We will bring coin to Cuba and what we do is tip with the coin and in the evening we keep a ten and twenty with us so we can exchange there loonies and toonies for then and they can take the bills to the bank it works out well for both us and them
@@Fyyt the logic is that you can tip more people and show gratitude. At the end of the day, the staffers pool their tips and trade them for bills. It’s something a lot of Canadian resorters do. Otherwise fives are the smallest bill denominations so you have to tip less often, or buy American money which costs a fortune in Canadian currency. We’re just doing our best.🥰
I am looking at all the different resorts in Cuba for an upcoming vacation and it’s so overwhelming but this was an amazing video. The best review I have watched on RU-vid! Honest with no sugar coating. Thank you!!
I am from the town of caibarien, left to the USA in 1980, I used to take a boat on weekends and go fishing on that spot, there were no hotels built yet, it was paradise on earth, greetings from Boston USA
I presented from September 17 to 23 for a 4th visit. it was incredibly peaceful! the beach was much more beautiful. no algae and we missed nothing. very good summary!
Great review and tips ! I am going to Varadero next week and will be bringing US dollar bills for tips. Can’t wait to go back and enjoy the beautiful beach and Cuban hospitality ! 🏖️😎
This is the best review on youtube! Thanks so much for this! I’m going at the end of April and I’m so excited to go relax for a bit. People can say whatever they want about Cuba but it looks like a great time regardless of its cons.
Oh darn I just went & got $30 in toonies because my sister in law travels to Cuba ALOT & said it’s not a problem & recommended I do that. Enjoyed your videos.
Definitely don’t bring them - it causes them a ton of hardship, as convenient as it may be. You’re better off getting American $1 bills if you’re looking for money for occasional tips. But having seen the drama and frustration the coins create, I’d advise against it! I brought back almost $200 in coins that I exchanged for cash, just to help them out.
Hi Dave - thanks for the review. I have stayed at 10+ hotels in Cayo Santa Maria over the years. This hotel was probably the least favourable. For the first time in 20 years I experienced towel theft. I think the food was a bit above, and the beautiful cigar bar (best kept secret) made my stay a little special. Another perk is the independent walk up grill restaurant by the pools, which you do have to reserve at the restaurant itself in advance for lunch, and there may be a line up, but it’s worth the wait. You can get lobster (when available) priced at market. I’m not sure why booking agents rate it so highly, 4 star maybe, but not 4.5 IMO. I highly recommend Melia hotels on this Cayo.
I will definitely check out the Melia next time - though, I had a few fellow travellers share with me that they were also hugely impacted by the shortages in Cuba. Some of the folks on my tour reported that the Melia ran out of beer, that the buffet was scarce, and that it was a disappointment. I hope that it improves (and that it improves for all resorts). I would definitely visit the Playa Cayo Santa Maria again as it wasn't a terrible experience, but as you said, by no means "4.5 stars". Thank you for sharing your experiences and advice as well!
I bring both American and Canadian money for tips. Just make sure the bills are nice and crisp so the banks don't reject them. It won't be hard to find coins once you arrive on the resort. August and September is the low season because it's so hot, even for the locals .. January is busy and the resort is lively with over 1000 people on site. Don't miss Raul in the mojito bar or the great bartenders in the cigar lounge..
They were fine when I was there in late September, but I can't speak about other months. I didn't have to use any insect repellant during my visit, and didn't notice any flying around.
Thank you so much for your reply We will be travelling to sanctuary Grand memories, Santa maria at the end of October. Hope the weather will be on our side. You have a wonderful day and again thank you
$1 USD banknote to whoever you feel gave exceptional service. I don’t tip if they’re rude or ambivalent. It really depends - I’d suggest taking $50 USD in ones. But whatever you do, don’t give loonies / toonies as they are useless to them in Cuba and can’t be exchanged for local currency.
Hi, thinking of bringing my DJI mini drone (the one that's the exact amount of grams to bring on the plane or whatever) to Cuba. Do you think it's a good idea or could it get confiscated??
Drones are not allowed into Cuba under any circumstances. You’re welcome to bring it and it will be stored at the airport for the duration of your stay, so not much point, unless you’re on a longer trip and need it for other countries. The drone footage you see in this video is stock footage that was filmed by a local, not my drone 👍
Totally fair. Part of being a content creator is wrestling with unexpected technical errors that are realized long after you've left the resort. I made the decision to include the poor audio because the information itself was too valuable to not include. But, in retrospect, I probably should have done a voiceover. Live and learn. Thanks for watching 😎
They had the exact same deal just last month. Keep your eye on Redtag.ca for packages from Toronto. 7 day package vacations can easily be found for $400-600 per person on select dates.
Just came back from this same resort and I agreed with your assessment with the resort and the food. Although it's rated 4.5/5, I would give it a solid 3/5. Beach was definitely scenic, but I did find it a little too rocky for our liking. Staff were friendly enough and the shows in the evening were excellent. The entertainment in the lobby was also quite good and the local performers put on a great show! Food was a hit or miss... Breakfast was quite good with the omelettes and other items, but there seemed to be an overall lack of fruit. Dinner was ok, although their pizza was decent. Resort can use a facelift and some overall maintenance. Our first room was definitely not up to specs and had a strong mouldy smell and the hotel allowed us to switch rooms the very next day. In the regards, the service was excellent. Pools were excellent, although we spent most of our time by the beach.
Thanks for sharing your experiences as well! I hope you enjoyed your stay - Cuban resorts are definitely lacking, but I’m glad you enjoyed your time nevertheless 😎
Paople say : How much money is how much music. For $469 CAN you can NOT ask for more , however I can not understand that some 4.5 stars resorts in Cuba asking for Cristmass Holydays of 2023 (7 days) , $ 3800 or even more for two people . That is apsolutly crazy . I didn't pay that much for Dominican 2 years ago.
I definitely got my money's worth for the $469 CAD ($350 USD) that I paid. That also included airfare, but it would have been worth paying for the resort on its own. The quality really wasn't that bad, and the service was pretty amazing. I just returned from an all-inclusive stay in the Dominican Republic and I found it to be better in some days (food) but worse in others (service).
