Review of Hotel Playa Paraiso
This is a review of a one-week stay in the Hotel Playa Paraiso on Cayo Coco, Cuba. January 24-31, 2023

Cuba Post-pandemic
In February 2020 we stayed next door in the Memories Flamenco. We have also stayed at a resort in Varadero on 2 occasions. Playa Paraiso is our preferred destination, and we will probably return.
For repeat visitors to Cuba it should be noted that things have changed. The country’s economy has always been shaky; Covid has left it in a shambles. Supply chains are broken and serious shortages (including food!) have occurred and are occurring. Many have left Cuba and others would like to. We asked an airport employee what would make things better and he replied, “a plane ticket to Mexico.” From there he would try to make it to America. The people, as always, are friendly, helpful and prone to laughter but at the same time they look tired and discouraged. Their system of government simply doesn’t work.
The people need everything. Cubans who don’t have a side income (like tips) receive between $20 and $40 CDN per month. A pound of coffee costs $15 CDN, and the country was once a top global exporter of coffee! Children under 7 are allotted milk, and seniors get some milk powder. Otherwise milk must be purchased on the very expensive black market.
We should tip generously and take a suitcase full of gifts. Many commodities are not available at any price. Among other things, we gave our maid a standard pouch of powdered milk; she was amazed at how large it was. Reading glasses, summer shoes, non-prescription drugs, treble fishhooks, children’s clothing, school supplies, backpacks and toys (like inexpensive footballs or softballs) are much appreciated.
Another post-pandemic change – Cuba now has only one currency – the Cuban peso. No more converting your dollars or euros to a special type of peso. We simply paid for everything in Canadian dollars. Coins are not accepted in Cuba so resort workers are anxious to convert their loonies ($1 coins) or toonies ($2 coins) to five or 10 dollar bills. Just take some coins and lots of bills. Much easier to do and understand.
Also, USD is apparently now acceptable in some places. In the past, use of USD was more-or-less illegal.
One last change to mention – communications with the outside world are now much easier. Five years ago, we arranged a tour with a private guide and the process took months. It is much better now, though exactly how to do things is still unclear. Internet was free, but difficult to access, in the lobby of the resort. Apparently many Cubans use WhatsApp.

We should mention that a friend’s child developed a serious health problem at another Cayo Coco resort. The Cuban doctors saved the child’s life. The four days in hospital (not very expensive) were covered by health insurance. Health care is good in Cuba.
Okay, here are our thoughts on a few key resort points:

Beach – fantastic. Water was a bit chilly at times. Bring your snorkeling gear. We had hoped to hire a small catamaran to go snorkeling on a proper reef but wind and other factors conspired against us. Interesting snacks available. Beach is accessed by a boardwalk and there is a roofed-in patio area, good for anyone who has difficulty walking on soft sand.
Rooms – very good. Clean, airy, quiet. Excellent showers.
Grounds – excellent. We are birders so we appreciated the greater number of trees and shrubs. Best on-resort birding we have found in Cuba.
Access – good. There are gentle slopes which could be a problem for those with mobility issues.
Service – excellent. As mentioned, the Cuban people don’t quite have their former vigor.
Food – good. Lots of vegetarian options, a bit repetitious but no complaints. Lineups rather long. A la cartes very good.
Entertainment – uncertain. The children certainly seemed to enjoy the early-evening fun. We attended only one grown-up presentation. In our view, it was a bust. Started 25 minutes late and it was some sort of bizarre adult-themed show. Difficult to follow and not particularly entertaining. This was just one presentation; the others may have been good.

On the whole, wonderful, but we should mention a few “down sides.”
1) We experienced power and water outages. The government is replacing the huge pipeline that delivers water to the whole island. Some guests were angry and we heard of another resort where the water was down for several days; that would be really upsetting. The country is having big problems right now, if you demand perfection perhaps this is not a good place to visit.
2) Converters and power sources that will accommodate 220-volt power are essential. It is confusing. Canadian/US 3-prong plugs will plug in, but the 220-volt power will fry some devices. Read the fine print on phone chargers and think this out in advance.
3) For the whole Cuban tourist industry – clean up your roadsides! Resorts are immaculate but the country as a whole is awash in litter. Likewise, the forest around resorts is a mess. Workers and guests just throw everything off the lawn. Apparently many young men are required to do 2 years in the army and they don’t really have much to do…
4) Cayo Coco is a tropical island, evoking thoughts of paradise. Not true. Soils are shallow, drainage is poor and hurricanes mow down taller vegetation. The resorts truly are a paradise of palm trees and sparking waters, but the rest of the island is dense low shrubbery, swamps, and marshes. Very difficult to access, and not very attractive.