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Paradisus Rio de Oro 06/28/2004
Reviewers Rating:  Excellent
I spent one week at the Paradisus Rio de Oro (June 4-11, 2004), after spending the first week of my vacation at the Sol Rio de Luna y Mares (see separate review). It was my 10th trip to Cuba, my 4th time in the region of Guardalavaca (Holguin). I booked with Sell Off Vacations (thank you Angela and Charles!), the tour operator was Signature Vacations. I flew with Skyservice.
Reception desk: Since I was transferring from the resort next door, I was the only one checking in at that time. I arrived at the hotel by cab around 11:45 a.m. The porter directed me right away to a desk located at the right of the lobby entrance, where Tamara was expecting me. She made my check-in an absolute breeze and pleasure. My room was ready, and it was exactly what I had requested: a corner room on the 2nd floor. Tamara was just so friendly and professional, being welcomed by her was a great way to start the week. I was given a color leaflet providing very useful information (activities, guest services, opening hours of the bars and restaurants), as well as a map of the resort. My Signature rep (the wonderful Waldermar) had left a sheet for me with the date and time of my briefing, and Tamara told me that my reservations for the à-la-carte restaurants were being done for me and that she would call me when the tickets were ready. Before going to my room, I asked to meet with Hortensia, the lady in reservations who had granted my room request. She was just lovely, as was Julay, another young lady who worked at the reception desk. In fact, the Rio de Oro probably has the most professional, polite and friendly front desk staff I have ever had the good fortune to meet in Cuba. It was a pleasure being assisted by them throughout the week, be it for general info, or to get change. The following week, check-out was very early (the bus came to pick us up at 7:10!), so I paid my room charges the previous evening. If your bus to the airport is scheduled to leave before the buffet restaurant opens, you can reserve a breakfast at the front desk the day before, and they will have a plate for you at the lobby bar the next morning. Nothing exciting (toast, jam, an egg and a couple of slices of ham and cheese), but with a great "café con leche", it’s much better than beginning a day of travel on an empty stomach!
Lobby: This lobby deserves its own paragraph in this review, it is just so beautiful! When you arrive, the reception desk is to the left, and in the center there is a pond and pretty landscaping, with sculptures in front and open sky above. Along the right side is the fun pub/disco, the internet centre and then the lobby bar. There are many sitting areas (chairs and tables) along the right side of the lobby and all around the lobby bar. In front of the lobby bar is the stage area, also with plenty of chairs and tables, and just to the left of the stage area there is a covered pathway leading to the resort, flanked by couches, seats and tables, where you can lounge around during the day and from where you can watch the shows at night. On the left side of the lobby is the reception desk, a bit further (down a couple of steps) is one of the à-la-carte restaurants, El Patio, followed by the public relations desk, located in front of a beautiful mural. Past the p.r. desk you can turn left to go to the buffet restaurant, continue straight ahead along the covered pathway mentioned above, or turn right to walk past to lobby bar and go to the Mediterranean or the Japanese restaurant. There are also washrooms in the lobby (near the buffet restaurant and behind the lobby bar), and they are very clean.
People who have been there will no doubt understand exactly what I’m trying to convey, and I hope my words are sufficient to describe it all to people who have not yet seen it. It really is a beautiful lobby, wide, airy, with beautiful murals, plenty of seating, and where you don’t feel crowded even when the resort is full (which it was when I was there).
Room 3818: What a gorgeous room! As requested, it was a corner room on the 2nd floor of a bungalow located on the West side of the resort, about half-way between the lobby and the pool, near a path that led directly to the beach. There was a dressing area to the right of the entrance, with a sink and wide counter, as well as a closet with mirror doors. The bathroom was just past the dressing area, and had a toilet, a bidet, a full bath and shower, a phone and a window. The tub was narrow but very high, which made for a great place to have a bubble bath! There were 2 bath towels in the bathroom, 2 large hand towels and 1 small hand towels near the sink. The beach towels are left on shelves underneath the sink. There is also a hair dryer (a decent one, from the looks of it!), as well as kleenex, soaps, bath gel, shower cap and shampoo. In the closet are the iron and ironing board, 2 sections to hang clothing, 2 small drawers and the safe (operated with the room card). The room had a king size bed (very comfortable) with 2 end tables (with drawers) flanking it and a window on 1 side. There was a wide bench for the suitcase with a shelf underneath for shoes, and the living room area is 2 steps down from the bed area. Just beside the stairs, dividing the 2 levels, is a very comfortable bench/chaise, and in the living room there are 2 comfortable wicker chairs, a coffee table, and a large desk which hides the mini-fridge. The TV is set up on the desk, on a platform that turns to enable you to watch from the living room or from the bed – very convenient! It offers over 20 channels, I only “watched” the Latin music channel (no videos, just music). The mini-fridge is stocked and re-filled daily with bottled water (natural and sparkling), 2 colas and 2 beers. There is also a patio with 2 chairs and a table. The room card was required to turn on the lights, but the A/C worked without the card, as did the fridge and the TV. The A/C was not working properly the first couple of days, not only in my room but throughout most of the resort, and employees were working night and day to fix it (I think a main pipe broke). Once it was fixed, the A/C worked very well, and I kept it on “low” most of the time. There was a card to leave on the pillow if you didn’t want to have your sheets changed, and if you wanted your towels changed, you simply left them on the floor. No fancy towel design with clean towels though, they were simply left on the rack in the bathroom or in the dressing area. My father and his girlfriend stayed in a superior suite across from my bungalow, and their room was almost identical, save for the canopy above the bed, the outdoors shower and the patio with hammocks in the back. Their suite had an amazing view of the surrounding hills, but the lower ceiling made it seem (to me anyway!) smaller and darker than my 2nd floor room with its high ceiling and side windows.
Room service: The room service menu offers cold and hot meals, as well as beverages (including wine and beer) and it is part of the all-inclusive. Very convenient! I didn’t order anything, but I was glad the option was there, especially if my flight had been later in the day and I had wanted a good meal before leaving.
Restaurants: There are 3 open during the day, the buffet (all meals), the pool restaurant (lunch only) and the beach restaurant (lunch only), as well as 4 à-la-carte restaurants open for dinner only: International, Cuban, Japanese and Mediterranean. They are located in or near the lobby. You can go to all 4 during your week, just go to the p.r. desk between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to make your reservations.
The buffet restaurant, «La Ceiba», was the best buffet I have seen in Cuba, for the beauty of the restaurant itself, for the service, and for the quality and variety of food it offered. There was always some staff at the entrance to greet the guests and to lead them to a table. Once seated, service was both friendly and impeccable: beverages were refilled promptly and used dishes were taken away quickly. And the food… Yummy! The breakfast offerings were plentiful, including freshly baked goodies (bread, croissants, pastries), freshly-squeezed orange juice, fresh fruits, omelets, cheeses, cold cuts, eggs, etc. Dinner also offered plenty to choose from, including lots of veggies (cold and hot), grilled meats, pasta, more freshly-baked goodies, smoked salmon that had to be replenished very 15 minutes (!), fish, seafood, cheeses, cold cuts, marinades, salads, and a choice of fruits, pastries or flambéed desserts to end the meal. Everything I tasted was delicious. I’m glad I wasn’t there for 2 weeks, I would have gained so much weight!
Pool Restaurant “La Laguna”: Open for lunch from 12:30 to 3:00 p.m. (salads, sandwiches, pasta and pizza, including a very good vegetarian pizza!). Airy, spacious, and with a beautiful view of either the pool area or the resort with surrounding hills in the background. This was my favorite place for lunch, partly because the food was very good, and also because I found the atmosphere very pleasant, and the entire staff was just so friendly and professional.
Beach Restaurant “Ranchon Santa Maria”: The best thing about this restaurant located right on the beach was, of course, the view! But the food was also very good (sandwiches, burgers, fish, grilled meat, fresh fruit and delicious ice cream among the good stuff on the menu), and service was just great. I ate there 3 times, I tried the pork chops (delicious but huge serving: 3 of them on the plate!), grilled chicken breast (same comment as the pork chops) and the vegetarian sandwich – all good!
For dinner, I tried 3 of the 4 à-la-carte, and the Japanese restaurant, “Tsuru”, was certainly the most fun! We ate very well and I was very happy that they served saké (my favorite beverage when I eat Asian food!). Our chef prepared the meal on the grill in front of us with much flair and gusto, and he was very entertaining! The restaurant itself is also very nice, well-decorated, airy, and the waitresses wear kimonos. It all makes for a charming experience, and the food was very good. The International restaurant, “El Patio”, provides a beautiful, calm, muted decor, and a great menu if you like fish and seafood. Since I am allergic to both, I tried the chicken stuffed with cheese and grapes. It was good, but I wasn’t feeling well that night (nothing to do with the food), so I didn’t enjoy my meal as much. The atmosphere however was lovely, with a solo violinist providing beautiful background music. The Cuban restaurant, “El Bohio”, was a bit disappointing, again because I am limited in my choices since I don’t eat fish or seafood. The pork cutlets were good, but they seem to come from a roast while I expected them to be grilled. But the service was very good, and the Cuban white wine (Cortes I think was the name) was delicious. The restaurant itself is lovely, located across a lagoon from the buffet restaurant. It is the only à-la-carte which is not enclosed and air-conditioned, and it has 1 main room and 2 or 3 (I can’t exactly recall) gazebos for intimate dinners. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to eat at the “El Mediterraneo”, but I was told it serves Spanish and Italian food. Even if you don’t have the chance to eat there, you must visit this restaurant. There is an absolutely beautiful room at the entrance, which is called “Salon Habana”. It’s a wonderful place to have a drink, a coffee, smoke a cigar, or just relax, and it is open every day from 4:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. It feels like you’ve stepped into a mansion’s drawing room, with a high ceiling, white couches and antique chairs, and built-in book shelves with some artwork. Beautiful and serene.
Aside from the violinist at El Patio, I didn’t see any musicians at the restaurants, except at the Cuban restaurant, but not on the night I ate there! This was a bit disappointing for me, as there’s always been music in the restaurants during my previous trips to other resorts.
Bars: The lobby bar is open 24 hours a day and provides service to the surrounding sitting areas, including during the shows. It serves great coffee and top-shelf liqueurs, some part of the all-inclusive (such as Bailey’s), some available at extra charge.
The bar at the beach restaurant was open until 4:00 or 5:00 p.m. (I didn’t notice the exact closing time, I just know they kept serving after lunch was over), while the pool bar (swim-up and walk-up) was open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. On my last night there, I found out when I walked by that the bar at the pool restaurant stays open in the evening, but that is not mentioned in the information leaflet, which might explain why there weren’t any clients there! There was one more bar, located in the lobby, it was the fun pub/disco “La Conga”, open from 8:00 p.m. until 2:00 a.m. It features a small dance floor and comfy couches, as well as a giant screen where videos or sports games play – we were able to watch the Stanley Cup finals there!
Grounds: The grounds are just lovely, well landscaped and very well taken care of by a team of hard-working gardeners. Leaving the lobby, you can go straight down the central path, and you will find 2 very nice sculptures along the way, until you reach the gorgeous pool area. Or you can go left along the edge of the resort, where you will see the beautiful surrounding hills, and this path will take you straight to the beach. This was my favorite path, the view going to and coming back from the beach was just splendid. From this path you can also walk onto a bridge crossing a beautiful small lake, which will take you to the road in front of the Rio de Luna resort. Finally, you can go to your right from the lobby and use the path that will take you by the wooded area (lit at night!), all the way down to the cliff overlooking the ocean, very beautiful at any time of the day. It is from this path that you will find the entrance of the Garden Villas (private luxury suites) and the access to the “Caleticas”: a short stroll through the woods will take you to 3 private beaches, with no chairs or bars, but with a spectacular view of the ocean, and walls of fossilized coral – amazing beauty all around.
No matter which path you take, or at which time of the day you are walking around, the grounds are just lovely, and perfect for a post-dinner stroll to digest all that good food!
Pool area: This is a gorgeous pool area, with wood loungers and padded cushions, a couple of Jacuzzis, and several parasols and curtained gazebos to provide shade. The pool is located close to the ocean and is built on 2 levels joined together by a waterfall. There is a pool bar which is swim-up on one side and walk-in on the other. I didn’t use the pool at all, because I just love Playa Esmeralda, but it seemed very nice indeed. There are also lots of chairs between the pool and the cliff overlooking the ocean. The 3 massage huts are located in this area: cabin #2 is near the pool, cabin #3 is a bit further to the right on the path overlooking the ocean, and the best one, cabin #1, is also located on the same path, but closer to the pool area. Why is it the best, you ask?! Well I was lucky enough to go there for my massage, and this cabin has a section of glass floor underneath the massage table, through which you can see the water during your massage – if you can keep your eyes open that is! Thanks to Lisbet who gave me one of the best massages ever, enhanced by the sound of the surf and of the waves crashing on the rocks below, the feel of the wind, and the salty marine air… Aaaaahhhh…. Totally worth every penny of the $25USD it cost (tip not included), which you pay for at check-out.
Activities: The activity center (“Club House”) is located just before the pool area, and this is where you can exchange your beach towel. This is also where you make reservations for massages. There is a board listing daily excursions and activities (including yoga!). I didn’t participate in any activities, but the animation staff was always friendly whenever I saw them. You will also find books, games and organized sports here, as well as the gym, which is outdoors.
Beach: Playa Esmeralda is just gorgeous! Two resorts share this beach: the Paradisus Rio de Oro and the Sol Luna y Mares. Located in a small bay, it takes at most 20 minutes (if you walk very slowly!) to walk from one end to the other. You can access the beach via 2 sloping paths, one that runs through the pool area and then behind the beach restaurant, and one that runs along the western edge of the resort. From the pool area you can also walk down some steps instead of going behind the beach restaurant, but they are a bit steep and don’t go all the way down to the beach (the last 3-4 steps are rocks), so I don’t recommend this route if you have any sort of mobility problem. There are many rocks as you enter the water in front the Rio de Oro, but I’m told this is where you will find the best snorkelling. The more you walk to the west, the nicer the beach is, both the sandy part and as you enter the water. The nicest section of beach is in front of the Sol Rio de Mares, about 10 minutes from the Rio de Oro (which is located at the Eastern tip of Playa Esmeralda). In front of both the Luna and the Mares, there is lots of space, lots of chairs and parasols, lots of trees for natural shade. The sand is a bit coarser than on Cayo Largo or Cayo Guillermo, but it is perfectly walkable nonetheless.
The section of beach in front of the Rio de Oro is small and crowded, with several parasols but no palm trees for natural shade. This is the only important area of improvement I can point out for this resort. There are not enough parasols and more could easily be added just before the area where the nautical centre is (where you make your reservations for the catamarans (Hobie Cat), kayaks and paddle boats). The chairs are stacked every night, and every morning there was an employee available to bring your chair(s) to the spot of your choice, and every one of them was polite and helpful. The chairs should be changed for either canvas chairs or at the very least, the same kind of chairs used at the Sol Rio de Luna y Mares, which were more comfortable with their armrests and wide backs. If you don’t like this section of the beach, you can set up anywhere else, since as a Rio de Oro client, you can use the facilities at the Luna y Mares, including the beach chairs (obviously!), and the beach bar/restaurants.
Another big pet peeve of mine: the resort should make sure that there is an ashtray with each parasol. Honestly, in all my trips to Cuba, the Rio de Oro beach is where I’ve seen the most cigarette butts in the sand. It was just gross! Not only is it disgusting for other guests, especially those who don’t smoke, it is harmful to the environment, as cigarette butts are never biodegradable no matter where you dump them, let alone on a beach. Since some guests obviously couldn’t be bothered to pick up after themselves, then the resort should make it as easy as possible for them to discard their cigarettes.
Entertainment: I only saw part of one show, but my dad and his girlfriend saw just about every show, and found them very good, professional and enjoyable to watch, with some great costumes. I did stay to listen to the house band a couple of nights, and it was very good – I even bought their c.d.!
Internet: There are 2 terminals in the lobby, available between 7:00 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. There is a minimum charge of $2 USD, the hourly rate is $9 USD. You pay after each use and you can see the amount due on the screen. I found the speed to be similar to my dial-up at home. The service was less expensive at the Mares (minimum charge of $1USD, hourly rate was $6USD), so if you need to access the internet a lot during your vacation, you might want to keep that in mind.
Other services: The doctor’s office and the beauty salon are located in Building 11, near the lobby. There is a spa scheduled to open at the end of 2004, it will be located near the pool and will offer massages and other spa treatments.
Store: There is 1 store in the lobby, where they sell coffee, rum, souvenirs and cigars. However, if you want a good selection of cigars, I recommend going to Guardalavaca ($10USD for a return cab ride), to the Casa de Habanos at the Atlantico hotel, in front of the reception desk. Much more variety there. Same thing for souvenirs such as hats and t-shirts: there is a store in Guardalavaca just after the small shopping center with a lot more choice, at decent prices. The small market in Guardalavaca also offers a lot of arts and crafts souvenirs, including jewlery. I bought a beautiful mahogany mask for a few dollars (don’t want to say the actual price in case the recipient of this gift reads the review!!). I bought all my rum and coffee at the Rio de Oro, but I wish I had waited, since the prices were lower at the duty-free store at the airport. For example, a 750-ml bottle of Havana Club Anejo Reserva was $7.70 USD at the hotel, and $6.60 USD at the airport – not much difference, but if you’re running low on funds towards the end of your vacation, every bit helps! Speaking of the airport, I paid $20 USD for the VIP lounge on the day of departure. I’m glad I was able to wait for the plane sitting on a comfortable couch instead of a hard plastic chair, in an air conditioned room, with access to a private (and very clean) washroom, and all the water, juice and coffee I could drink (alcoholic drinks are available too, but it was too early in the day for me!). Good thing I was also able to eat a cheese sandwich (also included) about 30 minutes before boarding, because I couldn’t eat the roast beef sandwich provided by Skyservice during the flight home (I didn’t think to ask for a vegetarian meal when I booked my trip, it’s the last time I make that mistake!). The VIP hostess, Ana, was very nice and friendly, and it was a pleasure to have one last conversation in Spanish before leaving!
Mosquitoes: Not many, but a few nonetheless, mostly at night or early in the morning. I got at most ten bites all week, which qualifies as a smashing success for me!
Staff/Service: The Rio de Oro staff was among the best I’ve seen ever! Always smiling, friendly, polite and willing to help. Even the mechanics and gardeners said Hola! I wish I had taken more names down, simply to make a note of their great service! Special mentions to the following employees for their warmth, hospitality and great service all-around, and for helping make my stay at the Rio de Oro one of my best vacations ever! First, my “camarera” Ysele, who kept my room very clean and always had a warm smile for me. At the buffet, waitresses Sarah, Evelyn, and Ludmilla, as well as Yanlady who made my omelets in the morning, and just about all their colleagues. At the fun pub, Joel and Eddy, they were not only great bartenders, they were good friends! In the lobby, the friendly and helpful porters and security guards at the entrance, especially Carlos. At the front desk, Tamara, Hortensia and Julay (spelling?), for their smiles and great sense of customer service. At the nautical center, Armando and his team, especially Roger and Kelly for the great catamaran rides! The public relations staff (so warm and professional), especially Norma, who was able to switch my à-la-carte reservations around so that I could have dinner with my dad and his girlfriend, who were there on their first Cuban vacation, and who made special arrangements for my dad’s girlfriend who celebrated her birthday during the week. And a final and very special mention of the friendliest and sweetest waitress I have met in Cuba, who stood out on my very first day, Mirlaidis, who worked in the buffet at breakfast and at the pool restaurant at lunch. Unfortunately for the Rio de Oro, Mirlaidis is on loan from the Gran Playa Turquesa until the re-opening of that resort. She loves her work and it shows! Seeing her every day was just one more pleasant aspect about this resort.
Summary: The Rio de Oro deserves its 5-star rating in my opinion. Perhaps it is less luxurious than 5-star resorts in other parts of the Caribbean (I wouldn’t know), but for Cuba, there is a big difference between this resort and the 4-star ones where I have stayed. The quality and variety of the food, the beautiful grounds, the decor, the nice rooms and the wonderful staff easily explain why this resort is almost always full and also more expensive. If you want to treat yourself to a very special trip, this is the place to do just that. I may not be able to afford it again for a while, but I am sure glad I got the chance to stay here once, it really was a great vacation!
Excursions: I suggest attending the briefing session to find out all the details. Here are some of the excursions offered by Signature (I’m assuming they’re pretty similar to what other tour operators are offering):
Santiago de Cuba by bus: $69 USD per person
Santiago de Cuba overnight: $185 USD per person
Dolphin swim: $79 USD per person
Holguin: $44 USD per person
Fantastica: $105 per person (dolphin swim, tour of the country side)
Catamaran: $69 per person
Jeep Safari: $71 USD per person
Havana Overnight: $325 USD per person
Havana One Day: $189 USD per person
VIP lounge at the airport on day of departure: $20 USD per person
If you have any questions, feel free to post them in the forum section, I will do my best to answer them promptly!
Anne M.
Montréal, Québec, Canada
Anne M.
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