Avoid the Sol Cayo Santa Maria

Avoid the Sol Cayo Santa Maria

Avoid the Sol Cayo Santa Maria at all costs during the rainy season. There is a massive mosquito problem at this hotel and the rooms do not have mosquito nets. I can imagine people thinking I am one disgruntled traveller and talking extremes, but I have just arrived home as a medical evacuation I was so seriously affected by the mosquito bites. You are probably thinking I did not take repellents, wrong, I was using Sea Safe, a diving product that protects against stings, Jungle spray, a Jungle diffuser and I also bought a Cuban product in the hotel shop called Repel. Unfortunately for me I had firstly an allergic reaction to the bites and then an allergic reaction to the cream supplied by the doctor. I had hydrocortisone cream with me but that quickly ran out. Guests at the hotel are literally covered in mosquito bites, anything from 100 upwards.

Those of you choosing allocation on arrival with Thomas Cook will almost certainly be sent to the Sol Cayo Santa Maria, and then when you discover that the Melia Cayo Santa Maria is so much better, Thomas Cook will ask you for a 30 – 50 cuban paeso’s per night for the upgrade. The Melia is a far superior hotel and does at least have the mosquito nets in the rooms but there is still a big mosquito problem at this hotel as well. We were actually transferred on the first night into the Melia but I am posting this as a lot of the holiday makers at the Sol are very unhappy.

Another testimonial on Thomas Cook's fine, professional service