A Cuban identified as Thalía Soler posted a video this Friday in which she shared her frustrating experience during a day out at the Gran Hotel de Camagüey, a facility operated by the state chain Islazul that promised a pool, lunch, and entertainment, but delivered exactly the opposite.
"I spent two months constantly trying to book a spot to swim in the pool. And in the end, when I arrived, everything turned out to be a disaster," the author recounted in the clip posted on Facebook.
Upon arriving at the hotel, the group discovered that they could not bring in outside beverages and that the establishment had no dining options available at that time, so they had to go out to look for food after having gone for a swim.
The supposedly included lunch was no better. Soler described the serving of spaghetti as something "for five people" and the pizza with a comparison that leaves no room for doubt: "It was the old flip-flop that people used to wear before going out to celebrate Carnival."
Additionally, they mentioned that the pool water was, in their words, "on fire," and that the dishes from the service arrived "greasy."
Despite the disaster, the author acknowledged that she enjoyed herself thanks to her friendships, although she was adamant as she concluded her story: "If I ever go back there, it will be never again."
In the video description, Soler was even more direct: "To the Grand Hotel? I'm not going back. I wanted to go because I have fond memories of my childhood there with my family, but apparently, I forgot that this country is regressing every day."
The comments on the video reflected a similar collective experience. Several users agreed that the facility has been in decline for years, that the pool is rarely in acceptable condition, and that the food service is a constant disappointment.
Others lamented that one of the few recreational spaces available in Camagüey is in that condition, and some pointed out that the situation in the province overall does not allow for any other expectations.
The Gran Hotel de Camagüey, inaugurated on May 22, 1938, and located in the Historic Center of the city, is one of the most iconic establishments in the province.
It boasts 72 rooms, a pool for adults and children, a restaurant, a café, and four bars. Its ratings on TripAdvisor are mixed: one listing records 4.1 out of 5 with 118 reviews, while another scores 3.2 out of 5 with 70 reviews, featuring recurring complaints about the pool, the food, and the maintenance.
Soler's case is not an isolated one. Throughout this summer, reports from Cubans disappointed with hotels on the island have multiplied.
A visitor rated the Neptuno Hotel in Havana as "the worst experience on a day trip," with power outages and murky water; in Varadero, a doctor paid 315 dollars and returned more exhausted than before; and another Cuban documented power outages and lack of water at a four-star hotel in that same resort.
The decline is a response to an unprecedented structural crisis. Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz acknowledged before the National Assembly, at the end of July, that 73% of the country's hotel facilities remain closed and that around 25,000 workers are in a state of availability.
Between January and June, Cuba welcomed only 387,591 international visitors, a decline of 60.7% compared to the same period the previous year, with hotel occupancy plummeting to 21.5%.
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