Not a Bad Resort

Grounds were lovely and rooms were nice and spacious. Bed very comfortable and we loved the outdoor shower and water pressure. Food not plentiful and very repetitive. People were wonderful. No fresh fruit and everything was canned. I talked to others who paid A LOT less and had better food at Royalton or other non Melia resorts. I would only recommend if you want an excellent beach and spacious room with lots of privacy. Resort beach and pool hardly had anyone there so we loved that.

Fantastic resort

This resort was very nice well kept very clean and friendly staff.The pool and beach area were very with lots of chairs for everyone!! I would definitely consider going back to this resort.Absolutely loved the rooms they were clean and very spacious.

Great resort for relaxation

This is an over 18 resort, incredible for a couples getaway or small groups. Great helpful personnel on the resort, from the check in personnel - to the ground staff. They are very friendly and there to assist you with all things that you require. The resort is smaller with only 105 units. 2 pools. 1 with music and 2nd quiet. There are 3 beautiful beaches, each with with their own bar service and a bit of a different atmosphere. Snorkeling is incredible, it is better to bring your own gear as d [... read more]ifficult to borrow from hotel. There are 2 dinner restaurants, with a different breakfast and lunch restaurant on site, there is also a 24 hr snack bar at the main pool that serves pizza, burgers and hot dogs. The lobby has a 24 hr bar where you can enjoy nightly entertainment, conversation with other guest or just enjoying the moment. You do have access to 2 other Melia resorts and use of their amenities including buffets. Our butler did say that the resort is arranging to have more food options offered, by allowing clients to go to a plaza with amenities available there. This would include shopping, bowling, a disco and additional food choices. This would require transportation to and from the resort to the plaza. The room was large with a view of the ocean and a balcony to enjoy a morning coffee or a drink. There were no see ums that did bite. The resort did spray for them but being the time of year and recent rainfalls they were prevalent. Bring bug spray. The resort is a 1.5 hr drive to get to from the airport but we considered this a free bus tour of the country. The cost is slightly higher than most resorts in Cuba but if you want service that goes above, you should give the Melia Buena Vista a try.

Wonderful resort

Long drive to get there, but well worth it. Staff is amazing and always try to be helpful any way possible. Grounds are kept clean. Restaurants are a la carte and they try their best to keep food choices different every day. Did have an issue every day with key card not working in door for room entry. Twice technician came to fix. Other times we had key card re-programmed at front desk. Nice variety with three different beaches. You are also allowed to freely visit other Melia resorts on Santa C [... read more]lara with a shuttle bus. Special thanks to Oro, Manuel , Christian and Leylie. ( Not sure if the spelling is correct)

Amazing Resort!

This place is beautiful, peaceful, with a heart. You can spend the day by the beach, the pool, doing activities. Very clean, amazing personable staff, delicious food, snacks, drinks. A place to relax, enjoy nature, music, people, walks and food.

Great staff but changes needed

The staff at Melia Buenavista were the best part of the resort. So friendly! Beaches were beautiful. Really enjoyed the aqua fit in the pool. So fun! Unfortunately there is no designated smoking section so we were surrounded by smokers especially during the evening entertainment. Chicken legs every night on the menu and little to no vegetables. Rice was always the side. I understand about the shortages in Cuba but I wish the reviews we read were more honest. The 2 bathrooms near the lobby [... read more] bar and restaurants usually had no toilet paper or soap, or the toilets just weren’t working. Ran out of hot water the day before we left. Lovely staff but this resort needs change.

Do not fly with Sunwing or Westjet

The stay at Melia Buena Vista was incredible...once we got there. Great service, beautiful beaches and serenity now. Visit this place when you get a chance but do not fly with Sunwing or Westjet. It took us 3 different planes to get to Cuba. The first plane turned around an hour into its flight due to a 'minor' mechanical issue that apparently could not be fixed in Cayo Santa Maria. This was after the entire cabin filled with jet engine fumes prior to takeoff. The second plane they put us o [... read more]n was also deemed 'not safe to fly' by the captain. After a 12 hour delay, we finally took off on a third plane. We lost one day of our 7 day vacation and a bunch of hair with that journey. We will not fly with Sunwing or Westjet (recently bought Sunwing) again.

Excellent

excellent can not say anything more nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

Very Nice Vacation!

Beautiful resort! Staff members are efficient, very kind, and professional. Three unique and different beaches. We went swimming at the main and middle beaches. Snorkeling was good too. The sunset beach is meant for its beauty at sunset and for amazing walks. Further down, possibility of swimming. Be ready for low tides, at that point the preferred beach is the main one. Beautiful clear turquoise water. Two pools, one more for relaxing and the other, more for entertainment and bar service. Water [... read more] was cool but was quite refreshing on hot days. Very satisfied with massages received at spa. Room a bit outdated but it was clean and big enough. Comfortable bed and pillows. Bathtub/ jacuzzi was more for one person. Concierge service was very good! Outside shower nice but when it’s cold or raining outside, not very practical. Food, drinks, and hospitality were good too. Shortages were at its minimal during our stay, early February. Butter, bacon and a few days without eggs were not a deal breaker. Loved the buffet options for breakfast and lunch with à la carte option. We were very impressed by the St. Valentine dinner; food, music, entertainment, service, outside setup … All excellent! Very impressive! We are considering returning at some point!

Great Resort!

Beautiful resort! Staff members are efficient, very kind, and professional. Three unique and different beaches. We went swimming at the main and middle beaches. Snorkeling was nice too. The sunset beach is meant for its beauty at sunset and for amazing walks. Further down, possibility of swimming. Be ready for low tides, at that point the preferred beach is the main one. Two pools, one more for relaxing and the other more for entertainment and bar service. Water was cool but was quite refreshing [... read more] on hot days. Very satisfied with massages received at spa. Room a bit outdated but it was clean and big enough. Comfortable bed and pillows. Bathtub/ jacuzzi is comfortable enough for one person. Concierge service was very good! Outside shower nice but when it’s cold or raining outside, not very practical. Food, drinks, and hospitality were good too. Food shortages were at its minimal. Butter, bacon and a few days without eggs are not a deal breaker. Loved the buffet options for breakfast and lunch with the a la carte option. We were very impressed by the St. Valentine dinner; food, music, entertainment, service, outside setup … all excellent! Very impressive! We are considering returning at some point.

Best of Everything!

The resort is very rich in everything. The rooms are very comfortable and clean, outdoor private balcony with shower under the stars. The restaurants are great! Great view of the Ocean, great selection of a la carte menus and very efficient staff. Lots of fresh selection on the breakfast and lunch buffet. The 3 beaches are all unique and amazing!! White sand and see through crystal turquoise water. The entertainment team is so much fun! Yoga at the beach, aqua gym, salsa dance with the [... read more] amazing and energetic teacher Andrenxon? The sunset rituals are something out of this world! Incredible!! I will return to this Gem of a resort and I recommend to everyone!

Not A 5 Star By Any Means

This place was so run down that it was not a 5 star by any means.Breakfast was a night mare the flies were terrible and we had no eggs for days which breakfast consisted of toast bread and lunch meats,cheese and fruits.The unit we stayed in was not what i expected from a 5 star resort.The safe was useless and every drawer in the walk in closet was broken or missing which forced us to carry our important documents with us at all times not a comforting feeling while on vacation.The food was not al [... read more]l that great but we were not there for the food if i wanted great food i would stay home.The beaches were awesome even thought it was very windy for the first three days so swimming in the ocean was very hard.The people at the resort were great very respectful and always helping in any ways.The electrical standards in this resort is very poor here in Canada that resort would be closed down in a hear beat.Many lights were burned out and switches and receptacles were so worn out and broken that the cords for lights and our chargers would always fall out of the receptacles.The patio door was off its track and had a 4 inch gap at the top of the door allowing bugs into the room.

Love this small resort!

This was our second trip to this quiet and relaxing resort. We love the small size with quick access to everything including the 3 beaches. The entertainment staff Navy, Anderson and Marcos work hard to provide fun for all guests with yoga, aqua gym, dancing, water sports, dancing and dominoes. Our butlers Eliney and Rey were great, always pitching in to help out if needed in the restaurants. It was good to take the shuttle to the other Melia resorts for dinner for variety. Remember to bring Be [... read more]nadryl and Bug Spray and apply day and night to prevent itchy bites.

Service 5, Food 1

We just got back from a week at the Melia Buenavista. The staff were amazing! Anderson Coll, Navy, and the entire entertainment team really made our stay special. The yoga and dance classes were outstanding! Our butlers, Rey and Elina were excellent. The three beaches are truly spectacular. Unfortunately, our food was quite poor. My husband and I both had stomach issues and were each bedridden for a day. There were many bugs and I had to apply bug spray as often as I applied sunscreen. I came [... read more] home with many itchy swollen bug bites. Also, the resort is older and our room had several issues that required fixing. Our butlers were great at getting this done but it meant we didn't have access to our room at times.

Expensive resort !

+The service is excellent, smiling and wonderful people, very helpful :) +The gardens are fantastic, very quiet and relaxing place +Beautiful sunset with music and Spanish wine +Beautiful part of the beach for snorkeling with small fish, bring a mask for snorkeling, tip -The showers on the beach are awful - Dirty dining room (windows, lamps, chairs) full of flies -Poor choice of food - Cockroaches in the room - The toilet seat has not been changed since the hotel was built it looks [... read more] awfully yellow - In the luxury spa center we got a joke massage, I don't recommend it - Wooden furniture unpainted, no cushions +The fact that we could also use Melia Las Dunas made it worth the price

Beautiful resort!

The Buenavista is a beautiful resort. We have had many enjoyable trips to Cuba but this was by far the best for service and overall wonderful experience. We loved having a concierge. A big thank you to both Daymi and Jani. They were amazing! We also had excellent service provided by Carlos in the Ranchon, Lester at the pool bar and many others throughout the hotel. The beaches are stunning! The pools and grounds are beautiful and very well kept. Our room had a lovely ocean view and was very cle [... read more]an. The hotel is a bit older and some of the furniture is showing it’s age but overall we were happy with the room…loved the outdoor shower. It’s a quiet resort with a spa-like feel. The food was good by Cuban standards and there was plenty of it. No complaints! We’re planning on going back next year. .

Beautiful Quiet Resort

The grounds are especially nice and well manicured. The three beaches are separated by coral rocks therefore making them very private because it’s not one continuous beach, except for the last beach goes on forever…Water is so warm and turquoise blue! Unbeatable service “Yoni” our butler was absolutely wonderful and made our stay so easy. Yasmilia was the best Masseuse of have ever had, her hands were amazing! Eloy the gym and spa guy always had fresh towels and water ready every time we [... read more] went to the gym or to play tennis. These people really made this trip so much more enjoyable. The only drawback would be that the hotel needs to work on serving better food.. and maybe have more of a selection as we found the food to be repetitive. All in all we would recommend this hotel and we would also come back.

Relaxing Vacation - Amazing Staff

This was our second visit to the MBV. We were here last year and are so glad we chose to return to this beautiful resort. It is small, intimate and we felt as if we were coming 'home'. We arrived quite late but were checked in quickly and delivered to our room in no time. The grill by the pool is open at all hours so we were able to enjoy a snack after our long day of travel .. they offer pizzas burgers hot dogs and other items depending on the day (chicken wings paella etc). Food overall was be [... read more]tter than last year, did not notice any shortages except no beef (not an issue for me).. breakfasts were to made to order and always hot and delicious. Sit down lunch included fish chicken pork and pasta options .. complemented by some standard offerings at the buffet, salad fruit cold cuts cheese etc service was always prompt and we really enjoyed the variety. Dinner at the 2 a la cartes was good although a bit repetitive. Hubby enjoyed the lobster and pasta was always delicious. Soups always delicious. Noticed this year quality and variety of desserts was better as well as breads/buns. No mangos yet as too early but we did find the usual selection of pineapple guava papaya etc along with resh juices, bananas a few mornings. Coffees and drinks were amazing enjoyed the red wine at Navigantes and the rose from Spain was nice. Ask Lestor at the pool bar for one if his world famous mojitos! Butlers were quick to take care of any requests and can book dinner at restaurants at the sister properties. Shuttles run regularly between the other Melia resorts see schedule at front desk. We enjoyed having access to the 3 beaches, each with it's own unique character. Enjoyed yoga each morning with Navi by the sunset beach as well as Tai Chi. Our last day on the main beach was heavenly no wind calm only a handful of people, felt like our own private paradise. Overall a very relaxing vacation. Not a party resort, very relaxing, enjoyed the sunsets with glass of wine and music. Evenings pretty low key, ask staff if there is a show as not highly publicized. Note do bring insect repellant, we did get bites. We met some lovely people during our stay and were treated very well by staff. Would highly recommend and hope to return!

Outstanding

You can snorkel and see amazing sea life right at the hotel! They have coral reefs right there and they are so so so beautiful! I’ve been to resorts all around central and South America and this one was my favorite! Food was good and service was lovely! Staff are thoughtful kind helpful and friendly. Rooms are spacious and more updated. The only thing I wish I had was a comforter for sleep. But we slept fine with layers of the blankets they provided. Also If you don’t want to eat at your hot [... read more]el they will shuttle you to the sister hotels for dinner! You can visit/spend the day at other hotels eat and drink there all inclusive. Also I didn’t bring flippers to snorkel and the staff brought me some so I could see all the sea life! Beautiful resort! lots of quiet areas and laidback! There’s one pool where there’s volleyball and some dancing! Also I love that staff brought me coconuts to drink! Definitely want to come back!

Peaceful haven

Gorgeous hotel with three separate beaches. Huge rooms with outdoor shower and deep soaker tub inside. Two pools, main pool with bar and pizza grill, and quiet pool. Staff are excellent throughout resort, and we had two awesome butlers, Joan and Rey.