TravelPulse On Scene: Cayo Cruz, Cuba’s New Popular Destination

While Cayo Cruz is emerging as Cuba’s new tourist destination, TravelPulse has recently visited the two hotel complexes on the island, Valentin Cayo Cruz and La Marina Plaza and Spa, which have just opened their doors to customers.

The two previously mentioned all-inclusive resorts are both sold by Transat and the tour operator recently organized a FAM trip with a goal to introduce agents to the seaside resorts.

Things to Know About Cayo Cruz

- Cayo Cruz is a small island measuring approximately 25 kilometers long, located an hour's drive from Cayo Coco International Airport and two hours' drive from Camaguey. It is accessible via a newly constructed road from Cayo Coco to Cayo Cruz.

-The archipelago currently has two hotels, but a third, the Iberostar Selection Esmeralda, will be inaugurated in February 2020. We could see the rooms of the latter under construction from the Valentin beach, Cayo Cruz, since the Iberostar Selection Esmeralda is located on the same beach.

-Like other Cuban "cayos", the tranquil, low-key, relaxing destination of Cayo Cruz is perfect for travelers who want to combine relaxation and exploration. You can relax in a sunny setting on the edge of crystal clear and calm waters at the hotel or you can also explore the "cayo" through excursions. A city tour of Moron and a Jeep Safari are currently offered by Transat, but other excursions specific to Cayo Cruz, such as a tour of Camaguey are still being developed.

-Cayo Cruz is a paradise for sport fishing. With its relatively isolated fishing area, many of which have only recently been discovered, Cayo Cruz offers an abundance of fish and a healthy population of sea life.

-When you go from Cayo Coco Airport to Cayo Cruz, you can observe spectacular flocks of pink flamingos that shine with their flamboyant colors while waiting to take flight.

The Hotels of Cayo Cruz

1. The Valentin Cayo Cruz

The Valentin Cayo Cruz is a new 4.5-star adult-only hotel belonging to Valentin, a family chain of hotels from Mexico. Completely new, it opened last November 1. Overlooking a white sand beach, the complex has 524 rooms, 12 junior suites, eight suites and two imperial suites with garden, pool or ocean views. Accessible and connecting rooms are available as well as a privileged club, offering additional benefits to customers, such as access to a private beach section and Balinese beds.

The hotel is divided into two sections, each with its own swimming pool, in addition to the resorts three other infinity pools, a swim-up bar, Balinese beds and relaxation areas. As for restaurants, the Valentin Cayo Cruz offers a buffet, a snack bar, seven bars and four à la carte restaurants. The standard rooms are of good quality and have a large modern bathroom (huge for Cuba) and a rain shower. Big plus: wifi is available in all the hotel rooms, at a cost of 1 CUC per hour.

Despite some improvements in service, given the very new aspect of the complex - "It's a work in progress", as we were told several times during our visit, it's a very nice hotel which has a lot of potential and which offers excellent value for money. Customers met by TravelPulse were very satisfied with the hotel and its amenities. Excellent prices for vacation packages are currently available with tour operators. In short, the Valentin Caco Cruz is a great option for customers on a medium budget who want good quality service while in Cuba and who also have dreams of going south this winter.

2. The La Marina Plaza and Spa

La Marina Plaza and Spa opened this past July and is a boutique hotel with a 4.5-star rating. The resort has 58 rooms and two suites. It is equipped with superb amenities such as a cigar lounge, a bowling alley, a well-appointed disco, a conference room, as well as a magnificent spa, with a swimming pool that makes us want to spend the day relaxing and enjoying massages there and other therapy treatments offered.

Located a few steps from Valentin Cayo Cruz, Le La Marina Plaza and Spa has a very beautiful aesthetic. It exudes a very Zen and modern atmosphere and offers two à la carte restaurants, including one Japanese, which is the only one in the Cayo Coco region.

Note that customers of Valentin Cayo Cruz have access to the restaurants of La Marina Plaza and Spa and although it’s included in the Valentine’s package, they have to pay extra for the Japanese restaurant.

Unlike Valentin Cayo Cruz, La Marina Plaza and Spa caters to a family clientele, so it has some areas to entertain children. Its primary vocation is the spa, so it is ideal for customers who want to relax and rest in the sun.

The complex however, does not directly overlook the beach. It is more like a 15-minute walk away, but a footbridge is currently being built to facilitate access from the beach to the hotel.

3. The Iberostar Selection Esmeralda

The Iberostar Selection Esmeralda will be the third hotel in Cayo Cruz. Its design will be reminiscent of 19th century Cuba, with coffee plantations and a building typical of that time. The tourist complex will offer, among other amenities:

-570 rooms - The Iberostar Selection Esmeralda (450 rooms) and the Coral Level at the Iberostar Selection Esmeralda (120 rooms)

-A butler service

-On-site restaurant

-Swimming pools

-A cigar lounge

-Free wifi

-Access to the beach

Getting to Cayo Cruz with Transat

Cayo Cruz will be accessible this winter with Air Transat via direct flights to Cayo Coco, four per week from Montreal, two per week from Quebec, four per week from Toronto and one per week from Ottawa, Hamilton and Halifax.