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Club Amigo Caracol 02/01/2006
Reviewers Rating:  Great
On January 8th my husband and I left Toronto on Skyservice for two weeks at the Club Amigo Caracol in Santa Lucia, Cuba. The flight was a little late but otherwise we had no complaints.
Arrival: On arrival in Camaguey we filed through immigration quickly to find our luggage already off the belt, all lined up waiting for us. The porters were also waiting inside the airport to take the suitcases to the buses. This is the fastest we have ever made it out of the airport to the bus! The ride to the hotel took 1 1/2 hours but seemed to take forever!
Check-in We were given check-in cards to fill out on the bus so when we arrived at the hotel check-in was fast and painless. There were cold drinks and sandwiches waiting for us as well as dancing and music. The porters were lined up to show us to our rooms and help with the luggage.
Rooms: Our room was down near the ocean. You could see the beach from the windows. We were on the ground level with a small patio off the sitting room with two chairs to sit and people watch. The bedroom had two beds, we pushed them together for a Hollywood king! The furniture was dated but everything was clean and well looked after. We don’t spend a lot of time in our room so as long as its clean, we are happy. The bathroom was quite large with a bathtub and shower. The water pressure was great and the hot water was HOT. The air-conditioner worked really well but as the evenings were cool you didn’t need it that much. There was a small fridge in the room to keep you water cold.
Food: Like everyone says…you don’t go to Cuba for the food. This is true here too. There wasn’t a lot of selection but what was there was good. The pasta bar was great with a few different sauces every night. In the morning there was a chef at the grill to cook your eggs the way you like them or your omelette with all the trimmings. The beach bar serves hamburgers, hot dogs and fries all day, a good choice if you don’t want to leave the beach. The beach grill turns into the a-la-carte restaurant at night. You can have lobster or shrimp at an additional cost. The lobster was large and cooked very well but the shrimp was not worth the money, 5 shrimp on a skewer for 6 pesos. There is an espresso bar off of the lobby but it doesn’t open until 9:30. This was too bad, as it would be nice to have an early morning cup of java to start the day.
Beach: The beach is beautiful, great for early morning walks to get the perfect sunrise picture! There is coral just off shore that is a little hard on the feet but after that it is sand again. There is some sea grass further out, I’m a bit of a baby, as I like to have the nice soft sand, no grass. The water doesn’t get deep fast so it is good for kids and those of us who like to bob. The beach is raked everyday by a tractor to get rid of the sea weed that has washed up on the beach over night. Goggles, fins, masks, windsurfers and catamarans are all available on the beach. We took the catamaran out to the reef where the driver dove in to bring up a star fish for us to see. There are plenty of shade huts and chairs.
Bikes: The hotel had just gotten new bikes so the guys took a bike trip to Coco Beach about 8km from the hotel…mostly dirt roads. They said the bikes worked well and really enjoyed their day.
Pool: The pool is very small but it was never a problem as I seemed to be the only one ever in it. Most use it to go to swim to the bar! There were a few volley ball and water polo games and the aqua gym was fun. The kids pool is off the main pool. It is a square shallow pool more suited for toddlers, I could see how the older ones would get bored.
Staff: The staff at this hotel are what makes it so special. They go out of their way to include everyone. They are there early in the morning to late at night and never seem to lag. We never met a cranky one in the whole two weeks. The evening shows were not Broadway shows but we all enjoyed their efforts.
Trips: We took a cab into Camaguey..what a great day! Our cab driver’s name was Rene. He came to the hotel the day before to go over what we wanted to do and see on our trip. First stop was the violin/guitar workshop. The workers said they finish one instrument a day. There are 6 or 8 of them working there with very old..tried and true, tools. Not an electric one in the place! They pointed out that the main wood they use was maple imported from Canada. Next stop was a terra cotta pottery place. This was a family run business where they make the distinctive pots you see all over Camaguey. Every tour has to have a church! We were introduced to our guide who took us all through the church even to the catacombs and tunnels under it. The thing we couldn’t get over was the antiques. We were handed alter pieces and other articles to look at that were dated 1902 etc. History in your hands not roped off! Lunch was at a private home…incredible meal! No city tour is complete without a bicycle cab ride. For one hour we rode around the small streets and alleys looking at the houses, theatres and markets. Got a beautiful woven beach bag for 2 pesos. Had to stop at a rum factory! No automation at this one…someone fills the bottle, someone puts the cork in, someone bangs the cork in with a rubber mallet and someone glues the label on. Hey, it works! After a long day we headed back to the hotel. If you want a great Camagauey tour call Rene or ask his son Sanchez..chef at the beach grill. You are on the meter with his cab so this is a legitimate tour. The van holds 6 people comfortably.
Conclusion: Yes this is finally coming to an end! The weather wasn’t the greatest and the hotel wasn’t the fanciest but this was one of the best vacations we’ve had. We would go back to the Club Amigo Caracol in a second!
Deb and Gary
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