Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: iberostar ensanachos

I have been to cuba over 15 times and without a doubt this is the best resort there. the rooms are great, food is best in cuba, and of course the staff are always friendly and courteous. This was the second time at this resort and won't be the last.

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: Loved it!

We arrived at this resort with a group of 4. They were very accommodating and placed our rooms 1 apart on the same floor. We also checked in 2 hours early and we got in right away. Bell boys picked us up and our luggage up and carried it to our 3rd floor room. Food...I found the food pretty good. Im a very picky eater as well. I ate fresh grilled meat and pasta every night. For breaky I ate the fresh donuts. They were amazing. I still want more. For lunch we ate at the snack bar and sometim [... read more]es the little pizza hut that wad near the beach. The drinks are all so yummy. Lobby bar makes them all nice and fancy. If you head to the pool bar hit up our buddy Julio. He's awesome. Room... I had no problem with our room. Our maid cleaned everyday and stocked our water. Our friends had a little mouse come up through their drain haha. It ate a hole through her bag and ate some bun she had. The next day they came back and ate her coco butter chunks she had. I hope they enjoyed that moisturizer haha. Even with a mouse I would still return back. Overall I would give this resort a 4 star. In all categories.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Beautiful scenery

This hotel is very nice. We were put in the Spa section although we booked the Park section. I don't think rooms are any different. The buildings all looked the same. You are limited to the use of the snack bars and pools in the Park if that's your wristband but if your Spa you can use both Park and Spa areas. The Grand Village is a km or more down the path, you can only use those facilities if your band is for that section but they have access to everywhere. The lobby is situated between the Sp [... read more]a and Park sections and is the gathering place for the evening events, buffet, Italian and Japanese a la cares, cigar bar and lobby bar, gift shop. Lots of walking on this resort which is a good way to work off the excesses. If you have young children, it could be too much. The beaches are most beautiful which is usual for Cuba. Two beaches separated by a rocky point. Megano beach was closest to Park and Spa areas and is very long, Ensenachos beach is long and quieter. Doesn't fill up nearly as quickly. We spent time at both but favoured Ensenachos. The food variety was somewhat limited for such a big resort but you will not go hungry. Always fresh grilled meats and fish, pastas, eggs and pancakes. Side dishes not so plentiful. We had a wonderful time and enjoyed our long walks. Only used the carts twice in the week we were there. We enjoyed our stay.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: 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!!!!

Melia Las Dunas: Melia Las Dunas

It was a very big resort, lots of walking.. food was repetitive and expected not to be great lol. The drive is soo long after a long flight.. Beautiful ocean and beach..some staff we're wonderful, some not so much.. room was nice, bed was hard as a rock and full if springs... minus a few if that negative over all for being Cuba it's a decent place

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Wonderful Holiday!!

Had an amazing time at Iberostar Encenachos. Reception staff,maids wait staff were all amazing! Some of the warmest people I have ever encountered. Sunwing rep so very helpful and informative.Easy and simple dealing with Trip Central also. If I had to complain about anything, it would be that there was no outlets in the bathroom for a curling iron. But I would return in an instant. An all around great visit to Cuba!!

Hotel Roc Casa del Mar: Overall a great resort!!

Beautiful hotel and amazingly nice service at the bars and buffet! Staff were friendly and made you feel welcome. Beach is nice, though not as long of a stretch for walking as I would like. Rooms were clean and good maid service. A la cartes do require reservations even though website says they are not required. One a la Carte bows not require reservations but only 2 different menus. Food was pretty good...standard for Cuba. Overall a great time!

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: More than we expected

Excellent sea food, snorkelling, entertainment and such a friendly staff. Both beaches were within easy walking distance with well stocked bars and lunch food. Getting through Santa Clara airport is stressful with so many entering but do not buy the Sunwing VIP pass as they overbook this and it becomes a slower process with a waiting room that is overcrowded. Don’t try to exchange your money at the hotel right away as there are long lines, we waited a day and went right through. Except for [... read more] the above, which we hope to get a refund from, it was a very good week.

Royalton Cayo Santa Maria: Very nice!

We especially loved the small size of this resort, the most beautiful beach with so many cabanas and the friendly staff. The beach waiters were great. Our butler Diana was wonderful and so kind in helping to celebrate a birthday we didn’t know she knew about! The grounds were lovely and clean. I enjoyed that the restaurants weren’t buffet style. The food was fairly good but not great, as we had expected. The entertainment staff was very friendly and we really enjoyed the evening entertainmen [... read more]t. The room was very comfortable, but many rooms have patio doors that won’t open, I assume due to the hurricane. We met many return guests which says a lot. I do wish that the wifi was more widely available.

Valentin Perla Blanca: We will never go back

I will begin with our room. The hair dryer was falling off the wall...mechanic had to be called to fix it. The toilet seat cover was not secure. The mini bar was not filled everyday like promised. The room was very musty smelling and not properly cleaned. We could smell sewer in parts of the resort going to the lobby. As privileged guests we were told there was privileged canopy’s on the beach and there was but no lounge chairs. We complained three times but nothing was done. The extra mone [... read more]y was not worth it. When asked a question we kept getting the wrong information. Very disorganized.

Valentin Perla Blanca: Was a nice resort

My wife and I arrived on Feb. 14th to what seemed like a very beautiful resort and for the most part it was until the partying continued by all the collagage students for the next 6 days. Our room was clean and everything worked but was by the party pool that went on till the early hours of the morning. Other then the one fight by the pool that went on for over one hour with no security getting involved it was a nice resort but just don’t go during reading weeks or spring break if you want to  [... read more]relax. Overall we enjoyed our vacation. The staff were the best and the beach was wonderful. Food was okay too.

Valentin Perla Blanca: Great resort, amazing vacation

The drive from the airport is almost 2 hours but it was a fun drive with beer being sold before we boarded the bus, a bathroom onboard and passing through many towns along the way, basically being a tour on its own before the real fun began with mimosas in the lobby upon arrival. This resort is large and offers multiple areas to enjoy. From the large ‘party pool’ with entertainment, to the ‘relax’ pool which does have a lively crowd around the swim up bar, to the awesome lobby bar for ev [... read more]ening drinks, beautiful gazebo lookouts, and many paths to wander, it’s truly a wonderful resort. The rooms aren’t anything special, but are clean, large enough, and are stocked daily with beer, pop, bottled water and fresh towels. The staff are friendly, happy to help and speak English very well. The beach goes on forever and connects to the Nature Reserve. It’s a great walk with many little sand bars along the way. Our tour operator set us up with a day adventure doing the Havana by Air tour and we had no issues, just an amazing experience. The buffet for picky eaters could be a bit tricky, but there’s lots of pasta options, and fresh grilled in front of you meats. Service at the lunch snack bar is a little slow, but while sitting outside on a patio, overlooking the pool with cold drinks non stop and an entertaining, friendly server, no real complaints there! The evening entertainment was great, the performers friendly and happy to take pictures after their performances. This is my 6th time at a Caribbean resort, and the first time I’ve truly meant when I said I would definitely go back, while the others I had a great time at, this place has the atmosphere, service and location to be a memorable trip.

Melia Cayo Santa Maria: Great getaway!

We recently spent a week at the Melia Cayo Santa Maria. We had some mixed feelings about it. Good points... the grounds were beautiful, the people friendly, entertainment was varied and very good. Very talented dancers and musicians. The resort is in a great setting. Spread out with 2 big pools in the center. Bad points... the music around the pool area was way too loud every day and there was no real way to get away from it. A “music free time” each day would be a good compromise. Unfortuna [... read more]tely the food and drinks were not great either. We did understand that Cuban food has a bad reputation and that the hurricane last fall created devastation to the island and its produce leaving limited fruit. This was a disappointment. I will admit that we can be fussy eaters anyway but when we talked to other couples who had been there several times before, they all said that they found the food not as good this year too. As for the drinks, they had quite a drink menu in the lobby bar but it would have been helpful had it been in English. It took a while to figure out what you were ordering. Some of the fruity drink flavourings were very artificial tasting. Almost bitter. We were also surprised at how windy it was. The wind blew day and night. Apparently that’s not uncommon for February. It kept it cool and bug free which was good. The beach is beautiful but once again the winds created extremely rough surf. Great for watching but we didn’t see a lot of people venturing into it to swim. The beach has a wide sandy area and then almost a sand “cliff” that you had to climb over to get to the waters edge. I’m assuming that this was another result of hurricane Ermas wrath. Overall we did have a great week. It’s not a big resort which was an attractive feature for us. If you are looking for a good place to relax and you keep your expectations of the food low, I’m sure you’d enjoy it as much as we did.

Melia Buenavista: Great Staff ! Nice Resort! Very Chill Vibe !

This resort has lovely and helpful staff. The rooms are very large and the beds are very comfy. The outdoor shower is a fun touch ! Bar service is exceptional especially Lester !! If Joel is your Butler, then you are in great hands ! No rush to reserve beach chairs, lots of areas to hang out . Very windy every day, and lots of waves, not many snorkeling opportunities. Food is limited, but for the most part delicious. The vibe is VERY low key. Many older European travelers. Great  [... read more]place to go to just check out from life, read books, laze around and chill. Bus ride is 1 hour and 45 min from the airport. Would we go back? Probably.....

Dhawa Cayo Santa Maria: Amazing Resort

Definitely a 5 star resort. Beach service is such an awesome feature. This resort has a nice layout and everything is close together. Lots of beach and pool loungers make it ideal for one not to have to get up early to save a spot.

Dhawa Cayo Santa Maria: Great resort and good value.

Just my thoughts on our last vacation February 15-22 at this place. WE have been going to Cuba in the last 3 vacations in the span of 4 years. WE have been to this area twice, first in 2015 at Iberostar Ensinachos and this year at Dhawa Resort. WE were at Santiago de Cuba at Club Amigo Los Corales last year. Comparing the two locations Iberostar and Dhawa, I would say the Dhawa is better because it is newer. Comparing Dhawa to the Club Amigo Los Corales, I would say last year was better although [... read more] it was only rated 3* in comparison to 4.5* this year. Things I loved about last year were the natural fruits like mango, yam, plantain banana, and guanoabana. Due to Irma and devastation it did to the area, these fruits were never available. Salsa dancing in Santiago de Cuba were done at the resort and on the street during our excursion to the city. I would say that for value and entertainment the trip last year was better. The people at Santiago de Cuba last year were more accommodating. I guess they try to make up with hospitality and service for the lack of amenities. I am not saying this year is not good, I would say it is comparable to the trip we had in Mexico back in 2009. Accommodation at Dhawa was excellent and the food offering were at par with what you would see in Mexico. The cost of our trip this year was a bit less than what I paid in Mexico or Dominican. In a year or two Dhawa Resort will most likely charge the same as Mexico or Dominican for the same week we had. All I am saying is that if you are used to 5* accommodation, go to Dhawa. If you want value and just to relax, go to Club Amigo Los Corales. Word of advice if you are taking day trips like visiting the city of Remedios and Santa Clara. The tour guide will ask you to leave your bag in the bus, please take your wallet with you. Cuban people are honest and trust worthy, but you never know. About Dhawa resort in general, the beach was full of shells and there were sand fleas because we all have little bites on our legs and those who laid down on the sand have them all over their bodies.. You definitely need a water shoes to walk around. It was beautiful weather all the time except on one day when it was so windy that you need sunglasses to be able to see. The best show at Dhawa is on Monday were they had all the guest on stage and participate. The best laugh I had in years. A la carte restaurant were all great. I love the French cuisine except for their bread being hard and old and the french Onion Soup didn't have cheese on top, so that was a failure. Order the lobster for $23 and the portion was big enough to be shared by two. Worth it. Room was cleaned everyday and it is brand new and so advanced with the card having to turn on all the lights. Nice touch. Overall, we had a great time and most likely come back in 5 years.

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: Cheerful Resort

Very clean and pleasant resort. The lobby bar staff were great and really made our evenings fun. The room was spacious and the shower had really great water pressure which is sometimes a problem in other resorts. Food was simple but tasty, no complaints there. I only wish they had a nightclub on sight it would have been a nice addition to an overall relaxing vacation.

Dhawa Cayo Santa Maria: Exceed my expectations

Where should I start? From the check-in to check-out, we have no problems. The accommodations, restaurants, bathroom and the grounds are kept clean at all times. The food was surprisingly great. Love the 24 hour snack bar. Overall, the hotel and most especially the staff are wonderful. The beach people are so nice and accommodating. The only negative I would say that the pool is cold. I rated 2 for location due to long distance from the airport.

Melia Las Dunas: Really great food at this resort for Cuba

The Great: Our sunwing rep in cuba (Michael) was amazing... so helpful and very honest with awesome recommendations. He always put a smile on our faces. This was our second time in Cuba, so we were prepared with spices and ketchup, but we didn't need them. The food was very good and had a variety to choose from. I liked all of the fresh juices in the morning for breakfast and the fresh omelettes were awesome. Also, the snack bar was very good. There were several and you could always get s [... read more]omething to eat and be satisfied if you didn't make the buffet or ala cartes. We tried three ala cartes, the mediteranian, international and asian. I enjoyed the mediteranian and asian best of the three. At the international they had a really great piano player. the grounds were well kept - very lush and well laid out. I liked the hanging swings. We stayed in the family section, which seemed better lit at night especially at the pool area where we took lots of short cuts to and from places from our building. You can tell they worked so hard to put everything back together after Irma hit 6 months ago. The beach was great, my only regret is that I didnt take advantage of the kite surfing and other water sport activities this resort had to offer, which was a draw in choosing this place. We did a catamaran excursion which was lovely. I snorkled around a reef and saw schools of colourful fish. I wish I had brought a waterproof camera... it was beautiful. We also had snacks that they provided and went to a isolated and private island. That was really cool. On a night excursion we went to see the Bueno Vista Social Club play. We were very lucky to have had that opportunity. I heard alot about them previously. The Not so Good... Unfortunately, there was a mix-up when we checked in and went to our building I realized we had a gardenview room and not the balcony room which I asked for when booking. It was in building 51 room 12 (on the beach side). It was a beautiful room with new beds. I could tell it was renovated recently however, the mold and musty smell was so overpowering when we walked in I felt sick and after 20 minutes on the phone I eventually got through to someone and after a few hours we were switched to a balcony room on the other side, which was building 17 room 23. This room was not as nice and needed some updating, especially the shower curtain, bedspread and bedsheets. However, it was clean and there was no mold smell so we were happy to be settled. This resort felt a bit isolated to us, the double decker buses that run through the island are rare. So, if you want to go to the market or explore off the resort you better get a cab or you will find yourself waiting for hours on a bus that might never come. Just be sure you sort out the 5 cuc price with the driver. Some will demand as much as 10. But 5 cuc is the correct rate to go to the Estrella market. Also, you wont have much luck getting information from many people who wear suits in supervisor or management positions... they look like they might know something but they are just there. I found the prices really inflated for buying souvenier and gift items compared to Varadero or Havanna. Other people took notice as well. I suppose they can do that because there isn't many options. The service staff were pretty good and some were very exceptional. You won't get the sense of real Cuban life or it's people here in Cayo Santa Maria.

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: Family & Friends

We were a group of 17. Had a fabulous vacation. Hotel was clean, beach & pools were great. Favourite a la carte was the Italian restaurant. Only complaint would be the cot for my kids, the mattress was very thin and so we took cushions off the sofa, still not ideal but an improvement. I had gone to the reception and customer service atleast three times to request another mattress for the cot but no change! I would still return.