Royalton Cayo Santa Maria: Absolutely fantastic time.

I'm really picky where I stay. I couldn't have been more delighted. Lobster night. Shows were outstanding. Food excellent and above all the Butler included took care of any questions or special dietary needs. I've stayed at other royaltons. Thai is by far the best one. And the beach. Breathtaking.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Wonderful Vacation

The grounds are beautiful. There are lots of amenities available such as a gym, spa, playground, theatre, multiple pools etc. The food as expected overall is not great, but what is lacking in the food is made up for by the incredible staff and unbelievable beach!!

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: Lovely Resort

Beautiful beach. Crystal clear blue water with a lovely ocean floor with no weeds. Grounds are well kept and the people who work there are very nice and always ready to help in any way. I will be back!

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Iberostar Ensenachos is a great place!!!

Who looks for a beautiful beach with corals near from the shore it's right place!!! We lied on the beach under roof and enjoyed from calm water of ocean, ice cream and sea food in the restaurant on the beach!!!

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Amazing Resort!!

Everything about this resort was near perfect. The property was gorgeous and the people were amazing. We met other wonderful Canadians and some local Cubans on/off the resort. The staff were so appreciative and hard working. The server Mario was amazing. The animations team were fun, hardworking and very professional. I had a wonderful stay and I cannot wait to return to this resort again! Hasta pronto Playa Cayo Santa Maria!

Memories Paraiso: Memories Paraisol Azul

Beach and staff were 5+*. Purchased Diamond Club. We would highly recommend this. Private lobby Bar with 12 yr Rum and champange, and lobster dinner in pool (shallow end) with contemporary band. Lobster dinner on beach 5+* (purchased) with spanish guitar and flute entertainment. We have been all over Cuba (4 & 5 *) and the service and beach here ranked highest so far.

Sol Cayo Santa Maria: Great agents at trip central!

Been 4 times now using trip central, amazing agents and quality service. They were dedicated to my planning and spent the required time to make my experience enjoyable. Dedinitely would recommend using them

Valentin Perla Blanca: Very nice resort

First time in Cuba! Resort was very clean, staff friendly, food was perfect! Very happy with trip central and Cubana air! No delays whatsoever! Room was ready for us when we arrived! A great first time experience. Thank you very much! We went to relax and that's what we did!!

Melia Buenavista: If you want to relax and snorkel this is the place

Best rooms out of any hotel in Cuba. The dual balconies and outdoor shower are like no other. The food was good by Cuban standards. I had some great meals and some ok meals. They try very hard to please our North American tastes. The pools were very shallow but relaxing. The pool bar service and outdoor wood pizza oven service were excellent. Never waited for a drink. Brought to me wherever I was. Beaches beautiful. Snorkeling... Some of the best I've seen throughout the carribean. Bring your ow [... read more]n gear though. Access to other nearby Melia resorts was easy via free shuttle. We ate at the French restaurant at one of the other resorts. It was decent. Don't expect a wild nightlife. This place is all about romance and relaxation. Great piano bar with light indoor and outdoor entertainment. Don't expect stable wifi service. If you do get it, it's in the lobby only and it's free. Staff all very friendly as per my expectations of the wonderful Cuban people. We would go back for sure.

Melia Las Dunas: Beautiful beach, friendly people, sanitary rooms

Loved my stay. Made a lot of friends and everyone was very welcoming. The buffet was not that great, but I definitely recommend the beer garden and a la carte restaurants. I was also very impressed with our rooms and how clean it was. A lot of dancing and disco at night which were very enjoyable if you know how to dance. Miss Cuba so much. Will definitely return again!

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: Wonderful vacation!

This was our first time here and will definitely return. The resort grounds,room, washrooms and dining rooms were kept clean and are nicely decorated. The pools were amazing! Only surpassed by the white sand beach! There was a good variety of food and great supply of fresh fish prepared in many ways. Every staff from front desk to servers to maids were friendly and helpful. we had a wonderful vacation and hope to return soon.

Melia Las Dunas: Amazing holiday

The hotel is lovely. We had a wonderful holiday for the most part and we wanted to acknowledge that this was largely due to the wonderful staff. The staff are very hardworking and go out of their way to make the guest happy. Our housekeeper, Maidelyn, was just wonderful. We looked forward to coming to the room every day to see what creation she had made with the towels. She always had a smile for us and kept the building No. 49 and its rooms very very clean. The entertainment staff were incred [... read more]ible going the extra mile to keep us entertained and happy all the time. Gy, Carlos, Andy, Yasser, Teo were some of the few staff that worked tirelessly everyday to keep us happy on the beach and in the evenings. As well, we always looked forward to the evening shows and the music by DJ Lewis who was just so entertaining. The gardener, Frank, who was always working between buildings 46 to 49 was a pleasure to talk to. He always had a smile and flowers for me when I passed by. My only regret is not taking the names of the two ladies at the buffet, the "pancake lady" and the "omelette lady" who were so wonderful. As well, we had a server by the name of Meiling who went out of her way to anticipate our every need every time we visited the buffet. Please pass on our grateful thanks to these staff for the hard work they put in to ensure we have a good holiday. All in all, we had a wonderful vacation and we would have no hesitation in recomending Melia Las Dunas to others as well as we would love to come back again.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Fantastic resort with good food.

I had an absolutely wonderful time at the resort, the amenities were plentiful and the staff was helpful. The food at this resort was fantastic, especially the Italian restaurant. The beach was the best that I have experienced in Cuba and there shows in the evening were a pleasure to watch.

Memories Paraiso: Great but noisy

Big pools, amazing beach and Nice grounds but definitely too noisy : staff yelling on thé corridors, improvised party at 2am without explanations and loud music all day around the pool... Better go for party than as a family!

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Great Value!

Great beach, and Cuban hospitability (service with a smile all of the time)! Facility is relatively new, some of the vegetation still needs to fill in. Some of the paths and facilities need improved upkeep (surprising for a new facility). Dunes needs to be better protected from uncaring tourists, designated boardwalks, through the dunes and a designation of protected area would be a good recommendation.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: All good. Just do your research and plan ahead!

I went from Sunday-Friday on a quick summer getaway in August 2015. The one thing i'll take away from this trip is that the staff was so nice and in a great mood all the time! Bus ride: Yes, there is a bus ride and it was not nearly as bad as i was expecting. We were out of the airport in about 25 minutes after landing (9:30pm) and got on the bus (1 hour, 50 minutes to Playa Cayo Santa Maria - the first stop). We arrived at the hotel at about 11:40 and were checked in by 12 midnight. They do of [... read more]fer beer for 2$ (yes they accept Canadian currency here and in the hotel too) but they only had about 10-15 beer cans available. There is a bathroom available and it looked like it worked although i didn't see anyone use it. The seats are comfy - no issue. On the way home, our flight was at 8:40 from Santa Clara airport. We had to be in the lobby at 3:40am to catch the bus. The bus came at 3:30 and left 5 of us behind - we told the lobby and the bus came back 20 minutes later - no issue. Airport: There is no longer a 20$ exit fee for Cuba at the airport. There is duty free, and it is open early (7am). Cigars are cheaper here than the hotel, but only by a dollar or two. There is a small restaurant for coffee/drink and a basic sandwich, snack or fries - all under 5$. Rooms: There are many buildings in this resort, all 3 story will about 20 or so rooms per building. Each building is closer to something in the resort. I stayed in building 7 and thought it was good. I'd prefer to be closer to the lobby/buffet/entertainment/pools than the beach. All buildings are quite by bedtime, no issue with a loud area at all. Entertainment: I wouldn't call it a party resort at all, but there are things going on in the lobby in the evenings until around 1am. You can catch a show in the theatre at 9:30 each night, then hit the lobby bar (no live entertainment in there, like guitar or piano i saw at other resorts) but busy and lively anyways then go to the Cigar Bar. The Cigar bar is their version of a 'disco', its lounge like earlier, with cold AC, a bar and low music. It gets more and more lively as the night goes (although it never gets the same as a traditional disco) on and stays open until about 2am. Yes, people smoke cigars (but typically not cigarettes) inside the room. The animation staff try hard to make things fun for everyone - they are around the buffets/beach/pools during the day and then do the show/bars at night. Mosquitoes: Bugs and mosquitoes weren't so bad. I heard they were bad from reading reviews and as a person that attracts them - i was worried. I just brought repellent and had no issues. Someone mentioned that we should bring in towels or clothes drying on the balcony around dinner time in case they fumigate. Getting Around: Transportation is available but limited. If you want a cab, you can find one around the lobby (or have them call one) between 10am-4pm - we could not find one in the evenings. There is, however a double decker bus that they refer to as the 'panorama' (its written on the side of the buss too) that goes in between the 10 or so resorts all day until about 1-2am. We asked the driver to pick us up at the resort at 1am one night, and he did. He mentioned that he worked until 2am and that a round trip was 1 hour long. This bus ride is 2$. Excursions: Excursions are offered through the lobby area, i didn't go on one though, sorry! I know one person went on a jeep safari drive. They said it was all good but to bring water, wear a hat and bring sunscreen - all the obvious things. Trips to Havana were offered and the travel was about 300 per person via plane or 200 ish for the group via taxi. There is a market area nearby that you can bus or taxi to (about 10 minutes away) for shopping (clothes and tourist souvenirs) Beach: amazing beach, of course. the actual sand area isn't very long to the water, but it easily fit the amount of people without being packed in there. Just like the pools, there were many cabanas and chairs available - there was never an issue getting a seat or place to lay down. You can take a catamaran out for a quick 10 minute ride with a hotel employee for free (2-3$ tip) or use snorkels/floaty things all for free on the beach. DJ during the daytime too. *The two main pools (one 'louder' with a small swim up bar) and one quieter (closer to the beach) were closed for one day for cleaning. Luckily the east and west areas also have pools/bars and were great. Tips: I brought my own toilet paper from home and was happy i did. There was no shortage of TP in the room or public bathrooms - but i'd rather not use the rough one ply! There are no wristbands (at least not during my stay) for this hotel, i had friends at another hotel and they visited and used the facilities/food/drinks without any issue.I also went to 2 other resorts and used all their facilities without issue - they seem relaxed about it in the area. Food: Food: I've been to Cuba before and didn't have high expectations. I'm also not a very picky eater. The breakfast runs from 7am-10am in the buffet area, so if you sleep in, you either need to go to the snack bar (burgers, chicken fingers, pizza) or wait until lunch. The pizza at the snack bar is way better than the pizza at the buffet. Note that you cannot take food out of the buffet or snack bar! I did anyways...but there are signs that say not to. If you brought tupperware or paper plates you'll have no issue. The food on the flight was decent too. Sandwich on both directions and a desert. **Try the mojitos in the lobby. Try all types of amazing coffee in the lobby too. Enjoy! Hope this helps.

Melia Las Dunas: Nicest beachest in the world!

The beaches are beautiful and the ocean views are breathtaking. The hotel has very nice pools as well and the en carte restaurants have great food. Not so much the ones at the buffet. The rooms are very clean and the service is impeccable. 10/10 would come back.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Nice and relaxing

Everything was great except for night life was dead and nearest town is to far to go dancing . It's more of a family resort I enjoyed the food the rooms where good and 24h snack bar was great pools where nice beach was beautiful

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Had a great time

Room was great and our maid even better. Thank you adalis :) the resort was good however if you didn't tip then there was a lack of service. The 24 hour buffet was non existent and you had to talk your way into getting food at anytime. The excursions were great and the sunning representative was extremely helpful. Id love to go back to Cayo Santa Maria but would try another resort.

Melia Las Dunas: resort rating

not a 4.5 star resort as has been advertized, but 3 maybe 3.5. The ocean the best, but service was very poor, the worst so far ( out of my 9 trips to the Caribbean, 4 to Cuba alone ). buffet was smelly and not clean dishes, rooms were not dusted, towels were not changed daily, etc.