Trip of a lifetime!

Grounds were always maintained, food I give a 8-10; we never went hungry, rooms were always cleaned daily, no bugs, beautiful weather all week, lots of staff to attend to your needs, fun party pool and beach party, went off site to a market and a disco, received a free ride on a sailboat which was so fun, beaches were amazing. Honestly, this experience was so great all around. I'd definitely return to this resort. I went march 25-apr 1, 2017.

Ok resort

The hotel lobby was kept clean but the grounds were not taken care of. Hotel staff was not very accommodating. Restaurant staff were very friendly. Do not forget any toiletries as there is no store to buy these, very small souvenir shop at resort. Entertainment was very limited shows lasted only an hour a night. Food was ok you wouldn't starve but same thing every day and night and everything is cold.

Excellent choice in Cuba

We were very impressed with this property. We went fir the beautiful sand and waters if Santa Maria and were not disappointed. The beach is narrow and long but clean, clear and beautiful. Service is quite good although bit overly fast but hey, you are on vacation food was surprisingly good!! Minor negatives were the extremely hard and uncomfortable beds, bank kept running out of money and staff that dealt directly with the guests that didn't speak much English. Overall a good choice and wo [... read more]uld recommend.

Awesome resort

This is our very first trip so it's hard to review and compare to other resorts. The staff is so friendly and always smiling. The rooms were well kept and the bed was extremely comfortable. All of the resort, lobby and grounds were tidy and clean. The food was great especially the snack bar at the party pool awesome burgers and chicken fingers and the A La Carte restaurants. The beach was like dream come true, long and outstanding ocean view, good food like the chicken sandwich. Always staff to  [... read more]cater to you. Lots of chairs and shade but no restrooms unless you went back to the pools. The catamaran excursion to the dolphin show and snorkeling for 99 pesos was the highlight of our trip, a must do. The flea market at La Estralla was worth it and so was the Carnaval. The things that we weren't impressed about were that the sewer system had overflown onto the walkway and it wasn't too pleasant to walk by and the smell was not to desirable, should have been barricaded off with a detour so nobody could have noticed it, I'm sure a lot of people were disappointed. It was really hard to exchange the beach towels as there wasn't anyone at the kiosk to do the exchange. We would definitely go back and it is highly recommended. Thank you Valentin Perla Blanca for having us, we love you and miss you all. You have an amazing staff. Hasta la vista

Don't waste your money

No water for 2.5 days washrooms had either flooded toilets or were shut down. Food was disgusting and we are by no means picky eaters. Do not eat at the el la carts absolutely disgusting. Rooms were dirty bedding was never changed and used the same towels. Would not recommend this hotel ever. More like a two star rather then a 4.5 star

Relaxation!

Nice, clean hotel with friendly staff. We did not experience one problem with the hotel. Beach was beautiful although the water was a bit cooler than expected. Pretty isolated so not much in the way of excursions.

Beautiful resort!

A lovely resort just like the pictures. Clean up dated rooms. Friendly helpful staff if you have lots of tip $. The entertainment was very poor quality. Not fantastic dancers. 24 hr snack bars and spanish restuarant were my favourites. I found the buffet to be not so great. Cateramen excursion was awsome! Excellant right off the beach. It was my first time in cuba I enjoyed my experience and would recommend this resort to others.

Short and sweet Cuba Trip

I went solo to this large resort and it was worth it. The beach is stunning and I was there everyday. Pool was nice too. Food was also good with plenty of selection at the restaurants and buffet. Privilege package was worth it, run bottle, lobster dinner and checking in early/checking out late was great!

Beautiful beaches

Grounds and rooms were well maintained but public washrooms near bar and buffet were inadequate Food was good quality but choice of spices were strange Long line ups for Money exchange - unacceptable Reception not available by phone unless number on brochure was wrong

Beautiful Cuban resort

This is a beautiful Resort the outside grounds we're nicely kept. The beach is beautiful very long so lots of places to enjoy it. The food was alright, there was always something that you could find to eat it, was pretty good considering it's Cuban. The room service was very good the rooms were cleaned nicely. The bar wasn't always replenished with the two beers and the two pops but the water was always there. We didn't run out of towels for the beach they changed then in our room. The Wi-Fi [... read more] is terrible you have to buy your cards so it's two cucs for one hour or three cucs for 2 hours, you don't have too many times during the day that you can actually use it because if there's too many people it just doesn't work. The public bathrooms that is something to talk about, most of the time no toilet paper many of the seats on the toilets were broken off or just not there, we were told that it's cuz some people like to do their business by standing on the seats and being as they're not the best quality seats break and they have to remove them so it was always a game to find out if you were going to get a seat or any toilet paper when you went to the public bathrooms or we just simply want back to our room. It is a very large resort so if you want to travel from one end to the other, you can always set up with the golf carts and they'll drop you off and you can ask them to pick you up at a certain time and they would be there to pick you up so of course if you needed to leave earlier well then you have a lot of walking to do because it is quite far from one end to the other. the bathrooms on the beach are non-existent so you would usually have to go to pool areas or further for a washroom. The staff is very good and helpful. We were in building 27 and we're close enough to to most activities. Shows were good. The evening music entertainment was good. No dancing, lights to bright. Went on speedboat and snorkelling excursion, it was fun, good deal for price.

Enjoyable Resort

Lovely rooms with flat screen T.V. frig, coffee pot, safe, iron and ironing board. Good food in buffet restaurant and at 24 hour snack bar. Delicious specialty coffees at the coffee bar. Staff friendly all over the resort. Beds and pillows are rather hard but we took our own pillows so no problems. The shows are always entertaining and the disco is great. You can dance until 2a.m. Lobby bar is nice place to hang out and chat to other guests. There are 2 sides to hotel, one side having the quiet  [... read more]pool and the other side is where all the activities are going on. That side can be noisy if you have a room over-looking the pool. Overall we had a lovely 2 weeks vacation. We flew with Cubana who gave good service, on time both ways. They served a delicious bagel with ham and cheese, juice and coffee. Roomy seats on plane but no movies. It didn't bother us as time went by quickly. We booked with Hola Sun and had no problems what so ever.

Surpass all expectations...

This was our 3rd time to Cuba, second to this location and first at the Valentin. We had a specific list of needs for this 7 day vacation and we were not disappointed. The resort was clean and with lots of options with how you want to spend your days. The beach was beautiful, the pool areas perfect and the food was impressive. The rooms were exactly what we needed as far as what we had chosen with pool view, location and room type. We had no issues all week. Did I mention the weather was almost  [... read more]perfect for the week as well....Entertainment in the evenings was very good and the shows were enjoyable as well. Who doesn't like live music? Lastly, the staff that makes the Valentin work must be commended. They try so very hard to make sure everything is pleasant and you are satisfied with everything.... If they could build a airport closer the area and omit the 90 minutes transfer, you would have absolutely nothing to complain about. Remember this is Cuba and you are on vacation. Enjoy!...4 star for the Valentin.

Pros and Cons

We visited Valentin Perla Blanca in Cayo Santa Maria from Feb 17 – 24th. Mixed reviews with pros and cons. I would go back to the region again, but likely not the same hotel. PROS Food: Snack Bar was great. Same food on a limited menu but it was reliable. Servers were great and always smiling and willing to serve you. We went daily for breakfast and lunch. Omelettes and chicken fingers were great. Beer and wine were very good. Beach: The beach and views of the ocean were fantastic. Sand w [... read more]as soft and white. Nightlife: Entertainment at the theatre was okay. The Michael Jackson show was amazing. Every night there was something different, but not well attended. I would recommend having the shows at the same time each night so guests could plan their evenings. We enjoyed the entertainment in the main lobby (but there were also many smokers there too which is a con). There was one entertainer that was amazing – but he was only performing one evening. Staff: Servers in the snack bar, cleaning staff, gardeners, and attendants on the beach were very friendly and always willing to assist (for a tip). They were always grateful for anything they received. They work long hours and try to make your vacation as enjoyable as possible. CONS Arrival: We departed from Montreal; our flight was an hour late, but was a good flight. At the Santa Clara airport, we were greeted without delay and led to our coach bus. The representative on the bus only spoke French. We speak English and language or translation was never discussed. We missed valuable information tied to hotel policies, checkout, etc. We were not the only English speaking tourists on the bus and we just assumed translation would be provided. This was unfortunate as Cuban history, landmarks, and information was not available to us. We will be sure to travel out of Ottawa next time. Check-in: We were traveling with another couple celebrating 2 separate occasions (anniversary and birthday). I had read on the hotel website to email special requests. I had done this 2-3 weeks in advance and tried the 2 email addresses listed, but never had a reply. I had also requested King or Queen sized beds. On arrival, our friends were provided a king sized bed and we had 2 small beds. We tried to change, but on 3 separate occasions, were repeatedly told to keep coming back every couple of hours to check. The front desk staff were not accommodating and rarely smiled. We were told to go to Guest Services, and still no change. Also on check-in, we were shuttled to our room. The attendants took our keys but they did not work. They had to use a master to let us in. After we gave them a tip, they informed us, we would have to walk to the main lobby to get new keys. Room: Mini bar fridge was rarely stocked. We had to repeatedly ask for bottles of water, but a few days passed and they did not stock. Also, in room coffee maker was great, but coffee only provided on 3 out of 7 days. Our friends had coffee, but did not have a coffee pot available to make coffee (despite requesting one). We had asked for a bottle of wine to enjoy on our balcony, but this request was not even considered. Food: We attempted the buffet, but it was so-so. Lineups and some foods were without labels so you could not identify what the dish was. Lots of pasta and French fries, so we did not starve. The a la carte restaurants were satisfactory. Would not recommend the Seafood Restaurant. Some items not available (still early at a 730 seating). We had to pay 40 Cuban dollars to have steak and lobster. Lobster was tough and inedible. The Spanish Restaurant was good, but again, many items not available for mains and desserts. The best restaurant was the Italian Restaurant. The lasagna was amazing. Definitely a must! Check-out: Our flight was later (8pm at night) and we were leaving our hotel by 4pm. Checkout was for 1200. Our friends paid 20 Cuban dollars for a late checkout (10 dollars/hour). We spent the morning at the beach and had anticipated all of us showering and getting ready to depart. The entire hotel did not have water. We were unable to shower, but rinsed off in the pool; bathroom facilities not available anywhere. Very distressing for new guests coming and the many leaving that day. They did reimburse the 20 dollars after we complained.

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!

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

Pleased with room , variety of food , and choice of restaurants. Specially enjoyed cappuccino at your central bar. Internet connection is very bad , poor instruction to connect ( the written instruction that are in Internet room are hardly readable , staff not very helpful either ) Suggestion : the beach towel exchange ....not working ! One of other resort at Santa Maria ( Melia des Dumas? ) ...the exchange place was CLEARLY Noticable with a board of exchange hours marked ! You wou [... read more]ld get less frustrated guests ....if you improved that !

Awesome Resort

Hotel was very beautiful. Very friendly people. Amazing excursions,very well planed.Beaches were very well maintained. Lots of entertainment,live shows every night. Beverages always being offered.Always saw workers working in the gardens to keep them beautiful.

Worth the trip

This hotel was well kept with very friendly and helpful staff. The beach was spectacular with the most amazing water colour and finest white sandy beach you will ever come across. The rooms are not bad. I did have a problem with not having hot water for showering but who needs it when is 30c outside. The food is lack lustre and tough to stomach after a few days. If your not a foodie and love fun in the sun then it's a great fit for you.

Beautiful ocean resort ... ohhh that ocean!

Vanentin Perla Blanca's staff provided very attentive service to its guests throughout the entire resort. Its landscaping is nicely maintained daily by very hardworking locals from nearby villages, toiling away in the hot sun. They do a lot with what they have available to them on the island. Small tropical plants you may have in your home that are, say, six inches tall are three to four feet tall at the resort. Wow! The rooms are nice - generally, a 3- to 4-star North American standard f [... read more]eaturing large walk-in showers, vessel sinks, A/C, balconies off each room, a room safe, and flat-screen TV. The maid will create beautiful "swan towels" on your bed, and surprise you everyday with a more elaborate creation. (Leave a daily tip rather than tipping at the end of your stay for maximum creativity!) The flip side is that water pressure can vary from room-to-room and bungalow-to-bungalow, and there is absence of clock radios, and bathroom ventilation fans, yet there is a phone and weigh scale in your bathroom. Huh?! That's different. Towels and toiletries aren't always restocked consistently. Tips for future guests: . the best places to eat on the resort are: Oh la la (French a la carte restaurant), the Spanish restaurant next door to Oh la la (also a la carte), BBQ at the ocean bar hut (~noon to 3ish), and the restaurant at the quiet pool for warm, deliciously toasted sandwiches . vary your breakfasts yourself at the buffet, otherwise you could tire of a large but pretty much unchanging food selection throughout your stay . nightly live entertainment in the 24-hour bar (main resort building) is only surpassed by the energetic and colourful live theatre shows running every night in the theatre building . best libations? Try the Mojitos from the guy at the ocean hut - he makes the best; Miami Vices and Superman drinks from anywhere on the resort; and, specialty coffees (a fire show) anywhere they are served throughout the resort. Also ask for their house drink (a Valentin Perla Blanca) at the 24 hour bar - it's beautiful and very refreshing :) . best buffet food? amazing Cuban coffee, freshly made omelettes, sunnyside up eggs, pulled pork, fried ham with pineapple slices, freshly made pizza masterpieces, crepes with fruit and yogurt, freshly made smoothies, and single serving cherry jam jars. Be sure to look for Lacey as one of your service specialists. . the exchange rate for Canadian $ to Cuban Pesos is something like 35% in their favour. Foreign exchange booths are located at the airport and at the resort, itself, in between the check-in desk and the 24-hour bar! . there's an excellent variety of activities and excursions to check out that are based at the resort. . guests smoke everywhere - cigarettes, cigars, you name it. . best pool events: surprise buffet lunch poolside, aquafit at noon (esp. if lead by Manuel), and an ad hoc foam party with live DJ and tunes . pool staff are available very limited times of the day to exchange your used beach towel: 9:30 to 10 or 10:30 a.m. . if you're an animal lover, bring lots of sealed cat treats in your checked baggage for the cats who live at the resort. Better still, if you are a veterinarian or know of a vet who will volunteer professional services to spay/neuter the cats, prearrange this with the Resort's owner to help out our four-legged friends. . be sure to carry lots of extra TP in your bag, since it is sometimes absent in select resort washrooms . staff are friendly, attentive and polite; surprisingly, many speak very little English. This means sometimes it ain't easy to get a straight answer to your questions . we met many visitors who were repeat guests for three years running or more at the Valentin Perla Blanca resort. When they keep coming back, it's the best review and validation anyone can give a resort. Sooooo, give it a try for a relaxing (or energetic - you choose!) and wonderfully warm Caribbean get away that's very reasonably priced. Cheers. (Did you hear the clanging of glasses?) Here's to the inventor of the Miami Vice :)

Very nice resort

This hotel was very nice in general. Some of the washrooms had no toilet seats and often no toilet paper. Our room was clean and very well kept. The staff at this hotel are absolutely wonderful. Everyone I dealt with and spoke to was friendly, smiling and helpful as best as they could considering the language barrier. Getting a clean beach towel was rather frustrating. If someone showed up at the towel shack by the pool, they were there for a very brief time. I ended up getting fresh towel [... read more]s by chasing around the cleaning lady. The nightly shows in the theater was fabulous. The buffet was very repetitive - I got tired of eating there early on in the week. I would have liked to see more variety and perhaps different themes on certain nights. The house wine was not great but the specialty coffees were outstanding!!!! I asked for extra pillows on the first day because each bed only has one body pillow. Never got them so sleeping was challenging most nights. I spent most of my trip making sure the cats on the resort were fed and had clean drinking water. Would have loved to take them home with me. I so wish resorts would be proactive and have the cats spayed/neutered. They could keep them on as resort pets and avoid procreation that gets out of control. Being the animal lover that I am, I found it hard not knowing when their last meal was or whether they had fresh water or not. This is a huge factor in my selecting a resort. My boss had been at this resort the week before - I asked him whether he saw cats or not and he said he had seen 1 cat. I figured I could handle that. Then I get there and there are at least six that I saw :(:( It upsets me very much. Smoking was also an issue. It seemed everyone was smoking. For a non-smoker, I was always trying to find a spot on the outside of the seating area with the wind to my back. The resort should have more non-smoking sections. Especially in the eating areas.