Indeed they have some communication and service failures, because it is a grassroots - community based and owned operation, and operates with local capacity. They deserve to be supported, as 100% of the income goes back to the families headed by women of the community contributing to better social education health and encourages preserving environment. Same with jam/mermeladas, thay are very good by the way, taste them for free, are all from fruits associated with sustainable shade coffee ecosystem... Casa Bonita at first used to hire their guides services but i hear they now bypass them. Please visit and encourage them and tell them what they need to improve. You can experince and taste the rual rural local grassroots - community life. I participated in its creation few years ago: here is the catalog they had then
http://www.slideshare.net/Yacine/catalogoguanventurasecoturismo2011
www.guanaventuras.com is their current web site
Yacine
Yacine, I do recall that you posted about this cooperative over a year ago in a thread about the South West with a link given and brochure included.
On my last trip to the area several months back, I did take the effort to find the cooperative and their restaurant by firstly asking at the Esso station in La Cienega. It is a modest place with a small sign outside, but as I posted there was a complete lack of enthusiasm when I asked about their products and excursions at that place. They had the five types of marmalades they promote on sale, no tasting so I bought one of each and they are indeed good. As for the coffee that they promote it wasn't available and I got a complementary cup of what they were brewing and it was foul.
This was not very reassuring.
I am totally behind the idea and support of small scale community based tourist and especially eco friendly ventures, and clearly they have had some good help in setting up a website and preparing a good brochure which I note has been updated since your previous posted link. But to be successful and benefit their community, which for those that know La Cienega is a very small one, they do need to work hard at promoting their offerings and especially to the passing interested tourist. As is often the case, small Dominican communities get outside help and rush to a good idea but quickly become complacent. You have indicated in your post that you may have helped them and that is fantastic. The whole area is ripe for this type of community involvement in developing a sustainable local ventures which will capture the imagination of local and foreign eco tourists which may be a small market but is a growing one.
This part of DR is imo worthy of a week or more of any tourists time who wants to explore and interact with the local communities and artisans and experience beach, sea, rivers, forests and mountains, and whilst some of us will prefer the other smaller and the boutique hotels in the area as their base, this local venture with cheap accommodation will suit others if promoted sufficiently. Ultimately more tourism whether local or foreign will benefit all the small communities in the area.