Where I don’t cover something (as with a description of the beach or the wonderful bathrooms) it’s because I have already done so and not much has changed.
Speaking of the beach, the clothing-optional section is still in operation. An unusual and much-appreciated option!
A general comment first: this spot is our current favourite. After 15+ years and 30+ trips to Cuba, most to the Jardines del Rey region, we find our ‘fave’ changes every few years for a variety of reasons (sometimes nothing to do with the resort itself, just our need for a change). But we have walked away from places that have deteriorated, so we’re not mindlessly attached to any particular resort.
Now some slightly more focused comments…but not very.
STAFF
The staff, as always, are great. No need to expand on that for those who have been to any Cuban resort, so I won’t. I’d just like to single out for special mention Elsa, the bartender (off Weds.) at La Picua, the beach grill. Great pina coladas from scratch, and it’s nice to see somebody about my age working a resort. Young is energetic perhaps, but a little older is better to talk to. Or should I say it's easier to talk when one isn't possessed by a perceived need to suck up one's gut???
Eli, the former bartender at the Cuban Club has been (temporarily) demoted to bussing at the buffet restaurant. Rumour has it the weekly ‘salute/goodbye’ parties he used to host got a little out of hand (in a nice way…they just ran late etc.). Too bad as they were a hoot. His parrots are safe and sound and awaiting their return from his home.
The Sunquest/Alba rep is Jose Carlos. He was our rep when we traveled here via Air Canada Vacations a couple of years ago. Always helpful, a great fixer, and he used to be staff at the Sol, so he knows it inside and out. Happy to arrange things well beyond his job description too, so use him for car rentals etc.
A RANT
I always say this and wish I didn’t have to: I’m continually amazed by the number of people who don’t tip (‘gifts’ or cash). Even just a little something at the end of a visit. And from the reaction to the odd baseball cap or toothpaste I would say the gardeners and maintenance staff hardly ever see a thing.
Soap, toothpaste and even things like insulated coffee mugs got big responses this year. Pens were also popular.
THE RESORT
The resort has received two face-lifts of differing kinds since we were last there.
First is a minor bit of painting, re-decorating etc. A freshening. Nothing major, but the place looks new after 5 years in service, so a good thing all around. The most major change is the addition of more roller windscreens here and there.
The nice thing about the age of the place is that the vegetation is mature. The place feels cozier than it did. There’s so much veg around it’s almost as if you’re out in the country rather than walking between buildings.
Second is an upgrade to the service. Not that it was ever bad, but you’ll notice, if you’ve been before, more formal presentations of food and drink, fancier dress for the serving staff, better and new linen on the tables, that kind of thing. More notes and fancier towel sculptures from the room cleaners. Grounds keeping that looks like former manicurists are doing it.
The food is a tad fancier at the a la carte restaurants as well, and the presentation has been upgraded a bit too I think. We’re not fans of Cuban food (too bland) so we only ate at the Creole place twice in two weeks.
We much preferred La Fontanella (due for a name change we understand). It’s no longer Italian, but now international. Very nice food indeed. And when not full happy to accept walk-in guests.
The staff there, especially Ramon the Captain, were wonderful. They arranged, on very short notice, a special birthday dinner for both halves of one of the couples we were traveling with. Much fun.
If there’s a problem with La Fontanella it’s that the staff will bring a second helping of cheesecake if asked…
An upgraded wine list is available, though you will be asked to sign for an extra charge to your room. Ditto certain premiums brands of booze (Moet&Chandon, single-malts of various kinds etc.) at both the restaurants and at the lobby bar.
The beach grill was great. They use a real BBQ so there’s none of the greasy fried stuff we’ve started to see at some resorts.
The Cuban Club now serves single-serving pizza along with the usual burgers etc. (which we didn’t try). They rank up there with endless cheesecake as a good bad idea, if you get my drift.
The bars now have both Cristal (a standard) and Buccanero (my fave) on tap. Down with Carribeano!!!
The evening shows - Readers of my previous reviews and comments on Geri’s reviews (dare I call you our readers??? Ahh…a little ego goes a long, long way…) will know I am not a fan of the evening shows. I’d rather read, talk, drink, walk or swim at night. And on those occasions when I feel like tripping the light fantastic, the disco doesn’t open until the show is done and by then age and sunstroke have overtaken me and I am usually abed.
But I must say that with the exception of one silly attempt at juvenile ‘relationship’ quizzes for audience participants, that kind of thing, all vaguely off-colour and embarrassing more than funny, they were much improved over past efforts.
Stick to the song and dance routines; forget the attempts at titillation would be my advice.
On the other hand, many seemed to enjoy it, so who am I to say?
Oops. I had forgotten: I am right, they are wrong. Away with the tasteless titillation, in with another evening of music and dance…or mebbe a night off with an early disco opening???
Actually, the latter not a bad idea. 'Disco for Foggies' night or some such thing. Understandably the dancers need an evening or two a week off...a chance for Grandpa Derek to pogo like he usta...
The same musicians who performed in the evenings also cruised the restaurants in the evening. Very nice, and discrete, as always.
The buffet - We ate breakfast at the buffet and it was as always, with the upgraded service etc. mentioned above thrown in.
Dinner there once or twice, usually after a snorkeling day. Service noticeably and pleasantly more formal. Food improved as well, with a substantial pasta station (replacing the Italian menu at La Fontanella???), a roast meat station with ham one night, roast beef (including rare!!!) another, chickens on a third.
Steak pork chops etc. cooked to order at the grill stations. Deserts? I set a personal record of nine (9) pieces of cheesecake one night. We’d have been happy to eat there more often, but were having too much fun with the staff, more intimate atmosphere at La Fontanella.
Our best buffet review remains that for the Sol CG. But this was fine. The Sol CG had one advantage: proscuitto and smoked salmon at Christmas…
One small note: the ‘mansion’ at the west end of the beach (clothing-optional bit) is now up and running. $360 CUC if booked in Canada, $600 if you walk in looking for 2 bedrooms, dining room for 12, living room with all mod cons, cook and butler, private pool, great views, etc., etc.
That’s per day of course. If you’d like a review, perhaps we could pass the hat and have a Happy Face-off to choose one lucky soul to represent us all for a couple of days.
MINOR BAD NEWS
On the down side, the rooms inexplicably were built and remain without screens on the doors and windows. Regular fogging keeps the mosquitoes down, but it’s hard to sleep with the windows and doors open (though we did). And unpleasant if they’re open in the morning when the fogger zips past upwind of your room. A problem for us one morning as we were on the second floor for the first time (and loved it-the view not the pesticide).
Many guests seem to run their a/c just so they can avoid the mosquitoes. A retrofit might pay for itself in a year or two.
It is a continuing source of wonder to me that with 75% of the guests coming from Canada one can find every news channel there is save one from this country. It’s especially weird to find CNN. All delivered by Bell Expressvu, just to round out the lunacy of it.
If you speak French, you can get RDI headline news on TV5 in the morning around 8am I think. I stumbled on it on our last day (of course) and sat there for 30 minutes just soaking it up…yummy!
All in all, a resort we were happy to spend weeks at has gotten better.
EXCURSIONS
The only excursion we took was the daylong catamaran snorkeling trip. And we took it twice. Need I say more? Many fish of many varieties. Some new to us, especially a small bottom-feeding shark our guide called a ‘cat shark’.
We actually saw so many parrotfish we were quite blasé about them by the end of the first day.
Highly recommended and comes with the usual lobster lunch. Baseball caps much appreciated by the crew.
THAT'S IT
If I’ve missed anything I’ll just have to go back and get the info needed, so don’t hesitate to ask questions…
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"My update to our previous reports is minimal and is mostly about the Melia next door, so here goes...
As we had access to the Melia I used the gym there. I've posted some photos of the gym (and others of the spa etc. to go with Geri's report) on my photoblog at Flickr.com/dblackadder
the best hotel gym I've seen anywhere, bar none. I include in that comparison all the hotels I stay at for work purposes here in Canada.
Some will have noted (passed over might be a better way of describing it!) my complaints about most other resorts gyms. On doctor's orders I started attending gyms regularly some years ago and have found myself addicted. Don't feel up to par anymore unless I get to one at least a few times a week. So gyms are something I notice, even if they aren't the determining factor in a decision to go somewhere in particular.
The new Melia CSM gym has lots of cardio equipment, alll TechnoGym stuff, brand new. Lots of space between the machines. Treadmills, bicycles, rowing machine and two of the best stairclimbers I've ever used.
The weight room has top-of-the-line machines (TechnoGym again). Some of the stuff beats anything I've seen before and very little would be missing if you were to compare it to my YMCA or a commercial health club. And again, lots of space between stations.
And really big windows too, making for a steady breeze.
There's a central courtyard. Washrooms.
Roman bath theme to the place.
Outside there's more of the Roman effect with a statue in a colonnaded seating area.
Some spectacular tennis courts that include a ball launcher, shaded benches and even small bleachers for an audience.
Most unusual feature is the climbing wall. I didn't get a chance to try it out as I never had the time (you must get a safety harness first, get basic instruction), but there will definitely be a note on the experience after our next visit.
Back at the SOL, the only update I have to add is to the effect that all the fish pools have been re-stocked. So whomever visits between now and 3 February, please feed them (grab some bread after breakfast) and pass long my best!
One perennial complaint: there's still no Canadian news channel,
despite the fact that 75% of the guests must be Canadian. If you work
at it you can get the RDI feed to TV5 at 07:00 (as I recall), but that's
it."By Geri - Comments on general entertainment at SOL: (as reply to Justin)
"You will arrive on the Sat if you are going to the Melia and so you will have to wait until the following Friday night to get to go to the beach party at the Sol, but it is good fun and not to be missed. It immediately follows the show and the dancers lead you down to the beach for a big party at the beach Grill and dancing in the sand.
Also be sure to make your way over to the Flamingo bar at the far end of the Sol. It can be a lively place and has a hot tub and serves pizza and fries etc. There have been some good parties there.
have fun and get to know the entertainment staff. They will assure you have a great time and they are always looking to meet up with young people for fun.
Do not miss the volleyball in the pool. It's a hoot and the play will stop while you get a drink or take a sip. And you don't even have to be good."
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