Staying at the best hotel: Paradisus Rio de Oro
Trip Start
Nov 08, 2010
1
15
20
Trip End
Dec 10, 2010
Where I stayed
Guardalavaca, Cuba
Saturday, November 27, 2010
This Paradius hotel is considered the cream of the crop – one of the best all-inclusive hotels in Cuba. The hotel is built on a low, rocky cliff overlooking the beach, which is called Playa Esmeralda due to the emerald colour of the ocean. We thought the hotel in Varadero was terrific, but this hotel was even better. The restaurants, bars, service and facilities are all top notch. There are a couple of outdoor Jacuzzi's set into the rock with chilled sparkling wine waiting to be enjoyed by the hotel guests. Even the scuba diving is part of the all-inclusive.
We spent 4 nights at this hotel. Our mornings consisted of snorkeling, scuba diving or lounging next to the lagoon-like swimming pools. Before lunch we would relax in one of the Jacuzzis, sipping cava whilst gazing over the ocean and playing cards.
We preferred to eat lunch at the buffet restaurant which had the biggest variety of seafood. In the afternoons we continued what we did in the mornings, with maybe a little more activities, such as pool volleyball or sailing on a hobby cat. One afternoon when we were hanging around the swim-up bar in the pool, the animation team wanted all of us to join the bingo game they were starting. Obviously nobody wanted to get out of the pool, so they moved the bingo to us which were a lot of fun.
In the late afternoons we would retire to our room for a refreshing nap before we would get ready for dinner. All four a-la-carte and the buffet restaurant were excellent. After dinner we would get a drink at the lobby bar while enjoying some of the evening entertainment.
On our last day we visited the hotel’s spa. It is situated in the quiet royal service area of the hotel. It had a separate pool and beach area for spa guests. We went for a couples massage in a private cabin over the ocean which was very romantic.
