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Rui Turquesa 09/11/2006
Reviewers Rating:  Good
Went to Rui Turquesa from Toronto August 20 to Sept 03 2006
This is not 4 star, would not return.
Pros- nice beach and grounds, friendly staff,
nice pool – water clean –alot of shallow areas for small children. Good drinks-mohitos - pina coladas ok but from mix- pina colada and lime slushes for kids. Rooms okay and come with free safe.
Breakfast okay since all Cuban hotels will give you plenty of fried eggs and fresh omelettes that you choose ingredients.
Cons-
Sunquest had us flying late- return to Toronto at 2 am- problem is if any delays you can’t land at pearson airport after 3:30 am so you wait till 6:30 am.
That’s what happened to us- 4 hour delay-very tired up all night – hard if you have kids.
We were not notified till last minute of delay and were delayed 4.5 hours.
If you buy illegal cigars don’t declare them in Cuba- you will lose them. Serial numbers are checked- saw someone loose 60 pesos worth of cigars.
Food- everyone one had the runs and painful stomach cramps. I drank a lot of water with whole squeezed limes to kill bacteria but runs lasted entire vacation.
Saw a rat scurry from bottom of one hot table to another twice-I’m not kidding!
Beds and pillows uncomfortable- air conditioning very noisy.
Terrible food but the same at all Cuban hotels- I visited a few nearby hotels-(which had) the same pork and fish and meat always overcooked tough and dry. Food must have been cooked in advance and then reheated days later. Had paella twice but disgusting and tasted like baby mush. Even roast chicken served only twice- dry and tough no flavor; could not eat. Bread-poor only 1 type of whole grain which I toasted every morning.
Coffee lousy- some mornings one grade short of asphalt. Expresso and cappucino from proper Italian express machines good but not available till 10 am- unbelievable!
Coffee available from push button machines from 7 am.
No lettuce or tomato. I lived off cabbage and cucumber salads with dressing.
Soups okay most days- I had a very good bean soup twice. Ice cream available during afternoon and at dinner very poor and artificial-most kids avoided it.
No a-la-cart restaurants.
One Snack bar- open 10am to 6 only-which really meant 10:30 to 5 - usual grilled cheese and very bad French fries- deep fried oil seemed that it was never changed – also hamburger and hot dogs-hot dogs okay- hamburger is really weird. Meat tastes like spam. The only food that was acceptable at dinner was steak which was thin beef strips that I buy at home and make steak sandwiches with but without fried onions tomato or lettuce can also be boring after a while. That’s all I ate. Lots of tilapia and fish which I like but always overcooked; cooked until dry and tasteless. Pasta was okay- tomato sauce gross- usually had my sauce prepared with oil, olives, onions hot pepper, white wine and a bit of cream but the tomato puree out of a box always spoiled it-looks like tomato juice.
Saw garlic only twice- did see prosciutto twice- was very good- had that for dinner with soup.
Vegetables boring and always the same for 14 days.
Dinner 7 to 10:30- 2 different sittings and then no food till breakfast.
Bars open till 1am.
Pool- saw volley ball net fist day only – was told net broken- never seen again-boring at pool-a lot of sleep-great if you like drinking and bathing.
At beach not enough shaded umbrellas had to get there very early.
Had one beach bar with beer and slushes for kids and pina colida mix for rum.
Entertainment was okay several nights but most nights depended on audience participation. For entertainment, that means couple were chosen to come on stage and see if they could make fools of themselves.
No Cuban dancing –a lot of singing (Feelings and Beatle tunes) as well as 3 piece band that sounded like they belonged at some small bar in Canada.
Do not arrange some excursions from the hotel – for example if you go deep sea fishing 290 pesos for 4 people-250 pesos if you go to the marina yourself-it is right in front of the hotel just cross the street- same with dolphins – in front of hotel.
Don’t take that stupid trip to Havana unless you go to the Tropicana.
Tropicana was okay. It is outdated but I’m still glad I went. Trade that complimentary bottle of rum for sparkling wine or beer.
God help you if you take pictures without paying the 5 pesos. They will treat you like a criminal and rudely demand you leave your table during the entertainment and come to the front to pay-no class. This didn’t happen to me but to a lady next to us.
The day in Havana is terrible- the tour guide takes you to a central square where you stand around listen to some communist propaganda and fight off beggars.
Then you go to a store where you can buy rum, cigars and coffee-big deal!
Then its off to the flea market-what a joke. 10 or 15 stalls –no bartering since they are strictly controlled. Only the same old stupid cheap trinkets- nothing to buy, all junk.
You can find little wooden cars anywhere and don’t forget cars made out of pop cans-big deal. Don’t want those trinkets for free!
Then you go out-more beggars-and believe me they are pros and do it for a living –they follow you around. Don’t fall for the little old lady with the trained boy or the shoeless beggar sitting on the ground who occasionally takes out a pack of smokes and lights up. The little boys are all trained and beg for a living- they may be poor but so all are all Cubans – some just don’t want to work. We also have panhandlers at home.
Then off to a 2 hour lunch with poor service and mediocre food. Also more communist brainwashing- they blame the cia and the mafia for everything including hemmoroids.
Ask them why some Cubans have cars and some do not.
When the day is over at 6 you realize you saw nothing-very disappointing- no museum, no fort, no factories, no entertainment etc.
Pay for the bus fare only to Havana and plan your own visits and wander around yourself -pack a lunch from the hotel.
Only highlite of the trip is that I brought my own fishing rods and went fishing on the catamaran. Bring large rappala lures for trolling. Caught barracuda every time as well as yellow tail and red snapper.
Complaint was you could only get fishing after 10 am.
Ask them to prepare bait fish-works better.
Lost more fish than we caught – they try to grab and pull aboard those large dangerous biting barracuda by hand and remove hooks by hand.
Next time I’ll bring large pliers and a net. I always filleted the fish myself and had them cooked by the kitchen-delicious.
I always tipped and got treated very well.
Staff will do anything for you if you are polite reasonable and tip. Treat the Cubans with respect- they work hard are nice people and depend on your tips.
I brought gifts such as tennis balls and old summer kids clothes- they were extremely grateful and almost emotional.
Varadero town boring nothing to do or see.
Nothing to buy.
Had lunch twice in town-big mistake.
Went out late to see pirates cave as well as Mediterrano and the Compisita-boring no one there. Starts too late for me. I was told better after midnight-baloney. Also expensive-cab- admission and drinks.
Stay at hotel, go to bed early and enjoy the ocean.
Go on excursions such as Cayo Blanco etc. and make friends.
joe procopio
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