There were lots of kitesurfing efficionados in the water in Cayo Guillermo and Cayo Coco. The weather is perfect for this, as there is always a bit of a breeze, and some days are quite windy. Many travel to and from here, and some resorts allow it, some don’t. I am attaching a link for all you need to know about this, as there are different rates, and restrictions.
http://www.cayoguillermocuba.net/kitesurf.html
This was my first solo vacation south. I wasn’t planning on going alone, but my travel partner was unable to go, so I ventured forth by myself. I was in need of a relaxing vacation, and I got exactly what I went for. Let me tell you about it.
The Melia Cayo Guillermo, is located in Cayo Guillermo, Cuba. It is a very small island with only a handful or resorts on it. You fly into Cayo Coco, and travel by bus, about 45 minutes. The check-in took a little time, but when you arrive you are greeted by hostesses and a tropical drink, or two. The lobby is beautiful, and expansive, with lots of seating, and 2 big double swings to sit on by the lounging area and the coffee bar.
There is also a cigar lounge by the lobby, we well, small tables and benches to sit anytime you want to just chill. A water pond is in the middle of the lobby with lots of couches to sit and drink your coffee, or use wifi.
The rooms were a bit dated, but very clean, and big. There was a hallway, a bathroom, and a closet complete with iron, ironing board, and 2 umbrellas. Also lots of shelving with a safe, and extra pillows and blankets. And a refrigerator. As a Distinction Club member, (which costs an extra $30, and is worth every penny), there is a free bottle of rum by the frig, lots of water, and two warm housecoats for those nights when you’ve had too much sun, and your body gets chilled). There is also a sink with large countertop outside the bathroom, with a large mirror. Great place to put on makeup (two-sided makeup mirror pulls out from the wall). Plug for hair appliances is there as well. Tip: Bring a small and a large sink and tub stopper; available at the dollar store. The other ones don’t work well, and they are invaluable when travelling south.
I apologize for the quality of the room photos; they were a bit yellow. I took them at night when I arrived, and didn’t remember to take any for the rest of the trip. Was having too much fun I guess.
The buffet restaurant was great. It was very large, with plenty of seating, and the food was very good. Of course, there’s always a line for the omelets in the morning, and the freshly cooked meats at lunch and dinner, but always a good selection. Sometimes you had to search for a plate, but it seemed like when you turned around, there was a new batch coming out of the kitchen. Plenty of salad fixings to make whatever you wanted, lots of sauces, and plenty of breads and rolls of all kinds. The only thing I couldn’t find was mashed potatoes, but hey, there’s lots of other things to keep you fed. Btw, there were potatoes, just not mashed.
There is also a beach grill which has fantastic food, if you don’t want to go all the way to the buffet for lunch. You are served from a menu, and I had the roast chicken. It was very good. And the ice cream is good also. Don’t leave that out. Then when you head outside, just turn to the left and head to the beach bar to fill up your cup before you step food on the sand.
The beach is immense with lots of room to walk, play ball, catch, frisbee or whatever your heart desires. Why, you could even draw a huge heart in the sand thats as big as a car, and there’d still be room enough to walk by! In the morning, chairs are at a premium, but in the afternoon you shouldn’t have a problem finding one. When you do get one, make sure you mark it with your towel. Some were coming in the early morning hours to get their favorite spots. Tip: Take industrial clamps to use to keep your towel on your chair. Keeps them nice and neat; and is especially helpful on windy days. You can get them at the dollar store and they don’t weigh a lot in a suitcase.
As far as the nightlife is concerned, I didn’t attend any of it because I was there by myself, however, I did talk to others and they said it was very good. They did have an aqua show, an International Night, an 80’s night, and a Cuban night. They also had a beach barbeque one day while I was there. A band played and danced all the way past the pool to the barbeque, so I followed, and I will say it was fantastic food! And there was entertainment. Great day and lots of fun.
There is also a plaza market only a bus ride away and it has everything you’d want to buy for gifts or souvenirs. The bus fare is 5 pesos, and you can ride both of the islands Cayo Guillermo, and Cayo Coco. It does stop at all the resorts, the Dolpinarium, and Pilar Beach.
While at the resort pool, which was very nice, there was a guy who came everyday and did pencil sketches for you. It was 20 pesos and you could give him a picture, or show him your phone. I left my phone with him for about 2 hours, and he sketched my dog Coco. It was amazing. He is an unbelieveable artist. I would definitely get this done. If anyone knows his name, I’d like to give him the promo on here, so please post in the comment section if you know.
In short, it was a great place to go, and I will definitely go back. They are very friendly and caring: case in point: I did fall sick for one day and spent the day in bed. The maid came in and brought me an extra towel and water. I didn’t go to supper as I still didn’t feel well, but I did go to the shop and try and buy tylenol. He didn’t have any but did give me his own aspirin from his briefcase, no charge. I received a phone call at 12:10AM. Of course, I thought the worst, as you always do when someone calls you while on vacation. But, it was the resort Doctor. She said people were concerned about me and wanted to make sure I was ok. I was totally impressed. I did check in with her the next morning, and thanked her very much for caring.
I would not hesitate to book this hotel again, and will definitely return; maybe even next year. Loved it.
A couple of things you need to know: The Distinction Club claims that you get free Wifi for an hour each day, but this was not true. You still have to pay for an internet card, and the wifi doesn’t always work that well; but, seriously; you’re on vacation. Put down the phone and just enjoy yourself. This wouldn’t stop me from taking the Distinction Club again. It was worth it. Also, the website is slightly out of date. It shows hanging water hammocks, which they have taken down awhile ago, but it doesn’t matter. Plenty of space and palapas on the beach. Plus, they do not have yoga and meditation; but they do have stretching on the beach at 10am each morning, as well as salsa lessons by the pool and water exercise classes around noon each day. So, lots to do. And volleyball on the beach. Massages too; don’t forget that. You get a special price of $35 pesos for an hour and its totally worth it!
A few weeks ago, I had a trip booked with a friend when the unexpected happened. My friend became ill, and was advised not to fly. Without the comfort of cancellation insurance, which I never purchase (i’ll get into that later), I was forced to either cancel my trip and lose my money, or go alone.
I thought about my options, and I’m not one to fork out money and get nothing in return, so it was a fairly easy decision for me. Go. But alone? I’ll admit I was a little trepidatious, to say the least, for a few days before the trip. But thankfully, since it was just 5 days prior to leaving, I really didn’t have a lot of time to mull it over.
I repacked my suitcase, taking out all the fancy dresses for evening, because, lets face it, I wasn’t going to need them. It was just me, relaxing and reading for a week. So, afoot and lighthearted I set out on the open road. I knew that travelling alone in Cuba would be completely safe, so I wasn’t terribly concerned; and I was at a resort with lots of other people, and not in a city alone.
The long and short of it is this: do it. It turned out to be one of the best vacations I’ve ever had. It was the most relaxing. I did what I wanted when I wanted. I ate when I was hungry, and I went to bed early and fell asleep when I was tired. I met lots of people whom I talked to for a short time each day, established a routine with others, and never pushed myself on others’ vacation but really felt like I wasn’t alone.
If you have the chance to do this, don’t overthink it. Just go for it and don’t look back. It just might turn out to be a dream vacation.
I don’t buy cancellation insurance because I don’t plan on cancelling. I’m going for a reason. Full stop.
Tip #1: Remember your journal so that you can document each day and how you felt. That helps immensely.
Tip #2: Take an empowering book to read. My preference this time was “You’re a Badass”. I read the whole thing in 4 days, and it was amazing. While reading, I met a lady who commented on the book, said she had read it and that “Girl Boss” was as equally a fantastic read. That will be my book for next year!
Find the book here on Amazon
Wandering Butterflies 