Very comfortable stay. Great staff.

The Sanctuary offered a very relaxing experience with a few perks thrown in for extra comfort. The resort is not new but has been maintained well enough. We enjoyed the option to eat breakfast and lunch at the Sanctuary restaurant. There was a nice little snack bar included as well that served a variety of options for lunch. There was usually ample room at the beach, however, I don't believe the resort was near capacity. Pros: ala carte available every night, private adult only area of the re [... read more]sort (including beach), very friendly and helpful staff, good food, good accommodations, dedicated office for Sanctuary guests, very few insects. Cons: We didn't have hot water in our room (other buildings did) - it's Cuba, we kind of expect it.

Pleased overall

The Butler service was amazing. They went above and beyond to make sure we were taken care of everyday. The ocean view from our room was spectacular. The pool was pretty great. Not amazing but still great. The staff goes above and beyond so 10 out of 10 for them. We were very happy with most of our drinks even though they often ran out of stuff but it is what it is. I wouldn't rate lower because of that. When you stay at the sanctuary, you have the option to go to the big resort at Grand memori [... read more]es for the buffet and the entertainment and the disco. Honestly the only thing I will say is that the a la carte restaurants were all the same s*** that you get at the buffet. (Meat , Rice, beans) The only one a la carte that was amazing was the Italian cuz you could get a great pizza which us Canadians love night!!

Cuba Is Suffering

I can’t say enough about the people. I’ve travelled to many islands and the Cuban people are by far the most appreciative, hospitable and this trip was no exception. Rooms were typical but clean. Beach was AMAZING. I wish people wouldn’t “cool off” (pee in the pool). If you sit and watch how many people actually leave to use the facilities you would most likely spend more time at the beach!! The hotel had no vodka (which unfortunately is all we drink) but the staff managed to find 1 bottle fo [... read more]r the two of us. We went to town and bought the only vodka on the shelf. So we did have to ration for the week. I would have liked to change my beach towel at least once. Unfortunately they were only open the first day we arrived.

Awesome

I was in unit 30 and had no issues. Clean towels, garbage taken every day. Water, beer and sprite left daily. The butler was visible frequently throughout the day and was very eager to assist. Grounds were beautiful. The beach and pools were fantastic. Everything was clean. Staff were polite and helpful. I am allergic to peppers and still found plenty to eat.

Great adults only

Enjoyed Sanctuary Grand Memories. Owners have changed last time here was Riu. Glad to see many old staff still there. Roxana, Nancy Melys Yami all staff still at restaurant/pool bar and Jacob Manager of restaurant all did fantastic job Our Premium suite was awesome nice having 2 toilets comfortable bed. Only wish showers could have been hotter Thanks for another great stay

Great resort!

The following is our review of our trip Dec 27/25 Sanctuary area: very good Pool: ok Rooms: dated but clean Beach bar/pool bar/24hr 'Cigar' bar: great Sanctuary restaurant: very good Staff: Amazing! Private Beach: Amazing! Memories buffet: lots of good options but too many annoying people Memories Specialty restaurants: great food but ridiculous wait times (over 1hr 3 times) Airport shuttle: fair (45 minutes) Overall a great week with no shortages and enjoyable time

It’s all about managing expectations!

Here are some of our observations BOOKING Our Trip Central travel agent met our expectations, she was efficient, responsive and timely. HOTEL TRANFER AND CHECK-IN We arrived late at night and dropped off at the other lobby. We had to find our way to the Sanctuary side on our own. Someone to greet us with golf cart would have been nice! Check-in was rather quick. Wish they had bracelets with built in door key. We booked Sanctuary premium and no regrets. Most people say paying premium  [... read more]does not give you extra and it did for us. We had a room with a view facing the walking path to the beach. Perfect! Our flight was delayed and we stayed an extra night, they put us up on the Memories side and this is when we truly saw the difference, There is no way I would have stayed in that room for a week. The furniture was falling apart, the drapes were hanging off the track, the beds hard as rock, the bath tub was a hazard, you had to step over a high wall to get in, definitely a safety issue. ROOMS The rooms are very dated, the furniture is old, some mood is visible in washroom as well as spots on bed skirts, the mirrors were all stained (looked like varnish splashes). The fridge was well stocked, the air conditioning worked at max only, otherwise it would drip. Not enough electrical outlets in the room. The phones don’t work. Tip: bring candle to change the smell and small flashlight in case of power outage. FOOD AND DRINKS Always something missing; they ran out of white wine on day 2, the blender drinks were not good, the beer was ok, the coffee was terrible, lots of unknown dishes at buffet, lots of wieners, no French fries, no pizza, no shrimps, disgusting hamburgers, omelettes made with Parmesan powder, no milk, no ham or other cheese at omelette station. The fried rice at lunch was good but after a few days, you had enough, The ham and cheese sandwiches were a good choice st the pool snack bar and they became our regular lunch with soup every day. The soups were ALL excellent. The a la carte restaurants were good and a nice chance, the oriental restaurant does not serve Asian food, it’s chicken, pork or fish like the other restaurants. The Cuban party by the pool offered great food, the best salmon I had all week. BUTLERS Efficient, easy to reach and quite responsive. BEACH Awesome, great attendant most days, they find you a spot on the beach and also serves you drinks. They alternate every other day, one of them was not as good, he was more interested in selling cigars and chatting with lifeguards or other workers. POOLS Although we did not spend much time there, we noticed they were super clean, we watched this man clean and he was very thorough. CIGAR BAR The best drinks, the best atmosphere, comfortable seating and great live entertainment. They also had great little canapés that were delicious. Overall 6/10 The price was right, we went on a budget and did not have high expectations, as such we were not disappointed.

Sanctuary at Grand Memories

Our family of 7 had a great time at the Grand Memories Sanctuary. It was a little resort in a big resort. It had its own beach, pool bar, bar and buffet. Every room at the Sanctuary has their own butler. They are amazing humans who you can text whenever you need something. Our favourite was Norvy- he was our kid’s butler- but he was always around and answered our questions and helped us out- even though he wasn’t our butler. All butlers work in pairs- they alternate. Our two butlers- Tahlia and  [... read more]Jenny were also very good and helpful. The food was good. Not much to eat if you are a vegetarian though. Everything has meat in it and the restaurant staff tried their best, but two of our kids had a very limited diet for the week. I would recommend that vegetarians pack their own protein and snacks to bring. Pool bar was a great place to order breakfast and lunch. The Sanctuary has its own small secluded beach with bar service. You can also eat a bbq lunch down at the beach bar too. The big resort was a five minute walk away. The main lobby had some good entertainment after supper. It had several nice pools, a swim up bar and OK pool bar food. It was open 24 hrs. The two big buffets in the main hotel were OK- not as good as the Sanctuary. The Sanctuary unfortunately had an entertainment person that played LOUD music all day long by the pool. There were not many people in the pool because of this- it would have been nice to lounge by the pool and just read, swim or have a conversation without the constant BOOM BOOM or his loud voice trying to get people to play games. Really wanted to give him $100 to stop playing for an hour so we could enjoy the pool. So- we never swam in the pool- just in the ocean where it was quiet. As it is a small resort in a big resort- we met a lot of people and got to know many of them. The staff there worked a lot of long days. They were always setting up something for a party or special day. They always had a smile for you even if they were tired. New Years Eve was amazing. The band, the food, the champagne…. Our older kids’ room had newer paint and hot water 24 hours. They also paid for the extra package. This was the only difference between theirs and ours. The younger kids’ room had no hot water and not much toilet paper. Our room had toilet paper and hot water from 4-8pm. The resort did not have blackouts, it had wifi, and there was lots of food. Not a variety of food, but there was lots. If you are over 18- go to the Sanctuary- not the main resort. We would all go back.

Amazing

I highly recommend this hotel: the room, the restaurant, the beach, the pool, the services are outstandingly! Many thanks to waiters, to bartenders and all the service staff. You all made my vacation unforgettable. I'll difinitely be back!

So So Sanctuary in November

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Veradero November 2025 Trip Overview My wife and I booked it because we were tired of being sick for much of September and October and needed time together, and the direct flight from Ottawa in early November was inexpensive. Unfortunately, WestJet delays caused us to lose two full days of our vacation and added an extra day of leave from work. Once we finally arrived, the resort was not full, which worked in our favour. The weather was cooler during much of our sta [... read more]y, and two days were too windy and wavy to enter the ocean. The pool water was also cold. Even so, when the ocean was calm enough to enjoy, it was fantastic. The Sanctuary beach area was close, quiet, and had excellent seating. We spent time reading, relaxing, and enjoying drinks even on red flag days, which became some of the more peaceful moments of the trip. Food Food was generally good for Cuba. We did not try the specialty restaurants because in Cuba they tend to feel similar to the sit-down dining already available. Sanctuary meals were convenient and quieter, but the kitchen was extremely slow at breakfast, with simple items like eggs and omelets taking close to an hour. We liked the small buffet-style accompaniments available at each meal. The main Grand Memories buffet had friendlier staff and a more positive atmosphere, although the buffet often ran out of plates and lines for certain stations were long. Birds were allowed inside the main buffet and often perched in the rafters. While the bird song was pleasant in the morning, it raised questions about hygiene and droppings. Food variety at the sit-down meals changed throughout the week and we always found something to enjoy. The soup, however, was consistently watery and lacked substance, with fish soup being the most common. We did not enjoy it. At the buffet, cross-contamination was noticeable because there were not enough utensils for each dish, and many guests moved spoons from one dish to another. Overall score: 3.5 out of 5 Pool We went into the pool every day, even though the water was cold for much of the week. We were not able to stay in as long as usual until the last few days, when the weather warmed up. Despite the cold water, the night we arrived became one of the most memorable parts of the trip. We arrived after midnight and jumped into the Sanctuary pool until four in the morning, simply relieved to finally be there after two days of travel chaos. The Sanctuary pool area was never crowded and always had loungers available. Music around the pool was an odd mix of country music and unrelated genres that did not match the Caribbean setting. The Sanctuary does not have a direct pool bar, but staff came around to take drink orders when we sat near the tables. Our room backed directly onto the pool, which made accessing it extremely convenient. Overall score: 3.5 out of 5 Beach The beach was one of the highlights of our stay. The Sanctuary section was close, quiet, and had comfortable seating that was always available. We never felt crowded. We lost two days to red flag conditions where the waves were too rough to enter the water. Even on those days, we enjoyed sitting on the beach with drinks, reading, and listening to the wind. On calm days, the ocean was excellent. The water was clear, inviting, and easy to enjoy for long stretches. Overall score: 4 out of 5 Facilities The Sanctuary section was very easy to navigate, with flat walkways, clear signage, and short distances between the pool, bar, restaurant, and beach path. Because the resort was not full, the entire area felt quiet and easy to move around. Maintenance issues were visible in both the Sanctuary and the main resort, such as worn areas or older fixtures, but they did not significantly detract from the stay. The Sanctuary bar and outdoor seating areas were pleasant and reliable places to sit, and service there was consistently good. The Sanctuary pool area was quiet and comfortable, though a pool heater would be beneficial during cooler periods. Overall score: 3.5 out of 5 Rooms Our Sanctuary room was clean and reasonably comfortable, but it came with several issues. The layout was unusual, with areas placed at angles that felt unintuitive at first. We paid for the premium level, but it offered no noticeable benefit; guests who did not pay for premium were in identical rooms. The jetted tub and shower area looked appealing, but hot water was rarely available. Most days the water was cold, and on the first day the tub produced brown water with sediment. Even after the concierge addressed this, reliable hot water never appeared throughout our stay. Housekeeping kept the room tidy, but restocking was inconsistent. Our bar soap disappeared on the third day and was never replaced, so we had to walk to the shower and use shower gel to wash our hands. Extra pillows were not available when requested. Despite raising issues with the concierge or making requests to him we never saw items actioned.    The room phone did not work, and we later learned none of the Sanctuary phones were functioning. This meant every request required tracking someone down in person. The towel station on the grounds was never open, so towel exchanges were random. The safe reset itself to the default code mid-week, and we could not determine whether anyone accessed it. The best part of the room was its location. Being beside the Sanctuary pool made it quick and easy to enjoy the outdoor areas. Overall score: 3 out of 5 Service and Staff Service across the resort varied widely. The main Grand Memories buffet staff were consistently the friendliest and most engaged employees we encountered. Their positive attitude improved the experience greatly. In Sanctuary, service depended on location. The Sanctuary restaurant, bar, and outdoor seating areas offered good, reliable service at a solid four out of five. The concierge service, however, was ineffective. Sanctuary alternates concierges daily, which meant no continuity. One concierge was responsive but accomplished nothing, while the other was often absent. With room phones not working, finding a concierge became a frustrating daily challenge. Alittle like playing where’s waldo The Sanctuary front desk was indifferent, and issues such as lack of hot water or missing supplies received little attention. Housekeeping was tidy but inconsistent with restocking. The towel exchange booth was never open. A concerning incident involved another guest whose wife had not left their room for most of their trip due to an illness. He repeatedly asked Sanctuary staff for help arranging medical support, but the response was dismissive. We witnessed this while standing behind him in line. The man was in tears and asking for help and the front desk staff said he’d have to wait until the concierge because they don’t do anything. We eventually went to the main lobby to speak with a manager ourselves, urging him to take the situation seriously. The guest later told my wife she made it home safely, but the resort’s initial lack of urgency and care was troubling. Overall score: 2 out of 5 Entertainment Entertainment was relaxed and easy to engage with. Daily activity boards made it simple to see what was happening. We participated in activities such as drinks served in coconuts, poolside games, and pig roast events. The main Grand Memories area generally offered more engaging versions of the activities. For example, during pig roastings, you could watch the carving process. Sanctuary offered the same food but without the event itself. Music around the Sanctuary pool was often an odd mix of country and unrelated genres that did not fit the setting, but it did not stop us from enjoying the area. Overall score: 3.5 out of 5 Overall Our stay at the Sanctuary section of Grand Memories Varadero had enjoyable moments but also several service and maintenance issues. The quiet atmosphere, friendly buffet and bar staff, and proximity to the beach were highlights. When the ocean was calm, swimming was excellent, and even windy days were relaxing. Food was generally good, although breakfast service at Sanctuary was slow. The biggest drawbacks were the lack of effective service, inconsistent room restocking, lack of hot water, and communication  issues and non-functioning room phones. Despite these issues, we relaxed, enjoyed the ocean when we could, and appreciated the quieter environment. Overall score: 3 out of 5 WestJet Travel Experience Our experience with WestJet before, during, and after this trip was truly terrible and caused us to lose two full days of vacation along with an extra day of leave from work. On departure day, we spent hours on the tarmac and then hours waiting for luggage. The lack of real communication after cancelling the flight created tons of anxiety.  There was no one who seemed to be in charge of finding a solution, no one at the desk and we only out of luck found A random staff member casually told a small group of passengers to return at eight the next morning, but WestJet had no record of this when we called later that night. Their only official rebooking option was a flight two days later. We were staying positive, because westjet’s system issued us a hotel voucher fairly quickly.  However; The first hotel WestJet sent us to was full. It took nearly two hours finally get to a room after they turned us away, and then be moved to a second hotel. Before that, we stood outside in the cold for twenty to thirty minutes waiting for a shuttle along with most of the plane. Flight information never appeared in the WestJet, Sunwing, or Tripcentral apps. Airport screens and staff statements did not match. We decided to just wing it and went to checkin and were issued boarding passes for a flight that was supposed to leave at 11am even though no one prior seemed to know that this was our flight.  After boarding late in the afternoon around 4pm, we sat on the tarmac for hours due to radio and paperwork issues, arriving at the resort after midnight, two days late. The return flight was just as bad. There is no seating in the Varadero airport, so we sat on the floor for hours. WestJet would not check us in early despite our VIP lounge access. Another long tarmac delay pushed a one a.m. arrival into four a.m. Communication was contradictory or nonexistent throughout, and despite the lost days and additional expenses, we received nothing from WestJet. Overall, it was a truly terrible travel experience that added unnecessary stress to both ends of the trip. Also, Westjet provided no compensation.  

A nice trip, but wouldn't return

I had a great time despite some of the issues. My room was on the ground floor, the patio door had no lock and was impossible to open without putting all of my weight into it. The room was damp, and there were multiple signs of mold in different locations. My room was cleaned twice and I ran out of toilet paper. The mini fridge was not restocked despite it being advertised as a perk of upgrading. The shower flooded the entire bathroom with each use and there was a drip above the toilet that made [... read more] the toilet wet at all times. I spoke to other guests and they complained about the same sort of issues and were upgraded to much nicer rooms. I didn't complain (probably should have said something), I don't think you should have to in order to get what you pay for. The food was okay and there were always plenty of options. The facilities were a bit rundown in the sanctuary area. The small pool was empty, the fountains/waterfalls were all off and not functioning and the lighting was not always working. The staff were great at the sanctuary pool/snack bar, outside of that I had a mostly neutral experience. The grounds were beautiful and well kept, it was sad to see a lot of garbage around in some places, not the fault of the staff but rather a reflection of the guests. Overall I got what I went for, which was sun and some quiet time but I don't think I would return to this resort in particular for the price I paid.

The Sanctuary was a True Gem

2nd time at this Vardero resort (would return for a 3rd). Fantastic dollar value including the great weather! Sanctuary provided all the needs - beach, pool, service ,foods (at the Ave del Paradiso), drinks (from the coffee to the wine) ,daily events (enjoyed the Air-Brushed tattoos and dancing with live bands at the bar). We Originally had preplanned on the limits or shortages in CUBA being of concern - we were not disappointed. All the smiles and joy provided by the Sanctuary staff more t [... read more]hen enough made it all enjoyable. Our Hotel building manager Noel (great heart and even provided us some help when the room issued beach towel was not to be found) and the daily room service (which was a lot of hard work that should really be appreciated).. Staying on the ground floor level was quite the bonus (less stairs the better). Sanctuary adult beach had variety of daily activities and the personal on the beach ( lifeguards security and servers). Carlos , Oscar (the wiseman of the beach), Eduardo , Naomi (entertainment) Nataly at both pool and the beach bar) and of course Yuni and Roxy Hop on Off bus to Varadero was fun and a must do. Found a great restaurant in town too ("Terraza") Rating a 8.5 out of 10 :>)

Grand memories Sanctuary is good value for money

Even though rooms could use updating, being prepared not to have high expectations, we had a great time. Our house butlers Carlos and Noel were very helpful and attentive. Food at the a la carte restaurants were great. The beach and water were absolutely gorgeous.

Friendly Staff Made the Trip — Just Needs a Little Refresh

We recently stayed at the Sanctuary and had a really nice short getaway. The staff were great — some went out of their way to be extra helpful and friendly, which made a big difference. We happened to visit during a quiet time, which we enjoyed. The food was good, and overall the team was attentive and pleasant throughout our stay. It was a short trip for us, but just the right amount of time to relax and recharge. The resort itself could use some updating and minor repairs, and the drink  [... read more]quality was a bit inconsistent, which was a little disappointing. Overall, a good experience with warm service and a nice atmosphere — a few improvements could easily make it great.

Nice escape

The sanctuary is a nice quite spot .the rooms are very poor for an upgraded area. The food was good . The staff are good and vibe is chill. The beach and beach walks are beautiful. The sanctuary was a great price for November . But goes 800 more in high season and isn't worth that .

Fantastic Resort

As this is my 1st time going to Grand Memories resort, I had a fantastic time, the rooms were very clean and maintained. The beaches was amazing and clean, the salt water was was so nurturing. All the staff was very friendly and made each day of my stay fantastic, they had a smile on their faces each day. The food was ok, there was many options either you can go to buffets or to gourmet lunch and dinner. Trust ill be going back

Leaky bathroom and

I have been to Cuba few times and normally love everything - beaches, atmosphere, service, and food. This unfortunately was not a great experience. The room had strange smell and the bathroom ceiling was leaking with puddle of water on the ground. Since the phone service was down, I went to customer service on four different occasions, they promised to fix the problem but nothing was done. Food was as expected and servers were amazing. Main buffet was better than the Sanctuary restaurant.

Bring Snacks!

We didn't have high expectations for the resort, as it was a ridiculously cheap all inclusive resort. After we booked the vacation, there was a note that said the resort is suffering shortages. That was an understatement, didn't have much in the line of alcohol unless it was rum. The food wasn't great, we ate a lot of buttered buns. The staff was amazing, kind, polite, and courteous, all ways smiling and helping. The hotel was dated, but clean, even though the bus guide said "it's the second new [... read more]est hotel" LOL!

Helpful staff

I am greatful to all the friendly staff ...offering strong arms to Senior with cane ....thank-you ALFREDO, JORDAN and many more I remember faces but forgot names. Thanks to DJ for good musics and vibes .

Helpful staff

I am greatful to all the friendly staff ...offering strong arms to Senior with cane ....thank-you ALFREDO, JORDAN and many more I remember faces but forgot names. Thanks to DJ for good musics and wibes .