Meliá Cayo Guillermo

Troy & Family, GB, 2005-04-21
My family and I have just returned today from our stay at The Melia Cayo Guillermo.........What a disappointment!!!!!

When we booked this hotel we was told and was advertised as a 4*+ / 5* hotel.This hotel definitely rates no more than a 3* (This is probably why only some but not all Dressed for dinner unless of course wearing a bandana and a T-Shirt with "mounties do it in the rockies" constitutes dressing for dinner now days)In fact we went to a 3* hotel in Dom Rep and it knocked spots off this hotel in every aspect..
To a certain degree I blame the brochure, it would not of been so bad if we was told it was a 3*, but to be told this is a 5* hotel when we arrived and if we didn't think so we should go to moron and see how they live and then tell us when you come back that this is not a 5*.....sorry but emotional blackmail dont wash with me!

The pool was very clean but is not heated and was empty a lot of the time because it was so cold.If you ventured in and visited the pool bar you usually had to wait a good 15-20 minutes to be served.
The toasted sandwiches at the bar were adequate if you were really hungry.....The Italian was quite nice but the choice was limited and you could have a very poor salad, but the pizza was very good. Apart from the salad and the lack of variety on the menu this in my opinion was a 4*+ Restaurant...

The Ranchos beach restaurant again was adequate....no more, but THE BUFFET has to rate as one of the worst we have been to!
I know it is CUBA but there are not enough staff and there is no excuse for empty trays, no butter, dirty plates,food that has been cremated..., queuing 20 minutes to get in one night and a further 20 inside, etc etc etc......We are not fussy people and when we read on this site before we went, the choice of food which was written about it sounded perfect.....you wait until you get there!

The entertainment was dire, If you didn't get yourself a table and chair ready for the show before 9pm forget going as there is standing room only. and as the shows do not start until 10pm we were so bored waiting we ended up going to our room to watch a film every night. I know a lot of people we spoke to did this.

The lobby bar sometimes was more reminiscent of a Butlins holiday camp!
When ordering a drink...be very careful what you order as this hotels version of all inclusive is a little different to any other we have been too....Fine Whiskey e.g Glenfinnich will cost you as will Johnny Walker Black label and many many others, check out the back of the drinks menu for the prices before ordering so you can save yourself the embarrasment.

The daytime entertainment is a joke!
Couldn't do the archery because someone had stolen the 1 and only Target?
The Shooting my son attended was good and he really enjoyed this, he went about 4 times then I was told on his 4th visit he was not big enough to play??....then while watching the following day he was allowed to shoot??

We were told the beach rates as one of the best in the Caribbean.....It is a very narrow beach of soft sand mixed with shells and seaweed, you have to swim out quite a way to actually be chest deep then you hit the grass and coral on the bottom(Have been and seen better)....I did not like that one bit. When the tide went out it left large pools of water around which was great for the small children and babies, they could splash around untill there hearts content without any danger atall...It was very windy most of the time so you could not use the watersports equipment but then you can't help the weather!
We wanted to go snorkeling off the end of the pier we could not get any snorkeling gear, we was told if we wanted to go snorkeling we would have to pay so many pesos and go out in the boat...we didnt want that we just wanted the equipment but no can do?

The staff ranged from being extremely helpful and friendly to being downright rude. I have never tipped so much in my entire life, and we have been on a few holidays, but it was expected......People were being encouraged to jump the queue everywhere obviously because they tipped well.......call me old fashioned but I like to tip for a good service not because it is expected......and don't be fooled, these must be some of the richest cubans around judging by the rattling of their pockets....These people do not go short....We was told in this resort they take the creme de le creme of workers....They all speak VERY good English, it turns out alot of these workers are medical & law students and even a pilot but can earn more money here with the tips than they could ever earn doing the job there trained/training to do... The only people we saw who to us really put them selves out in a genuine way was the gardeners who liked to show us what they were doing and were more than willing to drop a coconut or two for you to drink, they were very grateful when tipped but not once did you feel like you had to with them.

For anyone who has been on a catamaran trip elsewhere in the Caribbean this was not only an expensive joke but also dangerous...we were taken out when it was very windy indeed and there were not adequate life jackets....You was told you did not have to have a life jacket if you didn't want one....The mind boggles?? my son and wife spent approx 20 seconds in the water.....it was not good!!....Waves way to high for any real snorkeling....Pillar Beach-Forget it not that great, we went there with this trip it is no better than the beach you left at guillermo

The Jungle Tour was absolutely fantastic!!!! 5* Trip....Must do!

I was sick to death of all the wedding parties....loads of them!
We paid two visits to the International restaurant which is very nice and intimate and people actually dressed up to go there which was nice, although extremely smelly because it is set on a stagnant lagoon.....The wedding parties totally took over the restaurant, intimate it wasn't.

Lastly, I think that The Canadians that visit seem to use the resort as a type of Benidorm or Salou.....if you know what I mean!!
And smoke....I have never seen so many people smoking in one place for years and years and it was absolutely discusting....!!!!
They do have some no-smoking tables but if you are not a smoker you can get a whiff a mile away.
Shame they were not Americans because they would not put up with the standards that this hotel offers and we made have had a better holiday!

Troy & Family
England.

Anónimo, CA, 2005-04-20
Recently returned from the MCG. We were there the 3-10 of April/05 with
another couple. All in all we found the resort to be very clean, rooms were
certainly comfortable and the staff very very friendly. The beach is awesome and we loved the long pier. Very relaxing to rest in the hammocks
which are everywhere. We did The Jungle Tour which was alot of fun. Well
worth the money. We walked over to the Sol and Iberostar resorts which
are adjacent. Lunch at the Sol was nice. The grounds not as nice.
Our trip to and from Cuba was great. Due to the bad weather (snow) we
were delayed in Hamilton 4 1/2 hours (Flew Westjet) but they fed us pizza
and once we boarded the plane the staff were great fun.It was an awesome plane with leather seats and lots of leg room and your own satelite TV.
I felt bad for the Canjet people who were just going to be bussed to the
Toronto airport as we were flying away. Our experience at the Cayo Coco
airport was fine, very quick and coming back to Canada through Customs
in Hamilton is a breeze and you have your luggage in no time.I hope we
can always fly out of Hamilton. Very nice experience.
On the down side at the MCG I would have to say that all 4 of us found the food at the buffet to be lacking. It was never very hot and I don't care for onion rings and cauliflower for breakfast. It was always the same stuff and if you wanted an omelette or pasta they only cook one at a time so you WAIT. The a la carte's however were very good and the service was
wonderful. The septic smell at the International Restaurant was very
strong when we dined there but the garlic did manage to offset it somewhat.
My husband did get hounded a number of times to buy cigars so you have
to be assertive and just tell them you are not interested. We didn't bother
exchanging money at the airport as the line was long but we were able to
get some pesos at the reception desk at the hotel. Sometimes you have to
keep going back however as they frequently run out of money. Don't look
for an iron in the room as I did. If you want anything ironed you fill out a
form in your room and will get your stuff back in 24 hrs or so for a price.
All in all we did have a good time. The weather was fantastic and we met
some very nice fellow Canadians and Brits. I don't thonk we will return any
time soon but it sure was nice to get away. The Cubans are great people!