Not 5 ?

Holes in bedsheets, stains on all towels and bedsheets... When asked to replace, I was given fresh ones with the same problem. Definitely a mood killer. Grounds kept clean. Food is below mediocre. Main reason to go is the beach and ocean.stilk had a good time unwinding..

Good Resort

The hotel was a bit of a disappointment. We arrived at approximately 1:30 pm after a nearly 2 hour bus ride from Santa Clara Airport, and was told that our room would not be available until 4:00 pm. Once we finally got access to our room we found that there were no hand towels or facecloths but only large bath towels. There was no drain stopper in the bathroom sink or in the bathtub. There was no clock in the room, and the hot water was not functioning. One day the main water pipe broke [... read more], and there was no water. As a result we couldn't flush the toilet or get water to wash etc. Fortunately this dilemma only lasted 1 day. The main concern was the lack of toilet rolls and paper towels in all the washrooms. A situation that should never happen in hotels. These are basic necessities to clean living. Dining was another problem. On our first full day we visited the buffet for breakfast and fortunately was able to get eggs. That was the only time in our 10 day stay that eggs were available. Bacon seemed to be rationed in that it was not available every day. Cold cereal was available, however there was a lack of spoons, which necessitated us to seek them out from from the waiters and waitresses. We visited the Italian restaurant twice, and on both occasions the food was presented cold. At the main bar and at poolside bars, certain types of alcohol and soft drinks were sometimes not available - very inconsistent. The grounds were nicely kept, and the workers were very friendly

Paradise

The grounds were immaculate. The staff members pleasant and easy to talk to. Our room was just as you would want it to be, clean, equipped, The food was better than expected. The pools awesome and the beach better than awesome. The buildings could use a coat of paint, that is the only thing they could do to improve the place. We'd go back in a heart beat.

I met the best people and the resort was amazing ♥️

Definitely had the best needed solo vacation. I met the most incredible group of people that we shared a week of fun in the sun and it was just such fun! I was in the diamond club which isn’t needed as the food shortage and time I went, was slower. Be kind tip everyone and remember they are not in control of the shortages. Lots to eat and drink! Great beach music and best of all. It’s all included… remember that. Have fun meet new people. Definitely try the fresh made ? donuts! Worth the fe [... read more]w min line. Best vacation

SANCTUARY!!

Food was so bad, we got sick while there. Even though we had done the DUKORAL treatment beforehand, we still got very sick. Mornings only ate fresh eggs made on the grill. French toast was OK DON'T EAT THE OMLETTES, THEY ARE MIXED WITH SOMETHING THAT WILL MAKE YOU SICK. Also, be careful at the lunch grills by the pool and beach. Some made us sick. It is best to go to the buffet for lunch because you can choose what to eat. Suppers we had in the SELECTION restaurant were good, and [... read more] if they weren't they replaced them with something. We stayed with the freshly grilled meat and fish as we knew it was real. WHITE RICE is always a safe bet. I stuck mostly with ice cream and fresh fruit for desserts. We were lucky as our room was great. Our butlers RUDY and JAVIER were wonderful! They met our every need and were always honest with us. We went to the GRAND MEMORIES a couple of times, (mainly for the PIZZERIA, which again is something fresh), but stayed mostly at the SANCTUARY because the pool, rooms, buffet, main hall and beach are all so close. One big complaint we have is in each buffet, they have these carts that carry all the dishes and utensils and as they roll them on the floor, they make SO MUCH NOISE, YOU CAN'T EVEN HEAR YOURSELF BREATH!! It is impossible to just sit and take in the view with so much NOISE IN THE BACKGROUND!! This is easily fixed by changing the wheels to those DAM CARTS!! All in All, I think we are done with Cuba, unless something changes drastically with the food. We have always loved Cuba and we are sad that it has come to this.

Amazing beach and people

Diamond, some issues on our room door card to enter all time, bed mattress uncomfortable, food not good. Drinks service good. Customer Service excellent, good landscape. The hotel needs improvement to keep happy visitor for next trip.

Relaxing Winter Getaway

We went on this trip as a couple and enjoyed a wonderful two weeks at Grand Memories! First things first, the beach was beautiful, one of the loveliest beaches I have been to. There were a few windy or rainy days during our stay, but the experience was lovely regardless. Most of the time was warm weather and sunshine, without being too scorching hot. The water was quite clear and no need for water shoes or crocs since the sand was free of any rocks. Great sand, beautiful water for swimming, and  [... read more]wonderful views. Although neither was on the water directly, the sunrise and sunset were beautiful to see... specifically the one time we managed to wake up in time to see the sunrise haha. The staff on the beach was always very friendly -- including the bartenders, snack bar staff, lifeguards etc. Same with the rest of the resort, all of the bartenders, servers, chefs, customer service and front desk workers were all wonderful. While we typically preferred to go to the beach, the pool was nice as well. The pool at Grand Memories was typically busier, so we would go to the pools in the Memories section which was larger and less busy. Our room was spacious and clean and had a king-size bed, seating area, bathroom, mini fridge, closet with hangers, a handful of mirrors and a safe. All that you could need for your stay. Our beach towels were on our bed ready for us when we arrived. Our cleaning lady was very sweet and made sure our room had fresh towels, sheets and toilet paper each day as needed. She often left pretty swans or other designs on our bed with the towels or blankets. The bottled water in the mini-fridge was replenished each day. For the most part, our room was great. We had a couple of problems with the lock on our door and dripping water from the air conditioning, but the front desk and mechanics tended to the issues promptly. I found the buffet to be good. I know some people complain about the food in Cuba, but I thought it was good. I'm not a picky eater, but I did bring some hot sauce for us to use sometimes. The fresh fruit was the best. There was lots of juicy pineapple and papaya that you'll never have as fresh and tasting as good when you are back at home. The a la carte restaurants were alright. With two a la carte reservations allowed per week, we went to the Mediterranean, "Chinese", and the Italian twice throughout our stay. My only tip is don't expect Chinese food for the Chinese a la carte because it's not Chinese at all LOL. The bad thing about the a la carte reservations was that you had to wait at least an hour in line to reserve the a la carte and you could only reserve one a la carte and only for that specific day. So you end up waiting around in line for at least a solid 4 hours during your vacation. Not the brightest idea for how to reserve the restaurants. As for some late-night snacks, the Pizzeria by the lobby was perfect to grab a little bite to eat. They often had limited toppings available based on the availability of ingredients and how busy they had been, but once again the chefs were very friendly and a pleasure to chat to.. especially if you know a bit of Spanish. I highly recommend visiting the nearby market to visit the shops, buy souvenirs, and rum, or simply do a tiny bit of sightseeing. There are so many talented artisans and many beautiful pieces they are selling as souvenirs. There are also a handful of restaurants at the market. My boyfriend really wanted to try some lobster and the meal we had at "La Goleta - Restaurante Marinero" was great! Just note: the prices are in USD. We typically walked, but there were golf carts that you could hop on to go throughout the resort, to the other sections of the Memories hotels, or even to get to and from the market. PSA #1: For anyone travelling to Cuba, don't exchange your money for Cuban pesos since it is not used, specifically for tourists. We heard some people had exchanged a bunch of money at the airport and were stuck with a ton of pesos that were useless to them when making purchases at the hotel shop or the market. You can use USD, CAD, or even your credit card in most places (as long as it's not an American card). PSA #2: Don't bring coins like loonies and toonies! A lot of people were tipping with Canadian coins, but these are useless to the staff. Tourists may mean well by giving these coins as tips, but they aren't aware that the Cubans can't use foreign coin currency. Only bills are worth something to them and can be used. Countless times there were bartenders, chefs, or servers who were asking to exchange Canadian coins, dollar for dollar, for bills since they were stuck with so many coins that were useless to them. Very sad. Instead, bring bills or even toiletries or small gifts to give as tips to the staff. They will appreciate it very much!

Pretty Good !

This is my hubbys first time in Cuba and my 3rd, but 1st time going to Santa Maria. With Cuba, you just can’t expect A LOT. And that’s exactly what we did and we were not disappointed. The only thing that kind of disappointed me was waiting for our room to be ready. A bunch of us had to sit and wait almost 5 hours in order to get keys to our rooms. I think that was a little ridiculous. But , the rooms were spacious and clean and I never had issues. You’re in there to sleep, of course it’s not go [... read more]ing to be a 5 star luxury experience. The pool was small and cold but if you walked down the path to memories, they have a much bigger pool there. The beach, beautiful. Cubas beaches are always beautiful. Food; now I am a VERY picky eater and I ALWAYS found something to eat and I was full every night . Sure ya, we didn’t have eggs the entire time and hardly any desserts, but it is what it is. My life wasn’t going to end because of it. I was full and content daily and I’m ok with that. We had one good show where they brought them in from outside the resort, other than that, the shows kinda sucked and we ended up skipping most of them. We didn’t find out till the last day that about 5 min walk down past memories, there was a big plaza with restaurants ($) and tons of vendors for souvenirs. Thank goodness we ended up finding it ! Lastly, the hour and a half bus ride sounds gruelling, especially after just coming off a flight, but it was well worth it. Sit back and take in the scenery. Only the hotel workers are allowed through into Santa Maria and it was nice not being bugged on the beach or asked to buy something every now and than. All in all, I would for sure go back! The Cuban people are always the absolute best and the hotel was just a bonus !

Great holiday

Beaches and ocean water incredible. Staff very friendly and attentive especially our diamond club concierge Agustin who solved any minor problems and shared information about the history and economy of Cuba. Music by the pool was very loud as well as at the evening theatre. The two hour bus ride was long and the late night flight was very tiring. Would definitely return.

Best Value

The beach is the best bring Deet for sand fleas aw. Tired, worn but clean resort. 1st room had a rain storm coming from the ceiling, it was exchanged immediately. Facing the beach, the 2nd tired and worn room was 2 single beds. The main ceiling light/fan had been removed so it was quite dark with just the bedside table light. The shower head was sprayed from broken washers. Yet there was a nice strong hot water spray with clean white towels. The 3rd room was with a king-size bed and was perfe [... read more]ct!! 3 English-speaking TV channels White pilly bed sheets were clean and the bed was comfortable. The staff spoke English very fluently and was attentive and helpful. Breakfast confirmed that we have not come in their growing season. The eggs are powdered. I was happy with the sliced white toast, white cheese, and hot black coffee. Nice to have cabbage and cucumbers to round it off. Lots of cold buttermilk. Grilled meats every meal with fresh bread and ice cream for dessert. No milk, just margarine but, there is fresh pineapple, oranges, and cooked squash. Best to upgrade to Sanctuary for food only. Costs $12 US per week per person. The best rooms are garden facing 53 bldg. Please bring US$ one for tipping. Along with medicine cabinet items, toothpaste, pads, toys, and shoes for staff and the people you see on the Jeep excursion. This excursion offers the best real Cuban food. Sad that there were no authentic Cuban bands or Spanish classes and dancing to learn. If it was my design I would change the nightly shows out to movie nights with popcorn. I would use unused restaurant space for dance lessons from the entertainment team during the afternoon and evenings. I would use a conference room for Spanish lessons.

Amazing experience

From beginning to end I had the best experience at this resort. The staff were incredible and needs were met always. Even the food was delicious. There was a group of 8 of us girls and we were not disappointed. I will definitely be returning next year. Beach bar by the way has some of the best food

Amazing resort

I have been in this resort for few times already, just love it!!!! Specially Sanctuary, it's adult only. Everything is wonderful there, the food, the atmosphere, the beach is magical. The personal in a resort are so nice and welcoming, room service is very good. I really liked that they have some food service on the beach, so you don't have to go for a lunch somewhere else, if you don't wanna leave. One thing thou was bothering me, it's sandfly, but it's not up to the hotel right, it's natu [... read more]re. Ppl you have to be prepared for these insects, do not take your towel after the beach to your room, change for new ones, if you couldn't do so, leave those towels outside in a balcony, cuz those sandfly jumping in your bed and continue biting you!. Also I would like to suggest something to the ppl who brings canadian loonies. It's amazing that you wanna tip ppl there, bit Cuban banks do not accept loonies, and ppl have to struggle to run around and exchange them , so please if you won't mind , it's not a big deal to go to the bank before your trip and buy American dollars by 1 dollar . You will help them a lot. Cuz imagine you got money, which you really need, but you can't use it. I guess that all what I was a about to comment. Again place is just magical in all ways, highly recommend!!!!

Beautiful beach and nice staff

It was my first time in Cuba after 6 years. I was surprised that there was no noticeable difference in food in spite of food shortages in the country. I had to change the room x3 because the AC kept breaking and they couldn't fix it. But the reception staff were extremely helpful and nice. Building 55 was quiet and close to the beach. Room service staff helpful and professional. Because it's on the island away from the town I didn't see Canadian sex tourists which was great. Beach and ocean  [... read more]amazing. Lots of pelicans and other birds if you like nature. Low season so it was quiet away from the pool and bar. I would recommend to people who know and like Cuba. Nature lovers in low season would like it too. BTW I think that nobody needs our old clothes. Looks that there is a supply of some goods since the boarders have been open . But tips in US dollars and Canadian bills are appreciated. Loonies and toonies are useless. Pesos less valued because of high inflation.

Excellent service!

The service we received at Grand Memories was excellent! All of the staff were kind and helpful. The beach is spectacular and the real showstopper! The resort is somewhat run down and many areas need updating and repairs. I heard they’re planning on having this done by the next high season. We requested to move out of building 52 due to black mould throughout the room. Thankfully they accommodated our request right away. The food was not so great, as I imagine resources are limited. Mostl [... read more]y the same foods (ingredients), at every buffet and the a la carts. The fresh fruit, breads and cheeses were delicious though. The resort is located almost 2 hrs from the airport, which means a lot of time is spent in transit during the trip. Just something worth considering if you’re anxious to get there quickly. Overall, a great trip! The company we keep makes the trip worthwhile! The beach, the Cuban people (staff), the coffee, the drinks, the market, were all amazing and we’re grateful that we were able to experience all these things.

Amazing beach…. and that’s it

I’ve never traveled to a resort in the off season. I will definitely do it again. Didn’t have to fight for a lounge chair or stay in a huge line at the buffet. But I don’t think I’ll be going to this resort again. There was nothing to do except go to the beach or pool. No games room or air conditioned cafe/lounge. Nowhere to escape the heat. Most resorts I’ve been to have pool tables or ping pong tables. The food was exactly the same for EVERY MEAL. Zero variation. There was very li [... read more]ttle fresh fruit or vegetables. BRING YOUR OWN TOILET PAPER. I’m not kidding, none of the public area washrooms had any. I had to bring a roll of toilet paper with me from the room.

The worst resort ever

Very thing about it was disappointing didn’t have a good time wouldn’t go there again 👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎the worst vacation and resort ever 👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎

VERY GOOD RESORT FOR THE VALUE WE PAID

HOTEL IS VERY GOOD BUT RS WERE LITTLE UNACEPTABE TOO MUCH OF MOSQUITO IN SIDE THE ROOMS. POOL WERE VRY CLEAN .BEACH WAS AMAZING.NOT ENOUGH ENTERTAINMENT.BARS WERE VERY GOOD FOOD WAS GOOD NO SHORTAGE ANYMORE .AT LAST WE HAD GREAT TRIP AT GRAND MEMORIES SANTA MARIA.

Do not go to this resort

Positive: grounds are mostly beautiful and well maintained. The beach is perfect and exactly what I was hoping to see. Negative: FOOD is horrible. 70% of the menu is cabbage, potatoes and sausage for breakfast lunch and dinner. Buffet is always cold, dirty plates, no option for drinks or juice. Completely disappointing! HOTEL is old and dirty. Mold in our sink, furniture is dirty, drink and bar areas are grimy and dirty. Overall: we only stayed for 1 day and left for another resort because w [... read more]e could not take it anymore. Our toddler had nothing to eat or drink except for the food we brought her

Nice resort, excellent beach.

Designed for 5 stars resort, the gardens are beautiful, with tall imperial palms and plenty of flowering bushes. It is easy to move around with the electric carts. Rooms are clean, with no bugs, but may need some TLC. We had a pool view room with two beds, quite large. The CORALAND Music Festival happened during our stay. Nicely organized, in the evenings on the beach, with food and drinks, and also pool parties during the day. We had the Diamond Club bracelets with free access to the festiv [... read more]al. No one talks about Covid 19, pool is clean, and we drank water only from the bars or restaurants. We did not get sick or anything. On the weekend the resort was full of people, probably locals.

Is a good resort

The resort has negatives. But with a positive attitude one sees a beautiful well kept beach. Well kept grounds. The workers at the resort were always helpful to do their job. I would definitely return to this resort.