Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Has potential to be great.

This resort was a good first impression when we arrived. As time passed after checking in is when we started to notice the negatives. First was the stained bed linens, with what I can not say. The staff was either great or horrible, we have to give credit to the ones that deserved it. The fact that there was no clean towels for the pool 3 out of 7 days is beyond me, especially since the resort was not to capacity. I can't give an honest review of the food because my expectation may have been a l [... read more]ittle high. The pools and other common areas of the resort were beautiful and well kept. Our room was kept very clean on a daily basis and the cleaning staff was very friendly. A little attention to detail, better laundering of towels and linens and some coaching to certain staff would make this an ideal vacation spot. This review is not intended to bash the hotel but to give them feedback on what they can improve on. On that note I have to say that the beach and nightly entertainment were amazing and overall we had a great time.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Could have been great

Arrived May 29th, 2015 without luggage, got it three days later thanks to Fiona at Tripcentral,(Thank you Fiona) the air transat rep had no clue....... Potential for this place if the staff could get there stuff!, together other then the males employed at the hotel trying to pickup the females arriving, this is the meat market in Cayo Santa Maria, not what I want for my family and my Grandaughter. I guess I've been spoiled all the years travelling, with friendly staff that have no expectations b [... read more]ut this place, "WOW", if you don't have the inflated Cuban Peso to give they want generally nothing to do with you. This is no more then a 3 STAR resort and that's being kind, would not recommend this place to anyone I want to remain friends with. Thanks for getting my luggage to me air transat, claiming for $25 a day will probably get nothing.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Good Times

Overall it was a very good resort… We were staying in Bungalo number four on the Overall it was a very good resort… We were staying in Bungalo number four on the third floor and we found the room to be very clean and well-maintained. The only problem with the room was the sliding patio door which was very stiff but all the other amenities in the room were very good. The restaurant was well stocked with all types of food available both precooked and also items made to order… There was Th [... read more]e restaurant was well stocked with all types of food available both precooked and also items made to order… There was A very good omelette station at breakfast time as well as a well-stocked smoothie bar. At lunch time there was a choice of fresh made pizzas, various types of fish and a selection of chicken beef or pork cooked At lunch time there was a choice of fresh made pizzas, various types of fish and a selection of chicken beef or pork cooked to order. Most of the staff were very friendly and helpful. There was a 24 hour snack bar which serves fairly good food. And the drinking cappuccino bar in the lobby was very good also. There were nightly shows in the lobby bar as well as in the theater. The performances were very well done. All of the pools were very shallow but offered a lot of variety and the beach was well-maintained and very pretty. If you are going to be out at dusk or on rainy days be aware of the mosquitoes which are in abundance!

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Wonderful Resort

the resort was wonderful. Positives - pools, beach, rooms were clean, food was what you would expect in Cuba negatives distance from airport, activities that they did have could not use lack of equipment (broken) positive/negative luggage did not arrive with us but our Trip Central representative made sure we received it.

Royalton Cayo Santa Maria: Beautiful and Good Size Resort

I have no complaint about this resort. This resort has friendly staff and good services. I really like the self help liquor stand in the lobby bar. Roberto the grill guy made our trip that much better. He grilled lobsters, fish, chicken, and beef by the pool. Being at Royalon allows access to Memories. Memories is a resort beside Royalton. The shows at memories are better. The beach there is " Wow ". I highly recommended to any Adult couples.

Sol Cayo Santa Maria: Amazing resort with Friendly staff!

Sol Cayo Santa Maria was our second time stay. Our first trip was ocean view this time we also got ocean view for free! We been to Cuba 6 times!! It is definitely our hot spot! We spent most our time at the beach. Water is amazing! Only flaw was both of us getting stung by a jellyfish. Ouch! Varadero is my greatest liking! Overall this is a great place to see!!

Melia Las Dunas: Great week!

Helpful and pleasant staff, excellent but non intrusive entertainment, and beautiful beach. What more could you want? This was our seventh trip to Cuba, and this place is probably our favorite so far!

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: An experience to remember...

Enjoyed the deluxe suite and so happy we upgraded. One night during the storm tons and tons of little flies came into the washroom. Main buffet should change the dinners each night.. (ex.theme nights)

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Beautiful place!

Such a beautiful resort. Very clean and lovely staff. I liked it so much that I went twice in four months! The beach was breath taking. There were tons of activities. The drinks were delicious! Food was pretty great too, and I have specific allergies!

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Beautiful Beach, nice hotel

Beach-excellent walking and swimming Grounds-well kept Room- clean basic room , no complaints Front desk staff-always friendly and helpful Food-the food is good, especially for a buffet, I really don't understand why people complain, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables Bus Ride- enjoyable , interesting to see parts of Cuba

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: excellent resort

amazing service, good location, excellent food, beautiful beach, the resort it self is a great place for a family trip, it is family oriented because has a lot of activities to be done by a family, overall great place to go as a family trip

Royalton Cayo Santa Maria: FANTASTIC!!! BEST VACATION EVER!

ROYALTON CAYO SANTA MARIA May 23 – May 30, 2015 AWESOME! The best resort we have ever stayed at – and we have travelled many times throughout the years. First of all the resort is very small; only 122 rooms and it is an adult only vacation spot. The Royalton is nothing but luxury plus!!!! Once you arrive at the resort, you are greeted by several well-dressed staff members directing you to the air conditioned bar area where drinks and a cold cloth were waiting for you. You don’t even have [... read more] to stand in line to register at the front desk, because one of the “butlers” does this for you. Every couple is assigned a butler to show you the grounds, let you know where and when to get anything you desire. We were given a tour of every aspect of the resort including the beach. We were then taken to our room, where once again, the butler explained what was available to us during our stay. FOOD – the food is unbelievable! We had lobster every day of our one-week vacation. Maybe we just hit a lucky week, but for us this was a bonus! There are no buffets – the closest thing to a buffet that you will get is the breakfast in the main restaurant where a great assortment of cold cuts, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, juices are available. This is in addition to the option of ordering from a menu. Each time you have your breakfast, lunch or dinner at one of the restaurants or “snack bar”, you have the opportunity to order from a menu. We can’t say enough about the service and the food – FANTASTIC. The snack bar and “Bar” – which is opened 24 hours a day, shouldn’t really be called a snack bar because of the terrific menu they offer; from garlic butter shrimp to roast chicken – the choices are more than what you would expect. No dried out pizza or hot dogs – real restaurant style food. BBQ Grill by the pool – our favourite spot during the day. This was available from 12 noon to about 4:30 p.m. Chicken kabobs, beef kabobs, lobster, chicken wings, ribs, fish and rice were available to us each day – thanks Alberto!!! POOLS – there are two pools; upper (by the main lobby) and then the larger pool located in the middle of the complex. Each pool had its own bar with fantastic service – thanks to Yorkis and Dayaimi for taking such good care of us. The pools were always crystal clear and just the right temperature – never crowded. You also didn’t have to fight for a lounge as there were plenty of them to go around for everyone. BEACH – Amazing! Beautiful white sand, gorgeous multi-blue ocean and lots of lounges and huts. The beach was the perfect “walking” beach if you so desired. There is also a bar and mini snack bar here. The resort is currently working on an addition to the beach bar which looks like they may include a sitting area and bathrooms. This project should be completed by the time we visit this resort again. STAFF – the most friendly and attentive resort staff we have ever met during our travels. Because the resort was so small, they knew your name, what you drank, etc. etc. We were catered to, way too much as we are not used to this type of service. The Butler, as I mentioned earlier, is available to you from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm daily to take care of any issues or wishes you may have. Our butlers were Alexis and Denyis – they alternate days. Both of them always touched base with us throughout the day to make sure we were enjoying your vacation. ROOMS – terrific, clean and big. Along with a few two unit buildings located near the main lobby, there are 11 two-storey buildings with 10 units in each building located closer to the beach and main pool. We had a king bed, a sitting area with a couch, coffee table, two chairs and another wee table. The bathrooms were big as well, with a separate tub, shower and toilet stall. The shower was a rain shower – wonderful!! You can open the folding doors from the bathtub area to overlook the rest of the room – a nice touch if you wanted to sit in the tub and watch TV after a long day in the sun. There are lots of cupboards and closet space. The safe is free, the fridge/freezer is cold and well stocked daily with beer, pop and water. The maid service was amazing!! Swans, elephants, cowboys – all made from towels. Our last day Yobaissy spelled out “bye” in towels!! I always say that there are pros and cons to every resort/vacation, but this time I am finding it hard to find the “cons”. Even the 1 ½ hour bus ride from the airport wasn’t so bad as it turned out to be a bus tour rather than a bus ride. We were able to buy ice cold beer – 2 for $5.00 Cdn on the bus which was a nice way to start your vacation and we got to see and learn about the towns we travelled through and a little bit of history while travelling to the Royalton. One of the best vacations we have ever had. We celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary in style to a point that has probably spoiled us. We plan to return to the Royalton Cayo Santa Maria!!!

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Very nice resort, but......

Have to say the staff is very nice, the hotel is clean & the entertainment very good.The down side is the buffet & although Cuban resorts are not known for their great food, this one was particularly bland & repetitive. Every day was the exact same thing making for recirculation of previous uneaten food more easy I imagine. To be fair, all the A la Carte restaurants ( Hi Anna, excellent waitress by the way ) were however quite good, as well as the 24 hour Snack bar. The lobby area & bar [... read more] were also quite nice. They also spray for mosquitoes every night, which some may find annoying, but I found very appreciative. Again, can't say enough about the staff. One of the better resorts I've stayed in for pleasant, smiling faces. The ice cream bar is also a nice touch near the pool & I really enjoyed the bottled beer ( at no extra charge ) at the bar near the pool, something I've never seen in any other resort I've stayed at to date. The entertainment staff are also quite nice & energetic & keep you busy for the most part at the beach & pool if you so choose to participate. The beaches are OK & the grounds & pool clean, with plenty of shaded areas for lying & sitting. The one big beef is the bus ride to & from the resort from the airport. At least 1 bathroom stop/break would be appreciated each way since the ride is approx. 1 hr. & 40 mins. with no toilet on the bus. All in all a nice place for the money, save the bus ride & buffet.

Memories Paraiso: It wasn't great

I went away with seven of my girlfriends and was disappointed. The rooms were very old and the food was just ok. Besides getting stung by jelly fish daily the water was beautiful. Will never return to Cuba

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Good, but not a 5 star

Not a 5 star. Room outdated. Flies everywhere at the buffet makes it hard to eat. Flies IN the food. BUT- The most beautiful resort grounds and beach I've ever seen. Pool is amazing, especially if you have kids.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Close to Heaven

I visited the Iberostar Ensenachos about 8 years ago when it was a Royal Hideaway hotel - back then it wsa absolutely spectacular and easily the most luxurious hotel I had stayed in in Cuba. It's now shwoing wear and tear, and the quality of the food has dipped. That said, the grounds remain spectacular. The beach is secluded - from both noise and waves - and the resort is absolutely huge. There are two beaches - one is beautiful (Manego) and the other is nothing short of spectacular (Ensenachos [... read more]). It's about a 20 minute walk (30 if you're really slow or are travelling with kids) from the lobby to the Ensenachos beach, but well worth it, There are snack bars dotted all around the resort so if you head out there and want to stay all day, you can. You can also ask reception to send a go-cart (or try to flag one down) but I found that takes a long time and not really worth the wait. The drinks were all wonderful - from the Bailey's spiked coffee to the mojitos - and the service was quick and very friendly. We stayed in the adults-only Spa section where I am told the rooms are nicer. They certainly were very spacious, the bed was the most comfortable one I've slept on in Cuba (notorious for terrible mattresses) and the bathroom was huge and well-equipped. I would recommend that you pay the 25 CUC per person for dinner at the Colonial as that was the best meal we had (a very nice lobster thermidor and great flan), mangoes were in season when we visited so we pretty much ate some all day - they tasted so much better than any mangoes I've ever had in Canada. Fish and shrimp, as well as paella were always fresh and delicious. I usually stay away from beef in Cuba as it's not the best. I usually like to try different resorts when I visit Cuba, but this one had it all (except for a party scene, but you don't come to Cayo Santa Maria to party!). I would definitely come back.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Biggest disappointment Ever! Hated it

After getting off the plane we get on our shuttle which was completly full. After a 2 hour drive the first drop off to Memories every person on the shuttle got off but us. 5 minutes more we arrive to starfish. Completely dead and dark. We get to our room and settle a bit we are starving we go to the lobby and ask where the food was were told thete is NO FOOD and we had to go to Memories to eat. We get carted there abd had a disgusting ham and cheese sandwich then the 2 hour wait to get back to o [... read more]ur resort noone from memories wanted to bring us and we had no way of getting ahold of dtarfish ppl. Finally after 2 hours we get back to starfish. The whole resort besides the lobby was completly dark we couldnt find our room there was no lights on. Once we get to our room we noticed there was a plate if old food in the halleay that looked as if it was tbere for 2 weeks. Our room had dirty sheets no hot water at all the phone didnt work the tv didnt work the list goes on. The next morning we notice there is approximately 6 other guests at the whole resort. I called my travel agent to ask for help because the sunwing rep would not be at our redort until 5 that day. The 6 minute call cost 20.00 we were told that for a cost we would get switched. We finally were told we wete being moved to sol cayo santa maria whete there would be ppl there and working hot water and most importantly FOOD!! Our Cuba experience was horrible and a complete waste of money. Never ever go. The women who worked there gave us all dirty looks wow if looks could kill.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Best beach and pool!

Resort well laid out to access everything. Rooms spacious, especially the corner units. Food was really good with lots of variety with the beach grill being our favorite. Beach is amazing and we will be back!

Melia Las Dunas: Amazing Resort!

The resort was beautiful. The rooms were perfect and always very clean. The food was delicious and a wide variety. The resort staff were very friendly and helpful, always.The water and beach was beautiful. This was our second time at Melia Las Dunas and we would definately be returning. We highly recommend this resort.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Met Expectations

This was my first trip to Cuba and I have no major complaints. Here are my thoughts: Food: I was warned about the food but really didn't think it was all that bad. The resort did an excellent job of ensuring there was something for everyone depending on your tastes and preferences. The food is not fancy by any means, but you can get by. If you are looking for a culinary experience, than I would suggest not traveling to Cuba. However, if you can live for 7 days on simple, fresh cooked meals than [... read more] you will do just fine! My highlights were breakfast; fresh cooked omelet and smoothie. As well, the coffee was to die for. I even asked for an iced coffee one morning it was one of the best I’ve ever had. I also really enjoyed the BBQ each afternoon by the pool. They served up hamburgers, hot dogs and fresh mangos. It was delish. Make sure you go easy on them though if you are a condiment person as sometimes they don’t have everything ie: Ketchup. One suggestion I have for the resort would be to add a Cuban a la cart. It would be nice to try some of the local fare and I’m sure it would be far superior to the resort trying to make other ethnic foods. Hotel: I was immediately impressed by the landscaping of the hotel, lush green gardens. The pools were very clean and not overly chlorinated. I was in the adult only section which I really enjoyed. Nothing was too far away and I enjoyed the walks. The hotel was clean but they could do a bit better job in ensuring the table clothes and chairs in the dining room where a bit cleaner as there was a number of stains on them. The rooms exceed my expectations – clean and airy. The bathroom was large and looked like it had been recently renovated. Staff: The staff was awesome and very friendly. They tried really hard to make our stay enjoyable which they succeeded at - the tips helped I'm sure. I did have one bad experience in the spa with my massage therapist who didn’t perform the best massage and then wanted me to pay him under the table so he could pocket the money. Beach/property: The beach was absolutely my highlight of the resort and my stay. It was so untouched and I loved the walk through the mangroves to get there. I especially loved that no other resort had access to it. The water was crystal blue, very warm and you could walk out quite always while seeing the bottom. I would go back to the Iberostar for the beach but would look at other resorts too just to change it up and experience something different.