Hotel Horizontes Villa Guamá is undeniably original and picturesque, with its wooden huts of thatched roofs built on stilts above the water. The setting is very scenic since the hotel is in the middle of a lagoon, the ¨Laguna del Tesoro¨ in the Ciénaga de Zapata natural park
There are 44 independent cabins spread among 12 manmade islets connected by bridges and surrounded by an endless labyrinth of channels. Inside they are truly basic, with simple furniture and poor lighting, though clean and functional. They absolutely need renovation, as the rest of the hotel. It's a fact that a lot could be done to make this place a real marvel, but it is also true that the views are amazing and the flora and fauna pretty exotic and unique, making it an ideal place for those who love nature, specially bird watchers.
You can see cormorants, spoonbills, hummingbirds, kingfishers, herons, pelicans, ospreys...
Access is only via a speed boat from La Boca, about 8 kilometer away, navigating across a large lake in mangrove swamps (the round trip boat transfer cost is CUC 8.00, about USD 10.00). The surrounding waters are rich in trout, bass, tarpon and the weird native manjuarà (garfish), among other fish species.
The design of the hotel is meant to recreate one typical aboriginal pre-Columbian village. One of the islets, known as the TaÃno Village, nestles a natural-sized sculpture-complex, depicting aborigines engaged in regular daily activities.
There is a nice swimming pool but no loungers or towels are offered. There is a pool bar though.
Food is very limited at the only restaurant, but totally edible.
It is strongly advised to bring a good provision of insect repellent when visiting or staying at hotel Guamá. A mosquito net could also be a good idea.
Other tips are:
• Taking the early morning boat ride to see some of the bird species...really worth it!
• Bring a few bottles of water and some snacks since the hotel features no shop.
• The ideal way of getting there is by your own car, which can be left at the parking lot and be used for exploring the area in the day time