Sol Cayo Santa Maria (Cuba) 2013

Well, as always, a bit later than I had hoped, but here’s our review (mine really, Geri’s comments will follow).  This’ll be short, just a bunch of notes about changes, my comments on things.  Seems a waste of readers’ time for me to re-state things I’ve said (or which others have said better) in prior reports.

Another great travel day outbound.  Getting a hotel room with parking is definitely the way to go for early-morning departures.  For us (100+km east of Toronto) it’s cheaper than a limo or cab, far more convenient than the airport bus, and both cheaper and easier than long-term parking.  If we had a departure later in the day we’d train and then bus it, but for anything requiring us to be at Pearson before 09:00 this is the way to go.  My only cautionary note would be that hotels seem to have and then not have room-with-parking deals, so each trip seems to require that we stay at a different hotel.  Interesting in some ways, but I do wish the Sheraton on Dixon was always offering a special as it was the best all around.  Next to the Sheraton right at Terminal 3 of course.  Though the Holiday Inn (970 Dixon) was closest to the airport (Sheraton Gateway excepted of course) and offers the most frequent shuttle service (15-20 minutes, 24 hours a day).

Best of all waking up at the airport or close to it makes for a reasonable first day.  We arrive ready to go rather than ready to nap.

Though of course what I mean by ‘go’ is ‘go to the beach, get a beer and lie down with a book’.  No marathons or mountain climbing on arrival for us.

The only down side to the trip there was the size of the seats on the Sunwing aircraft.  We got the ‘Elite Plus’ package and so had an additional 10kgs of luggage and priority check-in.  Worth the price.  But we couldn’t help but think it would be nice to have something like Air Transat’s or Air Canada’s semi-business class options.  Bigger seats and a few perks.  Sunwing’s tiny seats a bit of a challenge for anyone XL-sized.  Or anyone having to sit next to such a person.  Dunno what to say to those seated between two large people.  Good luck?

At the Santa Clara end of the trip things went smoothly as well.  The bar expansion is complete.  There’s work being done to expand the ramp (larger or more planes expected???).

The gambio wicket is now outside, easily accessed by all, including arriving passengers.  To your right as you exit the arrivals area with your luggage.

The rooms at the Sol are as always: fine.  I love those bright bathrooms; bright thanks to those huge windows.

They do show some wear.  I think a full reno is still a few years away but it is coming.  There have been some touch-ups (metal railings on stairs and balconies have replaced the wooden for example, and painting is pretty much a continuous job for at least a couple of staff).  But it’s hard to complain about a bit of rust on a bath tub and that sort thing.  While it’s there, the fact is that this was a 4-star hotel when it opened, but always priced and marketed as a 3.5, so it can stand a bit of wear before it’s time to complain too loudly.

One thing was annoying, though it’s over and done with now: there were repairs to the water system happening while we were there.  It meant no hot water in the rooms from about 10 until exactly 5pm each day.  And no water at all overnight.  Not hard to live with, but a notice or warning to that effect would not have gone too far wrong.

This happened on about 5 days I think.  Extra bottled water was provided though.

Speaking of bottles, we had one of rum waiting in our room on arrival.  Nice to know they remember us, keep track.

There was one couple we got to know who had more serious issues with their room.  The a/c never worked properly, which presented problems for them as both had health issues.  A bad week for them as there were no empty rooms to move them to until they were almost ready to return home and even swapping out the a/c unit didn’t fix the problem.

Geri also had a serious problem with the wear-and-tear issue.  Getting out of the pool one day she had one foot go through the plastic grating that surrounds the pools.  Some bruising and scraping.  I took a piece of grate to the Public Relations office and demonstrated how easily broken it was.  They were quite apologetic, we received late checkout (Geri’s idea, they offered fee massages for us both) and the following day the grating was being replaced.

Now (it has been a while since we stayed here) beach and pool bar service when staffing levels allow.  Very nice touch and something  that we used to see only at 5-star joints.

Service was always great, despite the large number of students.  For the first few days they were around the regular staff worked alongside them, so many positions were double-staffed; afterwards no problems other than the odd mixology issue (margarita with an olive turned out to be not bad actually, may try it again).

If you’re thinking of going to the Sol, don’t forget that it is a family resort: a fair number of kids about, especially noticeable at the pool.

No coffee or tea in-room, but the lobby bar a short walk from anywhere on the resort for quite good coffee.  On two days the water had been off overnight and so there was a delay in getting (an admittedly very early) morning coffee until it came back on around 06:30.

No bacon for a couple of days.  Ditto French fries.  Probably just as well as I put on weight despite the shortage.  Two mornings the better smelled a bit off.

Generally we still think that the Sol’s buffet is about the best on CSM.

There was a staff rotation amongst all the bars and restraurants the second week we were there.  Vistually everyone has changed work locations.

We took the Jeep Safari’ tour for the first time.  Was OK, enjoyable.  Bits of it will be more or less a matter of taste.  We enjoyed the nature walk the most.  Geri the lunch stop as lunch was a suckling (or close to) pig and the carver, a very nice woman, was happy to slip Geri all the crackling.

The only bit I think all would not enjoy was the wait the majority of the tour had to sit through while a small number of the group did some horseback riding.  Especially annoying as there were, it turned out, some interesting historical sites nearby we could have visited rather than sitting around beerless for an hour.

We skipped the simulated cockfight.  I’ll spare you my rant on this and such things as swimming with dolphins.  A matter for each conscience I suppose.

In a similar vein, along the road kids and parents stopped to wave at us as our convoy of jeeps went by and some of the tourists were slowing to hand out candy to the kids.  I have to say we find this appalling.  These people are effectively running a begging school for children.

On a lighter note, the fellow driving the jeep in front of ours was in dire need of driving lessons and/or thought the rules of the road didn’t apply to him as a tourist (he managed to stop at exactly one stop sign out of perhaps 20-30).  We nicknamed him F***wit and had a fine time keeping track of his violations.

NOTE: all the vehicles provided had manual transmissions.

Weather was perfect save for one rainy day and one slightly cool (22???) day.  On the rainy day we were able to make use of the umbrella in our room.  On those two days the piano bar was opened as a substitute for the lobby bar.  Quite pleasant.

The lobby bar hops around 0700 as it is the first stop (coffee) for tour guides etc. when they arrive.  Good time to practice your Spanish while waiting for a cappuccino.

Food at the Fontanella good by all accounts.  Buffet mentioned elsewhere.  Cuban closed after a fire.  Almost ready I would say.  Substitute was the pizza restraint operating for dinner.

Pizza and beach grills quite good.

My friends the fish in the pool around the lobby doing well (though might be several generations/fish fries removed from those there in 2003) but the pool around the Fontanella was still empty of water (and fish).

Beach great, as always.  Secluded bits pristine between the nude beach and the Melia Buenavista at the west end of the beach.

The bungalow at the west end of the resort still there and still looking great.  A friend who’s a tour rep tells us it is sued regularly by people wanting to spend a few days in luxury near the end of a week or two at the resorts nearby.  CUC300 per day for double occupancy.  One day...

The return trip was fine, thanks in large part to us opting (as we always do) for the VIP option at the airport.  Even with three outgoing flights we were able to find seats and get great service from the bar staff.  We both had a couple of G&Ts to help us sleep on the flight.  I also had a ham and cheese sandwich, toasted, Geri some bagged snacks.  And of course best of all we had priority check-in: faster even than the Elite Plus line.

Perhaps the most important but difficult-to-word bit to my report is in regard to the ‘feel’ of the place.  Admittedly we’ve been going there for a while (we were on the first flight from Toronto, I think in January 2003), but even allowing for that I think it’s fair to say that the place has a near-unique ‘homey’ feeling to it.  I think it’s largely due to there being a lot of stability amongst the staff.  Over the years a number of taken advantage of promotions and the other advantages of having new resorts open nearby and moved, but a great many have stayed.

That combined with a loyal clientele who keep returning every year gives it a ‘feel’ you don’t find many other places.