Hotel Roc Casa del Mar: Good start

Beautiful resort, but still needs alot of work on the details. The rooms were clean, but included a total of 3 small drawers for clothing. Our room also did not have a shower, only a shower handle on the tub, with no curtain. Available wifi at this resort should be considered a false statement, i was not able to connect at all during our stay. The food was below averaged for Cuba. The beach has about 8 feet of beautiful sand between a rock face, and the ocean. On a plus, the pools were very n [... read more]ice, and there were always ample places to sit.

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: Great place to stay

We stayed at Hotel Cayo Santa Maria Feb 14-21 and had a fantastic stay. The beach is one of the best we have experienced and we have been travelling in the Caribbean for 30 years. We stayed in building 15 and it was great, there was a small path directly to the beach and nautical building. The food was good for Cuba and you could always find something to eat. The only downside was that there were no fresh beach towels so we used the same one for a full week. The Cuban people are so very fri [... read more]endly and genuine and they make you feel very comfortable on your stay in their country.

Melia Cayo Santa Maria: Just what we needed!

We enjoyed the homey atmosphere of this smaller resort - walking through the well kept gardens, friendly service, the late afternoon live entertainment, quiet morning coffee outside the lobby bar. true R&R. Some problems, but hey, this is Cuba - just relax.

Melia Las Dunas: Resort with Potential!

The resort has a lot of potential, but has some areas it really could address. The best assets is by for the staff behind the bars and in restaurants. We were greatly disappointed by the main dining room. The room itself lacked any character, It was very sterile and unbecoming of the rest of the resort. The main dining room often ran out of food items, glasses, bowls and so on. In a resort that boasts high standards and quality, this was a huge miss. Not to mention for an international buff [... read more]et, the selection and diversity was non-existent. The number of restaurants on site was a major advantage for the short-falling we experienced in the main dining room. The resort is very large, if traveling with small children, you may want to re-consider. There are people movers on the resort but they are infrequent and unpredictable.... not to mention the drivers often rushed past people instead of checking to see if guests may wish to hop on. The staff at the main counter was much like most resorts, not the most friendly. The bar tenders and waiters were by for the most hard working people at this resort. I know for our family they are who made this a truly great holiday. The beach was stunning and for us, traveling in Cuba we knew food would probably be of lesser quality then other countries we have traveled, but this beach compared to others in the Caribbean was first class.There were always loungers available, both in sun and covered, there were bars located very close to the beach entrances as well as waiters who would walk the beach seeking drink orders. Just past the beech ajacent tot he beer gardens (24hour sport bar) there was an amazing grill and outdoor restaurant that we frequented most days for lunch. This facility was never busy but by far has the greatest potential for the resort. Amazing staff and cooks! All in all we would probably not return any time soon if at all. But we know many people who have loved this resort and I think if you have only traveled to Cuba... you are probbaly going to LOVE this spot!

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: Great trip!

We had a great time on this trip, hotel staff were great, rooms were very nice, clean and well kept. The beach is absolutely stunning! There is no club on the resort but there are lots of trips to the city where you can party! I would definitely love to go back!

Valentin Perla Blanca: Great vacation

We just came home from a 7 days vacation at Valentin Perla Blanca, Cayo Santa Maria Cuba. We enjoyed it very much. The room was quiet, nicely furnished, with a great view, the staff polite and nice, the food ok, and the beach fantastic!

Hotel Roc Casa del Mar: Nice resort but absoutely not a 5-star as advertised.

The hotel building is nice and new , the pool is beautiful , but the beach is too far from the building and the beach is too small and there is no walkway to the beach. The room was nice, but the floors were not properly cleaned.There was no hot water for 2 days and water was pooling in the water (water was sloping towards the room instead of towards the drain). The food was also limited in choices and was not kept warm, even when we showed up early for each meal. Just be aware that this is [... read more] a long ride from the airport, so just be prepared and will be a LOT longer during rush hour traffic.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Our room was dirty others where ok

Very disguted with our room, sheets were stained and bathroom wall were very dirty, don't want to know what was on it, but rooms were spacious, it must have been beautiful at one time... friends had no problems in their rooms... hubby and i won't be returning for sure

Melia Cayo Santa Maria: Melia Cayo santa Maria / 2 stars

The grounds were fine . Beach was amazing. Rooms clean but dated. Staff were friendly for the most part however there are many areas requiring attention: insufficient hot water. , water pressure , Lack of fresh beach towels , procedure for booking al a carte dinners , variety at buffet unless present when it first opens. We both came down with an intestinal bug from this resort . They would be better off not offering wifi at all rather than promoting a service that works so poorly . This r [... read more]esort is in an impoverished area ; not having access to an abundance of supplies or services, however they are also competing for the same tourism dollars with other resorts all over the world so they must look for ways to improve on the product that they deliver ..

Roc Lagunas del Mar: Inconsistent, yet relaxing

Good beach, great staff and good facilities. Bed sheets were not washed throughout the stay and there appeared to be a white liquid residue on the comforter from the previous "couple". The staff were fantastic and the food was better than expected.

Memories Paraiso: Memories Resort - Great Vacation

Who: Wedding Coordinator – fantastic. Was able to provide us with what was included in the honeymoon upgrade. There was a problem in communication in getting these things done as initially planned, she was quick to resolve the problem by rescheduling events that were miscommunicated and added an extra a la carte as an apology. Lobby Staff – generally uninterested, not overly friendly Telephone Room – almost felt as though we were a burden Bar staff (lobby and pool) – very a [... read more]ccommodating, friendly – even helped with Spanish lesson Buffet staff/A la Carte staff – wait staff was very attentive Maid – our room was kept clean and we hardly saw our maid. Her hours varied – sometimes our room wasn’t cleaned until the afternoon and one day she was trying to get in around 8am. One one occasion, we came back, the pillows weren’t on the bed and the pillow cases were on the bench – it seems she may have been called away but never came back to finish making the bed. Fridge replenishment for the room – there were two days that we didn’t get water delivered to the room What: Bathrooms – in public areas very dark - At the pool; mens was locked and ladies was filthy Lobby – needed a clock Cash exchange – hours were posted but lunch wasn’t posted – they closed for 30 minutes in the afternoon and you couldn’t plan not to be there because the lunch time wasn’t posted Schedule of events – this was on the customer service desk in an acrylic holder – one side said “Customer Service”, the other had the schedule and was facing the Customer Service Rep. We didn’t realize there were so any events until our fourth day there. It would have been helpful if they handed this out with room key and map Nightly Entertainment – the schedule indicated this started at 21:30 but seemed to start around 21:00. Entertainment was enjoyable. Food – good variety, fresh. Beach Services hut (kayaks, paddle boats, etc.) – the sign indicated it opened at 9:30 but didn’t seem to open until after 10am. We took out a kayak and we were told all the life jackets were broken – the clips were gone and we had to tie the front together – if I were taking a child with me, I wouldn’t have bothered.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Overall summary- "Not at all compelled to return a second time.”

Here's a brief overview Trip from the airport to the resort - takes about 1:45 however the beer is cold, our on bus rep/guide was very knowledgeable and did a good job. Interesting scenery along the way. Trip was fine Check In - Very friendly and accomodating. Good job Rooms - Clean but tired. (Marks on the wall, drawers broken but usable, sliding door to the balcony was off centre but would close after a few hard slams) - Bathrooms have lots of hot/cold water - Air Conditioner wor [... read more]ked very well however very noisy - Bar fridge worked well but older and quite noisy - Bed was just ok, it as well was tired. My side was slightly broken but ok to sleep on - Cleaning staff did a very good job Pool Pool itself was very nice. Staff kept it clean Pool equipment- Chaise lounges are almost all 2 years past needing to be replaced. Many are worn out and very uncomfortable Cleaning of the area was just ok. Some tiles broken off Staff With only a couple of exceptions, found staff to be very friendly and helpful. Language was never an issue Beach Loved the beach Again, chaise lounges were older and should be replaced Food Food Quality I get frustrated as I keep hearing/reading comments regarding "It's Cuba so don't go for the food!" Any time that I've paid $$ for any service or product, I expect satisfaction. Having said that, I truly don't go on vacation in search of any kind of gastronomical wow factor. I've been to approx 8-10 resorts and I would rate the food at this resort (buffet and A la Carte) to be the poorest of all the resorts that we've gone to Service at the buffet Disorganized Given the lesser quality and appearance of the food at the buffet, there was a large percentage of the guests who relied on the 3 (sometimes 4) made on the spot choices- Pizza, Fried Rice and Pasta (sometime grill as well) This resulted in line ups that took 15-30 minutes to get through to get your order placed. Unacceptable and the resort could easily fix this by adding an additional body to assist at each station and or adding an additional counter top stove (there was 1 cook using 2 burner stove to make the pasta. Last time we went through it took 30 minutes) Grounds around the resort Pros and Cons The plants, bushes, trees, etc are very nice and well maintained. The gardiners were all very friendly and took the time to always say Ola amigos. Signage, outside of the buildings, fountains around/in the pools. Tired. In need of a refresh, upgrade, paint https://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowUserReviews-g670039-d2477611-r462762235-Hotel_Playa_Cayo_Santa_Maria-Cayo_Santa_Maria_Villa_Clara_Province_Cuba.html#

Memories Paraiso: Memories Paraiso is not for everyone

I will preface this review by stating that I am a big fan of cruising, but hubby thought maybe we should try something different. However, I was open to the idea of a resort, and knew full well that resort food would not be comparable to cruising food. So from my POV, here is the good, the bad and the ugly of Memories Paraiso. No one can deny the beauty of the beach in Cayo Santa Maria (CSM), and the grounds of Memories Paraiso are well taken care of with gardeners hard at work every day. A pe [... read more]rsonal favourite spot to relax in was a patio off of the lobby bar that is surrounded in flora, and provides some much needed shade. Our maid, Yaimaria, did an excellent job, and was attentive to our needs. The bellhops are a great bunch of guys who are always happy to serve, as are the lobby/patio wait staff. The physical structures at Memories Paraiso are in need of someone handy before they fall into full disrepair. This is especially true of one of the boardwalks to the beach which is about a year away from becoming rickety. The boardwalk closest to Grand Memories, which also goes past the wedding pergola, is in much, much better shape. For your own safety, I would recommend folks use that one. The check in staff and guest services were frankly incompetent, as were some bar staff and buffet wait staff. It appeared to me that for some of these folks the language skills were not what they should be for dealing with a mostly English speaking clientele. However, instead of saying that they did not understand (although I could see it on their faces) they just said no, even if it did not fit the question. (Eg. is "x" to the left or the right?) When we arrived and got off the bus, we ended up at the end of the line to check in. When we were finally checked in, it was 3:50 pm, but told that we could not have our room cards, come back at 4:00pm. That does not make sense at all. It is neither respectful to us (i.e. we cannot be trusted with the card for an extra 10 minutes), and it is not proficient for the check in staff who then had the whole bus line up again 10 minutes later. When we did get to our room it was nice enough, although we were visited by cockroaches a couple of times. Three times we called guest services for assistance, each time they said that they would send someone, but no one ever arrived. First time was for more toilet paper at 4:00 am (many people that we spoke to had diarrhea), second time because we needed new batteries for our tv remote, and third time for a bellhop to help with our luggage. The toilet paper we had to get from the maid when she arrived later that morning, we went without the remote, and eventually made our own way with the luggage (my hubby has MD and we were travelling with our grandchild, so a bit more complicated than it sounds). The worst part of our time there was indeed the buffet, which our grandchild started pleading with us not to go to on the fifth day. Bland is okay, I can do bland. But to see survival instincts come to the surface in the guests because there was never enough of the food that folks really wanted, well that's just ugly. From where we sat one morning, I watched as the bread for the toaster was depleted and not refilled. When it was gone people tried to cut loaves to fit the toaster, when that was gone, they tried to cut buns to fit the toaster, until that was gone too. Finally a guest asked a guy with a tie (maybe a supervisor?) who was standing beside the toaster the whole time where the bread was. He then had the bread refilled and it was like a feeding frenzy! And this is bread...at a 4 star hotel! Similar scenes with fries and pancakes. Cheap food, no excuse for not providing enough. Finally, we had items stolen off of our balcony (pool shoes, a hat and lighter) and our room was not ground level but first floor. When my hubby spoke to a guest services clerk he was rudely told that he should be so stupid to leave items on the balcony. Guess there is crime on resorts. Keeping in mind that a 4 star usually means something along the line of a Westin or Marriott property, I did not see the same calibre here. If I could give it 2.5 stars that would be about right, which in Canada is often a motel. All in all, if you want to go CSM and play on the beach all day, every day, then this is a great spot. If you would like to do something in the shade or inside and/or being pampered a wee bit is what you are looking for, then keep looking. Think we will go back to cruising in the future!

Melia Cayo Santa Maria: Wouldn't go back

Grounds and beach were beautiful. Understaffed so many of the servers are not friendly. It's clear to see that management is bleeding the property. Ceilings falling down, furniture and fixtures breaking. Toilet seats in public washrooms are scarce. Had to use a flashlight while reading in bed because lamps were shorting out. No water two evenings and no hot water most of the time. Buffet ran out of plates constantly. We could go on and on. We never complain but for the price we paid, it was  [... read more]a really unfortunate holiday.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Relaxing Stay & Friendly Staff

The resort is expansive and beautifully situated. The beaches are beautiful, with fine white sand & crystal clear water. We were treated wonderfully by the staff, who are among the friendliest people we've ever encountered. Excellent service from the buffet staff, Adults-Only area staff & beach waiters. Always greeted by workers /gardeners throughout the resort. Entertainers encouraged involvement from beach volleyball games to evening magic & dancing in the main lobby. Our expectations of [... read more] the food weren't too high, but the a la carte Cuban & seafood restaurants were quite good, as was the option of the omelette bar at breakfast. There are many choices at the buffet restaurants, but often bland & room temperature. We stayed in the Adults Only/Spa area. Our room was large, with a balcony, but it was pretty tired. It could use some improvements. Housekeeping was fine, but not as stringent as we're used to in a 5-star in North American hotels. Regardless, the fantastic staff & beauty of the beaches will draw us back to this resort!

Roc Lagunas del Mar: great resort

the rooms were beautiful, the maid service was great always there when u needed anything. the food was ok u can always find something to eat, the al la cartes were good the beef was tough but stick to the chicken and pork they were great. every morning fresh crepes donuts, eggs etc. just be early to get food. the beach was the nicest ive seen but take the trail on the right by bungelow 14. grounds were always being kept up. over all great resort..... only complaint the men washrooms where al [... read more]ways broken,tolit seats missing etc.bus ride was long .

Hotel Roc Casa del Mar: Amazing holidays

Hotel is very nice, modern, very clean. Grounds are nice and clean, gardners working very hard to maintain developing vegetation. In a few years landscaping will be in full bloom since this hotel is very new. Service is very good, people try very hard to please. Rooms specious and very clean, very modern. Our housekeeper outstanding. Beach is beautiful, enjoyed the fact that the water is not too deep, simply beautiful. Enjoyed swimming as well as walking on the beach. Swimming po [... read more]ols super, enjoyed drinks at the swim up bar. Food was good and selection good for Cuba.

Memories Paraiso: Memories Forever

We would firstly like to thank our travel agent Jennifer Collard for fulfilling our expectations for a second year in a row, great job and see you in a few months ! Our trip to Memories Paraiso Santa Maria was just amazing, from Yasmani our Diamond Club rep to Yosleidy our maid during our 11 day stay, quite wonderful people. We stayed in room 3361 and had a very nice and peaceful view of the ocean and vegetation. Our bungalow was nicely situated close to the theatre, outside grill and pool. [... read more] Few hundred meters to the market area, main lobby, Buffet, a la carte restaurants Bars, and the second pool area. We had a great time with Raquel the barmaid and other bartenders at the pool bars. One of the most spectacular events being the beaches absolutely stunningly turquoise with the most powdery sand ever, the beach staff were truly amazing they aim to please.

Valentin Perla Blanca: Terrible resort

Very dissapointed at this resort! We arrived on Valentine's Day. It took 2 hours to check in. We had no drinking water for 3 days. Called room service 7 times to bring us a water bottle. Huge line up at the buffet every day. No beach towels. Every time we would go to exchange them they were always close

Valentin Perla Blanca Paraiso: Beautiful Resort!

The resort is beautiful with all the natural surroundings. This is my third time in Cuba and I have to admit this resort has the best food I've had in Cuba. All the staff were friendly and always smiling and very attentive. The lounge chairs were usually taken if you went after lunch and beach towels exchange was almost non existent.