Dhawa Cayo Santa Maria: really great resort

the landscaping was amazing, beach was awesome, staff were very friendly, food was very good, the buffet breakfast was great, I would recommend this resort to everyone, I would go back to this resort, the entertainment in the lounge bar was exellent

Valentin Perla Blanca: Really a nice place for vacations

Welcoming personnel, clean rooms, excellent choice of tasry fois, services with a smile alwats, pool with lots of space, beaches generally clean and welcoming. My spouse and I, really enjoyed our stay. In moskitos season, we recommend you bring some protection.

Valentin Perla Blanca: Stress Leave Vacation

To start off the hotel was clean and it had an amazing view. When we arrived the reception at the front desk was not very helpful and did not greet us and never offered any help or got anyone to help us . We dragged our baggage to our suite which we we had to find on our own no assistance what so ever at 430 in the morning . On top of that we had my father 80 year old man using a cane had to walk up to the second floor which we clearly had asked for a bottom suite . No emergency elevators avail [... read more]able . We had no rep from Cubana airlines (ola Sun)greet us at all during our stay .We wanted to do exercisioms even that no one around to buy tickets we were stuck in the resort . The Buffett’s were old and dried flies on the fruit ran out of toast . I have absolutely nothing nice to say we were a group of 8 family members hope to have an amazing time and this resort and the Cubans airlines ruined it for us. We were giving notice on our door late Friday night that our flight for late Sunday was canceled and we were to pack our bags and that we were leaving first thing in the morning at 7am that’s 2 days before we actual had to leave. I’m very disappointed . Our phones did not work they’re dirty dishes for days sitting on the bottom of the stairs , no face cloths available . . Bottom line we want to be reimbursed 2 days for each person that we lost . The communication between all parties were very poor . We went for a vacation Not a stress leave vacation . The Da Silva family 😩

Valentin Perla Blanca: Mediocre Resort

The resort was okay. Staff everywhere but front desk was friendly. Spanish speaking people got preferential treatment. A la carte restaurants were not good at all. Lunch, breakfast and dinner buffet had the same food each day.

Royalton Cayo Santa Maria: Very nice resort, food not so good

Pros: When yo get here you can't help but be impressed by the infinity pools, beautiful gardens, spread out buildings, beach, etc. The service is good, people are happy to help. You get a butler that looks after you. Good quality drinks, bars. Rooms are large, in nice shape. There are many poolside cabanas with beds - nice!. Enough umbrellas and cabanas on beach for all guests. Good quality loungers, many are in the pool edge where it is 12" deep. In short a very nice resort with one of  [... read more]the nicest beaches I have seen compared to Hawaii, Bermuda, Bahamas, etc). Cons: Bus ride from airport is 1.5 to 2 hours away. Not a fun journey after the plane ride. Several closed resorts along the beach, so not much to do (I knew this beforehand and didn't care). Adult only if that matters to you. Food. The food is primarily a la carte so you can't pick and choose from a buffet - there were some breakfast/dinner appetizer tables which did have good food. On arrival I had a burger which was the worst thing you have tasted. A McD's single would have been just fine. Another time I had calamari figuring we were seaside, so... Terrible, and I'm not being picky. You could get breaded calamari from No Frills and it would be much better. BBQ lunch - sausage was ok but burnt black, fish was completely dry, chicken was not too good. Lots of people dumped a lot of it in the garbage, which is sad. No ketchup after 3rd day. Food Other: some food was good like the beach-side chicken/cheese quesadilla (literally just chicken and cheese). Or the lobster tail (you have to order a few days ahead). Cold meat and cheese trays were good. Wine/beer were good. Nothing really was as good as Milestones for example - just to set the level. Summary - When you see the resort and beach you will realize it is maybe one of the best in Cuba, as it is rated. However the food is generally not good, and bad in some cases. The bad food items should be removed from the menus. It is quite disappointing to see a really beautiful resort where they can't serve half decent food, especially when service etc. is so good. I read online in a few places where there is one food importer for Cuba (communist govt?) so the quality and availability is not there. And there is no competition, sigh... If this is Cuba's best then I will not return to Cuba and would not recommend a friend. Perhaps Dominican has better food at its resorts?

Royalton Cayo Santa Maria: Best resort in Cuba!

The Royalton exceeded our expectations in every aspect. Finally, a resort with comfortable beds and pillows. We were greeted every morning by our butler who was there to ensure our day would be perfect. A la carte dining was exceptional. The beach was perfection with amazing service everyday. We enjoyed the bali beds at the pool. The entertainment at this resort was also fantastic, live music every night in the lobby was a real treat. We will only return to this resort in Cuba as we feel it woul [... read more]d be impossible to top!

Dhawa Cayo Santa Maria: Amazing!

I travelled with my mom on a mother daughter trip to Dhawa and we couldn't have asked for anything better! The grounds were absolutely stunning with beautiful flowers encompassing the grounds, well taken care of by the staff. (Tipping the gardeners is a great idea to show appreciation for the hard work!) the food was great all you can eat buffets; as a vegetarian I wasn't without options, lots of rice, potatoes, veggies, pasta, delicious deserts. It's a buffet so of course the meals do get repli [... read more]cated but great service and friendly faces! The waiters will bring you coffee/wine/etc. Tipping is always a generous way to extend your thank you. 7-10 breakfast 1-3 lunch 7-10pm supper. Carlos is great!!There is also a 24 hr snack bar that has great veggie pizza you can order from 12-5, the rest of the options besides fries are meat based so just to keep that in mind! The pool is amazing, stunning for pictures. The beach was our favourite and where we spent most of our time; again great service. Ozzie and Roberto will be working at the bar and actually bring you drinks to where you are staying. Isney gets your beach chair ready and wipes down any sand and puts your towel on prior to lounging! They have great entertainment team and Gabriel is great, salsa and mirangue dancing on the beach and the pool, volleyball, fitness classes in the water, music isn't overpowering at the beach/pool. Stunning crystal clear water with fish to be seen, paddle bots, Catarmaran rides. Mind you, for being rain season from may-October the rain certainly doesn't last long... mostly summer days from our stay may3-may 10th. There is excursions to be done, dolphin seeing, jeep rides although we didn't do any. There's a air Canada representive or sun wing etc that you can meet with and they will explain the grounds/things to do/ where to meet for pick up etc. It was a 90 minute bus ride from Santa Clara airport, and check in was easy! They give you a drink upon arrival and take you to your room and help you with your luggage. Room was stunning and modern. We had the partial ocean view room. Beds were comfy, firm mattress, with a long body pillow. Clean, amazing rainhead shower with good water pressure. Blue beach towels that can be returned and exchanged daily right beside the pool. Our maid was great! If traveling with air Canada they also give you a complimentary bottle of rum. They fill up your mini fridge each day with a large bottle of water two beers and two pops. A tip we learned they only replace what's been taken. Entertainment at night, usually live music which is amazing. So much talent. Disco or live shows. Beach party got rained out but it happens every Sunday night on the beach. Coffee/expressos are so good at the main lobby bar! We also tried the iced coffee and baileys that we filled in our Bubbas that soon became the drink of the week. There is also a gym and tennis court to stay active if you choose too. Overall we had a wonderful time and would certainly return!!

Dhawa Cayo Santa Maria: Dhawa Experience

This is a beautiful hotel, very well kept and clean. The rooms are spacious and up to date. The food can be bland but we never starved and plus no one goes to Cuba for the food. The beach is huge and clean of rocks and debris, very beautiful. If you’re a fisherman this place is perfect. There’s a 1/4 mile stretch of coral right beside the beach that’s perfect for luring in barracuda. Some locals that also fish there have great advice so pay attention. I’d recommend this resort to people  [... read more]of all ages. We had a great time and would return!

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Beautiful resort would definitely go again

Beautiful beaches, lovely staff, over all a great atomasphere, the pools were gorgeous would definitely go back in a heart beat. Just got back yesterday at 2 in the morning and I am so having widthdrawls :(

Valentin Perla Blanca: Good resort

We were here in 2016 and loved it. It wasn't as goid this time. Beds could have been better. They were pretty hard on the body. The room we had last time was in better shape than this one. Having said that, we still loved it and will probably go back. Saff is friendly and atmosphere is pretty good. We just wish all of the restaurants were open like they were in 2016. I think that low season had something to do with that.

Melia Las Dunas: Great trip!!

overall good experience. had a bit of a wait sometimes for drinks at the lobby when it was busy but other than that great staff and a lot of great things for a great week away!! A La cartes were a little underwhelming.

Dhawa Cayo Santa Maria: Very nice resort!

Room was nice and clean! Hotel was very nice; enjoyed the entertainment in the lobby during the evening. Pool was beautiful and a great short walk to an awesome beach. Also enjoyed the activities throughout the day! Appreciated being able to use the paddle boats and hobby cats free of charge. Staff were very friendly. I would definitely go back to this resort!

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Home away from home

My wife and I enjoyed our stay from May 08th to May 15th. We stayed in the Grand Village section of the resort and it was fantastic. This was our 6th trip back to Iberostar Ensenachos and we will be back again next year without question. This is our summer home away from home and the only negative thing I can say is that we can't stay longer (sad how we all have to work for a living- well most of us ;) There is not one bad thing to say about the resort- not one. The resort itself is a tropica [... read more]l paradise for us with beautiful grounds and amazing white sand/coral beaches. There was some noticeable damage from the hurricane but it was only noticeable because we are familiar with the resort. There was no obvious or glaring issues if you were not a repeat guest. They worked very hard cleaning up and painting/repairing affected areas. The main lobby is awesome. Huge amount of work done and it shows. Notable additions on all beaches are the amount of palapas. I can't imagine anyone not getting one now. There are tons of them (WELL DONE!) With all the beauty around the resort, and all the great food we had to choose from (nobody would ever starve here- it's just not possible), what gives this resort its soul is the people. Once again we went back to visit our Cuban family and as always, are received with warm smiles and even warmer hugs. My wife and I will never tire of the comfort we have in our friends when we are here. The real soul of this resort are the people who make this place home. It's not even fair to call them "staff". They are so much more than that. none of them seem to treat what they do as a "job". It's more a way of life and they do everything they can to make someone happy as that is who they are. It's an amazing place with amazing people. Highest of recommendations without doubt. Completely top shelf.

Melia Las Dunas: Amazing resort and definitely worth it!!!

Before flying out to the resort, I was reading a lot of the negative reviews and was concerned about this resort. But after a 6 day trip, the resort was fantastic and exceeded all expectations. Food: There was something I can always find to eat at the buffet that I liked (e.g., pizza, fries, beans, pasta). Breakfast was great as the lady that made the omelette was awesome. Lunch and dinner was good as long as you went to the chefs to get freshly cooked sea food, variety of pastas and meats ( [... read more]e.g., chicken, pork, beef). Beach/pools: The beach and pools were nice and clean. There was more than enough chairs to lie down and there was a bar right by the beach. The only complaint was if you were hungry, it was a considerable walk to get to the 24/7 snack bar. Rooms: I was initially worried about the rooms after reading some reviews about bed bugs and a bad smelling odour. But there was nothing to worry about as the room was clean, had no distinctive smell, AC worked perfectly, and a good quality television. Service: One of the best part of this resort was the service my friends and I received at this resort, it was probably because we would always tip like one peso each (4 people) after every meal. Our waiter Roger was the coolest and went above and beyond as he would always reserve a table for us during breakfast and lunch. Additionally, Roger would always provide us the 2L water bottle free of charge or without even asking for it as he always said this if for when you go to the beach. His service was outstanding. Then our housekeeper Dlianna was awesome as our rooms were very clean and would try to engage in conversations with us. Location: The location was okay as there's not that much to do outside the resort as it's not like Varadero where you could visit Havana or local markets. But if you rent the scooters there for 10 pesos for the first hour (3 pesos for every additional hour) to travel across the city was amazing and filled with great picture moments. You definitely have to try this out as some scooters could reach up to 105 km/h.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Well worth your vacation dollars

Beautiful beach very clean and lots of entertainment Beautiful pools great mini bars Beautiful lounge great service, all day entertainment Beautiful coffee shop just off the lounge Good food on the beach and 24 hr restaurant

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Santa Maria: Just ok

The hotel is kinda old. Our bed was broken and one side was caved in. The room had a very strong odor everything was damp and smelled bad. On another note staff were very friendly and tried to make your stay a nice one. I got the stomach bug 3 days in. The beach was beautiful. Side note I'm picky and would have went somewhere newer but this was a better price.

Grand Memories Santa Maria: Good vacation

Stayed with a young child (1 y/o) and family members in April 2018. The resort did accommodate to have 3 adjacent rooms, but this required quite a bit of effort on our part (to return to the front desk on various occasions and move rooms once). This could have been handled better. The service at the resort was excellent. Waiters at the buffet had the tables cleaned in a timely manner and were always available to bring anything we needed. Compared to other resorts I've stayed at, this [... read more] definitely stands out. The beach and resort grounds are beautiful and well-maintained. The buildings are not new, but reasonably maintained. There are 3 parts to this resort (we stayed in the middle one). The one adjacent to ours mirrored our resort. The one to the other side, Santuary, was for adults only (no access to their amenities). There is a very nice local market accessible directly from this resort with a bell tower to climb with great views. Highly recommended.

Grand Memories Santa Maria: Beautiful time, beautiful people, blessed vacation!

This was my second time back to Memories in Santa Maria. The first time the resort was not divided into 3 sections, so there were some changes with regards to where I was able to access; however, it was still an amazing time and the personal care of the staff and managment was amazing. Being a solo traveller, this is something very important to me. Very safe and able to even walk about in the evening on my own. I was humbled at how they have recovered from Hurricane Irma which devestated so muc [... read more]h of Cuba; but, the grounds, the beach and the buildings were brought up to a standard that certainly was impressive and respected. Being an off season time, they were more than willing to allow you to change things up with the A La Carte restaurants, and were able to really offer that specialized care and the time to get to know them personally. It was such a blessing and is one of the resasons why I love to travel at this time of year. Will I return.....absolutely if the Lord is willing. I'm not sure I would enjoy it as much if were in season as it is a huge resort; but, for me and the time I chose to go, it was perfect......no lineups, no problems with longue chairs and getting your reservations...of course the upgrading to diamond club was worth it. In closing, the hurricane has really improved the beach in some ways.....one thing I really noticed was that when you went into the ocean, it was deeper and you were able to swim and play in the beautiful waves that were available on some days...... Overall Amazing Vacation and I would recommend this place in a heartbeat. With Blessings, Rhonda Lee

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Santa Maria: Amazing Beach

Rooms were very clean, food was fantastic, staff were amazing, beach was beyond beautiful. Grounds were well looked after. No locals on the beach trying to sell you anything. Fantastic experience, will probably return there in the future.

Dhawa Cayo Santa Maria: Dhawa Cayo Santa Maria

The hotel was very nice but some area's need a little improvement such as when you say you have a swim up pool bar, then there should be someone at the pool bar, you shouldn't have to get out of the water and go to the bar up on the pool deck. I had to wait 20 minutes before I had to get out of the pool to get a drink on the deck and the get back into the water for a drink. We had ask for a pin a colada drink and they told us that they didn't have the mix to make one, we had also ask for [... read more] a heinekin and were told they ran out of it. At the beach bar they ran out of crystal beer and didn't even know how to make a sex on the beach drink and to top it all off one of the bartenders didn't even know how to make a screw driver. They food for the first two days was they same and at the French a la carte they didn't know how to make French onion soup, the Italian one they ran out of spagehetti. We have been going to Cuba for over fifteen year and this was the worst food we have ever tasted.