CLASS ACT EL SENADOR CAYO COCO ( THE GREAT HOTEL W/O)
Written: Oct 08 '03 (Updated Oct 08 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Excellent food.
Cons: Poor beach.
The Bottom Line: Well worth the price. Besides where else in Cuba can you get in a game of road hockey?
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| JAMES23's Full Review: El Senador |
The El Senador is one of the newest properties in Cuba. With 690 rooms spread over a couple of landscaped acres it is also one of the largest. The beachfront alone is over 600 metres long and the hotel stretches back quite a distance from there.
The hotel is located on Cayo Coco an island off of Cuba's north coast connected by a causeway. Cayo Coco is fast becoming a major player in the Cuban tourist industry with nine major properties now in operation there. It even received it's own international Airport in 2003. This is a great improvement over the previous two plus hour drive from Ciego de Avila on the mainland the next nearest airport.
Like many of the new hotels and resorts opening on the island, El Senador is a cooperative effort between the Cuban government and foreign investors. In this case the investors are Canadians and for the most part a consortium of former and current NHL players. The front man for the hockey players is a former Montreal Canadian's star Serge Savard. During his years with the Canadians Savard earned the nickname The Senator for his off ice sartorial splendour. That led to the name of the new resort.
The resort was officially opened by Fidel Castro. At present the majority of guests are French Canadians from Quebec on 1-2 week package tours. Only recently has the resort been opened to and become popular with English Canadians from Ontario and elsewhere. Eventually it is presumed European package tours and guests who are now discovering Cayo Coco will also avail themselves of the facilities. Signs in the hotel shops and front desk showing the exchange rate for the Euro support this theory.
The 690 rooms include 345 junior suites and villas and in total the place can accommodate 1500 guests. The sheer size of the place ensures that even were the place full that it would not seem that way. The suites are of course larger than the standard clubrooms and have a separate living room. The villas are the same as the suites but are built on stilts over a large lagoon.
The lagoon is the most prominent feature of the resort and stretches across the entire property separating the beach area from the rest of the property. A series of floating pathways cross the lagoon and connect it to the rest of the resort and the villas and other facilities located in it, including the spa, the cigar lounge, the disco and three of the restaurants.
For administrative purposes the resort is divided into two separate areas Laguuna Azul and Emperador. Each contains their own administrative reception area. It almost seems as if the place is in fact two separate resorts although guests in one section are free to use the facilities in the other.
During our stay (September 14-21, 2003) the Laguna Azul section was closed as it was still off-season. In fact there were barely 200 guests total in residence during the week we were there. That small number seemed almost lost in the immense property.
We booked last minute and were able to get a week for under $800.00 Canadian per person including all relevant taxes for a clubroom. List prices for this time period were $1299.00 each plus taxes of approximately $160.00. In addition upon checking in we discovered we and everyone else had been automatically upgraded to a junior suite, a savings of another $200.00 each.
The El Senador is an all-inclusive resort, with all drinks, meals, entertainment and most activities included in the base price. Unlike other all-inclusive places though guests are not subjected to wearing a garish plastic wristband that identifies them to all locals as a dumb tourist. Certain things such as spa and massage treatments, the VIP restaurant and certain premium brand drinks (single malts etc. in the lobby and cigar bars) are not included in the all inclusive plan. Costs though for these items are more than reasonable.
The Emperador's main administrative area is a large open-air building. Here is the reception desk, and concierge services. In addition the various tour operator and excursion desks and rent a car agencies are located here. The building also contains the lobby bar (open 24 hours) and the main buffet restaurant. There are also several small stores including high jewellery and perfume shops and naturally a government cigar store. There are also the normal stores where souvenirs, post cards, snacks, toiletries etc. can also be purchased. A small Internet kiosk is also available here. Rates are $3.00 US for a half an hour and $5.00 for an hour. Connection times as in all places in Cuba are slow.
Immediately past this is the main pool area. A large free form pool surrounds a central building which contains a swim up bar. There are several fountains, a small Jacuzzi, and a separate children's pool area are here. Naturally there are numerous lounge chairs in the immediate vicinity including several under shaded terraces. As at all resorts these tend to get occupied early in the day.
The pool area is in the centre of the Emperador complex and serves as the focal point of the resort in the day. The only drawback to it I noted is a lack of a public washroom, although there are showers. It's a long walk to either the lobby or back to one's room, the two closest facilities from the pool bar. This is especially so if one leaves it to the last moment.
A quick look at the Laguna side of the resort confirmed a similar layout in regards to reception and pool areas as at the Emperador.
In between the two sections is the main entertainment area including a large open-air stage. Here the evening's entertainment is conducted unless the weather is inclement. In that case it is moved to the lobby areas and scaled down somewhat. Behind the stage area is another all-inclusive bar open in the evenings. Also in this area is a small craft market that also opens up in the afternoons and evenings. Prices and selections for handicrafts here are better than in the lobby stores. One booth also sells El Senador memorabilia, including T-shirts, and the hotel Serge Savard Wine ($15.00 US), which is not bad.
Above the stage area is a covered hut that contains pool and ping-pong tables. Shuffleboard is available near the pool areas. There are also three tennis courts with lights for evening games nearby One of the tennis courts has been turned into a ball hockey "rink." All the equipment for a game of shinny is available and games are scheduled on a regular basis by the animation staff.
The grounds have all been landscaped and narrow paths weave to and from the various buildings. Unfortunately the newness of the property is evident in the immature palm trees and other fauna. Give it a few more years to mature though and the place will look quite nice as well as provide more needed
shade.
Most of the buildings/rooms in the Emperador section are junior suites (hence the upgrade). The buildings are all two and three story structures tastefully finished in pastel and terra cotta shades. Much use is made of wood furnishings and reed Spanish terra cotta roof tiles for an overall elegant appearance.
The buildings in the Laguna Azul section are larger and contain the majority of the smaller clubrooms. They are more conventional and not as elegant looking as those in the Emperador. The villas are basically junior suites although located in a nicer setting, the lagoon.
One of the reasons I choose El Senador was the food was supposed to good. In any hotel/resort in Cuba that becomes a major concern. In this regard they are correct, the food was for the most part great.
The main buffet restaurant was located in the main reception building. Unlike most hotel buffet places I've eaten at the quality and selection here was excellent. An omelette station for breakfast and a carving station with pork, roast, turkey for dinner were some of the little touches one does not get at a budget place.
There is another buffet restaurant in the Laguna section, and this one supposedly specializes in Asian cuisine. Theme nights are also offered throughout the week.
You can eat all your meals here but are not restricted to just this one choice. Breakfast pastries and coffee are also available in the lobby bar for those who just need a light pick me up to start their day.
For lunches there is a beach grill at the eastern end of beach. Light meals, mainly chicken and fish dishes are the specialty here. Those old standbys, hamburgers and fries are also available. To cater to the French Canadian crowd, poutine is also on the menu here. At night this grill also doubles as a disco.
There are also several specialty restaurants for dinner. Three are located in the main reception area of Emperador, the seafood, Italian, and VIP restaurants. Two more are located on the lagoon, the steak house and the Cuban. Reservations for either the early (6:00 p.m.) or late (8:00 p.m.) seating are made at breakfast in the main buffet restaurant.
A quick tip here, some guests tend to book all their dinners for the week at the specialty restaurants on the first day. This tends to ensure that the best sittings and or restaurants are "sold out" rather quickly. Consider booking early to avoid disappointment. It is easier to cancel a reservation than try and make one at the last minute. The VIP place is not part of the all-inclusive package. Meals can be charged to your room and settled by credit card at checkout though.
In addition to the evening shows there is a large modern disco located in the Laguna section (closed during our stay). This is in addition to the smaller disco that the beach grill becomes when the sun goes down.
For those who want something more relaxed there is a cigar bar located on pilings over the lagoon across from the steakhouse and spa building. Most nights there is a jazz trio playing here or in one of the specialty restaurants. The bar is all-inclusive, however the rather well stocked humidor is not. Prices though are reasonable. There is also usually a roller on the premises most evenings either in the cigar bar or the lobby. Quality is excellent and prices more than reasonable.
As noted earlier there is a full service spa on the property. A secluded Jacuzzi located in a small building in the middle of the lagoon offers a more relaxed alternative to the crowded ones in the pool area. Massages are available at reasonable costs ($20-25.00 US), and must be booked in advance.
The most dominant feature of El Senador is the lagoon that stretches the full length of the property. It does provide a rather unique look to the place that makes it stand out from the average resort complex. The villas and common buildings on pilings are almost exclusively made of wood, as are the floating walkways. The overall effect is quite pleasing. The lagoon is also home to numerous fish, birds and other wild life.
The one drawback to the resort I noted is probably a direct result of the lagoon. The beach or beaches actually are rather disappointing. There are actually four beaches numbered 1-4 running west to east. Each is connected to the main property by it's own walkway (5 minute walk). Signs at the beginning of each walkway advise which is the best beach and water condition each day. While considered four separate beaches they are all connected although there is a small rock out cropping dividing 1 and 2 from 3 and 4.
The beaches are narrow, especially so at high tide with barely a few feet between the water and the start of the vegetation that surrounds the lagoon. This does make things rather crowded. The water however is clear with minimal weeds and quite shallow. It is possible to wade out quite far. There is no reef, but the waves coming in are not too bad, and swimming, and other water sports present no difficulty.
There is a beach bar shack (closed) between beaches 1 and 2, and the grill on 4. A water sports centre is available near beach 3. Kayaks wind surfers; small sailboats, snorkel gear and other non-motorized water sports are available here for guests. No lifeguards are on duty.
Our room, as noted a junior suite, was quite spacious and clean. It was on the second floor and had a view of the lagoon. There are no beach views only Garden/pool and lagoon views. Only villas have balconies as well. There was a separate living room area and an average sized bedroom with two double beds pushed together to make a king sized. The bathroom was also two rooms, with a separate room for the shower, toilet and bidet.
The room had central air conditioning and a ceiling fan in the living area. Our A/C broke down during the week and developed a leak. Maintenance however quickly fixed it. There is a in room safe, no charge for a change, telephone with direct dial long distance, and of course a TV. The normal satellite channels were available CNN, HBO, Cinemax, ESPN, and TBS. In addition there were a couple of local Cuban stations and a French Canadian sports channel.
There was a small mini bar fridge in the room. The water in the hotel is not potable and bottled water is provided at all bars and restaurants. A bottle is also placed in your room and replenished on a regular basis by the maid.
There was a hair dryer, and an assortment of toiletries in the bathroom and an abundance of towels and two terry cloth robes. Laundry service is also available for a fee.
Our only complaint about the room was the closet space. There is no dresser, only a desk. The closet is located in the bathroom, and had no drawers only a couple of shelves. There were of course an insufficient number of those attached hangers. The minimal space here is aggravated by the storage of blankets on one of the shelves and the in room safe on another.
Staff at the property were for the most part polite and professional, which is becoming the norm in Cuban resorts these days. Those with frequent contact with the guests were conversant in English and a few in French as well. With the exception of the animation staff who were of course young, and overtly enthusiastic, a lot of the staff
(bartenders waiters etc.) appeared to be older than at other resorts. Conversations with a couple of bartenders confirmed that many have worked for years in the tourist industry and other resorts before applying to work here.
Tipping is greatly appreciated as are small gifts, toiletries etc. Staff work long hours and face a commute of 1 ½ to 2 hours to and from home each day.
Unfortunately I became ill about midweek and therefore found out more about the medical staff at the hotel than I would have preferred to. I can however vouch for the professionalism of the Doctor and Nurse who are on call 24 hours a day.
The only exception to my overall good impression of the staff would be the reception. Staff. While both check in and out were quick and easy there were other problems. Because it was our wedding anniversary I made special arrangements to dine in the VIP restaurant via e-mail.
Naturally on arrival this confirmed reservation was not there when we needed it. Later on there was a small over billing issue. In both cases the front desk staff played dumb and ran interference for the always-unavailable manager. This was a minor point though and somewhat typical of Cuba.
Cayo Coco is a rather isolated place. There are no towns on the island and the nearest in Moron on the mainland over an hour’s drive away. There is no shopping or much of anything else around in the immediate area outside of the resorts. It is perhaps for this reason that the resort has so much to offer.
There are excursions available though booked through the various tour companies whose desks are located near the rental car agencies in the lobby. Excursions include a day trip to Moron, and a variety of snorkelling and catamaran tours including a sunset cruise. One of the more popular excursions is a “jungle tour” of a nearby mangrove swamp by powerboats. It includes time for snorkelling too. Horseback riding is also available.
For those who prefer to do it on there own taxis are available at the front desk. It is possible to book one for a full day tour including a return trip to Moron and other surrounding areas for $50-60.00 US. In the evenings there are also horse and carriage rides around the immediate area including nearby resorts. The cost for these is $10.00 US.
All in all if what your looking for is an isolated place to kick back and laze around the pool with a bit of pampering thrown in then the El Senador is a bargain for the price. Those who prefer to be close to the action though may find Cayo Coco not what they’re looking for.
Recommended:
Yes
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JAMES23
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Member: James Smith
Location: Toronto Ontario CANADA
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