Disco Ayala

Discotheca La Cueva


Useful Information

Location: Trinidad 62600.
(21.808217, -79.981080)
Open: All year daily 23-3.
[2022]
Fee:  
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave SubterraneaCave Restaurant
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:  
Guided tours: self guided
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:  
Address: Disco Ayala, Trinidad 62600.
Hotel Las Cuevas, 198 C. Chanzoneta, Trinidad 62600, Tel: +53-41-996133.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History


Description

Disco Ayala is a part of the Horizontes Las Cuevas Hotel, only 400 meters away from the colonial quarters of Trinidad. Located on the slopes and top of a hill, guests have a view of the city, the beautiful coastal landscape of the Caribbean Sea and the Escambray mountain range. A cave with several chambers inside the hilltop was developed to house a disco. The cave is recommended for its excellent acoustics.

The Disco Ayla is quite popular among locals and up to 4,000 guests make party every day until 3 in the morning. It seems it is not advertised among tourists, they find it by word of mouth. It's the main haunt of the local clubbing scene and quite popular are the cabaret acts, acrobats and fire-eaters, every morning at 1. There are five dance floors, three bars and all you can drink mojitos.

The disco is named after Carlos „Coco“ Ayala who used this cave as a hideout at the end of the 19th century. According to the legends he was soldier in the war of independence against the Spanish, but deserted. But his fame is actually that he was a serial killer who lured children into his cave and killed them. Finally, he was caught and beheaded by the locals, and from that day on, no more children were murdered. But the locals still threaten their children with phrases like "be good or Coco Ayala will come to get you". But while a man with that name actually lived, there is no evidence that anything else of the story ever happened.

The choice of the name for the nightclub perplexed the residents, but the owners defend themselves. The cave had become known as Cueva de Ayala (Cave of Ayala) and they just used the name of the cave for the disco. They thought this would make clear for the locals where the club is located. And the discussions about the name are obviously free advertising for the club.

Lately we read several online reviews which doubted the cave was stable enough. While Cuba does not have pedantic safety laws like other countries, we are convinced that it is - fortunately - impossible to destroy a natural cave with music, even techno. Water would be a bigger problem, and actually the cave is now and then closed on rainy days because the water short-circuits the electric system.