Good Resort - Playa Cayo Santa Maria

My husband, daughter, grandson & myself spent one week at this resort Dec. 19-26, 2014. First and formost if you are booking this hotel, book for two days extra as we never got to the resort until after 4 pm so one day lost of sun. We had to leave 9:00 am so another day of sun lost. So travelling takes one day to get there and one day to go home, we basically only had 5 days of beautiful sunshine. The weather was perfect! I mean perfect, couldn't ask for better weather. When we went to the beach [... read more] there was always someone there to get your beach chairs for you and they set them up, brushed them off and even put your beach towel in place. Loved those guys, they were always so ready to do everything for us. The entertainment on the beach everyday was amazing. Stretching, yoga & aerobics - and then they played games, different every day. This entertainment went to one of the many pools after lunch. We didn't do the pools, as the beach was amazing - very clean and oh so warm. We had 4 a-la-carts (one being Christmas supper). The a-la-carts were excellent . The buffet was not very good, line ups are ridiculous as they only have one buffet for breakfast and supper and the food was not the greatest. The beach buffet was amazing (as you could order from the menu, the pizzas were awesome as well as the spaghetti. The beach BBQ was also GREAT, hot dogs and ham & cheese. Not a lot to choose from but was so good. The snack bar was also wonderful food. I especially loved the pork & sauerkraut. The also cooked 3 pigs in the earth. They were delicious. The grounds were very clean, the rooms were also very well kept. Loved having my towel art everyday (except for the day we arrived and the day before we left). We only did one night entertainment - Michael Jackson - the best Michael Jackson I have ever seen. GREAT job team Michael Jackson. The bathrooms need to be cleaned more often, and when a toilet is not working get it fixed fast, especially on the beach only one bathroom in working order and the door on the wheelchair one was broken so you couldn't use it unless someone was with you. Overhall I had a wonderful vacation and would definitely plan another trip there but like I said before book for two days extra for travelling.

Beautiful resort

The bathrooms needed more attention, almost all of the them were dirty and out of tissue on the resort and and the beach resturant I could do with less stray cats :( breaks my heart The al la carte meals were great, wasn't really impressed with the buffets, was always kinda hungry Staff were amazing and attentive Only 1 beer and 1 water in fridge isn't enough when you have 2 ppl. I requested more several times but never got it so I have up asking Light is bathroom was broken and never did get fi [... read more]xed

Best Resort in Cuba

Have been to 20+ all inclusive resorts all over mexico and Caribbean, this one tops them all. Best beach, service, and features of any resorts I have seen. Was hesitant to book this vacation because vowed to never go back to Cuba because of terrible food and usually get sick. Gave it one more shot and my mind is changed. Have never been to same place twice because there are so many but will definitely be back here. Would like to make it a yearly tradition. The airport was rather primitive but l [... read more]ove to walk down the stairs onto tarmac and get hit with the warm tropical air. Immigration process was fast and no searches from what I saw. Found bus quick and easy without harassment, picked up a couple cold beers outside, 2 for $5. Beer was also available for purchase on the bus, but beware that there are no bathrooms on bus and is a 2 hour drive to hotel. We made 2 roadside stops on way for a girl on our bus that just couldn't hold it. Stopped at two other hotels and finally arrived, check in was a breeze. Didn't bother finding or waiting for a golf cart to take us to room. Just rolled bags over and found building without any problem, even at night. Room was clean and has a great layout. Booked seaview room so were on top floor of building 5, facing ocean. Balcony was adequate size and very private because end of other building faced us where staircase was located. Fridge was stocked with a 1.5L bottle of water, 2 beers, and 2 sodas. I loved how the bed was facing patio door with TV in corner, fridge underneath. We left sliding door open at night to let a fresh breeze into the room, which is much better than the cold, dry air conditioning. Didn't matter that the latch fell off right away because meant we couldn't be locked out on balcony by accident and no risk of intruders on the third floor. The dresser unit behind bed was perfect for spreading out all the beach gear on for quick access, never put anything inside it, just used suitcase open in corner. Closet was decent size for hanging evening wear and had safe to lock valuables, ironing board, and umbrella, which was never used. Bathroom was large and no complaints except girlfriend didn't like the bit of mold on showerhead and spots of mold on some tile. That sort of thing doesn't bother me at all, especially since it is not easily removed and harmless. May not have been mold, just black stains or whatever. The TV channel selection was good with HBO and another English movie channel, news, etc. Watched some decent shows on Discovery mostly in evenings. If you would like your fridge stocked with more stuff than they normally give, put a note with what you want and some cash. For example, I asked for 2 waters and 4 beers instead of the normal stuff. They gave me 3 waters, 6 beers, and 2 sodas, for only $5 tip it is totally worth it. We were there for New Year and knew it would be rough morning so asked for 6 waters, they gave us 8 and couple beers for good measure. For whatever reason they don't like to give away whole bottles of water at the various bars, just small glasses. The bars were everywhere and always superb service. Never waited very long for a drink. If you don't want to go back every 5 minutes, bring your own insulated mug. Their cups are 8oz at the most, half a beer. The beer is cold as ice and mixed drinks are whatever you want them to be. They even have slushy machines everywhere. Lobby bar could be very busy in the evening and service was horrible so avoided it at all cost. Better to go to the cigar bar just around the corner, which was never busy. Even the theater bar was reasonable and very close to lobby. Cigar bar had the best selection of liquor, where you could purchase top grade scotch such as Macallan for $7 a shot, much cheaper than back home. Another great feature was the wine bar, just down the hall from lobby desk. It had opened for first time when we were there and had wide variety of wine available (mostly Spanish and South American) for extra cost. The average price was $10/bottle, charged to room and paid on checkout. They even served cheese with it. When you are tired of the same free bar wine all the time, go there and you won't be disappointed. My favorite place was the beer garden. It was never busy and had the coldest canned or bottled beer at the resort. Nice to finish the day there but was open from 10am to 10pm everyday. Our favorite place to eat was the snack bar because of its central location, good service, and all the items were delicious. We ordered chicken fingers and pizza there almost daily. They would also serve a continental breakfast of bacon, eggs, fruit, etc. from 7-11 so could still get breakfast if you missed the buffet, which closes at 10am. After that they serve burgers, hot dogs, pizza, etc. all day and night. The snack bar at beach was most surprising because we didn't see it until our second last day. They had lunch daily with buffet offerings of chicken, pasta, salad, bread, etc. all things that main buffet had but much more convenient. On the far side of the beach buffet they made fresh pasta, wood burning oven pizza topped any way you want, fresh grilled meats, and even had a menu of items you could order from. Everything there was delicious. The main buffet had anything you could possibly want for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Numerous omelette stations, fresh pancakes, donut making station, and fresh squeezed juices were breakfast highlights. Didn't really go there for lunch but would be just as good. Dinner had fresh pasta station, custom pizza making, grilled meats made just for you. Didn't really wait in line for those things because buffet items were just as good, huge selection. The best dinner of the week was New Year. We arrived at opening and were shocked to see full trays of lobster tail, bacon wrapped chicken breasts, bacon wrapped steaks, potatoes, vegetables, carving turkeys and wide range of other items. My only regret is that my stomach has a limited capacity. This place had the best food I have ever seen in Cuba from the 5 or so places visited. Likely safe to say best food in all of Cuba. Our tour representative told us at orientation that we had picked the best resort in Cuba, but took awhile to prove that point. He was absolutely right. The a la carte restaurants were great if you don't want to be a complete pig at the buffet. We went to the Asian, Cuban and Romantic. They had various menu items available for a change of pace. If you didn't like whatever you may have ordered, could always head over to the buffet or snack bar afterward. Thankfully we did not have to do that. If you are a condiment snob like we were, bring your own ketchup, mustard, mayo, hot sauce, BBQ, etc. We did and it made every meal that much more enjoyable. Their condiments leave much to be desired or are simply unavailable. Don't believe the negative reviews about the beach and how it should be changed. I could see how some areas would be tough for older people to navigate but there are ways to get down the small hill safely if you know where to go. I personally loved the raised area above with shaded chairs because it provided perfect views of the ocean below. You can walk forever in either direction and the warm, clear water is world class. The pools were very nice and about same temperature as ocean but did not spend much time there because love playing in the waves. Pool is rather shallow and better for just freshening up on way back to room. The staff was amazing and even though they work 6 days a week, and long days because it is 2 hour commute for many of them to arrive at work, they usually have a smile or are pleasant. I totally understand that some may be grumpy or having bad day but usually hide it well. Tips are not expected but can brighten their day. I brought a bunch of $5 just for that purpose. Keep in mind that to our standards, they are overworked and extremely underpaid. If everyone brought at least $100 tip money with them it would be a very nice gesture. There are various excursions offered but we did not do any of them. They do offer a VIP service at the airport for $25 per person. This is the best money we spent the entire trip. The check-in process at airport can be rather slow and there is separate line for VIP. Then inside the terminal there is a VIP lounge that has all drinks and food included in package. Very comfortable leather chairs, couches, TVs, bathrooms, and even a smoking room. The main terminal area does not have much to offer and can be an uncomfortable, busy place. Your bus arrives at terminal 3 hours before plane leaves so comfort is key. This VIP lounge was a highlight of the trip because our plane was delayed and they had the Dallas/Detroit NFL playoff game on TV. We ate and drank like kings one last time before heading home. The staff lets you know when you can go to plane and have door from lounge directly onto tarmac. If you book this resort, you will not be disappointed. Well, if you are hung up on star rating and somebody impossible to please that likes to complain about the slightest imperfection, maybe you will be.

Great time

Overall great time. Not much to do, but that's the point of a vacation right? Pools and beaches are amazing, food so-so, shows were fun, beds were kinda hard. The snack bar had great chicken fingers and pizza. We would go back.

Big Fun

The service at this hotel is amazing. Beautiful beach and pools. Really spread out so lots of room for everyone in terms of chairs and space at the pool and beach. Food was not great, even at the a la care. New Years celebration was really fun. Hotel is really far from the airport. Made for a long day. Beds are hard and rooms are small

Cuba 6 Star ******

We had an amazing time at this spectacular resort. This was only my fifth trip to Cuba but by far the best resort experience and will now be my destination of choice. The bed was comfortable, the rooms were huge and clean. The beach was a bit beaten up by the high winds but the pools made up for it. By Cuban standards, the food was 6 star; I have always said you go to Cuba for the people, the sun, sand, sights and sea but in the case of this resort, I can say you can go for the food as well. If  [... read more]you can't find something you can eat at this Resort then don't travel from your own kitchen because you a way too fussy; they even have an ice cream shack at one of the pools. The staff were exceptional, the entertainment very good; very clean, very nice, very highly recommended!

Amazing trip! !!!

Resort just perfect, no complaints whatsoever. Clean, food was great, beach is priceless, water so clear, great entertainment day and night!!! Christmas was amazing there. Only thing that could be improved is a little TLC to the rooms.

Playa Santa maria

Very nice resort -good for families or singles. Food was very typical for Cuba but you'll always find something. Rooms very comfortable. Best part is weather and beach. We went for Xmas and was our 2nd time. They had a special dinner for repeated guests, which was very special especially the food.

Wonderful resort!

I would definitely recommend this resort. It has something for all ages. The rooms were good, the grounds and public areas very well maintained, and the entertainment excellent. The staff in all areas were very friendly and accommodating. The beach area was wonderful. I liked the fact that there was a higher location to sit as well as on the main beach. The only reason I rated the resort good was because of the food, otherwise it was excellent. Although the buffet was more than adequate in its s [... read more]election, the taste was not the best. The chicken was excellent but the meat tough. A lot of greasy foods too. I did like the fact that one could have fresh food cooked to order though, e.g. eggs, pasta, meat, rice dishes, shrimps (and they were delicious!) We enjoyed the different restaurants available, the best being the Italian, not only because of the food but the staff were superb. Finally, would like to see an ATM on-site in the future rather than having to bring cash or credit card.

Decent resort

The beach was beautiful and the pools were nice. The food is very bland. We seen over 5 cockroaches at the resort including one in our room. Asked for someone to come kill the cockroach and it took 45 minutes for someone to arrive. By then the cockroach had hidden away. We asked to switch rooms and were placed in a smoking room that was full of spiders. Most of the service people were friendly and the resort is decent. Overall not a bad resort, however, I personally wouldn't recommend it for the [... read more] price we paid.

Great choice for a quiet Cuban getaway

Beautiful quiet resort. A bit remote so if you want lots of activity or day trips this may not be a great choice for you. But, if you want a beautiful white sand beach with a smooth, shallow entrance to amazing blue water - then come here! Great for a relaxing, sit on the beach and read a book (I got through 4 novels in 10 days) vacation! Food was good by Cuban standards. The best a la carte was Italian. Don't even try Romantico - it was terrible! Breakfast omelet bar was good and they will do f [... read more]ried eggs as well - however you want them. Go to the snack bar for lunch. The Pizza's are good here. Breads and baked goods all around where fantastic. Pool in December was cold - the ocean was warmer ! The lounge chairs by the pool are very comfortable and lots of options for shade or sun - whichever is your preference. Warning to parents - the kids wading pool has no shade. But other pools have shallow options that you can probably work with. Rooms are large and very nice. Bathrooms are modern. Water was hot and water pressure was great. Satellite TV with HBO and a couple of other English stations. Enough to give you entertainment before bed or in between the Beach and Cocktail hour. :) Internet is only available in the Lobby and is very sporadic (no internet cards available the first two days at the resort, then Wi-Fi was down for another day) so if you need to keep in touch with the office or your family then before you leave home buy a roaming package for your phone. I had no trouble connecting in my room using Roaming (and luckily I bought a package before I left). Great value if you get a good deal. WestJet was awesome!! (as usual)

Greatest vacation in Cuba

Our family had such an amazing time. The resort is so beautiful and well maintained. It is just the perfect size. Anyone from seniors to kids will find interesting things to do. When we were there the weather was a bit cold and ocean was waivy, however, the resort and staff made it great anyways.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria

The grounds,beach and the service was great. Prefect spot for a relaxing holiday. All the workers made our trip enjoyable. The nightly entertainment was excellent the only problem was that the show was interrupted by young children who were not controlled by their parents.

Very nice, clean and modern resort.

This resort is amazing for Cuba. So many pools and so many bars. Everything was beautiful, staff were great and very friendly (not motivated by tips 1st) food choice and quality was excellent specially for Cuba. My wife and I have been to Veradero 3 previous times and really liked this resort. The drive from the airport is a little long (1 hr and 20 mins) but well worth the drive. Overall I would return to this resort in a heartbeat. Thanks for the great week and perhaps see you soon! Bruce &  [... read more]Ann Toronto

Friendlystaff - very appreciative of tips -

beach beautiful - life guard helpful in setting up chase lounges-couldn't -do enough for us - meals great - with fine dining at restaurants - yes we love to go again some dancing a great theater life as well - who wouldn't want to go????

Amazing resort

the grounds were well kept and clean of debris and garbage. The rooms were spacious and clean, however the beds were hard. water pressure was good and the bathrooms were kept clean. The buffet was huge and not only was the food good you had a choice of precooked or grilled while you wait. The staff were all so friendly and helful. Tips were graciously accepted but not expected.I would go back here again.

Excellent Vacation

We went on family vacation Oct 31-Nov 14. We had an awesome time. The kids loved it. Entertainment in the evening and service were excellent. Everyone at the resort was friendly and nice. The beach and the pool were great. We had a magnificent time at the pool THANKS to Yordany Gonzalez Garcia. He provided for my whole family an outstanding service, extremely friendly, always smiling and one of the best bartenders in the whole resort.

Beautiful beaches

Always a great time in Cuba. Couldn't ask for better service at meals, bars and the beach. Even the garden staff great you with a smile. Only down fall was the main desk. The bottle of Rum that they said twice was going to be in our room wasn't. To me this isn't a biggie but some would be very upset. Plus the 2 nd time visit diner wasn't offered to me and it was my 2 nd time there. I will go back for the staff, beach and cleaness of the resort.

Really good value for your money resort

This hotel is a very clean and well-maintained facility. The gardeners and staff are always working in keeping up the standards, not to mention utterly friendly. The resort has an extensive buffet to suit your taste buds but could change their menu some days a bit more. They do also offer guests the opportunity to book a la carte restaurants for variety. You are only allowed 3 bookings in the week you are there. The rooms are quite modern and tidy, even the beds were comfortable. There is a main [... read more] pool where activities are held along with 3 other pools that are for the quieter environment. Beach was just a small walk from the main pool area. Nightlife is very active in the lobby area where people enjoy drinks, play cards and take in the performers. There are also shows in the theatre every evening and if you get a chance, take in the Michael Jackson show which is absolutely spectacular! In general, the dancers are incredible! The only negative aspect is they could turndown the volume at these performances because honestly, having earplugs in, you can still hear everything loud and clear. Overall, the atmosphere at the hotel was safe and enjoyable.

Fantastic

Beautiful clean and well maintained. Rooms are generous and housekeeping staff is accommodating. Evening shows are good, don't miss the Micheal Jackson show. It's amazing. Beach is narrow but the staff service makes up for that.