|
Sol Club Rio de Luna 04/01/02
Reviewers Rating:  Great
The property: all the public areas ñ including lobby, pool area, bars and restaurants - are attractive and well-maintained. We never had a problem getting lounge chairs/shade by the pool. It would have been nice if the childrenís pool had some type of covering to help provide more shade. Pool at Mares has a swim-up bar. Two blocks of rooms were closed for renovation while we were there, but we were never bothered by construction noise, mess, etc. The beach: beautiful, stunning, gorgeousÖ.I could go on and on. Wide, long, white sand beach with no seaweed that we every saw and very few rocky patches. Sandy bottom and great for kids to wade in. Clear, clean water and lots of shade from both palm trees and palapas. Again, we never had any problems with getting lounge chairs/shade. Restaurants/Food: Two buffet restaurants (one at each resort) opened for breakfast and dinner ñ Rio de Mares buffet was also opened at lunch. Mares buffet restaurant had open-air seating if you wanted to eat outside, and had a slightly greater selection (not much though) Two beach grills (one at each resort) opened for lunch with a variety of items, including hamburgers, hot dogs, pasta, grilled fish and meat. Again the Mares beach grill had a slightly better selection. Two other restaurants (one at each resort) opened for lunch with a similar menu to the beach grills, but also included pizza, calzone, etc. Three a la carte restaurants for dinner ñ Mediterranean, Italian and Mexican. Dinner reservations at the a la carte restaurants had to be made between 3-5pm at the restaurant itself. We had no problem booking all three during our stay, but seating is limited and they can fill up quickly. Overall the food was good for Cuba ñ as noted in many other posts, you shouldnít expect gourmet cuisine. We and the kids never had a problem finding things to eat at each meal. Quality at the a la cartes was somewhat better, but not significantly. Great omelet station at breakfast ñ try it with ajo (garlic). Grilled fish was always good. Try the crepe station at the dinner buffet with flambeed bananas and fruit ñ delicious! Activities/Entertainment: With two small kids, we didnít take advantage of the watersports, snorkelling, etc. They had a different show each night at 9:45 and we caught two ñ one featuring Latin music and dance numbers and one with a water ballet/dance in the pool ñ and enjoyed both. While we were there, all the shows were held at the Mares. Excursions: We went on the ìswimming with the dolphinsî excursion. This included about ‡ hour to 45 minutes in the water with the dolphins, a sea lion show and a dolphin show. The whole family really enjoyed it. This was about $65USD for the adults. Thereís a stable across the street from the hotel where you can go riding for about $4USD/hour, which included a guide that will take you on a 45 minute or so tour of the surrounding area including a trip to a small, secluded beach. My husband and son went and really enjoyed it. We went one morning to Guardalavaca, the nearest town. You can go by cab, shuttle (which makes a circuit of the hotels and the town) or by horse-drawn buggy. We took the buggy trip (about 15 minutes each way) which cost us $12USD return and made a nice outing for the kids. Not a whole lot in Guardalavaca itself ñ the beach is nice, but I thought the one at the hotel was nicer. Thereís an open air market with souvenirs (leather work, wood carving, sculptures, T-shirts, etc). Kids Club/Activities: Opened from 10-12 and 3-5pm. There was a cabana on the beach with some toys, dolls, paints, playdough. They also organized out-trips to go horseback riding, to the zoo, etc. Officially our kids were too young to attend, but when the kidsí area was staffed (i.e. when they werenít on an out-trip) the counselor was always willing to play with the kids and encouraged us to make use of the toys, etc. even when the club was closed. We thought of the kids club more as a short-term babysitter rather than something that would keep kids occupied the full day. Because our kids were small, we always stayed close by the kids club while they were there, but it did provide them with a diversion. They also have a playground area with climbers/slides near the Mares beach grill that the kids really enjoyed. Staff/Service: Staff warm, friendly and helpful. Very appreciative of small tips (e.g. $1 USD for the maid, waitress). Service at the a la carte restaurants and beach grills was slow by North American standards, so donít expect to be in-and-out in half an hour. Front desk staff very helpful. We asked to change our room assignment and were accommodated the next day. As noted in many other posts, we found the people to be genuinely friendly and welcoming. They would often take the time to talk to the kids and were very considerate in asking if we needed/wanted anything in particular for them. Rooms: The only thing I would complain about were the rooms themselves ñ they were definitely tired and in need of updating. The linoleum flooring needed to be replaced, and the bathroom fixtures were chipped/stained. Everything was very clean, but it could really benefit from renovation. Size of the rooms and the amenities (mini-fridge, etc.) were good, though number of satellite TV channel was limited by North American standards. In-room safe available for $2/day USD. Other: Strongly suggest you bring mosquito repellent. We used it every night and were rarely bothered by bites, even though we ate outside and walked around/saw shows each night. For some reason, the mosquitos seem particularly bad in the Luna lobby/lobby bar area ñ we saw a few people who hung around there get badly bitten. We really enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere, friendly staff and beautiful beach. Having access to both properties helped provide some variety.
Rosie Principe
| 
