Resort Report for Nov 06
I think we have reported how Judy and I managed to get 2 weeks instead of 1 week at the Blau and so I will leave that for now.
Flight
Judy and I need lessons in packing. It is always frightening to walk up
to the check in desk and wait to see what the weight is going to be and
how we will fare. We did not go to the same check in but we were beside
each other and could hear what was going on. At least I could, as Judy
seems to tune out the entire world and lose her mind in these
situations. I was overweight, news flash, and I quickly said but what
about my sports bag? She said I will allow 15 lbs for that and so once i
have deducted that it is going to cost you $100.00 and Judy is being
told it is going to cost her $450.00 for excess weight. Time I stepped
in and said "what about the sports bag and then she remembered, oh ya,
one of those is my sports bag and he was even nicer and allowed the
whole bag to go with no charge. She was charged $100.00 as well and we
trundeled off to the plane a few dollars short.
We flew to Cuba with Sun Wing. It was our first flight with this
airline. We picked up our tickets at the airport and received our
tourist cards as well. There was a separate line for pre-booked seats,
so we did not have to line up. We were, of course, overweight. They
allowed 15 kilos for sports equipment only. Therefore, we were only
charged for 10 kilos over. As of May 2006, the rate per kilo went to
$10.00 and so we got our boarding pass once we had paid $100.00.
Flight was on time and we settled in to our seats, aisle and window, no
one in the center, and were treated to champagne. They handed out free
head seats and asked everyone to keep them for the return flight as they
did not have enough for everyone on the way home.
They served a full meal. A choice of teriyaki chicken or pasta, a salad,
and a brownie with white chocolate pieces. Cheese and crackers were
included. Also included were white or red wine and tea or coffee.
We dropped off people in Varadero and continued on the Cayo Coco. There
was not a long wait as they did not service the plane till Cayo Coco.
Customs and luggage were a breeze and I was able to get money changed quickly. Buses were waiting and we were off in no time.
Arrived 10sh and got checked in and went for a walk to see whom we could
find. It was everyone’s night off and so we went off to our rooms in
building 15.
Arrival - Check in:
The Blau still requires you to line up to check in and so there is
always a rush when you get off the bus to get to the desk and receive
your room assignment , your luggage tags, towel voucher and safe key. It
is a slow process as they do have extra staff on hand to deal with a
lot of people. Also, there is a delay when someone is not happy with the
room they were assigned. Since they cannot make changes until the room
manager arrives in the morning there is no real point unless it is a
dire emergency to even ask. You need to have the clerk make a note and
come back to the front desk in the morning.
There was also only one bell hop and that means you either take your own
luggage or you wait till he gets to you. Since we were assigned a room
on the 3rd floor, we were not willing to carry all of our bags
ourselves.
Further to the check in issue, when we had been there for 6 days we were
asked to attend at the front desk and bring our Hotel Voucher from
Signature for the 2nd week of our stay. WE took our travel envelopes to
Jackie at the front desk and we both looked through it all several times
and there was not a hotel voucher to be found. We thought it was weird
but Jackie assured us that if we went to the Signature rep (Yunior) he
would take care of the problem.
Since we had to see him anyway to inform him that we were already at the
resort with Sunwing and therefore would not be arriving at the airport
but would be going home with Signature the following week.
He assured us it was no problem, that he would write up a voucher and we
need not worry about the flight home. He would get on the computer and
confer with Signature in Toronto.
The next day, Sat, we went to see Jackie and she informed us that the
check in the night before was total chaos. Everyone arrived in the
pouring rain and it was very late, like 1 or 2 am. They lined up at the
desk and were asked to provide their hotel voucher. No one had a
voucher. The front desk was insisting that they were required to provide
one or they could not be assigned a room. You can imagine what that
couple of hours was like. The next day Signature was contacted and the
reservations folks were informed, well after the fact, that Signature
was no longer using the voucher system, it would all be done by
computer, as they do with other resorts. This will allow them to do the
check-in in advance and explains why some resorts are able to do it on
the bus, or arrive at the airport with the complete package and room
assignment as in Santa Maria.
Both the staff and the guests would have appreciated knowing this in
advance, I'm sure. I am so glad we were not one of the people arriving
in that downpour to be faced with the problem of no voucher no room, and
the suitcases sitting in the rain with nowhere to go.
Be sure to check with your agent in the future. A good reason to always use an agent.
Resort:
We went to check out the Seafood bar and met Leber’s replacement. He
appeared to have everything under control. He informed us that Leber was
on a months vacation but would be returning on the 1st of Nov. Since
this was the 29tth we knew it would not be long before he was back where
he belongs.
Monday am and we took a walk around. The Churro stand has not only been
moved, there is a brand new beautiful teak wood stand built at the north
end of the buffet beside the ponds. They have also taken some of the
tables and chairs from the courtyard and put them in that area. A very
nice place to sit quietly and read or watch the birds and the people
come and go.
We attended the orientation to see what, if anything was new. Henry is
the Sun Wing representative. They have re-introduced the towel deposit.
The safe key does not require a deposit.
They have provided permanent stalls for the venders. It means they no
longer have to tote the rather precarious tables to display their wares.
The venders change daily, for the most part, but there are some who
were there every day. They are located around the corner from the main
lobby on the north side of the building.
The a la cartes were not all open every night. The El Fontanella and the
piano bar was open every night but the seafood, El Dorado, and the
Cuban (Yarey) was not. When one was open the other was not. Menus have
not changed in the a la carte’s but Judy and I found a marked
improvement in the buffet.
The bread supply was very limited. Regular sliced and baguettes were all
that was available most day. A few days they had sliced whole wheat. We
were very surprised. They did however have great meat selections. We
were especially pleased on turkey nights. Also large pork roasts with
crackling. Beautiful hams and BBQ’d pork ribs. We never went to the a la
carte until we had checked out the buffet and often it was our 1st
choice.
There were students working throughout the resort and we found them to
be a delight. Judy wanted to take one of the young women home, she was
so adorable.
The beach bar now has hot food every day. Fries, triangles of pizza and
various tidbits. They were not the same every day and I didn’t check
very often. They seemed to be popular.
Rooms:
We were booked into a room on the 3rd floor. Now I know where all of the
king size beds are. I wonder why that is. Nothing has changed. I was
able to sleep with the door open and listen to the ocean. There were no
mossies (at least in my room). It rained very hard in the night and woke
me but it was not long before the sound of the rain lulled me back to
sleep.
Carnival:
On Wednesday evening there was a carnival held in the town square. It
was available to guests from all of the resorts. Guests from the other
resorts paid a entry fee (12 cuc) and that entitled them to all drinks
and food for the evening.
There were bars and food tables set up around the square and seating for everyone.
There was a mixture of presentations. There was a group from Moron that
performed amazing acrobatic feats on stilts. We enjoyed that event very
much and there were a lot of oohs and aahs from the large crowd.
There was a small theatre group who performed and they were awesome
The resident dancers (more later) performed several numbers and they were spectacular.
There was an older dance group from Moron who performed traditional
Cuban dances in traditional Cuban dress. They were very good and
incredibly energetic for a group that was obviously of a certain age.
Let’s just say we had a lot in common age wise.
There was also a live band that played for the groups as well as playing
some dance music. There was a jazz band that really got your toes
tapping.
Once the show was over, the disco was open for dancing and the performers were there and available for dancing.
The carnival is a weekly event. It was held indoors the 2nd week as it
was raining out. The Cuban dancers were not there but perhaps it is a
variety of performers. Judy and I have lots of photos but neither of us
have put them up.
Entertainment:
Previously, Derek and I have said we have seen all of the shows that the
animation team perform and so do not attend the shows anymore (actually
the real reason is , Derek can’t stay awake) but Judy like to attend
and so I will go with her and will stay if I am enjoying the show.
We were blown away by the caliber of dancing and the choreography was
new, innovative and varied. There are 3 men and 4 women with one woman
being the principal dancer who performed a solo. There was modern dance,
ballet, contemporary, suggestive and progressive. I mentioned it to
several of the staff and they informed us that the resort had hired a
new choreographer 6 weeks previous and he had worked with the new
dancers every day. The dancers were young (I swear they did not look a
day over 12) talented and energetic. They were fresh out of the dance
academy and were not required to do the regular duties of the animation
team. The previous animation team was still there and did the daily fun
on the beach and in the pool as well as the Spanish and dance lessons
and the pros (dancers) rehearsed every day. I have not seen such talent
since we were at the Mayonaba in Camaguay, where Derek and I watched the
talent every night. They also were only required to put on the evening
show and they rehearsed every day. It makes for a very professional show
and we were delighted every night.
Beach:
We have always loved the beach at Cayo Coco and especially in front of
the Blau. It was very disappointing to find on the 1st day, a sea of
weeds on the beach that was not cleaned up. Day 2 the weeds were still
there and although the 4 men were trying to get it cleaned up it was a
bigger job than they could handle.
I went to speak to the PR person, (Dayani) and suggested that a resort
that bills itself as a 5 star (and charge 5 star prices) needs to have a
clean beach and must be prepared to hire more people to clean the beach
if that is what is required. It was explained to us that the job of
cleaning the beach is contracted out to an outside company. I suggested
that the resort is still responsible to the guests and perhaps a word to
the contractor was in order. I do realize they have to do it by hand
and it is not an easy job. I also realize it is much too big a job for 4
men.
The next day there were several more beach cleaners and the beach was
cleared. Part of the problem is they start at the Tryp and by the time
they reach the Blau the work shift is over and they leave. Once that was
sorted we had a clean beach for the duration of our vacation.
Food:
Judy and I were impressed with the improvement of the food at the
buffet. They had huge roasted turkey on more that 1 occasion, roast
pork, a big glazed ham. We enjoyed several meals at the buffet. I was
disappointed as I said with the lack of variety of the bread. We are
used to such great bread at every meal and it was not available this
trip.
Churros stand
The stand is now to be found at the end of the buffet building. If you
go past the doors and look to the right you will see it. The tables and
chairs are set up there and it is a nice quiet place to sit and have a
drink or a churro. It is next to the pools and before the bridge which
is at the end of the buffet.
The West end:
There has been no movement whatsoever at the west end of the resort.
There are security guards and some gardeners but that is it> No
activity at all.
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