4 star trying to become a 5

We had issues as are expected on every trip. The hotel resolved them in a timely manner. Like my son explained to me when he was 5, "Daddy if you have no expectations you can't be dissappointed." We expected the food to be average at best, but the food was good in general and very good by Cuban standards. If you have never been to Cuba i would suggest taking very small samples and then returning for your meal. I had a few very thin steaks prepared by the grill chef and they were to my surprise v [... read more]ery good. Staff is competent and generally kind and polite. Our children arrived for the second week and had a bunch of trendy clothing stolen. We were able to confidently identify the culprit as the resort made full disclosure by examining the key access of our rooms and the adjacent rooms and we believe he was fired as we did not see him after we were able to demonstrate that the maids did not steal our property and that the male employee had likely stolen the maids keys and then left them in our door to make it look like she had done it. We will repost when we get feedback from the resort as to his standing at the resort and any proposed compensation the resort proposes. Take benedryl and bug spray and/or avoid the bluffs (beach was okay) or sand flees will ruin a few good nights sleep. The beach is very narrow, however ample recliners were available through out the resort and we could always find a spot where we wanted to be. Food and drinks were good (for example fresh oj, mid grade champagne and some good quality liquor was available and included), however as expected some things were not available all the time and this is to be expected as the supply chain in Cuba has a few weak links. The 90 minute drive can take closer to 2 hours so be prepared. It was the best family resort we have stayed at. More than the normal number of recurring customers and when we will return it will be first time we attend a resort for the second time. The iberostar has a bit higher rating however we met a family that asked to be moved out of the iberostar to this resort as they were disappointed there and preferred this resort based on a previous trip. I forgot to bring ketchup this time but the cuban Catshup is getting better and almost red now. Infrastructure at this time does not exist for a true 5 star resort in Cuba, but if you realize this going in, you will find the resort does an excellent job trying to get there. (On a few days we had 50 grit toilet paper lol) The resort exceeded my expectations despite me trying not to have any. If you are expecting a typical 4 star Cuban vacation you will be satisfied here at minimum. Memories Azul a few resorts down is a bit prettier ( i would not recommend it though), but the service, customer service and food here more than makes up for the lack of hills and splash of marble. Cheers

Good getaway experience

My friends and I stayed in this all-inclusive resort from January 26-Dec 3. The flight from Toronto to Santa Clara airport took 5 hours and the ride from the airport to the hotel is an hour and a half. When we arrive at the resort, we were greeted by the front desk staff and checked us in quickly. We had a bellman who brought us to our room in no time. The room is stacked with amenities as mentioned in the site. The resort is close to the beach and some of the buildings have a nice view of the o [... read more]cean. Almost everything on site is in close proximity with each other. The property has 4 pools with bars; one has a swim up bar! They lobby and snack bar available 24 hours. The resort offers nightly entertainment, pool and recreational activities, gym, basketball and tennis courts. They have a buffet restaurant that offers hot meals 3 times a day, and 4 ala carte restaurants: Romantic, Japanese, Italian and Seafood; and also offers guests to try their authentic Cuban ala carte restaurant. During our stay, the weather was cool and breezy, the beach was wavy yet breathtakingly beautiful. We noticed that most travellers staying there are couples, families and mature clientele, so for single and young travellers, beware! They do not have a disco/nightclub in the resort which is disappointing; most of our nights we spent hanging out at the lobby or cigar bar or watch the shows. I would recommend having a disco night at the cigar bar or a pool or a beach party once a week, which would provide more nightly activities for the guests. Kudos to the resort staff who work really hard every day; some are warm, welcoming and friendly, but it was not consistent throughout. The nightly shows were quite entertaining, mostly consists of dance acts every night. The bed was not comfortable to sleep in, but I had worse experiences. In terms of food, the buffet restaurant did not offer a lot of variety and had almost the same thing every day. The ala carte restaurants were something that the travellers could utilize to escape going to the buffets, but even those, my friends thought that the food weren't as great as they had expected or did not meet their standards of taste, but otherwise edible. However, I personally thought it was not too bad; I had worse experiences in the past when I was staying in a different resort before in Cuba. Overall, we had a great time and enjoyed our stay. We would probably not come back to the same resort, but would browse around other resorts if we ever decide to come back to Cayo Santa Maria. We hope that future travellers would have as much fun or more if they choose to stay in this resort. Definitely something to consider.

Home away from home

The Playa Cayo Santa Maria is your home away from home. The grounds are absolutely beautiful with the long walkways trimmed with blooming flowers and green foliage. The Pools are very clean, the rooms are clean and spacious. The lobby bar with coffe bar have live entertainment for your morning coffee and before dinner drinks. Then, there is the amazing staff that make you feel at home from the moment you arrive. I would recommend this hotel to everyone.

Surprisingly good!

First place in my experience where there were enough shady spots at the beach and at the pool, no fighting. The staff was polite and friendly, the staff eager to please the clients. The room was comfortable and clean. The food was plentiful and tasty. We will be back for sure!

Breathtaking!

This resorts beach was incredible. The amenities were spotless, and the staff were amazing. The food wasn't that great, but that's not what I went for. There isn't a lot to do excursion wise, but if you are looking for relaxation this is heaven...

Great place for cheap!

We stayed at the Playa Cayo S.M. from Nov 28 to Dec 5 2014. We had a great time. The rooms were clean and comfortable and the grounds were beautiful. Well maintained by the gardeners. The staff was wonderful and friendly. The beach was stunning. White sands stretching for miles. There were 4 pools and all of them were wonderful. The pools were a bit chilly. The buffet was good but not a great variety. Seemed to eat the same thing everyday but never left hungry. The a la carts were good. Overall, [... read more] it is a great place to go to for a week on a low budget. :)

Great Resort!!

What a beautiful resort. The resort is a wonderful place for singles or families. Lots to do and see. The pools were very well kept. The resort was clean. The rooms were nice, and the staff was very helpful, if you required assistance. You can change your money at the airport or the hotel bank. The 7 bars have a wonderful variety of drinks to choose from. Something for everyone. Alcohol or non-alcohol. You must try the Latte's in the lounge bar. They are amazing. Try as many of the restaurants a [... read more]s you can, as the buffet can become repetitive. I would recommend the Italian or International restaurants. The grill down by the ocean is great for lunch. Have a great trip!

Sunshine State of Mind

Pools were heavenly. Beach was sub par too many rocks and steep inclines, although the water was gorgeous and they had catamarans and kayaks for use. Service at the beach was excellent, bar and the guys that got our chairs. Check in and out very quick and efficient. Lobby bar area very nice lots of seating. Service is top notch too. Entertainment staff was annoying always trying to get a free meal. Shows at night were wonderful. Michael Jackson especially. Restaurant service and food were very g [... read more]ood. Mario at breakfast and lunch and the lady that makes the fresh juice were excellent. Lady that ran the kiosk beside money exchange was very rude. Overall a great trip just a few things that could be better.

Very nice resort

We visited this resort for 15 days. This was our 3rd time in Santa-Maria and not our last. Granted it is almost 2 hours from the airport but you see 3 towns on your way and we like to consider this an excursion. The resort is 3 years old and very modern. The landscaping is beautiful and will only improve with time. There are 4 pools each with its own bar. The rooms are modern and a good size. They give you 1 bottle of water 2 beers and 2 pops per day if you consume them all (they will only repla [... read more]ce what you drink). If you want more water just ask the guy when he comes and its no problem. Of course we come here for the beach. It is amazing but I found that this year there was more jelly fish than ever. We went to 3 a la carte and they were all good with good service except the Italian. Our waiter was having a bad day and ruined our night out. The second week we opted not to go to the Italian because of the bad service we had there although the food was very good. We would not hesitate to recommend this resort to friends and family.

Good value

Clean grounds, always being manicured. Good shows. Only choice of 2 a la carte restaurants during the week with Sunwing, not so good. Rooms clean but bugs present once in a while. Ample hot water for showers, excellent. Buffet food is buffet food. Beach awesome. Even though Trip Central asked for an adjoining room, we had to pay extra ($$) upon arrival for one.

Well worth the 4+ star it is rated at

My wife and I spent a fantastic week at the Hotel Playa Cayo Santa Maria from Nov. 9 to 16, 2014. We have been to Cayo Santa Maria with three other vacations, to other areas of Cuba five times, and other Caribbean islands. The Playa is a very nice resort with great staff and a great location. So let’s start with my review: Weather: We had 30* + each day and basically no rain. Can’t get any nicer than that and good weather always makes a trip that much nicer! Beach: As with the other rev [... read more]iews the beach is amazing with power white sand. I will note that it is narrow, especially when the tide is high. There can be strong winds this time of year and we had two red flag days. I will mention that even during the red flag days we were allowed to swim in the ocean, but for safety you could only go out so far. Other resorts we have been at will not let you in the water at all during a red flag day, so it was nice to be able still swim in the ocean during the windy days. As noted in other reviews you can walk the beach both ways for very long distances, which is something we love to do. During our stay a few people were stung by Jellyfish, but even though we were in the ocean every day we had no problems. Staff and tipping: We found the staff to be great. They were friendly and always happy. We do tip, but at the same time we do not feel that the service was any different whether you tipped or not. I feel that as long as you treat the staff friendly and with respect you always receive great service and usually good conversations. Even though all the staff was great a special note has to be made for the Snack Bar staff...they were fantastic even when they were busy. The manager of the snack bar ensures everything is running smoothly and what is nice is that the staff are all happy even though they are busy. The snack bar is opened 24 hrs, so if your flight is a late one you can still get a good variety of food. Also, a special note has to be made for Mairalys (assistant director for the resort). She was fantastic and helped us make our vacation at the Playa a special one...thanks Mairalys!!! Resort: The resort is very nice, modern and in good condition. The staff are always cleaning and completing landscaping to keep everything looking great. There were quite a few kids during our stay which is okay and it worked out well, as there are three other pools away from the main pool, which are quieter when you just want to chill. We had a couple of bug bites, I think they were no-see-ums, but there were very few bugs of any type around the resort. Room: Our room was in the 14 block, which is away from the busier parts of the resort. It was fantastic and everything was kept very clean and working well. Food: We went to all the la a cartes and enjoyed all of them. I would say that the Italian was our favorite. We enjoyed the buffet and felt that it had a good variety of food and the quality was also good. Of course the staff was great there too! We found that any line ups were quick as compared to other resorts we have been at. Note: timing can be very important to reduce any wait times e.g. if you are going to the beach restaurant try to get there by noon, as there is usually a lot of people coming off the beach around 12:30 and it can get busy. There is always something being BBQ at the beach restaurant e.g. fish, hamburgers, hot dogs, sausage etc. We really liked the wood stove cooked pizza. For our taste we always had extra cheese added. Yes, I gained a few lbs while there, but it is a vacation. Drinks: Even though it is common for the lobby bar at most resorts to have the best drinks, which is true at the Playa too, we found that the drinks were still very good at all the restaurants and bars. They have the basic drinks and specialized ones too which are nice to try. There are a few different types of wine and for my liking I preferred the non-Cuban wines, such as the Spanish. If you find you too do not like the Cuban just ask for another type. Entertainment: Overall the entertainment was good and similar to other resorts we have been to. As other reviewers have noted the Michael Jackson show is very good. Tips: - When you land at the airport there can be a long line-up outside for currency exchange. Instead of going there go back in the airport to the departure area and usually there is no line up. You can also get your money exchanged at the hotel. The currency rate when we were there was 1 Cdn dollar = 0.83 CUC. - With the bus ride 1 ½ hrs so make sure you buy some beer (if that is your thing) outside the airport for the trip. Our bus did sell beer, but not all of them do. Also, our bus had clean washrooms, but again not all of them do, so you might want to use the facilities at the airport before departing to the hotel. jcsun

Excellent vacation spot

Hotel is a nice size, pristine beautiful pools, great service at all restaurants and bars. Rooms were kept immaculate by maids and bar fridge well stocked. Staff very friendly, helpful and happy. Romantic a la carte and italian were best choices for dinner. Beach is rustic and beautiful, sandy bottom ocean great swimming. Excellent value.

AMAZING RESORT

I really enjoyed my stay at this resort. The grounds/beach/pools were so clean. The restaurants and bars were clean as well. The staff were very helpful and friendly. The beach was the most beautiful sight. The water was so clear and so beautiful. If you are looking for a 'party hotel' there is no dance clubs at this resort. There is a cigar lounge with music and drinks, more of a lounging area. Clubs are off the resort. They do have nightly entertainment, which is very entertaining. Many people [... read more] complain about the food in cuba, but I really liked it. You have to understand that alot of cooking is their food as well. There is a variety of dishes to choose from. The seafood here is amazing. One tip, if you can, ask for a balcony view, or a second floor room. Next trip will be 2 weeks at this resort!!:)

Between good and very good.......

Overall, a very nice hotel. From the grounds to the beautiful stretch of beach and to 99% of the friendly and helpful staff. From the grounds keepers to the wait staff. All trying to keep you smiling and enjoying your trip. Food is typical Cuban for an all inclusive, but better than some on Santa Maria, and there's always something to satisfy one's palate. Pools are well situated. From the pool bar, to the snack bar and the kids get to have a pool of their own as well. They have a Spa and a well [... read more] equipped Gym. Beach towels are exchanged as you need them. A cigar bar that is loaded with all the top brands, for those who indulge. A theater, with nightly live entertainment from nine to about eleven and everything from Karaoke, to a Michael Jackson impersonator. The lobby bar is always busy. From coffee and models, to Mojitos and live bands. Excursions of all kinds are offered. From a Dolphin show, to a flight to Havana. From Santa Clara airport, you'll be transported to the hotel by an air conditioned bus and while it does take about an hour an a half, you'll be out off the main coast of Cuba by 47 kilometers and the peace that awaits you. Rooms are well equipped with a small fridge that's stocked every day with beer, soft drinks and water. If you're the type that needs to stay in touch back home, I'd suggest you bring your phone with an international plan for the length of time you'll be there. The computers are dial up, very slow and almost useless. Wi fi is available in the lobby bar, so maybe a tablet or Laptop with do the trick. The only negative in my two weeks there, was the front desk. A lack of understanding with speaking a language other than Spanish and for a so-called five star hotel. Just not acceptable. While that doesn't include everyone, it does become frustrating. I hope some of that helps. Great beach and if the price is right, I say go and enjoy. For the most part, I did and I wouldn't think twice about going back.

Best resort in Cuba!!!

This resort was beautiful!!!Our room was very nice and clean.Everyone was so nice and helpful!Our kids had a lot of fun,there were many activities for them.Food was good,too.The beach was amazing,except for a lot of seaweed.

Awesome & Amazing Resort

This resort was quite and relaxing and very clean. We had amazing a la carte when we arrived we were told only two a la carte and they booked us for 5. The beaches are breath taking. My husband and I walked the beach at 5 am every morning so peaceful! , we inquired about a private suite for 1 month next time we will bring the family to share great fun memories... This resort is to relax no local or vendor on beach stress free... We made wonderful friend and best memories and we do travel with tr [... read more]ipcentral.ca twice per year and this resort is one of my best trip. :) Food is Good ( only lack of vegetable)

Resort was very good

Our hotel was very clean ,maid service was very good, Bar service was very good providing you tip well. food hit and miss.Pools were great and the people you meet were fantastic.when booking ask for ocean view and 2 or 3 rd floorn All in All an good vacation.

Amazing resort

The resort was beautiful. The beach was amazing. The food was not good. It was usually cold and not much of a selection. We liked the food at the snack bar better. The staff were super friendly! Was a great place to stay :)

Totally awesome!!!

Great stay!! Really accommodating staff. LA a carte restaurants were amazing, especially the Asian and Seafood. Magicians in the evening were very entertaining. .lots of good laughs and fabulous people. Great entertainment staff.

Excellent value!

Great location, spacious rooms, beautiful beach. Out of season, so the food choices are poor, however always able to find some grilled chicken, fish and great omelettes. Lots of chairs at the beach, great for long walks.