Hotel Rancho Club

I have stayed at this small reasonably clean hotel three times, and was happy. The staff is typical for an Islazul hotel, some friendly, some indifferent, and some a little crooked. I paid only 18,00CUC per day on my previous visits and that was because I booked through an online agency specializing in Cuban hotels. Recently the same agency charges 28,00CUC per day, but I wonder what the walk-in off the street price is? I suspect/hope it's a little cheaper. And maybe agencies within Santiago offer this property at a decent rate. For my money I had a refrigerator, tv and a well kept room, and breakfast. The restaurant is now close to the front desk and while service is decent, it isn't great. Most of the waiting staff are indifferent. And a now former cook tried to extort money from me. Not cool. I remain Confused about what exactly is offered with breakfast though. Some mornings they would offer me either juice or coffee with breakfast, and if I wanted both, charge an extra CUC. Other days no extra charge, coffee and juice included. Still baffled about this but its a small quirk, of which Cuba has many. Lizette is a wonderful Head of Housekeeping, same goes for her assistants. The guard staff appears trustworthy enough. Front desk types are agreeable -- helpful and not greedy. On the whole a good little hotel. I think Rancho Club would make a great stop-over for cyclo-tourists on a budget. They recently paved the road form Plaza de la Revolucion to the Hotel, a gentle enough 1.5klm hill, easy to do on a decent bike. I'd certainly stay there again, but hopefully at a better rate than the current internet price of 28,00CUC/Day. Cheers WillieTraveller