Bad from theget go.

As we arrived to our building, there were mattresses downstairs, three of them to be exact. They looked rather dirty. Food was the worst ever. Cold, cold. Stood in line for over an hour to book an a'lacarte only to find out they could not accommodate us. Bad setup. Lobby was always so crowded, it was another wait. Beach was also overcrowded. Fogging twice a day. Toxic. It was our fourth trip to cuba. It was our last.

Great Family Vacay

We just returned from the Playa Cayo Santa Maria on March 18th and we loved it! We were a family of 8,ages 75-4 years old and everyone had a great vacation. Rooms are spacious,we had joining rooms which worked out great for everyone.There are 4 different pool areas to choose from for your liking from a quiet pool area to a entertaining,music playing pool where we hung out! A variety of food to choose from. Actually impressed with the snack bar food,was awesome for everyone. Fantastic pizza!!!!  [... read more] The beaches in Cayo Santa Maria are breath taking.The staff at this resort are great and are as accommodating as they can be. This was our 4th time to Cayo Santa Maria and first stay at this resort but would definitely go back and would recommend this resort! A GREAT OVERALL STAY!

Very good resort

This is my first time in Cuba. The resort was very good. Staff were very nice. What I liked the most is that everyday, the lady who cleaned my room was using towels to do a different design, I would be waiting everyday to see what design she will make.

Okay resort

I booked because of reviews and it seems the reviews were both good and bad. Most beautiful beach I've seen but large rock to get down to get to beach. We found 2 large cockroaches in our room which I understand because it's a tropical country but still unnerving! Rooms were clean, wait times for omelettes extremely long but I'm assuming that was because of March Break. I don't think I would travel to this resort again but would be willing to try another.

Surprisingly good!

This is our first time in Cuba and most of our friends actually discouraged us in going. Even though the bus ride from the airport to the resort was 90 minutes long, it wasn't boring at all. We arrived at the resort early but was allowed to go to the buffet to have something to eat. We were both so surprise about the amount of food at the buffet. There is something for everyone, for every age. The food was great, there is absolutely no complain about the food. Then, we headed to the beach  [... read more]area and it was absolutely beautiful. The water was clean and crystal clear. Our room was clean and was kept clean everyday. The bathroom requires some repairs but really not a big deal. Overall, our first experience in Cuba is surprisingly very good! We would certainly return to same hotel.

Wonderful return visit with the family!

After visiting the Hotel Playa Cayo Santa Maria 2 years ago with with my younger daughter, we returned with the entire family this year and were not disappointed. As returning guests, we were treated wonderfully. Our rooms were in a great location and the customer service department ensured we had a la carte reservations (since we were unable to have them our first visit, we were happy to receive 5 this visit;)) The special party celebrating returning guests was a delightful surprise as well. [... read more] The guest rooms were clean, safe and welcoming - and the shower pressure, clean towels and amenities were excellent in comparison to other resorts we have visited. The visible presence of the management and their attention to detail was highly noticeable - overall the quality of service was excellent across all areas of the resort. While the 'cliff' aspect of the beach presents some mobility challenges - it is still a great beach. One of my favourite aspects of this resort is the layout of the resort and the magnificent pools. There is lots of room and the gardeners take great care of the property. While no one goes to Cuba for the food - we were very satisfied with the food, enjoyed a number of flavourful dishes, and were not disappointed nor ever left hungry. All in all - I would say this is the best value for price of any resort I have ever stayed in. I would gladly go back.

Over-rated Resort in it's star ranking

I am not sure why this resort gets amazing reviews. There are many good things about it but it is definitely not a 4.5 star. I would rank it a 3.0-3.5 Cuban standard star. The room was nice, no issues, the beach was amazing and that was the reason I agreed to Cuba again after 8 yrs. The food was AWFUL!!!!! There was nothing good to say about the food at all. The hot food was cold and the cold food was never kept cool. It's no wonder people get food poisoning. Cuba has the potential to b [... read more]e amazing. They need to work on their food handling skills and kitchen cleanliness. There were cockroaches walking across the buffet stations. The last 4 days of our 7 day trip we ate white rice and white bread. The staff are lovely. I travel quite often and believe myself to be quite a laid back traveler. I overlook many things but you cannot enjoy a vacation when you are constantly wondering what is safe to eat so you don't get sick. I do not think I will be returning to Cuba until they are able to import more choice for food and give their staff proper food handling and cooking skills.

Amazing beach

The grounds were well kept, rooms were clean, the entertainment was very basic and only 30 minutes shows. The ocean was amazing, beautiful white sands. Very little to do for kids (quite boring for kids and adults) especially if it rains or weather is bad. Food is ok but we all got sick during the trip. Omelets, spaguetti and pizza every meal. Several sand flies bites, so bring alot of mosquito repellent. Not much to do on the resort, everyone just stays in lobby or beach. Excursions are very ex [... read more]pensive and not worth the money.

Good quality resort

Good meal 🥘. Nice facilities. Kind personal. Drinks 🍹 and ice cream 🍦 everywhere. Not far from Delphinium 🐬 and Scuba diving. Very comfortable and clean. Relaxing music 🎶 every corner and beautiful lawns 🌴

Amazing place to stay!!!!

I stayed 7 days at this beautiful resort!!! The people there were amazing and able to pretty much answer all of your questions about Cuba! I enjoyed most of the food there, the grounds were beautiful, the pools were nice, entertainment was amazing! The beach was breathtaking and the water was warm! They had a few dances at the cigar bar which were my favourite thing! Learned how to do some dancing and just overall had fun! Also I went to a wedding well I was there and it was beautiful! I really  [... read more]enjoyed it! All the tour guides we had to and from the resort were wonderful people and they were able to tell you a lot of things! May stay was an amazing time and I would go back in a minute!

Overall summary- "Not at all compelled to return a second time.”

Here's a brief overview Trip from the airport to the resort - takes about 1:45 however the beer is cold, our on bus rep/guide was very knowledgeable and did a good job. Interesting scenery along the way. Trip was fine Check In - Very friendly and accomodating. Good job Rooms - Clean but tired. (Marks on the wall, drawers broken but usable, sliding door to the balcony was off centre but would close after a few hard slams) - Bathrooms have lots of hot/cold water - Air Conditioner wor [... read more]ked very well however very noisy - Bar fridge worked well but older and quite noisy - Bed was just ok, it as well was tired. My side was slightly broken but ok to sleep on - Cleaning staff did a very good job Pool Pool itself was very nice. Staff kept it clean Pool equipment- Chaise lounges are almost all 2 years past needing to be replaced. Many are worn out and very uncomfortable Cleaning of the area was just ok. Some tiles broken off Staff With only a couple of exceptions, found staff to be very friendly and helpful. Language was never an issue Beach Loved the beach Again, chaise lounges were older and should be replaced Food Food Quality I get frustrated as I keep hearing/reading comments regarding "It's Cuba so don't go for the food!" Any time that I've paid $$ for any service or product, I expect satisfaction. Having said that, I truly don't go on vacation in search of any kind of gastronomical wow factor. I've been to approx 8-10 resorts and I would rate the food at this resort (buffet and A la Carte) to be the poorest of all the resorts that we've gone to Service at the buffet Disorganized Given the lesser quality and appearance of the food at the buffet, there was a large percentage of the guests who relied on the 3 (sometimes 4) made on the spot choices- Pizza, Fried Rice and Pasta (sometime grill as well) This resulted in line ups that took 15-30 minutes to get through to get your order placed. Unacceptable and the resort could easily fix this by adding an additional body to assist at each station and or adding an additional counter top stove (there was 1 cook using 2 burner stove to make the pasta. Last time we went through it took 30 minutes) Grounds around the resort Pros and Cons The plants, bushes, trees, etc are very nice and well maintained. The gardiners were all very friendly and took the time to always say Ola amigos. Signage, outside of the buildings, fountains around/in the pools. Tired. In need of a refresh, upgrade, paint https://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowUserReviews-g670039-d2477611-r462762235-Hotel_Playa_Cayo_Santa_Maria-Cayo_Santa_Maria_Villa_Clara_Province_Cuba.html#

Beautiful beach

Just back from Hotel Playa .Vacation was cut short with the snowstorm in Halifax ,so we missed one day completely.The resort is very nice,lots of flowers & greenery.Rooms are just basic,but clean & good service .We were in bldg 14 ,.We did not get any of our requests.We asked for bldg 15,2nd floor ,king bed & bathtub .Got twin beds,shower & 3rd floor.After finally arriving we were just happy to get to the beach. All the workers are very courteous & eager to help you .The service is very good at [... read more] the beach ,helping you find a chair,no shortage of shade to sit under.The water is beautiful ! Some days the waves were a little high so they would caution you .One day was red flag so we couldn't go in .Went to the pool that day ,also lovely,but packed ! There is 2 quiet smaller pools & the main one where the action is . We only went to the market one morning .Took a taxi there & bus back.There is a small shop on the resort where you can buy souvenirs also. The buffet is huge ,but the line ups are too long .They have lots of choice if you want to stand in line for 1/2 hr .With that many rooms they need two buffets .Food was so,so same everywhere in Cuba .Went to 3 shows ,they were entertaining & fun .The lobby bar is packed in the evenings before dinner.Most evenings they had music also. Internet !! forget it .They sell you a card 1hr ,2 pecos,If you can get on you wait,wait,wait so after a couple of tries I gave up .I didn't go to the resort to sit in the lobby on face book . I enjoyed my stay because I went for the beach & was not disappointed.I would go back for the right deal,but would rather try somewhere else next time

Great Option for Cuba Travel....with some suggestions

*UPGRADE to a Ocean View Suite-Worth the money. *Use VISA rather then US/CUBAN PESO the exchange rate is better through visa. Avoid the currency exchange. *Food was good, The A La Carts even better. *1.5 hours from airport (Santa Clara) *Ice Cream Parlor incredible. *NO Disco, lobby entertainment and show only. *Try the Banana Crepe Flambe at the buffet *No local excursions unless you want a 2-3 hour one way transport. Book only if you don't mind staying on the resort. *Third Floor  [... read more]Ocean rooms are the only ones that clearly see the ocean. Second floor is obstructed view

Great Family Resort!

Great vacation! This was a return trip. Pros- beach water access has improved, very attentive staff, pools, food was good, suites are amazing for families! Cons- hard beds that really need to be addressed, towels not available daily, 1.5 hour drive from airport. So safe and friendly, highly recommend! We attended a VIP dinner for return guests, it was so well done, with an amazing chicken and lobster dinner. Sunwing did a great job ensuring all our needs were met, along with the resort- l [... read more]oved the fact that we could pre-book our excursions while on the plane.

Amazing Resort

Just got back from Hotel Playa on Thursday evening. Holiday with 3 other couples and 3 children. Beautiful resort with well maintained grounds and very clean. We stayed in building 15 close to the beach. Nice big room with partial view of the ocean. We opted for the Montecristo room and well worth the extra money for this upgrade. The buffet was excellent all the time. Lots of variety and very tasty. El Pescador a la carte restaurant was excellent. The Asian one was not as good. The It [... read more]alian one was excellent with lots of choices. We all wanted to go on a catamaran tour and chose to do a private one which our wonderful transat rep Raul arranged for us. Best decision we made for our group of 9. Amazing lobster and chicken dishes prepared by one of the crew. The beach was beautiful with soft white sand and when the the tide was out, you could walk a long way out in shallow water. All in all this is a great place to have a wonderful and relaxing vacation. Great place for the price. Would go back in a heartbeat.

Fantastic Resort

The resort was very clean and well kept. The staff were friendly and helpful. This was our first trip to Cuba we have stayed at Sandals in Bahamas and The Verandah in Antigua previously and based on conversations with others who have travelled to cuba I had low expectations, however was pleasantly suprised. The food was good...the beach fantastic...but rough most days...entertainment was pretty good each night. There was a bit of snorkeling off beach mostly needle nose fish. The catamarn to [... read more]ur and dolphin interaction ws great. I would reommend this resort to anyone who wants to hang out on the beach or pool e everyday as there isnt much to do or see in Santa Maria. We wouldn't go back only because we always go somewhere different.

PLAYA CAYO SANTA MARIA ❤

We had a lovely time in Cayo Santa Maria. The services and amenities were very good the people were warm and friendly, the room was clean and well kept if a bit worn down it was still very functional. Our patio door didn't lock but that was all that didn't work. The beds were hard but they had fresh clean linens and plenty of towels, even the beach towels were already in the room for us. Lots of water and soft drinks and beer stocked daily in our fridge. The buffet had plenty of food choices t [... read more]hat were more than edible and fresh and we enjoyed both of our a la carte dinners. The beach was gorgeous with soft white sand and plenty of chairs that they carried to wherever you wanted and cleaned off for you. Placing the towels on for you! Such kind service! The ocean was warmer than the beautiful pools neither were overcrowded. A wonderful week away.

Nice resort

This hotel is lovely. We found the rooms clean and the beds comfortable and clean. The staff are very friendly. The beach is lovely. The pools are lovely. The lounging chairs at the pool are new and comfortable. The shows put on in the evening were professionally done and the dancers incredible especially for the show called "Romantico". We were disappointed that there was no place for guests themselves to take part in Latin dancing in the evening. Cuba is known for its salsa and there was no w [... read more]here to enjoy this kind of dancing. There was a live band in the main lobby some evenings but they were crowded into a corner. It would be nice if they were given more space with a dance area in front of them. That would encourage tourists to dance. Maybe the dancing in the lobby could be initiated by some of the staff inviting the tourists to dance. Why not?? The food was so so. After the second day at the buffet it became repetitive. I would suggest that the mayonaises at the buffet be kept cold with ice or refrigerated. I got some stomach upset after having salads at lunch and I am sure it was from contaminated mayonnaise. It should never be left out at buffets in big uncooled or unrefrigerated especially all day. This is so important for health reasons. I would also suggest that the buffet area find a better way to make the ice cream scoops available. There is only one at the ice cream area of the buffet and often the water it sits in is full of melted ice cream and the the bowl is too large resulting in the scoop falling into the melted ice cream water. Make more than one scoop available and try to find a better container to hold the scoops. We found the food at the separate restaurants terrible. The beef at the International restaurant was so tough I could not cut it. I did not eat more than a half mouthful. Similarly the lasagna at the Italian restaurant was mushy and lacked flavour. So if you are coming to this hotel for good food you will be disappointed. But as I said the resort itself is very nice and the beach is beautiful. I would recommend this resort to a friend with the provisos I have stated.

Beautiful resort!!

I loved my stay at the hotel was big with many options I really enjoyed the ice cream bar the beer garden the snack bar and the choices of pools the main pool is always busy and lively the quiet pool by building 12 was very relaxing and peaceful the entertainment staff was very friendly The shows in the evening were fun and entertaining the stuff did a great job dancing I was very impressed with the Michael Jackson show which is usually over played with this group did an amazing job I would def [... read more]initely go back there again with my friends it's a great family environment as well singles and couples The beach was amazing I found we had the nicest beach front easy access to the beach compared to other resorts in the area

Great family resort

Great hotel! Very family friendly resort. Gorgeous, stunning beach and pools. There are always enough chairs and shaded areas to sit no matter what time you go to the beach. Nice and clean rooms, beautiful landscaping and nice staff. The evening entertainment was also great with a kids show and very talented performers. It's Cuba so the food is ok but everyone will find something to eat...no one will starve. The coffee is amazing!