Hi, i just found this website. It's full of loads of useful info.

My partner and I are off to Cuba on the 29th November staying at the Sol Rio de Luna and Mares. I'm sooo excitied!! It's our first holiday together and by the looks of people's comments about the resort it'll be a great holiday!

I was just wondering what excursions/trips people did while they were there? I'm not one for laying around the pool for two weeks but by the looks of it there are quite a few activities available through the hotel (snorkelling, kayaking etc).

It's my boyfriends birthday 3 days after we arrive so I would like to try and plan a nice meal or something special while we are there, is this something I could sort out when we arrive?

Thanks
Tammy

hi Tammy

Yes there are quite a lot of activities to choose from . Unfortunately I'm probably not the best person to reply because it was too hot for us to lift our backsides from the sunbed on the beach but I like to watch .

There were plenty of trips on offer from the tour operators including the overnight to Havana that I really wish we had done now and swimming with the dolphins that were both very popular . There were also trips to other town /villages + catamarang trips etc.

The hotel seemed to have plenty of outside activities available too . If you check the board outside the buffet restaurant there was a list of outings available most mornings . Most were either free or a small charge . some of those I remember were the trip around the nature reserve, a tour of the upmarket hotel next door , a local fishing village ,open top bus into Guardalavaca for a looksey & the market . You can enjoy horse riding from the hotel stables between 9 -5 as well as playing tennis , hobycats , kayaks and sailing, diving & snorkeling on the beach . These is very much weather dependant as it does get rather choppy out there . Best to get down as early as possible as wind starts to get up around 11. There are also horse drawn carriages out front independant from the hotel that will take you into guardalavaca for around 20 CUS.

lyn

I can recommend doing the Havana overnighter... don't be tempted to try and do it in a day there and back..

ATB,J.

Thanks guys! I'm so excited... I think i'm going to be pretty unbearable in 11 weeks

As its my boyfriends birthday a few days after we arrive I want to book us into the French restaurant. Does anyone know of a way to do this before we arrive??

Thanks,
Tammy

Hi Tammy

Try emailing them your request sol.rio.luna.mares@solmelia.com

Have a great time
Graham

Apparently there is an excellent cutomer service lady called wendy that will sort you and probably go that extra bit further . A week to 10 days before your arrival I would email jefe.reservas.srm@solmeliacuba.com and ask for her personal Email address . At the same time you can request an ocean view room but do request a reply because I've heard they don't always reply unless asked . I had a reply same day on that email address . Despite only having standard rooms booked I requested Ocean view rooms Luna block 5 (nearest to mares and fairly central to most things) and that is exactly what I got . you can find my pictures by clicking on the "view my gallery" link to the left of this post under my profile details.

My husband had his birthday whilst there . We had list /times of our A la carte reservations (didnt know about wendy then) but you can go to the reception on Luna side before 11am to change them . I requested the french to be changed to the day of my husbands birthday . The guy also ordered cake and champagne for him but I have a feeling you will get extra from wendy .I';ve read about some really special days she has laid on for guests with anniversarys etc so I'm sure she will do the same for a birthday . You certainly have nothing to loose and everything to gain .

lyn

cutomer service lady called wendy that will sort you and probably go that extra bit further

Really

I have no idea what she looks like though Graham

hi, we're off to the luna mares for our second holiday there, but this times friends are coming with us for their first time. does anyone know if they have whiskey there? we dont know because we dont drink it , but its our friends favourite tipple. if we know they dont serve it , we can take some from duty free. we're going 22 november so hope the weather is good then - went may/june last year and it was brilliant weather,but the forecast at the moment looks a bit rainy

No need to take it with should be plenty available best is J & B

Weather at that time should be good.... we go to the Caribbean last week November/first week December every year...Cuba twice..there can be some pretty heavy rain showers but it's still warm... we've sat in a hot tub in the pouring rain before!! then he sun comes out and half an hour later it's all dry again..

ENJOY!!

ATB,J.

On the strength of this thread,reviews on Tripadvisor & here - we have decided to spend our 4th holiday in Cuba at Sol Rio de Luna and Mares
About the same price as Pesquero and we couldn't get the price for the Paradisus down to anywhere near a reasonable one.
We are going mid March next year - I've booked a sea view room - looks like the best block is block 5 on the Luna side?
Those who have been - did you get what you asked for when you emailed in advance?? Specifically we like an upper floor room as they tend to be less noisy and we are early to bed,early to rise types!!

We're off there again in October and I can't wait!! Whooo hoooo!

Im jealous . Really want to go back so maybe next year .

I really want to go to Havana this time as we didn't go last time as it would have been so expensive for the 4 of us especially as we did the dolphin's as well. It will be my fella's birthday while we're out there so am hoping to go there as a birthday treat for him.

I'll probably be jealous of you Lyn this time next year lol

No we didnt either , mainly due to the cost for 6 of us & fear of the heat . My husband doesnt normally like going on excusions but even he wanted to go to Havana .

I cant remember exactly how much it was now but seem to recall somewhere between £200-300 per person .
By the time we got home we were Gutted that we didnt just put it on the Credit card and worrry about it another time . a once in a lifetime experience i would think . We need to go back for that alone before cuba changes forever .

Yes I agree Lyn, I want to do it as soon as I can before it changes otherwise I will regret it forever. I've just looked on the Tripadvisor website and it says it's 199 CUC if you want to do it in just a day, and the overnighter was about 300 so quite a bit more expensive. Not sure which one we'll do yet but it'll probably end up on the credit card then worry about it later.lol

Do everything you can so that you can afford an overnight stay in Havana - the city really comes alive after dark. If you do stay overnight, personally I would give the Tropicana a miss -I think that it's expensive and not good value for money. Instead, head off for Obispo in Havana Vieja and for the price of drink you'll hear live music every bit as good in almost every bar you pass. Of course you will miss out on the gyrating female bums in g-strings that are a feature of the floorshow at the Tropicana but there's no need to tell the menfolk that

I've noticed big changes in Havana in just the last 5 years so get out there quick before it loses that shabby charm which is so much part of the whole experience.

SM

Thank you for the advice SMa I am definitely going to do the overnighter now, I've just read somewhere else that doing it in just a day is a waste of time and I really want to experience the exciting nightlife. I will give the Tropicana a miss as if there's bums everywhere as my teenage son might get a bit embarrassed though I his dad will love it lol.