Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Cheap Getaway, worth every penny!

We were looking for sun, a bar, and water to swim in for less than $1000 each and this resort delivered! Service wasn't great, rooms nothing special and food was ok at best - you get what you pay for! Will bring peanut butter, granola bars ketchup and hot sauce next time!

Memories Paraiso: Amazing Resort Best Vacation ever

We were there from March 24 to 31 2016. First it has the most amazing beach we every been on in the Caribbean. Three large pools. This is a large resort the grounds are unreal very beautiful. The buildings and rooms are starting to show a little wear and tear but are very clean.I know we got fresh towels every second day we always hung ours up to dry so othe resorts wouldn't of changed them. The bed sheets were changed twice . The staff are amazing, the all work very hard and the service was gr [... read more]eat. Jose at the grill bar and his coworkers are number one. Amois (.?) at the beach bar his service goes beyond anyone we ever seen.The lobby bar staff at both lobbies are excellent. The Paraiso lobby bar is where the action is always happening. The girls and guys do a amazing service. The food is always hot in the buffet there's always something to eat. The grill cooks at the buffet do a amazing job and there's always a line up. We found our waiter Alexander to be the best. At first his demeanor semed he was agressive but no he is a great waiter.He made sure you had water and wine. If you get him as a waiter treat him well because his service is second to anyone. The a la cartes we tried two which weren't very good. The service was great the food was ok. But the little things no linen napkins and stained table coths. These things make dinning a little more appealing in the restaurant. The entertainment staff do a great job. There's always something at the pool,beach,lobbies and music in the evenings. We never made it to the main entertainment at the theater at night by that time we were exhausted. We were in building 33 which is close to everything. But the design of Paraiso side there's no bad location. We walked the beach in the morning usually for hour and thirty one way and never ran out of beach. The beach workers also help you find a spot they would clean off you recliner. They also walk around also taking drink orders on the beach. We tipped but know one epected a tip. We noticed a number of people never tipped and they still got good service. This was ninth or tenth trip to the Caribbean the third to Cuba and this was the best valued trip we ever took. We never let the little things bother us and we return.

Valentin Perla Blanca: Third Time to Perla Blance

3rd time visit to Perla Blanca, and absolutely love this resort. The beach is amazing, and water is fabulous. Tried the Mexican and Italian a la carte's and they were both great. Buffet was good too, lots to choose from Heading back soon. Staff is the best of the all!!!

Melia Cayo Santa Maria: More Good Than Bad

Overall a nice experience, grounds very clean and nicely groomed, grounds crew always visible. Some minor eyesores such as walking path lights and garbage containers which had exposed wiring and were broken. The service was excellent, typical of the Cubans, genuine smiles for everyone and always wanting to please. Food was acceptable, but repetitive. Room was clean, a few upgrades would go a long way, newer showers and sink faucets. First day, the fridge was empty, I needed to call to have wa [... read more]ter, pops, beer and a coffee machine. Once that was completed, the service was flawless the rest of week. I walked long distance along both sides of the resort, I would say that this resort has one of the nicest ocean front, with plenty of shelter and seating, not unlike any other resorts, you still have to get up early for those prime spots, but still plenty available later in the morning. The pool is nice, im not a pool lounger, but did spend a few hours in and around the pool. I would recommend to some of my friends. We rarely go to the same resorts more than once, no exception here.

Melia Las Dunas: Amazing Beach

Nicest beach you can find. Resort could be cleaner in general. Public bathrooms were quite dirty. Room was far from clean which was a surprise since it wasn't the case in December. Great food. Amazing service. Resort was filled with a large conference and a group of 90 high school students. These kids were disrespectful to the staff and other guests. Should not be drinking that much at 16! This will make me rethink when booking again this fall.

Melia Cayo Santa Maria: AWSEMEN RESORT COULDN,T ASK FOR ANYTHING BETTER

ENJOYED EVERY THING ABOUT MY WEEK ,ALL STAFF, RESORT, FOOD GROUNDS ETC.POOLS , BEACH,DRINKS,RESTERANTS I AM HOPING CUBA STAYS THE WAY THAT IS BEST FOR CUBA I ALSO ENJOYED THE ENTER TAIMENT THANKS AGAIN

Melia Cayo Santa Maria: Fabulous Time!!!

We were a party of 6 women. 3 in our 40's & 3 ranged late 60's - late 70's. I have been to Cuba a # of times over the years & knew what to expect. I loved this resort & would go back in a heartbeat. I will provide a review below: Airport Arrival: Upon arrival, get your $ changed at the airport. The exchange rate is better than the resort. Even if you don’t get it changed, they accept Cdn $ on the bus ride. Before getting onto the bus you can purchase beer, soft drinks & water because it's col [... read more]der than what's on the bus. The drive was 1.5 hrs to the resort, which I really didn't care for because I just want to be at the resort asap. However, I'd do it again because you got the opportunity to see the landscape & you can have refreshments. Resort Arrival: I found it to be quick & efficient. They already booked us for 3 a la cartes, which I really liked because I find it a chore to go book on my own. You can change your reservations if you want. Rooms: were super clean and that’s all I cared about. They were huge & the bed was a little hard but hey I didn’t go to Cuba to sleep all day/night. We were supplied with water, pop & beer every day. Bring a face cloth. A la Cartes: I went to the Italian & Japanese Restaurants & glad I went. The Italian had a beautiful ambiance, however, we found our food salty but I spoke with others & they did not. Loved the Japanese restaurant, a lot of interaction, the chef even called me up to cook. I did speak to others that did not have the experience we had, so I believe it may depend upon your party & chef. A couple of our party members were concerned about the food, however, that was put to rest when they got the appetizer & saw the food being cooked. They were then raving how great it was. 3 of our other party members went to the Mediterranean Restaurant & loved it. Buffet, Grill & 24 hour Snack/drink Bar: They are all good & there is something for everyone. I ate at the buffet a couple of times but I found it quite loud. Ate at the grill bar by the beach once & it was really good. I only ate there once because there was always a line up & I wasn’t patient to wait a bit because I discovered the 24 hour snack/drink bar. Well, that’s where I ate from then on. The food & service was superb there. Omelettes, pizza, bacon cheese burger, club house, ham sandwiches – YUMMY! There was more but not enough days to try it all. Pool/Beach: 2 pools beside one another with one swim up bar. I liked how the pools gradually declined if anyone has a problem using stairs to a pool. The beach is remarkable which has a beach bar & servers will come down to the beach to serve you. We typically stayed at the beach all day & went to the pool later in the afternoon. Service: I cannot say enough about the AMAZING service we had. Staff were constantly coming up to us asking if we needed drinks, our rooms were were cleaned up every day so well & I can be pretty messy. Front desk was always good to advise when there was potentially going to be change for your pesos (I had some larger bills). Our toilet kept breaking (constantly flushing) for the 1st 3 days & it was the dual flush & I tried to fix it & couldn’t so I asked for a repairman & he got in immediately every time I requested. Entertainment: Different theme every night & that was really nice. Then there was this AMAZING singer afterwards. There is a disco & bowling alley that I didn't make it to Tip: I went down with $30 worth of dollar store items such as candy, hair clips/ties, nail polish, emery boards, dinkies, pens, pencils, markers…..which I gave out as tips & appeared to be preferred over the $, but I also did tip with $. I also brought a # of medical supplies such as various band aids, tweezers, scissors, items in a 1st aid kit. I gave that to the head gardner. If there is one thing I can recommend go to the dollar store & bring down items for tipping because they do not have access to all the items we have at home. Many people go to Cuba with a certain expectation & if you are someone who needs things “just so”, then Cuba may not be the place for you. I encourage anyone who has never been to Cuba come with an open mind & experience the wonderful Cuban Culture, you will not be let down!! The Cuban people are the most amazing & delightful people I have ever met, that’s why I keep going back. Remember, you are on vacation, just enjoy.

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: Great deal so it was fine!

The wall of the room was splash with juice or something that could have been clean before our stay. All the holding bars in Tha bath was falling apart. The service was super good, beach awesome but not enough chairs for a big resort like that. Buffet was horrible only the omelet station was good. Pizza on plate was delicious. I got married in 2011 at the Melia Las Dunas in santa clara and it was way better for everything. But for the price we pay we can't complain

Melia Cayo Santa Maria: Average resort

Grounds, pools, beach and staff are great lots of beach chairs. Rooms are old and dirty. Did not receive any towels in the room that were not stained. Dinning room/food was average but you could get something cooked fresh.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Beautiful resort!

This resort was beautiful and quite large. Lots of walking to the various ammenities but worth it. Not much to say about the food, but we didn't starve. Brought the kids, age 8 and 2 and they loved every moment. Beautiful beaches, great pool and kids loved the children's area and nightly kids show.

Valentin Perla Blanca: Amazing Resort

Loved this place, the beach was amazing beautiful white sand, clear blue water, staff treated you like royality. Food was good never any issue, food for everyone's taste, we stayed in Building 28 which was right in the heart of everything, This was one of our best trips ever!!! The only thing to keep in mind is that Samsung phones do not connect to the wifi, they are working on it, also there is a 2 hours bus ride from the airport to the hotel, grab your beer before loading the bus. Thank you Sa [... read more]ndra at trip central for helping us choose our place.

Valentin Perla Blanca: Amazing trip for 2

The facilities looked amazing. The bars were stocked with amazing drinks and the buffet was good for Cuba standards. I really enjoyed my time there with my girlfriend.OH and the beaches are to die for

Melia Las Dunas: Past it's Prime

High winds during our stay drove everyone off the beach. Large property, but not much to do but sit by the overcrowded pools. Good luck finding a lounger, by 8:00 a.m., most covered by towels (but no occupants). Large lobby is nice place to pass the time. Food better than other 3 places we've been to in Cuba.....grilled lobster at the buffet and tender calamari in the seafood gumbo were the highlights of the week. The soups are also consistently great. But if you're here for the beach, like us,  [... read more]you better have a Plan B - that leaves tours (Big $$$ - remember, the CUC is just the UDS x1.03)....or a good book. The staff were, for the most part, uninterested as well. One time, in the lobby, we waited 1 hr 45 mins for a waiter to come to our couch....and we tipped at least 1 Cuban loonie, approx $1.35 Cdn, each time...for soft drinks or cappuccino's, since we don't drink booze. As most Cuba 'all-inclusive' veterans will tell you, it's all about beautiful beaches and a safe environment - for a good price. That's it. Not much else to write home about. And it's only a 'safe' place for tourists, but we need not get into that here.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: A yearly thing

Absolutely beautiful resort. Amazing staff. This will be an annual trip for our family. Loved it. Ocean and beaches were beautiful. Everything you need right there on the resort. Food was actually really good. I have recommended this place to a few friends already. They are going in the following weeks. They will not be disappointed.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Great spot

The beach is fantastic, the food was excellent for a Cuban resort. You can't expect having lobster on 3 different nights in the buffet restaurant. The staff was very friendly and the service was very good.

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: Nice place for families - beautiful beach

Transportation to the airport was comfortable. The hotel lobby was nice, fun in the evening. The food was great for Cuba. We've travelled to Cuba six times prior and this was the best hotel for food so far. Drinks we're good too. Rooms we're clean and pretty up to date. Pools were all nice. Our favourite was the pool that had the kids pool attached. The drinks were also the best here. I can say the beach on Cayo Santa Maria was like no other beach I've been to. Absolutely beautiful. Clear blue w [... read more]ater with the softest sand and almost no waves. If you're travelling for the beach, look no further. I'd also like to say the people here were very friendly. The staff was amazing. The best we've come across in Cuba, and we've always found the people to be very nice. Really, this resort was just sweet. Only a few things that could be improved upon: (1) I found there to be quite a few cigarette butts and plastic cups in the sand at the beach. Perhaps they should consider raking the beach more often or putting out more ash trays and garbage cans. (2) There are a lot of smokers. This is all over Cuba, not just this hotel. Its annoying. My suggestion would be to have more non smoking areas around the resorts and perhaps have non smoking tour options. (3) Wi-fi. The wi-fi is no good. But who goes on vacation for wi-fi anyway.

Valentin Perla Blanca: Great new resort!

This resort was quite new, and the services and the property certainly reflected it. The resort and the beach was impeccably maintained. The food at the buffet was decent and had an option for everyone. It showed that they put the effort in to vary the diversity of the menu each meal. The dining area was kept clean and the servers were attentive. It was such an amazing experience. I would certainly go back! I guess the only negative about this resort was the 1.5 hr bus ride to and from the airpo [... read more]rt.

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: Nice resort

Nice beach! The rooms were nice. I would have liked a smaller , less busy resort to avoid long walk to buffet, beach or pool and line ups at the buffet. The omelettes and fried rice stations were very good but always had a long line up. Bar fridge in room always well stocked.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Best beach ever

Best resort for families with kids. Very quiet. No waves, no wind, shallow water. Most beautiful beach I ever seen. Lots of fish. Good for snorkelling. Service is not as good, sometimes you have to wait for half an hour to get a drink or food. They operate on "Cuban time"

Melia Cayo Santa Maria: Great resort

Very clean. Great service all around except for the Buffet. Food was very good. No complaints. Very friendly staff. The grounds were always well kept. People had issues with replacing pool/beach towels but we didn't care we could only get them twice