Nice Resort

The hotel itself was very nice. Cons The towels were not always replaced and the bathroom floor did not seem to be cleaned all week. The buffet food was the same every night and it could be very repetitious. The a la cartes were a laugh especially the Asian. The liquor was definitely not top notch. Pros There were many pools so you could always get a seat and not have to get up early to mark one. Due to the length of time it took you to get to the resort, we would defin [... read more]itely not go back. Also we paid extra to have an upgrade to monte cristo room, rum and most importantly a car to drive us to the resort and a car to take us back to the airport. The air transat rep there said they had no intention on a car to take us to the resort and back.

Awesome vacation!

Hotel was very nice😀Clean ,and the pools and beach are simply beautiful!❤Considering the damage they sustained with the last hurricane, they have certainly done an amazing job rebuilding!☺Would definitely go back again! Thanks Carol Webber😀

Awesome resort

Our vacation experience was awesome.the grounds are very well taken care of,the bungalows are situated that everything is very easily accessible,lots of pools depending what mood you are in whether it be party time or quiet time,beautiful well kept beach area with lots of loungers,the specialty restaurants were all very good with a buffet that had lots to choose from.the staff were all very friendly and helpful.Only dislikes ,found the bed very hard but that could be just us and advise u to tak [... read more]e some of your own toilet paper for your room,it seems that it was a hot commodity and we always were short,if the roll was close to done it was not changed and they did not leave you an extra one,Would definately book the hotel again

Great resort and staff

we have been to this resort 5 times it better now than before the hurricane the beach is 100% better the only downfall is due to the embargo and circumstances re the hurricane the menu is limited but there is enough of a variety and also fresh and well prepared remember if you think your getting food like mom made forget it

Wonderful Vacation once again in Cuba!!

This was our first time to the Playa Cayo Santa Maria and we were not disappointed. Our sixth time to the island but first time here. The rooms were very comfortable. Small bar fridge stocked daily with bottled water and 2 beers and Jillian & Laura of the cleaning staff were 2nd to none! Absolute dolls and attentive to any needs we may have had pertaining to our rooms. A very nice bathroom also with tub and shower. The beach was breathtaking. Excellent service on the beach also, with regards to [... read more] getting us beverages and even chairs set up for us. The buffet was OK but we do not go to Cuba for the food, and often ate in the snack bar or the little canteena off of the snack bar. Good burgers, hotdogs, pizza was excellent. There was also the beach hut for drinks and food. The Lobby Bar was very enjoyable and we sat there daily enjoying our cocktails and listening to the entertainment. At night it was hard to find a spot as it was so popular. The live entertainment in the theatre was excellent and we attended 4 shows the week we were there and looked forward to each night. A lovely theatre and even it there was rain it was covered with a roof and a bar there also. The dancers they had entertaining us were certainly very professional and worked hard to put on a very good show. There was a coffee bar off the lobby bar, a Mojito bar also off of the Lobby Bar and boy both the coffees and mojitos were so good:) We have very fond memories of this resort and as always feel sad to leave the place that you have come to know as your home for a week. I miss the wonderful Snack Bar staff that worked tirelessly to accommodate us and the beautiful large pool that served the 2 buildings on either side of it. There was never a problem finding a chair and we were amazed to discover that there were 4 of these very exact pools serving the building that surrounded them. My best friend and myself treated ourselves to a neck/back massage at the Spa on-site and for 28cuc that was a very good deal and a beautiful treatment. It was a lovely spa and we were allowed to come back and use the hot tub any time all of that day. The best essential oils were used and they did a wonderful job. I would highly recommend this resort to anyone. Even families with young children as they had a wonderful Childrens' Village that was entirely enclosed with a colourful fence. And an ice cream parlour too that was busy each and every day. We had a great time here and I will have fond memories that will last a long time.

Nice resort

Beach 10 Pool 8 Food 7 Staff 8 Entertainment 9 Rooms 7 Overall I would recommend this location as every year the resort is always improving. The beaches are worth the money time and venture. You wont get beaches like this anywhere elseinCuba

Great Vacation

The seemingly endless beach was beautiful. The room, grounds and every other area were very clean. Only problem found was that toilet paper was always empty in public washrooms when required. Staff very accomadtating to everyone. Plenty of pools to choose from. Omletes were delicious. Great variety of other buffet items. Favorite drinks were Cristal beer and Habana Especial.

Great family holiday

Excellent resort to bring family and as we did meet up with family. The lobby area was a center for entertainment with drinks and specialty coffee bar. The central pool with a swim-up bar was great and the food around the pool was the better place for quick food. The À la cart restaurants had the best food but an omelet everything morning from the buffet was my go to. We took a catamaran that included snorkeling and a dolphin experience that is worth the money. I recommend this resort if your c [... read more]onsidering Cuba.

Beach lovely; food not good except the Cuban

The live music was amazing. The beach was so nice with lots of small translucent fish during low tide. The food was really not good except for the Cuban restaurant where it was delicious. Not service oriented. Room was clean but Beds not comfortable.

Amazing

Every thing was awesome , we had an amazing vacation, the food was wonderful, the people were awesome, beachfront was out of this world, I recommend this place to everyone I know ;)) I will travel to this beautiful place again and again

Awesome March Break Vacation

I just returned from a 1-week march break vacation trip with my daughter to Playa Cayo Santa Maria- Cuba. The check-in at the hotel was smooth and quite fast, no surprises. I asked at the online-reservation for 2-beds in the room, they were able to provide me with my choice with a nice pool view. The resort is spacious, with beautiful sceneries and landscape, pools are v clean, staff very friendly, from the bell-man to the waiters in the restaurants (namely Lianet- at the Snack Bar), to the hous [... read more]ekeeping staff. Great entertainments (musicals and dancing), day time and evening time, at the pool and the lobby. The beach is fantastic, clear white sands with gorgeous blue clean water, access to water activities, and lots of shaded areas to relax and enjoy the view. Unlimited access to drinks (soft and alcoholic), ice creams, etc.. all day by the pools. Clean rooms, not v luxurious but all what u need when u r enjoying a Chalet-style vacation time: sleep, shower, enjoy ur morning coffee and relax. The buffet has lots of choices to choose from; however, personally, I did not find the food v appetizing but was able to manage few recipes and ate them on routine basis. The only inconvenience is poor access to internet! U can buy hourly internet access, but still it is v slow and rarely connected. That was my first trip to Cuba and it was a positive one. I would not hesitate to go again and highly recommend Playa Hotel.

Great value

Pros * Beach is beautiful. One of the best we’ve ever seen * Entertainment in lobby * Coffee bar. But bring your own to go cup. * You can buy wine * Tv with real channels :) * Great gym! One of the best I’ve seen down south before. Bring a towel of your own or from the room and a water bottle. * Shower is great * Smaller buildings * Grounds are lush and beautiful Cons * No bacon or hash browns * Short supply water bottles * Wifi isn’t great. You can buy passes ($1.50 [... read more] for an hour). It works but not so much when the lobby is busy. It also kicks you off. Good for texting etc * Small snack bar menu * Not many vegetarian options * Small selection of sunscreen, so make sure to bring your own * Small plastic cups for drinks. Bring your own cup!

GREAT RESORT

Well kept resort, food was amazingly good - a huge variety of Spanish ham and different kinds of cheese. There was no olive oil available to use for salads but a huge amount of different vinegars. staff friendly

Amazing trip at Hotel Playa Cayo Santa Maria

We were located in one of the Transat Distinction buildings which is steps from the ocean and the main pools. Every other amenity was a short walk away. A-la-carte restaurants were fantastic. Food in buffet restaurant sometimes cold and repetitive but there was a variety to chose from. The beach was very beautiful and we could always find lounge chairs. There was a lot of wind the week we were there so we couldn't go on the catamarans as the waves were too large; they were good for body surfing  [... read more]! Entertainment in the evening consisted of local dancers at the theatre. The lobby bar had a variety of musicians throughout the week. The resort is about an hour and a half from the airport in Santa Clara so it is isolated. Overall, a great place to just sit back and relax.

Very disappointed

We booked this resort because it had mainly good reviews. They gave themselves 5 stars. At most I can give 3.5 stars. The first room we got, the toilet seat was so disgusting that we asked to change. The staff was very accommodating. The next room I killed two huge cockroaches. We complained and received a can of spray. We complained to the sun wing representative and he got us moved to another block right away and upgraded us to ocean view. Thanks for that. The beds in all the rooms we were we  [... read more]had the springs coming through. I cushend mine with towels. The food was ordinary. The water and beach were beautiful. All in all it is a beautiful resort but it is aging and needs some TLC. It is not even by Cuban standard a 5star hotel. At this point I can't recommend this resort.

Very well run !!

Overall a wonderful resort despite these few hitches . Our room had an ocean view plus looked out to one of four pools . Rooms were very clean , only complaint was we had two doubles so we pushed them together to make a King which we had requested . The lounge had entertainment but no dance floor which was a big disappointment . The smoking was always an issue trying to find a table that was away from smokers . Lots of choices of food but as any all inclusive we were tired of it by the end .D [... read more]iscovered the burgers by the beach day 5 , possibly the best I’ve ever had !! Only discovered the last day when I had carelessly thrown a thick silver & gold band ring in one of my cosmetic bags that it was gone !! I had normally put all such belongings in the safe . My carelessness but I had felt we had treated the cleaning staff very good with daily tips and supplies we had brought from home for them ! So this was a HUGE disappointment as I feel they must have been daily checking through my personal belongings . So the positives are the people & staff were so very friendly and always smiling ! The beach was perfect , great to have long walks on ! Everything was very clean and tidy !! It was my first time in Cuba and I would go back !!

Amazing vacation!!!

I don’t even know where to start! The resort at first sight was exactly what one imagines when they think of a Caribbean vacation. The room was clean, bright and very well decorated. The bathroom was modern and very fresh. We are located in building 15 that was a central location. The maids were efficient and meticulous. The staff were second to none and beyond accommodating. The food, was Cuban ... in saying this, it is upper scale of Cuban food. The buffet is not large but has something fo [... read more]r everyone, of course it’s not the same food as “back home”... it’s Cuba, it’s a different country and my advice is if you are weary, stick to things that are grilled or cooked in front of you. I would still give the food a 7, better than most resorts we have visited. If your tummy is a little touchy stay away from the fancy drinks with cream or milk. The beach... what can I say only ... amazing! We are travellers and this, hands down, has been one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever been on. We were a little weary of the beach after last year’s hurricane but Playa was the best groomed beach of all the resorts (we walked them all). The 5 plus stars did not come close to the condition of this beach. The sand was like flour, the beach staff tended on us hand and foot, and the food top notch at the beach buffet and the outdoor bbq. Tip: make sure you try the pizza at the brick oven at the beach buffet!! Yummy! The activities were plenty, entertainment, excellent and the bars and discos very fun. This was our first stay in Santa Maria and I can safely say I will be a repeat, my Varadero days are over. One more thing, our booking experience with Melissa at tripcentral was above satisfactory, she was very informative and right on the money with this recommendation... thank you for making this vacation a memorable and pleasant one!!!!

Wonderful trip

Staff were the friendliest people I have ever encountered at a resort. The room was always clean with special touches left for us to enjoy and smile at. The entertainment especially the dancing was the best I've seen at a resort. The food was fair but we were always able to find something which suited us. The beach was amazing but the wind made it difficult to enjoy kicking up a sandstorm so we enjoyed the poolside. Would definitely go back again.

Not impressed

We just came back from Paya Cayo Santa Maria, and I was ready excited to go there considering my husband went with his sun last year and they described it as a great place. We arrived on February 13th, and at the reception were 2 staff members, both on the phone and we didn't get a welcome or an eye contact for 10 minutes. Didn't feel the love at all. Same approach when we left On the 14th, we woke up in a overcrowded resort. Found later than the locals were offered a special package for Valen [... read more]tine's Day. Nothing against it if the resort could handle it, but the lineups were huge, pools packed, beere garden cleaned up, etc. Entertainment staff looked too aggressive, I actually had to tell one of them to leave us alone. We stayed in Unit 1, and it was so loud that most of the days I felt asleep with a pillow on my ear. The hotel was clean and probably what was the best part.

Worst resort I have been to.

This hotel was dirty. Cigarette butts on the pool deck. Garbage around the pool. Very little cleanliness. Food was the worst I’ve had outta the three times I been to Cuba. The a la cartes were ok. Entertainment was low quality. Non Smoking was not In forced in no smoking areas. The rooms were out dated. Smelly. Beaches were great. I would not recommend this resort as my agent did with me.