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Explore Cuba |
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| Paradisus Río de Oro |
Paradisus Río de Oro: Hotel Reviews |
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By Trip Type... |
By Traveller Type... |
| Based on 29 reviews |
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| Watch for a Sell Off - For the Right Price it's good! |
| Hotel Paradisus Río de Oro |
User Rating:
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Jacqueline >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Jan, 2010 | Leisure | With Spouse/Partner
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| Flight via SkyService actually left Pearson early. Appreciated the few little things that Skyservice is doing to stand out - including warm towels to freshen up with,complimentary liquor punch, etc. However there were 2 attendants that definitely carried an attitude and if you dare request anything as simple as a glass of water, you got the tut and rolled eyes! Overall for a charter, service was good. |
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| Your Arrival |
| Arrived at Holguin, customs quick & uneventful and then boarded the tour bus for the hotel. It was an evening flight, so the Cubancan rep simply said a few words and dimmed the lights - a bit disappointing as no Cuban music or anything special to welcome us to Cuba (as I had experienced on previous trips!) Arrived at Hotel and luggage immediately offloaded by Bellmen. Resort staff showed us to lovely arm chairs and gave us a cool cloth. We never got the champagne - but some did, so I guess it depends on who checks you in. Check in extremely fast - we barely had time to sit and were being shown to the tram (golf carts) to deliver us to our room. They brought the luggage in for us and showed us quickly the main features/locations of items in the room. |
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| Rooms |
| The room (3514) was very spacious and extremely clean. Lots of hot water - in fact we had to lower the temperature in the shower! Nice vanity area with mirrored doors great for dressing/makeup. Tub is surrounded by an overly high knee wall, so those that are petite will have a little challenge getting in/out (just go slow and don't fall!) Decent closest space for hanging clothes, but limited drawers for t-shirts, etc. Umbrella, spare blankets, iron etc all in closest if needed. Digital safe in closest and you set your own combination. Quite large and could actually store small handbag & decent size camera bag in it. A/C very good - actually cold and had to turn it down. The bed is a BIG problem. Very soft and for the first time ever, I ended up with a sore back. Large sitting area wth chaise lounge, desk etc. Location was close to Club House/Pool so fairly central. Nice ground level patio so we could watch the evening dance lessons at 5pm. Bar was always stocked with the beer & pop we requested. We left a tip each day and always were greeted with towel art upon our return to the room. Room decor shows it's age. It's clean, but it won't wow you. |
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| Restaurants and Bars |
The buffet and the ocean restaurant are great. I'm a fussy eater and had NO PROBLEM finding tasty food each and every meal. People always ask if there was a good variety of foods and here I must smile.Basically you need to create your own variety - as each meal will have several beef, pork, fish and chicken dishes which admittedly don't change much. However, who says you need to eat each thing each meal - honestly I couldn't think of a food that wasn't available! They even have champagne at breakfast! Lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and tasty desserts each meal. The biggest disappointment at this resort was the A La Cartes. On the first morning the Seafood was booked for the entire week, so we were only able to get the Cuban, Mediterraean, and Japanese. The worst was the Mediterrean. We ordered veal which was tough and not the least bit tasty. The lights were extremely bright and the a/c seemed to be in overdrive. This compounded with the slap the food down attitude, left us very disappointed and we left before the meal finished and went back to the buffet. The Cuban was fine. Nice music, better atmosphere, and ok food. Nothing spectacular. The Japanese did not have any sushi, no sashimi, etc. Meat dishes were average and the quantity of food presented was too much for even the big eaters in the crowd. If ever we returned to this resort, we'd not bother to book the A La Cartes as truly the selection and quality in the main buffet is very good.
Bars were average. The biggest issue was inconsistent availability of drink ingredients during the week. At times for example, there was no mint for mojitos, no pinepple juice for the tropical drinks, and orange pop hit & miss depending on which bar/restaurant you were in. The beach service was outstanding on one day. For the most part it was NON Existent. Definitely a disappointment for a 5* resort. |
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| Beach/Pools/Grounds |
| Gardens were fine, although a bit surprising to see that 2 entire beds around the pool area were full of dead plants, and were not being replanted during the week we were there. This is about the only critique I could find. Generally the layout is lovely and focuses on incorporating the natural environment with the man made. It was especially nice to see bananas growing outside our patio which were later used in the buffet. In fatc we leanred during our visit that all the bananas served that week were grown on the resort! Admittedly the pool is shallow and cool - but works fine for a quick dip to cool off. The Beach was well maintained. We were confused about other comments about rocks. Admittedly there were a few rocks but very minimal and wonderful visibility so you could see them in the water. Excellent snorkelling on site - and for those that don't like to get close to the fish, walk to the Gazebos on the upper level and look down - yes you'll see the fish! Note there is a mini jacuzzi on the edge of the rock by the first gazebo. We didn't notice it until day 4 - and discovered champagne is always on ice there! The resort did fog for bugs one evening about 5pm, although we never got bit (other resorts apparently reported a problem.) Reception area focuses on a series of ponds, and is a lovely place to enjoy a cool drink on a hot night. |
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| Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel |
Animation staff very disappointing. Quite a clique group that only bothered with the younger and single crowd. Water arobics and salsa lessons were mainstay activties in evidence. There was a yoga/tai chi spot that seemed popular. Evening entertainment was varied and quite good. Before dinner in the open air lobby there was live music - sometimes a 3 piece, and some nights a pianist. After dinner there was shows on the stage - 12 piece band, vocalist, etc and then at 10pm the Melia dance troupe perfomed. Their shows were varied - ballet, jazz, tribute to Broadway, etc. Not bad at all - and indeed excellent costumes. Don't miss the Aerobatical night - amazing tumbling & formation show. The weaker night was the 70s night - somehow those classic rock songs just don't work with a Spanish accent! Also the Beach party was a disappointment. The DJ kept repeating songs and it was mainly dance club music. This didn't work verly well when the average age was 45+.
We did 2 tours this trip. The "Cuban Life" is excellent and highly recommended. A wonderful opportunity to experience the realities of Cuban life. Included in the tour for $34 CUC was a school, farm, doctor office, local neighbourhood and fishing village visits. Lunch and a souvenir t-shirt is included. Remember to bring "gifts" to give to the people you'll meet in the more remote villages. The "Cuba Inside" was a big DISAPPOINTMENT. It was supposed to be a train ride on a 19th century steam train - which was no longer available. We had to settle for a diesel train - and would not have booked this if we had been told in advance. They also took us to visit a Cigar factory, however photos were prohibited, so it was not too impressive. The Holguin shopping portion was a complete waste of time. Again, lunch & t-shirt was included for $49CUC. |
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| Other Comments |
| Cuban people can't be matched for their cheerful disposition. They seem to take such pride in everything they do and always greet you with the warmest of smiles. All in all, a good holiday full of 32 degree days, so what's not to enjoy! The big question always looms - would we return? Without much hesitation I would say, Cuba remains an enjoyable destination, however specifically this hotel, I would say, if and only if, there were a sell off would we reconsider it. For the premium you pay, it lacks consistent service and the polish of a 5* resort. Interestingly, we have previously stayed at the Sister Hotel (4* Sol Luna y Mares) and admittedly we were disappointed with the lack of bang for your buck we received at the 5*. If we were rebooking to Holguin, we'd likely return to the Sol Luna and pocket the savings! |
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| We had done the dolphin tour and would highly recommend it |
| Hotel Paradisus Río de Oro |
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Lisa from Toronto >
2 contribution(s) Canada |
| Dec, 2009
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Arrival: March 14 - 21
We travelled with SunWing for the first time to Cuba. The flight left early (6 AM) which necessitated arriving at the airport to check-in at 3 AM. We had booked super-elite seats for the flight down (an extra $40 dollars each) in order to have more leg room (seats in the emergency exit row). The best part of the super elite, however, was bypassing the Sunwing general check-in line (about 120 people waiting in one long line to check in for flights to Cuba, Mexico and Jamaica) and heading straight to the priority check-in line (2 people in line). I believe this probably saved at least 45 min to an hour of standing and waiting. Instead, I visited Starbucks and sat and sipped a latte in the departure lounge while slowly waking up. The flight was uneventful- champagne (no orange juice mixed in) was served at about 6:30 am- a little too early for me! The emergency seats had plenty of room in front, so it was a pretty comfortable trip.
Rooms:
Our room was in building 24 on the second floor. The balcony faced the ocean. Due to the hurricane visit earlier, the trees that used to be thick (we visited the resort 5 years ago) had now thinned out, allowing a partial ocean view from our room. Compared with 5 years ago, I'd say that the rooms had certainly aged, with no visible updating/upgrading. The room air conditioning and electricity works only with the room key engaged, and from the mustiness of the room, I'd say there hadn't been anyone staying in the room recently. The minifridge was unplugged and not stocked, but was stocked later that day with beer, water and sodas. The rooms could definitely use some improvements - fixing tiles, repairing some items like lamps, etc. - to bring them at least to the state they were 5 years ago. Not being too picky, we were fine though, and very pleased with the location- equidistant to the pool, lobby and beach. The safe worked well. As others have mentioned- there is no alarm clock in the room. Although we were on vacation, we didn't want to miss the early part of the day so I used my blackberry as an alarm clock. There is a CD player in the room. We bought a traditional Cuban CD in the hotel store, and enjoyed some authentic music in the room while relaxing after a day at the beach.
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| But no, it wasn't perfect |
| Hotel Paradisus Río de Oro |
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Stevenbev from Ontario >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Jun, 2009
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| Arrival: June 9th - June 16th |
Once again we booked our trip with Sunwing vacations and were not disappointed, professional, courteous service, smooth flight and on time, honestly we do feel Sunwing does offer the best charter service from Canada and will continue to use them for our charter vacation needs. For our flight to Holguin, we choose the Elite Plus upgrade ($40), this afforded us the extra luggage allowance needed (30kg), as well as priority check in at Pearson International and the Extra leg room seats (35" pitch). If you chose to book the Elite Plus, I do not recommend booking row two (2). Although you do receive the extra legroom without having to deal with the person in front of you slamming into your space, the actual seat width is narrower as the table trays are stored in the armrests, rendering them stationary, I have to admit, this was fairly uncomfortable.
Arrival at the Holguin airport was somewhat disconcerting, greeted by fully masked and gloved security/custom agents, heightened Swine Flu security protocol was in place and appreciated, however, you would honestly think they were protecting themselves against the Ebola virus.. I have to admit this was the easiest and fastest time we have ever had through customs in Holguin, no questions what so ever, it felt as though they wanted us out of the airport as fast as possible. As this was already a late night flight I was more then happy to grab my luggage and hop onto the bus as soon as possible. Honestly, it took us exactly 1hr and 37 minutes from the time we landed in Holguin to arrival at the PRDO, an all time record in my books. Arrival the PRDO was just as smooth.
As we arrived at the PRDO just after 10:00 pm and only had a small group of four (4) couples and a mother and daughter team arriving at this resort with us no big fanfare for our arrival. As soon as we jumped off the bus and ensured we had our luggage, the front desk staff greeted us immediately and asked us to have a seat in the lobby while they provided us with cool towels and champagne. The front desk staff took our paperwork and passports for check-in and came back within 10 minutes our room keys and welcome information in hand.
As repeaters, we were also presented with a lovely welcome back letter from management and roses, which reminded us why we love this resort so much. It's the little details that sets this place apart from other resorts we have been to, and why we keep coming back. |
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| Rooms: |
Total check-in time took no longer then 15 relaxing minutes, and we were quite happy to see that we were once again given our regular room, 3418. In my opinion this room is in the best location for us, although, I have to admit, each time we go the room seems to fall deeper and deeper into disrepair. As reported the accommodations at the PRDO are in dire need of updating, although clean, we found the ripped curtains, uncomfortable bed, missing/broken bathroom tiles and caulking patchwork to be a little disappointing. This did not effect our vacation in the slightest however, not really acceptable for a 5* resort, even in Cuba.
One slight difference, improvement?
Our now clear view of the pool from our balcony. Thanks to Hurricane Ike and the clearing out of vegetation at this resort, we now have a view of the pool, in the past the foliage was so deep/dense around this block of rooms that we had no view what so ever. As for the Hurricane Damage around the rest of the resort? Well, I have to say if you have never been to this resort, you probably wouldn't even notice, however, we were personally shocked at the difference, and not necessarily in a bad way. The gardeners have worked so incredibly hard to clean up the mess Ike left behind, and in our opinion many garden areas have actually been improved. We have always personally found the area between the Cliffside path and Superior Junior suites to be very dark and dank, however, now, these suites do have a clear view of the ocean, maybe still too dark for my liking but certainly cleared out quite a bit.
We also found the vegetation around the pool and main path to be seriously thinned out, maybe removing some of the privacy these rooms had in the past, but the gardens that have been replanted or revived after Ike, are more manicured, clean and attractive. The other area I noticed an improvement was the beach. Previous visits I noticed much of the vegetation encroaching the beach area, however, I do believe Hurricane Ike took care of this, as the beach does appear much deeper |
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| Restaurants and Bars: |
Umm, I will try and keep this section directly to the point. The Buffet (La Ceiba). This open-air buffet offered a large assortment of both North American and European cuisine. Along with the usual hotplate choices you will find cold cuts, cheeses, salads (sans lettuce), fruits, cereals, yogurts a variety of breads, they also had a fry station which will take care of eggs, bacon and sausages in the morning, and a variety of meat selection (beef, chicken, shrimp, fish, pork) for lunch and dinner. You can also choose to have your omelets and pressed sandwiches made for you in the morning, or fresh homemade pasta for the lunch or dinner. I should also mention they do have a person who will make the famous Cuban banana crapes, which is still my favorite dessert in Cuba.
A la Cartes (in order of preference)
El Patio: International Cuisine
The El Patio is still most definitely our favorite restaurant at the PRDO. Romantic and intimate, this restaurant offers a complete menu of international dishes, including Lobster and steak, a great wine selection and amazing service. Actually I believe next time we visit the PRDO we will try and ditch the other A la Cartes and try to at least book the El Patio twice.
Mediterraneo: Mediterranean Cuisine
The menu at the Mediterraneo was almost identical to that of the El Patio, however, we really didn't enjoy the atmosphere as much. Again the wine selection and service was wonderful, the meal enjoyable however fell a little flat in terms of atmosphere.
Tsuru: Japanese
A truly enjoyable evening as we were lucky to have great table mates from England and Scotland, however, the meal itself was far from authentic, the assistant waiter was not on top of service and the chef himself did not put on a very good show. This would have been our third time at this particular A la carte and to be honest, we have never really enjoyed this restaurant (and we love Teppanyaki ), a great way to make new friends, but I think in the future we will try and stick to restaurants that are more indigenous to this region.
El Bohao: Cuban
Due to the Repeaters dinner changing from Wednesday evening to Monday we once again missed out on our reservation for the El Bohio. The restaurant is open-air, and Cuban themed, people seemed to either love or hate it, I can't leave an opinion other the to say the trio of guitarist who played at this restaurant were amazing (we could hear them from the buffet). I believe for our next visit we will substitute the Japanese for the Cuban.
La Laguna: Pool Restaurant and the Santa Maria : Beach Restaurant
Both the pool and beach restaurants were open for lunch and provided a nice sit down menu, both had similar offerings available, hamburgers, hotdogs, salads, sandwiches, french fries, the pool restaurant also served an amazing four (4) cheese pizza, which we enjoyed just about every day. The Beach restaurant stopped serving lunch by 3:00 pm, while the Pool restaurant closed at 4:00 pm. 24 hour room service is available and I believe the menu is identical to the Pool menu. Just a brief mention of the Repeaters dinners.
What a spectacular evening, I mean really, probably the highlight of our trip. This was a sunset dinner which took place on the bottom tier of the beach restaurant, you are greeted with champagne, shown to a table which overlooks the beautiful Playa Esmeralda, a set four (4) course menu (which changed the week we were there), is presented by your own personal wait person and your choice of red or white wine is served . A serenade of music by both the trio of guitarists from the Cuban restaurant and by Osario via the sound system brought to the beach, helped to add an additional element of romance. A lovely, lovely evening had by all! |
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| Bars: |
| Three main bars at this resort, the lobby, the swim-up in the pool and beach bar, to be honest this was one of our biggest disappointments. June is the beginning of the slow season, and many of the more senior staff were on holidays, plus June, is also the month where they bring in and start training the new staff. Although everybody tried hard, I can tell you, unless you were ordering wine, beer, lime slush with rum or a call drink, you were really not guaranteed to receive the drink you thought you were ordering. We are not big drinkers but I can honestly tell you, we never did have true success ordering anything other then wine or beer.. Inconsistent at best and downright awful at its worst(chocolate martini with olives anybody?). However, the resort did have enough mint for mojitos all week, even if the club soda was always flat and the mint leaves dirty. |
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| Entertainment/Shows: |
Well, if I were to be honest, and could choose one word to describe the entertainment, I would say it was dire. Now, not all of the entertainment was bad, actually most of the pre-show acts were phenomenal. We were treated to a glorious tenor opera singer from Holguin one night who was amazing, a stellar saxophonist, pianist, singers. All stellar performers and for the most part somewhat wasted on the resort crowd.
However, the PRDO dancers were awful, and I do mean awful. I have never seen a group of more uncoordinated entertainers in my life, honestly. We sat through five (5) shows hoping they would get better only be sadly mistaken, as the week progressed the shows became worse and worse. Badly choreographed dancing coupled with un-timed lip-synching was the best the PRDO had to offer for their nightly performance. I actually began to feel badly for these entertainers as I don't believe they ever had an audience more the 30 guests the whole week.After the evening show we would return to the room, the Fun Pub is no longer. Yes, there is a piano bar of sorts however, each time we visited, no music or bar was in operation, just an air-conditioned room. So, by 11:00 pm we were back in our rooms left to make up our own fun, however, without, the kids this was not to hard to do |
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| Beach/Pools/Grounds: |
The PRDO is set amongst the most spectacular natural beauty I have seen in the Islands. As mentioned earlier, quite a bit of the vegetation has changed, still very tropical if not quite as lush, the gardeners here work so very hard and it shows. The Pool area is quite large for such a small resort, plenty of loungers although, still a little shy in the shade area.
As the resort was not at capacity, we rarely had a problem finding a chair with shade; however, the actual sun beds were saved before the birds woke up, as we now had a view of the pool, we could see people getting up and reserving the prime locations very, very early in the morning. We don't play these types of games, but yes, it is quite something to see adults saving sun-beds by laying down towels first thing in the morning and then spending most of their day at the beach. Very selfish behavior by the guests, which is a very difficult situation to control for the resort. |
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| Beach: |
| What can I say about this beach? Playa Esmeralda is a phenomenal beach, small yes (you can walk the entire length in 20 minutes), but quite deep, white and soft. The PRDO section of the beach is quite rocky, and probably not a clean as it could be, but the snorkeling here is phenomenal. I am glad to see very little damage to the reef had occurred from Hurricane Ike, and I would hazard to say, the aquatic life not only survived but also has actually thrived since our last visit. If you are looking for the quintessential Caribbean beach experience, I would suggest you walk towards the Sol Luna Mares section of the beach, here you will find the soft deep white sand with a smooth entry, much more typical of the Caribbean beach dream.. |
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| Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel: |
| Okay this is the second area that fell flat for us. I rewrote this section a couple of times, as I am not quite sure how to put this. Bluntly? The animation staff/program sucked Is that a bit harsh? Let me try to quantify. Past visits the animation staff were visible, activities were scheduled, advertised and promoted throughout the day, at the very least you could go to the club house and clearly read the daily schedule of activities and feel free to speak to an animation member who could advise you or provide information on any of the activities/tours offered. In the past the animation staff would try and get to know all the guest, even if just a friendly hola in passing, asking how your day or trip has been going and seriously at least pretend to be interested. |
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| Not this trip: |
First of all, it has been a couple of years since we have been back to the PRDO and only recognized two (2) of the previous animation members, so for us, the animation staff are new, keep in mind, our room was directly across from the clubhouse and we did spend the majority of our time around the pool, no excursions this trip. The only regularly scheduled activities were volleyball, water aerobics and yoga. As it was low season one member of the animation staff told me they did not schedule activities, not unless a group of people were interested, hard to get a group of people interested in something when none of the members actually advertised what activities were on offer. Funny the clubhouse had a sign, which advertised all sorts of activities, however, try finding out when and where the program was to take place, even offered pottery and candle making, when asked, the animation staff laughed at me. No pottery class, this is Cuba. When asked why the board advertised the activity if not available the staff, shrugged and replied Es Cuba.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know all about it.
Anyway, throughout my stay, I would pass by animation members, who didn't even look up, never mind ask how things were going, when trying to get information about programs; I would get a blank stare and be invited to volleyball. I found the members to be very unfriendly, and extremely unprofessional. One time I tried to return beach towels only to be told to wait outside as a few Canadian girls pushed by with about a dozen beers in hand to give to the staffers. I couldn't tell you how many times I saw guests coming into the clubhouse with beers for the staff. I swear in one hour alone I saw this one group of Brits, supply at least four beers each to the 3 staff members at the clubhouse. In turn, whenever the animation staffs were around, you can believe they gravitated to the few groups of people who plied them with booze.
Instead of mingling with all the guests, the animation staff had a few favorites and spent their time socializing with their select few. I could go on and on, but lets leave it as we were NOT impressed and actually after being to 14 different resorts, I would say this is the most unprofessional animation staff we ever encountered.
Now on the other end of the scale, my husband and I booked three spa treatments. Wow, what an amazing place ! Words can't even begin to describe the peace and beauty of this spa, if going to the PRDO, please do yourself a favor and book at least one (1) treatment. The therapists alone are equal to if not better trained then any massage therapist I have visited here at home. Honestly, if anybody would like further information please feel free to contact me. I will say the staff here are exceptional, professionally trained, knowledgeable and over the top when it comes to ensuring your enjoyment. I miss them all already. |
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| Other Comments: |
| We had a great time at our favorite resort, but no, it wasn't perfect, and to be honest, not at the same caliber as previous visits. I still believe the PRDO offers a great product and wonderful service for the money and we will be back again someday (if only to visit the spa again). However, what was once our little special place, seems to have lost some of its shine for us. The unprofessional animation staff, poor bar drinks, horrible evening shows and condition of the accommodations have dropped the star rating for us, where we once would have considered this a 5* plus resort in Cuba, I would probably only consider it a weak 4.5* resort. In summary, although the PRDO may still be the best AI resort you can find in Cuba, I do believe for the same money spent, you will find better quality resorts in both Mexico and the DR, biggest problem for us is that those resorts are in Mexico and the DR. Cuba still has our hearts and we will be back! |
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| I don't think it was worth the money we paid |
| Hotel Paradisus Río de Oro |
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Cindy from St.John's, Newfoundland >
1 contribution(s) |
| May, 2009
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Arrival: May 16 - May 23
We arrived at night and got a cab to the resort. We had to do this because we booked the hotel separately from the hotel. It took 1 hr and 15 Min's to arrive there and when we did, the tour bus pulled up behind us!! Not hard to tell our driver took the long way!!! We had a very quick check-in and was drove to our room.
Rooms:
Very out dated in my opinion. Lot's of room and patio was big. We had privacy, which is what I wanted, so that was nice. Hot water all the time and A/C was excellent. Maids did a great job. No complaints.
Restaurants and Bars:
The Food Was EXCELLENT!!! We were very nervous about the food because we have heard so many bad reviews about Cuba Food.....but we were AMAZED!! It was VERY GOOD! Every restaurant..Every Buffet.....Can't Rave More About The Food!!
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
What Beach????? It was FULL of Rocks!!! There was not one area where you could walk into the water with-out hurting your feet!! We were very upset, as this is Where we spend most of our time!! The smell was Brutal too!! It Was Bad...Sewer is what it smelled like and next to the beach and beach hut there was a Brown Pond that was created from the hurricane last year.....By mid week, that pond went into the ocean and beach and they had to close it for a few days!! It was gross!! Very disappointing!! Not once did I put my feet in the ocean as usually you can never get me out of it! I was very sad over this..I felt a big part of my vacation was ruined.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
They had pool Aerobics for 30-40 Min's and played the same song over and over on repeat!! other than that..that was it for the pool...which we didn't mind, but no music was every played...it was very quiet everyday! That was all we saw. Cleaning the pool was done with a Net and that was to get the crabs out of the pool...YUP Crabs!! By the last day of our vacation, the sun finally came out and it was 30 degrees....you should of seen the ring of scum around the pool!! Holy Moly!! never saw anything like it at a resort before!! Also the pool water was slimy to the touch and were guessing because they hardly had any chlorine in the pool. We met 4 couples while there and 2 of the couples have been there 10 times or more!! YES That many times!!! They said this would be there last trip there as the resort has changed!! Everyone had something to say about the condition of the pool and it's dirt ring and slimy water.
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| Other Comments: |
| It rained for 5 days straight!! This was our Honeymoon and my new Husbands 40th Birthday while there.....we were told by the resort in emails that we would have an upgrade and a special evening with a private dinner for Todd's b-day and that they would plan it with flowers and everything....we got Nothing! The average age was 55+ which is no big deal to us, but for a Honeymoon resort, which is what we were told it was...I don't think it was worth the money we paid. We had it planned to go to the Palladium in the Mayan Riveria and due to the swine flu, this was the only resort that we could get for our flights with Air Canada. It would of been our second time there....it was the exact amount for both resorts and the Palladium blows this resort away!! We will never go back to this resort. just for the simple fact that the money we paid can get us another 5* resort in Punta Cana or the Mayan Riveria, which is what we love anyway! |
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| Definitely showing her age. It is still good value however |
| Hotel Paradisus Río de Oro |
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Anne from Saint John >
1 contribution(s) |
| Mar, 2009
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Arrival
Our arrival was fast and efficient. Cool cloth and champagne were presented while our room information was obtained.
Rooms
We were shown to a ground floor, center room which smelled musty. We requested a different room on the second floor and were accommodated immediately. King size bed requested were actually two double beds put together. Must have been difficult for maid to change. Bar fridge stocked daily with pop, water and local beer. Towels changed daily. Our last two days at the resort, the maid came much later in the day to clean our room. We tipped the maid 2 Pesos every day, and left candy. The room was very clean as well as the balcony. You must leave a card in the room (in a slot) to permit air-conditioning and lights all day. The last two days there were several brown outs that turned off air conditioning. Other than that, the rooms are showing their age. I would have liked to see it at about 3-5 years old.
Restaurants and Bars
We arranged for a-la-cartes, but decided we did not want to be time-constrained so we cancelled. The buffet was reasonably good for Cuba. Probably better than other resorts we've stayed at in Cuba. My husband stuck to omelets in the morning and pastas...while I was a bit more adventurous. My breakfasts consisted of breads (a good variety available), sliced ham, smoked salmon, vegetables, cheeses, olives and fruit. Lovely little bites full of flavor. There were a limited amount of birds in the buffet area the entire week we were there. There was a falconer with a tethered falcon at the corner of the buffet area to keep birds away. It seemed to work, since there were none of the blackbirds that I've seen at other resorts in this one. All meals boasted champagne as well as a reasonable red wine. Cerveza was available on request. We tipped the waiters and waitresses in the buffet, but it did not seem to make service any better. We just felt better about tipping as these people work very hard. The flambed bananas and crepes are absolutely wonderful, however bananas were not available every night.
The beach restaurant was very good. While not A&W Burgers the burgers are not too bad (they didn't reach the quality of Noel's at Superclub breezes in Varadero).
The beach bartender was a very friendly man...his sidekick worked the beach very hard with pre-prepared drinks which he walked up and down the beach. When we tipped, he tried to assure us that our vacation was all inclusive. We brought along insulated mugs, which he did not hesitate to fill.
A pig was spit and roasted near the beach bar on one day. It looked good, but we did not partake.
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The lobby bar was the only one open in the evenings, and therefore was very busy. It was very difficult to get service even while tipping. One couple we observed were very upset about the service. I noted the next evening a gentlemen (who I thought was the manager) closely observing the service, and the service definitely improved. This manager was very visible every day showing up at the buffet and throughout the resort.
The dry martini's at this resort are very good. The local drinks are as well (Havana Special, Mohito's)
Beach/Pools/Grounds
Pools appeared lovely. Difficult to get chairs however. We spent our entire time at the beach...though we had to go out very early to get seating. The grounds are lovely even though they showed signs of Hurricane Ike...the gardeners worked very hard.
Weather was good for all but one day, which was much cooler, cloudy and windy. It did not, however keep us from the beach.
The water for the most part was clear, and we managed to bob around and swim a great deal. You had to be careful where you entered because of the rock near the edge of the beach.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
We did not leave the resort, choosing a relaxing vacation.
Other Comments
The resort overall, while providing us with a wonderful, relaxing vacation is definitely showing her age. It is still good value however. |
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| A la carte restaurants were absolutly the best |
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Perry from Halifax >
1 contribution(s) Canada |
| Mar, 2009
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Arrival: March 28 to April 5
Check-in was fast, polite and efficient. Our bags were looked after immediately and we were driven to our room. Everything was explained by the porter. Best service ever in our 7 trips to Cuba.
Rooms
Our room was large, clean, well equiped with a sitting area, day bed and balcony.
Restaurants and Bars
A la carte restaurants were absolutly the best. 5 star food and service. Buffet was good but pastry chef should be congradulated. Service and food were very good at both the pool and beach restaurants.
Beach/Pools/Grounds
Ground were very well kept, gardens professionally maintained. Pool was beautiful and clean. If you want a chair by the pool, get there early. The beach chairs were never a problem.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel
Evening entertainment was good but a couple of shows fell short of expectations.
Other Comments
This is an excellent resort. |
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| We had an absurdly lovely time |
| Hotel Paradisus Río de Oro |
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MVL >
1 contribution(s) |
| Jan, 2009
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We just came back from 2 weeks here and were very pleased with the spacious layout of the resort, well-equipped and large rooms, above-average buffet and superior dessert selection, attentive service on resort or beach, and most of all, warm and friendliness from all the staff. They certainly made one feel at home quickly and were genuinely interested in our comfort. Additionally, the people we met vacationing here from other countries as well as our our were as friendly and warm as could be.
OK - the weather was on-and-off sun/light rain, but the ambiance and general atmosphere of the hotel more than made up for the climate - which was still fabulous since there was a really bad cold spell at home in Toronto. We believe that this is a great vacation offering considering its availability from Toronto on a regular charter/all-inclusive package, sometimes even discounted prices.
As in any place at home or abroad, there are always things that can be improved and constructive comments were welcomed and in some cases immediately acted upon by their Customer Service and Management representatives on-site. From answered emails in the planning stages right through to check out goodbye, we had an absurdly lovely time.
Nothing serious detracted from an otherwise relaxing and superior vacation experience and we gladly recommend the hotel and intend to return ourselves. |
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| The food at this place is freaking amazing |
| Hotel Paradisus Río de Oro |
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Mike from Guelph >
1 contribution(s) |
| Jan, 2009
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We were a couple, ages 32/25, part of a wedding group totalling 17 or so. Our trip to Paradisus Rio de Oro was fantastic. Dec 14-21 2008. We were on Sunwing and it was just fine. The transfers were smooth and they took us to our resort before taking others to the Luna Mares resort. When we got to the resort our friends were waiting for us with drinks and huge smiles. There was champagne available to pour yourself right beside the lobby.
The staff at this place is what really sets it apart from lesser resorts. They care, remember your name, smile, talk to you, and look after you. The only exception is the odd server in the buffet. We were forgotten a couple of times. Maybe it's because we didn't tip every day at the buffet, but we didn't feel that we really had to, either. The catamaran was awesome - we were flying, it felt like, but I kept getting sea water in my eyes and as a result, I couldn't see much. I took my sunglasses off because I thought they were going to get washed off my face. Another time, I would wear a swimming goggle on the ride. I might look like a dork but it would be a more enjoyable ride.
The weather was on and off, with about 70 % sun and the rest cloud or rain. Two days were almost cloudy all day. The day of our friend's wedding was gorgeous though. The temperature was always nice except for when it rained and was windy during the day. Then it felt a bit chilly.
The beach is a bit small for a 5 star resort and it's not sandy as you go out into the water, but coral-y and rocky. If you walk over to the luna mares side, the beach is much nicer, larger, and the sand is softer.
Speaking of that "other" resort, we had access to it, but they didn't have access to our resort. We didn't have to wear wrist bands, but they did. We didn't really check out that resort too much because we had the best food, service, drinks etc. If they had a disco, I don't know about it, but that would have drawn me over to that resort. See next point.
There is no disco at the Paradisus ! It would have been nice to have somewhere to go and dance and listen to music. I was surprised that they were missing that. Also, there are at least two hot-tub areas in the grounds, which is a very nice touch. One of them had champagne and glasses available. BUT - the one tub was not heated at all, and the other must've been under repair because there was no water in it at all.
There were no bugs; I didn't even see one fly. I hope the geckos have enough to eat. I saw a few geckos and a larger lizard, but that was about it. A few interesting birds.
We went snorkelling on one of the "calmer" days (which was still a bit rough) and we couldn't see much coral or fish because the water was turbid with lots of sand in it. On a perfectly calm day, this might have been more enjoyable. |
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The grounds certainly show signs of hurricane damage as the trees look windblown and what would have been gardens are more or less patches of dirt/ground with not much growing, although the gardeners are working very hard to bring these back to life.
There is a fitness center and spa on site. I didn't use the spa, but I had a great workout in the fitness center. The attendant meets you right away with a towel and explains that he's a personal trainer, and is willing to work out right along with you, give you pointers, etc. Nice touch.
The food at this place is freaking amazing - not just for Cuba, but against our standards here too. The buffet had a great selection of food. There was a pasta station, and my favourite was the grilling station where on each side of the grill there were line-ups of meats of your choice: various cuts of steaks, chicken, pork, etc. on one side and on the other side all seafood : tilapia, mahi-mahi, squid, swordfish, shrimp - you name it. It was awesome. We ate at a couple of the a-la-carte restaurants as well. The Mediterranean one didn't feel all that Med but more "Cuban", but it was well done and we had a 6 course meal there. The international restaurant was just that, you could order anything you wanted, and the service was great. The highlight was the Japanese restaurant which was absolutely 10/10 for food, service, everything. We actually missed our reservation for this, because the agent who booked our reservations told us the wrong time. He indicated the right time on our tickets, but we didn't look at those - just went by memory which was obviously dumb. Anyway, after some salesmanship on the lady running the Japanese restaurant, she managed to shoe-horn our group in for a meal at 9:pm. We didn't get a chef cooking at our table like the big tables of 8-10 did, but I didn't care at that point - I just wanted in the place.
The drinks at all the bars were awesome. Some of the bartenders would make special pina coladas and mojitos - not just a mix from a slushy machine, but made from fresh ingredients: milk, fresh mint, whatever. Manuel really took care of us at the main lobby bar. Jorge was great down at the beach bar. He'd bring drinks right to you on your lounge chair. |
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The rooms were large, we had a junior suite, but the bathroom was out dated, the faucet felt like it was going to fall off, and the towels weren't all that nice. The had robes in the room but they were not large enough for me without giving the neighbours a peep show. It was like wearing a t-shirt with a belt.
One morning I saw something crawling in the toilet. It looked like the size of a crab or a bat. I didn't have my glasses on so I couldn't see the details of this thing, and I sure as hell wasn't going to bend down lower to look at it, so I flushed it down, at least I think it went down, and that was the only time we saw that in our 7 days.
We didn't do any of the extra trips offered because we had plenty to do at the resort and our group was 15 people so there was always some action happening. On the last day we rode bicycles into Guardalavaca, a small village about 5 km away. There is a small vendor section and some hotels. It was nice to get off the resort and see how the locals live. Actually, you feel a bit guilty staying at this 5 star resort getting pampered while some of the locals are living in small huts or apartment buildings straight out of a 1960's Ukraine setting. We had some locals wave and smile at us, and others looked at us with a bit of disdain. The bikes by the way are not like your TREK mountain bike you may have at home - they are single speed, with the seat too low, the tires are soft, and the brakes are not meant to stop you very quickly. It made the hills a bit tough for some of us. We could have rented power scooters for about $25 for a day or part day.
We were sad to leave, and will be happy to go back some time.
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| Old Reviews - Paradisus Río de Oro |
| Paradisus Rio De Oro |
Eric
Montreal, Canada
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| December 2008 |
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Arrival: Dec 7-14
Flew in from Montréal via Sunwing. As expected the seats were very tight - no different then any other charter airline that I have flown with. The meal was good, hot and free champagne was offered on the way there, wine on the return. Overall very good service from Sunwing.
I should note that this is my second time visiting this particular hotel, and my forth time in Cuba. I have stayed in many other islands (Jamaica, Bahamas, St Maarten, Dominican, etc) so I feel that I can make solid reviews.
Check in was quick, and efficient. We were given a glass of champagne at the counter, and we were quickly taken to our rooms. The checkin process was identical to my stay last year.
Rooms:
Overall, the rooms are nice....for Cuba. My room was consitantly clean, I always had fresh towels, everything was in working order. My AC was exceptional! (a complaint that I had during my previous stay).
For those who are not expecting it - if you are expecting the 5 star Ritz, you will not have it. You are in Cuba, and not everything is available. Overall, the rooms are nice enough, and I had no problems. The bathroom showers and tiles are not 5 star - as they look a bit tired, but were clean and functional.
The beds were good, and I had no issues. One thing to note is that the rooms do not have a clock or clock radio - so bring something if you need to coordinate times! This was trivial, but slightly annoying to me.
The small balconies, patios are nice to sit after the pool and my fridge was stocked with pop, beer and water everyday.
Restaurants and Bars:
Overall ok. A definate decline since my first stay. For breakfast you have the buffet. I enjoyed the breakfasts. Lunch, you have the choice of the buffet, the pool restaurant or the restaurant on the beach. Both a la cartes were good - for quick meals. Dinner, there are 4 a la cartes (japonese, mediterranean, international and cuban), plus the buffet. You can only vist the a la cartes once per week (this is a new limitation - they need to remove this in my mind). The quality is quite good... (once again for Cuba). I heard of no one who was sick or suffered any bad problems during my week.
My personal favorite was the ability to have coffee and pastries at all the bars and restaurants for every meal. This cost me 5 pounds.....
The bar drinks were good, although not great for fruity cocktails. They did not make very many 'blender' style drinks. Pina Colada and Magarita slush came from a machine with Rum added. The wine was good, as were the rest of the drinks - just not the coctails.
The service at all the restaurants and bars were fantastic. This was regardless of wether or not you tipped (compeletly at your discretion).
Try the small Cuban bar down the alley next to the mediteranean restaurant - the best drinks can be found there!
Water is safe to drink everywhere, and you can get bottles of water at every bar, in your room, etc.
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
Beach is great! You can snorkel right off the grounds - yes, near the hotel there is some corel but there are pathways of sand to get you past it (it is literally 10 feet of it), or you can alaways walk about 100 feet past to open sand. For those who complain about this fact - I see it as a highlight!
A nice highlight of this place is the ability to walk down the beach until the end and not have anyone sell you something.
The pool is very clean and well maintained. The pads on the chairs are fantastic (memory foam) and can be used as floating mattresses in the pool. I`m going to buy myself one next summer to use at home! Fantastic! My only complaint was that the pool water was too cold for my tastes. This fact kept many people out of the water.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
I have been to 15+ all inclusive resorts and this is one of the best evening entertainment shows I have seen. the band and dancers alone one night topped 20 staff. It is varied and I enjoyed most (not all) of the shows. There were acrobats, and even a beach party one night.
During the day it is VERY QUIET. This is a quiet place, not party central. If you want to do something, you can go to the activity hut and get a snorkel and fins, take some spanish lessons, or play vollyball. If you want to be left alone to the sun, beach and your book, it is the right place too.
There is no disco open at the hotel. The bar and enteretainment area is it. If you are looking for late night partying - go to Sol Lunas down the road.
Took the jeep adventure excursion for $70 CUC. Highly recommended. We took a jeep (well a Suzuki Jimny aka the Sidekick) through the small towns and some off roads of Cuba. This was great to see the local culture - its amazing to watch the strangers all wave at you, especially the children. You also went jet skiiing, horseback riding, to the Christopher Columbus monument, lunch, an Ox Cart ride and an aboriginal re-inactment. This was a great all day trip.
Guadelevaca is only a 5$ taxi ride away - it is safe, and very easy to walk around. You could ride a bike there if you wanted - although I would recommend to just take the taxi. Its nothing large - but it worth seeing for a few dollars investment.
Other Comments:
There was a hurricane in this area earlier this year. It took out much of the flowers and trees in the resort. It also has made the availability of fruit much harder to get (remember that typically Cuba imports very little).
That being said they have worked (and are continuing) to work very hard to bring the paradisus back to its high standards. Don`t get me wrong - it is still VERY nice and beautiful. It is just different then pre-huricane. Once they finish the gardens and a few more weeks have past it will be back to its full splendor.
They need to kick the food up a notch or two to get it back to where it once was. Also the cocktail drinks need to be better. When I go to the carribean I want a good pina colada and a mohito!
It is tranquille, lots of trees and flowers, and highly relaxing. In comparison to my other Cuba hotel visits this is one of the nicer places to stay if you want a relaxing, quiet vacation.
As I always like to point out 5 star cuba is not 5 star elsewhere. I will go back - I like this place as long as the cost doesn`t keep increasing as I think it is close to its maximum price in my mind. |
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| Paradisus Rio De Oro |
Paula
Nova Scotia
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| December 2008 |
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Arrival: November 22 to 29, 2008
We arrived a day late. A snowstorm in Nova Scotia delayed our flight to Toronto. By the time we arrived at the airport in Toronto our connecting flight to Holguin had already left. Our only option (other than cancel) was to fly to Havana the next day and have a taxi (paid for by AirCanada Vacations) take us to the resort. Everything was well organized in Havana and we were off for an eleven hour ride across Cuba. We were happy to have the opportunity to see more of the country. At the resort they were prepared for our late arrival and check in was completed very fast.
Rooms:
Rooms were as shown in the travel guides. We had two beds pushed together instead of a king size bed as I requested via e-mail. Room Service was great especially the first night we arrived. They were kept very clean and there were no issues with towels, sheets or bugs.
Restaurants and Bars:
We ate at the buffet for breakfast and lunch and at all the a-la-carte restaurants. Thought all the restaurants were great. The buffet was the best we had ever been to. The lobby area was the place to be. It was the central point for the restaurants, entertainment stage, pool tables and bar. There was lots of room to streach out and relax or socialize.
Beach/Pools/Grounds:
Beach was a bit rocky but you didn't have to go far to find a sandy place to get in for a swim. Great snorkeling by the rocks as you enter the beach. We had a few red flag days and a few yellow flag days when we were there.
Pool area was beautiful. Lots of comfortable lounge chairs, raised platforms and nice areas to settle in. Beautiful views from everywhere. You can see the damage to the trees caused by the hurricane but the resort is still a delight to walk through.
Activities on and off the Resort/Hotel:
We had hoped to take advantage of the scuba diving. Were able to do two practice runs in the pool but weather and illness prevented us diving.
Other Comments:
I didn't find the mosquitos too bad. I put insect repellant on a few nights and did end up with a few bites, but no more than at any other time.
It was a small resort so you got to know the other guests. There were a lot of people who had stomach problems. Thought it was a problem with the food at the resort. It may have had more to do with the water following months of rainy weather. The airplane home from Holguin carried many people who were sick or had been sick, so stomach problems weren't confined to the resort we were at. Perhaps visiters should be careful about the water from the taps (brush teeth with bottled water, drinks with ice cubes etc.)
Overall even with the slow start and stomach problems and bad weather it was a beautiful resort with great staff. |
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First let me say that this was the worst vacation of my life. The resort was so bad I came home five days early.
So, should I go on?
Lets break it down:
Management/check in:
I travelled with two other people we all had separate rooms, we emailed ahead to say we wanted to be in the same complex and we only wanted 2nd floors.
We were not in the same complex, and we were all on the main floor. When we asked to be changed it seemed like it was going to be a very big deal, and maybe they could the following day. I simply said, not acceptable, I will wait here in the lobby until you can find me a room not on the ground floor, in the end they moved us, but over all I felt that their attitude was poor, and I later realized the resort was only about half full, so that really made me upset that they jerked us around for really no reason. They ended up mixing up our names in the rooms, so when we had any charges to the rooms they were going to the wrong rooms. We figured this out and went back to ask that it be fixed in the system, could not be done. Again...made to feel like we were really an imposition to them.
Accommodations:
How anyone could possibly state or think that this is even close to a 5 start resort is totally beyond . I read through all of these reviews and all I can say is I guess we have totally different standards.
The room was outdated, old, worn, shabby. Bar Fridge did not work, called for maintenance which they did come to fix it, it never did work, and I got tired of asking for them to fix it or bring me a new one.
The mattress are very old, hard and saggy at the same time, one of the worst I have ever slept on. Bed linens etc, also old, worn and truly so very disappointing. Again a far cry from 5 star standards.
The water was out the last day I was there (my 3rd day at the resort) so no working toilets. Also, the weather was horrible- not their fault- but the rain had the power on and off the whole time I was there. The first night my power was off in my room for several hours.
There were cockroaches in the rooms, to top it all off.
Food:
Disgusting pretty much sums it up. I will say the Japanese restaurant was good. The " open air" buffet, which is really the only place for breakfast and lunch, was horrible.
You will read that there are pizza stations, pasta stations, fresh grilled meat etc...yup there is, but it is all so awful that you can not eat it. This was not only my opinion but that of the other two people travelling with me. What I found the most disgusting was the birds and cats walking around in the buffet area. I understand it is "open air" but come on...there must be a way to ensure that the birds are not literally walking on top of and eating from the very food you expect me to eat? Other resorts can figure out a way to not have this happen, quite frrankly you could see that it was really no concern to the staff there, it was quite normal. So we ate bread for every meal, there was very little we could stomach. There are plenty of of choices this is true, but trying to find something that (a) a bird or cat did not already walk on or eat parts of, or (b) something that you could stomach was another thing all together. They say on the website that there are also two other bar type restaurants beside the pool and one beside the ocean, again true statement, unfortunately it is exactly the same gross food that is in the buffet. We tried a hamburger at the pool side bar, and we all took one bite got up and left and went back to the horrible buffet where we ate bread and butter. Thank God I took protein bars with me.kind.
Entertainment:
Well, there are shows, they are cheesy, kind of comical and there is one each night starting at 9:45. It lasts for about 1 hour. That is it. There is no other entertainment of any kind. No band playing, no disco ( apparently there was one but it was wiped out by the hurricane). Other than the 1 hour show, there is not one bit of music or entertainment going on at that resort. People sit around and read all day, every day.
Age:
The average age of people is probably 55+, a lot of Germans and British visit the particular resort.
Resort grounds:
I was not aware when I booked that the resort had just been hit by a very bad hurricane. I will say that they have obviously worked very hard to get the grounds in decent shape but there is a lot destruction, and all the plants are new little seedlings they have just replanted. Not lush, nor luxurious in any way.
SPA:
JOKE...apparently the massages are good, my friends went for those and raved. I went for a pedicure and was treated to a tiny uncomfortable seat in the hair salon where they did a very quick wash of my feet, used a tiny little nail file to file my toe nails, and changed the polish. That was it. No lotions, potions, lovely vibrating chair, no view of the ocean, no foot message, no leg message, no rubbing of the bottoms of your feet, no removing calluses...nothing but a quick polish change. Horrible...this was 35 convertible pesos which was about 45 CDN. Ridiculous is all I can say, and basically the final straw for me.
Drinks:
Even the drinks were awful, because they have such limited access to what they can and cannot get into Cuba nothing tastes the same, a pina colda does not taste like a Pina Coloda, a Daiquiri does not taste like one...you get the idea. I drank baileys on ice because it was the one thing that actually tasted the way I thought it should.
Summary:
Worst experience ever, this is not a 5 star resort, how they are able to list it as such it completely beyond me. I will be lodging a formal complaint with Air Canada. I hated it there so much I spent an additional 600 dollars Canadian to come home after three nights, two days.
I can only hope that my report will provide at least pause for consideration before going. I thought I was doing due diligence, I read so many of these travellers reviews and they all so great...I just don't get it. |
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Sorry this is long, but worth it.
Holiday at Paradisus Rio de Oro - Guardalavaca - Cuba
This was by far one the best holiday I have ever had. The hotel is amazing and it is literally what I would call paradise. 5* all the way an All Inclusive hotel with full range of International drinks included.... So, let's break it down -
Flight - Went with First Choice Airways Premier Star Class. 36" pitch leather air filled seats with footrest, superb food for airline well presented and good choice, very good drinks service included also. 9" seat back TV, choice of 8 films, TV, games and Radio.
Made the 9:15 flight bearable return was just as good.
The rooms - we had a normal 'Junior Suite' and it was nice and comfortable with a very large bed 7ft wide, with everything you needed, hair dryer, iron and board, fridge with beers, coke, lemonade etc. The room was cleaned every day and the maids did a really good job. The bathrooms 'were a bit dated' but I found it to be absolutely fine, with lots of big mirrors! And large supply of clean towels daily.
We did see inside one of the upgraded suites, as we considered upgrading (an extra £400 for the 2 weeks) but the only real difference was a little outside shower (full of fly's etc) and a little terrace with a hammock on the grass.
The food - Where do I start?! The buffet is fantastic, there are pasta stations, pizza stations, freshly grilled meat and fish (and lobster!!!), salads and more... but wait for it... The a la carte restaurants - absolutely amazing! You have to make reservations for these (one per restaurant per week, but you can go more if there are spaces! Just ask.) There are Four to choose from.
Japanese - An absolute must. Eight people to a 'show table' where the chef cooks and entertains you right in front of you!. Great night out.
Mediterranean - My Favorite lovely menu and free wine list of at least 20 wines.
I had one of my favorite Rioja - Marqués de Cáceres which was on the extra's list at £6.60 bottle
Two Spanish guitarists play as you eat. (These two are AMAZING)
International (el patio) - Candlelit tables, nice if you want a more romantic intimate dinner. Has a violinist playing while you eat.
Cuban (el bohio) - Food is nice, but it gets very hot in here as the air con isn't great.
For lunch you have the choice of the buffet, the poolside restaurant and the restaurant on the beach. The best one being the one on the beach (have the grilled shrimp - they are huge!) a trio of guitarists play there and they are wonderful!
The Pool - The first week we were there it was very quiet so there wasn't a real struggle for pool loungers, the beach has hundreds though so you won't go without one there. The pool is quite big and surrounded by palm trees and greenery with swim up bar. You can see the sea from the pool and the beach is ten seconds from the pool. There were a few crabs in the pool so watch your toes but a man comes round with a net to fish them out so don't worry.
There are two Jacuzzi's in the wooded area between the pool and beach which are hidden away a little they put a bottle of champagne in the cooler next to it for you to have while you relax, one of them overlooks the sea and the view is just completely beautiful.
The beach - Simply stunning. Golden sand and the sea is clear and warm. This is the one of most beautiful beach I have ever seen. Every day we went snorkeling and fed the fish with either a banana or a bread roll. You only have to wade out waist deep to see the fish.
Activities and Entertainment - No complaints here, lots and lots to do. Every day there was Yoga, volleyball in the pool, water polo, aquaerobics, Spanish lessons, salsa classes, football once a week, tennis courts to use, horse riding, I could go on...
The nighttime entertainment - we didn't really watch many of the shows, but there was one on every night. From what we saw the dancers were very very good and they had some very good singers and a good live band. In the lobby bar where everyone goes to of a night there are a couple of pool tables to play on.
Excursions - the rep gives you a sheet of choices at your welcome meeting. We did the dolphin trip, if you're going to do any of them do this one!!!
If you are going to take any gifts then they do a trip to a school every Tuesday. We took pencils, pads of paper, rubbers, toothbrushes etc to give out. The people here are very poor.
You can take a taxi or a horse and cart (much better as you get a little tour) into the town of Guardalavaca and go to the market, it's very small but you can but lots of souvenirs for very little. Wood carvings, paintings and che Guevara t-shirts galore! And afterwards enjoy a beer on the beach with the locals.
The Spa is very nice, it has a small private beach and sauna's, steam rooms, Jacuzzi's etc... The spa is something you have to pay extra for but it's a nice little break, we had a back, neck and shoulder massage cost around £50 for the both of us and you can use all the other facilities after it also has a hairdressers and nail salon! And doctors.
Next door to the Spa was a well equipped gym, we did manage 3 visits.
Mosquito's - we didn't really know what to expect here, so we took every repellant on the market!!! Every day we sprayed a small amount of repellant on our ankles and elbows and had only a few bites each in the whole two weeks. We did see some people who had been bitten quite badly but we think this was due to the location of their room. That is, there are some rooms closer to the wooded areas that have lots of trees and bushes around - our was closer to the lobby and we had no trouble at all. Although we kept our patio doors closed so as not to let them in!
The only wildlife we saw were birds, fish, lots of cute lizards and crabs and the occasional frog or two.
All in all - an amazing place, amazing people and if you choose this resort you WILL have an amazing time!.
Cant wait to go back to Paradise, Oh yes the General Manager lives in Porto Pollenca
so had lots of chats re PP, which is our next trip in September.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS. |
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| Paradisus Rio De Oro |
Debbie and Lance
Ontario,Canada
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| April 2008 |
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We travelled to Holguin on April 5 via Skyservice with Air Transat vacations. It's true that the planes are very cramped but the crew does their best to make you feel comfortable. The food, not great but it's food. We were almost on time both ways. If you prebook your seats, especially for the way back, they have a separate check-in line for you in Holguin.
The Holguin airport was quick and efficient. The buses were waiting and organized. A washroom is on the bus for those that are nervous about the hour long trip to the resort. It's not that bad. After all, you're on holidays so relax and enjoy the journey.
Check-in was wonderful. We were asked to take a seat, given a glass of champagne and it was all taken care of for us within 5 minutes. We received our 2nd floor room and were given a ride to the room with our luggage. Hint: Drink your champagne down before you get on the golf cart. Hard to sip when you moving and you don't want to lose a drop!
The room had everything we needed. Amenities are as outlined in the travel brochure. Their towels are softer than any hotel towels I have ever used and the beach towels are already in your room. They are large and also very soft. What a treat. One day our safe went crazy and we called the number given for assistance. Within 15 minutes a man came and he reprogrammed it for us. They were very polite and efficient. In fact, all employees there are so amenable and pleasant. They remember your name and are always asking if everything is OK. We gave a few things away to various people such as maids, gardeners, security etc. They always gave us something in return. I received a beautiful flower each day from the gardener outside, a handmade bracelet and a small bird weaved from a dried palm leaf.
The grounds are exquisite. Like walking through a beautiful nature preserve. No lack of places to explore and experience.
The beach is perfect. You walk down a set of stairs from our resort (the view is amazing) and pick your spot. A man will bring your lounges to your spot of choice. We walked several times a day and it was perfect. The end and back is about 20 min. Make sure you take advantage of the nautical sports area for the catamarans and paddle boats etc. They are great guys. Say hi to Chino! Weather was perfect the whole week we were there.
We snorkled daily. Each spot nicer than the last. You can walk to the 3 smaller beaches to the east or go out from the main beach. All wonderful. If you are prone to mosquito bites, and it seemed to be the ladies that had the problem, use bug spray later in the day. They like your ankles. My husband had no bites whatsoever but I had some issues. Just had to be careful.
The spa is gorgeous and worth visiting. We had the couples massage (back, neck, shoulders) and it was great. Tamara in the lobby will tell you all about it and book your appointment. Prices are really good and they treat you like royalty.
The A la cartes are terrific too. We emailed Pablo ahead of time and requested our days and times. He received our email and got back to us before we left. We saw him the first day, he confirmed everything and gave us our coupons. The buffet. Can't say enough about it. Even though we were only there twice we were very impressed. The best food I have ever had at an all inclusive buffet. Grilled to order filet and fish. A salad station where everything is made fresh for you. Pasta station etc, etc. Even if you don't get your A la cartes you will be very well fed. We ate at the pool side restaurant for lunch most days. Outstanding. The beachfront restaurant also has a fabulous view and again, outstanding food.
Check out the cuban street bar between the Mediterranean restaurant and the lobby bar. It's a great place to sit after supper and visit with new friends...Hi Don, Debra, Dennis and Harriet! Ask for the 11 year old rum, Santiago De Cuba. You won't be disappointed. George is waiting there to give you amazing service.
We took a horse and carriage ride to Guardalavaca and visited the market, walked down the beach and just enjoyed the people. Not bad for 15 pesos. They will take you and wait an hour while you shop. My husband took the drived a Corona while he waited! The horses are right out in front of the hotel every day.
We didn't use the pool but it's beautiful. We walked by there everyday. There are so many spots to sit and enjoy your day, little hideaways and nooks and crannies. There are hot tubs here and there too. Just explore!! Can't comment on the activity centre but everyone we saw there was enjoying themselves.
This is the best all inclusive we have ever been to in Cuba. While we have visited others and had a good vacation, the warmth and friendliness of the people at the Paradisus really make a difference. We met numerous people who were on repeat visits. That speaks for itself. We will definitely return. |
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| Paradisus Rio De Oro |
Caribbean Queen
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| March 2008 |
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This review is for those who would like to know the difference between the Paradisus Rio de Oro (Holguin) and the Occidental Royal Hideaway Ensenachos (Santa Clara) resorts. We are a Canadian couple in our late 40's, and have travelled extensively in the Caribbean over the last 10 years. The last visit (we've been a few times) to the PRDO was the first week of December, 2007 and our first visit to the RHE was this winter, 2008.
Comparisons: the Paradisus Rio de Oro and the Royal Hideaway Ensenachos
The Check-in
- PRDO: Quick and efficient, with champagne and wet cloth upon arrival and keys within minutes. Once you are checked in you go along with your bellboy and suitcases to your room, in a golf cart. He makes sure you get into your room, and brings your luggage in for you.
- RHE: Also quick and efficient, with champagne and wet cloth upon arrival and keys within minutes. You are brought to your bungalow, dropped off, and then your luggage arrives later, we had a 90-minute wait for our luggage… not great when you arrive at 11pm! Also, our key didn’t work, so we had to use the phone at the unattended concierge desk to have another one delivered. So we waited outside our room, in the central court for 20 minutes before we could enter our room. Next time, we will just grab a drink from the Lobby Bar and wait at the front Foyer, until our luggage is ready to come along with us. Once in our room, there was a welcome platter of fruit, sandwiches, and the minibar well stocked, as well, mood music was playing! What a wonderful welcome.
Checkout time was 12pm… we paid $40 to keep our room until we were ready to leave for 6pm. Our concierge arranged this easily the morning of departure. One other thing to mention, at Checkout, we were told that it was up to us to make sure that our luggage got onto the bus, prior to leaving. (?)
Buffet
- PRDO: Excellent quality, lots of variety, heat lamps keeping food hot, grilling station doing fried eggs, scrambled eggs & other type eggs to order (and filling buffet selections, too, as needed), two stations for fresh omelettes (less lines), fabulous selections of cold cuts, cheeses, yoghurts, cereals (European granolas), and breads, large selection of fresh cut fruits, salmon, pastries, fresh juices & fruit milkshakes. The food stations remained in the same place each day, making it very easy to go and find what you like, immediately, as you know where everything is: Very helpful. Only ate here a few times for lunch or dinner, each time going around the buffet collecting salmon, shrimp, capers, scallops, black & green olives, peppers, onions, etc. for a “special” pasta dish done @ the pasta station. Oh, and topped with freshly grated Parmesan straight from the 40cm wide “wheel of cheese”. Fresh linen napkins & tablecloths, china & glassware.
- RHE: A lot less variety, 1/3 the space, therefore lots less to choose from and in general being a little inconsistent in quality (by that I mean hot). There was only one person, doing all types of eggs (fried, scrambled and omelettes), taking orders from one person at a time (quite a line up to wait). The buffet selections had been cooked prior to opening, and no heat lamps to keep the cooked food hot. Small selection of cold cuts, cheeses, yoghurts, cereals (no granola at all) and breads (croissants were excellent). There were offerings of fruit; and salmon appeared once or twice. Small table for pastries, and a number of juices. The food stations are moved around each day, making it very difficult to go and find what you like, as you have to go around each morning to see where everything is first, before deciding: Not very helpful. Only ate once for lunch and dinner, each time again to make a “special” dish done at the pasta station, making selections of items from around the buffet as the pasta station didn’t have much selection, however, the one time they had pesto for sauce! My favourite! RHE also had freshly grated Parmesan cheese, in a bowl. Fresh linen tablecloth, china & glassware, paper napkins for breakfast. Lunch & Dinner there were cloth napkins. Good mimosas and cappuccinos.
Booking A la Carte Restaurants
- PRDO: There is one person at a table in the front Lobby who takes care of your reservations for the week. Each time, our TA has emailed ahead of time to book for us at our desired times. He will change the time for you if possible, when there is a conflict (returning guest’s dinner or Lobster night at the buffet). Really easy, no problems. But as he was only one person doing the bookings, you may have to wait, for one or two other guests, to talk to him.
- RHE: Each bungalow of 20 rooms has a concierge that arranges your reservations for you for the week. We could not contact this person prior to our visit to arrange ahead of time, and we were a bit concerned that this would not work for us. However, I have to say, that the first morning, we met with our concierge and she asked us which restaurants we wanted to book on which days, and what times would we prefer to dine (within one hour, 7-8pm, for example) and she took care of it all, confirming with us our desired restaurant on each day! Really easy, with no problems, at all. Actually quite handy, as she is in your building, and we didn’t have to line up or go to the Lobby and stand in line. She would ask us each day, if there was anything that she could do for us, fill the minibar, arrange transportation to the Lobby, or to the beach, etc. One day, after the evening maids had done their "turndown" service, one of our beach towels had gone missing, and she replaced it, no questions asked (and no surprise charge at the end of the visit)! Our concierge also organized for us a "special dinner" which included the resort’s best champagne (cava) and a wonderful “flaming” cake for dessert, at the Suites section’s Gourmet restaurant. Our table had been decorated with an abundance of flowers, and also had flower petals spelling out a special greeting to us!
A la Carte Restaurants & Music
- PRDO: Generally great atmosphere, furnishings and very nice selections on each a la carte restaurant’s menu. I would like to mention that in the Japanese restaurant, the PRDO have skilful and entertaining chefs; plus they make a point of reserving 4 couples at the same time to each of the four teppanyaki tables to ensure that the dinner is enjoyable from start to finish. There is live entertainment at the PRDO everywhere you go... the beach restaurant quartet, the buffet sax duo, the a la carte Mediterranean duo, the El Bohio Son Trio, El Patio has a violinist, the lobby bar sometimes has a Jazz trio and other times a pianist, and the stage band in the evenings are amazing.
- RHE: Again, all a la cartes have wonderful atmospheres, European furnishings and very nice selections in each menu. One thing to mention, is that the Asian restaurant here asks at the door whether you would like to sit at one of only two teppanyaki tables or not, so sometimes, one or two couples begin a dinner, and then 30 – 40 minutes later, another group could join. Not a big problem, but does interrupt the “flow” of conversation, as well as the meal. Live entertainment, musicians at the RHE included… full symphony orchestra in the Lobby one evening, a quartet in the Italian a la carte, a trio in the Buffet and the Lobby bar usually had a pianist. The interesting (?) thing was that the trio in the Buffet was the only group that was actually playing Cuban music once in a while. Most music was classically arranged modern tunes such as Elton John, Beatles, Sting, Bryan Adams, etc.
- Honourable mention goes to both PRDO pool/beach restaurants & RHE for their pool restaurants: Great sit down service, linen napkins & tablecloths, terrific choices from the menus. As well, both PRDO pool restaurant & the Hideaway’s pool restaurant make fabulous thin crust pizzas! Yum!
Beaches
- PRDO’s Playa Esmeralda is in a protected cove, and is a very beautiful and stunning beach, especially when viewed from the overlooking coral rock overhang upon which the whole resort is built. It is not a very long beach, perhaps 500 meters, which can be walked from one end, to the other & back, in about 20 minutes (if you walk slowly). The sand is a coarser, loose sand that can make walking difficult at times, when you have to walk around outcroppings of coral along the PRDO end of the beach. The coral is great for those who like to snorkel right from the water’s edge, however, one needs to manoeuvre around it to go in for a swim. The descent into the water is steep, you are chin deep within 10-15m, plus there tends to always be some sort of wave action happening. There is a beach restaurant and bar on this east end, as well as one bathroom stall for males and one for females. The palapas and loungers are all at this end as well, and there seems to be plenty for all, but they do tend to seem quite close to each other. One shower area is halfway up the path towards the main pool, past the bar & restaurant, quite a distance from the loungers & palapas, and there are more up by the pool area. PRDO also has three other small remote beaches (caleticas) at the extreme east end of the resort. One is right behind the Spa, where an attendance will pull out loungers for you, plus there are a couple of palapas there. The one in the middle has no palapas or loungers, and the last one has only palapas. None of these beaches has any washroom facilities or offer any refreshments, so you truly feel as though you are on a deserted stretch of beach.
- RHE’s two beaches are absolutely stunning. We have been to many islands (except for the D.R.) and have not experienced beaches as wonderful as Playa Megano and Playa Ensenachos. Both are very compactable sand which is so easy to walk on, and both are very long, at least a mile (2 – 2.5 kms). Each day, they have different “moods” for example, one day the water will be as smooth as a mirror, then there may be small soft waves, and then another day there could be much action with waves of half a metre high. Plenty of palapas and loungers along Playa Megano (nicely spaced), between the two boardwalks from the main resort. Along these boardwalks, perhaps 30 feet from the end, there are shower facilities to rinse the salt water off of feet and bodies. There is coral to the southwest end of Megano, making great opportunities for snorkelling right off the beach, as well as a sunken barge to the northeast end that is reachable. Playa Ensenachos is a more remote experience. One would have to walk from the Hideaway Bungalows near the Pool Restaurant towards the small Beach where the catamarans, Hobies and other water activities items are; then past the Beach Restaurant, and then onto a boardwalk to access Playa Ensenachos. There are no palapas or loungers, no facilities, washrooms, or showers here at all. Very Robinson Crusoe! But very, very beautiful! As you walk from this east end towards the very end in the west, you do come across a small number (15 - 20) of palapas and loungers for the use of the Royal Suite guests.
Rooms
- PRDO: The rooms are well appointed, and very clean. The photos on the websites are very much exactly what you would get anywhere in the resort. The Superior Rooms have full bathroom, separate dressing area with extra pillows, housecoats, beach towels & umbrella is kept, shoe shelf, rod & hangers, four drawers, self-coded safe box; king-size bed, additional wooden luggage table, console/ dresser with TV, CD player, coffee maker, mini fridge; as well, a lower sitting area with rattan/wicker chairs & coffee table. The rooms have character, with much Cuban influence! Yes, this resort is 8-9 years old; it is just not brand spanking new like some of the newer palaces, which have been built in the last year or so, but at least you know that you are in Cuba! I'm "germ-a-phobic" by nature, and have always felt the rooms were excellently cleaned and taken care of. The Superior Suite with the private outdoor shower area is heavenly, listening to the songs of the birds in the morning or watching the stars overhead at night. As well, you cannot beat the coziness of your own private back patio overlooking the distant Cuban landscape, and the intimate quietness, when you step out your front doorstep into the beautiful gardens, you feel as though you are in your own cottage.
- RHE: The rooms are set up in 2-storey Bungalows with 20 rooms total, with an inner courtyard where all the doors face in to this courtyard, and the balconies face outwards. We requested and received an upper corner unit, with a king-size bed, armoire with TV, radio, and mini fridge; there was an upholstered lounger, a small table (with coffee maker et al) and two comfy upholstered chairs. We had a large walk-in closet with a rack for suitcases, shoe shelf, rod & hangers, four drawers, self-coded safe box, and an upper shelf where beach towels, extra pillows, umbrella and housecoats were kept. The marble bathroom was sparkling clean (amazing!), with tub, glass shower stall, large vanity & mirror, hairdryer & make-up mirror, and a separate WC. Just a side note… no Cuban architecture, artwork, or furnishings made for a very generic European ambiance… we would compare it to a modern art-hotel we stayed at in Vienna!
Room Service
- PRDO: Delivery always within 20 – 30 minutes, sometimes a hit or miss with everything ordered. No problem. The biggest problem is getting through, with the number listed in the Room Service menu. Sometimes no one will pick up, other times you have someone say you’ve dialled the wrong number, and either put you on hold or give you another number to try. Can get annoying (sorry, JMHO)
- RHE: Delivery within 30 minutes generally, one time over 50 minutes with deepest regrets expressed. Communication excellent, contact within first try each time; also a hit or miss, with everything ordered (need to remember to request milk for your coffee!). No worries, though. Would like to mention, RHE always has two deliverymen, who will set up the meal wherever requested, quickly and efficiently. They even pour your coffee & milk, and open the bottle of cava, setting it in ice bucket (with ice they brought). Very nice touch!
Entertainment
- PRDO: I would have to say that, comparing this with other places we’ve visited (Paradisus Cozumel, Almond Beach Village and Carnival Valor), the PRDO’s evening entertainment is excellent. Lots of variety in shows and costumes, artful dance numbers, and the ever present House Band playing amazing Cuban music, are worth staying up a bit late for. Especially, since you can enjoy the performances in an open-air theatre with massive cathedral ceiling (for protection from the occasional tropical downpour), while sitting in your choice of comfortable wicker, rattan or teak furnishings. As well, the front Lobby barmen come around for requests of refreshments, delivered to your table promptly. The Cuban music, a refreshing Cuba Libre in hand, and the warm tropical breezes, make for a wonderful evening.
- RHE: This is where I really cannot make too much of a comment, as we only went once to the RHE evening entertainment in the Theatre. The RHE has an indoor theatre, with air-conditioning and movie theatre seating, within the front complex, across the hallway from the Lobby bar. It felt very strange to walk into and sit in a “movie theatre” in Cuba… far from the stage and performance. The ambiance just wasn’t right for us, so after about ten minutes, we left. It is hard to say how we felt, it seemed impersonal and distant; no real ambiance; we could have been anywhere in the US or Canada, watching this performance… It just did not “do it” for us. We felt this way at the Paradisus Cozumel (now Melia), as well. Next time we will have to make more of an effort to go to some of the shows.
Bars
- PRDO: As mentioned previously, Lobby bar is open concept, with lots of small tables, comfortable wicker & rattan chairs, all set in intimate areas around the whole “open air” area, with a beautiful gazebo that has “help yourself” canapés, bottles of sparkling wine (cava) red & white wine available. There is also, a newer bar between the Lobby and the Mediterranean Restaurant, in a type of “Cuban Street” setting with intimate settings to sit, and canapés available to nibble on. There is also a pool swim up bar, Pool Restaurant bar, and Beach bar. Lots of variety and choices of liquors, too many to mention. They also make wonderful cappuccinos & specialty coffees.
- RHE: Lobby bar is indoors, with upholstered chairs & wingback chairs set around in intimate settings, with marble floors, crystal chandeliers, huge walls of windows looking out into the main lobby area and side breezeway/hallway. Across the hallway, there is also a Cigar Bar, with pool table and large leather club chairs. The Cigar Bar has French doors in the back, that open out onto a large terrace surrounded by stone balustrades, with additional seating outdoors… quite beautiful; felt like we were in Spain with the large urns full of palms & plant material with views of the garden beyond. Neither bar has any canapés or nibbles available as far as we could see. Lots of variety and choices of liquors… quite well stocked by our estimation (do try their chocolate martini!). Their house wines (although we are definitely not connoisseurs): you will be given a choice between Spanish and Chilean. The Chilean red was from the Maipo valley, a Cabernet Sauviginon, an excellent, moderate, full-bodied red. Not too heavy, with a very smooth finish. The Spanish Merlot offering was too tannic, and had a very sharp edge (perhaps should have given it a second try). Didn’t try the whites, but the general “champagne” (cava) was fun, light and clean, touched by a soft sweetness, very drinkable and great for mimosas (can’t recall the label). The “champagne” (cava) offering at the Gourmet Restaurant was “Freixenet Carta Nevada Brut”, from Spain; a medium sparkling dry wine, easygoing, with some weight and roundness, extremely elegant with creamy, delicate bubbles.
Both pools and the beach have bars with lots of selection as well. No need to go thirsty! As mentioned previously, the indoor bar areas really lacked the “Cuban” flair & ambiance that we truly missed (sorry to harp on this), even though the experience and settings were beautiful! JMHO-> probably wouldn’t even affect other people who have never experienced the “flavour” of the PRDO. I just want to state this, for those who could find this an important factor when deciding on a resort.
Grounds
- PRDO: A wonderful garden full of pathways, ponds, various plant material, landscaping and Cuban sculptures throughout the resort. The Gardeners really do a fantastic job maintaining, replacing and/or building up newer areas all the time.
- RHE: Again, a wonderful garden full of pathways, ponds, plant material, landscaping and a few sculptures throughout the resort. Where the RHE excels, in this amateur gardener’s opinion, is the labelling of all the plant material -> excellent idea! Also would like to point out that since this resort is only 2 years old, it is noticeable (I think only to those of us who dabble in gardening) that the three separate sections of the resort has been planted at different times. The Spa area is just a tad lusher, whereas the Hideaway area will probably fill out more in the next year or so (nothing really, just my observation). The 2km roadway to the Suites area is still undergoing some major plantings, which is very fascinating to see, and will be more interesting to compare upon our next visit.
Tipping
- PRDO & RHE are, in our opinion, very similar, as both resort’s staff do not make you feel as though they are waiting for a tip. On the contrary, both resort’s staff seem surprised, but gracious, when given a tip (CUC) for services rendered.
Cuban Ambiance
- PRDO has an elegant, quiet ambiance, which is enhanced with the excellent Cuban hospitality. The experience of enjoying really excellent food, sitting on wicker, rattan or teak furnishings in the open air Lobby, gazebo, or restaurants is amazing. To be surrounded by ponds & gardens, being serenaded not only by a Trio of Cuban musicians or a fabulous Cuban Band, but by tree frogs & other natural fauna, is true paradise! PRDO captures your heart and your imagination like no other resort. Something very special about the place -> can't quite put my finger on it!
- RHE: If you are looking for intimate & cozy, you won’t find it here. Royal Hideaway’s ambiance is Big, Bold and Beautiful! It is truly stunning; the photos don’t do it justice in regards to how majestic it feels. Marble floors and archways, 30 foot-plus ceilings, chandeliers oversized upholstered furnishings. As previously mentioned, when in the Lobby, rooms, bar or theatre, you feel as though you could be anywhere, as the place immediately gives you the impression that you are in an American style conference centre, only because there is a lack of Cuban architecture, character, artwork, or tropical furnishings (wicker, rattan or teak). It isn’t anything that affected our vacation enjoyment, but just our observation. Will we be back? Of course, perhaps even for two weeks, next time!
Summary
The Royal Hideaway was an amazing deal... for a 5 star resort.
Over $1200 cheaper (for the same week) than the Paradisus resort we've gone to the last five times (although we were in Superior rooms there). We really would have a hard time deciding which one to go to next time.
The Paradisus Rio de Oro is wonderful, elegant, and intimate and has real Cuban ambiance and Cuban character. But the Royal Hideaway has two fabulous beaches, beautiful rooms and their Room Service beats the Paradisus, in communication and promptness.
Both have gorgeous gardens, lots of pathways, plenty of a la carte restaurants, although the food at the Paradisus is just a tad better (especially the buffet), we think. It all depends on what is important to you.
For the price, we'd pick the Royal Hideaway again. But if they were both the same price, then we'd probably pick the Paradisus. |
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| Paradisus Rio De Oro |
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This is a great adults only resort.
Check in and out were great....not a problem at all.
The rooms were very clean and nice and the food was great. We liked the buffet better than the restaurants as there was a great variety....we even had lobster one night and it was amazing.
The weather was excellent and bugs....what bugs. I did not receive any mesquitto bits at all. Oh...sorry one day a black fly or some sort bit me and it stung for about 2 mins and then it was gone. It never was itchy and the bug bite itself was gone within the hour.
One thing this resort needs is better entertainment though. Every single night was some dance show of some sort..same dances, different show. They need to get some shows that get the audience involved, add some humour...something. One disappointment to me is we have been learning Salsa and everyone said it is big down there...I heard one song one night. Even when they had the beach party it was dancing, but to our music...not theirs.
We took a nice horse and buggy ride into the market and got some real nice things. It also let us see abit of the country side and another beach.
This resort I think to us was meant for older people. We are late forties and early fifties and this is how we felt. Panio near lobby bar was a nice touch every night, but need something to liven this place up.
The people are always friendly in Cuba and I love Cuba and the beaches. I have been to Cayco Coco twice, Varedaro once and now Holguin...they are all lovely. People just have to remember to pick at least a 4+ Star when going to this country.
Would we return to this resort...not a problem as they treat you very well. We would just have to make sure we bring some games with us next time. |
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| Paradisus Rio De Oro |
Alex and Amanda
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| January 2008 |
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My wife and I jetted out to Holguin on January 3rd 2008. After a coach ride of about an hour and a half over Cuba's very dodgy roads, we arrived at the Paradisus Rio de Oro.
Our first impressions were very good as we saw the spacious, clean and well lit lobby. We were well down the long queue to check in but more staff appeared and greated us with a glass of Champagne and before we knew it we were being transported to our room via golf cart.
The room was large, well lit with a sunken living area, tv, coffee machine, iron, ironing board, safe and even bath robes.
I would agree with the comments on here about the rooms being a little bit dated, but this in no way affected the comfort. I would however prefer to see a separate shower.
We arrived after the snack bars had closed and before the restuarants had opened. This wasn't a problem though as room service is included as are the drinks in the mini-bar, which is replenished daily.
Our first evening meal was in the main buffet restaurant and we were overwhelmed with the choice available - veal, fillet and sirloin steaks, at least six varieties of fish, all cooked in front of you. Also masses of fresh salads and pizza and many desserts and cakes.
All the A La Carte restuarants had their own charm and the food is of excellent quality. Our favourite was the Japanese and a visit there is well worth the experience.
The major perk of the trip though for us was that the scuba diving was included! Not just the pool sessions that most hotels give you but the main dives. As we are both qualified divers, we paid nothing for the 17 dives we collectively did. Even the equipment we needed to hire was included. We think this probably saved us in the region of £400. The diving was not the best we have ever done but this was mostly due to rough seas reducing the visibilty. As you might imagine spares for the hired equipment are hard to find in Cuba so it's worth checking your gear thoroughly before use.
There are plenty of bars and virtually all drinks are included in the all inclusive package including champagne, many wines, Bombay Sapphire gin and so on.
All in all we were very pleased with the hotel and would definately return. |
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| Paradisus Rio De Oro |
Jim and Christine
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| December 2007 |
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After an absence of 6 years we returned to the Rio de Oro . We have been to Cuba a total of 14 times now and were curious to see if our original destination was as nice as we remembered.
The reviews posted here are very accurate and we know that things in Cuba can change from week to week. With this in mind I’d like to report this update for Winter 07-08.
The beach sand has disappeared in the cove that makes up the majority of Rio de Oro’s shorefront. The snorkling is still top notch but access to the water is tough over the rocky shoreline. All the pallapa’s are in place but the concentration of beach loungers was too close for our comfort and opted for pool side most days. The staff says this is just part of the ocean action and the sand will return again (next storm?). I hope the resorts that share the beach ( Sol Melia chain) get more organized with the garbage on the beach. We had to walk past huge mounds of flotsam and weeds for 3 days before the staff cleaned up the mess . It’s amazing what floats into shore from passing ships. L
The food and bar drinks were as remembered and most of the same staff still work there 9 years later.
The buffet is great and the Patio a la carte was the best meal in our opinion. There was no tonic available for the entire week and the Brit’s were getting real thirsty J
Overall opinion from us was the resort was almost 5 star for Cuba BUT wear and tear over almost 10 years of operation and shortfalls in supplies, etc. left us feeling that for the money our vacation dollar will probably be spent elsewhere in the future. |
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| Paradisus Rio De Oro |
Karen and Martin
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| July 2007 |
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Two heavenly weeks at the Paradisus Rio de Oro, Holguin June 2-16. 2007.
Our last visit was October 2004, so we were very eager to return for our fourth visit to our favourite resort. Some new exciting additions since we have been there.
The beach restaurant is done now. It is on the second floor with the beach bar below it. The old location has been turned into an outdoor patio for drinks. Fabulous lunches and musical accompaniment at each one, not to mention the excellent service. Have to try the red snapper!
The spa is world class, and very in line price wise if not cheaper than you get at home. We did a spa day on our anniversary and it was great. v
Both having massages overlooking the ocean for an hour. Then to the pool , hot tub or private beaches for as long as you wished.
We booked all our ala cartes online before we went, which saves lining up the day after arrival. Pablo has them all ready, you pick them up and if there is any they can't accomodate you work out a better time. Very efficient.
The Cuban restaurant has improved 100 % in our opinion from the last time. Service and food were impeccable. El Patio is top notch, once again, impeccable. We had our anniversary there with rose petals on the table and a cake, it was lovely. The Mediterranean is a treat too ,with again , great Cuban musicians. Wonderful meals both times. Don't forget to do tepanyaki at Tsuru, the Japanese restaurant, it is so much fun and you make great friends with your international dinner mates. Once again, impeccable service and food. mmm Sake!
We were treated to an appreciation dinner for repeat guests, meeting first at the Mediterranean for champagne, enjoying a cappella group , which were amazing. Taken by trolley down to the beach for a magical dinner in the sand under torch light.
Serenaded by musicians, served delicious food, Argentine sirloin, cooked the way you wanted, ocean rolling in beside you, feet in the sand.. it was perfection.
It was a fantastic way to show they really care about our coming back .
Meeting with our tour rep was a bit disappointing. We had known in advance, scuba diving is all inclusive now at the Paradisus... but were not told that. We went to an employee who arranged it all for us through the animation club. Two dives per day for certified divers, and free lessons in the pool for beginners, A very significant deal in our books.
This trip we upgraded to a superior junior suite, since it was our anniversary, I have to say the outdoor shower is wonderful! We never used the indoor one at all! The room was spectacular with a view of the mountains and lush gardens. Had welcoming flowers, champagne and fruit plate.
We have never been unhappy with the junior rooms, but this was a nice change.
The gardens are especially stunning, and we loved seeing all the different growth, and watching the gardeners at work.They are a treasure.
We may be a bit biased, but to us , the staff at every place we were at , are absolutely priceless to the PRDO. From the friendly greetings at breakfast every morning, the guys at the pool, the service staff, the maids, the bar staff...the disco staff , PR staff, porters.,,,, It is the people who make this resort the place it is. We value their friendship and their warmth whenever we visit.
I won't mention names, because we each know different people, and interact with not always the same ones as others. But this is what keeps us coming back.
It is like a homecoming. In a paradise setting.
This will always be "our spot" and I am sure we are not the only ones! |
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| Paradisus Rio De Oro |
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Travel:
Sunwing - 1st time with them. Champagne toast to start your vacation. Nice touch.Complimentary wine with the meal.
Immigration was painless. Very quick & friendly - yes had a smile. Luggage came quick .
Check in & Room:
Quick & painless. I was on the 2nd floor building 34 which is close to the pool area. The room is big and clean. No clock (usually bring my alarm clock ) . The beach towels are found in your room & you can exchange as often as you wish. You leave them in the room upon check-out. I think this is great. No searching for the towel booth upon arrival or waiting for it to open. Nice touch to the room is robes & incense to burn. I loved this.
Grounds:
Spectacular. If you enjoy nature & walking ...this is the place for you. Lots of shady areas to relax. The views are spectacular from the gazebos overlooking the beach. Watch sunsets from there too.
Beach :
Playa Esmeralda is as beautiful as always. Shared with Sol Lunas & Mares. Many papalas. Although hotel was totally booked you can find a spot. Snorkeling right off the beach. You can’t miss the fish. Just swim straight out & you will come across some beauties.
Food:
Great! I mean great. Not just edible or "this is Cuba". The buffet kept it’s food covered & warm. Great selections. Did El Patio & Mediterranean a la cartes. Both were great. Food awesome and restaurants are beautiful. Service excellent. I did have reservations for the Japanese but the buffet was so good, decided I will just have to come back to try the other a la cartes. The coffee was great at the lobby bar. Discovered this my last day unfortunately.
Activities:
For a hotel that is considered laid back, there is quite a lot to do.
Spa , fitness centre, daily activities - organized excursions from the hotel ie. bicycle tour or snorkeling. 1 hour horseback riding next door, mini zoo near by, Las Guanas - nature tour $6CUC - next to Sol Lunas and of course Guadalavaca is not far - $5 CUC cab or $12CUC bu horse & buggy.
Holguin tour $44CUC- was nice to see the city. Lunch included from a hilltop restaurant,.
Catamaran tour $69 CUC - stopped at 2 reefs. Directly in front of Brisas & Paradisus. I had read this prior to going but you would be amazed at how close there is great snorkeling at these 2 spots. There is also the catamaran tour with 1 reef & a dolphin swim - not sure of that price.
I couldn’t go to Santiago de Cuba by helicopter due to maintenance issues. Hmmm?? Broken helicopter.
The best is the private beaches right next to the spa. Early morning no a sole. I love this. You could hear a bit of construction from time to time. They are building a 50 room VIP area there. Hopefully these secluded beaches will not be exclusive for these rooms. It’s the best part of the hotel. There is coral not far & the most amazing fish within a few feet. Really.... a few feet away is a snorkeling paradise. You’d never believe it until you get in the water. The 2 catamaran trips stop here. I am not a confident swimmer and was snorkeling solo... I swam half way to the catamaran without even realizing it. Many different species too. I spent every morning here once I discovered it. There is a lifeguard & security not far but no drinks unless you are signed up for the spa.
Overall opinion:
Everything is great about this hotel from the staff to the location. I will be returning. No doubt about that.
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| Paradisus Rio De Oro |
Bob & Suzanne
Montreal
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| April 2007 |
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| I hate long reviews so here goes: this is our 3rd trip to Cuba and our 3rd location. By far this is the best place we've been, excellent food, service, staff, rooms, gardens, entertainment a real jewel, beach is good not great, place is quiet, not for the disco crowd but if you want quiet, beauty and excellent service this is for you. We'll go back. |
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| Paradisus Rio De Oro |
Morgan and Lynn
Ontario,Canada
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| March 2007 |
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| Just returned from our third trip to this fabulous resort. March 2-9th 2007 We were greeted with roses, later chilled champagne and fresh fruit were delivered to our room as repeat visitors.It just keeps getting better and better if this is possible. They now have a beautiful spa 2nd to none.My husband and I treated ourselves to a day complete with foot wash, outside shower, steam room, sauna,sensation shower, salt water pool, private sunning area, relaxation rooms and outside Jacuzzi. We had a 1/2 hour massage in the morning medium depth and another 1/2 hour in the afternoon deeper touch. We had all of the facility to use all day and fresh juice, water,and fruit were delivered to us constantly. Well worth the $196.00 plus tips CCP. The food is fabulous in every dining room including the buffet, service remarkable,grounds beautiful and the room exactly where we wanted.The beds are firm and took some getting used to however they are new mattresses. We were invited to a spectacular GM dinner for repeat visitors where we enjoyed a special menu, personal service and entertainment and of course more roses.Here we met many who had been there 10 times and more, this says it all. What more could anyone look for in a vacation? We think the thing that shines through the most year after year and is the main reason we keep returning to Cuba is the wonderful, honest, kind and loving Cuban people. Never have we found such sincerity in all of the Caribbean. We always come home amazed at this. So, if you are looking for a quiet, truly beautiful place, with immaculate grounds, spectacular sunsets, great snorkelling and fish feeding, restful resort with fabulous food and warm and exceptional service, this is the place in paradise for you. To the GM and the Sol Melia group our sincere congratulations for a exceptional one of a kind resort. We will see you next year once again. |
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| Paradisus Rio De Oro |
Victoria, BC
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| February 2007 |
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We were with Air Canada vactions from Victoria BC
We are a couple in our early 40s
The flights were on time. The domestic flight service was poor, no meals, no peanuts, nothing other than pop and juice! On the international leg service was very good.
The bus ride to the resort was 1.5 hours both ways in a nice new bus. Check in at the resort was fast, and the champagne flowed before we even got to our room.
We just booked the standard room and it was larger than any 5 star resort rooms we have had previously. Lots of storage and hanger space.
What a beautiful resort..This resort was only half full when we were there. We never had trouble finding a lounger. There was lots of shade available.
Activities:
Scuba diving was all inclusive here so that is why we booked. I did 4 dives and my husband did 6 The equiptment was in very good shape, and they were very safe to dive with. The deep dives were very good.. The snorkelling in front of the resort was AS GOOD as the shallow dives.
We did the hike up the mountain offered free and it was very good. I would have liked to do more of these resort offered activities but it was in the morning the same time as the diving.
They take you out on the catamaran and that was good, they will take you for a wild ride if you so wish.
I did the horseback riding 3 times..I was the only person one day so there was lots of galloping and trotting. The other days the speed of the ride was to the least experienced rider so it was just walking. The horses were well trained and they provided riding helmets for safety.
I had a look inside the gym at the cardio equiptment, it was brand new. The best gym I have seen at a resort.
Food- Buffet
It was Very good. Not as extensive as some resorts. There was beef pork chicken, and several different kinds of fish/prawns to choose from, they would grill it for you. There were lots of other dishes as well as a pasta bar. The breads and pastries were excellent, and don't miss the mini donuts made fresh for breakfast..they are awesome! This is the first all inclusive where they have a choice of wines with dinner or lunch..They have an excellent wine list.
Lunch was usually at the beach restaurant..a great setting. Good food such as burgers calamari or grilled chicken, pork, beef or prawns. The new beach restaurant was not yet open, but looked very nice.
A la Cartes
The international was our favorite, great atmosphere with a violin player, the food was excellent.
Second choice was mediterranean, then japanese and cuban.
The food and wines were very good.
Bar/Pool service was very good. Lots of imported stuff to choose from.. They do need to standardize how they make the mixed drinks, some bars made things differently so you never really knew if it was going to be good or not. The champagne flowed freely. The coffee served at the resort is very good.
The shows were very good, and only topped by the shows that we have seen at the Riu Tequila
I would definately return to this resort...BUT I will contact them to see if they have resumed their mosquito spraying program.. The mosquitos were BAD
I got eaten alive the first night at the show and we could not sit on our balcony at night I did bring bug stuff ( Deet) that probably helped somewhat. I was told by other visitors that had been there in years past that they used to have a spray program but the cost increased so they dropped it.
I had read reviews about how bad the bugs were and they were right! I took lots of anti- itch creams and I did need them. So if they resume their spray program I would love to go back and it is the only resort we both have wanted to go back to ( and they need to keep the All Inc. diving)
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| Paradisus Rio De Oro |
Michel & Lana
Canada
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| January 2007 |
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Just spent a week at the Paradisus Rio de Oro (our second stay there) and it is just as wonderful as it was in 2005, with the added bonus of the new spa section, nicely built on the seashore with seawater pool and private sandy cove. Everything in this property was, and still is, top-notch: accomodations (go for the superior rooms if you can, nicely tucked in a well-preserved seashore tropical forest, and ask for a sea-view room); food (varied, always excellent and more than plentiful) both at the buffet and the four specialty restaurants, particularly the Japanese one; cleanliness (everything is spotless); service, always smiling, attentive and ever-present to answer your every needs (a special thanks to the Food and Beverage Director, Senor Fernandez Barredo, who makes sure that everything is up to par and who can be seen, constantly checking and re-checking, from 7 a.m to 9 p.m., every day.
In a word, this is the perfect place to spend a week or two in a slendid environment where you will be pampered 24 hours a day. In our opinion, one of the very best value-for-money resorts in the Caribbeans, and certainly the best in Cuba! |
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| Paradisus Rio De Oro |
Seachick
Montreal, Canada
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| November 2006 |
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We just got back from a wonderful week at this exceptional resort. We're a couple in our late 50's and were looking for a clean, comfortable resort with good food and a great beach and we got all that and more at the PRDO. The resort is spotless and the landscaping is beautifully lush. We can't say enough about the wonderful staff who made our stay particularly enjoyable. Rooms were large and well appointed with quiet air conditioning. A mini fridge is stocked daily with a liter of bottled water, 3 kinds of soft drinks and 2 beer. Coffee maker, iron, ironing board and hair dryer is supplied in all the rooms. Soap, shampoo and shower gel are also supplied in the bathroom, but no facecloths, which is typical in Cuba.
The pool is quite large and built on two levels with a large pool bar which was very popular. The lounge chairs by the pool have thick rubbery mattresses which also double as floaters - great idea! Pool was cleaned every day and so were the 3 jacuzzis. The beach is short because it is cut off to the right by a coral cliff. The water is clear and warm but there is quite a bit of coral when you enter, so its a good idea to wear water shoes. Guests at PRDO can also use the beach at Sol Luna y Mares which has less coral. Great snorkelling to be had right in front of PRDO, in fact the big catamaran tours stop there for an hour as part of their tour.
The food - we've never eaten so well in all our trips! A lot of choice in the buffet and the a la cartes are exceptional for AI resorts. Lots of seafood - lobster, large shrimp, calamar, red snapper - well presented and tasty. Four a la cartes made our vacation a real pleasure. We ate at the Mediterranean, Japanese and International. The Japanese was our favorite - the beef tenderloin was very tender and tasty. They put a lot of care in the decoration of the a la cartes and the wait staff were very friendly and attentive. The wines were quite good and the champagne flowed at every meal, even on the beach. I had to try champagne on the beach! First time and it was great!
Nightly shows were very good - professional and very colourful. We had 2 or 3 evenings where audience participation was de rigeur and people seemed to enjoy it. I didn't stay for too many of the evening shows because it was wicked hot and humid when we went, last week of October, and I had to flee to the A/C in our room. The lobby also had different entertainment before the shows. Mostly piano and a few nights a Cuban trio livened up the place. The resort was only half full when we went and it was a bit quiet in the evenings. The lobby bar also makes great espresso coffee.
Loads of reasonably priced tours are available and the animation team also gives mini tours each morning. We took the bus tour with the animator to Boca de Sama. We had been before and went back with more supplies for the school and clinic there. This tour is a must-do. It only takes 3 hours but you get to see the beautiful countryside in an A/C bus, visit the fishing village of Boca de Sama and stop over at the Mercado in Guadalavaca - and it only cost $6! You can also take a $15 caleche ride to Guadalavaca.
Asides from the food and the location, the PRDO's biggest asset is the staff. Polite, friendly and very efficient. We had a big rainstorm while we were there which knocked out a bridge to Holguin. Many of the evening shift couldn't make it in to work and the day shift had to stay on until evening and take the long way home late at night - but they were still professional and smiling. Tips were gratefully accepted and appreciated but not expected. We brought down gifts, childrens clothes and shoes which brought many smiles and hugs. Everything is appreciated no matter how small.
We would return to PRDO in a heartbeat.
album of pics: http://community.webshots.com/album/555226987ZhEnEQ |
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| Paradisus Rio De Oro |
Cindy
Canada
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| November 2005 |
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From November 20th to the 27th we stayed at the Paradisio in Cuba. We had read the reviews on your site which were most helpful. We had a really nice time. The staff was extremely helpful and courteous. Mostly everyone spoke English. The resort was meticulous & quiet. No blasting music or loud speakers going. We ate at the Japanese, Mediterranean and International restaurant. All were good, Caribbean style. It is never how you would expect it to be North American style so if you don’t have that expectation then you won’t be disappointed. We didn’t have any sickness which we were happy about. We spent most of our days at the pool side as the beach looked crowded and many days had a lot of seaweed and garbage due to the surf. We did snorkel however again due to the rough waters we had limited success. We did take a horse and buggy ride to Guadalavaca which was money well spent and a little tour of the town and surrounding area. The nightly entertainment was okay on a couple of the nights but the rest of the weeks we left for bed as it was not very entertaining. All liqueur is included except for premium alcohol like specific brandy’s etc. We only felt the need to order wine on some occasions when we ate at the restaurants.
My only complaint was about the bed that we had. We were in a king size bed in a superior room. The room was afforded with an outdoor shower which was unique and we enjoyed. The bed was as hard as a rock. We stayed in room 2632 so unless there is a bed change I will not stay there again. But, how does one find out this info. No one at your site complained of the bed so I am thinking it is not a common complaint.
We met many people who have come back time and again to this resort as they like it so much. You do have my permission to post this on your site if you wish.
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| Paradisus Rio De Oro |
Lisa
Canada
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| November 2005 |
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My name is Lisa and my husband and I traveled to Cuba to get married the week of Oct.17-24th. We stayed at the Paradisus Rio de Oro with 12 family members and friends to say our vows. It truly was a wonderful experience. This was my first vacation at an all inclusive resort although some of the people that came with us have traveled quite a bit to such places.
All of us agreed that the Paradisus was absolutely beautiful. The smaller buildings and lush surroundings made this resort feel very personable, unlike those resorts with huge buildings that have 1000 rooms in them. While our guests stayed in the junior suites, we were upgraded to the junior superior due to getting married. Our room was located on the opposite side of the resort from the ocean, which was fine with us because apparently there are less critters there. If you don't like bugs, ask for a room that starts with a higher number. We specifically were in 4532. The extra cost for the junior superior suite is definetely worth it for the outdoor shower alone. We also got a private hammock outside our room which I enjoyed when taking my afternoon siestas. Unfortunately we did have some problems with the air conditioning breaking down and our phone did not work. We had to inform the front desk a few times of these problems before they were resolved, but being the laid back people we are, it certainly didn't come close to ruining the vacation.
Unlike what we had previously heard about the food in Cuba, the Paradisus did a wonderful job with it's cuisine. We usually ate breakfast at the buffet, lunch at the restaurant by the pool (La Laguna) and dinner at either the buffet or one of the a la carte restaurants. All were delicious. We were fortunate enough to get into all of the a la cartes, our favourite being the Japanese one. I had the beef dish and it was so tender and juicy I felt like I was at the Keg! Out of all four, this one is a must to go to. The fanciest was the El Patio, where we had our wedding dinner. The staff at all of the restaurants are great and you will see them working at more than one location. They make an effort to get to know you if they see you frequently. At La Laguna, whenever a certain waitress worked I could count on my drink of choice being served to me before I ordered it.
As far as excursions go we visited Holguin and Guardalavarca. Holguin was the cheapest of organized tours, costing $44 US. Well worth it though. Our tour included visiting a cross on a mountain above the city of Holguin that gives you a breath taking view. We also got a tour of the cigar factory, art gallery, and museum. As a special treat we saw a show on African dancing and were able to walk around the square and old market of the city. Lunch was provided at a restaurant in the country side. Again the food was delicious. We had a few hagglers, but according to stories of other travellers Cuba is actually quite respectful as far as the locals go. It is really frowned upon for them to haggle tourists and our guide was very helpful whenever they would approach us. Just keep in mind that the average worker makes about 250 pesos a month which is equivalent to only $10 US, not even! Our second excursion was into Guardalavarca. We just took a horse and buggy to get there and walked around the market. It is a great place to buy your souvenirs and is a cheap to get to (only $15 US round trip for the buggy).
As I have mentioned, my husband and I were in Cuba for a very special reason ... to get married. Words cannot begin to describe how beautiful our wedding was. The resort only allows one wedding per day, so you truly are the guests of honour. The wedding coordinator took care of everything, from the flowers to the photography and videography, to booking our dinner for us at El Patio. There is a hairdresser on the resort who did a wonderful job on mine and my bridesmaid hair. She even got one of the gardeners to pick flowers to put in my hair since I didn't have a veil. After getting ready we were picked up at my parents' room by horse and buggy and taken to the ceremony which took place on a gazebo overlooking the ocean. Our pictures are gorgeous and everyone we show them to is very envious. If you are thinking of a destination wedding, then this is the place. One thing to note, however, is that in Cuba, family members cannot be witnesses. For our wedding night the resort did our room up extra special with roses, champagne a drawn bath, the works. It was very romantic. The next morning we got breakfast delivered to our room and received even more champagne, wine and chocolates. The special treatment we received was out of this world.
At the end of our week we were very sad to leave. Cuba is a wonderful place to visit and if you want a quiet but special vacation then Paradisus Rio de Oro is the resort to go to. Unfortunately Skyservice is the only airline to take you there and our flight was not all that comfortable, but was certainly worth it because it got us to paradise. We will definetely be returning there for our anniversary!
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| Paradisus Rio De Oro |
Michelle & Anthony
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| August 2005 |
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My husband and I got married in this resort on the 10th June 2005 and I felt I should write a review about this beautiful resort.
Firstly any bad comments you might read about this resort I would take with a pinch of salt, We are frequent travellers to the Caribbean and have visit three different parts of Cuba and I can guarantee that you wont find anywhere better than this hotel.
The staff are very very friendly and will make you feel very welcome from the moment you arrive until you leave, the grounds are very well kept and the rooms are extremely spacious and clean. I will try to keep this very brief so here are a few bullet points that I would like to tell you about.
Restaurants: There is an Buffet restaurant that has a wide variety of food and I can honestly say that even the fussiest of eaters will find something they enjoy.
Then there are Four a la carte restaurants at the resort as well my favourite has to be the Japanese restaurant we had our wedding reception and it was out of this world.
Getting Married at the resort: Well what can I say every girl wants to feel like a princess on her wedding day and I was treated like royalty, Oldays the wedding co coordinator took care of everything for us we had a brief meeting with her on arrival to discuss the flowers etc and she came up trumps with everything. I would recommend that you pay a visit to the masseur before the ceremony as it was fantastic, also the hairdresser is wonderful she done all our bridal parties hair including mine which took her 1 hour and manicures for the two mums, my bridesmaid, my auntie and myself. What can I say she is a talented women she done the lot by herself and no one was disappointed. Should you go and see her though I would say that if you have any nail varnish that you don't really use give it to her as she will always find a use for it.
Now moving onto the ceremony its self it is very short and takes about 10 mins from start to finish the notaire will speak in Spanish and you have a translator there as well they are lovely and put you at ease in fact all you have to say is I DO! After the ceremony we took the horse and cart around the resort then had some photos taken by their photographer who I would recommend he is very good at this job and we had the photos back with in two days.
Well that's the end of my review there is so much more I could say but I wont spoil it for you. To conclude all I will say is you wont be disappointed if you visit this resort it really is like paradise in fact my in laws are going back at Christmas and we will definitely back visiting again soon.
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| Paradisus Rio De Oro |
Michael & Beth
Canada
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| August 2005 |
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My wife and I have been to the Caribbean several times and twice to Cuba. We've always had a great time.
Like you I've read all the reviews. Rio De Oro was highly rated. I have a friend who has been there 3 times ! Based on all the good reports, we booked our annual vacation, for Rio De Oro for the end of May. Good price, good resort. We were really looking forward to a relaxing holiday on the beach.
The SkyService flight was good and on time. The knowledgeable, local rep met us and accompanied our group by bus to the hotel. About 1 hour drive. There were 6 of us in the Rio De Oro group from Toronto, Canada. We arrived at the hotel, a lush green oasis in the middle of a brown, dusty, poverty stricken, farming area. Upon arriving at the hotel, the hotel's salesman greeted us.
The hotel was over-booked. They had no rooms for us for 2 days. This affect all 6 in our group. We were told we could stay at their "sister" hotel, just beside Rio. Not nearly as nice and questionable even for a 4 star. We booked the 5 star Rio De Oro. They had no trouble taking our money. That's were we wanted to stay.
The salesman at Rio apologized and told us we could use all the facilities, the beach front, the dining rooms, bars, etc. at Rio. We just had to stay next door. Getting back and forth was difficult. A 15 to 20 minute walk. Not bad but man! It was hot out. Or a 1 minute taxiride that Rio was offered to pay for. Except the staff incharge of paying for the Taxi didn't know about it. So every cab ride involved a lengthy explanation. We tried to use the facilities and we were always asked for our room number - which we wouldn't have for 2 days. More lengthy explanations. It turned out to be a big hassle.
The front lobby of Rio is open and beautiful. When we did finally check in to Rio, we were offered (without asking for) compensation. We though, maybe an upgraded roon or a small refund. Well...they offered my wife a manicure and me a snorkel trip. Nice but not really. All we wanted was to relax on the beach that we had read so much about. We were not interested in day trips.
Our second storey room was clean and nice. The a/c worked well. We even had a small balcony with a view of the pump house. The pump house was noisy and seemed to run constantly. So you couldn't really sit out on the balcony. Room service was good. We had champagne several times. We tipped the maid and the serviceman each day. We also brought crayons and colouring books to give away.
We didn't expect great food from the dining room and we weren't disappointed. The food was O.K. and there was lots of it. The pile of lobster tails was an unexpected treat. I recommend the restaurants. Make your reservations as soon as you arrive if you want to get your times. We had great service in the Mediterranean restaurant. Ask for Ghitzy, she was excellent.
The beach was very nice. Not as big as in Veradero. As an avid sailor, I looked forward to using the sailboats and windsurfers. Many of the watercraft were broken and in poor repair. This limited the number of times you could get out. When I did manage to get out, the water was beautiful.
Tip: Bring your own snorkel mask & fins. The snorkeling right off shore is good. Although tempting - don't feed the fish. They will come to you even with out food.
Our local rep disappeared and hotel salesman never seemed to be around. There was no manager available to speak to us. All we wanted to know was what were the terms of the "compensation" that they offered. To make a long storey short; it took until the last day of our stay until this was sorted out. A refund of about 10% of our package price was offered. Not generous considering we lost 2 of 7 days. (About 30%). The worst part was, this situation dragged on for the entire week. And we didn't receive the refund for 3 months. In general, the people were nice. Except the decision makers were elusive. We had to communicate through notes slid under the door.
We tried real hard to be positive and look on the bright side and enjoy all that Rio De Oro had to offer. I could go on about the pool (crowded) or the private beaches that our friends told us we could walk to (closed for construction). If I sound like I'm whining, maybe I am. But, you know when you are looking forward to what should be a great trip and you pay out good money, it's very disappointing when the goods come up short, as they did here.
The overbooking and how it was handled put a real damper on our vacation.
I recommend you confirm, reconfirm and reconfirm again your reservation in writing and get a name, so that you are not let down like we were.
It's possible But, I don't think we will be back to Rio De Oro. |
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| Paradisus Rio De Oro |
Anne
Niagara Falls
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| August 2005 |
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My husband and I stayed at the Paradisus for our honeymoon from July 30-August 6, 2005. We would recommend it for couples looking to relax and unwind. Here are our observations.
FLIGHT: We flew with Skyservice out of Toronto. We had decent departure times, but they cram you into those planes like sardines. Everyone was processed quickly at the Holguin airport and then on to the tour buses. There were many depending on which hotels you were going to, but most seemed to be making two or three stops.
HOTEL: Having seen a few other front lobbies, the Paradisus was by far the nicest. The staff was well organized and expecting us. Cool fruit drinks were waiting and the line was processed. Because we arrived at noon, some rooms were not ready but people were told to go have lunch and come back in an hour. I don’t know if it was because it was our honeymoon (we had emailed the resort in advance to reserve restaurants and mentioned this) but we were given a room immediately. You can email the hotel in advance of your trip to book restaurants – DO THIS! It will save you time and they replied to me (two different staffers, actually) with confirmation – I printed it just in case but it wasn’t needed.
The grounds are beautiful and workers are constantly ensuring things look perfect, including spraying to keep bugs down. I know other people have mentioned bugs – we didn’t encounter a lot. We never put bug spray on and I only got two bites – that was from walking around the grounds well after dark. A little afterbite on them and they were fine. The resort is laid out as mostly two storey, eight-unit buildings with some single story, two-unit superior junior suites. We had a standard junior suite, which was more than enough room (although the outdoor shower and hammock that come with superior would have been nice). If possible, ask for a corner unit – the balcony wraps around and juts out, so you have more room space.
ROOM: The room was clean, in good condition, and functional. A/C stays on all the time (no room key needed) which is nice. We had a king-size bed, sofa, chaise longue and desk. The toilet, tub/shower and bidet are enclosed in one room while the sink/vanity and dresser are outside – this was nice. Lots of wooden hangers were provided, as were an umbrella, iron, and ironing board. The mattress was a bit thin by Canadian standards, and has a tucked-in flat sheet rather than fitted (over a plastic mattress cover) but was comfortable – the pillows are thin, though. The room isn’t what we’d consider five star in Canada but was very clean and comfortable. TV had HBO and other US pay channels, some Spanish channels, CNN, etc – about 20 channels in all, 10 of them English (some had Spanish subtitles).
FOOD: We ate at the buffet restaurant (La Ceiba) for breakfast daily, lunch most days, and three nights at dinner. The food at breakfast didn’t rotate much, but it was very good. The usual stuff: bacon, eggs, pancakes, French toast, a made-to-order omelette station, lots of fruits, milkshakes made with guava, banana, or papaya, breads and buns, sausages, and so forth. And (wait for it) they have real maple syrup every day! Service was slow on some mornings but if you get the whole way through breakfast and no one brings coffee around, you can always grab one in the lobby bar on your way out. The lunch at the buffet was the weakest – mostly because it didn’t rotate a lot. There was the same grilled meats and fish available daily (steak, pork chops, chicken breast, mahi mahi, etc), some salads, hot dishes, and so forth. It was good but not everyday – try the beach grill or pool grill on alternating days instead.
Dinner at the buffet was great – they had filet mignon every night we were there, and lobster tails one night. Smoked salmon was available every night, and the selection of meat dishes, salads, and desserts was changed on a regular basis. There’s something for everyone, but be warned that the food can be a little bland so if you are a spice fiend (I’m not) you may want to take a little bottle of your favourite seasoning blend or Tabasco sauce. Service at the dinners was very quick.
El Patio (International a la carte): This was the second weakest a la carte restaurant. It’s beautifully decorated and has A/C but the food was a bit lacking in comparison to the excellent Japanese and Mediterranean restaurants. The main course was overcooked and the desserts were so-so.
Tsuru (Japanese): Truly great dining. Most seating is Teppanyaki but there are standard tables as well (not being used while we were there). The sushi is amazing – very fresh and comparable to what you’d find in Ottawa. Our chef was from Japan and spoke extremely limited English (pretty much to confirm who had chicken and who had beef) so he wasn’t really getting people acquainted as some other chefs were. The food (you can choose from beef, chicken, assorted seafood, or veggie and tofu) was delicious – you could even have sake (watch out, they serve it boiling hot!)
El Mediterraneo – Another terrific restaurant. The staff had decorated our table especially for our honeymoon with tulle and silk roses and even brought out a cake. The food was delicious (mmm, steak!) and the two classical guitarists playing throughout dinner were excellent.
El Bohio (Cuban): the weakest restaurant, and the only one we truly didn’t enjoy. For starters, it was very hot and humid, and it has no A/C. Inexplicably, the ceiling fans weren’t on. Also, the kitchen (grill, soup pots etc) is in the dining room (like McDonalds, almost) which raised the temperature and wasn’t the most romantic. Finally, the flies were quite bad (not mosquitoes so much as house flies) and that combined with the stifling heat drove us out early.
ENTERTAINMENT: For the most part the shows were very good. They weren’t the weak audience-participation contests and games you see at some places: these were singing and dancing revues. There was a Disney musical number night, a disco night, a Cuban dance night, and so on. The musicians and dancers are talented and work very hard: not Vegas quality, but don’t go to nitpick! They are entertaining and fun to watch. The 60s and 70s cover band, though….man. The lead singer looks like an even more overweight and worn out Gene Simmons in skintight jeans and a wifebeating, phonetically “crooning” out “Easy Like Sunday Morning.” We headed back to the bar after that number.
POOL: There is one large pool with two levels and a very small children (toddler’s) pool. There are signs posted about not using towels to reserve chairs, but this is not enforced, so either do it yourself or don’t count on getting a chair past 10 a.m. as there are 200 towels out but only 30 swimmers. The water temperature was comfortable and the chlorine was present, but not overpowering and aggravating. The floating mats you can take from your beach chair into the pool are a great touch. Staff circulate around regularly taking drink orders and there’s also a swim-up bar. One note to parents: please keep an eye on your children. We saw many children from 6 or 7 through their late teens behaving in risky ways: running very quickly on the dividers between pool sections, cannonballing from the high to the low section of the pool, diving into water that’s less than a metre deep. I cringed watching some of this and the resort staff can only do so much to make sure your kids stay safe. On that same topic: we saw a lot of (mostly British) teenagers there. This isn’t really a resort for kids: the clientele seems to be either twentysomething couples who have no kids or empty nesters. The activities for teens (short of diving into shallow pools) are pretty limited.
BEACH: Again with the towel reservation notes. There are plenty of palapas to shade you if you get there early enough to reserve a spot. The breeze off the ocean is lovely. The beach in front of PRdO does have some serious rocks – you may prefer to walk towards Luna y Mares if you want a more clear beach. There are lots of nonmotorized watercraft such as Hobie cats and windsurfing – just make sure to check on times – our last day they closed an hour earlier than posted so no Hobie cat for us.
LAS CALETICAS: The resort also owns three small coves that you can normally access by walking. However, construction of the spa has blocked walking access. Instead, the hotel pays for a minivan taxi to ferry guests hourly to Las Caleticas (less than 10 minutes). Definitely bring snorkeling gear and check this area out! The water is beautiful and clear and there are lots of fish (including pufferfish!) to be seen. Make sure to bring an underwater camera as well.
OVERALL SERVICE: Everyone we met was pleasant and professional; most people were friendly and outgoing. William at the lobby bar (short with buzz cut hair) will remember you and shake your hand each time you see him, and Guillermo at the swim up bar with make you a killer drink if you ask for a recommendation. Our maid did a good job every day (we tipped larger amounts every few days and also brought some presents like colouring books and crayons). There was no one who was rude or put a damper on our experience. We tipped regularly but it’s hard to say whether this affected our service.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM: The bottom line is that we waited until a month before our departure date and got a steal of a deal from Conquest vacations (I wonder if it was a loss leader). Would I pay the 1800+ CAD for premium weeks of travel? Probably not. But if you can get a deal, by all means check it out. A few little suggestions: bathrobes in the room would be great, and the Cuban restaurant needs to be cooled down. We had to call room service three times for more water for the room: the staffers stop by, but if you’re not there, they don’t give you any extra water, even if you’re all out. Hopefully the spa will be completed soon and access to the Caleticas will resume. But for a Cuban all-inclusive, this should be at the top of your consideration list.
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