Friday, November 26, 2010

Brisas Santa Lucia, Camaguey, Cuba

Have you visited Brisas Santa Lucia?


We traveled to Cuba and stayed on an all-inclusive vacation at Brisas Santa Lucia in Camaguey, for 7 days. We booked with Nolitours, for just under $1000 including tax in the peak December holiday season.
The evening flight went smoothly, leaving and arriving on time. It took a while to get through customs and get everyone organized to take the bus. The bus ride from the airport to the hotel was very bumpy, but fun!
When we arrived at the hotel, we were welcomed by the entertainment crew, who were dancing and singing and serving welcome drinks. The check-in went pretty smoothly, no major delays. One of the hotel workers led us to our room and helped us with our luggage, showed us the room, and ensured the TV was working. We got a room on the ground floor, which had 2 double beds - we went back to the reception and asked for a King-sized bed, but were told that it was not possible to fulfill our request. The room itself was large with a nice bathroom with tub. It was in an excellent location, we were at one of the buildings closest to the beach. After getting settled, we went to the buffet for a late dinner - suprisingly, there was plenty of food, and a good variety too.

View from our room at Brisas Santa Lucia

During our stay we were taking advantage of the wonderful weather, we had sunshine almost always. Never rain, but cloudy on a few occassions. Hanging out by the pool was always fun - the pool is large and has a swim-up bar, and there is some entertainment going on in the pool area, so the pool is definetely a place to relax during the day.

Pool with swim-up bar at Brisas Santa Lucia

We also used many of the different non-motorized water sports available at the hotel. We went kayaking and used the pedal-boats from which we got a chance to snorkel in deeper water, where we got to see plenty of starfish. There is some sort of a reef situated right off the beach of the hotel. Even when we snorkelled right off the beach, there were always some interesting corals and fishes around.

The hotel advertised that it had wind-surfing, but at the time we were there, the only wind-surf at the hotel was broken, so we were directed to the next hotel to use theirs, which worked out just fine.

The food at the hotel was very good. As I said, there was always a lot of variety in the buffet. For breakfast there was always an option of getting scrambeled eggs with your choice of vegetables and other add-ons. For lunch and dinner there were a few meat dishes, as well as sides and a salad bar, and also a pizza bar where you could get a personal pizza, made-to-order with your choice of toppings. At all meals there were always fresh fruit available (papaya, bananas, mango, etc.), and you could get shakes made out of those as well.
We attended the Christmas Gala dinner (on December 24) which was wonderful! There was a lot more variety and special dishes than on the regular days, and a holiday atmosphere was truly created.


One of the unique meals at the Christmas Gala Dinner

There is also a beach bar at the hotel which offers hot-dogs, burgers, and fries. That was also a delicious option, especially when you want to stay around the beach for lunch.

Typical meal at the Beach Bar

There are 3 a-la-carte restaurants at the hotel: Italian, Cuban, and Seafood. We made reservations for all three, and they were all great. There were also live bands playing in those restaurants.
All the drinks at the hotel were good too. The alcohol was cheap like everywhere else in Cuba, so you cannot expect high quality, but the coctails still turn out good. Pina colada and sex-on-the-beach seemed like everyone's favourites there - they were delicious.
The hotel staff was great, always happy to help. There was nightly entertainment shows on the designated entertainment stage, each night with some different kind of show - some were very very good, some involved audience interaction as well. There were usually parties at the disco after the nightly entertainment too.

We took a trip for an extra cost to visit a crocodile farm nearby. About 7 people in total went on the trip that day, and we were taken in a mini-van, which had no seat-belts, but did its job. On the way to the crocodile farm, we visited a Violin factory and actually saw the artists making the violins (very neat work!). We also visited an old non-functional sugar-mill factory. At the crocodile farm, everybody got a chance to hold a baby-crocodile, and walk through a space surrounded by tens of crocodiles (which was pretty horrifying at first). To add to the thrill, you could get a chance to touch or sit on one of the crocodiles (the workers there basically tie up the jaw of the crocodile and hold it in place.




Crocodile at the farm, ready to be approached by tourists

We also went on a snorkelling trip which was included through Nolitours in the package. We visited a coral reef, which was pretty shallow, and saw many different corals and sealife. It was very nice and worthwhile.
On our last night at the hotel, there was a small "goodbye" get-together on the beach for our group. The entertainment staff made a special good-bye show, and to everyone's surprise - they even had fireworks going off - from the ocean water (a few meters off the shore), just to say good-bye!

Overall, I can say that staying at Brisas Santa Lucia was definetely a positive experience for us. We loved the resort and everything about our vacation. We hope to go back one day, and strongly recommend anyone looking for a great vacation to consider this resort! you will not regret it!

Feel free to post any questions about the resort here, and share your experience!

59 comments:

  1. To get the best deals to the Be Live Brisas Santa Lucia (Cameleon Select)contact Online Travel Centre 905-465-2500 or click on the link above to shop our web only package specials.

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    1. Is there an ATM anywhere areound St.Lucia or the Brisas?

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  2. Just wanted to say that you're review is rather accurate. On this 20th of December it will be my 5th time travelling there. Funny enough I havent done anything but go to Camaguey City and horse back riding. However, i will (im going to force myself to), get off my comfy spot infront of the pool and atleast go on the catamaran or soemthing. I love their beach resto where you can have burgers or hot dogs in the afternoon. it's always been my fav meal of the day.

    PS. I just spent 790$ for a week smack in the middle of xmas.

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  3. Hello ,
    Can you post what brand of beer the resort has ?
    Thanks

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  4. Hello:

    We are looking at going for a week in the second week in Jan. 2011 and since its under new management after Nov 1, 2010 , if things have changed.
    Also, is Jan a good time to go. I s it still warm enough to go swimming in the ocean there??
    Thanks.

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  5. Hi, I'm not sure about the new management, as we were there last year. January is a great time to go! The ocean will be warm enough - just like in December I suppose.

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  6. Any word on the beer on tap ?

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  7. My partner and I were there 3 years ago January. I LOVED it, especially the coffee bar, what can I say it's my drug of choice. The food was great, enjoyed the "create your own fruit smoothy" every morning! We're hoping to go back this Dec 30th.

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  8. Just booked our trip for December 30 2010, after reading your review I an more excited then ever. Are the a'la carte any good?

    Mags

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  9. Yes! We loved the a la carte restaurants! Especially the Cuban one with authentic cuisine and the seafood restaurant which at the time served tuna salad in pineapple-made bowl - just awesome! :)

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  10. Brisas serves the cuban beer on tap - Cristal, there really is only two major kinds of cuban beer - Cristal or Bucanero, if you want Heineken or Corona you have to buy it at the gift shop or at the airport shop.

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  11. Hey Great BLOG.....

    Sunwing site says that the snorkling is great here? Is this true?

    Thanks
    Rod

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  12. Yes. Right off the shore (a little bit off to the right if you're facing the water) there are really nice corals and fish...saw a stingray there too. But it's not a major coral reef - for that you'd have to take a boat to the deeper reef.

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  13. And there are also plenty of starfish!

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  14. Is the resort right on the beach?

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  15. Does the hotel supply blow dryers. If I take my own, will it work in Cuba?
    Should I take gifts for the hotel staff?
    I want to take school supplies for the schools in Cuba. Is there someone I should contact?

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  16. In Cuba the voltage is 220 (unlike 110 here in Canada/US) so you need to make sure your blow dryer will work with 220 (the range should be written on the blow dryer) and then you should have no problem using it in Cuba with a converter.
    Tips and small gifts for the hotel staff are great. Usually people leave gifts for the maids, but mostly tips for the barmen/servers. It's up to you - both are greatly appreciated!
    On a short trip to the city you will get a chance to give out gifts to the children... but if you want to make a direct donation to a school, I'm pretty sure you would be able to do so by contacting some staff at the hotel that could help you out - it for sure could be arranged!

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  17. Hello from Switzerland - we are looking for beautiful white beaches, great seafood and cuban specialities and some great authentic salsa dancing.... will we find this in Brisas Santa Lucia? My husband is Ecuadorian and he misses dancing Salsa. Thanks for your replies!

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  18. Beautiful white beaches - YES, definetely.
    Great seafood - they do have a seafood a la carte restaurant, and of course fish in the buffet.
    Salsa dancing - as you make it, it's everywhere in Cuba! at the hotel the entertainment team puts on real neat dances!

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  19. We will be at this resort at the end of this month. Your review is great and is making me very excited to go there! I have read some negative reviews but I believe if we go with a positive attitude and realize that Cuban standards could not possibly match Canadian standards, we will make the best and have a wonderful holiday. Thanks and I will post a review when we return home!

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  20. Yes, like you said it's all up to you - go open-minded with a positive attitude and you will have a great vacation! :) Waiting to hear about your trip!

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  21. My girl friend and I are going here in February. We are wondering about the disco. I know from reading the reviews that the lobby and beach bar close at 11pm. Do you remember if the drinks are extra or included in the "all inclusive" price.
    Thanks!

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  22. Yes, all drinks are inclusive in the price.

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  23. Great thanks for the reply.

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  24. We have a Canadian passport. Will we need a visa also?

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  25. No, you won't need a visa. A Canadian passport is enough for entry into Cuba. You will, however, like everyone else, be required to pay the 25 CUC departure tax when leaving Cuba.

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  26. Back from a great trip. Weather was great windy all the time. We love this resort. Only thing is there is not really any shopping. The resort has vendors most days with some neat items. Never made it to the disco how ever heard it was fun. Apperently lots of prostitutes, they leave alone though.

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  27. Can you request an ocean view? We are thinking of booking a week vacation in February, it is so hard to know if this is a good resort if you look at some reviews.

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  28. You can request an ocean view room, that will be granted depending on availability, as in all other hotels... I think this resort is GREAT, you shouldn't be taking all reviews seriously. Try to always go open-minded and you won't be disappointed!

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  29. Are the bars open 24hours or is there a certain time that they closed and you weren't able to get drinks?

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  30. Yes, there's always drinks available, 24 hours!

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  31. My husband and I are tying to decide on where to go in Cuba, I've only been 2 Punta Cana twice and would rather go back but my husband is insisting on Cuba. A good friend recommended the Brisas in Santa Lucia, I'm just reading the reviews. I did read on another site that there are alot of peddlers on the beach and also, if you're a picky eater you won't enjoy Cuba...any thoughts? We plan to go the end of February, or first week in March. Also,is it necessary to wear special shoes when walking in the sand or along the beach? I've been hearing horror stories about the Jelly Fish.

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  32. I would try something different and go to Cuba. It's a completely different experience from Punta Cana, etc. I would definetely recommend Brisas Santa Lucia for your first time in Cuba. About the food, for me it was really good, although I am sometimes picky... There was always a wide selection, this is a 4* resort, so you shouldn't have a problem with the food. The sand at the resort's beach and surrounding is white sand, I wouldn't worry about walking barefoot there, and if it's jellyfish season you will notice them lying on the beach, so you shouldn't worry about steping on one. Jellyfish season means you might get stung while swimming there - which is a problem anywhere in the world, it's not just a problem in Cuba.

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  33. Thank you travelManicX

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  34. When you go to the disco are the drinks free? Are the drinks on the resort all-inclusive 24hrs? Are the bars on the resort open 24hrs? Or do you have to purchase drinks after a certain time, for example at the disco?

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  35. The drinks are free 24hrs, in all bars, including the disco bar. You do not need to purchase drinks. At any time there will be a bar available for you (24 hours).

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    1. Do you need to tip though? And how much do you tip for a single drink?

      Also, I heard that it's better to bring your own mug/glass for bigger drinks... would you suggest that?

      Thanks in advance for the infos

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    2. Some people always tip, some do only sometimes for exceptional service, and some never do. If you tip the servers $1 they will be very happy!

      I was fine with using the resort's cups, but some people prefer to bring their own reusable mugs.

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  36. My wife and I are looking to vacation in St. Lucia for our 25th. We've never been to Cuba but my grandmother stated they had the best beaches of anywhere she's travelled. What currency do they use (can we bring Canadian dollars or do they prefer Cuban pesos)? Are there bothersom peddlers? We want to rent bikes and see some of the area...any safety concerns?

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  37. The currency used by tourists in Cuba is CUC (Cuban convertible), it's more or less 1 to 1 with USD. You can bring your CAD and exchange them at the airport upon arrival, or at the hotel.
    The hotel offers free bike rental, we rented bikes one day and biked outside of the hotel going left when you reach the main road, to see the way of living in the area. It's considered safe so you shouldn't worry about any safety concerns.

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  38. Thanks for above reply. we arrive at the resort about 2-3 hours before check in. is there a place to store luggage/ change into swimwear?

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  39. We did not need to use any luggage storage facilities, but I'm sure those are available. And you should be able to change into swimwear in the washrooms of the hotel.
    Anyhow, if there will be rooms availalbe 2-3 hours before the official check in, you will be given a key. It's not a very busy time of the year now, so you will probably be given a room early, when you arrive.

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  40. Thanks again...you've been a big help.

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  41. We just booked for March 17-24 at Santa Lucia Be Live Resort...looking forward to our first trip to Cuba.

    Do the rooms feature hair blowers? My wife wants to know if an adapter is needed for hairv straightener. I'm planning to bring my digital camera with rechargeable batteries. Will I need a adapter to convert 220V to 110V for my regcharger?

    I read somewhere that the drinks at the disco are not includrd in the ALL Inclusive price...is this correct?

    Can you rent motorized vehicles such as scooters to tour the area? Any "shopping" nearby?

    What excursions (i.e. horse back riding, ATV rentals, tours, etc.) are available?

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  42. I don't remember if there were hair dryers, but I'm pretty sure there were - I think it's pretty standard for a 4* resort. You would need to bring an adaptor for any of your devices if you do not see the range 110-220V specified on the device itself. If the range on the device includes the 110-220 range, you do not need an adaptor - instead you can just bring a small switch simply to adjust to the shape of the plugs in cuba (we have the two vertical lines but in cuba its like the european shape - two circles, so you'd need the switch so that your device plugs actually fit in there)
    The drinks are included in the all inclusive price at all the bars, including the disco bar. It might be otherwise in other hotels.
    Yes, you can rent scooters and cars to tour the area. There's a small town nearby, with just locals around, so I wouldn't call it a "shopping" area, but you can definitely go around to experience the local life. Cuba isn't really the place to go for shopping.
    There are many excursions offered through the hotels, always a variety of different tours, but this depends on the season. There are catamaran snorkeling trips, as well as a tour to a crocodile farm which includes a visit to a violin factory and a local town as well. There was also a trip to see flamingoes available. Once you arrive at the hotel you can inquire about the trips and you will be provided the weekly schedule for all the trips, and you could book them while you're there - just make sure to book them 1-2 days before the trip actually departs, so you'll be sure to get a spot.

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  43. Thanks...you were a big help.

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  44. Hello - great information... My sister & I are going to Cuba in April. We are booking this weekend and giving serious consideration to this resort (leaving from Toronto) A couple of questions: I have read all kinds of reviews about no hot water... is this really an issue to be concerned about?. Are there enough activities to do that will allow my sister and I to have fun and act silly without being bored (my sister is not one to just lay around) and lastly..is there a 24 hr bar?

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  45. For us hot water was not an issue, we always had hot water, and so did everybody else at the hotel while we stayed there (didn't hear any compaints regarding that)
    There are some activities (bingo, dancing etc.) but most of the activities are for kids. So if you want to really be active, you should go on some daytrips from the hotel (you'll have a chance to book those once you arrive).
    And yes, drinks are all inclusive and available 24 hours!

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  46. which would you recommend - the brisas santa lucia or the gran club santa lucia?

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  47. I can only recommend Brisas Santa Lucia, as I only stayed there :) However I walked around the grounds of Gran Club too and they didn't seem as nice as Brisas... check the Tripadvisor reviews to make your decision.

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  48. Just returned from a week at this 4* resort (March 17-24/11). First off...let's remember we're talking about Cuba vs any other destination. THE GOOD....weather, rooms, service, pool, bars, price (my wife and I paid $1500-total from Toronto), Cuban people off resort were generally very friendly-we felt totally safe whenever we left the resort to sight-see.

    The "Not-so-good"-I won't say bad because, again it's Cuba and they lack the resources ($$$) to effeciently and properly manage a 4 star or higher. They try the best they can with what they have but it's evident that these Government run resorts have small budgets. The nightly entertainment is not very good except for the dancers. The afternoon entertainment around the pool area is not bad as they tend to get most of the crowd to participate in the local dances. The food is satisfactory (not much beef/ chicken dishes) with more emphasis on seafood (fish and shrimp) and vegetables and rice. Breakfast buffet is mostly eggs, hash browns, beans, salads and cold cuts. Milk is warm (I think it's goats milk) and there is plenty of juices available. The snack bar offers a variety including fries (good), hot dogs (good), hamburgers (avoid), grilled ham & cheese (ham I think is balongne) and maybe bring your own ketchup as theirs is really watered down.
    The Al a Cartes were pretty good...we did the lobster dinner at Cocoa Beach...excellent with entertainment & a bonfire afterwards. Cuban night was good too. Try the grilled pork! Italian night was also not bad..we had the Cannoloni. Our last night...we we're treated to a Cuban BBQ-Chicken dinner...It was fantastic.

    Tips are very appreciated...we tipped the maids 5 pesos every morning. Some say that's high but we never had issues with towels, cleanliness, etc. in fact the maid ran after us one morning to personally thank us for the tip and little gifts we brought to give her kids (toothbrushes, toothpaste, hair bands, chewing gum, etc.) Note: bring an adapter (220V-110V) and your own hair dryer as most in the rooms don't work. Make sure you get one that can adapt from 50W - 1600W (or whatever wattage your hair blower/ curling iron/ straightener is rated for).

    Overall...for the price...we were very happy. If you're looking for a TRUE 4 star...you won't find it here. But if you're looking for a decent inexpensive relaxing vacation then Be Live Brisas Santa Lucia is recommended.

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  49. Hi Porcupine Pete!
    Thanks for sharing about your recent stay!
    I guess the hotel service really varies depending on the time of the year. We traveled during Christmas, maybe that's the reason the food was really great, always plentiful and a huge variety (of meat too!). The entertainment was really really great for us too, I guess during the low-season they must not try as hard as they do during the holidays.
    Anyhow glad you enjoyed it!

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  50. We just booked this resort today for a family vacation in July. I thank you for your honest comments, and counting down the days until we leave. I see you also booked thru Nolitours, they seem to have alot of added perks, is it really true?......gift in the room, 3 ala cartes, 50% of massage, etc.

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  51. Great information in your blog and in the comments. Thanks! I am going here in early May and am really excited!

    I have one concern though, do they have 24 hr food or snacks available? We will be arriving at the resort at around 1:30am and I want to know if there will be food available.

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  52. When we booked with Nolitours we got 3 a-la-carte dinners, as I described in the post. We also got a free snorkeling trip (out on a boat to a coral reef).

    When you arrive at the resort at night, special welcoming snacks will be arranged for the incoming guests. But generally there was always some small snacks 24 hours a day... and drinks of course :)

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  53. Hi there,

    My fiancée and I are going to Brisas on June 2nd, we are very interested (well more him than I) in visiting the Crocodile Farm. I was wondering if you could tell me how much we should be expecting each for this excursion? Just so I can set aside that money. Thank you very much for your review it was extremely helpful and I'm now that much more excited to begin our vacation! )

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  54. Great review. Just discovering this website now. We're heading back there for the third time in 9 months in a few days. We absolutely love this resort and can't stay away. I've posted two reviews on tripadvisor.

    http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g147272-d256418-r95225689-Be_Live_Brisas_Santa_Lucia-Camaguey_Cuba.html

    and

    http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g147272-d256418-r85611177-Be_Live_Brisas_Santa_Lucia-Camaguey_Cuba.html

    A lot of questions people are asking can be answered there (warning though, they're pretty long reviews, lol)

    When we come back in a few weeks, I'll update of any changes, because after new management took it over there was already a significant number of positive changes just between Oct '10 to Jan '11. They're doing everything they can to upgrade the hotel and it showed.

    Cheers

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  55. I need to know about the travel to Cuba. I am an American and want to visit Cuba. Please suggest me worth visiting places.

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