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The Memories Holguín Beach Resort (Gaviota-owned but run by Sunwin/Blue Diamond) used to bethe Grand Playa Turquesa… which used to be the Occidental.

Anyone have the CURRENT contact info for this hotel, circa 2015?

Gracias!

	The Grand Playa Turquesa is now Memories Holguín Beach Resort.

	I watched the first episode and found it very entertaining. It has a bit of that "reality TV" feel to it but there is enough good content there to keep me watching. Old cars and Cuba; what’s not to like!

	Okay not until next November but might be going to a destination wedding at Grand Sirenis Maya Riviera. Any chance someone here has been there and can offer any room advice as the website as soon as you look at some of the room categories it flip to Grand Palladium? Are they 2 different resorts or one with 2 different section names?

I’m trying to book a 4 star for around $1000 per person taxes included with a dec 27th departure. Will I see those kind of prices soon? That is one of the most expensive weeks of the year (if not THE most) – if you do find that kind of price for a decent 4*, it will be awesome! Unexpected in my books, but awesome for you!

I found it…..out of Toronto at least.

Small print is everything..but its still there as an option.WestJet also offers it, and I have claimed it for 3 different flights now. I also often rebook hotels 4-5 times before I actually arrive based on price drops and savings.

Yes you have to stay on top of it…but they are big companies and don’t owe you anything or care. It’s up to you to find the deals, the price drops and stay on top of it.

Update: I called yesterday since I hadn’t received the usual confirmation email. Rep said it is sent 24-48hrs but since it had been 2 days she would request it and it would be sent within a few hours to 24 hrs. Today, no email, so I call again. This rep said because of the way it was booked no email was generated and it would be after the points are dealt with. So once again, misinformation from the previous rep.

Bumping this back up. We just booked the Memories in Holguín end of November (our only Cuban trip in 2015; better late than never lol) and the TA will cover our exit taxes. In researching this trip I did notice that some TAs do NOT indicate on their websites that the exit taxes are included in the ticket.

Just wondering why that is.

I’m not sure about every TA, but most operators (like Sunwing), have just added it to their ever-increasing "Taxes and Surcharges". They don’t itemize what those are, but most of it is fuel surcharges, currency exchange loss, and airport fees and a miriad of other "hidden" fees.

When we returned from Manzanillo at the end of July, the collection booth was still there, but unmanned. No issues at the airport at all. The Sunwing rep was including the information about no longer having to pay the departure tax in her orientation speech.

I’m trying to book a 4 star for around $1000 per person taxes included with a dec 27th departure. Will I see those kind of prices soon?

That is one of the most expensive weeks of the year (if not THE most) – if you do find that kind of price for a decent 4*, it will be awesome! Unexpected in my books, but awesome for you!

You have to read the fine print on these deals (not really fine print – really straight forward but you have to read it). With Sunwing, if you book, you must register within 7 days of booking to be eligible for the Price Drop Guarantee. If you don’t register you won’t be able to make a claim. Also, it only applies up to 28 days before departure date. Therefore, if leaving on Dec 27th, you’d need to find a better price by Nov 29th.

I see Sunwing and a few others have the "free" price drop guarantee as well as reduced deposits required to book. As well, flights are BOGO with Sunwing for sun destinations.It looks like all these deals are effective mid-Dec, at least with sunwing.I have a feeling these will be the kind of deals they offer over price drops, unless demand is wayyyy down.

Not sure where your flying out of or where in Cuba you want to go,but there are a few resorts just over the $1000 mark now with a Dec 27th departure date out of Toronto…book it and take the free price drop…..it’s a win win.

	I’m not seeing any price cuts for travel over Christmas time and with news of can jet stopping, it will only create less supply and more demand. When will I see prices start to drop somewhat? I’m trying to book a 4 star for around $1000 per person taxes included with a dec 27th departure. Will I see those kind of prices soon?

Okay – we have it finally narrowed it down. We are booking here for 2 weeks, come the end of November. Can anyone tell me if the in-room safe is free??
I also figured out that the Tour Operator does provide shuttles from the airport to the Resort. duh!!!!This place has terrific reviews, so I hope it is all true. Really looking forward to fun and sun.

Adios Amigos/Amigas

Looks to be very nice. Enjoy

Adios Amigos/Amigas

l’ll have to remember that spunky. The 5% is a great bonus, which is why I only use the minimum 5000 points ($50) and pay the rest in full on the scotiavisa since as I understood, by using points you get the 5% back on the full package price, but if you don’t use points you only get the 5% on the air only component. First rep tried convincing me to not use points but I said why I do the $50. They ‘said’ to use my visa for the whole amount and they will deduct the 5000 points later so I get the 5% on full amount, since my credit card works, and their’s doesn’t! heh heh.I had to follow up again today because I didn’t receive the standard confirmation email for the booking w the trip locator info and today’s rep said it can take up to 48hrs (it has been) and this request will take up to 24 hrs. We’ll see. Seems all someone needs to really do is hit ‘send’.

I also comment every booking, that it would be nice if they could just pull up our profile with names etc from last booking but they say no everytime. Would be easier than going thru the spelling of each name in full several times in the booking. D as in delta, a as in apple, lol. Spouse’s name is always cut off on booking info anyway because we have our middle name on passports and the ‘system’ can’t do that many letters.

I just wanted to mention that the best way to watch the show is to watch it enjoy the cars, and to enjoy the cleverness of the guys who are restoring them. Don’t watch it with the intent to catch mistakes, especially not to try and catch mistakes about Cuba. I don’t know enough about Cuba myself to always spot mistakes.I was impressed with how the guys were able to make their own parts out of scrap materials when they had to. Although I have never actually restored a car myself, there were a few things that might have been done out of the sequence that I would have tried, but hey, if it works…

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