Name: Maria D.
Room
Our
room was very large, beautifully painted, and very welcoming.
There was a nice balcony with a beautiful view of the grounds
and lots of trees. It was very quiet and private. I especially
liked the golf cart service that you could call to drive you back
to the main lobby. They always came within a few minutes, at any
time of the day.
Rooms
were all equipped with refrigerators, and we had 2 bottles of
fresh water waiting for us when we got there. One thing we had
trouble with was getting more water bottles when they were empty.
Apparently, you only get new water bottles in the room if you
book a more expensive room. However, you could always have your
original bottles refilled by taking them to any of the bartenders.
The
bathroom was nice. The toilet, shower and sink were all sectioned
off separately. The staff kept it very clean. Cuba uses chlorinated
water in their taps, so the shower and sink water took some getting
used to, but it was clean. There was a hairdryer and a universal
plug in the bathroom as well, in case anyone came without a plug
converter, so that was very useful for shaving and other electrical
devices.
Staff
I
absolutely loved the staff at this hotel! Everyone was very friendly,
and always smiling. The bartenders on the beach were very pleasant
and made sincere efforts to get to know us. It was the same with
the kitchen staff and servers at the restaurants. They were always
bringing us whatever we needed and engaged in warm conversations.
The staff were always happy to receive tips, but did not appear
to favor the guests that gave them. Very warm, sincere people.
Pools
We
loved the variety and organization of the pools. Our favorite
pool was the one with the swim-up bar, which always had some entertainment
(music, bartenders doing tricks) as well. There were always enough
lounge chairs for everyone that wanted one. Everything was very
clean and orderly. Some pools were shallower and better suited
for children, while there was one that was adults only, for those
that prefer it.
Food
Going
to Cuba for the first time, we were warned that the food would
not be very good, so we decided not to expect too much. I was
pleasantly surprised when I arrived and found that this hotel
had so many options to choose from. There was something for everyone,
and we always found something we liked. For breakfast there was
a nice eggs station where you could order eggs any way you like
them and build your own omelets. I loved the warm, fresh croissants!
Lots of fresh fruit every morning (bananas, watermelon, guava).
There was no skim or 1% milk available. There were pancakes, French
toast, yogurts, cereals…anything one could imagine! For
dinner we usually ate at the buffet which always had a huge variety
of meats, seafood, salads, vegetables, and desserts (cakes, ice
creams, fruits). We tried two of the a-la-carte restaurants (the
Asian and the Cuban), and they were average. I enjoyed the Cuban
restaurant more because of the food. However, our server at the
Asian restaurant was extremely pleasant, and we had fun there
too. The a-la-carte restaurants were very clean and nicely decorated
and had a nice ambiance. They are worth trying.
For
lunch, we either ate on the beach (burgers, hot dogs), or at the
Grill restaurant next to the top pool. The Grill was shady and
cool, which was a nice getaway from the hot sun. The service was
pretty slow there, but the food was good. The beach grill was
good because it was very quick, and there was also a pizza station
and ice cream station for anyone who wanted a lighter snack during
the day.
Beach
I
loved the beach at this hotel! There was beautiful white sand,
and lots of natural shade from the many trees. We always found
a nice spot. There were plenty of beach beds and everything was
kept very clean. The water was very warm and there were hardly
any waves. There was some seaweed in parts, but it wasn’t
too dense, and there weren’t too many rocks. The colors
of the water were absolutely beautiful. There were also lots of
beach activities (hobie cats, paddle boating, kayaking) for guests
of all ages. There was constant entertainment and music playing,
and volleyball tournaments and salsa classes every afternoon.
One night there was a nice Cuban fiesta on the beach where we
got to try roasted pork and had live music. It was really fun!
Entertainment
There
was a show every night in the theatre. The shows were fun and
very engaging. I loved the live singing and dancing, and the dance
competition for the guests. The shows were suitable for all ages,
and were presented in several languages. The children really loved
them! The nightclub was not very busy while we were there, and
it seemed more suited to young-adults. There was also a games
section in the Grill restaurant which was frequented by the young
crowd, which gave them the opportunity to make new friends.
General
Comments
I
would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone travelling to
Holguin. It was big, comfortable, and clean and deserves its 4-star
rating. There were activities for people of all ages, and is well-suited
for both families or couples on a romantic getaway. The staff
was wonderful, and the location was beautiful. I would go back
to this hotel on my next trip to Cuba!
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Facilities
at the hotel