Eventually will be Perfect!

The resort and its grounds are clean and beautiful. Most of the areas are ok for those with mobility issues, but if wanting to sit up in Mike's cafe or go to the Oriental or Italian a la carte restaurants it is a bit challenging if the elevator is not working (which was the case during our stay). We were also placed in the bungalow furthest from the lobby, theatre and buffet which made it more difficult for my mom. The cart drivers began to know her well and looked after transporting her. Th [... read more]ere were some language barrier issues with front desk reception staff and they did not seem the most friendliest. However we did encounter some of the best staff ever in the buffet, at the bars and especially with the animation team. Highest praise is given to Big Daniels and Ower on the Animation Team, Gali, Yunier and Edel at the Family Pool Bar as well as the entire staff at Mike's Cafe. There was always a good variety of food selection in the Buffet and listening to the beautiful music of Alejandro & Luis was most enjoyable...amazing talent! I think in a couple years after getting through a few tweaks, Ocean Casa Del Mar will be perfect! I have been to Cayo Santa Maria 11 times and do hope to return to this resort. "Siempre Contigo"

Good Resort

Beach fantastic. Food okay. Rooms good. Location a bit far from the airport. Great service, people very friendly always smile and happy. Overall a great hotel for the value. Building #1 the best location near to everything, main lobby, beach.

Beautiful Resort

We stayed Jan 17-24 and our stay was excellent. We booked trip with trip central and flew air canada business class. The only way to fly! The tour operators were friendly and told us about Cuban life and history. Our hotel was ocean view, room was immaculate and daily cleaned and fresh towels. The grounds are large but the layout works well with main lobby and buffet in the centre and on each side are pools, snack bars as well as 3 beach access with bars and bbq. The staff are all exceptional wi [... read more]th smiles, friendly chatter and prompt service and a tip is always welcomed! The al cartes were good but our only wish was for hotter food... the seafood restaurant food was served hot but no such luck at the Italian or Asian and even the buffet had warm food never hot unless you had it prepared for you-again the staff do an awesome job. Lots of food choices, beverages and coffee bar is wonderful... great location with beautiful beaches and water sports. The week went by too fast as we would have loved to stay longer.

Fantastic location

The location is wonderful. My room looked right upon the ocean (0451) and the warm breeze and sound of the waves were awesome. The beach is clean and to walk the length of it is a nice walk. The staff are very friendly, attentive and helpful. Very kind. Negative is hard as this area is recovering from Hurricane Irma and that is evident in some areas. The food was tiresome...but swing into what they do better vs what North Americans are used to: the feta cheese outstanding, fish w [... read more]as fantastic and eggs for days. It is a bit repetative but fine. I did not try the restaurants. 2 beers and 2 sodas a day in your room but you can ask for more. The live music had some very talented musicians. The violinist was my favourite. He was part of a duo for dinner music and it was very good. Overall I would definitely recomend this resort, just bring a few snacks and treats from home to tide you through.

Great mid-winter vacation!

I didn't expect much, the reviews were mixed, some people complained about food, bugs, hurricane damage... But we needed up having a blast! The hotel was nice, rooms clean... Staff are always eager to make our stay more fun. The food by Cuban standards was actually good - fresh juices in the morning, a selection of fish and meat... The entertainment at this hotel is spectacular! Plus they have live violin/guitars/piano playing at all restaurants and the buffet. I had my favourite violin/guitar  [... read more]duo, I'd stay longer just to listen to them. The animation team has activities all day long. We did salsa, merengue lessons and some entertainers went to the disco with us... The bugs are bad! They have regular mosquitoes and these tiny flying things that bite... Bring bug spray and after bite. Nights get a bit windy and cold, so bring a sweater or a jacket. Also, there's really no place to go to explore, you're pretty much stuck on an island, but if you wanted a quiet get away, this place is perfect. We had an awesome time!

Great resort

The resort is modern and ample. Truly what you would expect a 5 star to be. The rooms themselves were a 4. We didn’t know everything was 220 v and the hotel didn’t sell adaptors and the alternate option didn’t work. We were disappointed in that there was nothing to do after 10pm. We expected dancing as it was promised however there was only an open bar with music in the background.

Comfortable Resort

For being back in operation after a recent hurricane we were very pleased. We arrived just before Christmas and stayed until 1 week after New Year. Fantastic sea food spread on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve. The food was very good and on a constant basis. The staff was as friendly as could be. This was never an issue. The rooms were very comfortable except for a hard mattress if you like soft. The shower was amazing. We would recommend you bring your favourite pillow for a much better nights [... read more] sleep. Looking forward to returning again. Just not looking forward to the 1 1/2 hour ride from the airport.

Beautiful beach & friendly staff!

The staff is very friendly and the beach is beautiful. The hotel is nice and the food is very acceptable. The major problem is the bites. Beach or bed bugs whatever they are. My whole body hitches and hurts.

Lovely Staff, Nice Resort, Some Improvements to be Made

Overall: A nice resort, great beach, with lovely staff. With respect to location, adults travelling to Cayo Santa Maria would have no issue with the length in getting to the resort, however, travelling with 2 young kids was a bit lengthy. Grounds: Much work has been done to restore the property to its state before the Fall 2017 hurricanes. Its quite beautifully landscaped and the ocean is pristine. Quite rough on windy days which means that swimming is limited. Of no fault of the resort, t [... read more]he small bugs (sand flies, biting midges, etc.) were very prevalent and our family sustained quite a few bites (but not the kids funny enough.) Public Areas: The lobby, pool areas and sports area are nicely setup and well maintained. I would say that a small criticism is the pace at which the resort was able to keep up to the demand for clean pool towels. We were often left with using our towels for a few days before able to arrange for replacements. Rooms: The rooms are modern, clean and nice. The bathroom is spacious and shower head had great water pressure and hot water. Umbrellas are provided as well as large format body gels, shampoo, etc. They were cleaned promptly each day. Dining: This is where my family felt the experience let us down. The food was quite average, even keeping in mind that we brought our own hot sauces, etc., to try and spice things up. Perhaps more of an issue were the hours food was available on the resort. I was travelling with a 6 year old and 2 year old....and these little ones are used to snacking frequently. Breakfast was not an issue, but the snack bar menu only became available at noon, and the lunch buffet at 1pm. I tried to snag some additional snacks at breakfast to sustain the kids, but sometimes it was not possible. The buffet was by far the best food available on the resort. The line for the Italian restaurant was always far too long to wait, however, we tried the Oriental and exterior Seafood restaurants, and still found the quality and variety at the buffet to be the best. The bar's were all great, and having Mikes coffee bar in the lobby was a great benefit, with pretty delicious regular and specialty coffees. If you were not a "privilege" guest, room service was not available for purchase. Staff: For the most part, all staff I came into contact with at the resort were so very kind and helpful. It was a great safe environment to have a holiday at and we were happy to establish some nice connections. Resort Features: While the resort markets a "kids club", its not really a service that you would leave your kids at. Its pretty much a few rooms with some toys and am outdoor playground and kiddie pool. There were no activities for kids to take part in that I could see. The evening entertainment did not disappoint. Every night there was something new and the quality of the musicians were excellent. Even when it was raining outside, the hotel arranged for a piano player in the lobby. Internet was quite spotty, but I think we anticipated that to be the case. However, you can purchase internet cards from the lobby that enable a better connection than relying on the resort "wifi."

Horrible Customer Service!

This resort has horrible customer service. From the moment we arrived to the time we left, it was constant disappointment and a lack of caring for their guests. Our rooms did not have hot water, shower head did not work, pillow cases were dirty, just a few of the things we faced. And every time we brought any issue to their attention, they did not do anything an simply did not care. We had to get really upset and constantly being on their case to get anything resolve. Was not a great way to rel [... read more]ax. Would definitely not recommend this hotel based on their customer service. There are many other Cuban resorts that are much better and more hospitable.

Lacking direction from management

For the most part, the staff seemed friendly and hardworking. Obvious instances where management was missing was the wait for the Italian restaurant, Limoncello. The duration of the wait to get in was typically an hour and a half, whereas the other 2 specialty restaurants were usually zero to 15 minutes. The food was nothing exceptional but I observed that while the wait was that long, the restaurant was always half empty. It made no sense. Ash trays in the lobby were left up to 48 hours wit [... read more]hout being emptied. This hotel was probably a 4.5 star on opening day, but has dropped steadily since.

Absolutely amazing

The resort, beach, food, staff and drinks were all absolutely amazing! Unlike most resorts, we had access to a La carte dining every night! We actually chose the buffer for most nights, since the food was really good! I would recommend Ocean Casa del Mar to anyone!

Great family vacation!

Initial impressions-arriving:local transport company did a great job getting our group of 12 to the hotel. The ride was under 2 hours but it was interesting to see the Cuban towns and the guide gave historical information as we drove through. The lobby of the resort was beautiful and airy with a direct view right through to the ocean. We were greeted with drinks and friendly staff. Check-in went as quickly and efficiently as possible. A bellboy drove our luggage and group right to our bungalow ( [... read more]#11). When it was discovered we needed 2 beds and not one king in one of the rooms, the staff quickly brought another bed into the room. The resort-rooms are clean, modern, fridge stocked with water, soda, beer daily. The a/c, water pressure in shower, toilet all functioned normally. There is only one 110V outlet in the bathroom. There is a safe and TV with a fee English channels to manage. Our porch door had trouble locking. Bungalow 11 was right next to the more quiet pool which was perfect for us. It was about a 5 minute walk to the beach and less to the main lobby/buffet. Beach was beautiful. Not sure if it is a result of the hurricane, but there was enough hard pieces of coral in the water that we had to be careful and a lot of sharp shells in the sand. Ok if you are slowly walking but had to be super careful when we were active on the beach. Swim shoes would have helped. Never had trouble finding beach chairs. There was always a staff employee there to help us out to pull out chairs and clean them off. The catamaran ride was fantastic but it was too windy for the kayaks and pedalo. There are 3 access sites with a bar and shower at each one. We brought our own nerf football , frisbee, and volleyball if you are looking to do something on the beach. There is a volleyball net with organized game daily. We spent more time at the quiet pool but the pool with activity staff was fun if that is what you are in the mood for. There are a few lounging beds available at both. Massage for 30 Cuc x 30 minutes was also available. Food-was maybe preparing for the worst but I really liked the food. There was something for everyone. Some things were more to my taste than others but definitely nothing I would complain about when there was so much selection. Seafood/fish, pasta, pizza, grilled meats sections as well at lunch and supper. Omelette, pancake or waffle at breakfast. The wait staff were fantastic-Leidy; Liudmila, Daily, and Yonky (sp?) were our servers for the week. So attentive, knew what drinks we liked to have with meals-super friendly. Nightly shows were okay. We didn’t watch every night. The NYE celebration was fantastic. Buffet was over the top with a live band playing all night. The coffee bar was great-so much choice with a few snacks. Open 24 hr. Bars were great too but not our main focus. Only major complaint was the amount of “sand flea” or “gnat” bites we got!! Home x 2 days and almost getting worse reaction now. Should have tried bug spray but didn’t even know I was getting bitten until it was too late. On the way home we paid for VIP room which was worth it as we were a large group. Bar, snacks, sandwiches, a/c, wifi card, comfortable chairs for the 3 hr wait at Santa Clara airport was all included. Thanks to Melissa for all our help booking the trip! If I knew that bug spray would help avoid the bites in the future I would definitely recommend!

Very clean , open and spacious

Hotel is run well.Grounds can improve with more care.Public areas are clean and tidy.Rooms are good and the dining areas are very well maintained and it is a joy to meet the friendly staff swerving the food. Frying pans for making eggs are a disaster and must be changed to steal vessels. soiled dishes with left over food should be taken away to a place out of the area behind close doors removing the waste food into bags.This should not be with in sight of people eating food or anywhere in th [... read more]e dining area

Amazing beach and pool area

If you are looking for a resort with a fantastic beach and pool area this is the one. Food was better than anticipated. Lots of variety. Rooms need an update. Staff friendly. No complaints. Never seen water so clear and blue.

Great resort

The most enjoyable part of the resort was the hotel staff -friendly, kind, easy to communicate with pleasant to be around. The resort itself is impressive with a beautiful lobby, clean pool, and gorgeous beach! The food was quite good at the buffet although after a week a little more variety would have been appreciated in the cold salad selection. The Christmas dinner was fantastic with fresh crab, shrimp and all the lobster you could eat- Absolutely amazing. Again, the wait staff and rest o [... read more]f the staff were very kind!

Ocean Casa Del Mar, Santa Maria, Cuba

This is the email I sent to the hotels General Manager on Dec.13 following our stay at the Ocean Casa Del Mar between Dec. 5 and Dec. 12. Good afternoon I just wanted to send you a message following our stay and our return home yesterday. First of all we did note that the food especially in the a la carte restaurant that was open during our stay was much better this year then our stay last year in November. The staff that we met and that waited on us where all 1st class. our rooms 0221/0223/0 [... read more]225 were kept clean and all of the rooms services worked very well. On the down side we were all bitten many times as were most guests at the resort by a over abundant amount of mosquitoes throughout the grounds. The spray that you use is most defiantly not a deterrent to them. Further yesterday morning a makeup mirror that was packed in one of our suitcases was stolen from our locked room 0223 when we went for breakfast between 7:30 and 8:30 prior to our departure from the resort at 9:00am. This is very disheartening after visiting Cuba close to 50 times over the past 25 plus years and never having anything stolen. We left many gifts for your staff as well as generous tips during our stay. It is unfortunate that one devious staff member can ruin it for all the honest hard working staff that you have. Hopefully you can find out who it was as we expect that this is something that they are doing on a regular basis. To date Dec.16 we have not heard back from the General Manager whom we personably met a the resort and who's email we have.

Wonderful experience

I have been to Cuba and specifically Cayo Santa Maria multiple times and I loved this hotel. We had a wonderful experience, from the staff, the food and the drinks were all awesome. The beach has been improved post hurricane Irma and is now super large, you are not sitting in the water and there are lots of palapas, the ocean beautiful as expected in Cuba. The pools were also very good, snack bar close by for a quick snack or lunch. The rooms are well appointed, clean and modern. At this po [... read more]int I have nothing negative to say about this hotel, I would go back anytime.

Amazing resort

The entire vacation was amazing. The staff we met including YAO and JUAN and YAZZER made our stay incredible. The rooms were amazing and the view of the ocean every morning made the week amazing. The food was amazing. Give it a try it's great

Not ocean casa del mar, switched due to hurricane

We were scheduled to go to go to ocean casa del mar, but had to switch due to hurricane Irma. We decided on sunscape Bavaro beach resort. What an amazing resort, excellent for families, lots of activities for all ages. Clean resort and rooms. Staff were excellent, polite and efficient. Food was good and there was enough choice to satisfy most people. No booking of a la cartes so we went twice to chopsticks. Beach had lots of seaweed, but by day 3 they had cleaned it all up and it was nice. Excel [... read more]lent entertainment and the staff who did the activities were great!! The only downfall was the amounts of locals that came Friday till Sunday, nothing wrong with locals, only the resort went from half full to full, and it was harder to watch the children in the pool. Was a great holiday and certainly would return, but would say this is more of a family resort vs a couples type resort.