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| Club Bucanero | Deanna ~ Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada |
April 2009
Arrival: March 27 - April 2
Arrival was as should be expected, busy and somewhat chaotic...an authentic travel experience. I've been all over the world and have yet to have a quick a and easy entry ANYWHERE. When we got to the resort, we were eagerly assisted and escorted to our room. Lovely.
Rooms
Our room was clean, cool and always so from point of entry to exit. Our maid Matilde was a gem! She asked for nothing! ...but we left a little something by way of travel soaps, toothpaste, etc., everrt couple of days. Was she grateful, absolutely! Did she ask for more, NEVER! We left change, etc out and it was never touched. From some of the reviews left, you'd think you were entering a country of petty theives! Not so.
Restaurants and Bars
The food was good...was it great: No. Why? Imagine Cubans attempting to cook for a north American pallette...how wonderful do you think the food would be??? It was bland, so you sprinkle some salt on it. When the menu choices were closer to home for them, it was grand! Imagine rabbit and ox tail, it WAS great! Venturing outside of the resort offered an even greater culinary experience.
Beach/Pools/Grounds
The pool was never overcrowded as can be the case in other well traveled destinations. The beach, albeit small, was lovely. A little oasis nestled between lava cliffs and coral reef. Always room on a chasie lounger and no waits at the bar. The grounds wewre clean, and patrolled regualarly. There is a little troop of iguanas that wander by the beach as well as sand crabs...but how cool is that?!
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
There were a number activities offered on resort i.e. yoga, salsa lessons, mountain hikes, massage...but the authentic experience happens off resort. We took an amazing horseback journey into the Sierra Maestra with Oswaldo! A great Cubana. he spoke little english, so I will say this, have a commmand of the Spanish language if you want to make the best of any journey into Latin America. When in Rome... Horseback is truly THE way to see the real Cuba. The small villages we ventured through were so welcoming and we had an awesome Cuban lunch at the sunmmit after a long ride up the mountain.
We also took the full day Santiago City tour from the Bucanero. Our guide was AWESOME! Freddy was an absolute font of Cuban history and there was not one spot we passed where wonderful historical annecdotes were not offered.
Other Comments
Other comments...essentially I am extremely saddened by the negative reports concerning the Bucanero. It seems the comments concerning the staff are a complete opposite of our experience. We were never pestered, accosted or harrased at any time. Perhaps it was because we ventured into another country and did not expect special treatment. We went to Cuba and fully embraced the people we encountered without ridicule, or expectation. I think for those expecting Canada in Cuba should stay home. If you are a traveller who is open to the ways and lives of others, without ideallistic b.s and are not a whiner expecting preferential treatment on a $500 holiday, you'll have a fab time!
deanna.therriault@gmail.com
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| Club Bucanero |
Oakville, Canada |
April 2009
I have traveled to Cuba five times. I mostly know what to expect in terms of food, service, staff attitude, selection of activities, quality of rooms and utilities, tipping and “giving” obligations etc.
Just spent a week (Mar 19 – 26) in Bucanero. Even though I read extensively reviews on websites and considered myself well prepared, I found this place rather weird compared to others I had visited in Cuba before. Therefore, I believe I should put my two cents emphasizing mainly the most different experiences from main resorts (Varadero etc.) and other recently posted reviews.
I paid barely $500 (all-in!!) and kudos to Sunwing, the flights were all good. I wish they had a rep that would take care of everything once we leave the plane… as we were thrown into hands of the complete cuban randomness.
Quickly, I agree with most on: weather good, location nice, food crap, no real beach, rooms complete crapshoot, everything (trips, store) sold at resort overpriced and not worth it. But the thing that made my vacation mostly waste was the staff attitude and behavior.
The resort for this week was rather sparsely sold. Therefore, at times it seemed that there is more staff on location than tourists. Unfortunately, most of them seemed to linger around and (some creatively, some bluntly) chase visitors for whatever they can get and money.
The worst part is the pool bar in the evenings. This is the ONLY place to spend time in this dump after the sun goes down (after ~6pm) and connect with other visitors with a glass of rum. Unfortunately, this very small area is virtually attached to the cabin where the nightly animation staff is supposed to change clothes and, I guess, practice. Their “show” (I did not read in other review that all the music is pre-recorded and the performers just do lip-singing on top of the playback) starts around 9:30, but they (about 10-20 people) arrive good 5-6 hours earlier and just loiter around the pool bar (or their change rooms, it’s the same place!). Some asked, if I could get them a drink. Trying to be nice and sociable, I agreed. The conversation quickly moved to the subject: what I have and what I need. After sharing some items (toiletries, candies) with one seemingly nice girl, I was swarmed by a number of others stating that they also need the same. After politely saying, that not now… some other person asked if I could go to the dining room and get her ice cream!! In a few minutes others out of their pockets tried to sell for 10 pesos (!!) some of their (??) music CD’s, completely fake looking and clearly burned on blank disks. Why wouldn’t they sell them in the store just few meters away then? When not biting the hook, the singer asked for some money, and when I gave her a peso, she looked like I took it from her for nothing! After having enough of this crap, I decided to head to my room. One woman/dancer distantly followed me, saying that she will take whatever I have left. That was my first evening at this resort!
This basically continued more or less every evening at pool bar. Sure, I shared a peso here and there, got some people a few drinks from time to time, shared a few laughs and stories, at the end handed over my running shoes, swimming pants, t-shirts. But never got a generous “thank you”. (Varadero is very different in this aspect!). I believe that this attitude and “business” in Bucanero must be normally accepted practice there.
This is a little sad, because I believe this place can have some nice potential, if they clean up this stuff “dealing and wheeling” inclination. I believe that working in the resort is one of the best jobs in Cuba alone, plus all the “benefits and donations”. They should be able to get quality stuff (and quality entertainment!) with no problems who will bend their backs over to follow the rules of common courtesy.
There was almost every night beautiful live music played in or outside the dining hall. I gladly gave them a few pesos now and then. They were really singing great Cuban songs and trying hard. Why not let them do the whole evening entertainment show?
I agree with the reviewer that the number of local people staying in the resort was relatively high. I had no problems with any of them ever, way more polite than staff. Nobody asked me for anything! There were no “old 80-year old walking around dining room in speedos”! Remember, all these people are exactly like us, visitors that have fully paid for their time and services at the resort and are entitled to have the best time they deserve.
But I have a huge problem when people that are being paid for by us (visitors!) to provide the services, instead focus their energy on mooching off as much and as quickly as possible, trying to sell some non-legit stuff and still showing the attitude that we owe them something more. Some reviewers mentioned about staff eating before the tourists. I second, they were constantly in the dining hall and around the bar. No wonder they run out constantly of some type of drink or food.
I might consider going back, as the price (!!), the weather and surroundings were great. But will follow the reviews if the issues surrounding the overall atmosphere have changed for the better.
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| Club Bucanero |
Nathan ~ Canada |
February 2009
Arrival
The four of us visited in Mid February. We were one couple of 30-somethings and one couple of active seniors, who had been last year with their grandkids. Flights down and back were smooth.Was great-no rain and just a few clouds the whole week. Temperature was hot but not stifling during the day, and at night cool enough for long pants.
Rooms
The rooms were fine. Almost all have ocean views and they clean and bright. The beds are not as comfy as yours at home, but if you spent the day mountain hiking, swimming/snorkeling/diving, aqua-gyming, salsa dancing and yes drinking, you will be too tired to notice. The A/C does rattle a bit. Rooms have a keycard operated safe, small fridge and TV with cable (if watching TV on holiday is your thing) Despite talk about a lack of bathroom products in Cuba, there was soap in the bathroom, so even if the wife decides without notice to switch to shower body wash instead of plain old ivory you are still all good.
Restaurants and Bars
Dining Area
You can choose to eat inside or out. It was always clean, the table and chairs are sturdy, and the servers are pleasant and bring drinks to your table (we ordered wine, beer, water and coffee- don't know about the hard stuff- that's really more of and after dinner thing)
Food
I wish people would stop whining about the food at Cuban resorts. When at home I don't prepare three types of meat, and three or four different salads for lunch and dinner every single day, do you? Yeah, that's what I thought. So quit complaining and be glad you are in a warm sunny place in the middle of winter for a whole week for a lot less than what most people would pay for a couch. If you want 5 star food, go to a five star resort.
Beach/Pools/Grounds
Realize that while the beach may not look like your typical travel brochure of white sand as far as you can see, it has good snorkeling, and the divers I spoke to seemed happy with what they saw too. Yes, from the beach you have to climb some stairs to get to the beach bar, but if these stairs are a problem for you, then you have had too much to drink or you aren't in good shape, and should be in a home.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
Recommendations
The mountain hike. Fun AND informative, a confidence builder for the less fit, a good way to meet some of the more engaging staff. Most guides have excellent English, passable French and a couple other languages too. And it terminates at the beach just as the bar is opening!
Snorkeling and going out on the catamaran Going into Santiago, and at the very least having lunch atop the Grand Hotel
Other Comments
Areas to improve
Cuba is a poor country. Something as simple as sunglasses cost too much for the average Cuban. But it's no fun having a hotel security guard accost you in the bathroom and ask if he can have your shades. Or when staff asks you directly or indirectly for your MP3 player. That's a luxury item even for a lot of Canucks, so it rubs me the wrong way.
Also, I am going to call out one of the bartenders at the pool bar. This particular portly, surly barman will try to make you feel stupid and make rude remarks to the other barmen about you. The nicer you try to be the worse he is, especially if you're male. Did it to me and I watched him do it to pretty much every other guy. Even if you simply said ˜Dos Cervesas, por favor' he'd look at you like you'd asked for a glass of seawater. Plus, when were waiting to take the employee bus in Santiago (2 pesos) he threw a rock a bird. My take is if you don't like your job or respect the guests, than give your job to someone you will do it with a smile and without the attitude.
The problem with common sense is its not that common. Yelling at the top of your lungs at 3am outside the hotel rooms is not cool, even if you are on vacation. Or getting outrageously drunk, whether you are 16 or 60. You don't just embarrass yourself; you embarrass the people you are with and Canadians as a whole
Consider taking
Clothing and shoes you can give away to the staff, especially anyone who isn't a bartender. We saw one bartender on his day off- gold watch, fancy shades, MP3 player, nice shirt- Canadian culture dictates that the person that twists the cap off your beer gets dollar, but if you went to a show you wouldn't tip the performers, even though they get paid even less. So, make sure you think about the gardeners, the nightly entertainers, and the guys that clean up the beach every morning.
Sunglasses to give away
Travel mugs- cuts down on the plastic cups and you can give away when you leave
Final Thoughts
My hope is this resort can make improvements, but still retain its small, laid back simple character. If it gets too big and fancy the charm will be lost. Don't come here if you want the moon for less than 600 bucks or you dislike the elderly or you're a picky eater or you want to meet a thousand young people. Do come if you are easy going, active and want a good blend of sun, sand, sea, sky, suds, and culture (sorry couldn't think of an 'S' word)
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February 2009
Arrival ..Jan 22 - 29
We had a good flight, nice breakfast, courteous service..buses waiting for us..exchanged our money at the airport.
Rooms:..The rooms were very nice..ours was all white ceramic tiles, quite new, clean, always had hot water even early in the morning..toilet handled broke off a few times but my husband fixed it quite easily.
Beds are twin size, tiny pillows but I like them like that but you could fold your beach towel under it if you wanted to..no cards for the beach towel..had to get them off the maid when you saw her.
Restaurants..Basic food, we always were there when it opened so there was lots..nice warm bread, same food as usual, beef, pork, chicken, fish, rice, sometimes potatoes, pasta with a watery tomato sauce on the side..not too crazy about the veggies..usually boiled cabbage, carrots or squash..small salad bar with about 6 different salads and a dessert table..excellent rice pudding and also a few other custards, tarts, cookies etc..
Couldn't get into the a la carte..so book it early the day after you arrive if you want to go..I heard it was worth it..5 courses and they serve you..you have to pick out what you want to eat the day before so they can make sure it's available.
The different bands playing in the buffet restaurant were excellent..played Cuban music, Beetles sing a long was fun too..most nights a different group..but all were excellent.
Drinks were pretty good..beer was cold and plentiful, nice pina coladas and excellent cappucino at the pool bar 24 hours a day..alot of people brought big insulated mugs and that was fine but some brought the Bubba's and when they wanted them filled with coffee or beer, it took the bartenders forever and people were simply waiting for just a single drink..
Beach/Pool/ Grounds
The beach is a tiny cove..very quaint, rocky so bring water shoes or crocs
The bar is upstairs of a building..you have to climb a few set of stairs to get up there so elderly people must remember that when booking..the grill is below it at ground level..chicken, fish, sometimes hamburgs and always fries..I never did see a hot dog bun or a hamburg bun the whole week we were there..
The pool is nice, clean, usually music playing there and it can be loud sometimes..we asked them to turn it down a bit and they did..others ask them to turn it up..ha ha..oh well..
Some days there were 2 vendors selling their wares..there is a big chess set on the grounds also
The pool area is quite busy as the 24hour bar is there and the animation stage is also beside the pool..a central sort of location for everything.
The grounds were clean, sprinklers going most of the time..you can really see the damage the last few hurricanes have made..and the Cuban's are the quickest to rebuilt stuff..
People announce that there are dancing lessons starting and pool volleyball but nobody was ever interested.
The average age at this resort is 45-70..not many young couples but some..
Not too much to do here but lovely for relaxing.
Trips
We took a taxi to Santiago..didn't care much for it..too many people wanting stuff and begging..we told them we had nothing to give them but they kept bugging us..we ended up having a drink at the famous Grande hotel, it has security there and they wouldn't allow them to come in..
We did bring stuff for the Cuban people but distributed all at the hotel to various workers..
In Santiago, we felt like we would be swarmed if we brought out anything.
We aren't city people and perhaps would have enjoyed it more with a guide..
All in all, it was a nice vacation, relaxing, excellent views of the Caribbean from your room, nice people but very slow and that is sometimes frustrating..I guess they don't live a hectic lifestyle like us Canadians do most of the time..I
If you want to go for long walks on the white sandy beach..don't come here but if you like something a bit different and you like snorkeling, this place is excellent..
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| Club Bucanero |
Sheila ~ Ottawa, Ontario |
January 2009
Arrival: Jan. 22-29
We flew down on Sunwing from Ottawa. Very small plane, but a quick and uneventful flight. Food was nasty.
Rooms:
The rooms at the hotel were clean, and the chambermaids did a great job every morning. The beds were very uncomfortable and lumpy and I HIGHLY recommend you bring your own pillow. We could always smell stale cigarette smoke in our room, even though we aren't smokers.The shower was hot water only later in the day as it's solar powered so give it time to heat up. You don't need a power adapter, they have 110 volt in the rooms. The satellite tv was only CNN, the rest of the channels were in chinese, cuban, italian and german. Every room has a great seaside view.
Restaurants and Bars:
The highlight of eating in the a la carte restaurant is the coconut ice cream dessert we got. The food was disappointingly similar to the buffet fare but was at least a little warmer. The food, as I now know, is not the thing that attracts folks to Cuba, and this resort is no different. Very repetitious and never very hot. No fresh juice which I thought they could have, just a Tang type orange drink for every breakfast. Thank heavens for the fresh omelettes every morning. Basically it is like an adult summer camp mess hall. Be prepared to wait in line and eat the same food every day. I am not a big drinker, but if you want a 'cocktail', it's more like a seven-eleven slushie with too much rum and served in small plastic cups. The 'snacks' are very horrible hamburger patties and hot dogs and frozen french fries. That's it and that's all.
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
The beach is small and nestled in a rocky canyon, very good snorkelling. If you want long sandy beaches you won't like it, but it's a great place to snorkel. I counted 14 different fish and the resort provides free mask and snorkel, just get there early enough in the day to get them. ( everything is on Cuban time, so when they say they open at 9:30am, be prepared to wait until 9:45 at least ).The website ways there are 'aquabikes'. If that means a paddle boat, they have one. Pool is okay. They start playing loud dance music at 9:10 every morning, and that continues until after midnight. Every day. We found it very annoying.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
Tried to walk to the beach but was approached very aggressively by 3 hookers and a man trying to get us to give him whatever we had. We turned around and went home, it was very disappointing. We went on the mountain hike that's offered for free every day at 9:15, it's well worth it. The other tours were quite expensive ( 35 pesos for boat tour, 35 pesos for Eco tour, 32 pesos for bus tour to Santiago ).
Sunwing's website says they have bicycles but they don't.
Other Comments:
They say this is a 3 star, but I would give it a 2. I now know noone goes to Cuba for the food. I would not return to this resort, or to Cuba at all.
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Emily ~ Ontario |
January 2009
Arrival: December 2008
Sunwing is very organized and everything went smoothly. Great service on the flight with cheerful, pleasant staff.
Rooms:
clean but very basic. We had two rooms for our family and one room's air conditioner was noisy and the other was ok. my husband was bitten by ants the first night and they fumigated the room with gasoline smelling spray so we couldn't stay there but they changed rooms for us. unfortunately the next room had a shower that didn't work so they had to go to the other room every night. we were glad we had the two rooms so basically we had all the conveniences between the two rooms. the rooms were quiet and had a safe in the room, which was good.
Restaurants and Bars:
buffet was very basic. same food every day but you don't go to cuba for the food. we were glad they had fresh grapefruit every day (disapointing that there was no fresh juice, only a tang type mixture). you had to be careful if you came at the end of meal times because they ran out of food early. dinner didn't start till 7:00, which was too late for most. had a snack bar in two areas but just greasy fare (hot dogs, hamburgers and fried fish with french fries). be prepared to wait for your drinks during meals. often the staff was standing around and carried only a couple drinks at a time. we got around that by ordering several drinks (water, beer etc.) at one shot. new years' eve was very disorganized. most people arrived by 7 and staff took an hour or more to take photos of themselves with the food. by 8;30, people were annoyed and hungry so when the doors were finally open it was almost a stampede. Would have been helpful if they just posted the adjusted times on the door. a bottle of champagne was put on each table which was a nice touch. Bring your own huge mug from home because the tiny plastic glasses they use are annoying and it usually takes 15-20 min. to get a drink. website reports one buffet and two a la carte restaurants...... only 1 a la carte. there is a bar and snack bar by the beach but only open 12-4pm and then all people at the resort have to go to the bar by the pool and the wait is long. usually only 2 bartenders who are working as fast as they can but not a great set up.
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
no landscaping, but again, that's ok. at least they aren't polluting their area with pesticides. pool was nice. tennis courts are there but no net. we didn't find the walk from our room to the pool too far. was nice to be out in the sun and not have to wear heavy winter gear.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
the website stated that bicycles were available and they weren't. we took a 1/2 day tour to Santiago and that was worth it. learned a lot about the country and history that you wouldn't get otherwise. Beach area was small but snorkelling was good. must have water shoes as there are rocks/coral in the water as soon as you step off the sandy beach. have a walk through the mountains each day with a guide. that was totally worth (free). guide was patient with all levels of participants and shared knowledge about the natural world (plants, birds etc.)
Other Comments:
We enjoyed walking off the resort and always felt safe. some Cubans want to sell cigars or other things but we'd just tell them we have no money and they'd leave us alone. We enjoyed the sun and spending time with our family but wouldn't go back again to this resort. It was rated 3 star but was more a 2 - 2.5 star.
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Sharon ~ Canada |
December 2008
Arrival: December/08
Flight and arrival were just fine - bus sitting there waiting for us when we picked up our luggage. Had a wonderful chatty rep on the bus, who actually gave quite a bit of info about the location - including having met Fidel personally at the resort when it first opened 20 years ago.
Rooms:
Advice: Bring your own pillow. The rooms are fine - basic, which is typical in Cuba. The a/c was very noisy, so we opted for leaving the sliding door on the balcony open and turning the a/c off at night. No problems at all (though we were on the second floor - would not have done this had we been on the ground floor).
Restaurants and Bars:
You don't go to Cuba for the food ... no matter how many stars the hotel has. But it was plentiful and there was always something to eat. Nothing outstanding. But the beer is cold and the pina colada's rummy! Water and ice at the bar are filtered, so no issues there. The coffee at the poolside bar is WAY better than out of the machine in the restaurant. We went to the a la carte restaurant once - not worth the effort. In fact, many people left most of their dinner and went over to the buffet. The lunch at the beachside bar grill is better than at the buffet
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
The pool was clean and the grounds well cared for. The beach, though small, is delightful.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
Walking a km down the road to the public beach was a challenge - being stopped by the hookers is disconcerting. And on the public beach, you can't walk 2 feet without someone wanting to "be your friend". Annoying. We took a taxi into Siboney (about 6 km away - 10 Pesos). Less annoying there. Took the opportunity to visit the local school, where we were able to distribute the things we had taken down (toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, clothes - all very much appreciated and the children are delightful). Took a local bus into Santiago - awful. But then again, I don't like cities, so it was to be expected. Very frantic pace.
Other Comments:
I'd go back to this resort for a relaxing holiday. Seemed to be only Canadians there, which was kind of disappointing - it's always nice to see other nationalities and share stories. A week is enough though - there is very little to do, which is fine for a week. No rental bikes available, which was disappointing. Some people brought their own bikes, but I don't know how safe I would have felt - wouldn't have wanted to leave it anywhere, even with a lock.
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Melissa ~ Ontario |
April 2008
We stayed in this resort the first week of April, 2008.
The flight
We flew down from Toronto on a TACA airbus 320 - very clean and spacious with good service. We came back on the same plane, but were delayed on takeoff because the bus delivering some of the passengers from another hotel broke down en route - we sat for an hour on the tarmac. No complaints about the flight once we finally got airborne.
The Hotel.
Things were very much what we expected from other reviews. The room was clean and everything worked. The sheets were threadbare and the pillow small and hard, but we are fairly flexible when it comes to accommodation. The food was simple but fine.
The beach.
The beach was small but nice. Snorkeling was initially good, although the winds picked up toward the end of the week and the water was turbulent and murky because of the surging waves. The combination of waves and rocks makes it an inappropriate place for young children. We heard that the nearby public beach (near the town of Oasis) was good for snorkeling, but there is a dangerous riptide there and several deaths occur there every year.
Diving.
We came intending to dive. It took a while to find the dive center - we assumed it was situated in the small building near the beach, but later discovered the office is in the first room in building block 1. It was a good operation, and the staff were very helpful in getting us going in the turbulent waves at the beach. They have steel tanks, so adjust your weights accordingly. We enjoyed our dive - it was better than we expected given the significant amount of hurricane damage the coast has suffered. Water was 82 degrees.
The Runs
Apparently there has been an intestinal bug circulating the hotel for the last couple of weeks. We certainly both got sick with a 24 hour "runs", that left us dragged out for a couple of days. We personally met 3 other people with the same condition, and suspect there were a lot more.
Because we arrived late in the evening and flew out in the morning, we really only had 6 days of vacation, and it was disappointing to loose 2 days to sickness.
We would consider going back. Bucanero seems to be the only Santiago resort that has a dive shop, and that is important for us.
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March 2008
Three of us stayed at the Bucanero in early Feb. We read the reviews and were warned by our travel agent that it was only a 2.5 star resort.
Nevertheless, we had a fab time and would highly recommend the place if you are easy going and flexible.
Location:
The location can't be beat in terms of convenience. It's a half hour from Santiago town - a warm and inviting city with great live music clubs and other cultural treasures. The resort apparently has a free shuttle to town but we decided to go in style and hired a car and driver - with an old convertible. A classy ride indeed!! At only $15, it was a highlight.
The Resort:
The place is a little rough around the edges in terms of landscaping (partly due to a huge storm a few years ago), but again, the location can't be beat. It's situated at the foot of a small chain of seaside mountains.
It is one of the most naturally beautiful places around (and I have travelled all over the world) with picturesque rocky shoreline that
provides spectacular sunsets. The resort is spread out, so beware that if
you end up in the 600, 700 or 800 range rooms, you have a good walk to the beach. We had a ground level room. We were a little leery about that at first but soon appreciated being able to walk right out of our patio doors and around the corner to the water. Overall, a very charming site, but not clinically groomed to perfection.
Rooms:
The rooms are fine. Basic, clean and functional with cable TV, window AC (our's worked fine, but we heard mixed reviews). The beds are too soft for for us and the pillows are tiny, but otherwise, no major problems. The maid service was reliable and discreet, not in your face like in some places.
Food:
Good, clean nutritious food, nothing more or less. The buffet was hygienic and functional. However, this is not a resort where you will put on weight. We ate great fresh veggies and lots of fish. If your idea of a great holiday is Western style variety and all you can eat desert bars, then this is not your place. If you want good healthy food to keep you going, then you're set... The service is so-so, but mainly due to a lack of staff, from what I could see.
The Beach:
Spectacular!!
Beware, this is a rocky beach and requires slip-on water shoes. This fact must be stressed: the beach is not Varadero-style fine sand. A few dummies actually complained to the Sunwing rep and the resort manager... I couldn't help but speak up and tell them that they should take it up with their travel agent, who should have warned them.
However, the view is very special and the beach itself has a cosy feel to it in that it is nestled up against the mountain, which provides some shade. There were always enough beach chairs. The beachside snack bar had great fish and chips with salad, which, for me, tended to be just right for lunch.
Booze:
The bar upstairs from the beach provided good service, but do be aware that the variety of drinks is standard Cuban fare. No international brands are available, but hey, if you like rum, you can't beat Cuba.
As with most resorts, the drinks are served in annoying little thimble-sized plastic cups. If you plan on partying, do yourself a favour and bring your own insulated cup and save yourself countless hikes to the bar.
The Pool:
Never used it but it seemed quite nice. No swim up bar for those who like that sort of thing.
Entertainment:
Cheesy poolside dancers and comedians - not really my style, but they tried hard and was worth a look.
Activities:
The rock climbing is quite good. A trip into Santiago is a must. The live music clubs are very good. For you nervous types who need your hand held, there are organized day trips into town, but you will pay a premium for the babysitting. For those a little more seasoned, I suggest going in alone and staying a night or two in a ``casa particular`` (basic bed and b'fast) with a local family. Cabs are cheap and easy to negotiate. The freelance tour guides in town can be a tad pushy, but will back off with a firm, but polite rejection - but be firm, otherwise you will have one follow you for awhile!!
The Disco:
Good fun right by the beach. Starts at 11 pm. For those not into that kind of thing, don't worry it is not noisy in that the beach is down in the cove and the disco cannot be heard from the rooms.
The People:
Overall, this place attracted a great bunch of people, mostly couples from Quebec and Ontario, with a couple of Europeans. Most of us were in the late twenties to early forties range. It seemed quite easy to meet people and we enjoyed the company of a good number of fun people. Keep in mind that this is NOT a suitable place for children, especially little children.
One other warning - as with most places, this place unfortunately attracts (at least when we were there), a small percentage of ugly Canadians who expect the sun, the moon and the stars for $700 a week - like the drunken wife-abuser from ****** that couldn't wait to get home so he could get real food, a Big Mac, that is...) . There are always going to be rude drunken jerks that treat the local staff like hell. Do us all a favour and speak up about it when you meet these boneheads.
Service:
Good solid staff that worked hard. Overall, most of the staff had a good attitude. Sometimes there were temporary shortages of things like coffee cups, napkins and utensils, but no major problems.
Overall:
Check this place out if you can roll with the waves. This is great value for money and really is a charming place to explore, although a little rough around the edges.
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| Club Bucanero |
Paul ~ Mid Ontario |
February 2008
Arrival -
The plane was stuck in snowbank in toronto
gave people the room key on the bus- strange
no bell boy to help with luggage
Rooms -
very small single beds no head board- drinking water or fridge
but nice cobble stone even inside the room
my room was one kilometre from the little beach block 600
Restaurants -
It should open at 6.00pm and no later
there was no air conditioniing at all
no service- get up and get your own drinks
there was rice and then coloured rice and the soup had no taste
but there was fresh bread
Bars -
expect 15 min. to get a drink there was one bar by the pool and one bartender
Beach and Pools -
very small and only at the far end of the resort
okay for snorkelling
Grounds -
Not bad- except there was squawshed sea crabs on most of the sidewalks
Activities -
vollyball animacion group was alot of fun- except the ball went over the sea wall a few times
Tours -
too price
road bicycles most of day
my bicycle is still there- for i told the sunwing rep to get the bus driver to put my bike on before all luggage but he did not and i had to leave it with the gardener- very strange also the buses never pulled up to the front together in a row but one came up and then the crowd pushed to fill the bus- very silly
Conclusion -
If you want a cheap flight to see the area- and dont expect friendly service at reception- and need a place where you can leave your things- its okay- but for service and fresh food and to enjoy an all inclusive for a week- it is unacceptable- they need to hire a new chef- replace the front reception- except winnifredo in reservation was very nice- for this hotel has SUCH POTENTIAL- for it is all cobblestone and it has a great location
it just needs more investment money and a new manager
then i will return- for it has very low traffic roads for who enjoys to bicycle and explore
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December 2007
Our family of 4 just returned from Club Bucanero yesterday after vacationing there for Christmas. First our flight was bumped up so we had to leave early in the morning. Once on the Sunwing plane the vocal didnt work for the movie & 1 week later on return nothing worked, not even music. The resort hosted a beautiful Christmas dinner & the entertainment daily was great. The resort has suffered major hurricane damage & effort should be put into the clean up of this. If you like to scuba dive($) or snorkel - this is a great place for you! Rooms are kept clean from our experience. Huge iguana's wonder the property but seem to be harmless. There are friendly cute dogs to escort you to your rooms. The resort is very spread out for rooming - the 800 block is the farther from anything - we were in the 600 block but would have preferred the 400 or 300 block. Block 100 is closest to the disco, beach & scuba. Buildings are 2 floors with stairs in the center. A couple downfalls of the resort is that breakfast is only from 7:30am to 9:30am which is not a long time - should go to 10:30 at least as people are here to vacation. For the soda - there is NO diet or light pop - so not at all appropriate for a diabetic! Alcohol is much easier to access than bottled water. They have a nice Brazilian Whiskey which is close the Canadian Whiskey - that was a bonus. The resort lacks daytime entertainment - games during the day would add a lot to the activity program. There is NO face clothes in the rooms so bring your own. They do supply wee shampoos & bath get - the showers are nice & roomy but sometimes hot water is lacking. There are NO alarm clocks in the room. The beds are Twin & have very small pillows so if u can bring your own pillow, you will bonus out. The electric outlet in our room was 110v. Meals were okay but not spectacular as not a 5* resort - food was very repetitive - the breads were good. We ate alot of chicken. Pasta was served twice daily usually with a soupy tomato sauce (no meat). Wine is served with meals. The beach disco seemed to get locals there. The pool water seemed to be freezing all the time - once in its fine - bring a cheap air mattress to float & relax on. Leave it there when you are done. ohh ... we didnt like the begging of staff for items - like my daughters bikini & my friends running shoes. We had a bad experience when leaving - we checked out the nite prior & handed in our beach towels-the maid came running after us in the morning saying we stole the beach towels & about 10 mins later again she came saying we stole the bathroom towels (which she failed to put in 1 room) 24hr All-inclusive means only 24hr Alcohol - no food could be found in the nite! I dont think people should have to go to the bar for a coffee or kids to get a simple pop. At the airport awaiting return - bring some toilet paper - u will have to buy it from a lady otherwise!! There is NO Brazian whiskey at duty free - booze seemed to be cheaper & more select at the basic resort store. The exchange rate is much better at the airport than at the resort. Leave your US money at home. Also note in CUBA that a Meridan master card is NOT accepted as it was bought out by a US company. American Express is also not accepted. If you like a massage, you can get a full body massage (1hr) for 9 peso (about $10) & 1/2hr for 6 peso. Tourists can only spend tourists convertible pesos - not local monies. Remember to bring your water shoes if you go to the beach. Another tip is to bring your own insulated drinking cup for them to fill otherwise you will get a small 7 oz plastic disposable cup with a long tall bendable colourful straw. If you want fruit in a drink - you have to get it from the restaurant yourself & bring it to the bar as there is none at the bar (banana)I guess I could keep thinking of stuff but I best sign off ... all the thoughts here came randomly ...
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December 2007
This was the first time to this resort and I only stayed for the first night and last night.I did find the people of the resort very friendly and helpful when I did need some help.I was in Santiago for most of the time and did some travelling around the area.The roads were so so for driving on.My room at the resort was clean and it did have some ants on the floor ,but nothing that was a problem . The buffet on the last night did run out of meat but did have fish left, but also I was late getting to the buffet as it was crowded early.So if I had got there early things would have been OK. By late I was about 20 minutes before closing so running out of food didn't bother me , early bird does get the worm LOL.You could see that the storms have been hard on the waterfront part.I found it a clean resort and maybe I should have spent more time there.It being a slower time was great for me as I don't like going with the big crowds.There gets to be to many rude and demanding people for my liking and the Cuban people are just doing there jobs. All in all I will return to this resort with the closeness to Santiago it makes it nice to get off the resort for a day ,but also know your close to your room . If anyone has any questions please feel free to PM me and I will try to answer any questions.
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| Club Bucanero |
Cindy & Bill ~ Mississauga, Canada |
August 2007
Just arrived back on July 25th - there for one week. We were looking for a cheap holiday and paid $560 taxes included. Did loose two days travel due to flights in and out. Bus ride to hotel was quick and comfortable. Only one person checking in travellers so really slow. Hola Sun rep when arrived helped as well. We had a room in the 400 building second floor. All rooms face the ocean which was really nice. Prior reviews about very noisy window air conditions were true! Room was extremely basic compared to more lavish resorts in Cuba we have stayed at but clean and comfortable. Safe is included. Still no extra umbrellas around the pool so shade is a premium. Most guests crowed in by the pool bar as close as possible to allow as many guests to have some shade. Reviews were also correct about the bars running out of liquor, pop, and beer. When they did run it they did try and replenish it as quickly as possible. You might have to wait a few hours though and have to change your drink of choice. Liquor is rum, vodka, whiskey, banana and orange liquor and bucanero beer basically. Food in the buffet first two days was actually the same. This kind of concerned us but the food did get more selective as the week went on. Very bland and repetitive but acceptable for a 3 star hotel. You would have a choice of two rice dishes, maybe a potatoes dish, one vegetable, fish and likely two choices of meat. Food is not labelled so you will have to ask. Had rabbit one night. Also soup daily and assorted salads. Grill at beach serves burgers, dogs, fish, fries only. Some shade there. They have the grill restaurant which is shaded so guests eat and sit there as well. Upstairs is the bar - again bar stools and also some seating. Water was a little rough. Kids who brought floatation devices had a great time body surfing. You need water shoes. snorkelling equipment is available. Animation staff very friendly. Most guests did not want to participate and they didn't force you. Many repeat guests were at this hotel and keep coming back because of the people. All staff welcome any gifts you have. There is a small fishing village nearby and Joel one of the animation people did suggest dropping off stuff there as these people are not front line and get little. Animation staff can also arrange lobster lunch in the village for you if you want. You get lobster, rice and salad for 10 pesos. Rather good deal! We were there for carnival and have a blast speaking to the cubans, dancing and drinking. Love to do that again some day. Taxi into Santiago is 15 pescos each way. Nightly shows were pretty boring. Nothing to do at the hotel accept talk to the guests. We were glad we had a friendly good bunch of people to mingle with which made the days and evenings really enjoyable. Being a small resort it is easy to meet people. The locals working at the resort will chat with you but tend to wait for you to initiate the conversation. Some of the bar tenders speak pretty good english others not as much. One pool table in the lobby minus a tip so if anyone is going down and can bring a repair kit a good idea. No rain - very hot and humid the week we were down. A couple of days we kind of regretted going with the heat and humidity. Some cubans as well were given rewards by their employers to stay at the hotel for 3 night stays for hard work. We found these people pleasant and courteous. Others on Saturday and Sunday purchase the day pass. Some of these people were a little rude. If you want something to eat for luch get to the buffet early as the day I went they ran out of pretty well everything. Some people commented in past reviews that staff asked for gifts. We did not find this so. We offered our gifts to those who we choose to give. The last nights though Lola the signer and one of the dancers were asking some of the women for any shoes, clothing etc that they might be able to spar either for them or someone they know. I did give Ray the pool guy a pair of sunglasses which he was most appreciated of. and my thermo mug to Sandos one of the entertainers. If you see them say hello from Cindy and Bill of Toronto. Would we go back?? If the price was around $600 taxes in or if reviews claim better food and no drinks issues. Would consider paying $200 more for a better hotel though. If it wasn't for the fellow Canadian we met there no sure the stay would have been as nice.
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| Club Bucanero |
Larry, Martina and Jason ~ Peterborough |
March 2007
We just returned from a two week vacation at the Bucanero from March 6, 2007 to March 20, 2007. We have been traveling to Cuba for years and pretty much have been to every area of the island. Had been to Santiago de Cuba many years ago and decided to return and explore the area more. Chose the Bucanero Hotel, as we were able to get an amazing deal through Sell-off vacations and Hola Sun. For three people we paid a total of $3100 for two weeks, including all taxes.
The hotel is on a beautiful setting, overlooking cliffs. In the distance are the mountains (around 1300 metres high). We had read numerous reviews from the resort and didn’t have high expectations. We have been to places in Cuba ranging from 2 ½ to 4 ½ star. I would say the rating of a 3 is appropriate for the resort. It is a small scale resort with 200 rooms, all in two storey buildings and all rooms facing the ocean. We stayed in the 100 club rooms which were close to the beach. The rooms were basic, but clean with either a big walk out terrace or big balcony. Our room also had a fridge and air conditioner (overheard lots of people talking about the noisy air conditioners), however was seemed new and fairly quiet. Always had hot water and seemed to have a very powerful shower.
The least enjoyable thing about this resort is probably the beach. >From the reviews we didn’t expect a big, beautiful beach, but what faced us, was indeed very small. Very rocky with lots of washed up coral and rocks. Without water shoes there was no going into the ocean. From talking with people the beach outstanding, but then again the southern coast of Cuba is not renowned for it’s beaches anyways. Secondly, hurricane Wilma took a huge beating out of the beach, washed up boulders and destroyed so much of the resort that they were closed for over a year and just opened up again in November 2006. We did not enjoy beach life as there never seemed to quiet space, people were crowding beside each other and not much shade (……what is it with people that have to move in with your lounger and come close to other lounger within an inch????? …..it’s like sharing your bed with someone!!).
The pool area is nice. As the setting of the resort is on a cliff, once can oversee the ocean, no matter where you are in the resort. Again, we were there during part of March break and there certainly were not enough loungers for everyone and also very little shade. In old pictures it looks like they used to have many palapas, none left now after the storm. Just 3 or 4 umbrellas and on windy days they didn’t last very long.
The hotel advertises the buffet restaurant that is open for three meals a day and 2 a la carte restaurants. Well, there is only one a la carte restaurant, which didn’t operate the first week we were there. When it did open it was hit and miss with getting reservations. When you do go, only one waitress serves the whole room. Slow as molasses……………..and the food is really no different then the buffet restaurant. Overall we have learned that food is not to be compared with Canadian standards. By no means are we picky eaters. But of all the places we have been to the food at the Bucanero was probably the most bland, repetitive and limited in selection. Since it was a busy time while we were there, they often ran out of food, particularly meat. We liked that the buffet restaurant had many tables outside set up, all with view over the ocean, which we took advantage of.
Staff was friendly for the most part. It was hit and miss with service at both the beach and pool bar. They often ran out of beer, coffee and other supplies.
The resort is very isolated for this particular area I found that they didn’t offer a lot of tours. We got a little bored after two weeks. Went on a ½ city tour to Santiago de Cuba. This was interesting, although I couldn’t get over how the locals just swarmed you and begged for soap, money and clothing. I found this to be extreme compared to other cities in Cuba we have been to. Also went on the ½ day mountain tour. Amazing!!! Would highly recommend it!! Drove into the mountains, stopped at coffee plantations and finally climbed 450 steps to the top of a look out (approx. 1300 metres). The view from up there was amazing. The hotel also has a catamaran. It was broken the first week but managed to take a one hour ride the second week. Gorgeous….as you head out to sea the mountains become clearly visible in the background. The resort also offers a daily mountain hike….not for the faint at heart!!! I am a little afraid of heights and if you are, don’t go. You climb up cliffs and eventually head down a canyon, where the last part involves a climb down a steep ladder. Some amazing plants, cactuses (150 years old) and birds to see.
The beach bar was quite neat. High above where they served drinks had an amazing view. For $13 we ordered lobster one day. It was a huge tail and worth every penny.
My husband is an avid diver and went out every day. The dive centre is right on the beach. It costs $30 a dive and for a package of 10 he paid $265. Most were shore dives and on some days a boat came to the beach and took divers out to sea in order to dive at a shipwreck. The reefs and walls are almost right of the beach and my husband was extremely pleased with the dive masters and would recommend the diving in this area. Snorkelling is also right of the beach. The dive center lends out equipment if needed.
To conclude, we had a great vacation. However, given the beach and the food, we would not return. I realize that everyone has different priorities, certainly the price was right for the two weeks. Would we return…….probably not!!!!
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| Club Bucanero |
Brian ~ Toronto |
February 2007
This was my fourth trip to Cuba, and my first trip to the Santiago area. The weather was great, particularly since it was Janaury - I chose Santiago partly because it is the hottest part of Cuba, and the water is the wamest too.
Club Bucanero is an all-inclusive about 20 km east of Santiago, on the coast. It is 3 stars, and based on the 2 other places I have been to in Cuba (see Villa Tortuga, Varadero & Blau Arenal, in Playas del Este), it is probably an accurate assessment. The advantage of this place is that it is the closest all-inclusive to Santiago, which is great if you want to see the city or to use as a base of operations for this western part of Cuba - many of the other hotels are 50 to 100 km or so west of the city along a very isolated area of the coast, or there is a Club Amigo about 20 km east of Bucanero - it has a much much nicer beach.
At Bucanero, all of the rooms face the water - and all of the rooms on the second floor have a balcony. Now, this resort is at the end of the road in from the main coast road - it is wedged between a cliff and the water, but the coast here is all rock. There is a tiny, and I do mean tiny, beach at the far west end of the property - I would guress it is 150 feet long, if that. There is a place that rents scuba gear and a bar overlooking the beach. Other than that, there is only the pool area. If you want a bigger beach, there is one 2 km away, towards the main road, or you can drive about 10 km west to Playa Siboney, which is the main beach for the locals and is moderately crowded.
The rooms are fairly nice - TV includes CNN and HBO, water was always hot for a shower (solar panels onthe roof). the rooms have stone faced walls - kind of hard on the head since the beds do not have headboards! My A/C unit was very noisy. Internet access is painfully slow, and some people had trouble booking the restaurant during the weekend because the person you book with is only there weekdays.
The food is pretty typical for Cuba - which is not a compliment because I hated the food - you can get fried eggs at breakfast, but I found the other meals disappointing, but I can't really comment beyond that because I only had the occasional meal at the resort. No food is served at the bar by the pool, and the one by the beach stops serving food fairly early in the afternoon.
I rented a car and spend time exploring cities and staying in casas, and only do the all-inclusive thing because it is so cheap if you buy it at the last minute (you get a bus to and from the airport, a safe place to leave your stuff, and always know you can get a bed or a meal when you really need
one) for about $100 more than buying just the airfare. I drove like crazy and went to Guananamo, Baracoa, Bayamo (a good jumping off place to see Pico Turquino and Castro's rebel base in the mountains), Manzanillo etc. - the road to Pilon is specatacular, but the road is in really bad shape past Chivrico.
So, I would go back to Club Bucanero because it suits my needs, but if you are looking for a place with a good beach, look elsewhere.
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Last updated: April 11, 2009
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