Melia Buenavista: Great Beach

We got off to a bad start with no transportation to the resort from the airport. When we did arrive, we found a beautiful small resort with 3 amazing beaches that presented some of the best snorkelling you could ask for. Our first disappointment occurred when we visited the buffet restaurant. The food was terrible and this was true of the a la carte we dined at that evening. The room was very nice; liked the outdoor shower and the proximity to the beach. The maid service was top notch but there  [... read more]were issues with the door locks and the safe. We found the front desk staff to be unfriendly and the butler assigned to us was surly and not very helpful. On checkout day, our room service breakfast didn't arrive and our bags weren't picked up. We had to take them to the lobby and no one offered to help us when the bus arrived. Over all, most of the staff was very friendly and efficient and we enjoyed our stay with the exception being the food. Some of these things were easy to overlook, but this is a 5 star resort and we paid top dollar expecting a certain level of experience that we've had at other 5 star resorts.

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: Great time

I had a great time at this resort. Staff was very friendly. The air conditioning broke in my room and I was moved by the end of the day to another. Very pleased. Pool was lovely. Food was adequate. Made fresh if you wanted.

Melia Las Dunas: Very nice resort

Grounds are kept very clean so was are room. Very pleasant staff. A la Carte dining was very good, buffet could offer more variation. Resort is well kept but will soon be in needs of upgrades. Beach is awesome.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Resort was ok. Beach was awesome.

Beach: Excellent, beautiful - one of the best we have seen. Resort: in a bit of disrepair. plumbing is bad. lots of walking as it is a big resort. Food: Average. Food is overcooked but they do have a variety of choices. Pool: large and very nice - sometimes a bit dirty due to so many people using it. Rooms: Large and spacious - very clean - Plumbing is a problem in many rooms. A/C worked well.

Melia Las Dunas: Miss

Sewage leaking right by room. Stunk like fresh hot human feces the whole time. Requested to be moved numerous times but staff refused due to costs. I'm sure a big tip would of made it happen Staff demanding tips all the time Beach was full of garbage and dirty straws and cups My child caught numerous infectious diseases due to the unsanitary conditions

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Beautiful!

First time on an all inclusive vacation and I will definitely return! The beach was spectacular, food and drinks were great! Perfect getaway place. Rooms and restaurants were clean. The drive from the airport to the resort was long but worth it and you learn quite a bit from the tour guide! Overall, great experience.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Fabulous vacation

We travelled here Feb. 26/16. Our first visit to Santa Maria. We couldn't have more pleased!! The grounds are beautiful and well kept. The service was excellent from the bartenders right to the maids that clean the rooms. Our room was always cleaned quite early and always towel art!! The food was great and many different places to choose from. We had a superb vacation.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Amazing Resort!

The rooms were big and clean. Staff was very friendly. The food was excellent in the buffet, as well as the A-La-Carte restaurants. Good selection in food. The pools were clean and the chairs were very comfortable. I would go back tomorrow. :)

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: 3 Star Expectations = Happiness

Decent resort at the right price. as long as you go down with a positive attitude and 3 star expectations, you will have a great time! Beach, pools and food at the BBQ restaurant are great! Buffet food is hit and miss- some items were just terrible, but there was always something decent to eat. Worst part was the very dirty public washrooms. We had a great time and chose to enjoy the good and ignore the bad. But we are not likely to go back to this resort- we have stayed in better places in Cuba [... read more].

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Great for the price

The hotel staff were fantastic, very helpful. Food was not that great, selection was terrible but i did not come to this part of cuba for the food , as i came for the beach. Probably the nicest beach i have every been on and ive been to quite a few destinations including costa rica. I would reccomend this resort to others to try out

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: for the value

the hotel santa maria is far from a 4star resort.it is only a 3 star at most.you get what you pay for and we all knew that going into it. the grounds are nice but its a big resort which means if you dont like walking back and forth to your room then this resort is not for you. rooms are very old,beds are old and pilllows suck.we never got to exchange beach towels once because the booth was closed all week.terrible!!!!!! the main lobby was great place to meet and sit from drinks at night.service  [... read more]was good at pool bars and the bartenders know now to treat people. the beach was just ok,lots of sea weed. the food was not good and if you dont like fish you will not like it.they did pigs on the beach 2 days and it was great to get some good tasting pork.really enjoyed the bbq. cuba is cuba and for the value(price)its ok but we will not go back to this resort or santa maria.its a 1.5 hr bus ride and its to far from anywhere.thats ok if you dont want to do day trips. hate to be negative but this resort is not what it says it is.we all had a great time because of the group we went with and met some very nice people. they do their best with what they have and that you can wish for.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Great resort

The resort was clean, The staff was friendly and the food was really good. The beach was fantastic , And best of all there was hardly any flies. And a special thanks to Marta and the staff for making our stay very very enjoyable . Best hotel in Santa Maria.

Valentin Perla Blanca: Just what we were hoping for

We wanted a nice clean room, lots of beach time, to swim in beautiful clear water, take long walks along the beach and good drinks. All expectations were met. Take a couple rolls of loonies for tipping you will be glad you did.

Melia Las Dunas: Destination Wedding

We stayed at the resort for a family wedding the last week of February. As a group we had a lot of fun so overall we overlooked a few of the issues we encountered. Firstly, I must say the grounds and main lobby were kept up very nicely. Our check in was organized and prompt. We arrived late at night. Rooms were basic, but clean and the beds were comfortable. The air conditioning unit in our room was old, noisy, and cold and you were not able to adjust the settings on the fan or temperature as th [... read more]ey weren't working…definitely need to be replaced. Maid service was daily, but towels were not always changed daily unless you asked (no face cloths so bring your own). Fridge was not restocked unless you were in the room to answer the door so if you happen to be in the room or see the delivery truck for water/beer/pop make sure you get enough to last more than one day. A good tip is in order if you want good service. We found the breakfast buffet to be lacking in variety. The food was not very hot at times. Freshly made omelets were the best. Service was lacking at the tables if you wanted coffee and juice. There seemed to be a shortage of staff in this area and sometimes we were ignored for quite a while. Also note that there are never any teaspoons to eat your yogurt with or stir your coffee. You need to ask for a spoon and then will be given a tablespoon if you're lucky. We found the breakfast at the Beer Garden to be the best and usually went there most days. You order fresh from the menu (limited) and they make great cappuccino's. Great cappuccino's at the lobby bar all the time, as well. The a la carte restaurants were the best. We tried Romantico, Italian, and Seafood. We enjoyed Romantico the most with live music and great service (for adults only though). Most evenings we ended up in the main lobby after dinner for a cappuccino and live entertainment (salsa lessons and live bands). It was quite popular and entertaining. For anyone planning a wedding here. We had a fun day. The weather was perfect and the wedding took place at the gazebo by the beach. Please note ladies that you can't wear high heels when walking out to the gazebo as it's on a board walk with wooden slats so none of us could wear the shoes we brought for the wedding and had to change into flats or wedges for this part of the day. After the ceremony the resort shuttle buses picked us up and took the group back to a separate area of the the main lobby where they served hors d'oeuvres and then we were shuttled to the other side of the resort for the wedding dinner. The wedding meal was okay, but not great (don't have the steak as no one in our party ate it as it was very tough), but I think they tried their best to make it nice. After the meal we were shuttled back to the main lobby again for dancing and a disc jockey in the Sports Bar. The week we stayed the weather wasn't the greatest and the winds prevented you from being on the beach most days. As was mentioned in other reviews, the beach has eroded away quite a bit on the section in front of this resort. It was quite narrow at certain points and most of the lounge chairs are situated higher up on the dunes under the cabanas. We still enjoyed the beach though when weather permitted. The pool area was well maintained and quiet on the adult side, but as with other resorts, you need to be up early (7 am) to reserve your spot or the lounge chairs are all taken. We were not able to get beach towels for the first two days as there were none available. When we finally got towels we kept them for the rest of the week in case we had the same problem again. The restaurant in the pool area is great for lunch if you want a sandwich or pizza. Overall, our stay was good and we had fun because we were with a group. Would I return to this resort, probably not. This was our second time to Cuba and the first time to Cayo Santa Maria. I think we will try another resort next time if returning to Cuba.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Starfish Santa Maria Cuba

We went for a lower budget Vacation and got what we paid for! We heard a lot of people complaining of toilets leaking in rooms although we never had a problem. Beautiful beach, beautiful resort. The service is terrible in Buffett. Wifi barely works took us three days to just connect once and you have to pay for it. Very close the market I would advise you to check out. Kids were everywhere including the swim up bar.

Memories Paraiso: Fantastic beach!! Great value holiday.

To start, I will repeat the warnings of others: If you want the Hilton, book it and pay accordingly. This is a value location and you get a lot for your dollar, just not "bling" or gourmet. The beach is phenomenal - it ties with the best beaches I've seen anywhere. (Anguilla & Cuba's Cayo Ensenachos) The pools are a nice option when it is a bit too windy at the beach. (The pool manager will bring around cushions that make it quite comfy.) Lots of shade available at both pool & beach. There was  [... read more]some lounge reserving going on, but in all there was so much room that we never had difficulty finding a spot we liked. Service everywhere on the resort was very good. Quick and pleasant. As usual, tips get a little more attention. We didn't always have coins, and still our service was great. We arrived there the week before March break, so a pretty busy time, and there was seldom a wait for drinks. It got a bit more hectic once the March break folks began to arrive, but still good. Rooms are pretty tired, but very clean. Hot water was plentiful and air conditioning worked great. Lighting was a bit too low to manage makeup. Beds could be improved, but they were clean. Building 53 was very convenient to the pool & beach. Not far from buffets and lobbies, either. Food: Always something to eat, but this is probably their biggest challenge. Buffet dishes were OK, unless you love fish, and then it was fantastic according to my husband. The cook-to-order grills were always busy, but could be worth the wait. A la cartes all had better food than the buffets. My best meal was probably the Mediterranean. The beach grill was OK if you didn't want to get dressed for lunch/snack. There were 2 other grills for lunch. The one by Route 66 bar had birds tramping through the salad and the beef was difficult to chew so we didn't return. We didn't eat at the final grill, as it looked to carry only the same as the beach grill. Entertainment is plentiful and was a real plus in my books. Each night we found live entertainment in the lobbies. There were live bands outside of the theatre, and then the kids show & the standard theatre shows. I didn't see a theatre show, but all the other live entertainment was fantastic. People really enjoyed the rock bands. Diamond Club was worth it for us. It didn't cost that much more, but we had early check in (arrived at noon) and late check out (3pm): Well worth the entire price for us. We also got the premium drinks: there aren't that many to choose from, but if you like the better rums you'll be happy. The special dinner was nice: lobster & chicken with a violinist wandering around. I rank the location as only 3, but that's just because it is isolated and takes 1.5 hours to reach. Go with an open mind knowing that you don't have to spend a fortune.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: very nice scenery, but...

My husband and I spent a week there last week for our honeymoon. I would say we would give this trip an ok, good average 7/10. The resort and scenery was very beautiful, nice clean and very pleasant staff. But there were a few things were disappointed with. First the bed was not comfortable at all and had to request more pillows. Secondly the bathroom didn't function at its best. Very little water pressure from the sink and the shower head was loose so it kept falling forward so the water kept f [... read more]alling against the wall and the water drained VERY slowly, plus there was no plug if you wanted to fill the tub to bathe. And as for the public washrooms, 99% of them were either closed or not functional, so you had to go to your room to use the bathroom most of the time. Lastly the food was so so, only enjoyed eating a few things outta their whole buffet, not fun eating the same thing all week. The pool and beach was wonderful, very pleaent and relaxing, and their shows and activities they perform are fun and entertaining. also theres a market near by with more restaurants and shops to explore. All in all our trip was ok, not great but good.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Playa Cayo Santa Maria

We liked this resort. The food was exceptional! Cubans were friendly, service was good and the beach is beautiful! The rooms could be a little better but overall, our experience was a good one! We recommend it!

Sol Cayo Santa Maria: Nice but dated

Personnel is very friendly, ground is nice. Food is decent. There was problem with hot water. We had it 3 days of 7. Room was clean. Cleaning lady was nice and did a good job. But room amenities are old. We had problem with bath.

Melia Cayo Santa Maria: Excellent trip

Just back from our second time staying at this hotel. Many improvements from last year. The staff are so friendly and attentive, the entertainment was wonderful, the room was always clean and well stocked! The food is good - could always find something we liked to eat and we particularly loved the pizza at the pool bar which is open all the time! This hotel is great value for the money