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 Club Tryp Cayo Coco  Location: Beachfront - 15 minutes from the airport of Jardines del Rey All-inclusive - 502 rooms Description from resort website: International buffet-style restaurant with show-cooking - A la carte Restaurant, specialized in fish and seafood, open for dinner - Gourmet Restaurant with international dishes for dinner - Restaurant & Grill with sea views, serving as well light meals such as pizzas and salads for dinner - Aqua bar - Beach bar - Snack bar open 24 hours - Lobby bar - Piano bar - Discotheque - 2 Outdoor fresh-water pools with children's section - Water sports: Windsurfing, Snorkelling, Scuba diving centre and classes - Tennis and paddle courts - Beach volleyball and Basketball - Pool tables - Sauna and massage service - A hotel specially recommended for families thanks to its great location and excellent facilities.  ~ Reviews posted on this page — 36  Don't forget to send Debbie your review ~ Map of Resort ~ Reader's Vacation Photos ~ 1, 2 ~ Cuba Resorts Review Index
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Have you stayed at this resort? Share your vacation experiences with others.| Club Tryp | Mark & Lorraine ~ Dartmouth, Nova Scotia |
We had a great time in Cuba this year. We were in D.R a couple of years ago so were kind of used to the "carribean ways" . We stayed at the tryp because we had relatives go there before & said it was ok. also it was offered by our travel rep. as a good place for a reasonable price. We just wanted a carribean get away at a 4 star or better . Its easy to complain about little things if you want , but we got great service from all staff.Our room was clean and the resort was clean as well, although it is kind of musty &worn .But i think all cayo coco resorts are probably like that, that place gets some nasty weather when we arent there. All in all it was a great vacation we went on some tours and snorkeling, Cayo coco beach is awesome its worth seeing, probably one of the worlds best. I've read reviews about this resort that werent good after we booked, but we did alright. (dont go with "champaigne taste and a beer budget" because it is what it is.)Resort was a little worn, food was good but alot different than were used to (buffet cooks awesome breakfast every morning as you like) . Plane ride is probably gonna be cramped ,but hey, they feed & drink you (24 hrs) for a week for $1000.00. Try that at home.
P.S. Ask about Che Guevara (he's the guy in all the gift shop photos.)
| Club Tryp | Paul ~ England UK |
Rooms
We had one room with two double beds which we specifically asked for as we did not want the children in a separate room, although they were 12 and 10 years old. The room was absolutely fine, spotlessly clean if a little tired. Our maid, Somalia, was an absolute gem. The room was a tip as it was quite crowded with the four of us however, our maid tidied everything up every single day. Was Heaven. The towels were changed daily and we were given a bottle of water each day. I’d read a review that said if you wanted to be away from all the night time action go to the higher numbered blocks, we were in block 10, first floor. Perfect. There’s sod all in the mini bar, so don’t get your hopes up!!! There’s a TV with BBC World on it!!
Restaurants
We visited the International, Cuban, Seafood and Italian a la cartes. They were okay but we had read that you don’t go to Cuba for the food so that was fine. I don’t think you can beat London for international food. It was however nice to be waited on and the service, with plenty of wine top ups was fantastic. The Cuban restaurant was very intimate (especially as we palmed the kids off elsewhere – the Buffet restaurant). The Buffet restaurant was good with plenty of choice even if it was a bit repetitive but again the staff are wonderful. I’d suggest sitting over to the far left corner of the restaurant for all meals, the waitresses there were excellent and it’s a bit quieter, you don’t have everyone marching past you. You can have freshly cooked fish (the Tilapia is superb) and meat (steak a bit tough, Pork and Chicken breast fine) each evening as well as what’s already on the hotplates. There’s also a couple of chefs doing pasta and Chinese style noodles/stirfry which was nice. The chips are a bit cold but unless you’re into MacDonald style chips, you probably won’t bother with ‘em, we didn’t, just the 12 year old!!! The soup’s good and of course there are plenty of cakes, and cakes and cakes for pudding, which seemed to all be different colour sponge but were sweet!! It seemed very clean there and we had not complaints. Would say it was your average 3 / 4 star buffet. A bit noisy and busy but so what!!
Lobby Bar was very nice although the service was a bit slow. Try catching a waiter once you’ve found yourself a table. Tip a pesos each time (60p) and they catch on very quick and you don’t have to move ya toosh all night! They have live music there from about 7pm ish, a band or that, which was very good. The entertainment was then moved down to the Theatre or Stage, whatever they called it, below the Lobby Bar. It was like a kids thing at 8.30pm then changed to an adults show 9.30 til 10.30pm. It gets very packed so get there early. We personally didn’t bother, the bar was too cosy and we then went for a dinner around 8pm. The kids went to the shows and enjoyed them. However, on a Mon, Wed and Fri there’s a chap who sings in the 24hr bar, thinks he’s Tom Jones. Ha ha. Superb. There were a gang of French Canadian women who became his “groupies”. He’d sing directly at them, you know, “I looooe you ….”. Very amusing and a fantastic voice. Did Frank, Barry White, the lot. After a gallon of Pina Colada (best from 24 hr bar, Eduardo) and Tequila Sunrise, we ended up dancing the night away!! Only had the cheek to go onto the disco a few times too even though we’re 40 odd!
There’s a bar between the Italian and Chinese a la cartes, which is very nice but small. The ambience is good, quiet and the cocktails are the best.
Beach and Pools
The beach was beautiful. There is seaweed and although you do see Manuel, or Miguel or whatever their names are with “rake in hand”, they don’t seem to clear it away. However, it wasn’t a problem at all and there was hardly ANY seaweed in the sea!!!! We tended to lay at the quieter end of the beach which is located to the right of the quiet pool. BUT DON’T FORGET, you must get your towels on your sunbeds, either around the pool or on the beach by 8.15am each day, or forget it!!!! We didn’t use the larger pool, (which needs re-tiling quite desperately) which we aptly named the Chav Pool but the kids loved it and raved over the swim up bar/restaurant although they said they were regularly ignored in favour of the Canadians (mainly youngsters who booze for ……. Canada). It was a bit too noisy for us and I wanted to go topless, making the beach the only viable option for a 40 something whose boobs have seen better days!!! The quiet pool is very nice (if the brash load Canadians (English speaking) aren’t there or their noisy counterparts (French) kids. It’s nice for an afternoon swim if not too busy. There’s also a small hut thingy which is a bar, open from around 11am til 5pm and you can nip off the beach to get drinks there to take back with you.
When we were there it was a little windy so not many of the water based activities took place although the children used the pedaloes and kayaks and had lots of fun. You don’t have to go out far to see the most beautiful fish, just nick a banana at the breakfast buffet and break into the sea, the fish swarm around you. Apparently due to the windy weather there was also very little sea fishing and a few of the men were disappointed about that.
Grounds
We found the grounds to be very nice and well kept. The apartment blocks were a little tired, really could do with a good lick of paint and the rooms upgrading. I personally would rate it a European 3 star but as we paid under £3,000 for four, it was a bargain!!! The gardeners are lovely chaps who make the most amazing things out of leaves, insects, hats (I think you give them 5 pesos) etc. You can also have a coconut off the tree (if they offer, give them 2 pesos and they chop top off ) which contains milk, add some ice and rum, a long straw then lay on your front, hang head over sunbed and slurp all afternoon, book in hand!!!
We didn’t see one creepy crawly at all although the kids said they removed a cockroach from our room (fibbers I reckon). However, do make sure you wear plenty of mossie guard containing 50% deet, a little expensive but well worth it. Superdrug was the best. We also took the plug in things which we think helped.
Tours
Did the Aquavida Spa which was £30 for the afternoon. Was ok for the money, treatments so so, nothing like a Spa here but very cheap. We got a facial, mud wrap and short foot massage. However, the barman made the most fantastic MOJITO’S so we supped 4 each of them and were like a pair of lushes being bundled into the mini bus back to the hotel!!!!
Did the trip to Moron, worth the money but standing up all day was hard work, we couldn’t wait to get back horizontal, drink and books in hand!!!
Did the overnight to Havana which again was hard work but a must, well worth it, even if a little whistle stop.
Both trips had very informative and entertaining guides if a bit repetitive about how poor the Cuban people are!!!
Things to Take
We took the usual toothpaste (Tesco’s 45p), Bic razors, pens and pencils, which I’d read the Cuban people are grateful for. I also brought socks and pants for different ages groups (again Tesco) and gave them to a variety of staff, but especially the maid who was a Godsend in getting anything of a personal nature you needed.
Don’t forget to take absolutely everything a woman needs, there’s sod all there to buy although I saw HUGE Tena’s!!!!! Bring your own!! Take upset tummy stuff as well as tons of headache pills and again for ladies, anything you MAY need. You’ll end up having to pay £15 to see the nurse when you know all you need is Canestan but SHE HAS TO GIVE YOU A PRESCRIPTION. There is a pharmacy located a 4 pesos (rtn 8 pesos, he waits for you) cab ride away next to the Aquavida Spa where you can get whatever you want WITHOUT the nurse, so pass this info on.
Take plenty of sun creams, high numbers too. We usually start on 8 then work our way down to 2. Oh no, we were on 25, 15, then 8, then 6, then 1 DAY ONLY on 2!!!! Very strong sun, everyone was burnt and flaky (except us, as we met them like this and they kindly warned us!!!).
Conclusion
Both the children and my husband and I had a wonderful, relaxing if slightly boozy (not the kids) holiday. The red and white wine is very drinkable. The children made some very nice friends and seemed to have lots of fun without needing the animation team too much who, incidentally, seemed very good. Well, the kids knew all the dances and we got lumbered buying THE CD of the tacky songs. For the money we paid which worked out around £700 each it was real value for money. We went with a company called Future Travel/Instant Holidays. We would recommend this hotel to someone wanting a value break with lovely weather, courteous staff and adequate food and drink.
Oh, and if your kid likes football, take your own, they’re into baseball!!!!!
| Club Tryp | Lynn ~ Warrington, UK |
Arrival and Flight
Stayed from 23 March 08 to 6 April 08.
Flight with Thomas Cook Airlines, would never do long haul with this company again. Flight was very cramped. miserable crew and poor entertainment. Will fly with First Choice again next time.
Rooms
Absolutely disgraceful. We are well travelled and all we ask for is that the accommodation is clean. The Rooms need a major refurbishment. Our matress was in shreds, you could actually see into the middle of the matress on both sides. Sheets were clean but with stains on them, they were only changed once during our 2 weeks stay (not acceptable). The bathroom was the worst I have every seen, mold everywhere, cracked tiles. The toilet did not flush properley. When you had a shower, the water did not always drain away but the bath filled up with brown water. the shower head and shower curtain had mold on them. The towels were supposed to be white but they had yellow rust stains on them every day. The first few days we noticed that they had not been changed so we made sure that we put them in a pile on the floor each morning, that way they got changed, the bathroom door was glass and was splashed with white spots which remained there for the whole 2 weeks, it had obviously never been cleaned in months. The paintwork needs repainting and the smell of must in the room was terrible. We had to open the doors straight away to let some fresh air in. We have never experienced this in the caribbean before. The floor was tiled but needed replacing in several places.
Restaurants
We only used the buffet restaurant so can't comment on the A La Carte restaurants. The buffet restaurant was clean and the staff were excellent and we received very good service in here. The food is ok but nothing to write home about. My children loved the Pasta station where the Pasta was cooked in front of you, although there were always long queues here so you could wait 5-10 minutes for your food
Bars
The Barman at the Swim-up Pool Bar was excellent, He worked on his own and never stopped, however this bar did close at about 3pm one day because it ran out of every drink you could think of - unaccetable when you have paid all-inclusive. The Beach Hut Bar only opened 3 days out of our 2 weeks stay - no obvious reasons why. Try and get a drink at the 24 hour bar - it was impossible unless you were Canadian flashing your tips around.
Beach and Pools
Beach is fantastic, clear water and white sand. The red flag was flying for most of our stay so no water sports available at all.
The sea was quite rough but was great for the children as they loved jumping the waves.
The Pool area looked lovely but on closer inspection needed some urgent work. The large round pool near the entertainment stage had lots of tiles missing at the bottom and children were regularly cutting their feet. Most of the sunloungers were broke and they were the ones that had no reclining back on them. We had a look at the other hotels and they all had lovely sun loungers - so why not this hotel ?. You had to pay a deposit for your towels at the beginning of the holiday, if you did not hand in the same amount at the end of your stay, you lost your deposit. Towels were constantly being taken from you bed, obviously people had lost theirs and were taking other peoples.
Grounds
Very large complex, rooms spread out in blocks within the grounds. The grounds were lovely and the gardeners were always working keeping them very tidy.
Activities and Entertainment
The animation team were excellent, worked hard and were very friendly. They always made time to come and chat to you. My only complaint here is that they would not allow any of the children to join in the games. Thomas Cook advertise that there are childrens daytime activities, ok if you are a small child that can attend the Kids club, but there was very little for the children aged from about 8-12. The Mini Disco at night was mainly for the younger ones, but the lady who did the mini disco was very nice and tried to get all children involved, albeit they danced to the same 3 songs every night. and played 1 game.
The Shows at night were quite good, resident dancers who were excellent, audience participation games and singers etc.
Tours
We went horse riding which was a 1 hour ride through the scrub land at the front of the hotel and then along the beach. It was very good but we have been on much better in Jamaica.
We also did the Jeep Tour. This was a good day out but beware - We thought we would be in an open topped jeep as we have been in other countries, instead we were in an ordinary car which was very boring when travelling between one place and another. The children actually fell asleep, as did my husband in the front. We visited some interesting places, but we felt that it was very expensive for a family of 4 as we spent most of the time in the car,
Departure and Check Out
Checkout was ok. The Thomas Cook coach failed to come and pick us up (about 40 people). So we had to wait 40 minutes for another one to come.
Conclusion
This hotel on first impressions looks beautiful, but it is in dire need of a complete renovation, both inside and out.
We only wish we had spent our hard earned savings somewhere else.
Will we return - NEVER.
If you are thinking of booking this hotel, choose somewhere else, there are better places out there than the Tryp.
| Club Tryp | Robert |
I am 43 my wife is 30. We have a 9 and 1 year old. The food was very good and the little bridge to restaurant you could occasionally smell something awful stale water. the beach and people were great also show we good. Only compliant is the rooms were musty and the bathroom were poorly maintained. Toilet did not flush had to lift lid and pull string, shower head clogged poor flow and uneven.
| Club Tryp | Cathy |
My finance and I vacationed at Tryp Cayo Coco from March 16 – March 23. We are both in our late twenties and have had the opportunity to travel to many destinations down south. We were quite satisfied with this last minute vacation.
Here is a brief overview:
Flight/ Check In
We flew with SkyService and it went well. Went through customs no problem, got our baggage and arrived at the hotel quickly. Check in went smoothly and without any hiccups. I had emailed the hotel beforehand to request Block 10, as I had heard that this was one of the best buildings. The room we received was perfect (1034). Ocean view and no moldy smells. We didn’t need anything else – we’re on vacation to be outside, not inside!
The Hotel
The hotel is quite large. The grounds are well manicured and taken care of daily. It is a little outdated; however, we walked to the neighboring resorts and were quite happy with our hotel in comparison. The pool and beach chairs do get a little cramped up, but that’s expected for this time of year. In addition, the main bar can get quite full in the evening, so we would go over to the small bar at the Italian/ Chinese restaurants and have fantastic drinks made by Eduardo. Hands down – the best bartender at the resort!
The Beach
Unbelievable!! Clear blue water, pearly white sand, and if you grab some bread from breakfast you can even feed the tropical fish by the thousands!!
Be prepared though, it can get a little overwhelming but so much fun!
The Food
We are not picky eaters; however, watch what we eat. This said – at EVERY SINGLE MEAL we managed to find something to eat. Fresh fruit, veggies, grilled chicken, pasta, etc. Honestly, it’s not a 5 star gourmet but it’s more then sufficient and adequate. We mainly ate at the buffet and the beach grill, and then had reservations at the Italian and Chinese restaurants for two evenings. All ever just fine.
Pointers
- Bring your own drink mug.... keeps drinks cool and you don't have to go back to the bar as much.
- Don't use the internet... it's ridiculously slow and not even worth the 3 Pesos for 30 minutes.
- Book your a la carte as soon as you get there! Don't even wait on this one.
- There's a little market outside the resort.... great for little souvenirs.
- We found the front desk staff quite rude... brush it off and don't take it personally.
- Tip.... we did (but not overly) and it made the difference.
- Enjoy yourself!! You're on vacation for heaven sakes!
I would just like to say that reading the horrible reviews before we left, we were quite apprehensive about our trip. However, after having a superb vacation in Cayo Coco, we have realized that some people (especially ones
below) have diverse expectations and are not happy unless they are complaining. We're glad we experienced this hotel and destination for ourselves. A vacation is a time to get away from the everyday....so if you’re planning to complain about every little thing, just stay home.
PS…. We also got engaged during our vacation which made the trip even better.
| Club Tryp | Chris & Jocelyn ~ Nova Scotia |
We (ages 33 and 36) just spent a beautiful week at the Tryp Cayo Coco with our two boys ages 7 and 8, and my Mom & Dad, 56 and 58. We were there AMrch 15th - 22nd, 2008. Both my parents and I have travelled to at least 3 other places in the carribean prior to going on this trip. This was a first time for everyone going to Cuba. There were good and bad things about this resort, but let me say we did have a wonderful time despite the bad.
First of all, the beach and water is stunning! Absolutely beautiful.Really the high point of this resort. In my opinion better than Bavaro beach in Punta Cana, only very little shade on the beach, for my kids to play for example. I'm a sun lover so that didn't matter to me, but it did for my Mom & the kids. No palms on the beach like in the DR though, just constructed wooden sun shades. Less attractive. Could walk a long way in either direction. Not much to see right off the resort snorkelling wise though, for those looking for that.
Pool Area - (where we spent most of our time), very large, many loungers, lots of sunny and shady spots, but it can get noisy and crowded at times, especially if beach is windy. Always cuban music playing loudly around the pool, and many activities like crazy games and volleyball, aerobics arouind the main pool. Shallow, wading in areas and 5 ft deep areas. One quiet pool for mostly adults down the property a bit. Parts of the pool have a few tiles missing or have some paint chipped off, but it is still lovely and cool and refreshing.
Bars & Food - This is where this place is lacking a bit, but I guess that's Cuba. No consistency in drinks from one day to the next, one bar to the next, but hey, if it's no good just poor it out and try again, although you hate to waste them. My kids had trouble finding things to eat. They had pasta, burgers, hot dogs, pizza, and so on, but it was not the same as home to them. It never is. Even the pop was different. Not great for the kids. But you can buy Coke products at the hotel gift shop which is way better than the pop they serve at the bars or in the buffet. Food was only mediocre to the adults too I would say, but hey. I guess it depends how important the food is to you. Never tried any a la cartes as they are not our thing. I would recommend the stir fry station in the main buffet, the pasta station is okay, the turkey at the carvery one night was good, the rolls were good, the bruschetta at lunch for 3 days was excellent! The burgers at the swimup bar were not too bad at lunch time, with pickles and tomatoes and onions. Omelettes and eggs made to order in th emorning were hot and good, as was the frsh squeezed OJ each morning. Wait & bar staff was excellent and freindly. Tip them they work hard for so little pay- all staff get about 8-12 canadain dollars a month in salary, so tips mean a lot. p.s. - Take an insulated mug!
Rooms - Run down and outdated, in need of an update, but comfortable, clean, and all you needed really. We had very good maid service, plenty of towels and hot water, a/c worked great, beds very comfortable. As the week went on it hardly mattered what the rooms looked like. The same could be said for the rest of the resort, in need of a fresh coat of paint for example, but as the week went on you hardly noticed and cared even less. p.s. - Take faceclothes!
Grounds - Lovely & mature, but the DR was nicer and neater. Many large palm trees, etc. The flamingo pond and lagoon under the main lobby/ main buffet were stinky and gross and an eyesore. Fill them in people or dump some javex in them or something!
Tours - Went on the Spectacular into Moron city and Ciego de Avila, and the Speed Boats. Boats fun but poor snorkelling - don't take this tour for the snorkelling, go to PIllar Beach or on the catamaran for great snorkelling. Spectacular was a long 9 hour day, and very hot, but we saw a lot and learned a lot. Hectar was an excellent tour guide. Bus was cool and comfy. p.s. - Take things for the locals, like toiletries, candy for the kids, dinkies, paper, pencils, coloring books, crayons, socks, etc.
Entertainment - Staff very friendly and worked hard every day to provide you with something to do if you were interested. Kids club was a bit of a joke, never many organized activities going on. Luckily my kids were content in the pool with other kids they met. New staff came in for evenings to do shows, and mini disco - bless her heart this lady was good with the kids. It was fun to watch. Then there was music and dancing, a mr and miss cayo coco contest, that sort of thing. The disco opened at 11pm, but we never went. Young crowd/party crowd did.
Check in/out went pretty smoothly, although when we checked in Sat night at 2 am there was only 1 person on to check in about 30 people, and no bell boys or anything. That was poor. My Mom & Dad were given a room that someone was already in! They walked in on 2 people sleeping at 2am! Pretty scary for all involved. Back to the lobby to get a new room!
Weather was gorgeous all week, very windy for 2 days. No water sports or parasailing etc, for those 2 days.
I went parasailing one day for 40 pesos. Well worth the money, what a blast and what a view. Excellent & very safe.
The gardeners were comical, always making things for my boys - grasshoppers out of palm fronds, hats, and monkeys from coconuts. Great guys! Tip them too, they get very little and go the extra mile to make you feel welcome. p.s. - we gave then t-shirts and our sunglasses on the last day, and our insulated mugs, they loved them.
Other comments - Cayo Coco is very isolated, nothing to see but resorts, so you should be aware of this. Also, when you stay at the Tryp you can get a visitors bracelet and go to any of the other Sol/Melia resorts for the day for free, as they are all owned by the same people. Nice option. Free transportation to and from. Whole island felt very safe.
So, hope that helps you prepare for your trip, or helps you decide where to go. Good trip for the cost. Have fun!
| Club Tryp | Carol |
Through breakaway tours we came to Club Tryp Cayo Coco which was rated a 4 star. I would not give that resort even close to that because an all inclusive, 4 star resort should never run out of alcohol, food or water. The 24 hour bar should never close, which it did more than once. The beaches are beautiful and the service of the people who worked there was great. I am very upset with the amount of times that all the bars closed when it's ALL INCLUSIVE and there are a bunch of students there on March Break who want to have a good time and party especially after the amount of money that was spent. The food was not excellent and took a few days to get used to. I would definitely not rate that resort a 4 star.
| Club Tryp | Canada |
The arrival, transfer and check-in went rather smoothly, that is where it ends.
Please keep in mind that this resort is suppose to be a 4 *, and we paid the price for that, in actuality I would rate the resort a 2 ½ * at best. I am so glad that we didn’t go for 2 weeks like we usually do, I was ready to come home after 3 days.
We arrived in our room to an overpowering smell, they had varnished the bedside tables and bathroom counter and they were still sticky, probably because the air conditioner wasn’t working properly. And the fun begins… there was a dead bug in one of the beds. Let’s talk a bit about the rooms, they are very dated, there was mildew/mold out on the balcony walls, it was disgusting. On day 2 we decided to call about the air conditioner, the response was if you close your balcony door it would work; obviously they thought we were imbeciles. Someone arrived within ½ hour to look at it, he fiddled with something and it seemed to work a bit better, but definitely not how it should. Needless to say, we wore damp clothes all week. When I removed my passport from the safe at the end of the week it was damp as well.
The water pressure and temperature of the water in the shower was pathetic. We had no warm water let alone hot water; we are talking goose bumps, try shaving with goose bumps. It was also difficult to get the shampoo rinsed out of your hair, I contemplated using the bidet, as there was more pressure there…….lol. Mid way through the week, the toilet stopped working, and someone eventually came to fix it in the evening. As an added bonus we had little bugs crawling on our bathroom counter most of the week.
Day 2, off we go to the towel hut to pick up our towels, we were informed that we needed a slip from the front desk, off I go to the front desk only to find out we need to make a CASH deposit, 30 pesos for 2 towels, to get the towel voucher, they would not charge it to the room. I have never experienced this before in all my travels. By this time I have steam coming out of my ears, as I traipse back to the room to get money for the towels. We should have been informed of this upon check-in so we could have dealt with it then.
The amenities; this resort boosts the 6 a la carte restaurants it offers and the fact that you can go to 2 of them during the week. Low and behold, they were all booked up, imagine, the resort capacity is about 400, each a la carte restaurant has only 10 tables. The buffet restaurant, as for the food, frightening, they did not replenish things on the buffet with any expediency, can you image being on an island and having all the ingredients for salad except for the base.....no lettuce. This restaurant was located such that you had to get to it by going over little bridges over stagnant water that smelt like a sewer, it isn't really conducive to dining, we had to plug our noses every time we went to eat. All the other restaurants closed at 3 p.m not to reopen until 6, except for the so called snack bar located near the sewer this only offered 3 types of cold sandwiches, given the smell nearby, we did not want to try these.
By about day 3 we felt a visit to our Conquest rep was in order to voice our concerns, well why bother, I came away more frustrated, when I indicated that the resort was horrible, he told me everyone was entitled to their own opinion, at this point I knew he had no intentions of doing anything. When we asked about the stagnant water around the resort, he said he has worked there for 10 years, he got used to the smell and so would we. That was completely unacceptable….so off to the bar I went……..lol. Where, by the way, they DO NOT have blenders, except at the lobby bar and one of the restaurant bars (opens at 6) neither of these, were near the beach or pool. Personally, when I am someplace hot, I enjoy a frozen drink. They did not really have a menu of drinks and the drinks you asked for where not that great either.
Highlight of the trip, we met a couple of elderly gentlemen, who felt sorry for us and they gave us one of their dinner ticket’s for the Italian restaurant. The food, service and atmosphere were excellent.
The public washrooms were disgusting. Most of the time, they didn't work, there was always stuff in them, and I would have to say, about 90% of the time, there was no toilet paper present. We informed the staff about this, but nothing ever improved. I am actually surprised that I'm not sick, because of the sanitary issues at this resort. I have traveled a lot of places, but have never experienced this. I have stayed at 3 *’s that are better than this so called 4*.
I find this a lot of places, there are not enough public washrooms located near the beach and pool. The washroom for the beach was located in the middle of the stretch of beach and only had 2 stalls.
The beach was okay, plenty of chairs, however they didn't clean the washed up debris every morning like other places.
Even many of the people we talked to, said this is the worst 4 star that they have ever stayed at. There was even one lady there with her daughter, and they arranged to leave early because of the resort, they were thoroughly disgusted and she was having problems with her asthma because of the rooms. We also heard the ceiling of a bathroom in a hotel room caved in just seconds after a lady came out of it.
Also when we asked for a late check-out they wanted cash for this as well. You needed to settle part of your bill in one spot then the phone bill in another, where they wanted to charge 2-3% on the top of the bill if we were to use a credit card.
I could go on an on, but I think you get the idea, I have traveled extensively throughout the Caribbean and unfortunately because of this resort I have no desire to return to Cuba. DO NOT BOOK A STAY AT THIS RESORT.
On a positive note, most of the staff were quite friendly, but did not go out of their way, like I have heard about other resorts in Cuba
| Club Tryp | mr |
We got home from a two-week stay at the Tryp Cayo Coco on February 13. We traveled with Sunwing and were not only on time but also early both ways. The breakfast going down was good. The meal coming back was excellent. We got to YYZ a full 45 minutes early on our return and then waited an hour and ten minutes for our luggage. (Not sure if that was Sunwing's fault).
ARRIVAL
We arrived at Jardines Del Ray airport in Cayo Coco at about 10 AM on January 29 and found we were the only aircraft there. Customs was fast. The money exchange booth has been moved from the arrival side to the existing one on the departure side (right opposite). This could be a bit of a hassle if there were people both arriving and departing and it really doesn't make much sense, since there is another change booth in the departure lounge.
ROOMS
We were at the Tryp by 11 am and our room was not ready. This was our third visit to the Tryp and we had requested a room by email. It took over three hours to get the room and it was not what we had wanted. They thought they were doing us a favour by giving us both an ocean view and a pool view room (#533). It was a very nice room but neither of us liked the constant noise from the Animacion team all afternoon and night (showing our age?). We requested a room change and were moved on our third day to room 1061. This overlooks the small pool area and is very quiet with a breathtaking view of the ocean. We were quite satisfied with it. The room was a bit musty when we got in but after the AC was on for about 1/2 hour, it was just fine.
IMPROVEMENTS
The large pool has been re-tiled and it was very nice, complete with markings for the volleyball court. Tradesmen were also working on a tree sculpture just below the lobby bar area, near the entrance to the disco. We were quite impressed watching their daily progress (especially the two men who were laying the mosaic tiles). It will be quite attractive when completed. The vendors who used to sell their wares outside the main buffet have been moved adjacent to the tennis courts. A new room was completed for the Internet while we were there. It is located in the old Guest Services office and houses 6 stations with new computers. The download speed however, has not improved.
RESTAURANTS
We feel the buffet has gone downhill. We found it very good on our first visit and still acceptable last year. This year however was *hit & miss*. We ate breakfast there every day and lunch on a couple of occasions. We had the Superior VIP package so we only ate three evening meals there and the rest at a la cartes. I usually had an omelet for breakfast, which was usually good. Waiting for it became a pain however. On at least three occasions, one of the cooks was not there so there was only one long line. On one morning I had to wait close to 5 minutes for them to bring out plates and this was after asking about 4 different people. Along the rest of the buffet, trays were not being replenished and there seemed to be always a wait. The same fare seemed to be offered at the grills at both noon and evening. The pasta bar was very good but the lineup was usually a 15-minute wait.
We had vouchers for a la cartes for the remainder of the week. We chose not to go to the Cuban a la carte, since we had been there 2 times previously and were not overly impressed. The menu had not changed. La Barcaza, the seafood restaurant, no longer served lobster and the meal we had was not that great. The International still serves lobster and shrimp for an additional price if you do not have the VIP package. The lobster was so small that I certainly would not recommend paying for it.
They also prepared it differently, with no melted butter dip. The Chinese restaurant was okay but don’t expect Mandarin or Cantonese.... It is a Cuban version. The Italian and the Bar B Que remained our favourites.
BARS
The bartenders at La Picua are becoming a bit better with their antics. The new thing this year is flipping the ice cubes into the air and catching it with their tongs or catching it behind their back, into the glass. A pair of them were pitching them back and forth the full length of the bar catching them with the tongs-all quite entertaining. They seem to have changed the venue of some of the early evening entertainment to the lobby bar area and there were far fewer chairs/tables available than there was last year. I was happy to find out this year, that the tips the bartenders received in the main lobby bar, were shared with everyone -including the dishwashers etc.
Although I'm not a fan of the Mojito, it is still the Cuban National Drink and still not possible to get at the Tryp-unless you go to the small bar at the Chinese/Italian restaurants, on a day when Eduardo has brought in his own mint. If there is a drink you cannot find, try Eduardo. He is quite proud of his well-stocked bar.
It certainly makes no sense that the hotel does not grow their own mint and other herbs. The Brisas Del Caribe in Varadero has lovely gardens and fresh-everything.
GROUNDS & BEACHES
The grounds were well maintained with many new Coconut Palms planted but I can’t say as much for the beach. If the beach staff would spend more time filling their garbage bags with trash, rather than carrying them around, while they are saving chairs for people, everybody would be better off. The beach is quite littered with seaweed as well as other trash. On our stay there in 2005, we took frequent early walks on the beach and crews were out raking up the seaweed/trash. We enjoyed tipping these workers, who seldom saw tips.
ACTIVITIES
We spent most of our days at the beach but on the odd day we wandered up to the pool, I never saw any water polo or volleyball games, which seemed to go on before. We chose to go the first 2 weeks in February this year, rather than the 2nd 2 weeks in January as we did previously and this may well have been due to a different demographic. On the other hand, there were some volleyball and soccer games to watch on the beach. (Which is the certainly the extent of my participation)
TOURS
We only went on one tour this year, which was our third time on the speedboat/snorkeling adventure.
This is an excellent tour and lots of fun for all ages but it must be done at low tide for the snorkeling adventure, due to the heavy current at high tide. We bring our own snorkeling gear and find that the fish activity in front of La Picua at the Tryp is also very good (the fish love bananas). Snorkeling equipment can also be obtained from the dive shop.
CONCLUSIONS
Which brings me to my final rant. I am really sick and tired of ignorant people saving the lounge chairs as if they pay more for them than I do and therefore have more of a right to them. Those who save their own chairs are merely rude people and I have no compunction about removing a towel and using the lounge. There is however only one party that is responsible for this and that is the management and they do nothing. There is no doubt there are enough chairs to go around, if folks did not hoard them. Management would only have to start removing towels themselves and it would clean up the problem quickly.
The beach staff is also very guilty of saving them for people. On one day, there were 3 of the nicer loungers stacked, with a pair of sandals on them. I removed the sandals and began dragging two of the chairs down the beach, when one of the staff came screaming at me that I couldn't do that. I asked him if he owned them and if he had a problem, to take it up with guest services. He harassed and threatened me all the way down the beach. I later reported this incident but nothing was obviously done about it. Thereafter, I privately and affectionately referred to the beach staff as the *beach mafia*.
This was our third stay at the Tryp paying extra for the VIP room and I am beginning to question its value. There were originally two a la cartes offering shrimp and lobster at no cost and now only one (and it was not worth the value). We had coffeemakers in our room with real coffee, which we really enjoyed in the morning before going to breakfast. Now they only have instant *wannabe* coffee (arghhh). There were several other minor things but they all added up to a feeling that they were trying to pinch pennies by providing less and poorer service.
In the course of our stay, we did talk to several other people who had indicated that they were a bit leery about going to the Tryp (after making reservations and then reading reviews) but couldn’t' really understand the complaints (no shade???) I also read several negative reviews that were totally unverifiable by me. In three trips (6 weeks in total) and daily walks on the beach, I have seen no jellyfish but that is not to say they aren't there. If they are, they are also in other Cuban waters. As far as the numerous complaints about musty rooms-of course it is musty, in a high humidity environment, the ac lowers it. That is what air conditioners do.
While there are certainly improvements that can be made at the Tryp, it in no way will influence our decision to return. They have a friendly, helpful guest services; beautiful grounds; a large choice of a la carte restaurants and one of the nicest beaches you will find. It is also very children-friendly.
One of the improvements could definitely be a Canadian TV channel. I found news available in Chinese, Italian, Spanish, English (American & British) but no English nor French Canadian.
As a postscript, rum is finally available in 1.1l bottles in the departure area of the airport. Despite what the Sunwing rep may tell you on the bus, it is cheaper to buy it in the duty-free area.
I would be happy to reply/comment to anyone by PM to mr or on Debbie’s Cuba list.
| Club Tryp | Rosanna |
My husband and I went to the Tryp Cayo Coco on Dec. 20, 2007 for the week, absoluately horrible. First of all we get there at lunch waiting for the rooms until 4:00 poor service.
The food was disgusting. Thank Goodness for good weather and the beach was nice. The rooms were smelly, mildew, and lizard crawling on my celing with a huge cock-roache.
I wouldn"t recommend it at all. They say its a four star more like a 2 star. Not even for free. If you want to go see Tattoos and Pepper land go to the Tryp Cayo coco.
| Club Tryp | Martin ~ Gatineau |
Only one way to resume our X'mas Holiday at the Tryp , JELLYFISH HEAVEN.
We went with our two kids for Christmas and on our first day at the beach my daughter got burnt by a jellyfish , after half an hour of screaming and tears it stop.
Don't have to say it dampers my twelve year son from going into to the water. On some morning we counted up the hundreds of jellyfish wash up on the beach.
I still went swiming but the pleasure was not their since I would see dozen of jellyfish around me.
We were told by the local this is due to the cold water or weather not sure.
As for the resort this was our third time in Cuba and you are in Cuba then don't except to much . I could go on with our bathroom ceiling falling down ( fix the same day ) , room very humid, or the walkway to the beach falling apart. But we go to Cuba for the beach, the sun, and the tranquillity of Cuba.
In all everything was fair, not bad and not excellent, just Cuba take away the jellyfish it would have being a different type of holiday.
| Club Tryp | Nashy & Johnny |
Arrival - we found the reception staff to be ignorant and rude. Quick to get you out of the way, no helpers to carry your luggage nor anyone to show you where your room was. Denied safe key until the next day until we went back to re-request a key and it was finally given to us
Rooms - The rooms I found to be very musty, damp and smelly. Some rooms had mold right there on the walls. Not even a small effort was made to cover it up.
Restaurants - we had dinner at the International and the Chinese one. The chinese one was excellent in service and in quality of food. Taste was impeccible. The International (the one right in the lobby) was horrible. Service, Food and selection was horrible.
The buffet - well, lets just say the more you coudl avoid being in there the better. The staff was lazy, rude, and unhelpful. The food was worse.
Beach and Pools - Beach was fine for the first day or so.
The Pools - only two pools were in commision. The swim up bar was not working the whole time we were there. I agree with the others where you could not get a chair around the pool and people hogged the pool area. But what can you do bc that has nothing to do with the resort itself... My main complaint was that the swim up bar was under construction when we were not notified - had we known - we never would have gone.
Activities - what activities?
Grounds - The grounds were ok, not as beautiful as I have seen in the Dominican. The workers here seemed to have little pride for their resort.
The People - Ignorant and Rude, and thats just the workers. The patrons being mostly canadian seemed fine.
Tours - Too expensive
The trip - We had a blast no thanks to the resort staff, facilitites, or activities.
| Club Tryp | Patrick ~ Toronto |
Arrival -
This was my second trip to Tryp Cayo Coco in as many years. My wife and I flew on AirTransat from Toronto. The flight is short (3 hrs) and the airport is only 15 minutes away from the resort. Customs in Cuba went fairly quickly when they had to get 300+ people through. When we got through customs, our luggage was already ready for us to be picked up.
Rooms -
We stayed in Block 5 which has easy access to the main pool and it is about 50 feet from the beach. The room was a little musty when we first got in however that cleared up rather quickly when we began to settle in. Alot of people complain about the musty and damp rooms, but remember, this is in a carribean country, the weather is hot and sometimes very humid, so a little humidity in the rooms is to be expected. If you don't like humidity, go to Alaska.
Restaurants -
I cannot say anything about the a la carte restaurants this time around because we did not go to any of them. The buffet was excellent. The pizza bar for lunch was closed the first 4 days due to the fact it is located on the beach and Tropical Storm Noel had just passed through. Once it was cleaned up and open, it was great with great service. The large open air restaurant on the beach was an excellent place to sit and have lunch. They had good variety and it was steps from the beach.
Bars -
The beach bar was closed the first 4 days due to Tropical Storm Noel that had passed through. The swim-up bar was closed due to renovations that I will touch on shortly. The snack bar was OK however it took time to get a drink because people were coming from every direction ordering sandwiches which caused the bartenders to go into the kitchen. The lobby bar for 6 out of the 7 days was excellent and the reason for this is because of 2 specific bartenders, Alcides and Eduardo (short and chubby one). These two guys were amazing, fast, and made sure you were always happy. They would bend over backwards to make sure you had an excellent vacation. If you decide to go to Tryp, look them up and be good to them, they deserve it. I say the lobby bar was excellent only 6 out of the 7 nights because the two above mentioned waiters were not there for 1 of them. On that purticular night, after 11 PM we could not get a drink, literally. There was only one bartender behind the bar and where ever his eyes looked, that is the person that got served, even if you were standing there for 20 minutes.
Beach and Pools -
The beach is amazing. The sand is soft and the water is warm and clear. You have to remember that if you decide to go to Cayo Coco in the fall, the water level will be high, causing there to be less beach. The fall weather also causes the more than usual amounts of seaweed to wash up on shore. If you don't like seaweed or if you do not want high water levels, then go in the spring. The water is pretty shallow for a distance making it great for kids. JELLYFISH, I saw only 1 during my 7 day stay. They are not bad at all.
Now for the pools. The main pool with the swim up bar was closed for my entire trip. I was upset, however not at the resort. I was upset at Nolitours due to the fact that nothing was mentioned when I booked 2 weeks before. Having said that, they have re-tiled the entire pool and should be amazing when it is done. Hey, give the resort a break, renovations have to be done. There is another large pool just next to the main pool. It is big and nice however I will touch up on some of the problems at the end, and it has nothing to do with the resort.
Grounds -
The grounds were beautioful. The first night and day, there was alot of debris on the ground from the storm that passed through, however they got it cleaned up very quickly. The gardners are always working very hard to keep the grounds looking great.
Activities -
There are a fair amount of activities to get involved in during the day. I cannot really comment on them as I did not participate because it is not my thing.
Tours -
Tours are expensive. This is what we did. Met people, got a group of 10, hired a guide and rented a minibus for an entire day. The tour companies offer a 1 day tour, that includes a speed boat ride, feeding crocadile's, lunch, and time in the town of Moron and a few other things for a hefty price of 75 pesos per person. You are also at the discretion of time, when the bus leaves, you leave.
Our trip with the minibus, took us on a speed boat ride (awesome), feeding crocadile's, visit of a cuban farm, lunch and a trip into Moron for the afternoon. We paid 15 pesos each for the minibus and gave our guide 10 pesos each as a tip. We could go where we wanted and when we wanted and it was an amazing day. You are also with a much much smaller group allowing you to do more.
Conclusion -
Now I want to touch on the one thing that got me angry on this trip, IGNORANT PEOPLE. The problem with the large pool was that you could not get a beach chair around the pool. People would actually get up in the wee hours of the night and place a towel on a chair and then go back to bad. Some people would actually spread 1 towel across 3 chairs in order to save them. One morning I was up at 7 am and went to have breakfast and then sat in the lobby bar. I saw only 1 person sitting by the pool, however there was not 1 chair to be had because they were all covered with towels. At around 9 am, there were 6 people around the pool. Where was everyone? Their towels are by the pool, where are they? IGNORANT!!!!
Also when someone is at the bar and is trying to order a drink, don't think that you could slide in beside them and order first. Wait your turn. Having said that, if you happen to be sitting at the lobby bar and you think you can just snap your fingers and get served before someone else that has been waiting, give your head a shake, it is RUDE and IGNORANT.
All in all, Tryp Coyo Coco is an excellent resort and I would definitly recommend it. I will be going back next year again.
CHOW CHOW MICKEY MOUSE!
| Club Tryp | Suzanne |
This was my second trip to Cuba, first to Cayo Coco. Went alot of places, some were good, some were average, but the Tryp was by far my worst vacation! First of all, we booked in July through Canadian Travel. We saw upon on our arrival that the pool was partly cloed (about 75%) due to renovations. Other tourists told us that their travel agency called them to let them know of the situation and offered to change the hotel. Ours never called us.
THE BEACH: when the tide is low, great beach, but watch out for the jelly fish, many of them. Whent he tide is high.... THERE IS NO BEACH WHATSOEVER! I have pictures to prove is. So 25 % of the pool, no beach whent he tide was high. fortunately, there was the Ecological pool tot he rescue, although not big, it diid the job.
THE FOOD: Cuba is Cuba, but this time, it was awful. Except for the Italian restaurant, the food was horrible. If you are hungry between 3hPM and 6h30PM, the only thing you can get are sandwiches and if you go around 5h45PM, forget it, nothing left!
THE STAFF: most of them are very nice. the Guest service people are great, they tried to accomodate us as much as they could. The waiter Victor is the best, so was Ronny. Some of the waiters though (Erineido and main lobby bar) were rude.
THE ROOM: we had 3 rooms in building 12. Very smelly at first but once the air conditioning is on, smells less (or you get used to the smell). The rooms are very humid.
Will NEVER go back to Tryp nor will I recommend it!
| Club Tryp | Abe and Maria |
Hi all we are home. I'll try to make this short, Flew out of Toronto with air Canada, flight there and back very good, as soon as I heard air bus 320 I thought it would be bad and cramped but Air Canada has their seating set up with lots of leg room and the service was very good. Keep in mind we go on vac. with an open mind and usually to Dom. Republic, this was our first trip to Cuba. I'll start with the good, we had 3 rooms in building 10 and 2 rooms in building 12, our rooms in 10 were very nice a bit dated and in need of a face lift, but the rooms in 12 very musty, damp and smelly. Always lots of hot water for showers. The cleaning staff was great always did a good job and all the rooms were kept very clean. The grounds staff work very hard and keep everything looking great we gave both candy for their kids, toothpaste, tooth brushes and some jeans for the grounds staff and it always brought a smile to their faces. Most of the main pool is closed but we had the Ecological pool right behind us and it was very nice and spent many hours in this pool. Weather was great had some rain but at night for the most part so no problems there. Now lets touch on some of the bad, Buffet food was about as bad as it gets none of us are picky but all felt the same about the food, the serving staff was a hit and miss (mostly not good) same with the bar staff. Not good service at all at the buffet and the bars, we did have some favorites that were great and those ones we tipped, every bar in the place would run out of beer at least once a day. The smell from the pond under the lobby is a big turn off and we cannot believe they have not done some thing about it. We found the food for lunch at the beach resturant really good but never started eating there until Wed. but once we found it ate lunch there every day. The sandwhiches at the the snack bar were really good and most of us lived on sandwhiches and the beach resturant. All in all I am going to say this may be a 2 star at best but no way a 4, I would never return to this resort nor would I ever recommend it to any one. Looks like Puerto Plata next year again !!!!
| Club Tryp | Eithne ~ Ireland |
I am writing this review as I have found this site to be so helpful to me in choosing my holiday to Cayo Coco.
My boyfriend and I went to Cuba for 2 weeks (we are 27 and 29) and arranged a week in Tryp Cayo Coco as part of the trip. We organised all aspects of the trip ourselves, it was not a package (flew from Dublin to Paris then to Havana). We flew to Cayo Coco from Havana with Aero Caribbean and booked the Tryp on www.solmelia.com.We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in the Tryp (1 week: June 28th to July 5th), we arrived late on the Thursday and were checked in fast as we were the only people checking in. As the complex is so big it would have been nice to be shown our room but we weren't - oh well! We stayed in the Ground Floor of Block 5 (Room 515) and it was perfect - 2 double beds, kept clean, nothing special but perfect for our needs. From the back door you were practically on the beach.
On our first full day - Friday we were lying on the beach, enjoying the peace and quiet when around 100 young Canadian students came screaming onto the beach. We soon learnt that there were 200 more to come and that it was their Grad trip from finishing High School. Needless to say they were very messy at times and had we been older or had kids with us we would not have been happy. Individually they were all very nice but in groups they could be quiet obnoxious and rude so bear this in mind travelling at this time of year.
We took the bus to Sol Cayo Guillermo for one day and realised we'd made the right choice, although the Grad Trip were loud and caused a bit of trouble we were bored with the Sol in Cayo Guillermo within minutes - it was so sedate and there was nothing going on at all. Plus the beach in Cayo Coco is so much better.
We didn't do any excursions but went snorkelling every day and we tried scuba diving once. Snorkelling was amazing; we saw more fish and a greater variety snorkelling than scuba diving.
The staff in the resort are brilliant most of the time. We tipped a lot and got great service. I left gifts for the maids everyday but they didn't seem bothered so I gave bags of gifts into the bar instead and they were delighted to get them. I think the maids get loads so it's better to give them to the other staff.
One word of warning there was a beach party for the Grad Trip almost every night so unless you got a few drinks in at night it was hard to sleep!!
I can't think of anything else to add to my review but if you have any questions feel free to email me eithnedoyle@yahoo.com.
| Club Tryp | Rob |
We just got back from Tryp Cayo Coco June 22.
We were 2 of a group of 6.
We booked though Nolitours and unfortunately they resold seats on a Signature Vacation Trip. If you've never flown Signature, they use Skyservice. The staff are great... The plane OLD. As in old Canada 3000 equipment. Seats are small, headset jacks are the old 2 prong and not all working, tv's are fading or discolouring, toilet takes a long time to flush... Hmm what else can I say.
Customs in Cuba... fast... Exchanged money very quick. Everyone at the airport spoke well enough English.
The bus... 15 minutes to get to the resort. AWESOME!
The check in... Well, this was disappointing... We paid extra for VIP. The regular check in was faster than the VIP check in. The non-VIP could go right to their room, ours were not ready. We had to wait over 4 hours for our room. It was raining, and the buffet didn't open for 2 hours. When the room was ready, it wasn't. Things were not ready. Coffee packets were there on the first day, Coffee maker took a call the next day, creamer to 2 more days. We weren't too worried, the coffee was made in Canada and the coffee at the restaurants was awesome.
Our towels disappeared one day and we had to call twice to explain we wanted to go swimming and waiting until "turn down service" at 8pm wasn't soon enough.
All in all, the VIP service is not worth the money.
So without the VIP service here is the review...
Resort... Beautiful, 10 years old in the need of some repairs, but they were working on it. Some rooms were being repaired as we were there.
Food... Great. A lot of selections. Buffet was really good. International, Italian and Grill were really good.
Staff... Great. Very friendly and helpful.
Pool... Some tiles were coming off, but it was clean and perfect temperature for me.
Beach... Awesome. Clean.
Water... Amazing...Clear... If you go out to the rocky area, take a bun with you, feed the fish. Take an underwater camera.
Room... Good size... Beds comfortable.. AC worked but not controllable (on or off and not very strong on some days). Shower never got hot but good pressure. We had bugs one day in the room not a big deal.
Excursion... Spectacular Tour was great. A perfect mixture of activities.
CONS...
The "swamp" that people mentioned is actually the water that runs through the lobby building which houses the Buffet, 24 hour bar and international a la carte. It was ripe the whole time. I was shocked they haven't done something about it.
SUMMATION
I would return to this resort. Although it's rated 4 star, it truly is a 3 star resort as others have stated.
We had a great time at the Tryp and the staff made sure we were happy with the resort and amenities. If you can get a good deal for the Tryp, definitely give it a try.
| Club Tryp | Karen |
7 people from 18 to 52 yrs of age flew via Skyservice and found it a great flight with more leg room than Air transat. A sandwich and dessert was served which we appreciated. Cuba airport was very organized with everyone from flight lining up to exchange money. Bus loaded luggage and we were on our way to hotel within 45 minutes.
Hotel was a little overwhelmed at check-in. We had previously requested Block 10 with 4 rooms. We did get what we requested, however, there were a couple of changes in rooms due to plumbing, ceiling cave in’s and curtains falling off windows. We learned that Cuba has never had so much rain as in the past month, so they were experiencing unusual challenges.
Food was the best we have every had in Cuba – EXCELLENT. Had International, Italian and Seafood Grill al a cartes – INCREDIBLE.
Beach – EXCELLENT
Pool – great if you wanted entertainment – we prefer ocean.
Negative – There is a swamp area beside the resort and you do smell the swamp water when the breeze blows a certain way. Also, the mosquitoes are the worst they have been and you need a good STRONG bug spray.
Young adults went to Bat Cave where there were lots of bats and luckily not so many mosquitoes. They mingled with the locals as well as other tourist – EXCELLENT
Would we go back - probably in a few years. This was our 3rd trip and we will return next year to a new location. We love the people and the simple pleasures that Cuba offers.
| Club Tryp | 6 people - 4 single and 1 married couple, ages 25-30 |
Airport & Flight
Cubana Air was pretty comfortable. In-flight movie didn't work on the way there but that's not such a big deal. I wasn't too impressed with the food but I had eaten before we left and also packed some snacks for the flight. No delay getting money exchanged at the airport and was on the bus very quickly. I love the fact that it's only 10-15 minutes away.
Check in
There was a line-up to get the rooms. That was a little frustrating since we just wanted to relax instead of standing in the heat with our luggage. We didn't get the rooms we had arranged beforehand so we were told to come back the next morning. We had arranged for rooms in the middle blocks (halfway between the beach and the pool) but ended up in block 12 which was on the far end.
Rooms
Block 12 was already looking bad since we had to walk the distance but looked okay when we got in there..and then realized that the AC didn't work. We couldn't open up the door since there was no screen and also, we were on the first floor when we had asked for rooms on the second floor or higher. It's always nicer to have a room higher up so that you get a balcony to hang your towels and bathing suits as well as it's less of a security risk. Some girls we travelled with had seen peeping toms in the past. Water pressure was pretty bad as well. Reception arranged for a bellhop to drive us to our rooms and move our luggage to the new ones. AC was being fixed as we were leaving.
We got new rooms in block 6 (633 and 634) and those were great. Rooms were already cool, TV was much bigger (we had a dinky 12'' tv in 12...this was at least a 20'') and the water pressure was perfect. No more complaints about the room after this.
Beach and Pool
Cayo Coco is known for the beach and I could see why. No seaweed, lots of space and lots of chairs. We never had to look long for a nice spot and thats after we got to the beach around noon on some days. We even got lucky on a couple of days and got shade. There's a coral reef right there where you can do lots of snorkeling (for free!). We were thinking of doing one of the day trips but after we saw this reef, we didn't bother. There's tons of fish and you can spend hours just watching them. Take some bread or bananas from the buffet and you will be surrounded by fishes.
There's a beach volleyball net set up and there's usually a game going on. We met a lot of people that way so it's definitely recommended
We hung around the pool a couple of times and it's a nice change. Different atmosphere and the pool volleyball is fun too. We ended up participating in the pool games and of course Team Canada won :-) It rained a couple of times in the late afternoon but instead of hiding inside, we played some pool volleyball. You don't notice the rain as much when you're in the water.
Food
You can always find something to eat at the buffet. Omlette's, crepes (pancakes), croissants, pasta, stir-fry, freshly carved turkey, pineapple juice was really good.
A la cartes: We did the Italian and the Chinese. Italian was good but the Chinese..not so much.
Disco
I think the disco is a hit and miss depending on the crowd that is there. We were lucky that the volleyball people we met were pretty social and ended up hitting the disco every night with a bunch of them. Music becomes repetitive so if you have some music, bring it with you and PLEASE give it to them and make them play it.
We didn't do any day trips but we did go to the club in a cave. We almost didn't go because we heard there were tons of mosquito's and bats but we changed our mind at the last minute and took some bug spray with us. The cave was hot but no bugs or bats to be seen. It's definitely an experience and one of the few times you will get a chance to socialize with the other resorts, but I found that people stick to their own groups.
Also went to the Sol one night for their event where all the resorts go clubbing together. Their disco was much nicer and much cooler. They had a live reggaeton concert (although they had performed for free at Tryp a couple of days prior). Again, it's a good experience. We came back to our disco and it was dead so it looks like we made the right choice, otherwise we would have been bored. Both of these trips cost about $10 peso's and you get a ride in their little train (with wheels). The train itself is fun. You go pretty fast so you enjoy the breeze and the route is very scenic (even though it's dark).
Useful Tips
Make sure you take an insulated mug. It should be common knowledge by now but there's tons of people who never know. They also stare in shock at my 64 oz insulated mug :-)
Overall
We really enjoyed ourselves and had a great time. Would I go here again? No. But I would still recommend it. I'm glad I went and will always remember Tryp.
I stayed at the Melia Cayo Santa Maria (5*) 2 years ago so the Tryp wasn't as good facility-wise but the social aspect more than made up for it. MAde a lot of friends over here and we have already met up a couple of times once we got home. Was kind of disappointed the first couple of days because the animacion staff seemed pretty useless. No activites were happening and I was worried that it would be like that entire time. Turns out most of the staff had the weekend off for Mother's day. By Monday, everything was ok.
Staff was generally pleasant. We always left presents for the maid and gave some stuff to the waiters who were really nice to us. There was one guy in the buffet who was nice to us and when we went back the next night, he shook all our hand and even remembered the drink orders. I was really impressed when he remembered what one guy drank when he wasn't even there yet!
We also had a waiter who just didn't care. There was only one table left that could accomadate our group and the waiter was reserving it for someone else. He told us that they were late and that we could have it. We were ready to give him a tip right there on the spot! Instead of playing up to us for an even bigger tip...he disappeared! By the end, we had about 12-15 empty plates on the table and he never came back to get our drink order. We ended up walking to the server station and just taking our own bottles of wine for the table. We saw him later on walking out of the restaurante (for a break?). I didn't understand the motivation behind that incident. Our table eventually got cleaned up..by security! I guess he could see our table from the window and the mess did not look appealing so he walked in and cleaned it for us. Guess who got the tip that night?
The big negative: There was a group of about 30-40 kids who were there as a grad trip or something. They looked 16 but were apparently first year university students. They were always making noise and just causing trouble. Fortunately we weren't affected but we saw that security was increased drastically. We heard some people requested to be transferred to the Blau to avoid this. We ran into an older couple at 3am at the bar who said they were awakened by a coconut being thrown through their bathroom window. The kids were caught.
| Club Tryp | Canada |
April 13-20th Friday to Friday Me and my wife, 36 and 37 years old travelling with our 7 month old daughter and another couple in their late 20's-early 30's. We we planning to renew our vows for our 5th year anniversary.
We have travelled to Nassau (Nassau Beach Hotel), Punta Cana (Barcello Bavaro Beach), Puerto Plata (Riu Mambo), and this trip to Cayo Coco (Tryp Coyo Coco)
Airport & Flight
For those interested the flight from Toronto to Cuba and return was fine no issues besides that the TV did not work on the flight down. We truly did not care about the TV not working as we were on on vacation and it was a 6 AM flight and we slept most of the flight. It was our first trip and flight with our daughter and she had no issues on the flight as she slept most of the flight and the breast feeding definitly helped. We took a taxi from the airport to the hotel, $15 CUC , definitly worth the money as we avoided the mass of people getting on the bus and we were the first people to check in at the hotel. (Let your travel rep know if you are going by taxi)
Check in
There were 4 of us along with our 7 month old daughter upon check in we were told our block was #14 (We later realized that this room is quite a distance from the pool and main area of the hotel) My wife explained to the front desk that this was way too far given we had a 7 month old child. They moved us up to 4th block which is very close for one night and we were then upgraded to ocean front on Saturday. Great location, great view.
Rooms
To start with I have to say that me and my wife really do not care about what the room is like at a resort as long as it is clean, as we travel for the beach and resort amenaties not the room. For those interested, I did find the rooms to be old but it was clean and everything worked fine. We always had plenty of hot water, toilet paper and the air conditioning worked fine.
Beach and Pool
Beach: Amazing as Cuba has the reputation for! You need to play the game "place your towel on the chairs and return later" if you want shade. When in Roman...........On you first morning go down to the beach around 7AM and see nice gentleman by the name of VICTOR. Ask him to reserve you any spot you want and he will do this for you for your entire stay. We tipped him $1 CUC daily and at the end of our stay we gave him 2 bag of "stuff" ranging from tooth paste to crackers to the beer in the hotel room fridge. He truly appreciated this. If you see him tell him the 2 bald guys who gave you the bags of "stuff" say hello. Water was exceptionally warm starting at about 11 AM. You do have to walk out quite far in order to for the water to be deep. The sand is very soft and white, no rocks ot sea weed. The waves were generally very gentle except for 1 day. It was warm most days but on a few days our friends did find it cool on the beach so we spent the day at the pool.
Pool:
Large and nice and clean. Their is a good area for the children to swim as well. The temperature was good and the service around the pool area was also good. Can be difficult to find shade. if you don't reserve a spot in the morning.
Our daughter really enjoyed going into the ocean and the pool. There is also a hot tub that we went into with her and she really liked the hot water
Food
Again we are not fussy people and here are our reviews.
A la cartes: We went to the International, Chinese, Cuban, Seafood, Grill and Italian we found them all to be good but not great my favourite was the Cuban, really like this homestyle food. Buffet: Good food they cook fresh omlettes, crepes etc every morning so if worse came to worse omlette and fruit is always good but the fruit flies seemed to love the grapefruit. The grill at the buffet was really good for supper and I had my share of grilled shrimp and meat. There was a good variety of food. Our personal favorite for lunch was the grill where the serve a taste whole fish with fries. We feed our daughter some of the food as well and no one in our group ever got sick.
Go to the 24hr bar in the morning for your coffee, very good.
Cuban People
This truly is the best part of Cuba. We found that the people were very friendly and helpful. They really seemed fond of our daughter and took every opportunitty to just take our daughter away and dance with her and show here to their friends. We never felt any concern for her and she was always safe. Amazing people.
Shows
We made an effort to get the the kids part of the show and especially the time right before the start. At this point the children would play on stage, dancing and singing and having a gret time. Our daughter really enjoyed this part as my wife would bring her on stage to watch and dance with the other kids. As expected she slept through every night on the trip. We never managed to stay up for the adult part of the show but it must have been OK as there was always many people waiting for the start.
Renewal of vows
We plan to renew our vows every 5 years and just want a very simple ceramony. This hotel did a great job on this. They decorated the gazibo and the path with flowers, had music playing, flower for my wife and all paper work completed. They also prebooked all the alcarte restaurants for us and reserved a table for lunch at the grill for after the ceramony. All went great and just as we requested simple.
Excursions
We generally go on vacation to relax at the beach and be low profile estrip before the baby arrives therefore we didn't take any excursions. T
My buddy and I went out on the catamaran to snorkel for about 1hr where you can swim with numerous fish and feed them banana and bread by hand. Great experience and I would recommend it. Speak to the gentlemean at the sport area and he will sign you up. and did . On this day we went to Playa Prohibida a beach area with a small restaurant that serves great lobster I highly recommend it. I would state to bring bug spray as a MUST as the bugs were terrible that day and thanks to the owner who allowed us to use some of his bug spray. We paid $15 CUC each for lobster, shrimp, rice and salad, truly a great meal, the best of the trip.
Useful Tips
Take the taxi from the airport $15 CUC well worth the line up this was for a van as there were 4 + baby.
Bring bug spray
We brought essentials to leave with cuban people.
If you bring an infant, the coffee pot is useful to heat water for formula.
Final note:
This resort is a great place to relax with your family and there were many families with all ages of children. This is probably not the best place to go if you want to go into town and shopping. We had a fabulous time and would highly recommend this resort. If you are debating whether to bring your younge child do it. Ours had a great time and was always curious about the different things in Cuba vs Canada.
Any more info needed feel free to contact me leblancdarren@rogers.com
| Club Tryp | Crystal & Kevin |
April 13-20th Friday to Friday
Airport & Flight
Flight was good plane on the way there the TV wasn't working this was not an issue for us as we left early in the morning and therefore slept most of the way. Check in, in Cayo Coco went rather quickly we had heard that we should take a taxi to the resort in order to make check in quicker. Our taxi cost us $15 CUC and was well worth it. (Let your travel rep know if you are going by taxi)
Check in
There were 4 of us along with our friends 7 month old daughter upon check in we were told our block was #14 (I believe, either way, way out there) my friends explained to the front desk that this was way too far with a little one. They moved us up to 4th block which is very close. We were to be there for one night only. Our friends were utilizing this trip to renew their vows and therefore we would both be upgraded to ocean front on Saturday.
Rooms
I have to say this was the most disappointing factor for me. I am not very picky and have been to Cuba 3 times in the last 3 years. Last year I stayed at a 3 star and was never unhappy. I did although find the rooms to be very old, moldy and smelly? (read the reviews they all state this) I wasn't too concerned as the next day we were being moved. When we got to bock #5 on Sat the room was the same other than the ocean view. At this point being that I am 4months pregnant and a little more sensitive to smells I approached customer service and explained my concerns with the mold. I asked that they simply clean it everyday and it wouldn't be an issue. They did this and it was much better. We always had plenty of hot water, toilet paper etc.
Beach and Pool
Beach: Was beautiful as always in Cuba! If you go down really early in the morning you will find a gentlemen by the name of Victor he would book us a shady area for the day. This ensured that we always had shade for the baby. Water was exceptionally warm starting at about 11 or 12. You do have to walk out quite far to get in deep.
Pool: Very nice, disappointing to see the tourists leave their plastic glasses etc in the water and have to fish them out. Their is a good area for the children to swim as well. The temperature was good and the service around the pool area was also good. Can be difficult to find shade.
Food
A la cartes: We went to the International, Chinese, Cuban, Seafood, Grill and Italian we found them all to be very good my favourite was the Chinese.
Buffet: No issues with the food in Cuba they cook fresh omlettes, crepes etc every morning so if worse came to worse omlette and fruit is always good.
Excursions
We primarily came to relax as this would be our trip before the baby arrives therefore we didn't take any excursions.
My husband went out on the catamaran to snorkel for about 1hr and did some snorkeling I choose not to go as this was a very small boat.
We did rent a scooter and drove around to check out the lay of the land. On this day we went to Playa Prohibida a beach area with a small restaurant that serves great lobster I highly recommend it. I would although state to bring bug spray as the bugs were terrible that day thank god the owner had some to spare. We paid $15 CUC each for lobster, shrimp, rice and salad.
Useful Tips
Take the taxi from the airport $15 CUC well worth the line up this was for a van as there were 4 + baby.
Don't forget bug spray
We brought essentials to leave with them i.e. Bathroom items, flashlights, softballs, fishing lures and childrens items. (these seem to be the favourites)
Overall
Cuba is my favourite vacation spot and I absolutely love it there. I will say I will not go back to Cayo Coco or Tryp. Although the island is beautiful I have come to realize that I am not the lie on the beach kind of person I enjoy going into town, visiting the locals etc.
Also be careful when booking according to star last year I was at a 3 it was much smaller although much newer the only difference is it didn't have the selection this one did. So if you are going for the a la cartes and number of pools go 4 or 5 star. If you want to enjoy the town and the resort and don't care about that then go 3star but newer.
Any more info needed feel free to contact me Crystal ck.taylor@sympatico.ca
| Club Tryp | Canada |
Stayed in the 400 block. We had requested ocean view. Not sure if the advance e-mail to the hotel helps but it worked for us.
Overview
Simply, the Tryp is no place for the fussy. We got to experience firsthand just about every complaint we’d read about in previous reviews (no probs with the showers though). This includes:
- that sweet smelling lagoon where sewage goes to die (most days it was fine but a few times enroute to the buffet or savouring a dinner at the Italian/Chinese a la cartes it certainly made its presence known…whoa);
- when the wind dies down, the no-see-um’s come a calling (bring deet);
- rooms that had seen better decades;
- soap and shampoo the first day only;
- sheets that got changed once in two weeks; and
- nightly entertainment that could best be described as an elementary school Christmas concert put on by energetic burlesque dancers.
All that said – Man, we had a great time.
Beach and Pools
That beach is the nicest we have ever experienced. On the windy days the water could be quite rough but I like to body-surf so I found that great fun. On the calm days it was like swimming in a salt-water pool – crystal clear and wonderful. Very little sea-weed. All sorts of fun activities like parasailing if you are into that – we just laid on the beach reading and communing with the sun-king.
The main pool has both adult and child areas. And yes, that main pool has seen a better decade too but no probs. Lots of activities going on and the animation team is good fun (we enjoyed the cannonball competitions). It’s pretty packed and the usual habit of lawn chairs being claimed by towels by 7:30 am is in effect. We prefer the beach but spent a couple afternoons at the pool-bar. The quiet pool was more our style. Once again, put your towel there early. Great place to alternate roasting, reading and swimming.
Restaurants and Bars
The buffet offered a fairly good (but bland) choice. The serving staff was very friendly. The coffee great. You learn pretty quickly to discriminate between the good, the bad and the ugly. The Sunday night turkey was very nice and most days we found something we liked. Great ice cream and deserts. My wife enjoyed the omelets and pasta that they cook for you individually. The fruit flies climbing all over the fresh fruit some days was a bit disconcerting. We always enjoy Cuban cheese. The wine is Spanish and quite good.
A la cartes: We went to the International (twice), BBQ Grill (twice), Italian (twice), Chinese and Cuban. By far our favourite was the Cuban. I know others rave about many of these but we found them pretty bad – maybe we just got bad days. I have a cast iron stomach and still got food poisoning at the Italian (I asked the waited for salmon and got salmonella instead). The won ton soup looked (and tasted) like 10w30. Like I say, maybe we just chose the wrong items or got bad days. But, I won’t miss those a la cartes at all.
Pizza Restaurant: I hate to again whine as we really did have a wonderful time but we were tres disappointed in the pizza. The place itself has a fun atmosphere but we really didn’t find the pizza to our taste at all. I guess it’s an individual thing.
Beach Restaurant: decent for a quick, informal lunch. Can get pretty packed.
Bars: Like everyone says, the bartenders are great. The lobby bar has the best variety and is a great place to sit and enjoy a smart cocktail and a cigar. The 24 hour bar (no idea whether it is 24 hour but I know it serves great coffee at 6 am) can get pretty packed during the shows and they seem to run out of glasses often (so bring those thermal cups). The pool and beach bars are fine, informal and again, those thermal cups are essential as otherwise you get tiny plastic glasses. The bartenders think nothing of filling the biggest thermal cup with your poison du jour.
We only popped our heads in at the disco. Too old – sigh.
Overall, we didn’t like the food much at all. Found it noticeably worse than in our previous trips. We just kept chanting ‘nobody comes to Cuba for the food’. Maybe just luck of the draw. But, the liquor was certainly top notch and flowing.
I tend to tip often (a peso at a time). Just a personal thing. It does make a small difference in the speed of service but certainly not essential.
Excursions
We had primarily come to go into shutdown mode so weren’t particularly into exploring. Between doing nothing (we joked that we were thinking about thinking) we did squeeze in:
- The little train that comes by the Tryp about 9am (and 2pm). It cost us 12 pesos each. Takes you to a Cuban farm where you get some history of the area (Cuban’s traditionally didn’t live in Cayo Coco because the soil is too rocky and salty), a drink and then watch a small animal show. Then off to Playa Flaminco (Flamingo Beach) which has a beach bar. Finally to the highlight – the bat cave. It simply must be seen – pretty amazing. It also is open on Wednesday and Friday nights from 11pm till 2am as a disco. We didn’t go but I’ll bet it’s a hoot.
- We had booked the catamaran but, alas, that was on the day I had my food poisoning bout. So instead, the next day we took the trip that leaves right from our beach to the reef for an hour of snorkeling. It was incredible. While my wife was feeding the fish, I was experiencing the beautiful colours of the reef. I was blown away.
- Our fav excursion was taking a taxi (5 pesos each way – they come back and pick you up at a pre-determined time) to Playa Prohibida (Forbidden Beach). You could also rent a scooter or bicycles and go there. The little restaurant serves lobster and shrimp that is mouth-watering while you are entertained by a talented local musician. By far the best food of the trip. We found it very romantic to eat, drink beer and listen to the guitar player while looking at the pelicans dive into the ocean. My wife found some great sea shells on the beach (not for swimming). We went three times and highly recommend it. It’s open from 11am to 9pm I believe.
A note on shopping (who comes to Cuba to shop?). The hotel has the main essentials (booze, mix, souvenirs, cigars). Each day there are local vendors outside the buffet restaurant. Like someone else said – they change daily so if you see something you like – buy it then (you can bargain with the vendors). I still regret not picking up a Cuban shirt I liked. We went next door to the Blau Colonial but found the shops at the Tryp to be superior. I was told that there was a bigger market by the gas station but we didn’t go so no idea on what it’s like. They say the cigars are cheaper at the airport. Certainly the airport has a fairly extensive (by Cuban standards) duty-free selection available.
Tryp Tips:
Overall, sure there were some complaints. But judged against the price we paid, I have to say it was good value for our money. We love Cuba and enjoyed Cayo Coco. That beach, the reef and the restaurant at the Playa Provibida were all incredible. We wouldn’t stay at the Tryp again. Mostly because we like to see different places but also because we just weren’t whelmed by it. But, darn, that’s one mighty nice beach.
Thank you Cuba for another incredible holiday. Cuba Si!!!. If you want any more info, please e-mail me at ralu25@rogers.com .
| Club Tryp | Dianne ~ Bathurst, NB, Canada |
Just got back from Tryp in Cayo Coco...travelling with 5 girls from the age of 15 to 53 we had a good time.. the resort itself is defenitely a weak 4.. food was good no one got sick did 3 a la Cartes which were awesome.. the cuban was extraordinary and the waiters told us if we wanted to dine there again anytime that week we needed no reservations after 8:00 pm and they would cook us something special,unfortunately we could not make it again.. There was a musty smell to our rooms when we arrived, however, after airing them out it was not so bad.. the beach was awesome however, very windy the red flag was up all week except for 1 day and that is the only day the the beach bar was actually opened..., Richardo is amazing.... did a day trip Jeep Safari which was well worth the 69. Pesos... saw the real Cuba... took some amazing pictures of local vendors and people... overall I would probably go back to Cayo Coco and try another resort the next time.. I never go back to the same resort....
| Club Tryp | Jeff |
We've been reading Debbie's Reviews since our first (and only other) trip to Cuba in March 2004. This website is a great resource: a few added notes for travellers.
For context, we are a couple, late 30's, travelling with brother and his wife. Returned from one week at the Tryp Cayo Coco, March 24th. Sell Off Vacations (very) last minute deal - paid $700Cdn + tax/person. Air Transat/Nolitours vacation package - we have found Transat to be incredibly well organized and user friendly for both of our Cuban vacations. Only other Cuban vacation was to Varadero (Palma Real) so the benchmark for comparison should be considered.
Varadero vs. Cayo Coco
We had hoped to find a place in Varadero with a last minute special - didn't seem to be the same selection and pricing as in previous years - and Cayo Coco was particularly inexpensive this time. Varadero has the town, the nightlife and the off-resort distractions. We thought we may have preferred an opportunity to 'escape' the resort on occasion. Though Cayo Coco offers little in the way of alternate destinations, we never felt confined at the Tryp and were quite content to stay put and enjoy the resort.
Disappointments
1. The room. Bear in mind that our only point of reference was the 3.5 star Palma Real, the rooms (915 & 916) were below our expectations. They were functional (mostly) and clean (we think) but the 'dampness' that others refer to is very much a negative. The bed felt damp, the tile floor was damp and the towels, clothes and everything else within got and remained damp. Of course, it is the humidity and the tropics...but nothing like anything we've experienced or expected. The room became very much a haven of last resort instead of a welcome place to retire. TV worked, shower was fine, windows and doors locked - enough said. The '9' block of rooms was located very conveniently to both beach and pool (definitely a 'garden view' however) - maybe a 2nd or 3rd floor room would have been a different experience than our ground floor units?
2. Other guests. We arrived to (thankfully) the tail end of University break revellers. My wife and went to university and quite enjoyed our Spring Break opportunities too, but - some things are over the top. 500 students - barely of legal age - and 24/7 access to an open bar (despite the appealing ring to it) is an ugly sight. Some questioned that they were actually High School students (?) on break - which wouldn't surprise us by their age and attitudes.... We heard a number of horror stories relayed from the staff but our own first hand experiences were mostly those of extremely disrespectful behaviour towards the staff and unsuspecting other guests. Nothing violent or confrontational but behaviour you'd simply prefer to avoid. We dealt with it by watching as bemused bystanders and were comfortable enough to wade into the masses to get a drink at the bar but, others clearly were not. As other reviews have pointed out, be aware of your travel dates and potential vacation partners.
Pleasant Surprises
1. The Food. My wife and I, in hindsight, don't know what the hell they were serving at the Palma Real three years ago...but it wasn't edible food. We simply dismissed the tastes and varieties as peculiar to Cuba and were prepared for substandard fare at the Tryp. However, from breakfast number one to the very last latenight grilled sandwich - and all the buffets and 'a la cartes' in between, the food was good. Some of it was actually great. The Cuban, The Grill and International restaurants we visited were all very good. The pizza place at lunch was a lot of fun and the beach grill was fine. The unexpected highlights usually came from the grill cooks in the buffet - who might occasionally offer to make you something special if there wasn't a line up (take them up on it if asked). Or alternatively, if you asked for an omelette or a piece of fish or chicken to be grilled, ask for 'their' special preparation of it. It will bring a smile to their face and your taste buds. I had a serving of fresh shrimp, grilled with peppers, onions, some spices and oils that was a 'Libertad Especiale' (the grill cook) that might be the best seafood I've ever eaten. If you're open minded with your food selections, I think you'll be very pleased with the offerings. If you're not open minded, take a careful look around at the expansive offerings prepared before turning to the bread and ice cream stand. Food was not an issue at this resort. Period.
2. The Service. We heard that the resort is one of the bigger ones and that it was mostly full...and that they had some challenges with the recent guests (as above) but never once did we encounter poor service. Not slow service, no attitude, no shortcomings. And all with either a nice smile or a professional 'gracias'. Our group commented repeatedly that we had not met a more courteous staff...mind you we were pretty low maintenance...but nothing short of very positive comments here.
A few of our observations:
- beach was as expected....unbelievable
- grounds were as expected...somewhat worn but impressive
- pool was fantastic...warmer than expected too
- all bars (and bartenders) were as described...good fun
- rum drinks and beer were delicious (duh!)
- my wife commented that the 'girlie drinks' were exceptional
- weekly Beach Party....not to be missed (but you might if you don't know when it is - make sure to find out as it changes)
- nightly entertainment was better than expected...good sound, great stage & lights...very good local talent...a variety each night
- we passed on the excursions and spent a day on mopeds exploring...no regrets from the feedback we heard from others
- the 'market' type set-up near the buffet changes daily so if you see something you like, buy it...chances are it won't be there the following day
A quick note on service & tipping:
We probably tipped excessively, from the point of dropping a peso at every run to the bar or being quick to offer a peso to the beach guys dusting sand off your lounger and tipping a handful of pesos at every meal sitting, whether at the restaurant or the buffet. It probably added up to 20-25 pesos a day - not a huge hardship for us but it did add up. More interesting was how little others tipped at all. Whether the wink & smile from the bartenders and wait staff who recognized/remembered your face was worth the added expense is likely a personal thing - we appreciated it. I doubt that others cared at all...and would have received no less efficient service.
And a quick economics lesson that was given to us during our last trip from a local taxi driver/economics professor: you can buy pretty much anything in Cuba, and so too can the native Cubans. But, what they have in selection of items, they lack in funds to purchase them. So instead of dropping $50 at your local dollar store and dragging a bunch of 'gifts' down in your suitcase for tips, save the effort and provide the workers with currency instead of another box of Chiclets. For the record, we brought down gifts regardless this time too..but tried to make them interesting (ball caps, baseballs, guitar strings). Still no replacement however for cold hard cash in their pockets. Perhaps capitalism has a chance here afterall.
| Club Tryp | Arnold ~ Canada |
Margaret and I really enjoyed a week at Club Tryp Cayo Coco Feb 25 to March 4. Encouraged and assisted by many who have posted guidance and opinion with Debbie.
Room fine, bathroom excellent with a bidet too.
Food ample and sufficient.
My main contributions here are two:
First, Margaret took a nasty fall on our 10 p.m. arrival at an unlighted (i.e. bulbs failed and not replaced) staircase at Building 4. Customer service next day quite disinterested, but on the next day, the arrivals/registry desk took prompt note, and the lights were repaired immediately. We should have insisted on a pass to see the doctor without charge: my mistake, and the wound to a forearm was a negative during our stay in that lovely weather
Second: watch out at currency exchange at the hotel.
I happen to be a mathematician for life which occasionally is an advantage (but sometimes in Ottawa is a hazard). However when the listed exchange rate at the hotel desk is One $Cdn. for .76699 CUC peso, then mental arithmetic suggests that .76699 is a little better than .75, and therefore my offered $120 Cdn should bring me a little better than 3/4 of 120 i.e. better than 90 CUC pesos. When the woman offered me 81 CUC pesos, I suggested 92 would be closer and without a blush she agreed and paid. Whether this happens frequently or rarely, it deserves watching for.
| Club Tryp | Pat ~ Laval Quebec |
I recently visited Tryp caco coco with the entire family ( 3 boys, 16,12 and 6 as well me and my wife from march 5 to march 12, 2007). Before our departure I was reading comments regarding the hotel and must say I was getting worried as to its reputation. Well, for all those who is going to the Tryp in the future, I think its worth the trip especially with children! We've been on other trips in the Carribean and the first time to Cuba, and enjoyed it. I have difficultly understanding all those who complained, I guess we are not really "fussy" and prefer to enjoy ourselves without looking for the knitty gritty stuff. For all those who are picky, choose 5 + hotels and pay the $$$.
HOTEL: The complex is quiet beautiful and well maintained. The employees are really friendly ( for thoses who say they are not, its a matter of receiving what you give off). Pool center was great, we felt treated properly.
ROOMS: Quit simple, had all the hot water necessary. Given we were 5 people, two seperate rooms but very near to each other. We were in block 8 second floor (quite nice because were were near the beach and near the activity center). Had oceanview rooms ( however palm trees present). Fresh towels every day. Really no complaints, anyways we were in ours rooms to basically sleep and relax a little.
BEACH: Reason why we were very little in our rooms! WOW! superb beach, beautiful white sand, colorful ocean. Definitely the nicest part of the beach in Caco coco. Weather was great, rained however 1 full day ( spent it in our rooms and alot of fun with the kids!) Quit windy most of the days, but ok.
FOOD: Pretty good, however, the buffet tends to repeat itself and you do get tired of the same thing ( I am speaking for myself and wife) the kids loved it especially the pasta variety. The restaurants à la carte were good, RESERVE THE MOMENT you get to the hotel it books fast!
ACTIVITY: Dont forget, we were there during spring break and there was alot of action ( students from Toronto) our children liked it alot, created action. Not sure however if older couples enjoyed it as well? We did! The night activity is fun however simple, good for the children.
SHOPPING: Limited to the hotel. Feel at ease to buy the the airport, the prices are good. 1 Can $ = 0.75 Cuban CUC. You can get Cuban money at the Hotel.
We visited other hotels in the area and found that the Tryp was the best. It is not a new resort, but one that can accomodate. What's important for us is that we all had lots of fun and that the children returned with great memories!
À la prochaine!