't want to swimming that far you can take a paddle boat and take turns snorkelling. There were tons af fish of many varieties, we took several of the disposable underwater cameras and have some spectacular pictures! If you like to snorkel this is a great spot. We did not go scuba diving this time.

At times it was hard to get chairs on the beach, we had a blanket with us though, so we could always manage to find a spot.

The Flea Market: Next door to the hotel is a great little flea market, dedicated mostly to artisans, lots of carvings, handmade jewellery, leather goods and clothing. Also a good supply of tee shirts. It is worth visiting more than once as the vendors seemed to rotate from day to day.

Restaurants: The buffets were pretty standard, although the one in the bungalows section (1720) was better than the others. The wine is terrible (like I said not a culinary experience), stick with beer, or pick up a bottle of of the San Cristobal at Centro Commercial across the road for 6 or 7 CUC. For our special dinner on Valentines Day we bought a bottle of Castilo del Morro in the Tienda in the Standard section. There is also some decent spanish wine available in the Tiendas.

The a la cartes, were not spectacular and strangely enough, none of them had music, we found that to be unusual for Cuba. "La Espada", the attempt at ambience was ok, the service was fair, but the food was no better than the buffet, just fewer choices. At "Benny More" You had to pay extra for the seafood, I didn't have it but Theresa did and she said it was not great. The chicken was ok, but no better than what was available in the buffet. Again it was odd to have valentines dinner in a restaurant named after a famous musician and have no music. "El Fuerte" this was the best of the bunch, the food was very good, we had chicken Cordon Bleu.

Twice there was a band playing in the buffet restaurant when we were there, they were very good, we bought their cd.

The Pools: This resort is well equipped with 4 very good pools. At the Standard Section there is a large recangular pool, if you want to do laps, that is the spot. The Bungalows has a great, odd shaped pool that is more like two, right by one of the snack bars, there were always lots of chairs available here. The Villas section has the same sort of set up along with a small kids pool, near the kids club, and right by the 24 snack bar. The main pool is great, but hard to get a chair near unless you get up early. But the highlight is the swim up pool bar and Abel the bar tender. Abel has a large repertoire of drinks, be sure to try a "seducer" he frequently ran out of things like lemon and/or lime juice, taking him a bottle would be a smart move.

The People: As usual, it is the people who make Cuban vacations so great. They were always cheerful and pleased to help, even after spending time dealing with some really obnoxious tourists. I have to pause here and say, what the hell goes on in some peoples heads, they think they can show up and just treat people like shit, yell at them, be really rude, not tip and then grumble about the service. This was my fourth trip to Cuba and I have never been treated badly, but I always recognize that I am in their country and treat people the way I would like to be treated, and for god sakes I tip. At this resort I actually had other guests comment that I was tipping too much and making them look bad. OK, so I got that off my chest.

On this trip we took a lot of stuff to give away and ended up being way over weight. On talking to people there, while they are very grateful for anything you give them, what they have trouble with is certain food items, which they need money to get, so my advice is to tip adequately. If you want to take things, childrens clothes, shoes in particular are in short supply.

We arrived at club Amigo in Holguin Cuba at 2:00 pm on the 18th of January .Our whole group that flew in from Toronto from Sunquest had been over booked. We sat in the lobby with our luggage till almost 7:30 pm that night. We were put in a part of the resort we were told by the staff that was shut down. We saw why really quick the rooms were very run down they had roaches, no running water, very dirty. We were told we would have to stay there for two days because there was nothing else available so for both nights we slept over the blankets not opening any of our luggage so we would not get any bugs.

On the Friday we were told to be at the desk for 10:00 am to fix this mess, but of coarse the rooms were not ready by this time there were some of the people in our group yelling at the staff we were keeping our cool as much as we could .We were told to come back at 2:00 pm .At 2:00 we returned sure enough they still were not ready now we were told 4:30 at this time they said a bit longer this is were we said enough everyone else at this point had their rooms but us .We asked them why cause we did not scream at them finally we were given a room not the one we were suppose to get because that room did not have a safe that worked we were told not too many safes worked they had a problem with that .

Our new room did not have bugs but was not much better air conditioner only worked when it felt like it we had hot water only two times on our whole trip never got face cloths received one new towel the whole trip only because it was soaking wet the maid had no choice to give us a new one. We spoke to the sunquest agent at the resort he apologized and told us we could be compensated for it .At first he told us we would get a bottle of rum , then he said a tour to Holguin but did not impress us because by this point we already lost almost two days we don’t want to loose another day being on a bus going sight seeing , then he wanted to give us a lobster dinner that I’m not that fussy on , then he told us we would all receive some money back on our trip from Sunquest at the end of the trip it was a different story and said we’d have to talk to our travel agent .

This resort was supposed to be a three and a half star I would of gave it a two. Threw the whole resort there was so much damaged starting with lamp posts broken wires hanging out , cement slabs cracked over holes were someone heavy enough could have went threw no warning signs , the couches in the lobby very dirty, ripped , springs broke , the curtains in most of the rooms were hanging half on the rods .

In the week we were there we saw the pool get cleaned only twice, watched one of the chamber maids cleaning in the lobby with toilet paper as a rag, witch was surprising because we had trouble getting it for our room, we had to go to the front desk to get some they would not put any in the rooms when they were cleaning. Threw the whole resort you could smell the sewer system that I don’t think worked real well.

This hotel was highly recommended by an individual that had been to CUBA over 18 times. We got a great deal on the vacation, and were very excited as we heard the beaches in CUBA were absolutely breathtaking.

We arrived late at night, and the airport process went rather smoothly. We arrived at the Bungalow section and it was quite nice. Our room was very clean, and beds were comfortable. We found our way to the 24 hour snack bar which served alchohol and great french fries and other foods around the clock. The bartenders at all bars were very friendly, and provided several drinks which were quite tasty. We bought a lot of items to give to the staff, and took a tour to the Town of Banes which we gave a lot of things away to the children, that was a wonderful experience. If you tip, you will get better service, and maids treat you very nice.

The beach water was absolutely beautiful, and so many areas to take pictures. The weather was consistantly hot. There were some downfalls to our trip which was being robbed the 2nd day we were there. We were located in the ground floor bungalows, and the rooms are newer, clean and nice; but no security guards are around, and it is extremely dark. CUBA does not have a lot of electricity, very dark. We left our room Monday morning at 1:30am to go to the snack bar for refreshments, and we returned around 2:15 am, and we were robbed approx $500.00 canadian (digital camera / cash / cell phone which you could text message + use internet from CUBA). We spent from 2:45 am to 5:30 am with Night Security and Public Relations. The detectives were supposed to come to our room at 9am to begin the investigation, but did not show up, we stuck around our room until 11 am, and went back to Atlantico Public Relation to find out what was going on, noone knew anything,! so we had to go through everything again.. all in all we spend between 8 to 10 hours, and at the end of it all, the Cubians were not interested in assisting us in anyway. We were disappointed that our Air Transat Representative provided no real support, and being two single young women on a trip did not make it any easier with dealing with being robbed. They would not change our room, and the fact that someone actually used a card to get into our room was concerning.

Cuba is entirely different than Canada, and would not recommend single females to go unless accompanies by men. The Cubian men are so desperate to come to Canada, and literally swarm you if you go the beach parties at night.

The other problem I encounted was the septic buildup smell which occurred around the clock. I went for a walk on a boardwalk which takes you along the ocean very nice walk, and I stepped off the boardwalk to make room for others to pass by, and my right leg sunk to my knee, and when I pulled my foot out, I had really foul smelling fluid splash all up my body, and my flip flop got stuck so I had to pull it out by hand, and more brown foul smelling fluids splashed all over me. I know it sounds funny, but having other peoples crap all over you, not to mention the smell is not so funny. Unfortuneately, I had no where to run to get this off but the ocean water.

Anyone going to CUBA, I would recommend spending the few hundred extra and staying at a 4 star resort. Our stay at Club Amigo was horrible, and it was pretty bad that the highlight of our trip returning home. I had only travelled a couple times in my 35 years, and with speaking to other individuals on our travel back to Canada from CUBA, some resorts have real good food, fresh vegetables opposed to frozed bagged vegetables, fresh fruit opposed to canned fruit. Pina Coladas make with crushed ice and proper garnishes, opposed to small plastic glass with liquid colada mix. I am originally from South America / Guyana which is very poor, so I don't want to come across as someone that is uncapabable of being pleased or happy, as I am quite the opposite.

My experience in CUBA will never be forgotten. Many travel to CUBA and have a wonderful time, and had we not been robbed, perhaps if I stepped into the septic gook, that would have been a good laugh, but when you are already sad about being robbed, and feeling no compassion from the Cubians, everything that happens feels a million times worse. But as I mentioned above.. stay at at 4 + star resort, guaranteed you won't encounter the unpleasantness that we did during our stay.

We did a lot of research and read many reviews before we booked this resort. We paid 1599.00 plus airport taxes of 396.00 for two adults. We have only one big comlaint and that is the garden view rooms. The hotel is comprised of hotel, bungalows and villas. The hotel section has two areas. One is the Atlantico which is by the bungalows and one the Guardalavaca by the villas. We were housed in the Guardalavaca section. The hotel there is very old. Our room had old track curtains falling off the tracks and they were impossible to close or open properly. We faced the rear of the buffet restaurant and the area that the staff tended to congregate in to smoke or gather after shifts. We had a window air conditioner that worked fine but there was a large space between it and the window frame. The ceiling was old with mildewed ceiling tiles. The only drawers were in the side tables and in a rattan counter mounted on the wall coming off from the screws. There was an overhead light and one light on the wall above the bed without a shade. There were two bare light bulbs in the bathroom along with a mirror and a glass shelf that seemed to be falling off the wall. The shower stall curtain allowed water to escape so whenever we took showers the floor became soaked and flooded the outer entry area of the room. The room was dark and dismal and lacked any inviting qualities. The one plug in the bathroom we did not use as we did not feel safe plugging something in while standing in a pool of water. The other plug housed the air conditioner and the tv. The tv lacked a remote control. It was probably the most depressing hotel room I have every stayed in.There was no balcony. As we settled in we met people in the villa area and saw the accommodations there which were outstanding compared to ours. We complained to the hotel staff and to the tour rep but were told the hotel was full so were not able to change the room. Others in our area were also disappointed with the rooms but had booked last minute at very cheap rates which compensated for the standards of the rooms.

The resort itself is very nice, we loved the beach and the pools in our area and the market was a great daily adventure. The food was predictable and plentiful. The staff were friendly and helpful. We would go back but would never again book through Nolitours as they book exclusively into the hotel rooms. We would book with a tour company who book the villa's also called the village.

We travelled from Toronto to Club Amigo Guardalavaca (Bungalows) between December 17 and December 23. It was a 7 day, 6 nights all inclusive trip.

The total cost of the trip was $550 per person ($349 + tax), as we booked the trip just 2 days before the departure date from a last minute travel agency.

We flew on Air Transat's A330 jet and the service was extremely good. Subway sandwiches were served as lunch and the soft drinks were free.

We converted our money at the airport, but in reality, you can do it at the hotel, airport, or at the bank right near the hotel. The exchange rate differences was minimal, but do take Canadian dollars with you, as American dollars have an extra fee for the exchange.

The journey from the airport to the hotel took about 1 hour, as we arrived in the evening, everyone was tired and since we were on the country roads, there was very little lights and not much to see. However, everyone was anxious to get to the hotel as soon as possible, so that we can check out their 24 hour snack bar!

The check-in process was very fast, took about 10 minutes and once we dropped off our bags in the room, we started exploring the resort in the dark. There was not a lot of lights, as electricity is a premium in Cuba...
we looked for the 24 hours snack bar, but it was almost impossible to find, we eventually ended up at a little fastfood place just outside of the hotel limits and paid abour 4 Convertible Pesos for a couple of pizzas and bottles of water. After we headed back into the hotel, we met up with other travellers and finally found the 24 hours snack bar, which is near the Villas. We ate again and got our first free drinks. Unlike what is advertised by the hotel, alcohol is served round the clock, so there is no worries of going "dry" after 11pm.

The room was in the Bungalow section, where all the Canadians stay. The Bungalow section is quite nice... no bugs, the beds were OK, with a little 13" TV. Air conditioning was cold and hot water was always available. Comparing the Bungalow section to the main hotel section, I must say that the bungalows are much newer and nicer. I have heard that the Villas are even nicer, but we were content with the Bungalows.

It is a good idea to tip at the beginning of the trip, and tip well, so that you get good service. We tipped our chamber maid $10 pesos and left her a variety of products we picked up from the dollar store, and whatever extras we needed, it was always there the next day. Tipping for the bar staff is always a good idea, but since they get tons of tips, it is good to spread the wealth around and tip some of the security guys since they don't get any most of the time.

The food at the hotel was acceptable. It's not the greatest, but considering how poor Cuba is, it is quite good by their standard. Our package included 2 a-la-carte dinners at the 3 different restaurants in the resort, so we took advantage of that. One night we went to the traditional Cuban restaurant to try the local delicacies, and another night we went for Shish-kabob (Cuban style). Lobsters are available for extra costs, but we didn't bother with it.

The beach was quite nice and very calm. We always walked to the end of the beach where it is less busy. Granted, you are about a 3 minute walk from the closest hotel bar, but since we were not big drinkers, it was not a problem for us. We enjoyed the sun and the beach. Every now and then, you will get some local Cuban guys who would strike up a conversation with you, some are genuinely nice, but others have an agenda - after a sob story - they'd ask you if you can spare a few pesos, since they are so poor. The stories really tugged at our hearts, but we declined. Luckily we did, cause in one situation, the Cuban guy said that he was only there for that day, as he had to work for the rest of the week... but the rest of the week, we saw him there daily, hitting up other tourists for money, so he was a con-artist. But don't think everyone is like that... we did meet some genuinely nice people who didn't ask for money, but just wanted to know what Canada is like and what the Canadian life is like. For them, making approximately CDN$10 per month, they are always in awe of our 'wealth'. So for us, we gave money to people who didn't ask... and they were very thankful for that.

I made a couple of Cuban friends from this trip and I certainly would go back to Holguin just to see them again, and see how they are doing.

So if any of you are going to Club Amigo Guadalavaca Bungalow/Atlantico/Villas, and you're from the Toronto area, and don't mind doing me a favour of bringing a couple of t-shirts down my new friends (who are at the hotel - hotel staffs), do send me an email at ponchoflash@hotmail.com

I was planning on sending it by mail, but heard that they get confiscuated by Cuban Customs quite often, so I don't want to risk that. So if you can help a fellow Canadian (on the donating end), and a couple of friendly Cubans (on the receiving end) out, do let me know! :)

We're back from a week at Club Amigo. Left Dec 25th

It was our 1st time in Cuba, I liked it better that Cancun, Acapulco orDominican Republic.

This little country is really great !

Don't expect "GREAT" food, it's okay but not incredible.

Food: The best "buffet" restaurant was "the one I can't remember the name" something like... Boshio, Pashio.. . there are 3.. las arcadas (in the hotel) wich is the one I liked the least, there is the "1720" wich is the okay one and the 3rd one I can't recall the name.

Snorkling: Take a pedal boat and go 100 yards in the sea and put your mask in the water, you won't be dissapointed.

Bars: They're all great ! :) Watch out, the ones on the beach aren't inclusive.

Flea market: Right beside the Hotel there is a nice flea market with very nice and cheap souvenirs. It's hard not to fill a whole suitecase of these items. The tables change every day, there is a rotation of seller and that's really cool.. We went there every day. You will see mostly all the same kind of stuff, but from different vendors/artists. So if you see something really unique, buy it right away, it might not come back again for a whole week. I missed an item on the 1st day thinking the seller would be back the day after, but it wasn't the case.

Drinks:
- I you like anything that is blended.. pool bar with Carlos and Abel.. Banana Daiquiri, when they have bananas. 2nd choici, Pina Colada.
- coffee. Try them with triple sec and brandy.. HUM ! They looked at me funny when I asked it :) I even tried to "invent" a name for it. The Wyz Caffee But since they often change staff, I didn't have enough time to put that name in averybodys head :(
- In the hotel, try the "atlantico"
- At the pool, try the "veshkiri" it's a Vodka mix, I asked them to use rhum instead.

Around town.
Rent a scooter and go take a ride. If a lady waves at you and invites you to visit their humble home, stop and go and visit. These people are really nice. Bring soap and panty hose, they'll be REALLY greatfull.

Dolphins
We took the "catamaran + Dolphin" tour. 120 CUC It's great ! You go on this huge and very recent catamaran (with open bar), you ride an hour or more. Stop for some snorkeling and a little snack (about an hour) Then you go on an island aquarium to go and swim with the dolphins (only 20 minutes). Then you have lunch, a huge scampie or a half chicken. After this, back on the catamaram, another hour ride.

I promised a new waiter there that I'd make him popular.. Is name is Ruldolpho, he was a waiter at the hotels bar.

He was ending is 1month training and he's aspiring becoming a bar tender. This guy is really nice, allways smiling and offering the best of service. Tip or no tip he's the most pleasent person at the hotel.

We stayed at Club Amigo Tropical from 23-30 December 2005. The temperature was constant at about 80 degrees during the daytime with sun during half of our days there.

We had a tropical room in the main hotel. This room was nice and roomy. The downside was the noise coming into the room from the hallway via the transoms.

The food was good with special meals at Christmas. The bars had a good selection of drinks although not the variety of say the Dominican Republic.

The beach was very nice with fine white sand and a gentle slope into the ocean. It’s one of the nicer beaches that I’ve visited.

The staff was very friendly as were the Cuban people when going offsite into the nearby towns.

The downside of this trip occurred at the Holguin airport. We were force to stand in line for 2 hours to get through the immigration control. Cuba has implemented a VIP category of tourist which appears to mean that you pay 20 pesos and you are put are the head of the line. These VIPs continually cut into the front of the line while we waited and waited.

We flew via SkyService and airplane broke down on the return flight so we waited an additional 9 hours until a replacement airplane arrived. The service on the SkyService flights was far superior to Air Canada.

Three of us just returned from a wicked week in Guardalavaca, Cuba. Staying in the Guardalavaca section of the resort was ok - bonus was it was the quietiest section of the three areas to stay and the closest to the 24 hr snack bar where we ended up every night drinking beer and coco loco's. The resort it self is starting to show it's age - if you are fortunate to end up in villas your smooth sailing baby!

The food was alright - let's face it - when you think of international cuisine, there's italian,mexican,french,danish - can you think of an authentic cuban food or dish? Didn't think so so shut up about the food sucked! You don't go to cuba for culinary delight - it's the safety, low crime pretty much non-existant, beaches, people, markets and lack of american company!

The beach is awesome. Plenty of room to stretch out and keep to yourself if that's what you like. Lot's of eye candy and no pesky beach venders trying to sell you their duds. The weather was not so good. It rained a litlle every day so we swam in ocean or one of 6 pools. You get wet swimming so what's the diff. Tired of those complainers who ***** about the rain like you can change it right!

This was my second time to this resort and my fifth trip to Cuba. All I can say is it was amazing. My travelling partners were amazing. Plan a trip with people you enjoy being around take advantage of every moment. Only to remember your boss breathing down the back of your neck, customer service,a ringing telephone, deadlines, nagging clients and I'm sure you'd wish you were back there in a headtbeat!

Left from Fredericton with Sunwing on March 14. Good flight down, in-flight movie and decent hot meal. Arrived Holguin airport to the sun breaking through the clouds. Quick through immigration, changed money and picked up bags. Cold Cristal for the drive to the resort.

We had been to this resort in 2005 and had stayed in the Villas. We knew that this time we would be in the old (read OLD) section but we had found the place to be clean overall and the beaches, bars, and staff to be wonderful so we were not too worried – how bad can it be! And, for the price, we had no complaints. We got a room in the upstairs of Block B. Room was small and dark (curtains closed), but very clean. Window opened wide. Room smelled a bit musty but I think that was due to the humidity as on our previous trip we were there in the middle of a drought whereas this year, everything was lush and green and the air was humid; quite a change from two years ago. Smell in room was taken care of by opening window and door and letting a breeze through or by running air conditioning. Everything was very clean and tidy, not a bug in site. Beds were comfortable. Bathroom has no shelving or vanity, but again, everything very clean. We did opt to try to move to a room downstairs (same section) so that we could at least have a terrace. We did do this on Saturday and were very pleased. Rooms downstairs were a little bigger. Same no shelves in bathroom but no big deal. I would suggest people request a downstairs room as it is nice to have the terrace – when one person is in the shower you can sit out or sit out and have your coffee in the am. But as has been said before, how much time do you spend in your room!

Other than that, beaches were fantastic! Pools were exceptionally clean looking. Can’t comment too much here as we didn’t even dip a toe in the pool. Bars were great; I missed the slushy machines though. Drinks were all made with juices / mixes and the only blender I saw was at the pool bar. Finally had one of Abel’s Seducer’s – drooling just thinking about it. Water was fantastic. We found the food better this time around. Not GREAT, but better. We don’t go to Cuba for the food. Staff were wonderful and entertainment that we saw we loved. Joel, the violinist is not to be missed. It was nice to slow down and smell the ron!

All in all a wonderful vacation. Had reservations initially about the room as everyone talked about the Guardalavaca section with horror, but was not as bad as all that. We joked that we were in the Ghetto section. Did not do any excursions this time around, spent all of our time on the beach totally relaxing. Will be going back next year for two weeks and will be trying to book villas as for two weeks I would like to have a bit more storage in the bathroom and room.

How bad can a place with four pools, six bars, 4 snack bars, three buffets, and four a la cartes be? And a choice of three beaches, small, medium and large. And night life on the beach and down the road at La Roca if you choose! You can always find what you want whether it be company, a party, or solitude. Really do LOVE it there.

We stayed there for 7 nights and it was four of us from University in Canada. I found that there was a great variety of age groups there and entertainment to accommodate all of them. They assured us on the first day that the water and ice were okay to drink, so we did and didn't have any problems at all.

We had two bungalow rooms with two in each. They were very clean and only had a few ants when we left a glass of coke sitting on the table. Even though we were the furthest from the beach, we still thought it was the best location because it was close to the entertainment at night and the disco too.

After reading the reviews on this sight, I didn't have high expectations for the food. There were always really good things to eat at each buffet as well as some things that were disappointing. Overall we were pleased with the food. The Late Night snack bar is very handy for getting grilled cheese (which is excellent) and burgers and fries late at night. There are also drinks available all night long (despite the site telling you it is only until 11pm).

The disco is open from 11pm to 1:30am and is lots of fun. We went there every night except for Sat when it is closed and everyone goes to "La Roca". They played both local Spanish music and modern club music from Canada, as well as classics we all love to sing.

We got to know many of the employees personally and found out a lot about their life and culture. Our best friend Yosvany took us for a bike ride to see some scenery and he showed us a nicer beach about a 20 min bike ride away. We planned our day around seeing the employees there because they are so much fun and outgoing. When we were planning our trip, we weren't sure what to bring for tips. After a couple days we realized that the things they need most are things we take for granted here. Things like: t-shirts, shoes, shorts, pants, cd players (many electronics), pretty much anything you don't use anymore they would love.

We spent most of our time at the pool with the swim-up bar. It is closest to the beach and there are three bars nearby so you can usually bypass the crowd to get a drink quickly. Abel and "El" Carlos at the swim-up bar are lots of fun and full of "Happy Moments!" Bingo everyday is lots of fun with Yosvany, Mario and Maurice. The bingo, as well as learning from Yosvany, taught us a bunch of spanish.

Throughout the entire resort, they serve "Cristal", which tastes very similar to corona, a local light beer. There is a hidden bar, "los amigos" which also serves "Bucanero" and sometimes "Mayabe". It is across the pool from the late night snack bar and is to the right of "el bennys". We found it on our second last day on the trip, so I would suggest keeping an eye out for it if you are interested in a bit stronger beer.

We did most of the events on the resort including: basketball, soccer, archery, darts, bingo, salsa dance lessons, snorkeling, kayaking, "Mr. Atlantico" competition and biking.

As we were leaving, we checked out the duty free shop at the airport, and we noticed that the cigars and alcohol was cheaper there, not buy much (only one or two CUC (cuban convertible pesos)).

We stayed at Club Amigo Guardalavaca from Feb 13 -20th. We flew Skyservice and aside from being crowded, the flight left on time from Toronto and Holguin. Initially we stayed in the hotel section which was basic, clean and adequate. For the last 3 nights of our stay, we upgraded to a Villa for 15 pesos. The Villa was great value and close to all services. The food at the snack bar was decent. The buffet was bland and less than appealing.

The beach was great and there were adequate beach chairs for all. The beach attendant brought you a chair, swept any sand off it and placed it wherever you wished. A nice touch.

First off, there is only 1 Club Amigo that flies into Holguin Cuba. It is one huge resort that has 4 sections: Club Amigo Guardalavaca, Club Amigo Atlantico, Bungalows and Villas sections. Beforehand, I thought it was 2 different resorts. It's different sections of one resort and everyone has all the same wrist band.

Guardalavaca is the older section. Small rooms, needs upkeep, but cheap. The rooms are in 4 or 5 long 2 story buildings farthest from the beach, but still only a 3-4 minute walk. There is a large pool, buffet rest. and a grill/bar beside the pool. Everything we saw had two beds, shower only, walls that were dark beige that looked like they were coated in smoke for 30 years. Everyone on our trip that got rooms there either paid to upgrade to better rooms or just stayed in the room as little as possible. Our room had a big green section of mold by the ceiling and window and leaking toilet and sink. Reason enough to switch. There was no problem in upgrading by paying the difference, you just have to wait for another room in the Bungalows or Villas to be available. It took 1 day for us. The upgrade deal is the best way to do it because the good rooms are far more expensive if booked by your travel agent. You do risk not getting an upgrade if they are full, so be aware of this. Your tour rep is the best person to get things done if needed. Pester them, not the desk clerk. To be fair, if there are no rooms available or you are not reasonable about it, you may get nothing.

Bungalows are situated just west of the older dection and are much larger, newer and many face the bungalow pools. They are two story units and have their own balconies, huge windows on each end and tub/showers, hair dryer, 2 larger beds and well worth the 7 pesos that was charged per room per night for the upgrade. They are the same distance to the beach give or take a minute, have their own buffet rest. and grill/bar.

Villas are between Guardalavaca units and the beach. They are a 10 peso upgrade per room per night and apparently worth the extra if you can get them. Similar to the Bungalows, with 2 floors, larger rooms, etc. Kids pool and 24 hour bar/grill is beside Villas, but is used by anyone.

Atlantico is the large hotel nearest the beach. I didn't see any of the rooms, so I can't say what they are like. It has a large buffet on the second floor, 2 small elevators, one bar in the middle, one pool bar plus one bar/grill by the pool.

This is one big place and the advantage is that regarless of where your room is, you can use any buffet, any pool, or any bar in the complex - it's all the same. You can eat at a different restaurant every night of the week. That's cool! Of course, it's all the same food, not cool. The 3 buffet restaurants serve pretty well identical food and are different only in size and location. Typical Cuban food, nothing great, nothing terrible provided that you take care in selection. That should be standard at ANY buffet, whether Cuba or Canada. Don't eat stuff that is at room temp that should be kept either cold or hot. This is Cuba. In 3 trips, we've never had great food, nor have we ever been sick. I wish I could spend a few weeks teaching them how to prepare meat without making it so darn tough and put a few spices into the food!!! The difference between what they serve now and being great is in preparation, not because the country is so poor and good food is not available! I used to run a restaurant and you have to be a terrible cook to make food that distastful. It's what you get and you go to Cuba because it's cheap and warm. The buffet had plenty of meats & cheeses set-out for breakfast that were hardly touched by 10:00 am. Can't they see that most people want fresh fruit and breads for breakfast? The breads we had at every buffet were almost always 'day old'. The Bugalows buffet had a meat/cheese section directly under a skylight and the food was well into the danger zone for safe keeping. I'm certified for food handling, and I could tell without needing a thermometer that this was dangerous. Hot sun shining on cold cuts for 3 hours - wow. Simply pass it by.

There are 4 a-la-carte restaurants. Everyone we talked to had different opinions on them. The truth is that they are serving the same food as in the buffet, simply slightly larger portions and it's on a nice plate with quieter surroundings - usually. They call them different names with different themes, but pretty much the same stuff. We booked into each one after going back to the booking desk and pressing the issue a bit. Shrimp at the seafood one, but whole shrimp, with heads, overcooked and barely warm. Book as many a-la-cartes as you can and if you don't like the food, go to the buffet or 24 hour grill afterwards. The grill is hot dogs, burgers, grilled cheese and fries - all Cuban style. If you eat every meal there, you will gain weight for sure.

The beach is nice. Far nicer than Puerto Plata in DR, we liked Veradero beach better because you can walk forever. There were always lots of loungers everywhere. The resort must have heard the gripping about not enough to sit on. There was a shipment of new tables & chairs for the bars being set-up on our second day and lots of new chairs being put on the balconies. There is one large beach that is partly with the resort and it blends into the public beach. We sat on both and had no problems or qualms about the locals being anything but friendly. That's the second reason you go to Cuba - it's safe and friendly. The kayaks, etc. were free and I did not see any motorized sports, which I really liked. I hate lying quietly on the beach trying to enjoy the sun & the view and constantly having power boats buzzing by you. There are also two smaller coves with very nice sandy beaches. Water depth for snorkelling is great, you can go a long way out at low tide and still be waist deep, but ther is little to see in the way of colourful coral or fish. Lots of fish, just brown, and a bit of dead coral poking between the sand.

The swim-up/walk-up pool bar at Atlantico is the best by far. The bartender is really good, knows how to mix drinks properly and uses the blender for Pina Coladas and Banana Mamas - also he talks to the guests. Many of the staff were courteous but not as friendly & outgoing as other resorts. The ONE thing that shocked me was I saw very little tipping. I tipped whenever we had good service, but I watched carefully and very few others were tipping. It was always discrete, not the tip jars stuck in your face that we are accustomed to. At Veradero, I watched the bar girl haul in 60-80 US$ per hour in tips - wow. BTW, I ran out of Converted Pesos and asked the bartender if they could still use US$ - answer was a huge smile. The CUC seems to be for tourists and is a rip-off, but that's life. This resort has a lot of seniors. We spoke to some who had been here 15 & 25 times. Some were there for 2 weeks or a month. People don't come or stay that many times unless they like the price/quality ratio.

We booked last minute with Sunwing for sub $400. in early Feb. and thought it was well worth it. Would I pay $900? Not unless everything else was over $1,000. The Sunwing flight was wonderful. Hot meals & leather seats on both flights, champagne on the way down, free wine, etc. The southbound plane had the most legroom I've had in any flight in 20 years. The extra 3 inches or so was wonderful. On the way back, it was 3 inches less, but the same as Skyservice last time we used them. I do not ever fly Transat again - ever. Too many problems we've experienced that were correctable if their staff cared. we did not take any excursions, just there to relax. The bus ride is a full hour to the resort. Buy a few beers and relax. And for crying out loud, why can't people have the decency to get to the hotel lobby on time for departure? Our bus waited an extra 15 min. and left without them. I hope they had $$ for the cab.

CHANGES: Prevoius posts have said to get money converted at the airport. There is a bank inside Atlantico and one across the street. The exchange is the same. Take Canadian money for a better rate. THE HOTEL DID NOT TAKE CREDIT CARDS OF ANY KIND. That's plain crazy. For our upgrade and anything else, it was pesos only. The stores all took Canadian credit cards, not anything that was a Canadian branch of a US bank such as Citibank. The store at the hotel I was in charged 11% extra for the credit card, then the added exchange rate - RIP-OFF. I travel with plastic, so we simply tipped less and bought less. Hopefully, they will change this soon. There was also some concern about buying duty free booze and being allowed to take it on the plane with the new 'liquid' regulations. We bought at the local store and packed it in the checked bags just in case. I got lucky and the rum made it without breaking. Lots of people were buying duty free and walking onto the plane with it - so that's the current policy. Best to ask ahead of time with your agent.

Dear Debbie:

Thanks for your wonderful service.

I recently returned from a one week trip Club Amigo, in Hoguin Cuba I visited the hotel in December to check it out for a team of 7 arriving January 27, 2007. Boy did they throw me a curve ball when we got there.

I was most disappointed that they bumped our group to the original Club Guardalavaca which I attended 20 years ago and had a wonderful time at. Unfortunately the facility is now 30 years ago and in terrible shape. On December 13 it was closed when I visited it and it awful shape. I had no idea they would put us there. It seems they are comfortable, slapping on some paint and opening it to milk unsuspecting tourists for 3-4 months per year. The rooms were moldy, ancient and would not rate a star. The beds were old and drapes awful. There was no counter space in the washroom and the walls and floors were old and stained. The towels were small and were not changed every day. Complaints at the desk to get better rooms in the newer section fell on deaf ears because they indicated they were overbooked. They did move us downstairs where the rooms were a little bigger but it was not much better. Many of the rooms stank and if people had asthma, allergies or breathing problems they would have severe problems. Tiny ants came out of the sink and bit me in a swarm before I knew what was happening. When we moved the rooms the bell boys failed to move the luggage after 4 requests. The public relations man indicated this resort was disgraceful and should be bulldozed.

The hotel staff were otherwise very nice and pleasant typical of Cuba. The food was adequate but inferior to many of the 4 star resorts. The restaurant and cleaning staff were very nice but had little to work with in terms of quality. I think it is awful that travel agents do not inform the guests who end up in this section. If I was from Europe and staying there for two weeks I would be really upset. Ironically most people in this section seemed to be in jovial moods to there credit.

There is a great Pentecostal church run by Jose and Rebecca Marino (called Salvation Mount which services 20 plus poor churches in the countryside). Heaven’s Gate Church in Melilla, near Playa Pesquero beach has a wonderful pastor named Edit who speaks excellent English. 100 pesos supports a church for 6 months for those who are interested- We can do so much with so little. I have sourced baseball equipment to start a church league there. I had a problem with a total lack of customer support from Air Canada to bring the equipment down and everyone was disappointed. Wake up Air Canada; you have a lousy grasp of customer service. I understand that the other airlines willingly help. If anyone could help me bring down donated baseball equipment to start a church league it would be much appreciated (I have the equipment; each hockey bag would weigh about 50 pounds). They are crazy about baseball and they are excitedly awaiting the first shipments and will have 1,000-2,000 kids at a summer cap that will use it and then individual church teams will be set up afterward. I will get a lot more equipment in May also. The other airlines can give approval to bring it down with no charge. Customs does not stop sports equipment and it is in addition to your regular luggage constraints. My friends just brought road hockey equipment down and started up hockey games at one resort and the Cubans had a ball with the tourists. Remember the people off of the resorts have far less then the resort workers, so look a little deeper at their needs and you will be blessed to help. Let the pastors know that Roberto says hello from Canada. We had a great time with them.

General
This review is based on the trip my girlfriend and I took to Club Amigo Guardalavaca in Guardalavaca (Holguin) Cuba from December 3rd – 10th, 2006. Trying to find reviews on this resort can be tricky as there are several different sections within the resort. NoliTours, our tour operator, books solely within the Cameleon (Bungalow) section. There is the main building, where mostly Europeans are booked (Atlantico), and a third section which is the Villa section (also the newest section). All three sections are part of the same resort and you have access to all the facilities on the property, regardless of your room location. At the time of travel there was a section between the Bungalows and the Villas sections, roughly 100 rooms, which were under renovations. That being said, there did not seem to be much activity during the week we were there and in all honesty the Bungalow rooms looked like they needed more renovations than the ones closed off!

Flight
Our flights were on Air Transat and meals were served in both directions. The meal consisted of a 6 inch Subway sandwich with a choice between meat and veggie. Only one type of meat was available per leg. The similarities between the sandwich served and one you would receive at a Subway restaurant location ended at the wrapper. The bread was soggy, meat and cheese scarce, and rotten lettuce. But hey, it’s edible.
The fun began in Toronto when our A330 aircraft was determined to have a mechanical failure. Couple the necessity for a new aircraft with the shortage of extra available aircraft of the size required and the fact that the only one available was in Montreal where a snowstorm was wreaking havoc and the result was being delayed 5.5 hours. A voucher was issued for $14 per passenger to “dine” in Terminal 3. For anyone who might end up in a similar situation you are not relegated to eating at the overpriced cafeteria style restaurant located close to the gates. You can go back through security and there is a Swiss Chalet, New York Fries, and a Pizza Pizza. For all you smokers there no longer is a smoking lounge after passing through security so if you must smoke do so before crossing through! The flight home left on time and without incident.

Arrival
Since we arrived much later than anticipated we were the only ones going through customs. You debark the plane onto the tarmac and it is a humbling feeling walking alongside the beast of an aircraft they call the A330. Smoking is allowed in the terminal building but do all non-smokers a favour and do it in the seating section to the left side of the building! Make sure you have completed both sides of the tourist card before going through customs or you will be turned back and you will have to rejoin the back of the line. There are examples of how to fill out the card on board the aircraft. Once you have collected your luggage you have the option of carrying it out yourself or having one of the locals lingering around the terminal bring your luggage to your coach bus. There will be a tour rep waiting with a sign indicating which tour operator they are with and will direct you to the appropriate bus.
One thing I noticed on the bus was the general age group of the other travelers. It appeared to be that many were older than the 26 years of age both my girlfriend and I are. That being said, upon arrival at the lobby of the Club Amigo Cameleon it was a madhouse dash with much pushing and shoving. As we were seated closer to the front of the bus I figured we would be one of the first to reach the front desk; a mere 100 feet from where the bus drops you off. I was very wrong. I was shoved out of the way and my girlfriend had to fight her way through the crowd so she could sign the required paperwork for EACH guest. You are given two towel cards to be returned upon departure or you will be charged 25 pesos per missing towel/card. Since we arrived under the cover of darkness, and the fact that the lighting was mostly burnt out or turned off, it was quite the experience locating where our room was; and I am very adept at reading maps. As well the buildings are not very well numbered and it will take some time to determine which building your room will be in. Take a long moment orienting yourself in the lobby, and when you take the path from the lobby note that the buffet and the disco will be to your immediate left and the next covered area you reach will be the snack bar. From there the pool will be directly in front of you. The front desk staff for the entire length of our vacation were surly. However take a quick jaunt over to the Atlantico and they were sweet as pie! Wake up calls and routing of inter-room calls are done through the Atlantico so please make sure to mention that you are in the “Bungalow” section.

Grounds
Having been to several all inclusive resorts ranging from a 3 to a 5 star I would have to say the grounds are rated between 2 and 3. We rarely saw any grounds crew out and about and many areas were in dire need of maintenance. That being said, we were in Cuba and it was a 3 star, and we did begin this voyage with full intentions of getting what we paid for; I am merely commenting so others know what is in store for them; good and bad! The resort is huge, with a fair chunk of it under renovations; but not really. It appears to be more of a storage facility that is not lit at night. It is unfortunate since cutting through this section is an excellent short-cut between the Bungalows and the 24 hour bar in the Villa section. There are 3 sections; the Bungalows, the Villas, and the main hotel, the Atlantico. The disco, cigar and gift shop, and the entertainment stage are in the Bungalow section. The gym is located in the Villa section along with the 24 hour bar. There is another gift shop, currency exchange, guest services, pool and ping-pong tables (all damaged and in poor condition), and beach towel exchange located in the Atlantico section. Be very careful of the slippery floors in the lobby, restaurants, and snack bars when it rains. All are marble or tile and all become very slippery in flip flops when wet! Everything is in dire need of a paint job, concrete is broken in several areas, lights are missing/broken, and there is one staircase off the pathway to the beach near the Atlantico that leads to nowhere, as you would have to be 8 feet tall to make the next step! The vegetation is great although not many flowering plants. There is an archery set-up and a run-down mini-put located in the Bungalow section. Tennis courts are available but looked to be in poor condition. Bicycles can be borrowed at the Atlantico. Note about the public access washrooms; all stalls are equipped with half doors. That means as you sit down to use the toilet you can see the people walking by and they can see you from the shoulders up.

Rooms
Our room number was 63; on the ground floor across the pool from the entertainment stage. All evening shows are conducted at the Bungalow pool area until the renovations are complete. Each Bungalow has 4 rooms in it. Be wary of the stairs to rooms on the second floor as they are located outside and get really slippery during the rain as well as not being of standard dimensions as used to at home. There will be a much shorter stair at the top that becomes a hazard when inebriated! The rooms are of decent size but sparsely furnished. We had 2 ¾ beds that we pushed together but they tended to push apart during the night. There is a small TV (13 inch tops), a luggage table, a desk, 2 chairs, and a mirror hung in an odd place; right beside the window! There are 2 full wall windows running from floor to ceiling at each end of the room. One of these is the door to the patio/balcony. The air conditioning ran perfectly all week and is controlled by a remote. You do not need a card to run the AC. The closet has about 15 hangars (with room for more), a small 3 drawer dresser, and the safe. The safe will cost you 7 pesos for the week and uses a metal key issued at the front desk. The bed only comes with 2 pillows and we never got the requested extra pillows. The bathroom has a large tub, medicine cabinet that looks like it might come off the wall at any given moment, and an old Soviet style toilet with a flusher located on the top of the tank behind you. Pull up once and release to flush. The ceiling is sheet metal. The windows in the bathroom open outwards but did not have any screens. The porch has 2 plastic Muskoka chairs on it; excellent for lounging in between showers and dinner. There is a well-insulated Thermos in the room for you to get water from the bar in. There were only two towels in the room to begin with but we left a note in rudimentary Spanish requesting more. Lo and behold we had 4 towels in the room every day! Towels are very small and thin, so a room of two people will need 4 towels. There is no mini-fridge, no alarm clock, and no remote for the TV. That being said we didn’t turn on the TV until our 5th day there and did so only because of the rain! Try and catch one of the cartoon anti-US propaganda commercials; they are a riot! You will need a power converter to use any outlet at this resort; it is all 220 volts. Our plugs will fit in the outlet but you will fry any of your equipment! Rooms located on the second floor of many bungalows leaked during the three days of heavy rain. Ours never had a water problem or an insect problem. Rooms in the Villa section are much more modern while rooms in the Atlantico section are to be avoided. The Atlantico section was built in the 1970’s under heavy Soviet influence and resembles an old army barracks. The Atlantico lobby however is fairly nice.

Food
You are never far from food here! There is a smaller buffet located in the Bungalow section serving breakfast and dinner. There is also a snack bar adjacent to the Bungalow pool that serves food throughout the day; pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers (pork), french fries, and grilled cheese. Water, pop, and alcoholic drinks are also available. A definite perk is the availability of espresso and cappuccino at all snack bars. The machine looks sketchy but you must try one! The main buffet is located on the 2nd floor of the lobby in the Atlantico section. Breakfast here is better than the Bungalows as you have the availability of