PLAYA COSTA VERDE

THE HOTEL

I thought the hotel was very pleasant and well maintained. The grounds were immaculate and colourful

The facilities were as expected for what we had paid and I would say it was reasonable value for money. Although not direct onto the beach access to the beach is easy over a boardwalk through the eco area. There is a large freeform pool. There are a number of little kiosk type places around the grounds open at various times, the ice-cream kiosk, the beer corner, and even a chiropodist. There is also a gym and tennis/football courts for the more energetic. There are a couple of Jacuzzis that seemed popular..

I enjoyed the breakfasts but don’t expect a full English, the orange juice was freshly squeezed and really good. With regards to Special Restaurants the food with the exception of the Japanese was basically the same as you could get in the buffet but tended to be warmer and better presented.

The Japanese is probably the best as entertainment value as well. The Cuban gets a lot of criticism re mosquitoes but there didn’t seem to be more of a problem there as far as I could see most of my friends were bitten in other locations.
Coffee was generally good apart from in the rooms. The snack bar by the pool (I understand this is also a Caribbean theme restaurant at night in high season) is very pleasant but it is a bit like eating in an aviary with lots of birds that fly in and out and perch on the tables this does represent a food hygiene risk (most of our party suffered severe stomach upsets the food may have been the cause but we have no conclusive evidence

We tended to spend most evenings in the Lobby bar the waiter service was usually good tipping a little and often probably helps. We would have made more use of the Beer Corner. if the weather had been better The swim up bar was ok but although I like to see one I don’t think they ever quite live up to your expectations. Probably the most comfortable and under used is the Guantanamerra cigar lounge it is air conditioned but the cigar smell and restricted choice of drinks may put some people off .The beach bar was a big disappointment as it is basically a kiosk with one person serving and you can be waiting for half an hour in a queue if you get your timing wrong. There are also no toilets so it’s a bit of a hike back up to the hotel if you need to go.

FOOD

The food was what I expected I think most people would find something to their liking in the buffet the only problems being either the temperature that it is served at or trying to get the right combination of protein and veg there were often times you were searching in vain for the right veg only to find it appearing when you were later seeking a desert.

The pool is a large freeform pool it is clean and has a swim up bar the snack bar adjacent to the pool was very pleasant for a light lunch or snack. There are plenty of sun beds they are the plastic canvas type and don't have soft cushions.. The surround to the pool is a decorative concrete finish and looks a bit shabby.

ENTERTAINMENT

The animation team are enthusiastic and try hard if you want to indulge but you can only take so much of the” love you” “love you more“ bingo. The evening shows were basically just young girls dressing up, the resident band are ok and there are other artists who appear at various points around the hotel. Again the theatre area is beginning to look shabby.

STAFF

Without a doubt the biggest asset at this hotel are the staff, from the reception to the gardeners everybody seems to have a smile on their faces and are helpful and you get the impression its not just for the tips.

The beach is a pleasant but not spectacular beach shared by the 3 hotels the PCV has probably the best section of the beach but you still need to take care and watch out for the numerous rocky outcrops underwater these are usually visible if the sea is calm but are more difficult to spot if the water is choppy the movement of sand also means that what appeared to be a clear section one day may be rocky the next or visa versa (A pair of Crocs are a good investment) One surprising find was that we took a walk one day to the West and just past the Playa Pescaro came across a disgusting little inlet were there was loads of rubbish some of which appeared to be medical waste including used syringes. The water sports were restricted due to weather conditions for most of our stay so we couldn’t take advantage we did manage one trip on a hobbie cat

THE ROOM

The room we were allocated 4826 it was a second floor room and being on a corner had the advantage of a large L shaped balcony unfortunately due to the weather and mosquitoes we were unable to make much use of the balcony. The room was clean and airy, and had a bit of an unusual arrangement of the bathroom being entered via a small area containing the wash hand basin and wardrobe which enabled someone to wash/ shave if the other was using the bath room. The furniture was basic but adequate and the bed huge. The air con was not good but just about worked. The bathroom was good but the hot water was a bit hit and miss and we did not have hot water for about 5 days. The room was cleaned to a decent standard daily I didn’t know there were so many different ways to make a bed not to mention the things you can do with a towel nice touches. The only y criticism would be the bed spreads which do not appear to be changed for each occupancy

Due to the unseasonal weather, mosquitoes and stomach upsets this was not our best ever holiday and although I would return to Cuba it is unlikely that I would return to the Holguin area I would never say never and I am sure most people will have fond memories of the place.