In February 2024, for Valentine’s Day, my wife and I went to Cayo Paredón. An all-inclusive in the isolated islands of northern Cuba, the Gran Aston Cayo Paredón. It was my second time in Cuba. The first was in 2015 so a lot has probably changed since then.
REM (Réseau express métropolitain)
We took the REM (Réseau express métropolitain) from Brossard to get to the airport. First experience with the REM and I really enjoyed going on vacation this way. I don’t worry about traffic, parking, possible accidents. I’m already very ZEN and in vacation mode. The REM doesn’t go to the airport yet, so we transferred to the 747 bus (shuttle to YUL) downtown. It will be great to leave Brossard to get to the airport via the REM in a few years, the station is already planned there.
Airport and lounge
Arriving at the airport, we relax in a lounge that our credit cards give us access to. It was my first time in the Banque Nationale lounge. It is very bright, there is space. The meals are good (minimalist but hot hot buffet), some desserts and also, drinks included (enough to start our vacation well before even taking the plane). The armchairs are a good size, spaced and comfortable. In short, everything you need to wait for our plane.
Then boarding for our flight. We’re off!
Flights
Flights are non-stop from Montreal to Cayo Coco. 4 hours there, 3 hours 45 minutes back.
I don’t have much to say about the flight. Sunwing includes checked baggage with its vacation packages but not hand luggage. One personal item is allowed if it can be placed under the seat in front of you. There are no screens for viewing on the plane but that’s normal with this type of vacation. One discovery I made: It is possible to hold your phone or small tablet directly in the headrest of the seat in front of you. I realized this 20 minutes before landing.
We arrived at Jardines del Rey airport in Cayo Coco where we took a bus (30 minutes / about 30 km) to our hotel.
Grand Aston Cayo Paredón
The Grand Aston Cayo Paredón is a 5⭐ hotel in Cuba (4⭐ according to Sunwing). It is new. It opened its doors in November 2022. This beach is also only used by neighboring hotels because it is isolated from the island of Cuba.
The hotel complex has 635 rooms distributed in 11 buildings (bungalows), 5 swimming pools (including 2 for children), 4 bars, 9 restaurants (including a buffet), 1 gym, 1 sports center (billiards, ping pong, chess and checkers) and two stages.
Although the check-in was a bit long, it allowed us to make “Vacations Buddies” and have a few drinks. A concierge takes us, and our suitcases, to our room in a small kart. Our room is breathtaking, a view of the sea and just enough away not to hear the various activities. The shower is spacious, the bed is huge (king bed) and a small fridge.
I took advantage of this right from the start to “kidnap” our phones and lock them in the safe, taking great care NOT to give the combination to my wife.
Like any hotel complex in Cuba, if you want a lounge chair at the pool or on the beach, you have to book very early. It’s a shame because you can see “reserved” places that will only be used for 2 or 3 hours in the afternoon but remain unavailable the rest of the day. But as I had read, it’s the same thing everywhere in Cuba, I saw it last year in the Dominican Republic and I was told about the same phenomenon in Mexico… You’d think tourists think they’re kings wherever they go.
Unlike many other hotels on the “island of Cuba”, Cubans do not come on their days off. The resort is too far from the city (a little over an hour’s drive from the nearest Cuban city, Morón).
Food
I had informed myself about the situation in Cuba before going. I knew that the lines would be long and that the variety would probably not be there. I had mentally prepared my wife because I know that she can be quite capricious on certain points. The reasons why she wanted to go to Cuba were; the sun, the place and the sea. She was going to have all that. To come back to the meals, the lines were indeed long and there was little choice. The meal times probably have something to do with it because lunch starts at 1 p.m. and dinner at 6 p.m. This is probably one of the reasons for the lines starting 30 minutes even before the buffet opens (Restaurant Avila). We never ran out of food. We were treated to seafood, meat and fish prepared in front of us. A little tip: bring some spices to enhance your meal. The buffets are often not spicy enough to please everyone. Pasta and bread? You will be served! There’s plenty of it. Cakes and ice cream? Get there early.
Restaurants “à la carte”
To change the menu and experience, we booked our a la carte restaurants as soon as we arrived. We were able to book three evenings. At the time of our visit, only four restaurants were available and I tried three of them.
A la carte restaurants are available by reservation in the evening.
Selena
Cuisine: Tex-mex
On our 2nd day, we were able to get a table at the Selena. The service is excellent. Wine and beer are offered to us. For Tex-Mex, it lacks kick (I would have done well to have seasonings in my suitcase). We still ate well with fairly modest portions (we went to the snack bar a few hours later).
Rodizio Brasileiro “Fogo do Faro”
Cuisine: Brazilian Grill
A bit like the Mexican, excellent service and small portions. I have always found that restaurant portions in Quebec are too abundant, but my plate left me hungry. Very small portion but no problem for the wine. We were treated to a white wine imported from Spain. Delicious.
Feng Shui
Cuisine: Pan-Asian
A bit of a difference in the menu. Asian-inspired fusion cuisine. As always, the service was great and we were treated to a brut rosé to compliment our meal. It was my best meal of the trip.
The others I haven’t tried
Either I was unable to book or the restaurant was closed when we visited.
Appasionato
Cuisine: Italian
Natura, Vivir Mejor
Cuisine: Vegan, Vegetarian
Allure, Sol y Playa
Cuisine: Grilled Seafood
Toro, Tapas Vinos
Style: Tapas
Note: Not part of the all-inclusive plan
The Club, BR
Cuisine: Finger food
Note: open for lunch, dinner and supper but reserved for the VIP section.
Cocktails and drinks
As for cocktails, a great variety but the Cuban reality creates limited supplies. No Cuba Libre because there is no cola. Pina Coladas, not every day.
Despite these small constraints, there is no shortage of drinks.
My wife’s discovery: Spanish coffee.
There are four bars: Corales Lobby Bar (Open 24h), La Familia Snack Bar, Saoco Beach Bar the Profundo Pool Bar. The service is very good and the cocktails are always up to par.
On-site activities
There are several activities available on site. From stretching, yoga, beach volleyball, dance classes, aqua gym, Spanish lessons, pool tournaments, Zumba, basketball, tennis, mini discos and late night shows, there are plenty.
There are also free water activities such as sea kayaking and pedal boats as well as short catamaran excursions.
Beach
The beach? Yes, THE beach!
The beach at Grand Aston Cayo Paredón is 2 km long and offers an idyllic setting for lovers of swimming, sunbathing and water sports. You can relax on sun loungers, bathe in the turquoise waters and enjoy the mild tropical climate. The palm trees sway gently in the wind, creating a heavenly atmosphere.
Additionally, the beach is well maintained and clean, which adds to the charm of the place. Whether you want to relax with a good book, sip a cocktail by the water or simply admire the sunset, the beach at Grand Aston Cayo Paredón is the perfect place to do so.
Snorkeling
For my part, I like snorkeling and watching fish. I always take my kit with me when I go on vacation. However, I look for places that have not been too altered by human activity. Coral reefs are fragile. I found a few on the point. In fact, it seems that this point is not made of rock but of a large solid coral.
Excursions
Without going too far, it is possible to go to the Plaza Faro Paredón nearby. Although the lighthouse is no longer in operation and inaccessible to visitors, it is strong in the image of Caro Paredón. The plaza is a shopping and entertainment center. You can find various services and shops such as Cuban cigars, rum, local crafts in their shops, a spa, a restaurant, a bar, a discotheque as well as a creamery.
For the activities and excursions offered by Sunwing at the time of our trip, there were:
- Sunset Cruise
- Cuba: Sugar, Cigars and Rum (which I did and recommend)
- Day at Playa Pilar
Excursions by operators are not included in the packages but can also help you discover the region and its inhabitants.
Currency and tipping
I read recent articles about the situation in Cuba before my trip. I brought toiletries, school supplies, toilet paper to hand out as “gifts”. All were very much appreciated. For currency, they don’t like coins (1$CA, 2$CA) because they can’t exchange them at the bank. So I had several 5$CA bills, a few 20$CA bills but also A LOT of 1$US.
I quickly spent all my US$ and was left with bills that were too big for tipping. My wife pointed out that we could just go to the bar and ask for change for our bill. That way we can still tip reasonably and help them out by providing them with bills that they can exchange at the bank.
In short, I will no longer exchange bills for $US to go to Cuba. I will bring Canadian bills and I will barter them for currency there.
NOTE: Banknotes must be in perfect condition. Most banks will refuse to accept them if they are damaged or worn. This advice applies to all countries.
NOTE 2: Cards from a US bank are simply not accepted. My HSBC card was not functional there. – See Shopping while traveling