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We read all of the reviews on this hotel before going and in retrospect, there is a lot of truth in all of them. Everyone has a little different trip based on their personality. For us the experience was wonderful, the weather superb, the food was great, the rooms were OK, the pool is super and the beach was great. No one should be worried about a vacation here.
Being the first trip to Cuba, I didn't know what to expect but we found the warmth of the Cuban people to be beyond expectations. If you can, take a phrase book with you or take some spanish lessons before going, as not all of the staff speak English perfectly. Being respectful and interested in their language / customs and the things that they can teach you will make a great difference in your trip.
We went out one night at 11 pm to the cultural center 'Mar Verde' which is several minutes walk along the main road from the resort . We were shown some dance steps by some of the dance troupe that trains there. They invited us back the next day for lessons. That became part of our routine. Lessons from 5-6 pm and dancing and watching the dance choreography from 11 to 2 am. It was the most memorable part of our trip, learning dance and laughing at our two left feet in comparison to our teachers. Our thanks to Carlos and his group of dance enthusiasts. You could see the love of dance in this group.
Although I don't have the experience to compare against other locations in Cuba and other countries in the Caribean, I believe that Santa Lucia is on a human scale with only 4 tourist hotels in town. The Club Amigo Mayanabo has great staff such as Osmany, Felix, Nelcida, Rosa, Lina, Enriques, and the 'animacion' group too numerous to mention, etc.... thanks to you all.Can one really understand the life of the average Cuban from living at the resort? No, I don't think so. You get glimpses of it from time to time but not speaking spanish is a handicap to understanding. I try not to make a rush to judgement for or against the Cuban system without knowing more of the facts. I do wish for all Cubans a greater prosperity and a chance for personal development. If tourist dollars help the Cuban people, then that is a good thing.have a great trip! Roy
Thanks to Roy (Moncton, NB, Canada) for this trip report ...
April 2004
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