Well, here we go. Just so you know, I took notes throughout our visit, so hopefully I’ll get this right.
I’ll try to divide things into chunks the Forum software will find digestible…
INTRODUCTION
Some general impressions first.
This place is VERY impressive. Lush even. It’s by far the most luxurious hotel we’ve seen in Cuba. In a very different, tropical, way it ranks up there with our railway hotels and places like the Hotel Normandy in Paris I think. But as you’ll see, I think the level of service may actually be higher.
The only question re. this hotel will be what the pricing will look like when all is up and running, and whether at the price charged (inevitably higher than the ‘club’ style resorts we’re used to) will the place be able to reach reasonable occupancy levels?
At the moment the Ensenachos is being marketed strictly as an Occidentales hotel, with the Royal Hideaway relationship to start at the official opening in June.
Whilst we were there were only a couple of dozen guests. Only the ‘standard’ (but what a standard!) rooms area was open. The suites and bungalows bits won’t be ready for a while yet. I haven’t said anything about them as everything we have is drawn not from our tour but from the marketing bumpf that’s available.
As you’ll see from the photos, there’s still a bit of finishing work to be done on the main building.
Speaking of the photo, here’s the link to my photoblog’s set for this hotel:
http://flickr.com/ph...57594070015482/
GETTING THERE:
We were encouraged to call over and do a tour and report for the Forum. Our original intention was just to deliver a ‘good luck with the new job’ gift for Ramon, formerly the captain of the international restaurant at the Sol, now playing the same role at the Italian restaurant at the Ensenachos.
We’d also connected with the MD and nurse from the Sol re. Delivering medical supplies for Not Just Tourists and found out they were training medical staff at the new hotel. They had an idea of Ramon’s schedule, and so we decided to give it a whirl.
Jose Carlos called over and the next thing we know we’re in a taxi on the way over.
Sussette met us at the entrance. With her was one of the many (more on this later) concierges, Angel. She introduced us and turned us over the Angel for a couple of hours for our tour.
While we’re on the subject of Jose Carlos, Sussette and Angel I have to editorialize a bit.
Cuban staff is these kinds of positions (tour rep, PR etc.) are always just so much better connected than Canadian resident staff. They know people at other hotels or in other parts of the tourism biz (often having attended language or other schools with them) and are much better situated to get these little ‘not in the book’ tours and arrangements made.
LOBBY:
Amazing. Huge, airy. Marble floors, walls in areas, very lush.
The walk up from where a taxi or bus would drop you up will certainly make an impression. 20-30 metres long, 10 wide and all marble every step of the way.
The lobby itself is huge with chandeliers and wood-clad pillars and more, much more, marble.
Seating areas scattered about.
There’s a separate reception desk area that’s got a/c and more staff than most resorts twice its size. Again, lush and marble are the two words that come to mind.
The lobby has the entrance to the business centre (which most of us would only use for the internet café) and the conference rooms.
Opposite the business centre and reception desk area are shops (the usual plus the Joyeria, an upscale perfumes/jewelry store) and the lobby bar.
The bar is very nicely appointed, has a jazz quartet and vocalist (you there Dave?) playing each evening. It’s a/c plus a patio overlooking the rear fountains and gardens leading down to the beach walkway (beach itself can’t be seen for the vegetation).. Pool table.
The bar wouldn’t be out of place in a Delta or Sheraton-level hotel here in Canada. Very nice.
Off to one side and facing the rear of the hotel opposite the bar is the buffet restaurant. Designed to maximize the view. Very nice. And lots more marble.
The hotel actually has an auditorium seating 476 with a stage, lighting setup and sound system! All indoors and a/c! With comfy upholstered seating.
LOWER LOBBY:
To get to the lower lobby you can take an elevator or descend some wonderful curving (you guessed it) marble stairs. Perfect for wedding photos or any photos. Grand curving staircase.
On the lower lobby are a nightclub, the Japanese, International, and Italian restaurants, and an a/c room where car rentals, excursions reps, etc. desks are located.
We couldn’t test the restaurants, but the Japanese (also serving Thai) was up to the standard of the rest of the building. The menu was pretty large and there were lots of wine choices. And for the first time wines we’d be able to buy at home were available.
Sushi, Pad Thai, grill table standards all on the menu. Chopsticks on the place settings, very upscale appointments, little moat to be waked over as you enter.
The Italian has the same quality of appointments, plus this place has the added advantage of having Ramon running it. Pretty much a guarantee it’ll be great. I’d have more to say about the menu etc. here but we spent our time there catching up with Ramone as he was in the middle of a staff meeting when we walked-in.
When complete the hotel will have 9 restaurants.
There’s also an a/c library with seating for tour group briefings seating up to 98 people.
Out the back is a huge fountain (water running down over rocks into a pool) and walkways towards the beach.
BEACH:
It’s a bit of a trot through mangroves on a wooden walkway, but worth it. Very fine sand, slightly curving waterline. Gradually deepening.
Beach bar (soon grill) as upscale as the rest of the hotel. Washroms. Tables and chairs in sun and shade throughout the day. Furniture aluminium castings rather than plastic.
Standard beach chairs. Just more of them and many more palaypas then you would expect for the size of the hotel.
Over to the left can be the seen the suites area and then further down (with its own beach in a small cove, restaurants building etc.) the bungalows section.
The beach here is sheltered, being not just in a bay/cove, but on the lee side of the Cayos. So there shouldn’t be the wind/water effects the beaches on the windward side of things experience.
SPA/GYM:
The gym is good as the Melia’s, which is very good indeed. But it’s a/c!!!
The spa wasn’t up and running but it didn’t appear as large as the Melia’s.
Large roofed area for Tai Chi etc. with rubberized floor.
Medium-sized pool.
Most extensive medical facilities (waiting room, exam rooms, treatment room) we’ve seen.
ROOMS:
Here’s mebbe the best part: not only re. What is currently in place, but for what the rooms might suggest about the suites and bungalows to come.
Each rooms building has 20 rooms set on two levels in a hollow square. Each courtyard has a small garden and fountain.
But best of all, each also has a desk and computer and a concierge. Yep, a concierge.
One concierge per 20 rooms. They arrange room service (want sushi at 03:00 every day of your vacation? It can be arranged!), book tables for dinner, make excursions arrangements, book scooters or cars…
Plus each building has a maintenance person who inspects it each day and a complement of two room cleaners. This is amazing level of staffing I think.
The standard room has a foyer. The rooms are very well appointed; about the size of the rooms at the Sol CSM I would say. Note quite as large as at the Melia, but a much higher grade of finish.
The bath has a glass shower stall a Jacuzzi tub, large counter area, and a separate room for the toilet. Overall, quite the largest we have seen in Cuba. Bigger than some hotel rooms we’ve stayed in!
Glass door out to a good-sized balcony (the room we looked at was a corner, so a view on two sides, other rooms one view, but as large) with a table and chairs.
Best feature from Geri’s perspective was the walk-in closet.
Best seems like such an inadequate word…
The entertainment centre in a cabinet, has a DVD player, a nice touch I thought.
Though not up there with the walk-in closet, of course!
Marble, marble, marble.
ACCESSIBILITY:
There’s an elevator in the lobby building and all other buildings and facilities are wheelchair accessible.
ACTIVATION:
Overall the hotel is taking a much lower-key approach than we’re used to at ‘club’ style resorts. There will be staff available if you want them for things like tennis or weight room instruction or assistance, but no one wandering around exhorting you on a bullhorn to come play volleyball or whatever.
Were we to stay here I think the only thing about this new approach that would cause me concern is that I wouldn’t have much fun daydreaming about being alone in a room full of activation staff…just me and my cattleprod…
There are tennis courts and the usual play areas.
GROUNDS:
They have clearly worked hard to maintain as much of the mature vegetation as possible. Grown trees, mangroves etc. and in place. I would say very little planting is required.
Lots of water features throughout. All of high construction quality. Most weren’t full and operating when were there.
STAFF:
Staff makes or breaks any hotel/resort. The Ensenanchos has ‘cheated’ a bit by bringing in so many of the experienced staff from the Melia and the Sol CSM that it’s hard to imagine any problems in this regard.
I’ve mentioned Ramon above. Frankly we personally are lost with his decision to make the move over from the Sol. It’s unlikely we’ll ever be able to spend the kind of money the Ensenachos will be costing and he really made the Fontanella at the Sol.
‘Course, with Nail taking over it looks like we’ll be more than OK, but I’d rather have BOTH of them rather than lose one. Sigh. Why can’t people realize they’re obligated to organize their lives to meet MY needs?
Other familiar staff were Sussette from the Sol (public relations), Marelis (ex-Sol reception, now she’s a building concierge), her partner Yoany who’s ex-Melia lobby bar and now the head server at the Ensenachos lobby bar (great margaritas!), William (ex-Sol bellhop) now a greeter/bellhop at the end of that long marble walkway into the lobby, Katia, (ex-Sol public relations) is now a concierge…and those were just the folks in sight while we were there that we recognized. There are probably many more we didn’t run into or who were off that day.
And as the other sections of the hotel open no doubt there will be some further movement of experienced staff over.
Even the new staff are making a serious contribution. Angel, our guide and one of the (many!) concierges, is working his first hotel job. Very enthusiastic and knowledgeable.
PRESENT & FUTURE:
Right now the hotel is still under construction. Even in the open areas there is work being done.
TMR is flying in from Montreal and Signature from Toronto and Ottawa.
There were only about 25 guests there when we visited, but the portion of the hotel that is open is fully staffed. We were told this is so all the bugs can be worked out before it starts to fill after the official opening.
So at the moment a party of six would be outnumbered by the serving staff in either of the a la carte restaurants that are open. And if all the guests arrived at the same there would have been one bellhop for every two bags!
So now might be the time to go as it will likely (sigh) increase in price once it starts to fill.
By all accounts the Royal Hideaway in Mexico (the only other such hotel) is an amazingly luxurious hotel with great food and amazing levels of personal service.
I can’t see any reason why the Ensenachos won’t get there too; in fact given what we know of the staff who’ve gone over (we shall miss each and every one), it might surpass the original.
I guess our only sour note is the cost of the place. It seems very unlikely Geri and I will ever get there unless they have some serious deep discounts in order to establish the place this summer and next winter.
On the one hand, for the sake of Cuba and particularly of the staff there now I hope it flies as they clearly expect it to.
On the other, Cuba’s not a destination like St. Maarten or Negril of Barbados; a place where high prices and such are expected. You have to wonder if it can be successfully marketed when guests are going to be expected to pay something like 4-5 grand per week…
Guess we’ll see, but in the meantime we’re certainly keeping our eyes open for intro pricing and/or selloffs as staying at the Ensenachos would clearly be unlike any prior Cuban (or other, come to think of it) hotel experience we’ve ever had.
Derek
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