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Club Tryp – Cayo Coco – Reviews Posted – 22
Club Tryp – Cayo Coco | Pam & Tyler – Peterborough Ontario, Canada |
March 2003
Hi Debbie! You have a GREAT site here! It is so helpful and useful and it gives a lot of information that is needed for travelers. Thank you.
March 2003
We are from Peterborough, ON and traveled to Club Tryp Cayo Coco, Cuba on Friday February 21, 2003. We booked our trip though Signature Vacations, and they are WONDERFUL! Our travel agent told us everything we needed to know about Cuba, about the departure taxes, customs, rules, regs, the people and the sights. I would highly recommend booking though Signature as they are always there when you need them.
The Flight Our flight was through Skyservice. In the months prior to our trip the flight time had changed 5 times! It went from 6am to 11am to 12pm, to 3pm and then finally to 4:30pm 3days before our trip! It was somewhat stressful because we didn’t know 3 days before our trip when our flight was leaving! But it turned out well. We flew from Toronto, ON. The customs, security and check in time was only minutes. They are very quick and efficient. But beware- if you are bringing film for your camera, DO NOT put it in your checked baggage, place all film in your carry on! Any film that is in checked baggage will get exposed from the heavy-duty X-Ray machine the airport is using as of January 1, 2003. One thing that isn’t so pleasant about flying through Skyservice is that there is NO LEG room what-so-ever! My boyfriend is six foot six and he could barley move! The flight was fairly smooth except for over the New York area. We hit a wicked storm and the plane was shaking heavily from the turbulence. It was scary, but it ended a few minutes later. They served us a cheese tortellini meal on the way to Cuba…it wasn’t too bad, but what can you expect from airline food?! We landed in Cayo Coco at the Jardines Del Ray airport half and hour before schedule, which was a nice surprise! When we landed in Cayo Coco it was raining which was upsetting, but it stopped about 5 minutes after we landed. It was quite the ordeal to get our luggage in the airport though. Three planes had landed at the same time and there was luggage EVERYWHERE! It took about an hour to go though security, customs and get our baggage. You then go to your rep, hop on a bus and off you are to Club Tryp! It’s about a 10 minute bus ride to the resort.
TIP- Try to sit near the front of the bus if you can because you will be the first ones off at the reception and you will get to your rooms quickly instead of having to wait for what can seem like hours to get checked in.
Check-In & Room The check-in was somewhat disorganized when we arrived at the Tryp. We arrived there at 9:20pm, so it was dark and hard to find our way around. The bus drops off all Tryp visitors to the "Club" reception. From that point you have to find out if you are staying on the Club or the Colonial side, then go to that areas’ reception. We were staying on the Colonial side, so we had to hop on a little train that the resort has to take you to the other side of the resort. We got to the Colonial reception, checked in and were off to the room! TIP- If you don’t mind carrying your luggage to room, I HIGHLY recommend that you do it! We pulled our luggage to our room because we felt safer doing it ourselves (at least we knew where it was). The couple in the room beside us didn’t get their luggage for almost 2 hours after check-in…and they had to wait in their room for it to come! So their night was pretty much shot! Our room was INCREDIBLE! It was so beautiful, bright and huge! It had a beautiful large bathroom suite, a king size bed, 18 foot ceilings and a huge balcony that looked over the pool! The room is furnished with a wall length desk, bench, 2 armchairs, a table, TV with remote and a fridge.
Opposed to what many reviews have said, our room did not smell musty AT ALL, it was clean and cool. On the far side of the colonial section, the guests have to place their room key in a slot to make the air-conditioning work (which is kind of pointless). On our side of the Colonial (building 18) the air works no matter what. There is a permanent key in the slot.
Food
TIP- When you are booking your trip get the SUPER ALL INCLUSIVE ($100 CDN) option. It will be the best $100 you spend guaranteed! We had the Super A.I. and it was awesome! You have no limits with the S.A.I wrist bracelet. You can eat at any of the 5 a la carte restaurants (Creole, Cuban, International, Seafood and Italian) unlimited amounts of times and not have to pay an extra penny. You also have full access to the buffets, pizza place (Yarey’s) and you have extra time using all the water sports equipment. The people with just the regular white wrist band can only eat the buffet (which is gross) and the pizza place, and they have less time when using the water sports equipment. If you don’t get the Super All Inclusive and decide to eat at one of the A la Carte restaurants, you must pay $40 USD/person/meal!!! It’s outrageous prices for the meals if you don’t have the S.A.I. We food we ate was incredibly delicious! We ate at the seafood restaurant (El Dorado) 3 nights in a row! They have fresh lobster that they will just keep bringing you…it’s great! They have a wonderful selection of food there. We ate at the Italian restaurant which is by far the BEST food I have ever tasted in my life!!! (Get the Spinach Cannelloni….it’s awesome!). We also ate at the international restaurant (La Loma Azul) and its disgusting! The food tastes like sweat. I wouldn’t recommend going there at all.
For breakfast everyday we ate at the buffet. The food for breakfast is great. The chef stands in front of you and cooks you your omelets or crepes. The have a really cool machine which makes fresh orange juice right in front of you and its delicious! The food isn’t as bad as everyone makes it out to be. Every meal we had was perfect except for the International restaurant. And besides, you come to Cuba for the beach, not for the food!
P.S- You have to make reservations for all the restaurants for dinner…do this at reception
The Resort
Club Tryp is massive! It will take you days to find your way around this place! It is separated by a Club and a Colonial Side. The colonial side is gorgeous! It looks like Spain. Beautiful gardens, flowers, pools, cobble stone roads, wishing wells….it looks like its a picture from a post card! The Club side is not as nice. It’s darker, less flowers, the trees aren’t as mature and are therefore short and stumpy, the pools are nice of the club side and the reception area is beautiful. The club side is where all the action is…discos, entertainment, shows ect…while the colonial side is more relaxed, peaceful, quite and private.
The Beach Get ready for your jaw to hit the ground when you see the beaches here! The beaches are unbelievably gorgeous. Never in my life have I seen something this beautiful. The beach is fairly narrow (30 ft wide max) and the white fluffy sand that doesn’t burn your feet. The Maintenance workers rake the beach at 6am daily to get rid of any sea weed that may have accumulated there. Unlike Florida you don’t have to worry about stepping on any sharp rocks or glass in the water here. The sand in the water is perfectly clean and free of rocks and debris. The water is a beautiful turquoise green and is incredibly clean and clear. We spend most of our days and nights on the beach at the Tryp.
They have about 200 huts that you can lay under all on the Tryp beach. There are almost 1000 white beach reclining chairs, but they go FAST! Most mornings at 9am you couldn’t find a chair anywhere, so get there early!
The Snorkeling
We went snorkeling almost everyday. You will see a dark line in the water from shore that separates the turquoise colour….at that dark line all across the beach is where there is great snorkeling. Go to the Boathouse grill and get some bananas to feed the fish…they love it and will come right up to you…good opportunity for pictures!
The Weather We had been checking the weather online for almost 2 months before our trip and it was sunny and warm almost day. The day before we left it was calling for rain in Cayo Coco! Friday- rain, high of 30 Saturday- sunny, high of 33 Sunday – Thunderstorms, high of 27 Monday- Thunderstorms, high of 27 Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday – SUNNY and highs of 35
Bring LOTS of sun block. They sell it there, but it’s expensive ($9-$15 USD) for a small bottle.
Things to Do
There are lots of things to do here. You can go snorkeling, sea kayaking, Hobbie Catting, Parasailing ($40 USD/person)….You can get a massage ($10/hour USD), you can get your hair braided with foil ($35USD) TIP – Bring coloured beads from home to have the hairdresser put in your braids. There are lots of excursions you can go on. We did the 1/2 day Catamaran ride $39 USD/person. I would highly recommend it. They take you to the entrance of the Bahamas Channel and you go snorkeling at one of the largest coral shelf’s in Cuba! Its awesome! We saw well over 300 fish….just beautiful! P.S- Watch out for the jelly-fish…..there are everywhere!!
You can also go on a Jungle Tour ($65 USD), trip to Moron, Trinidad…….there are tones of excursions! We also went on a tour of the Island of Cayo Coco. We got to see all the resorts, a Wild Bore Cave and a Farm with an animal show….it was really neat… ($5 USD).
The People
The Cuban’s are wonderful people. They are efficient, quick and very organized. They don’t ask for tips or serve only those with money in their hands like past reviews have said. They serve each person fairly and are very kind and funny people. The one thing though that I recommend over anything else is to bring lots of $1 bills for tipping. The Cubans only get paid $10-$15 PER MONTH!! They also all have to drive at least one hour to get to the resort everyday! They only get 1 day off a week and they all work a minimum of 12 hours/day! They have to share 40% of their tips with the resort, so when you tip is really goes a LONG way! The appreciate it so much and they will remember you for it, trust me.
The Flight Home
All I can say here is I hope you are not impatient or fussy because you’ll be waiting a LONG time to go home! Four flights were all leaving at the same time and the airport was packed! You could barley move in there! It took about and hour and a half to get to the check-in counter!! Our flight was delayed by 30 minutes. We are all on the plane getting ready for take off when the pilot comes on and tells us to watch the TV screens for safety procedures ect…so we are getting ready to take off here and the power on the plane shuts off!!! The whole plane went black, the engines stopped and the back-up lighting stopped! I can tell you that this was a horrific experience knowing that we are about to take off here and all that’s around us is ocean!! But fortunately they fixed the problem and off we were. We even got to Toronto 1/2 hour before schedule!
Things To Bring – insulated mug (the little cups they give you don’t last long & your drinks gets warm fast!) – lots of $1 bills – Small gifts for the maids/servers ( They LOVE to get colouring books, crayons, sm toys for children, hair clips and elastics. They have a huge shortage on pencils and paper there, so that would be a great thing to bring as well. – lots of sun block – Imodium….trust us….you’ll need it! – Band-aids – Kleenex – a couple rolls of toilet paper…their’s is like sandpaper! – a few under-water cameras – facecloths – A great attitude
Get the Super-All Inculsive package and ask to be put on the colonial side with a balcony! Any of the lower rooms will have lots of spiders and lizard visitors!!
This resort is pure paradise! When you go here you’ll fall in love. We will definitely be going back to the Tryp! Out of 10, we would give it a 10 hands down! The service, beauty, food, rooms, grounds, beach, pool and people are 110% perfect! This place rocks! Have a GREAT ‘Tryp!’
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Club Tryp – Cayo Coco | Montreal, Canada |
March 2003
I would like to write this review to let out the steam, I have from this whole vacation. I bought the tickets through a travel agent here, who basically sold it to me not explaining much about the rules and regulation in this resort.
I got there from montreal canada with some canadian dollars, expecting to use my credit card AMERICAN which I only realized when I got there that there is an embargo. My travel agent never told about the 25.00 $ US you have to pay to get out of the country. I figured if I needed more money I was safe using my bank card, since I have taken money out with it in many countries around the world. Only then did I realize that there were no bank machines, and I then had to take a bike 5 kms outside to take out some money from my account in Canada, but they did not accept. I could use my mastercard since they do not accept AMERICAN credit cards. I never received any brochure through my travel agent with all these specifiactions.
After all the frustration this vacation caused, I did not have access to get any money when I was there so I spent most of my time in grief and worry. TOUR MAISON which was my tour operator there did nothing to help me accept, tell me to call my father to forward money through his CANADIAN VISA back at home, but they told my father they could not do anything.
The people there are very primitive in mind, They do not know about these circumstances, and I had to spend 155.00 us dollars in phones call to tryand get myself out of this mess.
The food there was terrible,the pasta tasted like soup, I woyld suggest anybody going there to get a la carte menu , which you have to pay extra for if you do not want to get sick.
On my birthday, I almost spent it in tears, because of not having any access to get my funds I needed to pay extra to go on these excursions.
But I got very lucky , when I met a canadian tourist who was a total stranger to me lent me 400.00 us dollars in order to pay my wicked phone bill. In Cuba you cannot call collect, and it cost 2,50 us dollars to call someone in america.I had no choice but to call for help without having money. But thanks to this wonderful tourist , with heart of gold who got me out of the rut. I got this help on my birthday, believe or not, a total stranger helped me when these pathetic TOUR MAISON operators did nothing.
I finally got to go on a scuba diving excursion which was beautiful. There the people do not make make much money and are not aware of any rules or regulations so bring american dollars ONLY!!!! THIS PLACE IS NOT USER FRIENDLY. The internet is very slow and expensive. Another thing that disappointed me was that musty smell in the rooms and that if you wanted to take the paddle boat you only were allowed one hour this is including the kayaks and catamaran. I got a room at ground level which was very noisy because at night all you would here was the galloping of the horse that would go by. There were not many lawnchairs, you would have to go out early and reserve them before you where left without one.
Regards
DISSAPOINTED
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Club Tryp – Cayo Coco | Wendy | Ontario, Canada |
February 2003
We had such a wonderful time in Cuba and just wanted to add our comments. We had read Debbie’s site before going. Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. We did take a box of Kleenex for our room and some plastic drink coolers. If you want to make some friends at the resort take a few extra coolers. I gave mine away for a new friend for his beer and he most appreciated it. My husband and he both enjoyed their beer better. The food was good and we didn’t have any problems finding lots to eat. We had the standard package. We wouldn’t have wanted to have been organized and making reservation always the day before. Please remember to tip the people. We tried to tip people that didn’t normaly get tipped like the gardeners. We took extra clothes and left them. As a suggestion you could take Dollar Store Baseball Hats and give to the gardeners. They do appreciate anything you give them. They like to give you gifts in return a paper flower, a bouquet of flowers from the garden or hats and birds made out of palm leaves. The beach was clean and crystal clear.We did alot of walking on the beach and in the rsort. There is a train that runs and used that a few times. There is horse and buggies at night. We found the Duty Free Gifts Shop at the Airport much cheaper than the Resort. T-Shirts were double the price at the resort. My husband found some great car shirts at the Resort and the Airport. We are members of a Classic Car Club. He enjoyed seeing lots of the old cars. We felt very safe at the resort. I hope that everyone that takes the same trip has just as good of time as we had. We made some new friends as well. |
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Club Tryp – Cayo Coco | Don Tyrrell | Toronto, Canada |
February 2003
Debbie, I found this site shortly before my wife and I left for 2 weeks in Tryp. Reading some of the reviews gave me some serious concerns about the food we’d find. Fortunately, we found things much better than we might have expected. We ate at the Buffet for breakfast and dinner and some lunches. The food was similar from one day to the other but there was a small variation. We found the food good. It isn’t fancy but it was prepared OK, it was wholesome and we had almost no stomach problems. My wife had a problem one day but it was quickly solved with the Imodium we brought along–a good idea on any vacation. If you can’t find enough to eat, you’re very fussy. I had great orange juice, fine omelettes, OK bacon, and fresh fruit for breakfast. I’m not much for fish but could find ample to satisfy me at dinner. Lunch at the Pizza Grill or a burger and fries as very good. Bottom line: It isn’t haute cuisine but it is certainly fine. Remember this is a third world country (in large part thanks to 40 years of US embargo) but they do very well for the tourists. I gather the food at the speciality restaurants is pretty good but we used the money we saved for tours, tips, and souvenirs. We’ll have a fancy meal now that we’re home. Trust me I didn’t lose any weight! The wine is definitely ordinaire (from Spain) but the mixed drinks and beer are first rate. The odd idiot gets carried away with the unlimited booze and some nights a drunk would wander through the complex at 2 or 3 a.m. whooping and hollering (they need some patrol to shut these people up) but fortunately not too many or too often. The grounds are beautiful! The rooms in the Colonial Section seemed mostly unoccupied. Someone said it was to be sold soon. The grill in that section was open and so were the bars. The pools were quieter than in the main section and we loved it there. Perhaps if it had been full (or no longer accessible to us) we would have felt different but it was great to have it almost all to ourselves. The weather was a bit cool (70F) and windy for the 1st week so none of the beach equipment was in use. The second week was calm, sunny, and hot (25C to 30C)–just what we wanted. The equipment was easy to get (snorkel, kayaks, catamaran ride, electric motor boats). The beach is nice with lots of chairs. The beach by El Senador is wider and maybe a bit better. Our room was neat, fairly large, and had a very comfortable bed. You get used to a small TV but there’s no weather channel, and no TV Guide. You can get really sick of CNN in a hurry. The first week was all Iraq and the 2nd was all Shuttle disaster for about 4 days. What a crummy view of world news. HBO and Cinemax are OK for movies and you can watch some sports on ESPN. If you don’t smoke you’ll find it hard to escape smokers. They need to create more non-smoking areas but in a country famous for its cigars maybe I’m dreaming. The Internet is very slow. It only costs $5US for an hour but you can hardly get anything done. It took over 5 minutes to load any screen. If you want to send/receive email just check your most important messages. Make note of email ID’s before you go because accessing your address book will add 5 to 10 minutes to a message. It is like the whole complex (or all of Cayo Coco) is sharing a single dial-up connection–REALLY! The people were very friendly (at the resort and on the excursions). They appreciated a tip but didn’t require it for good, friendly service. A couple of times I tipped the fellow who made my omlette each moring and he was so delighted he gave me a small souvenir when I was leaving. I guess most people don’t think to tip him (or even smile each time). At any rate, I was really touched by the thought and gesture. We did a couple of excursions and found both good fun and excellent value. Sugar Rail Express (crocodile farm, sugar mill, lunch, trip on steam train, buggy ride and short stay in Moron…) and the all day Catmaran Sail. The coral and fish are great and the water is about as clear as any we’ve found (only Grand Cayman seemed slightly clearer). A couple of things we took that we’re a good idea: Kleenex (unless you want to use toilet tissues) and your own face cloth (they don’t supply them). We took thermal mugs which the bars gladly filled with beer or mixed drinks. Keeps them cool and saves a few trips to the bar. Only one evening did I have a bug bite and the last day we had a few very small bugs during the day–good thing since we forgot the bug repellant. Would we go back–you bet! It isn’t perfect but it is very comfortable and great value. |
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Club Tryp – Cayo Coco | Mike & Kristin | Canada |
February 2003
Hi Debbie. I have found your website to be very useful in determining where to go in the caribbean. Thanks! Myself and my girlfriend Kristin returned from Tryp Cayo Coco about a week ago. Our trip to the "tryp" began mid-day on Fri. Jan. 17 2003. Our departure time had been changed twice in the week prior to leaving so we were glad to confirm that we were indeed at the airport at the correct time. We booked through Signature vacations & flew on the Skyservice Airbus A320. Not alot of leg room on that plane, but it was smooth & fairly quiet. We chose a good time to go as it was -25 C the week we went. We arrived at around 8:00 p.m. at the airport. We were pleased with the warm, humid air that greeted us as we walked off the portable stair from the plane. We were at the hotel by 9:00. The bus ride was short, and interesting what with the wild cattle grazing on the side of the road. However, we were in line for some time at the check-in as a couple ahead of us had decided they wanted to upgrade; apparently that is either a) not a common practise at the checkin desk or b) a very difficult practise at the checkin desk. We carried our own luggage to our room, and it wasn’t difficult to find. We had a top floor room in "Los Flamencos". We had a great view of a pond and of the ocean. We could hear the flamingoes in the pond squawking at each other every morning…it was worth some laughs. Since the buffet was closed, we spent our first night meandering around the resort, having some drinks and just generally enjoying this wonderfully designed resort! Overall, the weather was warm, but not hot. They had a cold spell for the first two days…the high was around 20 C. On the beach or around the pool, we were glad to have our sweatshirts when the sun went behind the cloud on these days, but it got warmer during mid-week. The food was not as boring as I had read: we saw some very funny things at the buffet, actually: deep-fried ham-and-cheese sandwiches, cut-up hot dogs, and other odd garnishing touches including one whole shrimp in a dish of rice, and other things like peas-in-eggs and stuff. Of course, there were many mainstay dishes to choose from. They had good fish and the cooks made wonderful omelettes and pork chops. The dessert table was nothing special. We had good meals at the pizza place (Yarey’s) and the beach-side bar/restaurant (La Picua). We didn’t pay extra to go to the other restaurants because we figured a) the food was just fine, and b) we didn’t go to cuba to eat gourmet meals anyway. Unfortunately we both got stomack aches from the water there. They say it’s clean etc. but we narrowed it down to the water. Stick to the bottled water! Even the fountain water in the buffet was giving us trouble. The resort was beautiful and the beaches were nice, although narrow (especially at hi-tide). There were a combination of younger couples, older couples and the odd family (but not many). Overall the resort was quite docile. Our room was nice & very clean. The staff were very friendly, courteous and helpful. We took two tours: the jungle tour and a sugar-cane/local city tour: The jungle tour consisted of a speed-boat ride up a couple lakes to a river, where we went snorkeling and saw some fish. I heard that you could pay about $5 and head off the beach at the resort and see more fish than we did. Ours was $39 U.S. The boats were fun though. I think Kristin thought we were gonna flip a couple of times! The day-trip of a local city, Moron, and a sugar-cane production facility also included lunch of traditional cuban fare (although the food looked suspiciously familiar to that of the hotel…), a visit to a crocodile farm, a boat ride into a jungle-y area, a steam-train ride, a horsedrawn carriage ride through the city of Moron, and a visit to a dutch village founded by Celia de Sanchez. It was well worth it. Beware though, if you do the Moron trip, upon getting out of the bus downtown you will be swarmed by local kids who will give you a coin, or put flowers in your hair and then hound you by saying ‘dollar…dollar…dollar’ until you oblige. One kid ran alongside the horse carriage we were in for what seemed like 5 minutes until we gave in. Other than that, we checked out the beach and the pools, had a drink at the swim-up bar (which was pretty quiet, considering it was relatively cool while we were there), borrowed bikes, went kayaking, paddleboating and rented a scooter for an hour, played a little pool, watched some shows, even took a 1 hr Spanish lesson, and generally toured around the place. As others have noted, the colonial side of the resort was closed. The restaurants and bars were open (well, not the buffet) but there didn’t appear to be anyone staying in the rooms there. We needed bug repellant one night only. (Mind you, a couple of days it was very windy). We brought insulated-travel mugs that were nice to have & would have been more important in HOT weather. It would have been nice if they’d had a hot tub there in the evening. We sat in a "warm-tub", but alas…it is not the same. We are left with great memories of the trip. We also met some very friendly people there. In particular, John and Sharon from North Bay who we inadvertently ran into every day! Some pointers to those considering a trip to the tryp: take care when driving, walking, or biking on the local roads as we were surprised to see a mid-60’s tandem-axle tanker truck come barrelling around this corner in the middle of the road, with the cuban drivers bouncing on their seats, water splashing out a nozzle on the back and the rear wheels coming right off the pavement over the bumps. Do take bug repellant. Bring some dollars for tipping. You will find that it is rather customary to do so. Bring some goodies for the maid. Kristin brought lots of nail polish and what-not, and we left that for the maid almost daily. The only part of the trip we didn’t like was having to leave! |
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Club Tryp – Cayo Coco | Maryka and Ron | Ottawa, Canada |
January 2003
We spent Christmas at the Tryp, Cayo Coco (Dec. 23 – 30, 2002). I have read the other recent reviews, and will try not to repeat what has already been said. We had a fantastic time and would recommend this resort. Trip Down: We flew in to the new airport. It is a nice, clean, modern facility. It took about 15 minutes to clear customs. The customs agents looked somewhat intimidating, and were very insistent that people went through one at a time, even if they were travelling together, but we had no problems at all getting through. We were directed to bus #3, where we bought 2 cervezas ($2 US each) and boarded the bus. It took 20 minutes to get to the hotel, since they had to stop at 2 other hotels first, so we were the last to unload. On the drive to the hotel, our Sunquest rep, Mabel, mentioned something called “Cuban time”. That means that everything happens at a more slow, leisurely pace. It does take some getting used to and can be a little irritating at first, but once you learn to slow down and relax, it is great. What’s the rush anyway? Check in and Room: We were in Room 3503. Building 35 is at the extreme far end of the Colonial side. The furnishings are “austere” – bed, wooden bench, nightstands, dresser with TV (no remote), and two armchairs. But very clean and comfortable enough. I was expecting the fridge to be stocked with water, pop and beer. It was empty, and as it turned out, unplugged. But there was a new sealed bottle of water in the bathroom, so we put that in the fridge, plugged it in, and that was that. It is worth noting that the air conditioning worked without having to put a card in a slot. There was a thermostat on the wall, with temperature control and settings for Low, Medium & High. It worked very well. The best part of the room was that the saltwater pool was literally 2 steps out our back door. It was very quiet, generally there were no people sitting around the pool As well, the beach at that end of the resort was usually deserted. We sat on the beach around noon on Dec. 24 and there were no other people as far as the eye could see. It was as if we had paradise all to ourselves. Food: Things to Do: We (2 of us) rented a scooter for 2 days ($20US a day) and adventured around by ourselves. We drove to Cayo Guillermo, the Wild Boar cave and through the sand dunes. Great fun and we felt very free. We also found that at the gas station just down the road from the hotel, T-shirts were only $4 and rum was $3 – $6 a bottle – much better prices than the hotel. We felt very safe when we explored away from the complex – something we would never have done in Dominican Republic, as we were warned often not to venture out on our own. The highlight of our trip was an excursion that we made with one of the hotel employees (who will remain nameless so he doesn’t get in trouble from the hotel). We (5 of us) rented 2 jeeps for the day, met up with our guide, and set out for Moron. We made several stops along the way, at the sugar fields, the crocodile farm and Lake Redondo (sp?) where they have world famous bass fishing. Then into Moron, where we strolled the streets, went to our guide’s home, met his family, then went to a paladar (private restaurant run from a person’s home) for dinner. It was a wonderful opportunity to see a little of how people live, and we’ve never met so many warm, friendly and generous people. If you would be interested in a similar adventure, get to know some of the staff, particularly waiters, bartenders and animation staff. This type of personal tour is quite common, although not sanctioned by the hotel. Weather: Good, quite warm (25 – 28 during the day), but overcast about half the time, and quite windy some days. Would suggest bringing a sweater for the evenings. We heard that it got cooler after we left. Remember that it is winter, even in Cuba. Tips: One thing we wished we had brought with us is band-aids. Ron got a huge blister the first day and we had to buy band-aids at the pharmacia. Not expensive (10 for $1), but they didn’t stick well. Also wish we had brought Kleenex. Things we were very glad we brought – insulated mugs – we used them in the morning to bring back coffee in bed for whoever got to sleep in that day, then used them all day long on the beach. When we left, we left them behind with Eileen and Hans, to thank them for letting us use their room to shower and clean up the last day, before we had to head for the airport. We also were very glad we brought Off bug spray with us – the first evening we didn’t use it and got eaten alive. By the way, I would suggest re-applying it just before you go to bed – something was biting during the night! Gifts for the maid: We took extra clothes to leave for the maid. I left a little note in Spanish the first time I left her some T-shirts. I was a little uncomfortable about doing this, fearing that I might be insulting her by offering second-hand clothes. But when we got back to our room we found a note from her (in English) thanking us. Also she had made the towels into 2 big swans on the bed – very beautiful. We learned from other hotel staff that if you are going to leave gifts for the maid, make sure you leave a note saying that they are for her, and you should list on the note what you are giving. The hotel management checks their stuff every night, and if you haven’t left a note, they may confiscate it. Departure from Cuba: Also make sure to catch the bus from the reception at the section where you were staying. This was not clearly explained to us (or we were not paying attention). We decided to catch the bus at the Club reception, even though we had stayed in the Colonial. Our reasoning was that we were spending our last hours with our new friends in the Club section and it would be more convenient to board the bus there. Our luggage was at the Colonial end, but we thought it would get loaded on the bus no problem. We decided to inform our rep, just to be safe, but she wasn’t at her desk all day. In the end we decided it would be best to go to the Colonial reception to get the bus, and lucky for us we did. No one told us that we were responsible to find our luggage and load it on the bus ourselves. If we hadn’t gone there, we would have gone home but our luggage would not. Airport VIP lounge: Overall: |
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Club Tryp – Cayo Coco | Megan | Canada |
January 2003
We stayed at Club Tryp from December 27th – January 3rd. Flight Housing/Rooms Weather/Beach Food Activities Pool Okay, that’s about all I have to say about this resort. Overall, I had a wonderful time. If you want a resort that provides beautiful scenery, a variety of activities, and a chance to meet lot’s of people then this is the place to go. There’s also plenty of activities for children, as they have a wonderful entertainment team at Club Tryp. Here are my personal tips for (5) If you don’t like strong drinks, tell the bartender to go easy on the rum. They’ve VERY generous. I had to waste many drinks that were too strong for me to handle. That’s about it. If you’re in for a relaxing vacation and you’re not expecting everything to be absolutely perfect at all times, then you’re going to have a very memorable time. Enjoy! |
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Club Tryp – Cayo Coco | Jennie | Canada |
January 2003
I visited the Tryp Cayo Coco the week of Jan 4-11/03. My boyfriend and myself fley there via Skyservice. The day of departure from Toronto there was delay. We were to leave at 530 pm and did not get off the ground untill after 9pm, due to the weather and the broken bathroom on board of the plane. The Flight overall was smooth, a movie was shown and a cold meal was served. I am not exactally sure what it was that was served to us. A wrap of some sort with a mystery filling. Nontheless I did not care becasue we were finally on our way. We were suposed to land in the airport further from the hotel approx. 1.5 hours away by bus. Alas, we landed in the new one "Jardines Del Rey" (15 min from the resort). We waited in customs for probably 45 min and our luggage was ready to go. The bus was amazing, much more comfortable then the airplane. Arrival- We arrived at the Tryp Cayo Coco probably about 2am and it took another 45 min to check everyone in. A bell boy was to take you luggage to the room and you meet him there. Our building was fairly close to the main lobby and found it no problem (after we asked other people vacationing which way to go). I could see how people could have gotten lost especially in the dark! The luggage arrived 5 min after we found the room. Rooms– I found the room to be wonderful. The bed(s) were huge, it was 2 doubles pushed together. There was a sitting area with 2 chairs and a table. The bathroom was large as well. It was clean and I did not find that it had the "hotel" odour to it. The electricity only worked if you put your key in this slot, which was a good idea because it keeps from 1) losing the key 2) leaving lights/tv on. The only down side was that you could not run the air conditioner while out of the room. Resort- THe resort as a whole was nice. A bit rough around the edges but nothing to complain about at all. It was big and took a few days to figure out where you were going. The Colonial side was open now and people were staying in the rooms there. That side was much nicer looking, probably because it was newer. THe pool there had less traffic, quieter and the pizza bar there. I would have much rather have stayed on that side of the hotel. There was a train that picked people up at the lobby to take them to the colonial side but we found that by the time the trian got there, you could have walked there and back. The disco was on the colonial side as well. It was actually better than I expected. I went to request a song and they DJ asked me for money! Beach- As it is the winter, I was not that surprised that the tide was as high as it was, leaving very little beach/sand room to sit on. The first 3 days there were terribly windy and uncomfortable to sit on the beach for long periods of time. The waves in the water were really high which was fun to jump in but got annoying after a while. Finally when the wind stopped about mid way through the week, the beach was packed and you could go snokeling, paddle boating etc. There were a lot of small shells along the shore and TONNES of Jelly Fish washed up and still swimming. Food- The food was tolerable. I have been to Cuba before (Manzanillo) and have had better food than what was served at the TRYP Cayo Coco. It was very repetitive. Same thing everyday. We did not get the Super All Inclusive and I STRONGLY suggest that you do….Pay the extra money and do it because the buffet is the same everyday. The pasta bar was pretty good. The pizza bar on the Colonial side was phenominal. The only problem was that it was always busy. Sometimes you would have to wait 1/2 an hour for a table. There was no organization of tables, no host/hostess you basically stood by a table untill someone was finished and you sat down. The pizzas took a fair amount of time to make but were well worth it. Especially the Hawaiian. Bars- The bartenders were pretty efficient. What I did not like about the service was that if you werent going to tip, you didnt get service. I did not have a problem with tipping bartenders but, if you werent holding money you werent their first priority even if you have been standing there the longest. I found myself ordering 3 or 4 drinks at a time to keep from going back up to the bar, as you get small plastic 8 oz. cups to drink out of. From my past experience in Cuba and from what others have told me when they visited was to bring soaps, shampoos and small things for the people there to have…..They didnt want it. They were insulted and gave you attitude if you asked them if they wanted something. The people at the hotel were well dressed (wearing Nike etc) Probably becasue of the tips they get. There were no beggers and NO POVERTY whatsoever. The island has no inhabitants. All the hotel workes live on the main land in Moron and take a bus to work. There is nothing to see outside of the resort but other resorts, unless you take an excursion and I didnt not feel that it was worth the money, especially the trip to Havana where you had to take a plane to for almost $300 US. There were lots of children at the resort. If anyone is hesitant about bringing children, dont be. There were kids of all ages from 6 months up! There werent too many souviners to buy there. In the main lobby vendors would be there everyday but they basically had the same stuff as the other guy. Buy the Havana Club at the resort as it is more expenive at the duty free, cigars are about the same. The hotel was about 99% Canadian, at least the week I was there. |
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Club Tryp – Cayo Coco | Rita and Etienne | Belgium |
December 2002
After a 11 hour (non smokers) flight we arrived in Havana and stayed at the Comodoro **** hotel for 2 days. Then we went to Viñales (hotel La Ermita ***). 2 days later : Playa Larga (Hotel Playa Larga : to be avoided). Then 2 days Trinidad (hotel Costasur) and then Tryp Cayo Coco for 3 nights. People staying in this hotel for their holidays do not know Cuba. This could be Spain. Those complaining about the food, are not aware of the Cuban problems. If you are looking fot Canadian food, go to Toronto or Montreal. Compared to all the food we had all over Cuba, this was the most complete buffet ever. Stop complaining about the food in the Tryp, please. If you want to eat, go to a good restaurant in your neighbourhood. This is cheaper and more satisfying. If you want to see Cuba, don’t go to a holiday factory like Tryp Cayo Coco. For us, it was an opportunity to have a lot of luxury. After we left Tryp, we went to Camaguey, then to Guardalavaca (Club Amigo Atlantico : another factory). 2 days of eating and drinking gave us enough strength to survive the 7 hours waiting at the Holguin airport, followed by a 8.5 hours (non smoking) flight and a 2 hour train trip back to Belgium. |
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Club Tryp – Cayo Coco | Jimmy & Rach | Manchester |
November 2002
A 10 hour flight is about right on the limit I would recommend for a weeks holiday, with hindsight 2 weeks would have been a much better bet when travelling this distance (Isnt it always??) However we wanted a quick week in the sun at a reasonable price so it was a toss up between Cuba and Dominican Republic and Cuba won as it appealed more. I would say at this point if you are going to Cuba to see the real Cuba then this is not for you It is all about an easy week or two in the Sun on the beach!! Flight Arrival Rooms Resort The Hotel itself is massive itd just a shame they decide to put everybody in the Club side and shut the Colonial side as the Colonial is so much nicer looking. I think coming here at peak season when it is all full would be an horrific experience as it was it didnt seem too crowded and you felt you had your own space. Im not one for pools when you have a beautiful ocean a couple of feet away so couldnt tell you why people love to sit on top of one another by the main pool – a little strange. If you are a pool person however, take a walk down to the other end of the Colonial side and find the much quieter and nicer pools!! Its a good walk round the resort bigger than you think- but they do have a little train thing that cruises round every so often. If you do walk round the deserted bits watch out for snakes -I nearly trod on one Im sure it wasnt poisonous but still scared the sh*t out of me!! The grounds are excellently maintained and it is a credit to the groundstaff that everything is so neat I t sometimes felt like I was in a bad episode of Hi-de-Hi with all the entertainment that gets put on for the guests the evening shows were just farcical great for a laugh for about 2 minutes but at least theyre trying. Again if you like that kind of thing youll love it! Beach There is a tiny bit of reef off the beach in front of the Bar/Grill which does have a good array of fish take a banana or 3 with you and there will be a feeding frenzy in minutes very amusing. I have to disagree with an earlier review that said that the reefs the Catamaran takes you too are not as good unless we went to entirely different reefs then Im sorry but they were so much better than the one off the beach. I agree that at $65 it is a complete rip off but still it was a good trip and the snorkeling was fantastic and much better than anything you will see off the beach. Didnt do the glass bottom boat as that too seemed excessively priced after having done the catamaran trip! Food Bars All in all it was a great week and just what we were after an easy week in the sun, even though it rained and was over cast for three days!!! Its a nice place, clean and friendly and the beach is great, and for the price you pay I wouldnt expect anything more we paid about 500 GBP for the week each. If we had had another week we would have considered a trip to Havana but at the price JMC were asking it is very steep for what it is as were all there excursions I know that this is how they make there money and how the rep gets commission but really;! I wouldnt go back to the same place as there are too many other places to visit in the Caribbean – however if you want to say youve been to Cuba and want a hassle free holiday where you dont have to think about anything then I would recommend it!! |
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Club Tryp – Cayo Coco | Tony Soprano | Canada |
November 2002
Hi Debbie and all future travelers. Just thought I’d join in on the fun and submit my review of the Hotel TRYP Cayo Coco. The hotel is huge, divided into two main sections. The colonial side which is older and quieter is where you will find Yarey’s Pizza (very good) and the salt water pool. Definitely a rest and relaxation area. You will also find the Seafood restaurant here, it really sucks, along with a variety of small shops. Its all beautifully landscaped and great for romantic evening strolls and seclusion. The other end is where all the action is. This is the main reception area where you will find the main buffet restaurant, International restaurant, outdoor theatre, mainpool, piano lounge/disco, and all the fun. This is the section that I was in. In building 9 was my room, but I will not get into too many details about it considering I did not let it spoil my vacation and don’t let it spoil yours. The highlight of this vacation by far were the people I met and have become good friends with. To them I send a sincere thanks for the great experiences. The majority of guest were Canadian, from Toronto, approx. 80%. The rest were English, & French. Communication with the employees was very easy and they show a true desire to help in anyway they can. In summary: Main Buffet – Blah. Excursions – Plenty to choose from, descent prices. Went horseback riding for $8 us. It’s ok. Not much to see other than garbage and the biggest impression left by this experience was in the form of a bruise on my A–. Night Life – The entertainment at the outdoor theatre was ok. Good effort on there part. The discos were fantastic. Remember its not just the music that makes it fun but the crowd that you go in with. We closed the place down each night at 2 am but kept on partying to 4 am on the beach, in the pool, around the 24hr bar, etc. We also went to another disco at the El Senador. The train picks you up and drops you off. No need to worry about transportation. There they had Live Cuban music for half the night and a Dj for the closing.A must go. Pools – Fantastic, shallow- great for kids. We played lots of volleyball and waterpolo along with games encouraged by the employees. Bars – Great. Abit slow at times but the drinks were good. Great variety including descent beer. Beach – Beautiful. Narrow at high tide but very long. Recommendations: Thermal Mug – I brought a Tim Hortons cup. A little bit of home and a great conversation peace. Swimming shoes – I sliced my foot open on the broken tiles in the pool playing volleyball. Highly recommend especially for kids. Sunscreen – and plenty of it. A good attitude – Your far from home and all things are not perfect so make the best of things and don’t worry about the small things. In conclusion I think that I would definitely visit the Tryp again. If you have any questions or would just like to talk you can mail me at sokole@aci.on.ca Have a great trip, I did. |
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Club Tryp – Cayo Coco | Dan & Vanessa | Canada |
November 2002
We had an enjoyable week in October 2001 at the Club Tryp, in Cayo Coco, Cuba. There are numerous reviews already on this site so I will be brief. The resort is very beautiful, very lush and full of tropical vegetation. It is very large in two equal phases – since we are in off season, half the resort was shut down, but not a problem. The beach is top notch – white sand, long and very shallow in the water. It rained almost everyday we were there, since the early rains from Hurricane Michelle were hitting the island – and then Hurricane Michelle hit (a category 4 hurricane, and the most powerful hurricane to hit Cuba in 40 years – "the Big One, Senor Dan, as they told me"). Nothing like the maids putting tape on the windows to spoil your vacation. I’d give you a review of the Hotel "Moron" in the lovely town of Moron where they evacuated us to, but I doubt anyone would want to stay in a 40 year old Russian built hotel in the middle of Cuba (we didn’t either but had no choice). Here’s my big tip – don’t goto Cuba in hurricane season – they got hit by one hurricane in 2001, and two big ones in 2002 – I think any time up to Nov 30 – you’re risking it. Here’s the problem with this resort and a common complaint from anyone I know who goes to Cuba – the food. The food here was the worst I’ve had in the Caribbean, and I’ve been on 10+ week long holidays. My theory is that it is the palm oil they use which is likely rancid and is infused in everything – there is no escape. In addition the the palm oil – the buffet was just, well plain horrible. We actually took pictures to show everyone back home how bad it was since words can’t do it justice. Here’s how to get by if you are going here: 1) BUY the food upgrade to the SUPER ALL INCLUSIVE here – it’s really worth it – it saves you from the hell of the buffet – which just grates on you all week. We had bread some nights since we couldn’t eat anything. The super inclusive gets you to eat at the A La Carte restaurants which were much better (we did this one night for $15US extra each – well worth it). 2) Goto the Pizza restaurant where they make fresh pizzas – we did this every night after the 1st night at the buffet (except for breakfast which you have no choice). Yes, we did get a bit tired of pizza. 3) Eat a big lunch at the Beach Restaurant which was generally good – sandwiches, burgers, fries etc. Do not eat anything that’s been lying around in the sun, or you risk food poisoning – get it prepared fresh. So the net advice is – great place, great beach, bad food – and for that reason we are never going back. Which is a shame since you can get great prices here or to El Senador next door -but with so many other places to goto in the Caribbean, why suffer through eating all week? |
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November 2002
Flight. The aircraft was delayed by two hours due to a "technical" fault, which we were later informed was due to faulty toilets, these were in fact, not repaired, and the plane flew to Cuba with the starboard side toilets out of commission. The audio system only worked on the video presentations, the audio programs were inaudible due to the crackling and popping on the earphones. If this was an example of the general maintenance of the aircraft, then it doesn’t say much for the rest of the plane. The food served during the flight was awful, not fit to be given to pigs. It is many years since we have had to pay for any service or drink on a flight, especially an "all inclusive" holiday. Where JMC got the seats for the aircraft from we don’t know, but we have never sat in a more uncomfortable aircraft seat ever. Immigration. Hotel. Food.
Staff. General. |
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Club Tryp – Cayo Coco | Emily and Wendy | Winnipeg |
November 2002
This is a great site, that helped us out a lot and now we are going to help you. What to bring: 1. Insulated mug – this keeps your drinks cold while sitting on the beach. 2. Fanny pack – the key is the size of a credit card so with the fanny pack you have your hands free. 3. American dollars – make sure you have plenty of dollar bills for tips. 4. Gifts – dollar store items that you could give to staff. 5. Alarm clock – the room doesn’t have a clock and neither does your TV. 6. Face cloths – there are towels but no face cloths. 7. Flip flops – it is hard to get sand out of your sandals so flip flops will keep your feet from burning on the cement. 8. SPF 30 – at least for the first day wear this so that you don’t burn. 9. Imodium / Ex-Lax – you may get diarrhea but constipation may happen as well (better safe than sorry). 10. Waterproof camera – disposable ones are found at any convenience store, but most don’t have a flash, so bring another camera for the night. 11. Aloe Vera or Noxzema for sunburns and heat rashes. Bring a lot because we only brought a travel size bottle and it wasn’t enough. 12. Tylenol or Advil. If heat rashes and sunburns are keeping you up at night – these will help you sleep. 13. Pool toys – pool noodle, blow up lounge chairs, frisbee, beachball etc. 14. Cards, games, magazines, book – after dinner, and before the show starts, you sit around doing nothing, so it would be wise to bring something to do. Flight (Air Canada Vacations): Check in: Room: Beach: Pools: Food: La Picua – Is right on the beach so there is lots of sand, and it is very busy. Lunch consists of burgers, fries and hot dogs. At night it becomes the Cuban restaurant – if you are in the mood to try anything – go for it, we didn’t care for it that much.
El Dorado – If you love seafood, this is the place for you. Loma Azul (in the reception area) – Nice ambiance with air conditioning – the steak is delicious. There is a band that asks if they can play for you for a tip. We would take our extra bread to feed the flamingos located by building 2. Services: Other resorts – We recommend researching other surrounding resorts because you are allowed to get day passes to visit them – so know where you can go to eat. You can go to Cayo Guillermo – buses leave Wednesdays and Fridays at 10 am and return at 6 pm for $ 5 USD per person. There are mostly purple and orange wrist bands for super all inclusive and all inclusive respectfully. Visitors from other resorts wear paper green wrist bands, while government "important persons" wear black wristbands with gold specs – these people are served first and are the ones who own the cars parked outside the resort. Staff – Everyone is very friendly from the guy who gathers all the chairs at the beach and the pools every night to the gardeners and the nice staff who give you a ride sometimes on their golf carts. We tried to tip everyone, although we are young female students on a budget, so we brought clothes that we could give away to staff, as well as many dollar store items (lipstick, nail polish, shampoo, candy, perfume samples, school supplies, gum and soap). The most grateful staff was our maid and Antonio the sweetest, nicest handyman you will ever find. Final Notes: Settle your account with reception the night before so that you don’t have to wait in line the next day. The resort is falling apart and at times seems too big, if you are not prepared to walk long distances this resort is not for you. You are on a secluded island where the only inhabitants are the tourists. When you check in at the airport, check in with your group – don’t check in individually or you will be sitting alone. This isn’t a resort for singles seeking a good time, it is more family and couple oriented. Minimize your luggage, you don’t need that much and you won’t use half the things you do bring along. It rained almost everyday, sometimes for a couple of minutes, however, one night it rained for a couple of hours. We had a great time making up nicknames for the other tourists (Smiles, Orange cap, Bajagaloop and Mint shirt you guys know who you are), suntanning and lounging in the pool. PS – Men, please leave your Speedos at home, we don’t care how good you think you look … nobody needs to see it. |
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Club Tryp – Cayo Coco | Debra | Canada |
October 2002
Thanks for this site, I used it before travelling to the tryp. What a wonderful page! I am a 31 year old female professional working in the legal industry. I returned from the Tryp Cayo Coco, Cuba after an amazing jam packed 1 week holiday there from 17th to 24th August. Well, I thought I’d write and let you know my views – so here goes: Flight Accommodation Food Bars Pools Beach Weather I hope my comments will help others to decide to take a trip to the ‘Tryp’ – I will defiantly go back after I have discovered the rest of Cuba. I’m actually going back in December, but it is too a different part of Cuba Jibacoa, about 1 hour from Havana, Cuba is such a fabulous place and the people are really friendly and as a single girl travelling alone, I felt very safe. |
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Club Tryp – Cayo Coco | Gill & Paul Wilkinson | Mansfield England |
September 2002
Dear Debbie I have just returned from the Tryp Cayo Coco, Cuba after a wonderful two weeks holiday there from 11-25th September. It’s a shame I hadn’t found your page before my trip to Cuba! What a wonderful page! Full of really experiences at the Tryp Cayo Coco. Well, I thought I’d write and let you know my views – so here goes: Flight Accommodation Food Bars Pools Beach Weather My over all view is that this hotel provided myself and my husband with the rest we so greatly need. Don’t get me wrong – the hotel wasn’t prefect, but the Tryp has a lot to offer, and I think the staff do a fine job there. Don’t forget it the cuban way – very laid back! I also think that what you put into a holiday you will get back. Don’t let the little niggly things spoil a holiday! My advice is to take a lot of $1 with you to tip the staff – they don’t earn a lot and $1 to them means a lot of money, and it shows them you have appreciated what they have done for you, and they are always so grateful for it, and they do deserve it – they work so hard! I hope my comments will help others to decide to take a trip to the ‘Tryp’ – we will defiantly be going back!! |
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Club Tryp – Cayo Coco | Sarah | Ontario |
September 2002
Dear Debbie, I would just like to say that you run a fantastic website. I stumbled across it while I was trying to find pictures of TRYP before I left for my trip. My best friend Erica and I stayed at Club Tryp Cayo Coco in the month of August for four heavenly days. It was a very last minute trip which occurred as a result of our initial trip to New York City being cancelled. My only regret was that we didn’t stay longer!! The trip was a blast. We had so much fun. We flew with Skyservice, the leg room wasn’t sufficient but being such a short ride it didn’t matter much. We were served some sort of ravioli dish. We arrived at Ciego De Avila airport, and quickly went through customs. The airport was small and lacking air conditioning. But we were so happy to be in Cuba that it didn’t matter! After going through customs we were greeted by our Sunquest Tours Rep, Frank. Then we boarded our bus and off we were. The ride to the hotel was comfortable and air conditioned. There wasn’t much to see on the way there except some houses and farming areas. The bus ride was about 1.5 hours. We were informed by our guide that they were building an airport in Cayo Coco, and that the ride from there to the resorts would only be about 10 minutes. When we finally arrived at the hotel and went through registration it was about 8:45 p.m. We were first given a room on the lower floor of a building in the Club section. We went in to find a crab sitting on one of the pillows! We quickly went back to the registration area and asked if we could change rooms. The response was quick and we got a room on the second floor of building number 2. The room was much better and had an Ocean view from the balcony! After we unpacked we quickly went to the Main Buffet restaurant and had dinner. Generally, the comments about the all-inclusive food seem to that it wasn’t the greatest. I agree to this but don’t have many complaints. Though the food may not be the best, there is a lot of variety and plenty to eat. Next time, we want to go with the Super All-inclusive as it allows for more dining options. The best place to eat would have to be undoubtedly Yarey’s Pizza. The pizza was the best that I had ever had anywhere! It had a thin crust and a very tasty cheese, and was just wonderful. I had the Mushroom and Onion whereas my friend Erica had the all-dressed. The salad was open bar and you could get whatever you wanted. We also went to La Picua grill on the beach the next day. We had a few cocktails and the grilled chicken and fish. One word of advice… Use SPF 50+ sunscreen lotion. I burned so badly the first day that I was in much pain afterwards! Although I had used SPF 30, I guess it wasn’t enough. Also, it is crucial to re-apply every few hours! In case you do burn, bring along some aspirin to get rid of the sunburned headaches! Most of our days were filled with soaking up the sun on the beach. The beach was very pretty. It had a clear bright light green turquoise sort of colour. The sand was clean and free of debris. We went swimming there frequently; the water was very very warm. We went swimming in the main pool and enjoyed the swim-up bar. We were allowed to use the snorkeling gear. It was fun but there was nothing to see on this particular part of the beach. (Although I hear that when you take the glass-bottom boat ride, the snorkeling is good!) Many of our days were filled with drinking Pina Coladas and Rum Punch and of course swimming. At night, after eating dinner we would watch the night show in the stage by the hotel lobby. The shows were always entertaining. There was one particular dancer who caught our eye named Marcos. He was very handsome and a fantastic dancer! His smile was illuminating! After watching the night school, we would hop on the train and go to the disco. At the beginning of the night, the dancers would go on stage and dance; while the people on the dance floor followed their actions. It was very fun! Then they would pump up the music and the real dancing would begin. The music had lots of variety including, House, Disco, 80’s, Pop, Swing, Hip-Hop, and of course salsa. The DJ was also very handsome! Another great thing was that the disco had an open bar as well. We mostly had rum-based cocktails and the local beer CRISTAL. Although the bar at the disco was crowded the two bartenders worked quickly to serve everyone and were very nice. We stayed at the disco till it closed at 2 am, and walked back to out hotel room. It was a short walk, maybe 10 minutes. In the main lobby of the hotel there were some shops on the upper floor. I didn¡¯t buy much except for a swimsuit, a bottle of Havana Club Rum ($3.00 American!), and some souvenirs from the vendors below. I bought two cartons of cigars at the Ciego de Avila airport while waiting for our plane on the way home. All in all, we had the best vacation ever. We are officially addicted to Cuba and want to return as soon as possible. The hotel complex is HUGE, with lots to do and see. However mostly to relax and enjoy yourself. We were pleasantly surprised to see crowds of younger people. Being young, we found it fun to have other young people around. The issue of tipping was never a problem. Tipping is not mandatory; however the people were all very nice which made tipping something we wanted to do to show a small gesture of our appreciation for their hospitality and service. Next time we want to stay longer and do some of the things that we didn’t get a chance to do, (massage, excursions.. etc)If your anyone has any questions regarding TRYP feel free to email me at: song_youngmi@hotmail.com HAPPY TRAVELS! ^_^ |
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Club Tryp – Cayo Coco | Raven | Saint John, NB Canada |
September 2002
Our stay at TRYP Cayo Coco was awesome!!! We arrived late at night so we missed out on the first day but that was okay because we were really tired after sitting around the Toronto airport for 8 hours. The room wasn’t fancy but it was nice and clean. We were worried about bugs but we didn’t find any in the room. The maid did a good job cleaning up everyday. We left her little things we got from the dollar store and she was very appreciative. The food was good. We didn’t go for the super all-inclusive because we’re not big meat eaters so it wouldn’t have benefited us. I’m a very picky eater but I still found lots to eat. Every night the animation team put on a show and afterwards everyone got on the train and went to the disco. The animation team is awesome, they are all so nice. They really know how to dance too. The resort is great and I’ll definitely be going back next year. I recommend this resort to anyone that wants to relax, have fun and make friends. |
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Club Tryp – Cayo Coco | Nancy | Brampton, Ontario |
September 2002
We went to Cayo Coco from September 1st to September 8th, 2002. Our flight was delayed one hour with Air Canada but as soon as we were seated, it was smooth sailing from then on. When we arrived in Ciego de Avila airport we went through customs (which was a little scary), and it was really quick. We were directed to our bus and were asked if we would like our luggage to be taken to the bus. We declined since it is a few steps away and tips are expected. We got on the bus and thank goodness it had comfortable seats and was airconditioned because it was really hot and sticky outside. The ride was about 90 mins and we were glad to arrive at the resort and check in. Check in was really quick and once we got the bags to the room, we were pleasently suprised at how beautiful the resort was. The rooms were a little musty but were really nice. As soon as we turned on the air conditioning, the smell generally went away. We enjoyed satellite T.V. the whole week and we also enjoyed the view from our room. We stayed in hotel #5, which looked onto the beach and also the pool. We always had hot water and the room was always spotless when cleaned by the maid. A little gift was always left by us for the maid and she definately appreciated the generousity. I also gave her some old pants of mine that she fell in love with. We had the all-inclusive package(orange bracelets) and were allowed to eat at the grills, pizzareia, and the buffet. I was not very pleased with the buffet but quickly learned what I liked and disliked. I enjoyed the omlets and fried eggs that were prepared fresh right in front of you. I also enjoyed the coisants and the hams and cheeses. Lunch and dinner at the buffet were much of the same; I only liked the pasta that was prepared fresh and the french fries. We tried the grill that is located near the beach and did not like much of the food there. I only liked the french fries!! I would have to say that Yarey’s Pizza was the best. You can either walk there or take the train, which drops you off right in the front. There is a great selection of flat dough pizzas and they are delicious! We pretty much ate there every lunch and dinner (it kind of got boring near the end). The scenery is amazing, the pools are beautiful and the beach is breathtaking. We went on a catamaran and went snorkeling. We got a tip from one of the lifeguards that the fish love bananas and we found this to be true when lots of fish came to feast on the bananas. We also went horseback riding for an hour for $8 american. I thought we would have gone riding on the beach but we were only taken to the beach for maybe 5mins and the rest of the ride was on the road. All in all it was nice. I have to say that the staff at club tryp Cayo Coco are fabulous. They go out of their way to do the littlest things and don’t expect anything in return. Dollar bills are a must for tipping and also little gifts are a nice toch as well. The entertainment is also great and they provide live shows everynight that you do not want to miss. I have to say that the comedy show was the funniest. I would have to say that I had a wonderful time in Cayo Coco and would definatley go to this hotel again. |
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Club Tryp – Cayo Coco | Mariana | Toronto Canada |
September 2002
My stay at Tryp was wonderful!!! This was my second time going to Tryp this year and I had just the same amount of fun as the first. We arrived on time and check-in was fast. I was a little disappointed that we were scheduled to arrive late in the day indicating that we would miss the whole day but it actually turned out better this way so we didn’t have to feel so rushed. The rooms were very simple but who goes on vacation to spend most of their time in their room anyway! We were located on the third floor of building 7 which was close to everything. The first night we didn’t know how we could climb all those stairs but we eventually got used to it. For those of you that like to walk, this is the resort for you. If you don’t like to walk they also have train rides that can take you around the resort. Now, for the very controversial food issue. Honestly, I thought it was better than my mom’s cooking but my friends and many of the people we talked to did not like it. We didn’t go the Super All Inclusive route but we did go to the Italian restaurant on the last day of our stay. It was amazing!!! My friends say that if they were to ever go back to Tryp that they would do the Super All-Inclusive which allows you to eat at any of the restaurants (Italian, International, Cuban, and Seafood) with reservations of course. I would also like to take this opportunity to say that the people in Cuba are so nice and I would go back a third time just because of the friendly service and the many good people that I have met there. Please be generous and tip if you think someone has done a good job. They are extremely grateful for any small gesture. I bought a few things at the Dollar Store before we left and gave away some used clothing. It really goes a long way. Two of the gardeners that we met (Juan and Roberto can be found near the Flamingos around noon) gave us coconuts everyday and flowers picked by them. As well, I was overwhelmed when our cleaning lady found my lost earring. It took us awhile to decide which excursion to take but we finally decided on the Jeep Tour (half day) which was $30 U.S and it was worth every penny! Unfortunately they didn’t mention that the Jeeps were all standard and none of us knew how to drive stick but we were lucky enough to have met up with a nice couple from Montreal that were generous to drive us. We followed the tour guide to these beautiful caves that turns into a disco at night. We got to see a magic show and some bats. Then they took us to one of the most spectacular beaches I have ever seen – Pilar and had about an hour to enjoy before heading out to a small farm. At this farm they had all kinds of animals and a "animal show". I actually got the courage to not only sit on a bull but stand on him. That was such an amazing rush! All in all I would recommend this resort to anyone that wants to relax and have fun. I would go back again in a heartbeat! |
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Club Tryp – Cayo Coco | Carla & Brad | Newfoundland, Canada |
September 2002
We recently travelled to Cayo Coco, Cuba and stayed at Hotel and Club TRYP from August 10-17, 2002. As this was our honeymoon, we started off with a very positive attitude towards the trip in general, and we were not going to let anything ruin our holiday; however, as you will read, we didn’t have to worry because everything was absoloutely wonderful, and we were more than pleased with this vacation. We took off from Pearson airport in Toronto on time (2:50 p.m.), and travelled to Ciego de Avila, Cuba with Air Transat. The flight is about 3 1/2 hours long, and it went well until we were almost at our destination, when the pilot informs us that there is an aircraft blocking the runway in Ciego de Avila, and we must reroute to Camaguay, about 120 kms away. We had to wait in Camaguay for about 3 hours, where we were entertained by a fasinating thunder and lightning storm! We eventually arrived in Ciego de Avila, went quickly through customs, got our bags in about 20 minutes, and arrived at the resort about 11:30 p.m. (one hour bus ride from the airport on a very comfortable and air conditioned bus). Check-in went quickly and the wonderful people at the resort kept the buffet restaurant open for us because they knew we were so hungry! It was a little confusing trying to find our room because it was dark, but we asked a worker there, and he was very helpful. We stayed in building 11, room 1161 on the Club side. This room was on the third floor and did smell a little musky at first, but the air conditioning quickly got rid of this smell. The orientation session was 10:00 Sunday morning, and the representative from the interpreter (ours was World of Vacations) will tell you all this when you arrive at the airport. This session helped clarify things for us, and was very helpful in letting us know where things were located and which services we could use. We had the superior all inclusive package, so we got to dine at the a la carte restaurants every night…YUM:) We spent a lot of our time at the beach at first because we were so amazed by how beautiful it was! They rake the sand for seaweed every morning, and there are plenty of chairs to lie on. The water in the ocean is so nice and warm, and the waves can be so much fun to swim in! There were lots of children at this resort, so if you are looking for peace and quiet, this is probably not the resort for you! We did, however, find a reasonably quiet spot at the small pool in front of our building. There were usually only about 10-15 people there at any time, so it was a nice sopt to relax and read a book. The temperature was very hot – it felt like 40 degrees celcius every day, but I don’t know exactly what it was. We found that jumping into the pool or ocean every 20 minutes, then sitting out in the sun for a while, was the best way to keep yourself from baking! Be sure to wear lots of sunscreen though – we used SPF 30 for the first couple of days, then changed to 15, then on our last 2 days we switched to 8, and we found this to work quite well. There are 2 swim up bars, but they are usually crowded, so we tended to stay away from these. One of the best things about this resort is the food. There is a beach grill – La Picua, a pizzaria – Yarey’s, and 4 a la carte restaurants – El Dorado (seafood), La Fontanella (italian), La Loma Azul (international), and a Cuban restaurant, in addition to the huge buffet restaurant that is open for all three meals. We thought the seafood restaurant was the best,and we loved the grilled shimp and lobster. The sirloin steak at La Loma Azul was delicious too. We could not believe the service in the restaurants – the waitresses/waiters are continuously filling up your glass when it begins to empty, whether it be water, wine, or whatever drink you want. The portions are not really big, but you can order anything, and any amount of it, so you will not be hungry. Yarey’s had the delicious pizza -we loved the variety of sausages and the vegetarian pizzas the best. One piece of advice: El Dorado is an open restaurant (no walls), as are Yarey’s and La Picua, and it can be very sticky trying to eat in nice clothes (although at Yarey’s and La Picua you can eat in your bathing suit). The international and italian restaurants are air conditioned, and this makes such a difference! You don’t need to bring beach towels, as you pick them up from the towel hut, and exchange them for clean ones every morning. Tips are very important there, and we left our housekeeping lady some soaps, pencils, and candy each morning. We always tipped at the restaurants, and also to the bartenders at the end of the night. We saw a gardener pulling down coconuts one day, and we asked for one. He was so friendly, and quickly cut one open for us – it was very yummy! The nightly entertainment is wonderful – they really must spend a lot of time preparing for the shows each day. The dancers are amazing! The host was really funny and always got the audience involved. I think almost everyone on the resort went to the nightly entertainment – what a crowd! There are several little shops throughout the resort, and you can buy cigars and liquor there. You can use traveller’s cheques, but you have to get them changed at the front desk, and they charge 10%, so it’s best to use Visa or US cash. Phone calls are very expensive, and you cannot use your calling card as they want the money to stay in Cuba, quite understandingly. We bought phone cards there – $10 for a 5 minute call. We went on two extra excursions – the glass bottom boat tour, and Jungle Tour to Cayo Guillermo. Both involve snorkeling, but the Jungle Tour was much better as you can drive your own boat and snorkle as a group in a canal, as opposed to the glass bottom boat tour where you are sort of dropped into the ocean without any instruction (kind of scary!) Beautiful fish in both places though. Overall this vacation was wonderful and I would recommend it to anyone. If there weren’t so many other resorts to see, I would return to Club TRYP, but I think I would like to travel to other places in the future, just to see more of the wonderful caribbean. If you have any questions or would like to know more about this resort, you can e-mail me at carlapeach2002@yahoo.com |
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Club Tryp – Cayo Coco | Jennifer |
September 2002
The arrival to airport was a little rough. We landed in a bad storm, so the landing was a little rough. Once in the airport, clearing customs was quite fast. However because of the storm, no one was being let outside (it got very chaotic). The check-in: The food: Yarley’s the pizza place was good. The grill on the beach was Okay. The seafood restaurant was extremely good The international restaurant was extremely good The Cuban restaurant was extremely good The Room: The Beach: The Pools: Overall: |
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