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 NH Krystal Laguna Villa's & Resorts - Cayo Coco   Location: Beachfront - 15 minutes from Cayo Coco airport All-inclusive - 690 rooms Description: Formerly the El Senador offers two hotels in one. The "El Emperador" section features large suites and "La Laguna" has regular hotel rooms in three storey buildings and villa rooms that are on the lagoon on stilts and have a separate living area. 5 restaurants - 7 bars - 4 swimming pools - Kid`s pool  ~ Reviews posted on this page — 37  Don't forget to send Debbie your review
 ~ Map of Resort ~ Reader's Vacation Photos ~ 1, 2 ~ Readers NH Krystal Laguna Wedding Reviews ~ Cuba Resorts Review Index
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Have you stayed at this resort? Share your vacation experiences with others.| NH Krystal Laguna Villa's & Resorts | Patricia ~ Alberta |
Room - 2220
Restaurants - la carte, buffet was great
Bars - was great
Beach and Pools - was great
Grounds - beautiful
Activities and Entertainment - not so great
Tours - sugar cane, jeep saffari
Departure and Check - Out April 26 2008 at 8:30 am
Conclusion - All in all the first week was great, the second week everything was closing down on the Krystal side and we where not informed of this. The la carte where booked for the second week and some where cancelled without us knowing. The Emperador side was so full of people at night we never had a place to sit. They had no bank to take Credit Cards and where told to go to the next resort to get money. When we talked to our Air Canada rep was told he was not interested. Beautiful resort and Beautiful beach, but will Never go this resort again.
| NH Krystal Laguna Villa's & Resorts | Brenda ~ Halifax |
Four of us were at the El Senador side of the resort from March 27 to April 10/08. Reading some of these reviews. These negative people need to get a life. They must be hell to live with.
Our stay was great at this resort, and would recommend it to anyone. The rooms were great, and we had some complaints
On the washrooms not being stocked with toilet paper. But we were told this, and brought our own. We travelled with WestJet, which was a pleasure through Transit Vacations, and their staff was very helpful. Most of the staff on the resort were very helpful and all enjoyed the treats we brought for them
Recommend to anyone.
| NH Krystal Laguna Villa's & Resorts | Paul |
Emperador
Arrived at night - a little difficult to find room in dark when tired (wandered 15 minutes to find room was very close to front area)
Very nice resort. Very friendly staff (mostly). Plenty to do (skipped night "life" so I cannot comment on it). My wife, who studied horticulture, enjoyed walking around looking at the plants. I enjoyed the birds...saw an American Kestrel that lived by the tennis courts catch and eat a lizard...cool.
Room 4404 - was not that clean on first night (sandy floor), no drinks in fridge as we were tired it was not appreciated but after turning on the air conditioner, having a nice shower and walk around the resort it turned out to be a very nice room...excellent location
The lagoon does have a sulphur smell in places but we chalked that up to a normal swamp smell...it was not overwhelming nor ubiquitous. We spent a lot of time on the boardwalk looking at all the fish, birds, etc. It was enjoyable. Some people thought the lagoon was meant to be their ashtray and garbage pail but the staff were quite good at keeping it relatively clean
Food - We were not expecting great things but actually found it to be quite good (though not consistent). Our favourite was the Gallo and the very nice waitress (Omera) there made it a very enjoyable place. Excellent service and very kind people was our general impression. Try to stay out of the lunch line between 11:30 and 1:30 unless you like standing in line. I loved a fruit they called Wawa...I'm addicted now so I need to find what it is called here and see if I can find it
Beach - very nice for first 4 days but got windy so we could not do water sports after that...disappointing but nobody's fault
- I very much enjoyed snorkeling off the Point that is to the right of the beach (Emperador section) - I saw many different kinds of fish. At one point I was in a cove and I was surrounded by at least 100 colourful fish of every variety...like swimming in an aquarium
Excursions
- trip to Moron - okay but tiring trying to communicate and difficult to "relax" with every one approaching you being "friendly"
- deep sea fishing - caught a dolphin fish and a barracuda - fun
- catamaran trip - should have been canceled because of rough water but we went on it and I would say we didn't see much...I saw much more at the beach (see above)
We brought down gifts (soap, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, combs, pencils, etc.) instead of monetary tips and it seems that some really appreciate that and other not so much. We felt a little awkward at first handing them out but we got used to it after a while.
Negatives
- we left a gift on our pillow every day for our cleaning lady...on the final day she almost kicked us out 2 hours early and asked if we were not happy with her cleaning as we did not leave anything for her - either someone was taking the gifts before she came to clean or she was trying to "shake us down for more" it left us with a very negative impression on our last day
- some public washrooms were rough at best (not clean often missing seats) - we were warned and we brought small packages of tissue paper as toilet paper was scarce in them too
I really think the comment that "if you go to enjoy yourself you will, if you go not to enjoy yourself you won't" is a very appropriate comment. Remember a 4.5 star rating there means nothing...go, be sure to want to have fun and you will.
We enjoyed our time together.
| NH Krystal Laguna Villa's & Resorts | Joan |
We have just returned from a week vacation at NH Krystal Emperador site.It was a fantastic experience and we have no qualms about going there again.
The reception desk is friendly and fast.
The bank was always open and never closed because of funds being depleted.
The rooms were clean and tidy although I did take a can of spray lysol and did the beds, pillow cases, and couch and chair.There was never a problem with the shower or the water..ours was always hot no matter when we used it.The toilet was working well too.
The bars were great and if sometimes we didn't tip we were never slow on the next drink.If you notice, the money is all put in a cup and divided at the end of the shift.
I didn't swim in the pool but did notice there were always lounges available.My husband said it was actually warm.
The beach was beautiful and we spent out mornings there.No problem getting a beach hut and the men were helpful in carrying the lounges for us.
Our a la carte reservations were made for us on out arrival and we had 4 given to us.The steak house was very good but found the Pizzeria to be low on our list.The lasagna sauce was dry hamburg and the pasta was very doughy, and my husband found there was not enough sauce on the pizza, but if you read about Cuba, they eat their food very bland.The buffet was good and where else can you watch them cook your eggs and bacon right in front of you.Lunches and dinners were also good with a very good variety..the chicken and fish grilled in front of you.Coffee is really good in the morning.
Our Nolitour guide was at the station all but for his day off on Wednesday and he was very helpful.
Remember for the price we pay the trip is worth it and I feel we should not be complaining, we are there for a good time not a long time.
We will most deffinately return to the Emperador Suites next year.
| NH Krystal Laguna Villa's & Resorts | Kelly & David ~ Oshawa, Ontario |
Rooms Villa
Restaurants 5 a la carta restaurants: El CruceroVIP, El Pincho,Moonlite,El Malecon and El Gallo The food was great. There were a few people complaining of the food. To us, the food was great. If you are going to complain, then stay at home. There is always someone complaining about something.
Bars All of them were great especially the bartender, Ernesto. He was a great guy. We became good friends while we were there. We will be keeping in touch with our new friend from Cayo Coco,Cuba.
Beach and Pools Beach was awesome and the pools were amazing. Very clean.
Grounds They were kept clean. The groundkeepers were very helpful and friendly.
Activities and Entertainment Live performance every night was great. We enjoyed this tremendously.
Tours We went horseback riding on the beach. this was great. We did the 3 1/2 hr boat tour which was awesome. We recommend this for sure.
Departure and Check Out We had no problems with departure or check out.
Conclusion Overall, both myself and my husband were very impress with the staff and resort. We will be returning to this resort soon. This was our first time to Cuba. We were upgraded to the Villas. Never expected this to happen. We were very impress with the Villa and location.
| NH Krystal Laguna Villa's & Resorts | Dave ~ Atlantic Canada |
This was my 10 th trip south and if it had been my 1 st , it would have been my last. Several friends recommended this resort but the resort has changed hands and has changed for the worst. The resort is very beautiful, rooms were very nice and the staff (except aircanada vacations staff) were great. The problem is there are not enough staff . At arrival, our rooms were not ready for 5 hrs and then did not have towels ( for 2 days). We got our beach towels right away but were only able to exchange them once all week, as the towel hut was either closed or out of towels every day we tried. We did have hot water, but it only dripped as pressure was lost when you went from cold to hot. Food was good in the reservation resturants however it took two hours to make the reservations and then you stood in line at the door each night. One night it took 1 hr to get in and when we did the place was only being half used. The food at the buffet was not as good, with many people having frenchfries and bread as their staples ontil day 3 when they ran out of frenchfries. The bank at the resort was closed ( said they ran out of money) from Monday at lunch time ontil Friday morning. The excursion we booked through the aircanada rep was cancelled . The problem was no one informed us or the large group waiting for the bus for almost an hour and a half. We did not get our money back for two days as it was hard to track down the rep (due to his day off). When we complained about our treatment and how we were not satisfied with air canada vacations he said "that’s to bad, and that they really do not care". This was the first time we travelled with aircanada vacations and I had expected it to be our best trip (as it was the most expensive).. We did get much better treatment with the charter companies and plan on giong back to them for future trips. I would recommend Air Canada start treating their owners (us tax payers) better and they should not stay tied in with resorts that do not keep up their end of the deal.
| NH Krystal Laguna Villa's & Resorts | Amy |
Arrival – We flew with Sun Wing out of Toronto. The flight was quick and really great – good breakfast and champagne, which was a nice way to start off the vacation.
We had no problems with the immigrations but were the last ones to get our luggage. We were put on a second bus to NH Krystal as the first bus was full. When we finally got to NH Krystal, we were close to the
end of the line up to the reception. Everyone ahead of us got nice
cold drinks and the line was extremely slow. Note: There is a bar right next to the reception desk – we ended up going to that bar before check in and got some drinks (it makes your wait time much better). Our rooms were not ready yet but they gave us our All-Inclusive bracelets and told us that we can leave our luggage in
the reception area. Everyone left their luggage there.
Resort
This resort is made up of two different resorts – Laguna side and
Emperador side and is HUGH. Make sure to take the map that they give
you when you check in as you will get lost in the beginning without it.
Rooms:
Our room was on the Laguna side (1403) was not ready until 4pm (check
in time) but it was not cleaned up by the maid yet. We went back to
reception and they changed our rooms to 1515 which was much better.
The room was really spacious but had a musty smell in the room – on advice from another reviewer we brought with us a scented candle and didn't have a problem. One of the lampshades were broken but was replaced during the course of our stay.
Bathrooms - Toilets – the toilets are different from the ones that we have in Canada – they do not flush toilet paper properly. There is a bin next to the toilets in your room and public washrooms – we are supposed to put the toilet paper in there after use. Soap was not always available in the public bathrooms on the Laguna side. Either take your own or bring Purell just in case. (The bathrooms on the Emperador side were way better and always stocked properly).
The maid was good and gave us water almost every day of the week – missing only one day. She also brought us two rugs for the side of our beds but we did tip her $2 each day plus little gifts that I brought with us. Note: You are suppose to get a "sign off" on your room from your maid but our check out time was 7am and didn't require this "sign off" paper from the maid.
Entertainment
There is entertainment at the resort but because it's quite spread out you will need to look around for it. Check out the daily activities board for more details – located outside the buffet restaurants.
Restaurants
Buffet – There are two buffets – one on the Laguna side and one on the
Emperador side. The Emperador was stated by most guests and
ourselves to be better but we stayed mainly on the Laguna side. The
stir fry was excellent at both lunch and dinner time. The food was
definitely tasty but some foods were bland. Not much of a variety if
we had to eat there every day. They did have theme nights for dinner
but we didn't eat there much as we had a la carte restaurants for 4 nights.
Side notes: Ketchup tastes different – so if you love normal Ketchup
bring your own. The pepper they have is white pepper which was fine for us as we cook some times with white pepper.
Cuban – the resort was renovating the Cuban restaurant and turned the La Sierna (24 hour snack bar) into the Cuban restaurant but nobody
told us. We actually went to the Cuban restaurant and found others
that were just as surprised as us that there were no waiters there – not even a sign telling us where the restaurant was moved. We finally found it after asking a maid and rushing back but were 10 minutes
late. We found out later that at least 2 or 3 others didn't make it
to the restaurant. The food was very tasty and highly recommended to
give it a try.
Italian – La Pizzia – My husband like the food here but I didn't like
it that much. The food was a bit tasteless to me.
VIP – It cost an extra $29.99 and was worth the money as the food was the best that we tasted all week.
Internet service
- You an buy 1 hour of usage for $5 cuban at the receptionist desk –
it's super slow.
Pool/Beach
- There are plenty of lounge chairs and the beach is absolutely
beautiful. You can use kayaks and peddle boats. We were only able
to get the kayaks out twice – try to go to the right and past the cliff – there are a bunch of other resorts and some islands.
Bars
- There are at least 5 bars at this resort and they are all really
great. If you want to bring a thermo to keep your drinks cold that
would be great as the cups they give are very tiny.
Overall: The resort grounds are really big and beautiful. We had a
great time despite a few negatives – having our towels stolen our last day, not having our room right away, etc. It's all about the attitude – if you are there to relax and enjoy yourself – you will have fun.
Tipping is never expected but if you do, you honestly get better service. Hubby and I would recommend this resort but would probably not go back as we like to try new places.
| NH Krystal Laguna Villa's & Resorts | Bryan ~ Caledonia |
We just returned on the 30th from our fourth visit to NH Krystal. The first two visits were outstanding but the third wasn't to good and this last one was terrible. The food was lousy and so was the service. The lagoon smelled of raw sewage, there was never any toilet paper in the washrooms and at least half of the seats were missing. Our travelling companions took almost four days to get hot water. The beach is still beautiful and some of the staff were great but others were totally indifferent to our concerns. The hotel was almost full and the staff was unable to cope with the number of people. The bank was closed most of our visit so we were only able to exchange our dollars for pesos twice. It's obvious that the new owners are cutting back on staff, food and supplies. We will never return to this resort.
| NH Krystal Laguna Villa's & Resorts | Gerald |
cannot believe what people complain about. this resort is very well maintained and the staff are very friendly and helpful. Sure there are lineups for food but where in the world don't you lineup? checked with the staff working at the resort about the changeover from the previous owners, they gave me the impression that the new owners are trying to introduce cutbacks in staff, food, and beverages. this seems to be obvious from the reviews of the resort when it was owned by the canadians. there are nicer places to stay in the caribbean, but you will pay a lot more, go give it a try and relax you are suppose to be on vacation. we will return to this lovely resort.
| NH Krystal Laguna Villa's & Resorts | Alex S. (22 years old) |
We, a family of 5, stayed at the Laguna side of Krystal. But everybody can use all the facilities/restaurants of the entire resort.
The only reason we booked this resort was because we got a last minute deal and were looking to get away somewhere 3 hours away by air. We booked this trip because we got an amazing deal for 5 people.
We are experienced travellers from all over the Caribbean so I can tell you an honest opinion.
Basically the entire time I was in this resort, I kept on saying “I cant wait to write a review”. Because I kept on laughing at the poor service. This resort is a 3 start. With a 5 star beach. THAT’s it in a nutshell. We read many reviews prior to booking this resort…the reviews seemed mixed, and I found that people are quite strange in their outlooks.
I will tell you CONCRETE, SOLID information about this resort. Firstly, unless you are getting a really good deal, do NOT go to this resort, you will be very disappointed. We heard some people paid 1500 CND per person, and were SHOCKED. If you are paying about 700 CND taxes included I could consider this resort.
THE BEACH on this resort, despite what everybody has said, is GORGEOUS. Perfect for swimming, for adults, children, everybody! There is NOTHING anybody can say about the beach. Its perfect. Yes, to get some shade, you will NEED to wake up early. OR, bring an UMBRELLA. It is very hot, and if you have no shade, you will burn.
THE FOOD, in every single restaurant, buffet and a la cartes is NOT GOOD. The buffet food is HARDLY edible. COLD, STALE, LEFT-OVERS. We are not picky people..the entire time we kept saying “They should just make a couple of good dishes instead of dozens of HORRIBLY, LAZILY prepared dishes!..that nobody eats.” So much food was thrown out. Here is a fact: The entire week, they NEVER bothered to properly cook potatoes or rice to soft consumable texture. Simple staple foods were made improperly!! They continuously wasted product. I won’t convince you, its your choice, but your entire week, or (hopefully not two weeks), will be spent PICKING AND CHOOSING what to eat 3x/day. NOT FUN.
Our family survived on, FRESH BREAD (baked every day) with butter and cheese. Good tasting burgers at lunchtime. Fresh omelets (with huge lineups to one) at breakfast, and fresh fruit at most meals. We usually tried many dishes, and ended up eating a lot of bread to fulfil the hunger…EVERY SINGLE MEAL!
The hotel is understaffed as others have mentioned.
The front desk/reception was the most useless I have ever encountered in my travels. We are positive, outgoing people, and couldn’t believe the workers we met. We arrived in the morning and were told we would have to LEAVE OUR LUGGAGE and belongings in the lobby until 4pm to CHECK into our room. (it is their RULE). They didn’t care one bit, so I asked what room numbers we would be given, and I found my rooms that were assigned. TO my SURPRISE, the rooms were CLEAN and ready to check in. I spoke to the maids, and they said SURE you can check in. So instead of waiting a good 6 hours to check in..I told the reception that our room was READY. I guess when you come to vacation, you have to go on a hunt to figure out what is really going on.
THEY NEVER KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON the entire week we were at this resort. We really don’t know how anything got done. The front desk does not even have a CLOCK, neither do any of the rooms.
Also, very important for families of 3 and up…the resort does not contain ANY rooms with more than 2 beds. It took them 2 days to bring up a portable tiny bed for our younger family member. For this, we had to go back and forth to the lobby 4 times..to explain that “No, we have NOT received a third bed yet.”
The rooms have no balconies and nowhere to hang your wet towels. Between 5-7, there is barely any hot water in the showers because everybody is showering at the same time getting ready for dinner.
The toilets constantly got plugged, and you had to add water inside to help flush. This was a daily ritual.
The bars are great, with fast workers, but they will not serve you if you do not tip them. They know who tips them, and if you don’t tip, you will have to wait.
I will not talk about entertainment and other things, because when the service is so terrible, and the food is a huge disappointment…..it won’t matter how good the entertainment is.
Again, just for the beach, I would come to this resort. I would not return because I know the management doesn’t care to change their attitudes about buffets, etc. There are many other beautiful resorts and beaches in the Caribbean, and I would not return to this resort, nor would I recommend it to anybody, because they would come back home and 100% tell me, the beach was BEAUTIFUL, the grounds were nice, but the service and food was so bad…that I wanted to come home!!
Cayo Coco itself is so gorgeous, it’s a shame that the resort doesn’t care to improve itself. Frankly, I don’t think it ever will.
Oh yes, the washrooms around the resort NEVER have any toilet paper, were dirty and the villas on the LAGOONs are smelly, and dirty, and serve no purpose to the resort. Im not sure what the point of them building villas on a really disgusting lagoon was. It was quite funny.
Important: If you end up going anywhere in Cuba, be sure to bring essentials to your maids/waiters/gardeners etc. They really appreciate clothing you don’t wear, children/adult, Tylenol, toothbrushes, choclate, hats, anything we in America take for granted they will really appreciate because they make very little money, and it’s very expensive for them to buy those kinds of things.
Resort is 3 star.
Beach is 5.
Please find somewhere else to go. It’s not worth it. You will be disappointed. And when you do have a complaint there is just nobody to speak to. They DON’T CARE. Not only that, but you are on vacation! You won't want to complain even once..you're there to relax...not to demand proper care. If they can't provide the proper services..it's their problem. Don't go there. If you don’t care what you eat..and you’re a beach/pool person…go ahead and take the plunge, but don’t say I didn’t tell warn you!
| NH Krystal Laguna Villa's & Resorts | Maggi & Murray ~ Nova Scotia |
We had stayed at this resort 3 years ago when it was under
different management. (El Senador) Just loved it!
food and service are not nearly as good now.
Al a Carte Restuarants VIP & Moonlight were great.
The Steakhouse and Italian were good. Seafood and Cuban - Awful.
The (8 PM)second sittings at the Steakhouse and the Italian often had
long line-ups and often you didn't get seated until 9 PM.
Buffets were a hit and miss proposition as food was
sometimes warm or cold as the steam tables were often not
working. At times there were long line-ups to get into the buffet
for breakfast on the Emperdora side.
The beach grill was closed all the time we were there and so were the
beach washrooms - it made a long treck to your room or to the nearest facility.
All common washrooms had no soap and most of the time no toilet paper so
make sure you bring those little packages of kleenex.
The Cigar House was also closed for the full two weeks of our stay.
Our suite on the Emperador was great, clean with great maid service.
Part of our Transat package was to have five al a cartes pre booked on
our arrivel - wonderful service.
There was an Air Transat rep was in house most of the time and they were
most helpful if one had a problem.
The Beach is fabulous with lots of chairs and lots of shade huts.
No need to put towels down at dawn!!!
Staff are very freindly and helpful.
Musicians throughout the resort and at all restuarants was a lovely touch.
The VIP was advertized as Adults only, yet the twice we were booked,
there were parents with little children in strollers and young children who
wandered about the restuarant during the meal.
Our main complaint was the inconsistency of the food and the
washroom situation. Would we go back again - yes- if the price was right -
but the problems with inconsistent meals must be addressed.
| NH Krystal Laguna Villa's & Resorts | Ina ~ Halifax |
Arrival -
Flew on Air Canada Feb 16-23. We purchased the Executive Class for 100$ each at time of booking. This was nice - extra roomy seats, free drinks, meal choices, and extra attention.
Arrived at Cayo Coco's airport just as the sun was setting. Cleared immigration with no problem. Immigration Officer asked if I had medicines - I had personal prescriptions only which I showed. He excused himself and thanked me and we were in.
Luggage was first off the plane.
Tourism rep easy to find - spoke excellent English - found the appropriate bus and was given a map of resort with day trip info. Our luggage was loaded first into the bus (not necessarily a good move because it's last off the bus).
Beer for sale on the bus - 2 for $5 Canadian. (we did not change our dollars for pesos at the airport, although you could do this.)
When we arrived at the resort around 8pm, I went straight to the front desk and my husband waiting for the luggage. You have to both check in at the same time, as the voucher is for both. There were maybe 4 people ahead of me in the line, so my husband joined me in time. 15-20 minutes of waiting and chatting with other guests.
We were somewhat shocked to hear that 400 university students from Toronto were also spending the week with us. This would mean very busy bars until Thursday when most of them left.
Rooms -
We were given 2 card keys for Room 1203 and told if we needed help, someone over there would help us to the room. We did not wait for help but walked with another couple to our rooms (5 minutes?).
If you just go through the lobby to the outdoors, a driver with a shuttle cart will come by sooner or later and take you whereever you want to go.
When we got to our room, it was clean but the beds were not made. A maid showed up within a couple of minutes and made the bed.
The Room is roomy with a good size bathroom. 2 big towels, 2 smaller towels, no facecloths. We had 2 double beds, 2 side tables, 2 wicker chairs and a small table. Being on the ground floor, our patio door opened to a grassy area with some plants, and we pulled the chairs out a few times to sit outside - especially the night of the eclipse.
We changed into warm weather clothes and headed back to the reception area bar.
We got a 2 litre bottle of drinking water each day. We never asked for more.
The TV was not working great, but enough for us to watch a little CNN London and hear about the eclipse, Kosovo, Castro and the terrible weather in Canada.
We always had hot water. The toilet ran always, so we would turn the valve to stop it at night. The safe worked.
Here's a tip - you must use a card to keep the air conditioning and the lights on, but any card will do - perhaps even a business card.
Restaurants -
The morning after our arrival, we went to the airline briefing which is somewhat boring but very usefull information is given to you here that you might not get otherwise, so please go.
We then stood in line to book our 3 à la carte restaurants. I don't know why this takes so long. There were maybe 6 people ahead of me and it took 45 minutes or longer. Buddy is very slow. But what's done is done and we got our restaurants.
Buffet on Laguna side - went here for breakfast. Lots of choices. Look around - find the stuff you like - wait in line for 5 minutes. (Remember, you can wait in line for 45 minutes to get into Cora's for breakfast). We started the day with a good breakfast every day. You can have orange juice and champagne, yogurt drinks, juices, eggs (scrambled, boiled, fried), fruit, breads, danishes, etc.
Had supper here once I think, as we tended to go to the El Senador side to avoid the students.
Buffet El Senador side - smaller but had an outside patio which was very nice. Had some lunches here as well as the other. Liked this one for suppers. Always a pasta bar, custom cooked meats and fish, lots of salad choices, great breads (all restaurants had great bread).
Desserts were the same every day. Little layer cakes in various flavours, creme brulee cakes, ice cream (always seem to be out, but blame that on 400 students).
Cuban restaurant - service was moved to the poolside restaurant due to renovations. Probably the best meal we had all week - we had the lamb. Our young waitress was probably the most polished service provider we saw all week.
Steakhouse - decent meal. Pleasant staff.
Italian - decent meal. Great staff. We had the veal parmesiana.
Grill across from Cigar Bar and overlooking the Laguna. Wow, are we ever lucky to have lunch in a wet bathing suit overlooking nature's plant and sealife, and eat a burger and fries and a cold beer. Other choices like mixed grill - chicken, beef and pork. Life is good!
The restaurant food is somewhat better than the buffets as it is prepared to order. The seating is arranged to allow everyone to get some attentive service. Enjoy your 3 nights away from the crowds.
Spanish wine is served and during the week, they switched from one kind to another better kind. At the restaurants you can buy "brand names wines" but we liked the house wine.Bars -
My husband made sure we tested them all.
Our surprise favourite - the Cigar Bar. The very nice bar tender is like the king of this place. We don't smoke, don't like the smell of cigarette smoke, but can handle a bit of cigar smoke. We were very surprised that the bar was not smoky - the big open shutters overlooking the lagoon help. we found this place the first night and went every night after - although it was closed our last two nights.
Our second favourite - Wilbur's Bar, behind the craft market and not far from the Cigar Bar. Wilbur is amazing at juggling and pouring drinks. He went to Havana for 3 days while we were there to complete in a bartenders competition. He came in second! Go see him.
If the resort is fully booked, bring a small roll of toilet paper with you when you go out. Many bathrooms did not have any left (morning to night) and there wasn't any paper towel or working air dryers.
Beach and Pools -
2 big pools - one small quiet pool - and one kiddie pool. Tried them all (well except for the kiddie pool. All great, a little cooler than the ocean, but very clean and with bar service. One drawback is finding washrooms near the pools.
The beach was great - the water closer to the cove was clearer of seaweed. Watch out for high tide times - not a lot of beach left, but as the tide goes out, there is a wonderful area for swimming, lounging, sunning. Went every day and always found chairs and huts. We did not do any of the watersports but watched the others have fun.
Grounds -
Well planned and maintained. Some "wild" areas and some carefully manicured areas. Enjoyed the scenery. No snow anywhere.
Please respect this place and pick up after yourselves.
I got about 3 bites at dusk - these did not bother me more than 10 minutes each and I usually have a hard time with bites. A few ants, but what do you expect with people spilling drinks everywhere.
We saw a couple of horses roaming around and lots of birds.
Activities -
Was kind of bored for the first 3 days then relaxed to the point of just relaxing - the whole purpose of our trip.
We attended most evening shows - fashion show, dance, Miss Krystal Laguna, etc. Decent enough - no cover charge! 930pm to 1030 ish.
Checked out the craft market every night and bought of few things.
Tours -
Took the half day tour to Moron, alligator farm, Redonda Lake. Just the right amount for us and a chance to see a bit of the mainland and learn some Cuban history.
Conclusion -
We had a nice time, got some tan, relaxed, spent time together as a couple without bitching about work, the snow, the relatives or the dust. We also met a few very nice people.
The staff did a great job considering the over-abundance of students with high consuming demands.
Good value for the money we paid, and the weather was great.
We did lots of walking (about 5 km a day) but still gained 7 pounds each.
Would recommend to others.
| NH Krystal Laguna Villa's & Resorts | Ron and Sylvie ~ New Brunswick |
Just got back from a one week stay at the resort. (Feb. 25-March 3) Can't really say that I understand the negative reviews that have appeared. For us the vacation was fabulous. We arrived at the resort around 11:30/12 noon (I think, I ditch the watch as soon as the plane lands in Cuba.) To our surprise, our room was ready and available, although some had to wait for their rooms(check-in is usually 4pm). A very large room in bldg #44, very clean with no problems whatsoever with the amenities. Our "camarrera" Zunin was a doll who did a fantastic job.
This is a large resort, which offers a lot of choices. We ate at the different locales and can't say that we did not enjoy the food. Vie had a bit of an upset stomach after eating some shrimp but that passed very quickly. We enjoyed our meals at the buffets, snack bars and A La Carte restautrants which were booked solid during our stay. (The resort was completely full.) If you don't like line-ups go to the buffets early or near closing. I'm sad to say that yes I did put on a few pounds.
Plenty of bars, all of which gave good service. Tipping is not necessary, but we tip the same way we do back home. As a point of interest, try the Spanish Coffee in the Laguna Lobby Bar.
The beach is really great for young children, not too deep until a ways offshore. No strong currents, seaweed beds or rocky spots. The sand is like flour. Never had a problem getting a chair or shade. (We refuse to put our towels out early to claim a spot; that's so duh). Spent a little time at all three pools, but frankly we are beach people. The pools were fine.
Everyone we met who worked at the resort was friendly, courteous and helpful. The transportation to and from the airport was efficient and quick.
We've been to Cuba a dozen times over the years and this resort is a very good deal for the money. Enjoy.
| NH Krystal Laguna Villa's & Resorts | Marnie |
The NH Krystal, used to be known as the El Senador. It used to be owned by Canadians but is now owned by a Spanish company, and things have apparently changed for the worse since the transition over the past year…. I would say everything in the big picture was fine, but the food was such a huge disappointment, I can’t recommend this place…and we won’t be back.
We just spent a week at the resort, which is beautiful, but quite large. I use a wheelchair and the resort was totally accessible, which was shocking, but very nice surprise. I had an accessible room with a wheel-in shower, which was great. We had a nice time of our own making…the beach is great and the smaller of the 2 large pools is the best. … it was relaxing in the sun and sand, as it was snowing at home and -20.
| NH Krystal Laguna Villa's & Resorts |
after a long hard flight with thomas cook which was disappointing but i wont go into that we arrived at the krystal laguna reception.
we checked in quite quickly and were surprised to find they had upgraded all the people from our flight into the water bungalows.
these rooms were great there was a sitting area which can also be turned into another bedroom and the main bedroom which was clean tidy and decorated good with nice balcony over the lagoon..
the room has a fridge, tv with lots of channels inc some good films and english football games,safe,air conditioning and a bath or shower.
the maid cleaned everyday and gave us fresh towels and water everyday.
there was a couple of days when we could not get hot water at all for the shower.
The buffet restaurant was large and noisy with most of the food being only warm not hot. there was chefs cooking fresh meat or fish though but the queues were quite long.
the hotel has 4 speciality restaurants but we could not be bothered to queue for 2 hours to book the reservations so cannot say what these were like.( we even had to queue 20 mins to change money).
I think the biggest problem this hotel has is when its full they do not have enough staff to cope..
there are 2 snack bars one by the lobby which is open 24hrs and one down by the bungalows which was open 11-4pm,this was the best one and we spent meny a happy afternoon in the bar there..
with ernesto the barman who was exceptional and a real pleasure to speak with.
infact all the staff were nice even the gardeners who seemed to be too busy to do any gardening as they had so meny hats and things out of the plants for a peso
as for bars there are a lot including the 24 hour bar and a wonderful cigar lounge which had a large pool table to play on.
the drinks were all local brands but if you wanted Heineken or top brands a small supplement could be charged to your room.
the hotel itself is two hotels in one and there was ample swimming pools and sunbeds available.
one pool had a nice swim up bar as well.
we did not see any of the entertainment as we were always in the cigar lounge but were told the shows were good.
there is also a gym, tennis court, games room for children and bicycle hire, although there's nowhere to go outside the hotel on them.
the beach is fine white sand and is very long but narrow..the hotel has a beach bar and plenty of sunbeds.
you can walk for ages in the water before is gets too deep.
the thomas cook rep was great and we did a jeep excursions into the local town and to see the ranch and crocodile farm..they also took us up into the mountains which had excellent views from there.
to sum up this hotel was excellent apart from the understaffing and we would certainly recommend it.
| NH Krystal Laguna Villa's & Resorts | Amy |
Arrival -
We flew Air Canada out of Halifax. The flight was quite comfortable and uneventful. We flew to Cuba on a gorgeous, clear sunny day and you could see boats and cruise ships docked at the various ports we passed over.
I had no problem at immigration. However, I went through before my husband and he took a bit longer than I did - they did make my husband take off his hat and glasses and asked him some questions. I was on the other side of the door (which locks behind you) and he was taking so long, I was starting to get really nervous, but he came through soon after!
Customs was quick and easy. After we had gotten our bags, we easily located our tour rep and were on the bus to the hotel drinking a cold beer in less than 25 minutes.
On our way to the hotel, the tour rep gave us our information about the information session the next morning - I highly recommend going to the information session. There you will get all information you'll need to make the most of your vacation.
We were the first ones off the bus and one of the first to check-in. Check-in was fast and efficient and we were in our room in no time at all.
Rooms -
Our room was fine - we were located on the Laguna side, just off the lobby. The room was clean and we didn't have any problems with bugs. One thing that was weird was that our room had an adjoining door to the room next to us and that door didn't have a lock on it. The family next door had small children and we weren't too concerned about them stealing our belongings, but we still thought it was strange. We put our passports and our extra cash in the safe.
There was a bit of a musty smell in the room, but we had a scented candle with us and it seemed to do the trick. Our AC worked fine and although it did take a while for the water to heat up (especially before dinner when everyone is trying to get a shower), we never ran out of hot water. However, the water pressure was quite weak at times.
There are suites located on the lagune. We were on our honeymoon and had considered upgrading our room to one of the suites, but we chose not after seeing the lagune. As you'll see below, the water in the lagune is fairly stagnant and it doesn't smell very nice (particularly in the hot afternoon sun).
Our maid was great. I left little things for her everyday as well as some Cuban pesos and we never had any problems! One complaint I do have is that you are required to have your maid "sign off" on your room and you need that slip of paper from her in order to check out. It kind of ruined our last day because we had to wait around our room all morning until our maid arrived so we could get this slip of paper to go check out.
Restaurants -
The breakfast buffets in the morning were fantastic - this was by far our favorite meal of the day. We ate at the buffet at the Laguna side for breakfast every day, for lunch we ate at the beach grill and for dinner, we would eat at the buffet on the emperor side if we didn't have a reservation at the a la carte restaurants.
The bread, ice cream and yogurt in Cuba is delicious - I don't know how they make it, but I wish I could make it at home!
For those wanting to make reservations, I would advise to book them your very first day as they do tend to fill up quickly. Also, the line to make reservations for the restaurants is very very long - my husband waited in line for almost 3 hours in the hot sun on our 2nd day to make our reservations only to be told we could only have 2 reservations for the week because they were all full.
We ate at the Cuban restaurant and at the Italien restaurant - both were really good, but the Italien was similar to the pasta they had at the buffets. They also have an international restaurant, a seafood restaurant (which our friends ate at and said it was horrible), and a steak house (which our friends told us was really good).
All in all, neither myself nor my husband are very picky eaters and we enjoyed the food at the resort. FYI - for those people who need to have ketchup on everything like my husband does, you may want to bring a bottle of Heinz from home. My husband hated the ketchup!
Bars -
The bars were fun - we spent most of our nights at one of the 2 lobby bars. The bartenders are awesome. My only complaint is there is a lack of consistency in the drinks from one bar to another - it seems each bartender has their own recipe for a mojita. I could never get the same one twice! The spanish coffee, however, was absolutely delicious every time!
Beach and Pools -
We didn't spend a great deal of time at the pools as we are beach people and we found it was much too hot to sit by the pool in the afternoon. We preferred the beach where there was a bit of a breeze. We never had a problem getting beach chairs and there didn't seem to be a lot "chair saving" going on.
The beach is amazing - the water is crystal blue and warm and the sand is like powder. We walked from one end of the beach to the other - it's incredible.
There are little bar kiosks on the beach where you can get drinks. We brought insulated mugs with us and we were never refused by any bartenders refusing to fill them (although there were signs posted that they wouldn't fill insulated mugs).
Grounds -
The grounds are beautifully kept and the gardners are hard at work from the early morning hours. One word of caution - we had a brief rainstorm before dinner one night and I wore high heels (not knowing how slippery the walkways would be after the rain) and almost broke my neck! Be very careful!
Also, there are washrooms located on the lagune and I'm pretty sure the sewage is pumped right into the water - it was very unpleasant to walk by in the hot afternoon sun.
Also, the public washroom at the beach grill was really really disgusting, as were most of the public washrooms. I used the lobby washroom and the beach grill washroom only once and that was enough for me - I then walked all the way back to our room to use the washroom.
Activities -
We went to a few of the shows which were okay (they did these in multiple languages and it dragged on at times), but it was fun to see them pull people from the audience up on stage. We also went to the disco twice (there wasn't very many people at the disco and so my husband refused to dance with me). In fact, the disco seemed to be more of a hangout for the resort staff than the guests.
There was also aerobics by the pool in the morning and the animation staff were at the pool giving dance lessons, etc.
| NH Krystal Laguna Villa's & Resorts | Rick and Elayne ~ Kingston |
Hope this helps ease anyone's mind!
Just flew in to Toronto airport this morning..Had a great uneventful flight from Toronto and back...We flew with Skyservice.. Arrived just hours before snow and ice storm blew in shutting down the airport. And drove to Kingston right away......We heard mixed reviews about this resort.....All I can say is that if your an easy going person and enjoy friendly, helpful ,relaxing people than Cuba in general is the place to go except for the crazy driving ha ha... There was 10 people travelling with us so we all made the time memorable. It was kind of like camping for us ..especially relaxing with no kids for a week. We loved this resort for a few reasons...
Arrival: Customs was very fast and the bus took us right to our resort..check in was swift and all organized..the staff were so friendly. I heard a few people say their rooms were a little musty and then the staff were very helpful in making arrangements for them..we brought our own towels but they do have a towel service that you can use..
Workers: What can I say other than friendly...They make very little money and appreciate any gifts as well as tips ...we spent 75.00 all week and a suit case of gifts..We walked off the resort and met local workers which made us grass animals and we gave them gum, peanuts, chips and hair scrunchies for their kids..these people make 1.50 or so per day so anything is needed.
Trips: you must go to the spa OFF THE RESORT just past Trypt. It is 3 hours of spectacular beauty and relaxation . It cost just 45.00 cu.and bring a little extra money for tipping and drinks...the staff were amazing...Massage, reflexology and chocolate wrap, as well as a warm saltwater pool..
Horseback riding at sunset: this was great as there was 14 of us.. well worth the 20.00 cu.Jesus was our guide and he was a lot of fun... I heard the scooters were fun and the train ride around the island was ok...
The Bars: They were everywhere so no shortage of drinks.I drank lots of Ice water and the water on this resort is safe even for brushing my teeth..even though I drank bottled water..there were bars even on the ocean...There is no washroom on the beach so you have to walk back for this...also carry Kleenex for the washrooms..some are not very clean or no toilet paper...my husband found some with no toilet seats..and very stinky...
The Beach: Breath taking!!!! Lots of beautiful sand for miles and a lot of activities..Ocean went on for miles. If you go near the Laguna side of the ocean there is a great tasting seafood shack where Action Jackson stays...He is a very friendly young man who speaks great English and appreciates any thing you have to give him..books magazines,clothing, tooth paste, Advil, gum ,hats, shoes size 7 and other clothing...Just ask any local on the beach for him...Say hello from Rick and Elayne in Kingston..
Rooms: We stayed on the second floor of the 36 block... Emperador side which we really enjoyed...we also had a suite with a pull out bed for my snoring husband...The rooms were big and cleaned daily. We had our room stoch'ked with drinks daily but sometimes they ran out.There was a few fade marks on the couch...no big deal LOTS of running hot water daily....we left the maid gift bags every day...she was very sweet...and the gardener Joel out side our room would get me my flower every morning...We gave him beer, food and gifts every day and in return he gave us grass hats, grasshoppers and coconut gifts in return..This resort is huge with lots of walking which I didn't mind...others found it too much walking.
Food: now this is where I was concerned because of all the complaints in previous reviews. You should find lots of variety all over the resort..no you will not get a Harvey's or McDonald's burger but we found the restaurant across from the cigar bar (on the lagoon) has a good cheeseburger and fries...of course with a beer. Also the La Sirena Grill on the Laguna side has poutine and pizza and burgers...late at night they have yummy fries and grilled sandwiches...The buffets on both sides have something for everyone You sometimes have to wait in line ups but we didn't care we were on holidays.....they make a great pasta dish or stir fry with noodles at the buffet...There was a lot of variety..I loved the waffles on the Laguna side buffet at breakfast.
A la Cartes: We really enjoyed the V.I.P. Well worth it!!! The stuffed chicken at the steak house was great.La Piazza was also good..Now we DID NOT enjoy the seafood restaurant..very fishy tasting and you have to be a die hard seafood lover for here...to each their own.
The Lagoon: there are quite a few walkways over a stinky Lagoon..what do you expect for stale water.. We took a walk on the far Laguna side and the fish were amazing...lots of jelly fish, crabs and different types do fish.Neat to see!
Pools: They were great lots of loungers and space for everyone...we preferred the pool on the laguna side because they have hammocks and more shady areas for reading..There were lots of families here also...If you prefer there is an adult pool as well..
To anyone wanting a great,warm and friendly holiday..I would say try this resort. We heard the Trypt was also big but a younger more wilder crowd.....We will definitely go back to Cuba and will try other resorts...Go with a relaxed attitude and Enjoy
| NH Krystal Laguna Villa's & Resorts | VTNJ ~ Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
We just returned yesterday (Jan 17- Jan 24) from NH Krystal Laguna. All four of us (2 kids: 3yrs and 17months), had a great time. I'll start by saying, please ignore the vastly negative reviews posted here. We've been to DR 4 times and this our 3rd time in Cuba (previously been to Varadero and Jibacoa), and for the price, this resort is good value.
The resort is older but well maintained. The grounds are kept fairly well and the staff are extremely friendly and accommodating. Tipping is recommended. We figured that over one week, even if you tip a total of 50 CUC Pesos, it's worth it. If you don't like tipping, Cuba may not be for you. The staff never ask for tips and we always got great service. All of the staff were very friendly with the kids.
The food was reasonable, not great but we always found food that kept us satisfied. We found the buffet at Emperador much better than the Laguna buffet. The pasta bar at the Emperador was great for our 3yr old. The Coconut Ice cream is awesome!
Our 17 month old drank the steamed milk (it was powdered) from the 24hr grill restaurant la Sierena. She ate fine from the buffet and the fruit and Pizza from the grill. I read the powdered milk package and it looked reasonable, and tasted fine. None of us got sick from the food or by keeping to the bottled water.
Drinks were great, we devoured the spanish coffee's at the lobby bar after dinner.
The beach is probably the best we've been to so far. Powdery white sand and clear water, great for kids.
The bookable restaurants seemed good from talking to some folks. We only visited the cuban and it was OK. We stuck to the buffets or the 24 hr grill with the kids. To book the restaurants, be ready to wait in line, the guy running the booking system could not click a computer mouse nor use a keyboard if his life depended on it. The VIP and Seafood only allow over 12yrs old.
The flight by Sunwing was good, we were delayed by an hour on the way back and there was a stop-over in Santiago which made it a long day, but we managed.
There were no bed bugs and we had warm/hot water everyday in our room (in block 18, is a great central location, close to all amenities and main pool). I did get bites from some tiny bugs that we could not spot, so I recommend bug spray. I probably have over 50 bites, my wife has about 20 and kids hardly have any. Others on the resort also had bites. The resort does spray for bugs everyday.
The entertainment staff were OK, not great but they did try to get some activities going. The live music at this resort was the best we've ever experienced in Cuba.
Overall, we had a great time. Although we will probably not return because we like trying different resorts, we met others that have visited this resort several times over the past couple of years. The price is right.
| NH Krystal Laguna Villa's & Resorts | Shelley ~ Goderich, ON |
Arrival -
We flew Air Canada, nice plane, great service, good food. Our arrival was at 10 pm Saturday night. Good check in, workers speak very good english (everywhere in resort)Rooms -
Our first room in the 21 block was moldy and musty. We stayed there first night and then moved to the 15 block next day. Found out later that a lot of people were moved from those rooms because of mold and mildew. Rooms have space between floor and bottom of door. Just put a towel across it when going to bed to keep spiders and big bugs out of room. We had a baby gecko the last day, even with the towel there. Overall the room was a room, we didn't stay much in it during the day. Had a fridge, tv patio doors etc.
Restaurants -
Now let me tell you about the restaurants. There are Italian, Seafood, VIP, Cuban, Steakhouse and the buffet. To make reservations you have to stand in line at 9 am. Then when you get to the front of the line they tell you they are full at the popular ones because they let you book into them every night if you want to (the same restaurant) so therefore everyone books into the ones they like and the crappy restaurants are left for the rest of the people. I expressed my opinion that you should only be able to book into the restaurant once per stay so that others can try them. Therefore I cannot comment on the steakhouse, seafood, or the VIP restaurant. The italian was okay, not a lot of food to choose from but it was at least hot and good tasting, the Cuban one was just basically the same as the buffet. Overall the food was usually cold and the same thing everyday. but that is what you expect going in, you just eat what is hot and what you like. staff was very friendly and the best part of the buffet was breakfast, omelettes and bacon and the toaster's elements only 1/2 worked, so you had to put your toast in about 4 times to get it toasted. Waste of time, they should invest in a new one. fresh fruit, ice cream, french fries, omelettes, were the best when hotBars -
bars were good, every bartender was excellent except for the one at the craftsman fair down by the lagoon. The bartender was too busy to get anyone a drink because he was flipping bottles around and trying to impress the women so to get tips then actually serving anyone. that happened more than once. took like 15 mins to get a drink no kidding. the adult pool bar was nice, Salvatore was always asking if you need more, he would serve you at your lounge chair. he and his staff were excellent. they would make any type of drink you would like, so go there with a bunch in mind and they will accomodate you. Beer was Cristal and it was great, Bucanero was a little darker but good too
Beach and Pools -
Beach was amazing, jellyfish were on the beach every morning, usually dead though but they can still sting if they were flipped the right way and you stepped on them. water was crystal clear and pretty warm, but the salt was a killer. but that is what you expect going into the ocean Adult pool was the best (behind building 21) quiet, pretty cold though, the main pool was loud usually and all cuban music, lots of dancing, and stuff for the young people, the swim up bar was fun but very very loud cuban music and it was okay pool but couldn't hear each other talk. kids pool was nice for them with activities for them to do in that area
Grounds -
Grounds were kept nice, not much rain there so everything is dry. Gardeners would rake throughout the day and also try to sell you things like grasshoppers, hats made out of palm leaves, give them a couple bucks they are happy. everyone was kind and always never asked for a tip but they would go that extra mile for you and you would have to give a tip. not a big deal.Activities -
there are always salsa dancing lessons at the pools, nightly entertainment, (which was a lot of dancing and loud music) it was okay for young people. there was a beach party and activities during the day for kids and such that we didn't attend.
Tours
Catamaran - DO NOT GO. it was terrible, guides didn't give a shit whether you were there or not, they get paid by the gov't so they didn't even laugh or make jokes or care about you. they just sat there the whole time it was not fun. snorkeling was a joke too at the spot where they went.
Speedboats - was a blast. you drive your own two seated speedboat. guides were fun and the snorkeling a little hard because of a current flowing but fish were there, but water was a little murky. all in all a good and fun trip to go on
Scooters - they are fun to take around the area. not much to see or do but just nice to drive them and see a little of the other resorts around
Havana city trip - is the best to go on to see the culture and history, it is amazing and an overnight trip 200 cuc to go and a plane ride from airport people said it was great
Town of Moron trip - they said was good, nice to see where the people live
Jeef Safari - people had a good time on that, alligator farms and bull riding and they had a good time
there are a lot of others, but ask around to see if people had fun and it was actually worth the $$.Conclusion -
Probably the nicest resort on the island, we saw others but this one was the biggest with a lot of rooms over 600.
FOOD - ** out of 5
ROOMS - *** out of 5
FRIENDLINESS - ***** out of 5
POOLS _ *** out of 5
BEACH - **** out of 5
Definitely a 3-4 star resort not any higher.
| NH Krystal Laguna Villa's & Resorts | Gerry & Diane ~ Penetanguishene, Ontario |
We visited this resort Jan. 6-13, 2008. I am not going to coment on the flight or airport, just the resort. The check in was usual, when you have a large amount of people arriving at once. We had maybe a 1/2 wait, but were able to have drinks while inline. We arrived around 11:30 AM & even though they told us what room we would be in, we were advised it would not be ready until after 4:00 PM. This was not all that bad as there check out is 12:00 Noon. We changed in the washroom, got towels, and lounged around the pool until 4:30 then got our room cards. The rooms are large and in very good condition. No musty smell. There was only one day with no hot water. Otherwise all was good with the room.
The grounds were well kept, with activity every day by the gardeners trimming and raking. They also make grasshoppers, hummingbirds etc. with the palm tree leaves, and offer them to the guests. It is their way of trying to get tips, as the majority of tips seem to go the the maids, bar & restaurant staff. Myself, I tip those who least likely expect it.
There are four restaurants. We did not have a good experience with the Seafood restaurant. We travelled with another couple, and we all ordered something different. The appetizer was ok, but when we got our main meals they were all cold. I mean it was like they had been sitting for 20-30 minutes after being prepared. The Cuban was a little better, but not much. The waitress brought my friend the wrong meal, and when that was pointed out to her, she argued that she does not make mistakes, and what she brought was what he orderd. She did take it back. The food was warm (not hot), we all had chicken and it was like they had gone to the buffet to get it. The Steak restaurant was just great. We all had steak, different ways, and we all got what we ordered and it tasted great. The soup was wonderful as well as the appetizer. Another couple we had talked to, had eaten at this restaurant 4 times, as they like it so much. The Italian restaurant was also good. The appetizers and soup were excellent. The pastas very good. The veal & other meat dishes were so so. Stick with the pasta at this place. The buffet for the most part was good. There was something for everyone. Thursday night is lobster night. I got my fill. There was the pasta station, and you could also get grilled fish, shrimp, chicken, pork chops and steak most nights, along with other pre-prepared dishes. The pre-prepared stuff was warm, not hot liked the grilled stuff.
The pool area is large with lots of loungers. The main pool has the swim up bar and all the activity, along with the kids. They have a adult only pool, which was very nice much quieter, and they had a bartender there as well.
The beach is nice and long for those who like to walk.
This was my second visit, the last being three years ago, and I would go back again. It is on par with the other 4 star resorts I have been to in Cuba.
| NH Krystal Laguna Villa's & Resorts | Kris ~ Ontario |
Arrival - flight and transfer from the airport were excellent. our problems began when we arrived at the hotel. we were told we had no reservation. they put us in a temporary room. we were told to return and speak with the air canada rep in the morning. we did as requested, the rep told us everything was ok and confirmed this with hotel staff. when we returned to our room we were denied entry as the key card would not work. we returned to the front desk a third time (a ten minute walk each way) and the key card was recoded.
Rooms -
the room was large and well designed. the sheets and blankets smelled of mold, there was no curtain for the shower, the shower head would not function because of low water pressure and the water was only tepid. the toilet would not flush properly and finally just quit working at all. housekeeping provided a shower curtain and a plumber got the toilet working again - sort of. in 7 days we had maid service 3 times.
Restaurants -
the line to make reservations for the a la carte restaurents was long. i was told that it could take 2 hours to get to the front of the line. we did not bother with the reservation line up because it seemed that even if you survived that process you would again stand in line for half and hour or more to get a table. we ate all our meals at the buffet. i have never seen a line up to get into a buffet before. there were not enough staff to clear and set tables so even though the room was half empty the line to get in was long. if you like your fruit from a can and your vegetables swimming in butter you will be very happy. the breads were excellent. the lobster was excellent. and if you see the chocolate donuts grab some!
Bars -
there were many bars to choose from. the drinks were mostly good but a bit unpredictable with regard to ingredients. the line ups were long with often only one bartender trying to keep up with a big crowd, the tables were not cleared of glasses and cups and often all the chairs were taken. the cigar house was our favourite spot.
Beach and pools -
the beach was awesome.
the pools were beautiful but the water was not warm and it seemed that only children were in the pool. by 9:30 in the morning all the chairs had towels on them. in the afternoon there was no place to sit at all with even the concrete and grass being used. people were walking from pool to pool trying to find a place to sit. even the chairs from the bars and buffet were finding their way poolside.
Grounds -
the grounds were beautiful and well maintained. there was a sewage problem with the lagoon units and the smell was aweful.
Activities -
what activities?? there was not even a volleyball to use in the pool. i did see a large group of men playing floor hockey one day.
Tours -
we did not take any tours associated with the hotel. we took a half hour horse and buggy ride for 5 cuc each and enjoyed it very much. we went for long walks and felt very safe exploring on our own.
Conclusion -
i wish we had read the reviews before we put down our money. we will not return. never have we seen this amount of tipping at an all inclusive, usually it is not allowed. the cuban people working at the resort were wonderful and the staff worked hard at the task of serving so many people with so few staff.
| NH Krystal Laguna Villa's & Resorts | Kevin |
This is really late, but since we're getting ready to head off for another Cuban vacation I thought it might be good to get a review in and done so that when we get back from our latest trip we'll have a comparison to make.
Arrival:
Our arrival in Cuba was pretty uneventful. It was dark, since it was around 9pm. Everyone got off the airplane and entered the airport where we stood in a pretty quick moving line-up for Immigration to look at your passport and maybe ask a question or two. Then through customs where things move pretty fast. We were both through so quickly we almost wondered if we had missed something. Chantal then got in line for the currency exchange while I got our bags. We bought most of what we figured we'd need for currency here, but in hind sight the exchange rate was a little better at the resort, so its best to just get enough at the airport for initial expenses, like a taxi (if you take one) and a few tips.
We then walked out the back of the airport to look for our Air Canada rep. As luck would have it, it was this exact moment that a little pick up truck drove through the area fogging for mosquitoes. We were all gassed pretty good. Thinking this was likely pretty toxic stuff we went back inside for a couple of minutes to let the air clear. After the fumes dissipated, we went back out and quickly located the rep. who directed us to the bus, but we were planning to take a taxi because we'd read some reviews that recommended this - and it is a good idea if you don't mind dropping the 10 or 15 CUCs. So we got our package from the guide and grabbed a cab for the resort. The Air Canada rep. instructed the driver for us, which was good because he spoke virtually no English.
Check-in:
The only problem at this point was that we wouldn't know which side of the resort we'd be staying at - Emperadore or Laguna - until we checked in, so it was a 50/50 shot. The rep. said he told the taxi driver to wait for instructions from us at the resort in case we were at the wrong side so he could drive us to the other side. But at the resort the driver seemed to be told by someone else that he couldn't park there so we paid him and he left. Turns out we actually were at the wrong side and had no idea where the other reception was, so they arranged a guy in a golf cart for us to take us there. This was kinda fun actually. The driver spoke good English and would whistle at people along the pathways - sort of like a horn so that they'd get out of the way. And you'll learn here that when you see these things coming, get off the path - they don't slow down for pedestrians.
We got checked in really fast - this is the advantage of taking the taxi - you're checked in long before the bus load of people arrives, so no waiting. Our golf-cart escort took us and our bags to our room, and even carried Chantal's bag up the stairs for her. This was a really good thing, because he opened the room for us and we then discovered it had not been made up. He picked up the telephone and called reception for us and then took us back to the desk to get another room. The staff was very polite and happy to fix this for us. We ended up with a similar room, but in a better location and the chauffeur waited for us through it all. Had we taken the bus I believe this process would have been quite time consuming and not very pleasant, so again - glad we took the taxi.
The Room:
In our new room our golf cart driver showed us how the safe works, checked the door and looked the room over to be sure everything was in order - we tipped him a couple of pesos and were soon off to explore and find a drink. We noticed at about this time that the bus had arrived and the line-up was in progress - again - really happy we took a taxi.
The room itself was fine. Large and clean with all the essentials - adequate facilities, 110 power outlet in the bathroom for your shaver or hair dryer. Shower and flush separated from the sink by a frosted glass door which was nice. Hot water was a little difficult to get at times, but it was so warm there that a cool shower was refreshing. Besides, it wasn't cold, just tepid, so not an issue for us. Two large beds - Queen size I guess, pushed together. One was comfortable the other not so much, so we slept on the comfy one and used the other for spreading out clothes and suitcases, etc. We faithfully used the safe since we'd heard that there is sometimes theft from rooms in Cuba. These safes allow you to program your own code into it, so that works well. Leave your valuables, such as passport, ID, jewelry, etc. in the safe and put a lock on your suitcases and you should have no worries.
The room wasn't what you'd find in an up-scale hotel in Canada, but we felt it was appropriate for the resort and the price level, and besides, other than to sleep and shower, we didn't spend any time there - not sure why you would.
Bars & Night Life:
Due to the time of year, the resort was fairly quiet, and at the time of night we arrived we had missed the entertainment. So we located one of the little bars and had a couple of drinks then went exploring a bit more. We found an all-night snack bar where they made the best damned baked sandwiches. Ham and chicken were the choices as I recall, and they were really good with a cold beer. This was on the Laguna side of the resort beside a nice pool which was due to close down in a couple of days because it was off peak season. It was super quiet there and very pretty with some nice statues and a little bridge over a narrow part of the pool. I wasn't good at getting people's names, but the cook there reminded me a lot of the "soup nazi" from Seinfeld. He was an intense looking guy who took pride in his work, but was very pleasant and happy to receive a peso for his efforts.
There was a nightly show at the outdoor theater which I heard was pretty good, but we never bothered to attend. We mostly enjoyed the lobby bar on the Emperadore side. That seemed to be where most of the action was. It was never too hard to get drinks, but there are always a few rude people who'll but in front of you. If you leave a tip, be sure the staff sees you do it. They seem to remember you and pay you a little better attention when you come back for another round.
We also took in the disco one night, which is at the beach grille. It was ok I guess, but a little over rated. Its just music and drinking, so unless you're getting hammered and partying it seemed a little boring.
There was a beach party organized one night which was fun, but a bit tough to see the entertainment if you weren't there early enough to get at the front of the crowd. We ended up going for a nice walk along the beach and walking in the water a little - that was very nice.
The cigar lounge was also quiet, but again, that time of year most things are quiet there.
All in all, the bars are fine. Nothing too fancy and I found myself bored with the drink selection after about 4 or 5 days. Not the fault of the bars, just that I'm not a big cocktail person and I wasn't crazy about Krystal - the Cuban beer. Its ok, but a little flat tasting for me. I didn't discover Buccanero until much later and it is better, but still - you can only drink so much before the novelty wears off.
Food:
First of all, don't go to Cuba because you want to experience fine dining. That's just not the scene in Cuba.
Having said that, the food is pretty good on average and excellent in some cases. The buffets look like they have a lot, but some things were not too palatable - like bacon. Man, I don't know why, but the bacon is just not good there. On average I think most people will always be able to get something decent to eat. Just don't go with really high expectations for food is all.
The Cuban restaurant was very good and the pork steak is awesome. Your wine glass is always filled and the service is wonderful.The seafood restaurant was probably our favorite. I had the Talapia which was perfect. Again the wine is flowing and the service is A-1. We managed to get an extra a-la-carte dinner by offering a few pesos to the host one night who promptly had us seated for a bonus meal. We chose the Cuban restaurant for this because the food and service were so great there.
Our least favorite was the Italian. The service was not good, the food was ok, but the portions so small that we had to go to the buffet afterwards. A friend we met there later told us we could have just ordered another plate which, had we known that we would have. My feeling is that this was not the typical experience at that restaurant because other people seemed quite happy, but it can be hit and miss I guess.
The beach grille is adequate to get some food for a quick lunch without leaving the beach too far behind. The food is good, but selection a bit limited. The service is good there as well. There are some very cool black birds around there all the time looking for food. They are fun to watch, but there is a salad bar type thing set up which is not covered so the birds get into it, which is gross and not very healthy - birds carry all kinds of diseases. So if you're there when they open this buffet thing, get to it before the birds do.
There are also some really hungry fish in the lagoon water there who appreciate a few bites being thrown their way.
Beef seems to be very hard to find in Cuba. If you order a hamburger here, you get a HAM burger - literally a ground ham patty. It actually tastes pretty good, but by the time we left Cuba I was ready for some good Canadian food. If we had stayed two weeks I think the food might have become a bit of an issue for me, but for one week it was fine.
Beach & Pools & Activities:
Last, but certainly not least is the beach and pools.
The beach here is often referred to as the best in Cuba, and I don't doubt it. The sand is like heaven - white and powdery. The water is just as delightful - clear and warm. I spent as much time in the water as I could. We would go to the beach every morning and by early afternoon we'd head to the big pool on the Emperadore side (the big one on Laguna side was closed). We never had any problem getting chairs or shade, but again, it was off season. I could see this being much tougher when its really busy there. We also had no worries about anyone stealing our towels - we'd heard this happens, which would suck because then you have to pay, like 20 pesos for the towel. Often someone nearby will ask you to watch their towel for them while they go for a dip and they'll do the same for you.
What I really hated was people smoking on the beach when they were up-wind of us. One guy had a big fat cigar and sat there puffing and blowing and the smoke was drifting right in my face. I almost was sick and had to give up my nice spot in the shade to escape it - very nasty. People should be more considerate with those things.
The pool was also great. Perfect water temp. and a nice swim up bar with pretty good service. Too bad it closes at 5pm. It could stay open until 6 or 7 anyway - that would be nice. But this pool is big enough that water sports, kids playing, people just floating and bobbing and the activities they put on are all accommodated without any problems. Chairs were easy to get - again, this might be different in peak season, but for us there were no problems. The only shade available though is from trees and bushes around the edge of the paved pool surfaces, so it can sometimes be hard to get shade, which after a day on the beach is nice to find.
For activities we both did the para-sailing. That was really cool - you go up about 1200 feet and can see almost all of Cuba from there. The guide, who you're strapped to, seems to gauge how adventurous you might be and tailors you experience accordingly. If he thinks you can take it you'll find yourself descending from 1200 feet in a hard, fast corkscrew manner that is pretty exhilarating. We both enjoyed it, but Chantal said it made her a bit queezy and for me I got a bit of a pain in my ear from the rapid descent. Glad I did it, but for 40 pesos, I doubt I'll do it again.
We both enjoyed snorkeling much more. We also did the half day catamaran, which was very nice, but I was disappointed that they never raise the sails. The guide told us the wind wasn't good enough for it, but as a pretty experienced sailor I can say for sure that the wind was around 14 to 16 knots, which in a catamaran makes for fine sailing. Anyway, they're on a schedule and need to get to the reef for snorkeling and then out of the way for the next boat, so I can understand that.
We also enjoyed the peddle boat. We were going to try the flying zodiac, but when we peddled our little boat around the point to the beach next door we saw one of the zodiacs upside down in the water and figured that didn't seem terribly safe. I looks like a blast, but we didn't do it.
Summary:
No real complaints. We had a great time, the staff are friendly and attentive, the food is reasonably good on average, the beach is truly spectacular, nice pools, lots of booze - all the things you go to Cuba for are there at a reasonable package price.
My only complaint was that we only got one large bottle of water each in our mini fridge per day, and that is not nearly enough - especially if you use bottled water to brush your teeth with, which is not a bad idea. So bring your water bottles with you when you go to the beach or pools and have them re-fill it at one of the bars for you. They say the water is safe, so all things considered, its as good as it gets and a damned sight better than not having enough water when you need it.
I would recommend this resort, mainly for the beach and pools, which are above average. Everything else is pretty average.
Another awesome tip - get the VIP treatment for the airport when you leave. This will be some of the best money you can spend (I think it was around 40 CUC in total). You get treated very well, get to relax and drink beers and eat sandwiches while everyone else is crammed into the airport trying to find a place to sit down with nothing to eat or drink. VERY worth the money!
Our next trip is a week away and we're trying Playa Costa Verde this time. Stay tuned for that review.
| NH Krystal Laguna Villa's & Resorts | Marlene ~ Kingston, ON |
I purchased this package from Selloff Vacations traveling with Nolitours and Air Transat paying $497 + $209 tax with no added single supplement. The flight was full, departing Toronto at 10 a.m. via Holguin. Shortly after take-off, it was announced that the flight would stop in Cayo Coco first, much to the pleasure of the Cayo Coco group, which seemed to be about 50% of the passengers onboard. We landed at 1:15 pm and customs and luggage pick-up went smoothly and quickly. However, the joy was short-lived as we had to wait an hour at the airport for the ground transportation to the NH Krystal. Some folks opted to take a taxi; it was less than 15 minute drive from the airport for a cost of $15 pesos for up to 3 passengers. It was interesting watching the drivers pile the luggage on the car rooftops and strap them down with rope. I’m sure their owners had their fingers crossed that they wouldn’t fall off enroute. I arrived at the resort and was checked in by 2:30.
I was assigned a room on the third floor of block 20 which is very centrally located and a short distance to the reception, main buffet, large swim-up pool and just behind the quieter, adult pool. I quickly changed into swimsuit, anxious to see the beach was about an 8 minute walk over the lagoon via an extensive boardwalk system. The beach was absolutely gorgeous, breezy, aquamarine, clear ocean water and there were lots of palapas for shade and plenty of loungers. The walk through the lagoon wasn’t so pleasant. The water was brown, and cloudy with lots of rotting debris floating in it and sometimes the smells were very unpleasant. There just isn’t enough fresh water flowing through there to keep it fresh. I met a few people who had purchased the upgrade to the villas that are all located on the lagoon and they weren’t happy with their view but the villas themselves were lovely. Two rooms with deck; and very spacious. The hotel rooms are three stories and none have balconies on the Laguna side.
The Emperador side was completely closed for renovation. Their large swim-up pool was green and full of crabs that had fallen in. The gardeners still kept the grounds looking lovely and the lagoon water was clear on the Emperador side and I could see all the jellyfish moving with the current. There were more birds there also but probably because of the absence of people until the Emperador reopens again.
The buffet was small but I found it to have sufficient variety that I didn’t get bored with the food. Breakfasts, typically were the best with omelets station, and other traditional morning choices. The yogurt was served in glasses and was drinkable, rather than eating it with a spoon. The bacon was fried crispy and there were always the re-invented leftovers from last night supper on offer.
Lunch in the buffet was always good with soups and salads, hot and cold choices. There was no iceberg lettuce or any type of lettuce all week. Salad choices included cucumber, tomatoes, green peppers, and cabbage. In my five trips to Cuba, I don’t remember getting lettuce anywhere. I guess they don’t grow it, so they don’t serve it.
Supper buffet usually had a theme: Spanish night, Cuban, Italian, and International. There was always a fresh carvery with roast beef, or pork offered; fresh pasta station; fresh fish grilling. Their chef has won top awards for his culinary skills. I have often read that the food in Cuba is bland but at the NH Krystal, I did not find this to be so. The cooks liberally used spices. In fact, at the Italian a la carte I ordered the spaghetti with spicy sauce and it didn’t disappoint. It was SPICY….I loved it.
There are four a la cartes and one VIP restaurant (extra cost of $29.99 CUCs to eat here). The only different thing I saw on the VIP menu was fillet mignon and lobster. All other choices were found in the buffet at different times of the week: e.g. Pork tenderloin. All the a la cartes could be booked at once for the week. Its best to do this on your first morning at the resort as they fill up quickly with so many flights arriving. They take a la carte bookings at a side desk in Reception from 9 – 12 every morning. It’s usually a long wait in line if you’re not near the front.
The Seafood a la carte is very pretty sitting on the boardwalk but there is an absence of atmosphere due to the chatter of the bar and kitchen staff which permeated the room. I always ate with six other friends so usually we all chose something different from the menu. I found the seafood a la carte not too appealing. I ordered fish stuffed with shrimp. The fish came with the tail still on (for presentation, I guess). There were bones in every bite and the shrimp were really tiny and tough. As an appetizer, I was excited to see Coquille St Jacques but when it arrived, it wasn’t scallops on an oyster shell on a bed of potatoes. Instead, it was calamari and shrimp. One of my friends ordered a seafood platter. The shrimps had to be peels and deveined (messy); the calamari was really rubbery. He didn’t like it much and went to eat in the buffet later. I would have to say that the seven of us placed the Seafood a la carte at the bottom of the scale.
At the steakhouse a la carte, we all ordered steak….should have gotten the chicken. The flavour was delicious but the meat was so tough, I could only eat around the outside edge of the steak.
The Italian a la carte was better. The pasta was cooked just right and the sauces were very good. This restaurant was divided in half for the Cuban a la carte which is temporarily relocated while the actual Cuban restaurant is under renovation on the boardwalk. We couldn’t get reservations all week for the Cuban as it is closed several nights. It is low season so we were not disappointed to hear this news. I just wish we had chosen the Cuban over the Seafood or Steak house for a first choice. There was always the buffet to fall back on. All the restaurants were open from 6:30 until 10 pm for supper.
The resort is very pretty to go for walks. The gardeners are all smiling and tipping their hats, cheerfully calling out “Hola”. The quiet pool beside building 18 and in front of building 20 is like an oasis. It has a waterfall built in and a portable bar service. The bartender gives his patrons lounge-side service once he gets to know you and what you are drinking.
The swim-up bar pool in front of the main lobby is very large and the center of activity for aquasize every morning at 11; water polo or volleyball. There is music playing all day here and lots of loungers. Behind this pool is a shady grove with loungers and hammocks. There are four bars at this resort: lobby bar, 24-hour grill/bar, swim-up bar at mian pool and portable bar at the quite, adult pool. When the Emperador side opens again, there will be as many on that side. Crystal is on tap and most drinks are rum-based but there are other liquors to choose. They have diet Coke if you are watching calories or are diabetic (like me). Top shelf liquors and foreign beer (e.g. Corona, cost 1 peso.)
The beach is beautiful. The water was calm all week during my stay. You can walk for miles to the left of the resort. The NH Krystal’s neighbouring hotels are the Trypp and Blau Colonial to the left and the Melia Cayo Coco to the right. There are watersports available (kayaks, catamarans, paddle boats, etc). There is a beachbar with swings. No food is available at the beach and there are no washrooms on the beach.
There is a disco located off the lobby. It is air conditioned and sparsely attended when we were there. We went the first night. Twice a week, the animation staff organize a “Salsa night” for $10 pesos, you get transportation to another location where you dance and drink until from 11 – 2 am. They will announce this at the end of their nightly shows. Last week, it was Wednesday and Friday nights
There is a little vendor’s area with handicrafts off the lobby too, an air conditioned internet room with 5 computers. The cost is 5 pesos for an hour. The hotel has three or four gift shops with very reasonable prices.
The entertainment last week was boring to put it frankly. It seemed that it was the same dancing night after night with the staff wearing different costumes. Don’t get me wrong. The animation team are very lively, talented, and high energy but after watching one show of dancing, it kind of becomes redundant. There were none of those funny audience participation nights….well, yes, there was one, in the lobby where there were two teams of four people and they had to guess the titles and singer of musical clips that were played. There was bingo in the lobby every night at 9. Not too exciting, really. There were no professional entertainers brought in like I’ve seen in other resorts. Once night there was a fashion show highlighting the designs of two Cuban designers and then the clothes were for sale. Nothing we would wear here in Canada. I didn’t see anyone buying anything.
There were six English channels on TV. The rooms were very large with two queen-sized beds, dresser with mirror, table and two chairs; no balconies, but the bottom floor all had patios. The bathroom was two rooms; one contained the tub/shower, toilet and bidet and the other room, a sink, and ceiling to floor closet with mirrored sliding doors. The safe was included free and electronically programmed when you enter 4 digits and press the pound. No keys to keep track of. The door opened with a magnetic card. You are given a third card to insert in the room to keep the fridge and air conditioning going. The fridge is stocked only with 2 litre bottles of water. There really isn’t anywhere to hang your wet things so most people would put them outside over the railings but it was so hot and humid, they never dried overnight anyway. Shampoo, body gel and moisture cream are provided in 1 oz bottles on the sink and two round bars of soap. There are no face cloths so bring one along if you use them. There is a small library of pocket books in the Reception lobby beside the a la carte booking station. There are about a dozen books at any given time. People leave them after they have finished reading them. Most are in English but I saw a couple of German titles.
I found the service to be exceptionally good. The staff were all very friendly and did their best to make our holiday wonderful. I thoroughly enjoyed the Cayo Coco area. There are a few tours offered. My friends went on a couple. The all day catamaran trip for 72 pesos each took them snorkeling to two different reef areas, lobster/shrimp/chicken lunch on a small island and all the booze you wanted. They also went on the “Spectacular” tour for 72 pesos each which took them to the cities of Moron and Ciego de Avila, tour of a cigar factory, boat ride on a lake through the mangroves, visit to an alligator farm. They found that quite interesting to absorb the local culture.
There are other tours offered like a Jungle jeep tour; flight to Havana was 195 pesos each. On the beach, there is parasailing for 40 pesos (15 minutes). You could rent cars or scooters in front of the hotel. There was a local bus that stopped at the front of each hotel in Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo that you could take just for the ride in the area that ran from 9:30 to 5:30 each day for 5 pesos.
I really enjoyed my week at the NH Krystal, but because there are no washrooms on or near the beach, I would probably choose the Trypp or Blau Colonial or Melia on a return visit to Cayo Coco or I would go to the next island, Cayo Guillermo to the Sol, Melia, or Iberostar Daquiri because they are all closer to the beach without a walk over a stinky lagoon.
Cheers
| NH Krystal Laguna Villa's & Resorts | Arun ~ Toronto |
Arrival -
Flight in and out with Air Transat was satisfactory. We had pre-booked seats because of our 14-month old daughter. Looked like a relatively new Airbus A310 with nice leather seats. Some people on our flight seemed surprised that there was a stop-over in Holguin so check your itenery when you book.
Rooms -
We had a standard room on the second floor. Not much of a view and surprisingly no balcony. I had emailed the reservation desk earlier asking for a suitable room because we were planning to use our stroller but the hotel did not or could not satisfy that request. The most disappointing part is that there was absolutely no response from the hotel in regards to the request. Maid service was good. She left extra bottles of water every day (we did leave tips). The mini-bar only has bottled water unless you opt to pay more. Never seen in any other 4* hotel in our 8 trips to Cuba.
Restaurants -
Food was actually tasty by Cuban standards. Buffet restaurant was good with a great grill that included thin steaks, shrimps, calamari etc. Waiters were good even before tipping and they were excellent after tipping. The guys at the grill could get annoying if you happenened to be in line behind a single-girl. These guys would stop cooking and start chatting away. On two occasions where hotel management was having dinner the service was noticeably improved and a lot less chatter. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy getting to know the staff as well and have many friends from past visits to Cuba but there should be a limit when service efficiency suffers. A-la-carte restaurants were good with excellent service. Be warned that if you have a baby you will not be allowed into the Seafood restaurant. One big disappointment for me - absolutely no pastry/cakes at lunch or dinner. The beach grill restaurant and a couple of a-la-carte restaurants were closed because it was low-season. Breakfast, lunch and dinner in the same restaurant can get a bit boring although the food was good and the menu changed slightly every day.
Bars -
Lobby bar had a good selection of drinks. Most of the international drinks were extra though. Sometimes found it difficult to get service even with lots of tipping. If this is service during low-season I'd hate to see high season! All other bars serve beer, wine and very basic mixed drinks.
Beach and Pools -
Beach was absolutely beautiful. We've been to almost all parts of Cuba now and the only comparable beach would be Cayo Guerllimo. Twice they ran out of beach loungers which is again not acceptable for a 4* hotel IMHO. Pools were satisfactory. Because of the lagoon section separating the beach from the rest of the hotel the ocean is not visible from the pools. Possibly due to this fact, the pools looked very ordinary. Lots of loungers and some shade available. Towel service was great. There was a waiter serving drinks from the pool bar who came to us and before we could order our drinks he was offering to buy diapers from us for his baby lol! Again we enjoy talking to everyone but I feel the order should be taken first then the conversations should start. We had only enough diapers for a week and we politely told him that and not surprisingly he never came back for the rest of the week to take orders! I've heard of hotels deteriorating under Cuban management (I know NH is Spanish but there was not too much management presence). During our first few visits to Cuba 7-8 years ago, the poor waiters and waitresses used to be petrified under constant watch from management. I don't advocate that approach but this overly lax management attitude doesn't seem to be working in this particular hotel.
Grounds -
Well kept for the most part. The closed section (Emperorado section) definitely looks in need of major renovation.
Activities -
Sufficient activities. I'm not sure whether it was due to it being low-season but the animation team was not very visible during the day. We actually didn't see anyone from the team the first 3 days except at the nightly shows. I guess their off-days are on the weekends but still other hotels always had semi-competent backups.
Tours -
We'd been to Moron on our previous trip so we chose to stay at the resort.
Conclusion -
All-in-all we had a good time considering the price we paid. However for 2 reasons I will not be returning to Cuba again. First, over the years we've noticed that the genuineness we saw and loved in the people we met has been lost over the years. I remember a time when waiters would actually refuse big tips at the end of our stays because they said we were 'friends'. Secondly, the exchange rate from the hotel or airport is a joke. While the CUC is pegged to the US$ at 1:1 and at the time we went CAD$ was 1.02:1.00 to the US$ the exchange rate was 0.85 CUC for 1$CAD! This definitely discouraged spending. I wish the banks/government/hotel would realize that a favourable exchange rate could actually encourage spending. At these rates I'd much rather visit the D.R. or Mexico.