Hotel With a Heart
Mar 6, 2021 JanetClaret
This was our 5th visit to Cuba and first to Memories. From the word "go" it was very different to the vast, soulless resorts that I've been to before. This means that people remember you and vice versa. Within a day, I felt as though I'd been coming for years.
The reason is the staff. One Hundred Per Cent. You can sense the team spirit even in…
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This was our 5th visit to Cuba and first to Memories. From the word "go" it was very different to the vast, soulless resorts that I've been to before. This means that people remember you and vice versa. Within a day, I felt as though I'd been coming for years.
The reason is the staff. One Hundred Per Cent. You can sense the team spirit even in the shyest of people and they have fun with each other and with the guests. They treat you with respect, kindness and genuinely want to help. Tips/gifts of cosmetics etc were appreciated, but the service was genuine and not in expectation of anything.
Typically Cuba, lovely beach, gardens, better-than-expected room (Block 9), wonderful pool area.
The restaurant had to be kept clinical due to Covid so wasn't "restauranty" and the food was cold for the first few days, but that improved. It is Cuba, not Barcelona, so they can't get a lot of things and to be honest, you are not going to starve and the chefs worked miracles despite the Cuban economy and Covid. Under better circumstances, I would have liked to see salads with fresh raw leaves, not cold, cooked veg, but it might not have been possible.
The bars were all ok with great staff, but the lack of glass glasses within the hotel needs to be rectified. We were constantly waiting for the glass washer to finish, so I would urge the management to address this as soon as possible. Plastic is essential for outside unless at a table, but the plastic straws should be replaced by paper if possible.
There was a wide variety in the quality of cocktails and the gin and also the tonic was terrible. Please, please replace it with something better or offer premium gin at a small surcharge. Beer, wine, rum all luscious. The Spanish coffees are amazing in all the bars, and the upstairs piano bar above reception is great for a cosy, mellow late night chat with live piano most nights. Lovely manager, little with round glasses. Delightful. Consistently good cocktails up there too.
The entertainment is excellent given the size if the hotel. There's an outdoor stage with a nightly programme, music and/or dancing around the main lobby and outside terracing every night. Constant but not pushy entertainment round the pool, but you can tune it out. Really, really good animation team, but the best bit 8s when all the hotel staff, led by the indefatigable Kiki, jump up and join in. Every Friday is Cuba Day with entertainment, barbecue, the BEST pop-up cocktail bar all appearing in the gardens at the beach edge. Brilliant.
Didn't try the water sports or use the tennis courts, or the spa, but the facilities looked great. The setting of the hotel is fantastic wooded hills circling the hotel and the beautiful bay in front. So utterly peaceful.
Two hot-tubs by the pool, fab beach bar, and pool bar and the staff will bring drinks to your lounger by the pool or on the beach, or to your eager hand when you're in the hot-tub.
Had some nice late night chats in the lobby bar which serves 24/7. Missed the usual Canadian visitors, so looking forward to going back in more normal times. Just one or two foul-mouthed Brits, I'm sorry to say, but 99% of guests mellow and pleasant.
Great day trip to Havana in a 1954 Buick which was about 40 USD each organised by Kiki.
Tui did us proud and honoured my request for a sea or pool view room for my Big Birthday. I had a banner across my door and a view of BOTH! Have booked today to return for Christmas 2021 and can't wait. Thanks to Kiki and the team and have a safe and successful year.
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