Dhawa Cayo Santa Maria: Dhawa Cayo Santa Maria

Resort very good, professional staff in restaurants and bars. not terribly impressed with housekeeping (neglected to provide towels) but it was spotlessly clean. (towels were eventually provided). A suggestion: would be to have a coffee or tea pot in room so visitor could have a coffee or tea later in the evening or very early in the morning. I know I was up well before the breakfast was served. Restaurants were very good, and again staff in all departments were excellent.

Dhawa Cayo Santa Maria: Ah Dhawa

My wife and I traveled to the Dhawa from May 4-11, 2018. The resort is in a newly developed area of Cayo Santa Maria, known as Cayo Las Brujas. They currently have two resorts open in that area with a couple more to come on line in the near future. Please see the following summary of our experience of the different aspects of our stay at Dhawa. Grounds The grounds and resort overall is well kept and maintained, the staff and gardeners work tremendously hard to make sure everything is on poin [... read more]t. Those folks have done a great job, you wouldn't have known a major hurricane had impacted that resort a short 9 months before. Pool The pool is a large two tiered pool. The resort was not that busy when we traveled so the pool wasn't that busy as a result. The only recommendation I would have is a bartender be dedicated to the poolside bar, they were very scarce and most time you would have to do to the dry side of the bar to get a bevy. Eating The buffet had lots of options for breakfast, lunch and supper so don't worry you will not go hungry. If you like pizza or chicken fingers you must try the poolside snack bar they were fantastic. Rooms The rooms were well appointed, clean and they had the most comfortable beds of any resort we have stayed at in the past. Entertainment The entertainment in the lobby was fantastic. The only suggestion I would have is that they change it up, out of our 7 nights there we seem the same entertainers 4-5 times. I cannot speak to the nightly shows as we were in bed most nights before they started. Beach The beach was simply beautiful, wide and had plenty of palapas and chairs for all guests. There was great snorkeling right from our beach with many different fish there for you to enjoy. Overall we really enjoyed Dhawa and would definitely recommend this resort and return without hesitation in the future.

Valentin Perla Blanca: Don’t believe everything you read!

After seeing a few pictures and hearing good things about this resort from my travel agent, I booked this place instantly. Shortly after booking the trip, I started doing some research about this resort (reading reviews, looking at photos posted by past travellers, etc.).. some of the reviews were negative and some were positive. Most of the negative comments were outrageous and didn’t seem likely that a 4 star resort would provide people with such a negative experience (such as — the resort [... read more] ran out of beer, crabs were chasing a naked women and staff did nothing about it, staff were not attentive to upset customers, and so on). Like most people, I started getting skeptical and worried. My vacation turned out amazing. Both my boyfriend and I would go back in a heartbeat. We travelled from May 4-11 (both of our first times travelling to a tropical place in May) and I honestly do not have any complaints. The hotel was well organized and had a different person to deal wih different problems/questions. Wifi was $1 an hour and was decently strong (we could use it while in our room). The wifi went down for a few days, but that is not something to complain about since we are on vacation and shouldn’t be using our phones anyways! The resort had two huge pools. One pool was called the “party pool” and the other was called the “relaxing pool”. I tended to hang around the relaxing pool because it was closer to my room and I liked the quiet. The party pool was pretty crazy at times, so if you are young and like to party definitely check it out. On Friday night there was a foam party at the party pool (music, alcohol, foam, swimming and partying).. it was a good time! The food was good. Not amazing, but for Cuba I thought it was good. The dinner buffet was decent and had a stir fry station, a chicken and seafood station and a pasta station. There was a short line for some of the stations, but NOT A BIG DEAL! We went to three a la carte restaurants (french, italian and seafood). The french and italian were very good, but the seafood was soso. There is a bbq/snack bar on the beach that serves chicken, pork or beef burgers. Very tasty. Our room was always cleaned very nicely and the staff are very friendly and helpful. The fridge in our room was restocked everyday with a one litre water bottle. Some people complained about this, but I didn’t find it to be a problem because all of the bars provided cups of water and had no problem refilling water bottles. The resort NEVER ran out of beer. There is so much more to say, but this review has become very long. Final words.. please do not hesistate to go here.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Nice Resort...but

This was our second year at Playa Cayo Santa Maria. We stay for two weeks and enjoyed our vacation...good to kick back and do what you felt like doing! I do like the resort, the rooms and the extras for being a repeat customer. Last year I did not enjoy the beach as much as there was a rocky area to navigate down to the shore...the Hurricane (Irma) really did the resort a favour by wiping out the rock hill along the shore and now nothing but sand and a slight incline down to the water. We l [... read more]ove everything about this resort, especially the smaller pools, the food, drink etc., but this year we found that the resort was allowing Cuban locals (their families) into the resort for a couple of days...it could have been because of the time of year that we vacation (last two weeks of April). Apparently a number of resorts are doing this...well, I don't know about you, but there is a certain protocol you follow when vacationing in the islands. For example, we found that the locals would eat and drink around the pools and leave their plates and cups exactly where they were and not clean up after themselves. This quite often attracted the seagulls. Many times vacationers were found cleaning up after the locals...As well, we found at times that the locals were being catered to before the vacationers... Think that we will try another area/resort for next year and ask the question of our agent...Are the locals being allowed into the resort? Seems funny as no employees of the resorts in Cayo Santa Maria stay on the Island...they all travel the Causeway each day.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Excellent second stay at Iberostar Ensenachos

We stayed at Iberostar Ensenachos for the first time from Jan 25-Feb 10/2018. Previously we’d always stayed at Melia resorts, both in Cayo Coco and Cayo Santa Maria. However, this time we made a last-minute change to our 2018 trip on a very high recommendation from a repeat Iberostar Ensenachos guest we’d met. We tend towards smaller resorts (as in fewer rooms), and those well integrated into their natural surroundings. Iberostar Ensenachos could not have possibly suited our requiremen [... read more]ts any better. In fact, we had such a pleasant overall first experience that we could not wait another year to return, and booked a second visit from May 4-12, from which we have just returned. Wondering whether or not our first experience was out of the ordinary, we needn’t have worried.. The return visit in May was even better than the Jan/Feb trip!! From our initial very pleasant welcomes at reception, to checkouts, everything met and exceeded our expectations throughout both our stays. We’d sent room requests ahead of our arrivals, and all were met. Staff here are remarkable, and do an exceptional job at making you feel at home, if not like family in most cases. The resort is an older one, done in a sort of French Colonial style. Much warmer than the newer, modern block architecture resort style becoming so prevalent now. The resort surroundings & grounds are beautifully lush and groomed. The gardeners have done brilliant work. Like most of this region, they suffered extensive damage to larger trees in hurricane Irma, which will take years to fully recover, but nonetheless Cayo Ensenachos, and the resort, have done remarkably well. The resort is very well integrated into the natural habitat, and the Cayo is a nature preserve, so expect an abundance of wildlife. Birds, geckos & larger lizards, crabs, frogs, iguanas, the most dragonflies we’ve ever seen, butterflies, and snakes (saw three beautiful ones our first trip, though none at all on the second). So, if you’re at all offended by the presence of wildlife... might not be the best resort choice. The resort is spread out over nearly the entirety of Cayo Ensenachos, so be prepared for a lot of walking. Those with mobility issues may want to consider a more compact resort, though porters will take you via cart anywhere you like on the resort. In our case, we love walking and taking in the beauty of the grounds, so loved this aspect of our stay. Rooms were very good, and spacious. We stayed in three different rooms across our two visits, and all were fine. It’s an older resort, so normal wear & tear was apparent on some things, but very acceptable. Air conditioning always worked fine, and all the room equipment and fixtures worked properly. Beaches are, in a word, stunning. Megano Beach is closest to the main section of the resort, and Ensenachos Beach is a much further distance away, though we found Ensenachos to be our favorite of the two, and spent the majority of our time there. Both beaches have snacks (Megano has an actual small restaurant, while Ensenachos is more a BBQ-style lunch), and each has a full bar. The beaches are both gently sloped (Ensenachos more than Megano), so great for wading / swimming. Lots of shade available at both, though definitely more crowded at Megano (so get there early if you need a palapa). Some great snorkeling can be had around the rockier areas between the two beaches, as well as at the sunken barge on the sandbar off Megano. Saw a huge variety of tropical fish, conch, starfish, corals, stingray, and barracuda ranging from under a foot to a massive 4-5’ specimen one day. The beauty of Cayo Ensenachos is that it tends to be much more sheltered than Cayo Santa Maria’s main beach, so a rough or windy beach day at Cayo Santa Maria resorts can still be a great beach day at Iberostar Ensenachos. Pools seem beautiful, and also have bars / restaurants available, but being beach people, we only visited them twice. Snacks at both the Park/Family & Spa/Adult section were very good. Service was excellent, as always. We only ate at one of the a la cartes during our stays (and it was excellent), since we were always content with the service, selection and quality of food at the buffet. The buffet mixes things up regularly, and there is enough selection & variety to not get bored. Chef stations are also very good, and will custom cook foods to your request. The resort always had a large variety of seafood available. Frequently there were fresh shrimp, lobster, assorted kinds of fish including salmon & tuna, etc. Vegetarian / vegan selections are a bit more limited, but no one should have trouble finding food to meet their tastes. The pastry chefs are to be commended as well, as some of the pastries and desserts were wonderful. Some of the pork selections are absolutely fantastic, definitely the most delicious we’ve ever had, anywhere. And, if you’re a fan of ice creams, their coconut flavour is to die for, and the dark chocolate is a close second. There is also a type of caramel / coffee ice cream that’s delicious. As much as we loved the resort, beaches and food, the real gems of Iberostar Ensenachos are the staff. On our return visit, we were welcomed as returning guests, often even by staff we hadn’t interacted with the previous trip. Everyone we met was pleasant, friendly and professional. Though everyone was great, some in particular stood out for us however, and felt like family after such a short amount of time spent together: Buffet: Armando & Yaima, wonderful, wonderful people. Always welcoming Marianki. The amazing & professional Carlos, always keeping us entertained & happy. The ever pleasant-spirited Daidenys. The remarkable wife & husband duo of Daily & Yuri (watching them work together in a busy buffet is like watching a dance, they’re so coordinated to their guest’s needs). Cleaning/housekeeping: Yudi, our chambermaid did a fantastic job, and always met us with a smile and a friendly chat. Belkys, always pleasant and singing, always made time to welcome us and ask how we were. Bars: My wife and I aren’t big drinkers, but Giselle in the lobby bar was always great. Zaidy at Ensenachos beach was a standout as well, as was Yadima there. Ensenachos Beach: The entertainment team here does an amazing job, Yisel in particular was always fun, and great at getting people active. Yuri met us with a heartwarming smile and greeting every morning, always finding us a good spot to set up loungers, and was wonderful to sit down and chat with during quieter times (not to mention exceptionally patient with our very limited Spanish). Mario, catamaran captain; my wife cannot swim, yet Mario always made her feel very safe & welcome, especially on rougher days if we went out. He always provided excellent guidance and info during our trips with him, and was a pleasure to spend time with. Customer Service: Geysi, the customer service manager… prompt, courteous and extremely professional. All in all, we’ve thoroughly enjoyed our stays at this resort, and cannot wait to return again. It rapidly became a place that feels like a second home to us.

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: Very nice resort!

This resort is very clean. Rooms are large with bar fridge which is replenished daily. Room also has a safe. Both services included in your all inclusive package. Each room also has an iron, ironing board, blow dryer & umbrella. The beach was a bit smaller but kept tidy & very beautiful. Staff were all friendly & helpful except for the guy who worked in the money exchange shop. He never smiled or exchanged any type of pleasantries or small talk with you. The food, although plentiful was [... read more] the usual, rather bland. A nice feature, you could get either a bottle of wine or champagne to take back to your room every evening when you left the buffet after having your dinner, no charge. My two complaints would be one, I have been to Cuba 5 times & I have never seen the mosquitos so bad!!! You could barely sit out at nite, they ate you alive! My second complaint was the gift shop. Rather pricey! Smokes & liquor much higher than any other resort I've been to. Also, you could'nt count on them being opened during their posted hours. They seemed to open & close at their own discretion.

Valentin Perla Blanca: Fantastic Resort

This hotel was absolutely amazing. My girlfriend and I stayed for a week in May, and I must say, we were blown away. The bus ride is 2 hours from the airport, but honestly its not that bad. The service at the resort was superb. Ive received better service in Cuba than I have some places where I live. The food was pretty good, much better than other resorts i've been to in Cuba. In all, this was the best resort i've stayed at in Cuba, and am already considering booking for next year. I would defi [... read more]nitely recommend this to anyone, worth the cost.

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Santa Maria: Amazing for the 2nd time in 2 months!!!!

This is the 2nd trip to this resort in 2 months for us and we had just as much fun as the first time! There were a few minor issues, hard time getting a la cartes for 10 people. As Sanctuary guests it was felt that we should have precedence over the other guests as it was a higher cost to be in the Adult only section, which is what we paid for to be able to have 'first choice'. I realize it was the end of the season but it was disappointing to go to buffets and have less choice even though th [... read more]e resort was busier than when we were there in March. We requested email addresses from some of the staff and we wanted to contact them prior to our next trip to request the same building and butlers. An email was sent to these addresses as we wanted to reach out to ask to be in the same building with the same butlers and there was no response, when this was mentioned to those staff they just shrugged their shoulders, not very good customer service. They should be sure if they're going to give out their emails that they check them. We brought 8 more people with us on our return trip as we spoke so highly of the resort. Overall the trip was good but these are important customer service issues. We would definitely return to this resort.

Dhawa Cayo Santa Maria: A solid 4 stars

Loved everything about this hotel, the rooms are well appointed, the food was very good and the beach, wow. Turquoise blue water, soft white sand and enough palapas for everyone. I would not hesitate to return. I also noted that it was wheelchair friendly and that everything is close enough for people with mobility issues.

Valentin Perla Blanca: Overall beautiful resort

My mom and I had a lovely time, with great food, and a beautiful beach. They focus a lot on evening entertainment with a variety every night and I loved it. But I want to talk about some of the details that need improvement but by no means ruined our stay. It was clear when we arrived at the resort it is one of the busiest seasons. I was disappointed at the lack of cleanliness and slow service at the snack bars. Also, even though this is a newer hotel, you can tell it already needs some repairs. [... read more] From tiles missing around the pool to broken wooden floor boards where you rinse off there is noticeable damage in many areas. Even in the hotel room the paint was peeling. It also doesn't look good when people leave glasses/plates in the hallways or even on the pathways trough-out the resort. That should get cleaned up immediately. Checking in and checking out was also disorganized and checking in especially took a very long time.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Relaxing vacation

The Iberostar Ensenachos hotel in Cuba was good. I have personally experienced another resort in Cayo Coco and was pleasently surprised at how much better the food was at the Iberostar Ensenachos. They always had multiple options and they were very accomodating if you needed anything different or extra. The grounds are beautiful, everything is well maintained. The two beaches are gorgeous and there is plenty to see there in terms of wildlife such as crabs, and fish. Everything about this resort  [... read more]is great other than the layout and the length but that is definitely unavoidable, we were located in the spa section in building 27 so the walk from our room to the both beaches were longer than we’d prefer and a lot of the time the carts that I think were meant to bring us around were unavailable even if you tried and looked for them at the lobby or anywhere else. Other than the walking which we personally weren’t a fan of, this resort is great and provides you with most of the tools for a relaxing vacation.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Excellent resort

We were in Bungalow 5 which was great. The room was spacious, comfortable and the bathroom very functional with dependable hot water. Housekeeping was very efficient. The food was good by Cuban standards and service was very good. Staff everywhere were cordial, friendly and helpful. Only complaint was poor internet service.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Beautiful Resort

We first visited P.C.S.M 2 1/2 years ago and recently returned from our second visit. The resort was even better than before. With beautifully maintained grounds, clean & comfortable rooms and warm friendly staff, we highly recommend PCSM!

Valentin Perla Blanca: ok

it was ok . we spent 1 week at the Valentin Perla Blanca and it was the longest 1 weeks of our life because of so many mosquito bite that make us to stay inside the hotel room most of the time ...it was a bad experience. 1.Need more variety on breakfast ,buffet for lunch and dinner 2.customer service 3.the reception staff could improve their knowledge and service

Valentin Perla Blanca: Amazing beach!

Great time at this hotel except the mosquitos. They fog but unfortunately it is the rainy season now. Besides that, great lobby entertainment, amazing beach and spainish coffee so yummy! Love the bar at the beach and the guys driving the trolley. Waiters at the buffet were amazing too. Good food and good selection.

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Santa Maria: Amazing beach.

One of the nicest beaches anywhere. Food was okay, front desk staff need customer service training, would not address issues until a manager was made aware of the issues we had. Bar staff at sanctuary and swim up bar were exceptional.

Valentin Perla Blanca: Great Resort!

The Valentina was an amazing experience overall. The staff in particular was friendly and helpful throughout our stay. The beach is absolutely incredible with goergoues white sand and turquoise water that is so clear you can see to the bottom. Great recommendation from our travel agent.

Dhawa Cayo Santa Maria: Wonderful resort!

The best resort we've stayed at in Cuba. Rooms were great and clean. Lots of hot water. Food was very good at the buffet and the al a cartes were very good. Very nice private beach. We were never without a great location on the beach and pool. Staff were all very friendly and the entertainment was very good. Some mixed results at the snack bar. We will come back to this resort and area for sure. Only real complaint is the pesticide trick that went around the resort aro [... read more]und dinner time each night. This may be due to the time f year with the start of the rainy season when the bugs start to breed a little more. Overall great resort and we had a great time. I would rate the Dhawa as a 4.5 to 5 easily

Hotel Roc Casa del Mar: Beautiful resort

7th time to Cuba. 1st time to Ocean Casa del Mar Pros: Beautiful resort, wonderful staff, excellent service, lovely beach and pools, clean, good food, best Michael Jackson show I’ve seen. Cons: Ground level pool view room not available. We’re moved into a ground level NO view room; patio door did not lock, safe/coffee machine/hair dryer did not work, loud weird noises coming from ceiling outside of the bathroom ALL night long. Would recommend this resort, if you like the family resort e [... read more]xperience.

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: Wonderful quiet resort

This has been our fourth stay at the hotel, first week of March. Not crowded at all, lots of space, great long white-sanded beach. Great for those who value the above. Good selection of food and drinks at buffet and bars. Lots of mosquitoes, take a good spray. Specialty restaurants are good for experience, don't go there to get something special in terms of food. The staff still doesn't speak acceptable English, particularly at the front desk and housekeepers, and they like if guests speak Sp [... read more]anish to them. Overall, very satisfied and look forward to go there again.