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RIU Turquesa 12/31/02
Reviewers Rating:  Great
We stayed at this resort from December 23 - 30, 2002. Rooms: Basic and generally clean. Some small ants were in our room. This is related to the climate, not a lack of cleanliness. We were given a bottle of "Raid" to deal with this minor problem. You will not spend any time in your room anyway. The resort is nicely spread out, but, no matter where your room is located you will not have to walk far to get to the restaurant, pool, bars or beach. Service: Excellent! The Cubans are among the most friendliest we have ever encountered in the world and we have traveled extensively. Be sure to tip them when it is deserved. A US dollar is not much to us, but huge to them. Beach: Superb! Among the best we have seen and we have been to Greece, Spain, Florida, etc. The sand is incredible and the water is very warm and crystal clear. However, if the waves are rough the resort will put up a red flag and will not allow you to swim in the water. This is really for your own safety and all the resorts around did the same thing. There are ample parasols on the baach, however, some *#$&^ people reserve them with their towels ALL day long. We simply recommend to toss their towels aside and take up residence in these spots. After all possession is 9/10 of the law... Food: Decent. You will certainly find something to eat as there is a good variety. For the less adventerous Canadian you will be pleased to find pizza, french fries, hot dogs. There is also a good selection of meats like veal, pork, chicken and fish. There is a great salad bar (the vinagrette dressing tastes similar to Kraft's Italian dressing). There is a pasta bar where you can choose your ingredients and have them cooked up while you wait. The cubans do breakfast very well...the omelette is fantastic! Drinks: Awesome! Pina Coladas, Daquiris (mango, strawberry), and the Rum Punch all are good "chick" drinks usually served with big chunks of fruit on the rim. The bar, "El Mojitio" located in the lobby also has Canadian Club whiskey...it is in the back and you have to ask for it though. Cigars: UUUUMMMMMMMMM. But, don't buy them at the Turquesa...they rip you off big time! A box (25 cigars) of Montecristo No. 4 at the Turquesa were $95 USD. In Varadero and at the airport the exact same box was $72.50 USD. A single Montecristo No. 4 was $5.00 USD at the Turquesa and $2.90 at the airport. You can buy blackmarket cigars, but, if you don't know your stuff when it comes to cigars you may get ripped off. Other Information: Bring a few small packages of kleenex since some bathrooms (like the airport) do not have toilet paper. Bring face cloths as they are not provided at the RIU Turquesa. Bring any medication you may need to deal with your overindulgences (like tums, advil, immodium, gravol, etc.) Buy your duty free at the Varadero airport if you are no too worried about specific brands. However, we bought at 40 oz. of Stoli vodka for $5.10 USD and a bottle to cuban chocolate liquor for $3.00 USD. Cheap. Bring sunscreen, aloe gel if you burn, a chapstick with sun block, shampoo, conditioner and soap (they do not provide adequate suplies of the last three items in your room). This was our first trip to Cuba and we will definately go back. You will have a great time if you stay at this resort! However, remember this is a developing, communist country. If you are looking for North American standards, don't leave North America! Cheers!
Krista and Peter Wiebe
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