In the last week of October, 2003 we stayed at the El Senador Resort in the “El Emperador” area of the resort. The “El Senador” – built and opened in 2001, is a VAST complex comprising of 690 tourist rooms alone. It is actually TWO RESORTS: one, the “El Emperador“ is open all year round and has its own huge reception lobby, rooms, beach walkways, pools, four stores, spa (Masseuse, Hot-tub) and restaurants. The other resort is the “El Laguna” which opens up the first week of November (High Season) and stays open till early April. The “El Laguna” caters to more tourists and has a larger reception lobby, more stores, larger pools, larger restaurants and the “El Tormentor” Disco dance room. The investors are a group of Canadian hockey players and the Resort is dedicated to the great Canadian hockey player Serge Sevard.

For my own personal review of this resort please click here.

We went with a group of forty for a wedding - this is the only way to get married! (I do not have any photos up of the wedding at the bride and grooms request as they wish to keep those photos private.) If you wish we read a personal detailed review of the resort please click here.

• About Cayo Coco – it is a long strip of islands north of the mainland. It caters to tourists ONLY. The staff are all Cubans and most live on the mainland in towns (most travel, each way daily 4 hours for work – and most work 14-16 hours a day).
• Bugs – they arrive mainly in Feb.-Sept – and as we were there in “low” season no bug repellent was needed.
• Moving about in Cuba – outside of the lobby were numerous bicycles and mopeds. We had thought we could rent them to visit one of the other resorts. Not so! The tourists are not allowed to leave the complex unless they are escorted by a guide. When we wanted to visit a neighbouring hotel we were told by our travel guide that she would phone ahead to let them know we were coming and get a cab for us to take us there. We didn’t bother to go.
• Food and restaurants at the El Emperador. There is the air-conditioned large inside eating area and the outside deck area of the Buffet Restaurant. The other restaurants are the V.I.P., Italian, and the Steakhouse. For these other restaurants you have to “reserve” your tables. Outside from 9am – noon of the Buffet is a table and a fellow comes there at 9am and you reserve your other restaurant tables from him.
• Towels – from the main reception you get a coupon for two nice large beach towels. To pick up your towels you go opposite the Buffet restaurant to an open window at ground level. You can exchange your towels all day long for as many changes as you wish. She is open from 9-5pm. As the air is very humid towels and clothing do not dry so change your towels often. On the last day return your beach towels and you will be given a coupon which you turn in at the main lobby desk else you will be charged for the towels. Room Towels – if you need more ask the chambermaid (tip her) – and don’t forget the two towels that each day are made up into “swans” and placed on the bed – open them and use them.
• Safe Key – no cost for rental and it is available at the main reception desk. Make sure to turn it in at the end of your trip.
• Security – it was EXCELLENT. At no time during our trip did we ever feel ill at ease. We kept our money and passports in the room safe. We just got the feeling that the staff did not steal because….. Well I’ll leave that to you!
• Unlike in Antigua where the security carry large batons the security staff in Cuba were not armed in any manner. We only saw, outside of the entry Airport/Customs – only about 4 military in green uniforms and all appeared unarmed.
• Staff – most are very highly educated. Cuba gives free university education and also free health care. But as I read – “Cuba gives us university education and medical care – but that does not put bread on the table”. For instance – the Hang Glider operator is a Fighter Pilot.
• I have to say that the staff/people are just wonderful and so very friendly. They smile all of the time and most speak broken English and broken French in addition to their native Spanish. We picked up many Spanish words and found we always greeted everyone in Spanish with either “Hola” (hello) or Bueno Daias (good morning – excuse Spanish spelling!)
• Tips – most Cubans, no matter how educated they are, only earn on an average between $15-$20 a month! That’s why so many consider themselves lucky to work with the tourists where they can get tips. A portion of these tips, each month, also go to the country though! They rely on their tips to buy articles for daily use. Each tourist has to consider how much, how often, they feel they should tip. For us we tipped in $1 US bills – for example: the beach security each day when your beach lounge chairs are wiped off we gave him $1; for the bar waiter $2 a day; for the Buffet waiter/waitress - $1 a day; and for the room Chambermaid (Camarera) I would leave a note saying the gifts displayed with the note were for her (Paya La Camarera). So on a daily basis it really doesn’t amount to much over the whole week. NOW – we were in “low” season and could get great bar service but in “High” season with so many people waiting for drinks you might want to tip larger – then for some reason the bar keeper sees you much more quicker! For the Hobie Cat boat “Nautico” guide we tipped $5 each session and it was worth it as they are fantastic guides. So while on Cayo Coco put aside for each week about $100 for tips. Not allot for a week.
• Gifts for the Staff – we had been told and read that articles are hard to purchase for the locals. That is very true. So I took along lots of small bars of soap, cosmetic articles (small bottles of bubble bath, lipstick, long hair ornaments, etc.) and also they cannot buy tooth brushes (don’t forget yours as the hotel doesn’t have any!). Also the children cannot readily purchase pens/pencils/crayons/rulers etc. So take along a supply to give out to the parents. And don’t forget the ground keepers. They are so very friendly and helpful and make these wonderful palm plant leaf animals that they will hand you. While they will not ask nor bother you for a tip give them one. I also handed out to all grounds keepers as I saw them pens, etc. which I kept handy on my person. Next time I will take baseball caps – they pack easily and are really appreciated. One “Nautico” beach boat staff offered my husband a bottle of rum for his hat.
• Food – I had read that most described the food, while very plentiful, as “Bland” – that is an understatement! I would of given anything to have been able to shake some garlic or herbs over the cooked food! (Don’t think of it though as you will make the Chefs feel bad and also – herbs and powers, even “Sweet N’ Low” sugar substitute, can be taken for banned substances by the Customs.) Speaking of sugar substitutes – for diabetics or dieters – there is none available at the El Senador complex. One women who is diabetic did take her own in her purse. Diet-drinks are NOT available at the bar but can be purchased from a machine.
• We found the food at the Buffet and the beachside Grill to be the best. We ate in each of the individual night-time restaurants but still preferred the Buffet. Next time we will only eat in the Buffet and the beachside lunch Grill. Our best meal was the “Cuban Night” at the buffet. The crabs in the buffet there were delicious. They were a cross between hard-shelled Dungeness Crabs and soft shelled Blueshell Crabs. One didn’t need pliers to open the shells for the meat.
• Most of all of the food didn’t really have any flavour – only texture. I found that all of the cheeses tasted the same no matter what variety (after all – cheeses and meat only taste as good as what the animal is eating.) After my first beef Filet Mignon I stayed away from beef thereafter. It was all rubbery and tough even though I had it prepared medium-rare. The other beef I tasted at other times was also rubbery and tough. Even the cold sliced meats were tasteless. I had read that many said the food was “greasy” – I believe that is because the grills are not hot enough to fry properly and they use allot of olive oil. That is why the foods taste greasy. Many things written by other people said that the food was cold. If you are from England and need all of your food apart from salads “piping hot” you will be disappointed. The hot foods are warm but I had no problem with that.
• Bread tip – it is mostly sliced ahead of time and presented in a circular manner – it was cut hours ahead and is dry that way. Cut your own slices from the bread table or only take a slice from the center of the presentation.
• For fresh fish – now that was wonderful and I tasted so many varieties and all were very good. We found the lobster tough and rubbery (overcooked except the lobsters served on the catamaran “Coco Club”) as were the mussels in the V.I.P. restaurant.
• Breakfast was the same at the Buffet each day – but with allot of variety and quantity. Loads of fresh fruits, juices, breads, croissants. (Note on the breads – they all tasted the same and really had no “flavour” – must have been because of the type of wheat milled???). Two or three chefs would cook up omelettes with various ingredients (again – the eggs didn’t have any flavour!). Pancakes, freshly made Waffles, fresh fish, small sausages and hot meat pieces (sausages and meat all rubbery), baked beans, roasted potatoes (not good!), breaded melted mozzarella cheese pieces, coated eggplant, bacon, and on and on.
• Lunches – fabulous at both the beachside Grill and the Buffet – many varieties of whole grilled fish, fish filets, tacos, tortillas, hamburgs, hotdogs, salads, cheese, cold meats, desserts. In fact we both considered the lunches the best meal of the day.
• Dinners – as mentioned before we enjoyed the food in the Buffet over any food in the Restaurants that you have to reserve for. (Note – the food in the restaurants is included in your “All-Inclusive” except for select foods on the “V.I.P.” menu. [In our opinion not worth the extra cost.])
• My favourite Chef was “Yosvel”, favourite waiter was “Alberto” and favourite “Nautico” beach boat person was Ronney Hermondez-Jardi.
• Alcohol – it is very plentiful in all brand names and the bartenders will mix you up any type of drink. The drinks are very good. The beer is Cuban “Cristal” (Cerveza) and is draft. It is wonderful. Far better than other Caribbean beers – and this from a dedicated beer drinker!
• Cows – while traveling from the airport in a bus to the resort you will come across scrawny cows wandering all over. (I called them “Cuban Moose”.) The Country owns all of the cows and no one is allowed to slaughter them. The farmers are allowed to raise them and then the cows have to be sent to some Agricultural Ministry of the Country for slaughter! In the resort grounds you might also come across cow “patties”!
• Beach at El Senador on Cayo Coco – it is the best I have ever seen anywhere I have ever visited. No other beach in the Caribbean can compare to it. You have to see it and feel it for yourself. One day a man in a Kayak came up to me while I was in the Ocean and asked me what the name of the hotel was. I told him and asked him where he was staying. He told me the “Trypp Resort”. I asked him how it was and he remarked that it didn’t have a beach anywhere near as nice as the El Senador. To get to the beach from the resort, which is only 3 minutes away, you walk on the walkways over the lagoons towards to the beach.
• Rooms, Air-Conditioning, Hot Water, and Toilets – The air-conditioning is necessary. The dial to make the air-conditioner is tricky – if you set it at the “I” setting and it doesn’t work turn it to the “II” setting or the “III” setting – or just turn it to get it going at whatever setting! One day as we were going for breakfast a man who had just arrived the night before anxiously asked us if we had hot water – I told him to “relax” – after a few days in the hot weather it doesn’t matter. You need a few days to wind down and find out that things that we in other climates consider important – they are not important in Cuba. (We did have hot water all week though up until the night before we departed.)
• There are three room choices upon booking your trip. (Once in your room don’t try to change rooms mid-week). The three types are “Villas” (large room on stilts, with balconies in the Lagoons); “Junior Suites” (same are Club rooms but with a balcony); and “Club Rooms” (very spacious suites with a large bathroom with a bidet, large vanity/sink area with lots of closet space, and the largest bedroom areas I have ever come across – generally 2 Queen size beds; with satellite TV [English, French and Spanish stations] and desk, chair, bedside tables and lots of lighting. The other room is the lounge and contains a wicker loveseat, table and chair. All of the rooms are wonderfully decorated with lots of windows. Door lock is by key-card. During the Spring months when the mosquitoes are active I do not think I would want to be in the Villas which are on stilts over the water lagoons. (And do not even think of swimming in these lagoons – they are full of stinging jelly fish [NOTE: take either vinegar or “Solacaine” for stings] – in the whole week only one person got stung on the beach – the Doctors daughter!) I have also read that the Junior Suites are not worth the extra cost over the Club Room costs. If the weather is hot (and it always is!) and if it is bug season you wouldn’t be able to use your balcony anyway.
• All of the hotel and rooms are extremely clean. Each day our chambermaid made up our bed with clean fresh sheets and made a nice pillow/bedcover artistic presentation which was different each day. The toilet takes about ½ hour to fill up the tank so make good use of the bidet. Toilet paper is in plentiful supply for the tourists (but not for the general Cuban population).
• Room departures on last day: your room electronic key lock is changed by about 11am so on the day of your departure have your luggage either in the lobby or put it outside your room and ask the reception people to have it picked up for you. If you find your room lock changed you will have to go to reception for a timed temporary one and only if and before you room hasn’t already been cleaned for the next incoming people). So put a change of clothing in your carry on, enjoy your day at the beach or pool, and find a place to shower by dinner time if your plane leaves in the evening. (You can pay extra for a ½ day usage of your room if you choose).
• Daily clothing – in the buffet, you can wear shorts with a pareo or beachcover over bathing suits (but for nightime dinners at least put on shorts!), and of course sandals or runners on your feet. Most days I just wore my bathing suit with a beach cover over it for both breakfasts and lunches and for nightime restaurants shorts or a long skirt or whatever. For males – for breakfasts and lunch wear a t-shirt along with bathing shorts – for nightime shorts or long pants and top. It is “laid-back” Canadian style here.
• Upon arrival at the airport your tourist company representative greets you and gives you your room key and map of the resort. Your luggage is loaded onto the bus for you and you are then driven to the hotel. At the hotel a wonderful musical, dancing group greets you and your luggage it taken to your room for you. As our plane arrived late on the Sundays, by request, the Buffet was left open for us which was very nice.
• Luggage – make you sure tag it properly. We only heard of one person (she was outside of our group) whose luggage was lost – she had not tagged it properly.
• Swimming – as I have mentioned the beach in El Senador, Cayo Coco is the very best beach I have ever been on. When the tide is out the beach goes on for ages with soft sand. Water shoes are not needed here. It was the very first time I have been able to lay in the ocean with a book in my hands and read! The Pools are really fabulous with swim up bars, children’s areas, hot-tubs, in both El Emperador and El Laguna areas. Loud music is played all day long at the pools so for some peace and quiet go to either the beach or the Adults pool.
• Tourists – most are Canadians from either the Provinces of Ontario or Quebec. There is a lot of French spoken. The Cubans love the Canadians but make no comment when asked about Americans.
• Day Trips - your travel assistant will give you info on day trips. In our group a surgeon and his wife and teenage daughter and friend went into Morin to visit a hospital (the trip had to be set up in advance). They were not allowed to take any photos inside the hospital and the hospital doctor, who was their hospital guide, had to go outside to get a photo taken with them. They were astonished at the lack of hospital services available – in the “Emerg” only one table, and on and on! The schools were no better – lots of students per room and very few supplies. Again, anywhere, no indoor photos allowed and even outside be careful of what photos you take – nothing military!
• Others took day trips into the city and countryside of Trinidad (it is a long 12 hour day trip – very hot and exhausting – take the day trip into Morin instead if you wish a shorter trip.) The day trip to Morin is just one hour south and takes in a farm, school and marketplace. There is not much to buy in Cuba and one group was being harassed by so many begging locals that they had to (quite verbally!) ask the guide to keep the begging locals away from them. Poverty and lack of housing is rampant. It is very depressing to see it all. Crumbling buildings everywhere. Two couples in our group took a day flight into Habana. Upon their arrival back in Cayo Coco I questioned one of the couples. They were appalled by all of the broken down mansions from days gone by; by the poverty, the hovels, and general air of a total lack of maintenance all over.
• Our group of 40 took a day trip on the Catamaran “Coco Club”. It included snorkelling (masks and flippers all onboard for use), snacks, trip onto a deserted island for beach combing, a wonderful onboard prepared lunch of fresh lobsters cooked by the Chef on the boat, plus loads of other foods. It was really good. Then more snorkelling, music and dancing. It was a really fun and wonderful day for all. As I have mentioned the Cubans love music and dancing. The Captain of the boat wore a nautical cap with the words “Niagara Falls, Ontario” on it. On the 15 minute bus trip to where the catamaran is docked we passed two Cuban patrol boats tied up at a dock. Each boat was manned and each boat had 4 gun turrets. Don’t even think of taking photos of them!
• Wedding Info: (If either partner is previously divorced forget a Cuban wedding – you will find out how utterly complicated, frustrating, and expensive it is to get all of your documents translated and sent off in Spanish).
• If you wish to use a religious person have them in your group. As Cuba is Communist your wedding speaker has to be a Notary Public (which you pay for) and you also have to pay for a translator. The legal marriage rules that are read out in Spanish and then translated into English are very different and very interesting. If you wish to speak additional words set that up with the required Wedding Planner ahead of time. Our bride, who is a singer, had all of her music set up and after the ceremony sang “I Promise You” to her new husband. There were no dry eyes amongst any of the guests and staff present. It was just so beautiful and meaningful. The parents of the bride tipped each of the staff present (Manager, Asst. Manager, Wedding Planner, barman, set up people, etc – each $50). There was also an appetizer snack table set up. The “Oasis” is where the wedding ceremony took place and only the day before a beautiful wooden wedding arch that had been ordered to be made in Habana arrived at the hotel. Previously the hotel had no wedding decorations.
• Wedding Reception: It was held in the “Steakhouse”. Do not bother to take your own table decorations as the staff do it their own way. It was a lovely wedding reception and highlighted by a first-time jointly sung and unique closing song – the Canadians sang “Oh Canada” and then, at our request, and for the first time, the Cubans assembled and sang their own national song. It was a very touching moment and made everyone realise that when politics, religion, and economics are taken out of the picture we are all the same loving humans the world over. We were all hugging and laughing. Afterwards I asked them for the name of their national song but was told it does not have a title!
• Passports – if you leave the Cayo Coco islands take your passport with you. Very important all of the time on the mainland.
• Airplanes – the “SkyService” planes are terrible! Some of the seats remain in the back position; the food is the worst I have ever been presented on an airplane. The “Airbus” has a center aisle with 3 seats on either side. You do not have to reserve a window seat at you can see out the windows from any seat location. If you are in the window seat and wish to see the movie screen forget it! The overhead luggage bins prevent any view of the hanging movie monitors. And if you have headphone sets from other trips – bring your own else they cost $5. For all plane drinks you have to pay - $1 for pop, $5 for alcohol and wine. With your “meal?????” comes a small glass of wine and then coffee. The seats are a joke! They are so narrow and packed together if you are over 5” 8” it is a long crunched up trip. The electronic “Seat Belt” sign did not work either. On the emergency pre-flight instructions the usual emergency talk is given and everyone laughs when they tell you to bend forward for an emergency landing – you cannot bend forward as there is no space! For our next trip we will only book if it is Air Transat and never SkyService.
• Post Cards: It will take about 6-8 weeks for Post Cards to arrive at their destination. Cuba does not have the same type of postal service as we are used to.

TRIP OVERVIEW – There is no question that we plan to return. We feel that in general the positives overweigh the negatives. And as the only negatives are the lack of flavour in the food we can overlook that.