We just returned from our second visit to the ALL INCLUSIVE Gran Muthu Rainbow Hotel in Cayo Guillermo, Cuba! It’s such a lovely LGBTQ2S+ friendly resort! We loved it so much during our first visit in May of 2022 that we just HAD to go back!
We spent a week at Muthu Rainbow. It’s such a welcoming place and ALL of the staff are incredible and incredibly welcoming.
When we first tried this resort—three years ago today, actually–we fell in love. I had never experienced a resort catered specifically to the LGBTQ+ community before. It was such a memorable experience, we were destined to return. This visit was just as fabulous as the first!
As with our first visit, upon our arrival we were required to sign a form stating that we would not discriminate against anyone during our visit. This resort is open to everyone…all from the LGBTQ+ community, as well as the straight community. As a matter of fact, I think the straight community are finding out about the resort now…there seemed to be a good mix of people visiting this time around. There were also quite a few more people, as our last visit was still perilously close to the pandemic and there weren’t as many travellers back then.
There are two beaches on the property. One is perfectly set up for lounging and swimming, and the other is off limits to swimming. I did notice this visit that the swimming beach had a bit more seaweed on it. They do clean it up, but it became a little too windy to take advantage of the beach during our visit this time around. I don’t know if there’s an actual windy season, or we just lucked out with the strong breezes during our week. At any rate, we only went into the water a few times and stayed mostly at the pool. We weren’t the only ones. The swim beach was quite empty the times we did go.
Here’s a shot of the same beach in MAY 2022…
Here’s a couple glances at the NON swimming beach. This one runs parallel to the long pool. I like to think of it as THE READING ROOM. It’s fully appointed with chaises longues and umbrellas. It’s quite quiet and serene…with the beautiful background sound of lapping waves crashing against the rocky shore. Just don’t get too close to that shore. It would be quite dangerous to do so.
I must say…there are so many chaises longues and cabanas that they are never fully occupied. One of the nice things I noticed here is the lack of towels saving chairs! Nothing is more frustrating than seeing towels sitting on empty chairs for hours at a time because some asshole wanted to save his spot that he never returned to! That doesn’t happen at Gran Muthu Rainbow.
At the back of the lobby, there’s a nice bar…it’s separated from the lobby by a door and there’s a piano inside with lots of seating. I call it the piano bar…it might be what it’s called, though I’m not sure. Off of this bar, there’s a patio looking out onto a pretty plaza with the ocean in the background.
I’m not going to say this resort is perfect, but we love it. We are talking about going back for two weeks for our next visit. Yes, there was almost no hot water for our entire week. We do follow groups on Facebook for this resort and they are apparently fixing the hot water issue now. But even if they didn’t, as much as I hate not having hot water, I think we would still return. Until you experience the difference between regular resorts and LGBTQ+ friendly resorts, you really don’t know what you’re missing. It was like we could put one worry to rest the entire time we were there. We could be 100% ourselves and not worry about those who don’t accept us. Trust me when I say there are some at regular resorts that are not going to accept you if you’re a member of the LGBTQ+ community. You don’t always know who they are, but you know intuitively that they’re there. At Gran Muthu Rainbow the vibe was completely different. We didn’t have to consider the possibility that there were haters amongst us. It’s next level relaxation.
On the hill to the left of the non-swimming beach, you can find what I called a blowhole. Not sure what else to call it. It’s a hole looking down into furiously crashing waves several meters below. Looks absolutely dangerous and life-taking, but also quite beautiful. Worth a look if you’re there. Just don’t get too close, as I’m sure you would meet certain death if you were to fall down this hole…
If you are LGBTQ+ (or even if you’re not), this resort in Cayo Guillermo, Cuba is definitely worth a go. The people are incredible! It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty close to it. We enjoyed the food, the drinks, the entertainment, the beach, the pool…all of it!
They do have a few specialty dining restaurants, though they’re not always open. I believe this has something to do with occupancy, though I’m not entirely sure. There were more guests this time around, but there is still a lot of space for more occupancy. I don’t think it would make sense for them to have the specialty restaurants open all the time with the amount of guests present.
You may experience some shortfalls at Gran Muthu Rainbow Hotel, but they will be so worth the overall experience. I would rate it 5 out of 5! It’s no wonder people keep coming back. There’s something special about this place. You have to experience it to know what I’m talking about. It’s an oasis for the LGBTQ+ community. Treat yourself to the magic!
We booked this vacation with AIR CANADA. There are other options. You could go with Sunwing or book directly through the Gran Muthu website. I understand the hot water issue is currently being fixed. Honestly, we got by without it. The rest is just so special and magical that the inconvenience was worth it for us.
GRAN MUTHU RAINBOW HOTEL – CAYO GUILLERMO, CUBA. You will thank me for this recommendation! It’s pure magic!
KEVIN CRAIG 