Memories Paraiso: Expected much better

Here goes (my apologies for the length but ......); Beach / Pools 1) Beautiful beach - pool was fine Service 1) Several of the buffet staff were a little impatient with the patrons. We seemed to be in the way of them doing their job. 2) Room service was non-existent – took several days/requests to have one bottle of water delivered to our room – I was not allowed to pick one up. 3) Shop in lobby - supplied with souvenirs, liquor, beverages & snacks. No sunscreen, after sun products [... read more], bug repellant, after bite products, medication of any sort – would have expected at least pain medication (aspirin) and anti-nausea products. 4) Found over the course of the week that staff driving the shuttle carts drove a little too fast – we were a little concerned for safety of the patrons Food 1) Facilities are fine 2) Food lackluster at best – several in our party of 7 had adverse reactions to the food. One was in bed for the last 4 days of our trip. Upon seeking medical attention on our return – seems she had picked up an intestinal infection. Cause pointed to poor food handling/preparation and lack of fresh water. 2 others were down for 2 days due to food reactions. 3) We’ve been to Cuba twice in the past and never experienced problems with the food. I realize you don’t go to Cuba for the food but it should not make you ill. 4) Trying to get a simple thing like a bottle of water from anyone at the resort was next to impossible Rooms 1) All furnishings in need of replacing 2) Sliding doors (closet & balcony) need replacing or at least maintenance as their use was difficult 3) Ceiling fan blades are warped – safety hazard as the blades hang down to head level for someone over 6 feet 4) Seems bathtub was replaced by dropping a replacement inside the old one – exit hazard due to a 3~4 inch height difference from the bottom of the tub to floor level 5) Shower head mounting bar loose 6) Most phones were in place but did not work Value 1) Expected more from a 4 star resort. Have had better experiences at 3 & 3.5 star resorts in Cayo Coco in the past 2) Sand flea infestation haunted us during our stay and for a week after our return 3) Of 9 trips to the Caribbean in the last 10 years, this is the only time we ever considered leaving early Location 1) Gardens well maintained 2) Various light markers were damaged, broken or taken out completely – I suspect by the shuttle cart drivers 3) In several places I noticed taped electrical connections lying open to the elements

Valentin Perla Blanca: Perfect vacation!

Everything about this vacation was perfect! Air transat is a fantastic group to deal with. Bus ride to the hotel was longer but very entertaining with lots of beer to be had. Resort was beautiful, clean, and large. All staff and service were beyond expectations. Would return here in a heartbeat!

Dhawa Cayo Santa Maria: Decent Resort - some key items to consider

May 20-27, 2017 Room: 815 (building 8, ground floor) 2 Adult Travelers, not new to Cuba or to Cayo Santa Maria, new to this hotel. Overall, I’d rate this resort a 6 or 7/10 – Your mileage may vary. There is extremely limited additional content beyond the core resort function – you may get bored here around day 4. I myself would not return to Dhawa, but it’s not for disappointment in this resort, it’s because I have a better Resort that is familiar to me, has far more extras, shoppi [... read more]ng and activities, better selection of food, better beach, more mature staff with longer service experience and is competitive in price, even a touch lower. Resort: - Only 11 buildings – spaced relatively close so not a ton of walking - Grounds/flora was very well kept and clean – interesting and beautiful assortment - Wheelchair accessibility virtually everywhere – do ask for an accessible building though as some have stairs even into the ground floor level - Buildings 5/6 close to Lobby, 8/9 close to beach – everything else is “in between” though not far at all. - Wake up calls came ~30 minutes late pretty consistently – (Cuban time? ) - Wireless in the lobby was difficult to connect to at times, but plenty fast enough when you finally did get connected. They have a DHCP server timeout issue to resolve and this issue will disappear. Unlike other resorts we have been to, you do not need to log out of the webpage to stop the internet access timer for your card. Disabling the wireless connection stops the timer here. This may have changed for all of Cuba (unsure) - Wireless does NOT function in the rooms at all – might have something to do with the wireless units having been removed from the buildings (I saw just the cables hanging) - Seat cushions were thin and not very comfy on all but the larger couches in the lobby - Mosquitos were bad. The resort did fog the common areas with the Permithrin based fog several times a day, but everyone was still bitten fairly regularly. Our trip was at the start of the summer there though, so increased mosquito activity is to be expected. - FLIES! There was an abundance of pesky flies in the lobby and in the buffet restaurant. They do not have the ultraviolet bug zappers like they do in the other resorts we have been to, so we were constantly harassed. - Security cameras very conspicuous. Feels a bit big brother-esque - All spaces incredibly clean – the cleaning staff was doing a great job. - Staff is predominately young and new to resort service. Communication was sometimes difficult as my Spanish is as poor as their English but we managed – I don’t see this as a failing of the resort or the staff – just something that will organically improve over time (for us both!). French was REALLY lacking – but there again, given time I’m sure this gap will close. - When attempting to speak Spanish, would often get English responses which created a unique opportunity for us both to develop better skills. - Drinks were inconsistent – some days the Pina Colada was amazing, others is was sad and ungarnished – Gin and Tonic sometimes came with a slice of cucumber (which was awesome!), sometimes not. Some Mojitos were great, others didn’t bother crushing the mint or adding lime.. Perhaps just a training issue? - Coffee was always great - Music. We didn’t expect what we heard and in a lot of ways this was disappointing. I LIKE Cuban music and would have liked to stick to that for our stay. Despite this: o The 24H snack bar by the pool played a lot of American music. (Alanis Morissette, ect), any Cuban music was by Pitbull o Lobby often featured familiar American classic rock tunes, some of which were either instrumental covers (we heard “Nothing Else Matters” by Metallica played on a banjo?) or covers with the lyrics changed to Spanish and performed by artists who sounded a lot like the original. In the evenings we had some live lobby entertainment with Spanish singers singing some English classics, or Spanish songs, or playing guitar or piano. o Beach played classic Caribbean music, mostly instrumental - Lobby bar service was not great. When they did interact it was pleasant and positive, however we were often forgotten about, walked past without being asked if we needed anything or the area we sat (main lobby within view of the bar staff) didn’t get a visit at all. We found that 90%+/- of the time we had to walk to the bar to get drinks ourselves. Beach: - Overall, the beach is pretty good depending on what you are looking for (if you are looking for miles of powder white sand in perfect condition with nothing but crystal clear waters, look elsewhere) - Long beach – approximately 1km end to end, 80 feet wide - Most of the beach at the tree line is shaded end to end with palm huts that provide excellent shade with the exception of the far end that will undoubtedly be built out when the next portion of the resort (the VIP resort) is completed - Beach volleyball net installed and in good shape - Lots of seating - Sand is deep, but lots of debris in the sand - Water has some weed issues. The parts that are clear are nice, but around waist height in most places, the bottom is weed or rock/debris covered (which is not all bad news if you like to snorkel) - Abundance of aquatic life – despite a lack of significant underwater structures there is a lot of marine life to see while snorkeling. I myself say a few sea cucumbers, a Rock Lobster, Several groupers and other fish I couldn’t identify. - Beach service is STELLAR. Not only is the drink staff spot on, but service is pretty quick given the size of the area the gentleman has to cover. Also, they actually serve food right to your chair! Chicken salad sandwiches, fruit, ect – all of which was excellent quality. Food: - 24 hour restaurant adjacent the pool o Service was good o Flies, Flies and More Flies o Open Walls, not enclosed o Food was inconsistent – sometimes chicken nuggets where chunks of chicken, sometimes they looked like oversized cat litter wood pellets o Calamari came out looking and smelling amazing, but was so hard to chew I abandoned it. o My Partner had the Chicken club a half dozen times during our stay and loved it. o I had a seafood pizza which was spot on good. - Did not attend meals in the French or Italian a la carte Restaurants - Fuego Del Mar (Seafood Restaurant) o Had the 15CUC (each) Lobster dinner that featured a whole lobster, split lengthwise and cooked with a sauce reminiscent of a roux (white buttery creamy sauce brushed on generously). The meal was delicious though I would have asked them not to brush any of this on the lobster - Buffet restaurant o *Note* – the staff really needs to be trained how to handle food properly. The cook needs to scrape his griddle often – this is understandable as the garnishes people often ask for stick to the surface and need to be removed before cooking the next meal. At the seafood station, I witnessed the chef, innocently enough mind you, scrape the griddle with his spatula, then proceed to remove the guck by banging and scrapping the spatula in a green garbage bin at his feet, before again using the same spatula on the food he was cooking. YUCK. Additionally, there are no wash stations near the chefs for hand or equipment washing – the resort really should address this before someone gets sick. o Open 7 to 10 for breakfast, 1 to 3 for lunch, and 7 to 10 for dinner o Food selection was limited, but quality was excellent (save for the above note) o 3 “Grill” areas featuring a restaurant style griddles and a cook each to service your requests.  The first was Fish and seafood – Usually Basa, Tilapia and a third fish that rotated between a local variety, salmon and calamari, the fourth option was usually octopus. I frequented this station exclusively  Second griddle featured Beef, Pork and Chicken – my partners favorite  Third “Griddle” area was a pasta station with selections of sauces, noodles and meat/veg. neither of us went but some couples we knew did go and say it was excellent. o Bread station with DIY toasters o Fruit/Salad station with great selection including pickles and cheeses as well as cold cuts and vinaigrette dressings o They had bacon! It was sad floppy soupy bacon though – they just need to be shown how to bacon properly. o Flies..Again.. o This restaurant is enclosed and Air-conditioned, with some outside seating options Shop: - Only one shop at the resort – Open 9 am to 9 pm. - Items in stock were the quality you would normally expect - Selection was very limited – had to travel off resort for cigars worth smoking - Store Staff was very friendly Pool(s): - Lower main pool was Large enough to accommodate quite a crowd o Only shade in pool under the small pool bar overhang o Ample seating surrounding the pool, though shade “huts” were really only effective if the sun was overhead. o Pool bar service was extremely slow – often had to get out and walk around to the deck height portion to get the bar tenders attention. In her defense, she was alone tending bar for both sides. They should have had a second staff member tending the pool side. They did have a server patrolling the deck asking for drink orders. o Had a mysterious white paint-like oily-waxy goo on various body parts and clothing from around the pool bar somewhere. Still no idea where it came from, but this was reported by almost everyone in immediate vicinity of the bar on the pool side. o Pool was clean and well-kept otherwise o A basketball net was available for use IN the pool, as well as a couple moveable poolside nets - Upper circular pool was shallow and well suited to younger children with adult interaction o Two “fountains” the kids seemed to enjoy. They didn’t spray far out of the water, barely above the surface in fact but the kids seemed to like it o Towel hut was immediately beside this pool. Quick friendly attendant there from 9 to 5 to exchange towels - Lower rectangular kids pool was very shallow throughout and suited to toddlers with direct supervision. o This pool was gated to avoid escape  o Plenty of shaded seating around this pool Rooms: - Spacious enough though tipping cleaning staff netted no differences as it does in other resorts. This is not a problem for us however – just a nice to have - Very Clean/Tidy – fit and finish is nice - A/C works GREAT..best I’ve ever had in Cuba even in 40+ Degree weather with humidex - Safe didn’t work – probably just an electronics issue – didn’t bother asking for repair - Shower was a combo hand wand and overhead rainfall showerhead.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Grounds and main bldg beautiful, rooms tired

Have been to Cuba two other times that helps form basis of this review and I have an idea what to expect. The Good The grounds are beautiful and the staff work hard to keep it that way. Quite stunning actually. The main lobby is also very nice. The two beaches are some of the best you'll ever see. Ensenachos beach is better than Megano except the beach bar is better at Megano. Bar staff also walk the beach taking and delivering drink orders. Ronnie Ramos, Andy, Eduardo, Jubian and Yissel [... read more]l of the entertainment group (Star Friends) work hard and tons of fun. Rudy is great at the lobby bar. Really nice pool! The Not So Good Check-in was slow and provided very little information-fend for yourself to find your building and amenities. Our Sunquest travel rep was not in until the following day. Poor understanding of English by check-in staff. The rooms are large but tired. Would've been quite nice in the earlier years but appear neglected. We had two rooms -blow drier did not work in one and tv remote missing in other which comes in handy when bed ridden one day because of food/stomach issues. We called to deal with both twice and resort promised will be dealt with but to no avail. Maid service was inconsistent. No toilet paper refill one day and that night two of us had stomach issues. We called to get some as quickly as possible but only came with the daily maid service late morning. As its been said many times before, food is so-so but bigger turnoff is flies all over the food and bird always flying around the buffet restaurant. Overall, this not a five star even for Cuba standards, I would rate it a four. Some attention to detail in the rooms and minor updating certainly would go a long way as well as trying harder to keep flies and birds out of the buffet restaurant. A la carte restaurants are mediocre but this is more due to the fact it's Cuba and less to do with staff trying their best with what they have. I recommend this resort for a laid back and relaxing vacation and eat to not be hungry.

Royalton Cayo Santa Maria: Third time at royalton Cayo Santa maria

After being at this hotel on two previous trips in 2014 and September 2016 we returned this May and were surprised to see that the quality of food and motivation of staff was down from previous visits . Food was bland and no variety and the staff were aware of this and therefore seemed not motivated . After presenting our concerns to our butler he advised the manager Fredrerico that we were disappointed as returning quests and Fredrerico requested a meeting with us so he can find out what had ch [... read more]anged in the last 3 years so he can attend to bringing back the good reputation of previous years. We spent about an hour with him explaining what we felt as lack of detail and food presentation and just common sense items that needed to be implemented . Much to our surprise he was truly upset and horrified of the difference between the quality of previous years and present . He assured us that he would take our concerns into account and rectify what he could immediately. We did not have much hope That he would be able to turn it around in a short period of time but much to our surprise he managed to bring the quality up in food and employee morale within 2 days of our meeting . We mentioned this was like our home away from Home and wanted to return but if the experience of the first 2 days continued it would be the last and we would not recommend the resort to our friends and family. Needless to say Fredrerico is a man of honour and with his other management staff especially Lacky we feel confident that improvements will be made and the 5 star status will return.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Was great

Was very clean and the grounds where well maintained . Staff where great all very friendly . Would definitely go back. First visit to Cuba and was pleasantly surprised at how good the food was. Great value for what you pay.

Hotel Roc Casa del Mar: Not too shabby

This was our first time staying in Cayo Santa Maria. We chose the Ocean Casa Del Mar as it was one of the newer hotels and the reviews weren't too bad. First the positives: The resort itself is situated on more of the natural part of the beaches in Cayo Santa Maria and you can definitely see it. Part of the beach is narrow so if you go early morning or late evening you will get high tide. The beach is naturally beautiful and the water is crystal blue. The pools are nicely done with a few [... read more] cabanas and ample chairs. They are kept clean as well. The weather was AMAZING!!! We went in mid-May during the start of their rainy season. We lucked out and there was not one drop of rain. Additionally when we went as well the resort wasn't busy at all. Almost like we had the place to ourselves!!! Because it wasn't busy it led to great service. The restaurants weren't busy and we had no issues with waiting at the buffet, a la cartes, bars or cafes!!! I wanted to give a special shout to Alexi, Madigiel, Yoel, Yunio, and Yudesky. By far they were our best servers for food and drinks and they treated us great. Remember that these folks live on tips and once you tip, they remember you and give you great service. Our maid service was amazing. We tipped her a peso each day and we would come back to great towel art and little notes of appreciation for it. Rooms were kept clean and spotless each time we had turn down. Thanks again Yamilet!!!! The entertainment staff was great. They made the most with what they had to entertain us with. They had daily competecions which got everybody involved. They chatted us up as well and we made great friends with Yoa. Thanks again for making the stay great. The food was average as expected but not bad as many pan Cuban food at hotels. The buffet wasn't bad for food but it mostly was the same. The a la cartes are first come first serve. I would recommend going early at 6:30 when it opens for if you later it can be challenging to get in. The food at Origami was by far our favorite. It was the Asian resto and was quite yummy so much so that we went 3x during our stay. We also went to Limoncello. Was okay for Italian food. Didn't get a chance to see the Mediterranean or Creole resto. Didn't know where to find it actually. Found it one day while walking the whole resort. As for drinks....YAH!!! They don't slouch. Cuba Libres were my go too and they were hella good and strong!!! If you wantes coffee or an aperatif, Mike's Coffee was our go to. Great cappucinos and espessos!!! Now to the negatives: The buffet advertised different theme nights.....however the food was the same night in and night out. If you advertising Asiatic or Italian or BBQ then give us that type of food but don't have the same food each dinner. I would also put the Creole and Med restos to where the Playa Ranchon resto is located. It was never used and only relegated to Privelege guests for romantic dinners. I would have everything centralized in one spot rather than keeping it hidden. The resort also has no elevators. All the building are three storeys and with stairs. You basically have to get a bellboy to bring your luggage up to the room. Speaking of the bellboys and others who were driving the carts around, I would recommend to slow a bit down. They fly around the resort in them, and if they don't happen to pay attention, it could cause an accident!!! Finally we did have some tech issues with our room. First night we got there the power went out in our room because of a sensor on the balcony door. That followed by the room to our door not locking. However we got our maintenance guy to come and fix it and he fixed it swiftly. We also had an issue with the safe and not being able to open it. Once we notified guest services though we got it taken care of. The flight was with Westjet and it was great as usual. Transfer from the airport was safely done by Transgaviota. Sunquest vacays did a great job with the package and word to the wise: Take the VIP lounge at the airport. It is worth it!!! Would we go back again. Absolutely!!! Definitely there is room to improve but I am sure they will learn gradually from our reviews!!!!

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Nice place to stay

Landscaping and beaches we're amazing. Internet connection was miserable. Food was fair. Room was nice. Sheets must be changed every day.Overall. was really nice. Swimming pools we're really good. Restaurant services were fair.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: AMAZING !!!

An amazing vacation!!! Very lucky to have sunshine and good weather during our stay. The food the beach were great! The bus ride from Santa Clara is about 90 minutes but interesting. Overall, this was a very relaxing vacation with good service, good food and, amazing beaches. Iberostar Ensenachos is a peaceful and quiet resort that will provide relaxation and comfort.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Great place to go!

I went in multiple resort in Cuba, this one is my favourite. No complication, great services, great employees working there, awesome beach, everything is closed (don't need to walk too long to get where you want to go), food was ok, lobsters amazing (we ate 6 lobsters), some food at the buffet was really really good. But what we brought back: perfect vacation. Thank you Playa Cayo Santa Maria!

Grand Memories Santa Maria: First Time in Cuba

It was a very fast check in. We were greeted with drinks. The bell boy brought our bags upstairs for us. We were on the 3rd floor and had a nice view of the resort. Walking up and down three flights of stairs at least twice a day provided lots of exercise, but for the older crowd I would recommend staying on the ground floor. The rooms were very clean. Our maid was a sweet heart. But there were some days that our new towels had stains, so we could not use the bath towel. They also brought b [... read more]ottled water on a daily basis to our rooms and restocked the fridge. Overall the resort staff were extremely friendly and provided great service. Most employees always had a smile on their face and would say hello when you pass by. The resort was well maintained. Every day the gardeners were out cutting the plants and trimming the trees. The pool was clean too. They had a sign with the PH of the water. There was an adult pool and a kids pool. There were places to rinse off your feet and shower through out the resort. You can exchange your beach towels btw 9:00am-5:00pm. It would be nice if you could exchange the towel after 5pm in case you wanted to do an evening swim. You would have to wait until 9:00 next morning to get a clean beach towel. We went to our sunwing intro session. The lasy was very informative. What I loved about her is that she did not try to upsell any extra excusions or extra trips. She just gave us gthe basics and everyhting we needed to knwo to have a great stay! The beach was gorgeous. Clear water, white sands, no litter, a few fish (but very early in the morning). The beach guy was always ready to get you a lawn chair and dust it off for you. There was also a sailing boat that brought people out into the ocean for a boat ride.They played nice music on the beach and drinks were available at the bar. The buffet food was not good. Very repetitive, and very few options to select from. The good thing though, there were a few prep stations where the chefs would cook raw meat on the spot for you. You could select your seasoning and you would also know what ingredients are in the food. The waiters and chefs were very friendly. There was an incident where a waiter broke a glass and the pieces of glass were on the floor. The staff did not sweep up the pieces of glass on the floor. It was somewhat hazardous, esp if a child walked by. There was a telephone room to make international calls. The prices were reasonable. There were diff phone booths so that multiple people can make phone calls at the same time. The theater shows were very entertaining. There was a ballet troupe that performed extremely well (felt like a live ballet segment). Cuban night was also lots of fun, great song selections and upbeat performances. It was also nice to see that the dancers would pick participants from the audience to join the performances on diff nights. There was a retro party one evening in the market. They played lots of classics from the 60s and 70s,which was cool, and some songs from the 90s. We practically danced the night away, and there were people from all ages just grooving together. The market is a far walk form the grand memories side, but its worth the stroll. The market has a bowling alley, an ice cream parlor, and lots of nice shops. There is also a tower that you can climb which will give you a 360 view of all three resorts in the area and the ocean. The hotel also offers rides around the resort to help people move from one end to the next. Everything runs on cuban time, which takes a while to get used to. If a restaurant sign states it opens at 1pm, most likely the doors will open btw 1:30/1:45pm. If the beach towel hut states it opens at 9am, you won't be able to get a new towel until 9:30/9:45am. The pace is a lot slower, which is a diff change if you are someone from a fast paced city. Overall I had a great time. Shout out to Danys, Pedro, Soleil, and Aryanis for great service!

Memories Paraiso: Good resort

some room is not 4stars.i was for first night In room with problems.sunwings representative and hotels receptions,changed this room with more better,that I liked Beach is beautiful. Garden is nice. People is friendly. Food was a good and possibility to choose what people prefer.profesonal dancers and acrobats every evining makes interesting show.l was on interesting excursion.bus was comfortable.excursovod made interesting and perfect job in clean English. If flys on times,and all room [... read more]s are good,tourists will be happy .

Dhawa Cayo Santa Maria: Fabulous new resort!

We were looking for a quiet relaxing vacation and this resort was perfect for that. Lizbet at reception was so wonderful, started our vacation off on the right foot. Check in was quick and Lizbet made us feel so welcome. The property is stunning, for a new resort to have so many beautiful plants, flowers and trees was impressive. I thought the food was very good. We understood it was slow season and probably not as much selection as high season but everything was fresh and delicious. We really e [... read more]njoyed the gourmet restaurant, our server Elizabeth was the best! Although the beach is not that big we thoroughly enjoyed it. The water was crystal clear. While in the water you could see different fish swimming around and crabs on the bottom. Very cool. Beach service was incredible. Sorry I don't remember this young mans name but everyday he remembered what we liked and just kept serving us. The people are wonderful, remember to tip them well. They work very hard making sure your time there is enjoyable. Building 9 ocean view was perfect. I also had a wonderful massage overlooking the water. Specialty coffees are amazing. Look forward to going back. Thank you all!

Memories Paraiso: Amazing Beach and Friendly Staff

This was our second year in a row to this resort. We knew what to expect, that it is an older resort that needs some updates, but the grounds are beautiful, the rooms had everything we needed and were very clean. There was always hot water and extra towels, and cold drinks in our fridge. This resort, is good value for money. We traveled as a group of 7 (2 adults and 5 young adults ranging from 16 - 22yrs) and we all had a good time and found things to do. The buffets had a good selection to [... read more] choose from and there was always something for everyone to eat. We did bring our own volleyball, football, frisbee and this did help out being in the pool and on the beach. The staff are very friendly and do a lot to make you feel welcome and get you anything that you need. Kind words and appreciation go a long way. Kids did a jet boat excursion and really enjoyed it. We love the beach and spend most of our time there, so we would plan on going back to this resort. The only downside is the almost 2 hr bus ride from the airport to the resort, but the tour guides make it fun and interesting.

Dhawa Cayo Santa Maria: Relaxing Enjoyable Vacation

My boyfriend and I (20 years old) traveled to Dhawa from May 13-20th. Rooms: The rooms were new, very clean and spacious including a large rain shower. The rooms were cleaned everyday, with new towels and mini fridge refill. The house keeping staff were very accommodating. No issues with door locks or AC. Food: Not expecting great food, we were really impressed. The buffet was not very big, only 8 trays of food under a heater and 3 stations where the food was cooked to order on the grill. [... read more] Breakfast was omelettes and crepes or pancakes. Lunch was Pasta, Fish and Meat. Dinner was the same as lunch. There was also a salad, fruit (mango are amazing) and dessert table. For the Al La Cartes we were told before we could only book 3 but on arrival they let us book 6 for no extra charge. The appetizers were nothing special, and some of the dinner meals were not so great. The seafood and Italian had amazing salmon, Italian had very good pesto pasta. Not impressed with the lobster pasta at the seafood or tomato sauce pasta at Italian. Drinks: Bring your own cups because their plastic cups are small! The drinks were nothing special. There was a large drink menu at the lobby bar but the only slushy drinks were lemonade or strawberry. So most drinks were just made with ice and not blended... Our favourite drink was mimosa's, the wine was surprisingly very good. Would recommend them offering a sangria. Beach: I have been to other resorts in Cayo Santa Maria and I have to say the beach at Dhawa was not as nice. The sand had a lot of sticks and roots. The first 15 feet into the water were beautiful but beyond that was all seaweed. The service at the beach was great, snacks, drinks and fruit served right to your seat. The best part of the beach was the palapas, there was always lots available. No need to wake up early to reserve. Excursions: We did the speedboat tour with included snorkeling! It costed 40 CUC and was well worth it. The tour started out snorkeling at a coral reef where there were tones of colourful fish and ended with driving your own speed boat following a tour guide to a sunken ship. Overall: The resort could be amazing with a couple minor changed. Very pleased with the service, cleanliness, and food! Great Value!

Sol Cayo Santa Maria: Great week!

Enjoyed our stay at the Sol. Great service, good food, great beach. The rooms and grounds need to be renovated and upgraded. Areas around the pools where cement is broken and makes it dangerous to walk. Lots of light fixtures broken around the complex, hard to see at night but overall a great week and good value for the price.

Sol Cayo Santa Maria: Good Value!

Oldest hotel in Cayo Santa Maria.The infrastructures all need some updating and some TLC. Beach is great, lots of chairs, lots of palapas for shade. Great service all around, great staff. Awesome week.

Melia Cayo Santa Maria: Great staff

love the resort been four times, great staff, entertainment, can't wait to return , beautiful grounds, hardworking people, great beach and pool, getting little dated but can't help retuning, love it, would go back tomorrow

Valentin Perla Blanca: Great Value

The hotel was only half open when we went - only one of the two pool areas were open, 3 of the 5 a la carts, one of the two buffets. This did not impact our trip in the least. The resort was not crowded, and we had everything we needed. I do wonder what the resort would be like at full capacity. Food surpassed our expectations - always something good to eat and enough variety for a week. The coffee in the lobby was sooo good. Pool and beach areas were great, we were always able to find  [... read more]some shade. As other people have said, the beds are really hard. The beds outside by the pools are much more comfortable! It didn't prevent us from sleeping well though. Tip: We were able to walk to the small market by walking along the beach to the left. Although you can't see it (there's a bend), it was a surprisingly quick walk (15 mins maybe) and well worth it. We also took the bus to the bigger market twice. Just remember the buses aren't on a schedule. So bring your book and a drink, and relax in the lobby while waiting.

Grand Memories Santa Maria: Amazing Staff and Resort

This is our third time at this beautiful resort and will be going back again next year. When we arrived at the hotel, we were greeted like family by all the staff that remember us, it felt like home from the beginning to the end. The beach is spectacular as always and our friends at the beach made us very comfortable. The food is much better at the Grand than at Paraiso. Also Mangoes were in season so it was a major bonus. We loved every minute of our time there and cannot wait for next year.