A Cuban woman, known online as Zona Pau, shared a candid video on Facebook about her visit to Hotel Neptuno in Miramar, Havana, describing it as "the worst day-pass experience, and I'm not discussing this with anyone."
The video triggered a storm of comments from others who had endured similar or even worse experiences.
The Day-Pass Dilemma
Hotel Neptuno, part of the state-run Gran Caribe group, is located at Third Avenue and 74th Street. For a fee of three dollars per person, guests can enjoy pool access from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. However, Pau's visit began with a three-hour delay due to a power outage.
"The opening was postponed to 12 p.m. due to electrical issues, yet it was 1:10 p.m. before we were allowed in. During that time, no one provided any explanation. It was just wait, wait, and wait," recounted the content creator.
Unappetizing Dining Options
While waiting, the group sought refuge in the lobby bar, where Pau noted the glass was covered in flies. They paid 1,500 pesos for each hamburger and 450 pesos for each soda.
The lunch menu was disappointingly sparse, offering only a small portion of rice, beans, cucumber, and squash, with chicken thighs priced at 2,000 pesos each. The available beer, served warm, cost 680 pesos.
Adding to the dining woes was the prohibition on bringing outside food or drinks. When Pau attempted to bring cookies for her child, a manager refused her, saying, "No, buy what we have here," with poor manners and service. The hotel does not accept bank transfer payments either.
Power Outages and Exorbitant Costs
During the day, the electricity failed twice, leaving the pool area without music. By day's end, the total expenditure exceeded 18,000 Cuban pesos, plus the three-dollar entry fee per person.
Comments on the video painted an even grimmer picture. One user reported paying 23,300 pesos for four meals, four rolls, and four sodas in the bar and vowed never to return.
Others described the hotel as "a pigsty" and warned that the pool water was "murkier than a ditch." A previous visitor recounted finding feces floating in the water: "We left in a hurry and never went back to that hotel."
Despite these harsh reviews, the regime introduced a $30 monthly pool membership in August to lure local tourists to Hotel Neptuno in Havana.
Insights into Hotel Neptuno's Challenges
What issues did guests face at Hotel Neptuno?
Guests faced long delays due to power outages, poor dining options, prohibitions on outside food and drink, and unsanitary conditions like murky pool water.
How much did a day at Hotel Neptuno cost?
The total cost for a day exceeded 18,000 Cuban pesos, including a three-dollar entry per person, with additional expenses for food and beverages.
What were the reactions of other visitors?
Other visitors expressed dissatisfaction, describing the hotel as poorly maintained and confirming issues like unsanitary pool conditions and high prices.