Sol Cayo Guillermo Hotel

26 readers found this review helpful

The beach is beautiful, the pool area very good and the hotel clean, but there are a few things that need sorting out!
Most of the staff are friendly and helpful but there were some that definately needed customer service training, they were grumpy and offhand unless of course you tipped, but why would you want to tip for bad service? The Manageress was lovely and very friendly, (she wasn't cuban!!)
The food was ok but not particularly inspiring and didn't have the wow factor very samey for two weeks. Also apparently cubans don't like there meat overcooked some chance as the chicken and pork was raw on more than one occasion and when you asked for it to be cooked more you were made to feel quite uncomfortable. The 24hour toasted sandwiches were available when the toasted sandwich chef decided!
Each day over the 2 week period we were there, there was always something unavailable which although we laughed about actually got quite tedious, no mint or lemon for mojitas, no beer, no butter, no milk, no glasses, no cocktail mixing machine working, no salad, no tonic water and even no dark rum at the cuban rum bar!!
I enjoyed my holiday as the friends I travelled with were brilliant company but I wouldn't recommend or go back to this particular hotel, I have been to Cuba 2 years ago and stayed in Guardalavacia and didn't experience any of the above irritations.
Finally I was really annoyed on the last but one day as several items of clothing went missing from 3 different rooms, when I reported this the hotel said they would look into it but could actually only suggest I reported it to Thomas Cook, which I had already done, they didn't seem particulary bothered what were Thomas Cook supposed to do? I totally understand the need to put valuable items in a safe but I really couldn't have put all my clothes in the safe as well!! Finally beautiful place etc etc but also watch out as the staff and there children have lots of birthdays!!??

15 readers found this review helpful

This was our second time at the SOL CAYO GUILLERMO. We had another fantastic holiday. The location is fantastic, hotel is great, rooms are always clean although you do get the odd cockroach or crab. The one downfall this time was and wthe drinks at the main bar. The soft drinks didnt have any fizz and were very watery. Food is good, there is something for everyone.
We met some great people this time that made the holiday really enjoyable.
Had a great day in Moron, this was a real eye opener.
What really made our holiday was the entertainment staff. They are brilliant and we have become very good friends with them. Pino, Mikalle, Yubi, Elizabeth (Betty), Carlos and Aniya are the nicest people you could ever meet. We had a wonderful time with them. Cant wait to go back again next year.

6 readers found this review helpful

The beach is absolutly out of this world like something you would see on a painting. The satff are the friendliest people i have ever met and all make you feel so welcome. The room was lovely. The only downfall was that some trips we booked on were cancelled but that just gave us more time at the resort - total bliss!!!!!! made some lovely friends food absolutly lovely - some nights better than others but there is always something!! Michael and Leo are great and the pizza guy give them a small tip each night and they seriously look after you!! Always smiling!!! Strongly reccomend!!!

12 readers found this review helpful

I cannot believe all the bad reviews for this hotel and felt that I should let people know how excellent this hotel was during our stay. We are returning there next month after visiting Egypt, Mexico and Kenya and still maintain this as our most favourite holiday!!
The staff were friendly and polite and very appreciative of any gifts we gave them, such as t-shirts or money.. very grateful and didn't ask us for anything..
Room was clean, food was excellent, bar staff friendly and attentive, entertainment team were amazing and enjoyed partying with us in the disco after hours!! For an all inclusive resort we found plenty to do.. we recommend the local fishing trip on a small boat which we hired with 2 friends that we met in the resort. They served super fresh lobster on board, which the guy dove down to the bottom of the ocean to catch, for about $5 each.. yummy!!
If you're wanting a beautiful beach holiday with a friendly atmosphere, come to this hotel!
So we're hoping our second trip will be just as memorable!

6 readers found this review helpful

I stayed at the sol from the 14th to 28th of may 2009 and i would definitely not be returning in the near future.
Lets start with the good points.
The flight out with Thomas cook was really good and we arrived early no delays the flight back was also smooth apart from the child that decided to scream constantly for 6 hours solid. the Airport at Cayo Coco is fine you get greeted with a stern face but apart from that all OK in and out of the country.
The island of cayo Guillermo is stunning beautiful beaches that take your breath away. Some of the staff at the hotel are really lovely people and i was really upset saying goodbye to them especially Roberto and Luis. They do their best with the facilities that they have.
The staff treat you well if you tip and if you don't tip SO DONT FEEL THAT YOU NEED TO BE TIPPING ALL THE TIME..
THE BAD POINTS.
This can no way be classed as a 4* hotel .This hotel seriously needs reviewing for its star status and should be around a 3 * at most. I have stayed in the 3* Turtle Bay Beach Club in Kenya and it was loads better than the Sol.
The rooms are big but the finish is so shoddy the plug in the bathroom was hanging off the wall, the shower was mouldy, there is paint all over the tiles what does it take to make a nice finish.
Not really sure whats been refurb some return guests said it was only the pool that had been done but even that looked shoddy and had lots of uneven tiles in the bottom of it.
The food was awful often it was cold or covered in flies or had birds sitting in it.. We barely ate during the 2 weeks we were there and 5 out of a group of 7 were ill which we were sure was down to fly infested food. After many complaints to the rep the food did get slightly better but still not great. It wouldn't take alot to get covers over the food items.
The bars were always running out of glasses and often running out of drinks as the barmen are selling bottle after bottle to guests.
Thomas cook say in the brochure that there is a 24 hour snack bar ....THEY LIED. There is no snack bar there is toasted sandwiches a few hours a day and don't expect any food or snacks after 10pm because you wont get anything.
I had several things taken from my room including tweezers,nail clippers,cigarettes and even underwear!!!!
My expectations of this hotel were not fulfilled and i feel really let down we did enjoy the holiday and met some lovely people (you know who you all are) and if the hotel could buck its ideas up it could be great.
Sol Melia is a multi million pound company and needs to invest the hard earned money from their customers back into the hotels.

9 readers found this review helpful

I stayed at the hotel in april with 21 other family members for my wedding.out of the 21 people,5 people had things stolen from there room,the most expensive item was an ipod touch.another guy had the shirt he was going to wear for my wedding stolen and we personal had money taken from our bag whilst on an excursion.the staff were no help with any of our problems including a large frame(6ft x 4ft} that fell off the wall inches from my sons cot,this happened on the first day and was still outside our room 2 weeks later when we left.our tour guide was excellent(Hector).report any incedents to him.he was a great guy.

All of the bar staff and most of the restauant staff are excellent.we didnt tip much during the holiday due to the fact we were leaving clothes behind which are worth more to them than money(so several staff told us).also the wedding co-ordinator was fantastic and made our wedding day unforgettable.the food at the a la carte restaurant was amazing,the buffet was good too and a fair bit of choice,unless your a fussy eater like me and i had the same stuff almost everyday.the ranch was nice but when its busy you can wait upto an hour to get your food in front of you.as for the 24hour snack bar,when they did have bread and ingredients,all you could get were toasties,these were lovely though.just a shame it wasn't really a 24hour snack bar.
The beach was fantastic with a few things to do if your not a sun worshiper like myself.you can kyak,peddlo and sail.the bars were pretty good with all bar staff very friendly(especially to the single ladies,lol)i left a few of these guys some shirts and caps,they were very greatful as they cost quite a bit to buy.the pool was nice to sit around too.
if you want to have a great time though you must do some of the excursions,the jeep tour was fantastic,made so by the guides who were a great laugh and very easy to talk too.especailly Carlos.we done a boat trip called the hideaway,this was fantastic too,Pablo was our guide and he was hilarious.we also did the salsa night and coming from a guy with no rythym this was a great night.keep and eye out for a little guy called skinny danny.also in our group people did 'swimming with dolphins' which they said was amazing.there is excursions for everyone but make sure you keep your money or bag with you at all times,if you go snorkling though then you run the risk of having some money stolen.
you will have a great time but just remember they are a very poor country and tempation is too much for some people.

4 readers found this review helpful

Having read some of the reviews here, I thought I would write a quick one
We stayed here April 2008 and can not fault the hotel, the staff were fantastic and always helpful and polite (even if you don't tip them). The Gardners worked hard for most of the day including the mid day heat and never expected anything for the grass insects they made. Many a morning a delightful little present was waiting on the doorstep (flowers, a hat and grass insects). The hotel is probably not a four star you would expect in England - however it is Cuba and I think people forget that. We certainly would go back again. The beach and diving is awesome. The only downside is the flights and seating (boyfriend is over 6ft) and struggled with space on the airline and we were not prepared to pay an additional £200pp for extra leg room! Please remember when you go abroad that you are in a foreign country and not the UK!!! Give this place ago with an open mind and you won't regret it!

7 readers found this review helpful

just got back from the sol cayo guillermo, and was great hols bar the weather, which was windy every day except the last two days that we were there!!Perfect holiday for couples, adults, but not children as not many activities. There are tennis courts,(which you can borrow kit), a gym, table tennis, american pool, volleyball and ten-pin bowling. The disco is naff, the evening we spent there, it was crowded and really cheesy music.
That aside, the hotel was really clean (just had refurbishment) the rooms basic but clean, and all the staff there are very friendly. Some rooms have european plugs, but some only have american plugs, so take both, to be on the safe side. There is a great beach bar, which serve every type of cocktail going (and if you see Jose, and tip him a peso, you will find you get drunk very quickly when your back is turned!) The food in the main restaurant is plentiful and always freshly cooked and hot, and always lots of fresh fruits. We also went to the italian restaurant which was ok, nothing special. We tried to book in advance for the Cuban restaurant where they do lobsters, but couldnt get in, although we heard from other guests that it again was nothing special, and you had to pay an extra 15 pesos or so. If you do want to try lobster, go into the main restaurant the evening before, go to the right hand side, and ask for Ariel, and say you want a lobster dinner for the next night, and he will order you one for the main restaurant. It's a massive lobster with shrimps and veg, and you will love it!! (Tip Ariel between 5-10 pesos, which is cheap!! and do it on the sly - as I dont think the manager knew about it!!)
The trips we went on were the speedboat and snorkelling, which is great, so cool, would have done it again! You can drive your own speedboat, as fast as you like through the mangroves, then go swimming and snorkelling where all the fish breed. There are also some beaver lookalikes there, which if you take some bananas or bread, you can feed them. We also went on the salsa night which is great, for all ages, and lots of all-inclusive drinks too. All I will say is the next day my thighs were killing me... but you've got to go, definately something not to miss. We also went on the trip to Colonial Camaguey, which is a full day, where we went to see a rum factory, and taste some rum. we also saw the 1950's cars, and all the old churches, and got to hear about the history about Cuba, which was fascinating. All-inclusive lunch with then some time to spend shopping.
We also did the horse-back riding along the beach and into the mangroves, myself, who horse rides, managed to canter, and my partner, who has been on a horse twice, managed a more leisurely pace.
There are other trips such as Havana, and swimming with Dolphins, but we were told to get the best out of these, you should do an overnight trip, and this apparently was costly, starting at £200 each!!
At the end of the holiday, if you have any toiletries that are weighing down your bags - because you have so much rum in it!! - give it to the entertainment staff or any other staff you feel have deserved it. They prefer this to money. But if you want do give some tips to those that have given you a pleasurable holiday, as they earn between £10-£15 a month, they do appreciate it.
If you smoke, it's also best to get your brand in departures or on the plane, as they dont have many brands out there, I tried one, and was coughing for a while after!!
The currency out there is Cuban pesos, but some places will use english sterling, and you can always use your debit/credit card. They do not deal in anything american, so dont even bother to take maestro/switch etc..., just use Visa/Mastercard.
Overall, Thomas Cook were good too, they upgraded our seats to premium, I'd never travel standard again! The rep for the resort - Hector - was great and very helpful. If you are thinking of coming to this resort, it is great, the beaches are fantastic, the sand is so soft and the waters clear, but the weather just wasnt up to much. I woulld go again, but i may go slightly later in the year, april/may, as the weather should be a lot better then.

4 readers found this review helpful

My husband and I stayed at this hotel in may 2006 for our 10 anniversary. We chose here on recomendation but their description didn't do it justice. We were amazed at how beautiful the island and the hotel were. We found the complex to be very well kept with the rooms cleaned every day. The staff were fantastic and we couldn't find fault with anything in fact we have just booked to go again in 2010 and we can't wait!!!! It annoys me that people go to places like cuba and except all the comforts of home. I would recomend it to EVERYONE!!

11 readers found this review helpful

My husband and I got married at the Cayo Guillermo last March and we are very pleased we did. The hotel was clean and the staff were so polite. I know sometimes you think that people in countries like this always ask for money and beg but not this one. It was amazing.
We upgraded our flights to first class which wasnt really that more expensive but much more comfortable. The food was nice and the atmosphere was great. When we arrived at the airport in cuba along with the rest of the wedding croud (20 altogether) our transfers were there waiting for us. Although the journey to cayo guillermo was about 45 minutes it was nothing as we were so excited. Our families were all in different hotels along the beach so it didnt take long to walk and see them if we wanted to. We arrived in Cuba on the 4th March and got married on the 6th.
We were greeted with cocktails when we arrived then taken to our sea-view room which they upgrade automatically for you. Fruit and champers were laid out on the table which was gorgeous. The rooms are brightly coloured and the beds are huge. Although very basic, but who spends all day in their rooms? The sea-view was a picture with the palm trees spread out across the gardens.
The resturant was nice and the waiters were really lovely and happy to do anything for you. We stayed for 2 weeks and although we never moaned, the food by the 2nd week was a little competitive to be honest eventhough the food was nice and changed regularly.
We had a note put under our bedroom door but the wedding co-ordinator to let us know that we would be meeting in the bar the following morning (5th) at 10.30am. When we got there she was sitting with different books and she was very helpful. I was panicing that things wouldnt be as I wanted but she tried her hardest to make the day perfect, which it was and I wouldnt change a thing. She had a book with different colours and styles of flowers in and a cake book. There were only about 5 different shapes but there was one to suit everyone's style. We got married in the gazebo next to the beach which was stunning. They can provide music which is a cuban band to play at the ceremony but we chose to have a cd which they were happy to play. The cuban band played at the resturant later on the wedding day.
The morning of the wedding my husband and I went swimming before our guests turned up at 11.00 We were getting married at 3.00. The morning was so relaxing, eventhough I was nervous. Some of our guests had to pay about 55 dollars to get into the hotel but compared to what they got out of it that was nothing. I got dressed and drank a bottle of champers with the girls and then it was time to go. My dad and I walked slowly to the gazeba to find all the family (20 of them) standing around the inside of the gazeba so it was fairly big and it was decorated with flowers to match my theme (pink). It was a dream. We were not allowed to have witnesses who had the same name as my husband so one of the cubans signed it for us. The translator repeated after the vicor. After the ceromony we had our photographs done. The photographer was fantastic and took every opportunity to take photos. We went to the beach bar after and everyone was drinking cocktails. We all went onto the beach and had photos done too.
The hotel booked the al acarte resturant for all 20 of us and it was the best food we had all had before. We booked into the resturant about 6 times in 2 weeks. I think we had about 7 course and was absolutely stuffed. It was the best day of our lifes and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to marry abroad.
I have read on here about people not happy with all the bugs and insects but they didnt bother us and there were no more than what we would have in England. The odd crab walks around but so what. Our honeymoon was filled with hot weather and we had nothing to complain about. We are going to book the same hotel on out 5th year anniversary as it was once in a lifetime holiday. This was the 2nd time I have been to this hotel and we are going to go back as much as we can.
For all you guys out there that have read all the bad stuff about this hotel....ignore it. You couldnt ask for a better place for a holiday.