Playa Cayo Santa Maria: super great service

amazing vacation, super nice people, a little bit far from airport but was still a great trip.also the beach was also a short walk from the resort and access to and from beach was not the nicest walkway.

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: Not bad for Cuba

"Tips tips tips" everywhere, food it's ok but every day the same, entertainment very nice. Water and beach- "paradise ", room is nice, we had ocean view, nothing to complain, lady cleaning every day but problem with towels, they never changed them (washing machine was broken) If you with your friends and it's nice weather rest it's not big deals!!! :)

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Great resort. Will definitely return again

The people at this resort were very accommodating. The food is not as good as Mexico, but for Cuban standard it is by far the best. If you love seafood, you will love this place. The food are all organic and the meat (pork, beef and chicken) have very little fat, so the meat was a bit hard. I ate mostly fish, lobsters and shrimps, so I enjoyed it. Will definitely return again!!

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: Beautiful!!!

Beautiful resort with the most amazing beach. Food was great at the buffets...no need to go to a la carte. The only complaint is that we could not exchange our beach towels the entire week. Cayo Santa Maria is 1 hour and 45 min drive from the airport, but well worth it for the most amazing beach!!

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Beautiful beach, worried about the food safety

The Playa was the fourth all-inclusive resort I have visited, and all have been within a comparable price bracket. In comparing the four resorts, I would rank this one as the best for the lovely ocean/beach, which was perfect for swimming, but the worst for food. In regard to the beach, this resort was really good if finding shade is important to you. I traveled with a group of 7 (with kids) and we managed to find a shaded area for all 7 chairs in a row every day. We did not have to do the ritu [... read more]al of reserving the chairs first thing in the morning, but would wander out to the beach at about 10:00 am and find a spot. If you want to be right next to the beach bar however, this might not be the case. Like many people have mentioned, the spot with the shade is set above the beach by a couple of feet, so you have to carefully make your way down some slightly rocky areas in order to get to the ocean. It is fine for anyone who does not have mobility problems. The water was fantastic- next to no seaweed or rocks in the water, just lovely white sand and very turquoise water. In regard to the food, there was significant issues with the heating and cooling systems for the buffet trays at the main buffet. The food that should be hot was not, and the food that should be cold was not and some items that should have been in cooling trays (appetizers with egg salads or pate on top) were left on the counter. This lead me to be concerned about the safety of the food, so I stayed mostly to meat/fish that was grilled and skipped the items in the trays. Even at the grilling stations, there was some concern, as the raw fish and meats were not in a refrigerated area before cooking, but rather sat on the counter beside the grill for whatever length of time before they got cooked. As the week went on, we found some additional spots that provide freshly grilled or deep-fried meat and fish (next to the snack bar) but having such a limited choice of food over the week became tedious. On the plus side, none of my party got sick, so despite our concerns, it turned out OK (but we did not eat much other than fish and meat :). On the plus side for food, this resort did have great coffee! So, while I really enjoyed the beach, because I was concerned about food safety ( and I am not picky at all about the taste of the food) I would not go back to this resort, but would choose a different resort on this beach. I regret this as the people who work at this resort do a really good job, and the food issue could be resolved with some food safety handling training as well as some better buffet heating/cooling systems.

Valentin Perla Blanca: Hit and Miss

This resort met our basic needs of sunshine and relaxation. Sure, one pool turned green and they ran out of basic items such as beer and cheese, but it's Cuba, not Aruba. If you're flexible, you will enjoy this clean and ultra-modern resort.

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: Cuba delivers again.

Our family of 4 (8yrs old and 6yrs old) recently returned from a 7 night trip to the Eurostars Cayo Santa Maria. The room and facilities were great although we needed to request a cot to accommodate all of us seeing as we were given a room with 2 small beds. This was delivered promptly. The room was clean and the room service was good. The only issue was that our toilet lacked a toilet seat. We simply rolled with it. The buffet food was as expected for Cuba. The restaurants were great except th [... read more]e one located in the snack bar was somewhat disappointing. There was plenty of food throughout the day whether you went to the very busy snack bar (where the wait was sometimes ridiculous) or walked over to the other beach snack bar where a great buffet awaited. The highlight was the ice cream bar which the kids loved to go to. No one was sick during the trip although a few of us suffered from a little travelers gut a one point or another. We only received two beach towels and never got the extras although we requested some on two occasions. Luckily we had brought two with us after having read complaints about the lack of towels at the resort. We never found the location to exchange our towels until the end of the trip but as expected they had run out of fresh towels for the day. The pools and beach at this resort were hands down the best we have ever had in Cuba. The animation was everywhere and the the staff who took us for a sailing ride was extremely friendly. The room and service staff was very nice and professional. I saw a few staff members get annoyed with some of the clientele but honestly I understood their pain as the clients were annoying me. This is our third trip to Cuba although our first to Cayo Santa Maria. We had previously stayed at a 5 star and a 3 star in Varadero and think that the 4 star (Cuban stars mind you) is appropriate for this resort. One point to make before I end is that the 1.5 hr trip from the airport to the resort was somewhat of a drag but was not as bad as I expected it to be. The guide on the bus (Roberto) was entertaining and had many tidbits of information to share along the way.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Poor

The grounds were very nice but the service and food very bad. Our stay was 10 days March 8 - 18. Three days no hot water and 1 day no water at all. At one time it may have been a 5 star but at best it is a 3 star now. Will never go back nor would I ever recommend it.

Memories Paraiso: the best beach ever

we stayed in the 36 block area we had 2 room ajoining ...rooms for being only 4 to 5 years old (as the staff claim ) need some upgrades and repairs such as light fixtures not working , ceiling fans not working dresser doors handels broken missing , air conditioning in both rooms ran so cold with no varyation in temp we had to turn it off or it was to cold no security look or dead bolt on 3634 until we asked for it to be put on .the bedding was stained and should have been renewed long ago the sh [... read more]eets were all gone bally if you know what i mean aswell as all the bath towels were stained and warn out .. the bathroom tile work was around the tub was substandard work no matter what we did to try to prevent the shower water from channeling down the wall to to bathroom floor we could not stop the flood even the bathroom wall was moulding in unit 3636 and towel rack was falling of the wall ....the buffet was just ok in presentation but the quality was of the food served was low my grade in regards to the a la carts they were ok not fantastic i found table cloths needed to be changed for clean ones but never while we were there and or othe meals .....we felt rushed at all the a la carts like in in out in about 45 minutes to fast for me ...... in regards to bottled water in you rooms yes there was but at the bars resturants in was poured from a bottel of water or picture of water but i know it was tap water only and they told us on the bus ride try not to drink tap water as it can affect you . you could smell the clolrine . the grounds were ok but a lot of drink cups ,straws ,napkins blowing about not many workers cleaning up on a regular basis the grounds not well lighted at night time in some areas around steps ect . the staff for the most part very nice and pleasent .....the beach was wonderful and the beach sevice in the diamond club area was good .....would i return to this resort ? most likley not any time soon .

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Beautiful restful fantastic!

We had a great vacation. Thank you for helping me find it and book it! The hotel is beautiful, nestled among trees and bushes. Two beautiful long snow white beaches with a gentle incline and little surf, perfect for my 83 year old mother. Lots of nature. No motorized boats. You can imagine you are on a desert island! Wreck for snorkeling a few hundred yards off the beach on a very shallow sandbar. You can walk out to it on the sandbar, at low tide deepest water max hip deep, mostly ankle deep.  [... read more]Reefs for snorkeling. Sailboats, kayaks and paddleboats. Lots of activities and sports organizers for my 15 year old. Friendly and fun. She met a number of other kids her age. The beauty of the hotel is that it is very spread out, but that means you need to walk quite a bit... or order a ride from the bell boy. We walked and it was very nice. Food was excellent (for Cuban). Lots of fresh grilled fish, lobster and shrimps. Lots of fresh salad and fruit. Delicious roast piglet, chicken, ham. Rices, beans, pastas. Delicious omelettes for breakfast. People who complain need to remember they are in Cuba and Cuban food is simple. It's not a foody delight. It's delicious basic home cooking reminiscent of my grandmother's era. Our first room was on the ground floor. A little damp. We were able to change to a 2nd floor room on the 2nd day. The rooms are in two floor buildings with an open central courtyard. Entrance off the courtyard. Windows and balconies facing out. Beautiful views onto trees, bushes and bougainvillea. Very quiet everywhere. Gorgeous spacious limestone bathrooms with separate bath and shower and private toilet room and natural light. Beds were comfortable doubles (not queens). Perfect for my 15 year old and myself to share... no need for the cot in a triple for us. Everything worked. Daily minifridge restock with whatever you want. Very pleasant decorations. Our air conditioning would not turn off on our first night in the 2nd floor room. It took a while to get the technician to come out. He was very effective and efficient when he came. The front desk is the key communication point if people have difficulties. They need training in how to communicate with pushy North Americans. They tend to push you off rather than communicate clearly. When I was trying to get the air conditioning technician one of the girls started hanging up on me. I kept calling because their promises were not being met and I was not sure they were actually calling the technician. It would have been easy to say, he is very busy and it will take one hour rather than promising 10 minutes over and over again. And I was being nice. Many of the tourists are not. I'd say this was the weakest link in the hotel. They need a training and coaching program to solve it. Visiting the front desk when it was not busy and speaking nicely with staff was the best way to get things done. They were very helpful then. Bad on the phones. Otherwise the staff were all very nice, friendly and ready to help. Amazing considering how far some of them travel to work there. Tips are important as this is their livelihood and they are otherwise quite poor. The evening shows were of a high quality and the dancers gave it their all. Very impressive. Hola Sun itself is not very organized. We were not on their list when we arrived (probably because we were so last minute), but they put us on a bus with the Montreal flight that came in a little after us. This was OK. We don't believe they sent a bus to take us back to the airport. We were told not to go on the Air Transat bus (our airline) but to wait for the Hola Sun bus. One never came for the Toronto folks and the Montreal bus guide was kind enough to let us on hers, but it took some discussion with her and the Air Transat rep. Not sure what would have happened had we not been proactive. We also took a day trip to Havana. We flew. Guide and bus for the day, including lunch. Cost 214 CUC. Excellent value for money. We left around 7am and returned around 9 pm. Very interesting day. Highly recommend it. The hotel has a beautiful large elegant open air lobby where people arrive, gather in the evening, etc. Guests mingle and talk. Very friendly. Don't expect to buy anything you need from the hotel shop. Mostly chips, drinks, tshirts, bathing suits, hats, flipflops. My sunglasses broke... I could not find any for sale anywhere in Cuba... although Cubans all wear them. I would happily return to this resort. We enjoyed it very much and feel we had good value for money.

Memories Paraiso: best beach

While this hotel features the best beach around, the management has to improve in terms of meals, cleaning, organization. We had lobster one day, beautiful, however mornings were poor if you Are vegetarian. Hard spirit cards on the walkway s, not something needed as the bars are all close buy. Poor a LA cards choice and service. However all in all I will go again to this hotel.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Grand Villa Suites

We had an excellent vacation. Weather was perfect. Grounds were gorgeous. Of course, the beaches were breath taking. Staff was friendly and very accommodating. To quote our Concierge, "there is no such thing as "No"." The Grand Villa Suites area of the resort is a true 5 star resort. Other areas such as Park Area and Spa Area not so much. It is well worth the extra funds to upgrade. We are looking forward to our next visit.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Starfish Resort

The overall rate of this hotel is Good. The only common I can add that the quality of the food is very poor.................................................................................................

Memories Paraiso: Beautiful Beach

Before going down I was told not to have high expectations when it comes to the food. If you eat from the fresh grills and take advantage of the a la carte restaurants the food is not bad. I recommend the seafood Restaurant. The room was clean, the grounds were beautiful and the beach was stunning. for the price of the trip, I would go back again.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Beautiful Beach!

The resort is way too big, the service wasn't that great, some staff more friendly then others, food was less then okay, but I didn't go hungry. The rooms was very old and somewhat clean. Bath towels and beach towels were change daily, but you have to ask your maid for that. The beach was beautiful, the resort got their stars rating because of the beach! Way too long of a bus ride from the Airport. 1.45minutes. Both flights there and back on time. overall I would rate this resort a 3 stars!

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: Beautiful resort

Everything about our destination was great. Amazing view, amazing beaches, food was actually really good. Only bad thing was running out of food and because the resort is so remote our Canadian exchange rate was terrible. We did not go on any excursions due to them being so expensive however we were just as content laying on the beach going for walks or hitting up the pool bar. All and all was amazing and would return again for sure.

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: Beautiful Resort

There is no question the beauty of this resort. The rooms were modern and up to date and the staff were simply amazing, so willing to accommodate. Alot of people complain about the food but we always found something yummy and delicious (best bread,rolls ever). The animation team work so hard to entertain people. It would have been nice for us to have livelier music in the lobby at night and not just the piano most times but their talent is by far superior and some people would love that kind of  [... read more]music I guess. The beach? The most beautiful I've ever seen. My only regret was that I couldn't afford to take my whole family, it was a girls trip. Spent a lot of time feeling guilty that I was at a place so beautiful and my kids and husband were home.

Valentin Perla Blanca: Fantastic Time, Amazing Resort

My husband and I had a great time, the resort was fantastic, the beach to die for and the room with a view of the ocean amazing. Loved every minute of it. There were some small things but nothing that the ever so friendly staff were not willing to accomodate.

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: Wonderful resort!!

Eurostars was such an awesome experience!! My boyfriend and I went from March 8th - March 15th, and we were very pleased. The rooms and facilities were very modern, nice, and were kept to date with cleanliness. The beach was absolutely amazing, very warm water and a white sandy beach to relax on. Although everyone knows, you don't go to Cuba for the food, but it was actually very good. The buffet everyday was excellent, you could have fresh omelettes every morning, and also fresh meat that you c [... read more]ould get cooked for supper right in front of you. You could always find something to eat, you would never go hungry. The buffet also switched the food variety everyday or so which was nice. Everyone was very pleasant and we had very little problems that we came across, in fact the only problem we weren't too pleased with was the 24 hour snack bar. The staff was very slow and was cranky everyday we were there. They didn't seem to want to make eye contact or listen to you when you told them what you wanted to order. Other than that, everything was perfect!! I highly recommend Eurostars to anybody. We would definitely consider going back to this resort.

Memories Paraiso: Good stay

The resort and grounds were kept nice. Lots of shuttle service. Pools are large which means lots of lounge chairs available. The beach is like powder. Only complaint is that many bathroom stalls were out of order and many didn't have toilet paper. Hotel room was nice and quiet. Mini bar was restocked every day. One issue was with shortage of towels. Dirty towels were folded and put back on the racks. Other issue was with water pressure. It was quite low during the time many guests were getting r [... read more]eady for supper.