Cuba's resort's beaches are world class, but other amenities aren't

Cuba's resort's beaches are world class, but other amenities aren't

April 21, 2013 12:19 am

By John and Sandra Nowlan



"Is Wi-Fi available in our rooms?" We thought it was a reasonable

question since wireless Internet access is common in resorts and hotels

worldwide.



The manager laughed and replied, "Sorry. The government doesn't allow

it. Local residents might pick up the signal."



Such is life at resorts in Cuba, still suffering from the U.S. embargo

with the Castro government exerting major influence on commercial and

private activities. That's despite the recent easing on U.S. travel by

the Obama administration.



Still the sunny, friendly island circled with numerous outstanding

beaches attracts almost 3 million tourists annually, mainly from Canada,

Britain, Germany and Spain. Those few Americans who do visit the

numerous resorts usually travel via Canada or Mexico (passports are not

stamped).



Our visit to Cuba in February was our fourth to this Caribbean country,

and we opted to stay at a resort listed as five-star, as rated by Air

Canada Vacations and other tour operators.



The all-inclusive Paradisus Rio de Oro Resort & Spa is an hour's drive

north of Frank Pias International Airport in Holguin -- on the opposite

end of the island from Havana. The secluded Spanish-owned property is

situated on a lovely, coral sand beach adjacent to Bahia de Naranjo

Natural Park. The low-rise buildings with 354 rooms are spread over many

well-maintained acres and include a variety of restaurants and

recreational activities. (Our cost was $1,500 per person for seven days,

although that covered airfare, resort transfer, accommodation, meals,

entertainment and drinks; resorts rated a fewer stars cost a bit less.)



The Royal Service section of the resort -- the newest and more expensive

part -- is just 2 years old and is in its own park-like setting, with

excellent accommodations and butler service. One other resort shares the

mile-long Playa Esmeralda, facing some of the clearest, cleanest salt

water we've ever seen. About half the beach has coral outcropping near

the waterline but that allows some spectacular snorkeling.



The guests at the Paradisus seemed to be a mix of first-timers and Cuban

travel veterans. John Child and his wife from Cardiff, Wales, are

typical of the latter. "This is our third visit here," they told us.

"It's the best in Cuba. The weather is usually good, and the staff is

excellent. The food, especially the lobster, is really good, but the

rooms are getting tired and need upgrading."



First-timers Nigel and Diane Cook from the Isle of Wight (located in the

English Channel) came to the Caribbean to experience Cuban culture. They

soon realized that a five-star resort experience is not quite the same

as elsewhere. "You accept that the deficiencies are Cuban, and that's

how it is," they said. "If you're comparing it with a five-star

experience in other countries, you'll be disappointed. This is

Cuban-style five-star."



Like the Cooks, we accepted the Cuban experience at face value because

we enjoyed the secluded environment, the quiet pace of the adults-only

property, and the chance to visit local markets (with very cheap rum)

and photograph the fascinating array of '50s Fords and Chevys.



Some deficiencies are government-imposed, such as the poor-quality

Chinese rental scooters outside the main building (we were told that

most were broken). Fresh fish must be bought through a government agent

(not directly from local fishermen) so quality and freshness suffer. The

rum is excellent but the cola is locally produced and well below Coke or

Pepsi standards.



The resort ran out of drinking straws some weeks ago and butter was

unavailable while we were there, even in the better restaurants.



The resort still needs to improve in several ways. Even with a late

arrival our room wasn't ready when we registered. The mini-fridge was

empty and warm, the tissue holder was empty and bathroom floor was quite

dirty. We tried room service at noon one day; while the delivery was

fast, there was no salt, pepper, ketchup or vinegar for the french fries

and the rest of the lunch was not appetizing.



Food in the restaurants varies greatly in quality. The Caribbean lobster

tail is fine and the Japanese restaurant serves excellent sushi, chicken

and shrimp. But the beef is tough, a problem we found throughout the

property. Even at the exclusive Royal Service restaurant (with its

fine-dining atmosphere and attentive service), the pork was far from

tender. Most complimentary house wines at the four specialty restaurants

come from Chile and are excellent.



To its credit, the Paradisus Rio de Oro does get high marks on several

fronts. Our room had an outdoor shower, enclosed for privacy, with

plenty of hot water. The cable TV included news channels from the United

States, Canada and Britain. The entertainment each evening was, as

expected, of high quality (the best performers must stay on the island

rather than head for Broadway or Las Vegas), and the fitness center was

well equipped with top-grade Italian equipment. The helpful fitness

director, Felix, was a former coach of the Cuban national gymnastics team.



A young Canadian couple, Mark and Kristin Beauregard of Vancouver, have

done a lot of Third World travel and appreciated the seclusion of the

Paradisus.



"A lot of Cuban resorts are on a strip of high-rise hotels," they told

us. "This is much more natural and the main reason we're here."



But Harold Degroot and his wife Linda from Napanee, Ontario, were

disappointed.



"We were told this is the only really good place to go in Cuba," he

said. "It's decent but doesn't live up to the hype. The furnishings are

getting run-down, and the food is nothing special. We're disappointed."



John and Sandra Nowlan are travel and food writers based in Nova Scotia.

They flew directly to Holguin, Cuba, from Halifax.

First Published April 21, 2013 12:00 am



http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/life/travel/cubas-resorts-beaches-are-world-class-but-other-amenities-arent-684396/