Melia Las Dunas: Very good trip!

First of all, I would like to thank Alejandro Rubio,from the hotel,who helped me with a few questions before we left. I had emailed him on a couple of occasions and he was very quick to respond. Second, our maid Aray. Our room was spotless everyday by early afternoon. The guy who stocked the fridge came everyday, and if we were in the room, we could request what he left. Third, our wonderful guide, Mr. Gonzalaz who escorted us on the Havana day trip. I definitely recomend the trip to anyone who  [... read more]has never been, your have to see this city at least once! Last, but not least, Mailen, the Sunwing rep who was stationed in the lobby everyday and was super helpful on more than one occasion! The food and the service was better at the snack, pool and beach bars. We weren't very impressed with either of the buffets. The room was not as perfect as some North American hotels, but far from the nightmare we were expecting after reading some other reviews for Cuban hotels. Everything was clean and the balcony was large and private. One of the pool areas was quiet and adult only, the other pool area was family friendly and always seemed to have something fun happening. Both areas had a bar and a snack area. Nightly entertainment was great! There we're live bands, dancing, children's shows, vendors, face painting, something different every night. Overall this was a great trip, I would recommend this hotel, and the Havana day trip to family and friends. One thing I would suggest is to not sweat the small stuff, they do things differently there than we do here. Everything's a little slower, more laid back, maybe not as polished, but the people are very friendly and the landscape is something that everyone should experience at least once!

Memories Paraiso: Definitely not a 4-star resort

I went to this resort alone. I was housed in building 35, close to the beach, pool and main eating area. My room was clean but in need of repair/upgrade. Very dim lighting over the sink, water damage and stains on several walls, no water pressure at the sink or in toilet, but good pressure in the shower. The gounds are dimly lighted too (some guests used their phones as flashlights) Buffet restaurants ok, but repetitive (3 stations of the same food). I stuck with the omelet station for breakfast [... read more], and grilling stations at lunch and dinner. Pastas are undercooked then left to dry in the pasta station. Flavourless sauces too. À la carte restaurants were disappointing: cold food at Caribena (plates seemed to have been prepared in the afternoon and left under weak heating lamps) and limited choice at Vesubio (no bolognese or carbonara pasta the night I went). I gave up after two à-la-carte meals, altough I waited 30 minutes to book tables on my 2nd day. Gorgious beach with white, fine sand. Cristal clear water (better than a pool). I do not think this resort deserve the 4 stars Sunwing gave to it. It was certainly not worth the $1,700 I paid in February 2015.

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: Loved it!

My boyfriend and I recently travelled to the Eurostars in February and loved it! The grounds and beach were amazing, as well as the night time entertainment. Although the food was different than what we were use to, it was still great! We had a beautiful room overlooking the ocean, and very nice cleaning ladies. The disco was good, but never really busy. The lobby was always very busy, and often had live entertainment there, lots of fun!

Memories Paraiso: beautiful resort

The food was excellent ,, the people were friendly and helpful,, the beach was very nice and clean. We plan to go again ,,next we would take our 7 year old granddaughter,,,lot's of things for children to enjoy.

Memories Paraiso: Like a Honeymoon I never Had!

Grounds were spectacular! Clean, wellkept, and the proxiimity to the beach, food and bars - what else could you ask for? The beach sand could only be described as pancake mix! The ocean view was exhilerating!

Melia Las Dunas: Loved, loved, loved the resort!!

The beach was dreamy!! The sand felt like no other....like flour, if you can believe it. Thankfully the beach wasn't rocky! There were always had ample chairs and someone to brush off the sand. Drinks served right to your long chair was just great! Restaurants, buffets and the snack back bar were actually very good - ice cream counter was such a treat as well! Fresh catch of the day buffet was where we ate lunch every day! Clean rooms, lobby and luscious grounds – no complaints! The pools were [... read more] amazing! The Relax Pool catered to us who wanted peace and quiet; whereas families with kids had an Activity Pool just as big and looked like lots of fun. It was our best Valentine's Day spent in the candle lit restaurant "Romantico". The pianist was just lovely. By far what impressed me the most was the friendly staff. Not just with us, but their team spirit and their friendly smiles lifted our winter blues even higher. They all tried to communicate with us as best they can – muy apreciado! Well worth the drive from the airport and you get to see a glimpse of the Cuban lifestyle. Thank you so much for a lovely dream vacation!!

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Never disappointed

This was our third vacation to this resort; once as Royal Hideaway and twice as Iberostar. Although there are a couple of signs of the resort looking a little tired, it did not affect our overall vacation. The beaches are still the most beautiful in Cuba. The staff are the best by far, warm friendly hospitality from all (gardeners, chamber maids, waiters, waitresses, bellhops, registation and travel reps). Everyone goes out of their way without pestering you to ensure you are having a wonderul v [... read more]acation. The al a carte restaurants were excellent and we actually thought the variety in the buffet restaurant was better than on previous visits. As this was our first visit to this resort with a youngster we hoped it would still be terrific and we were not disappointed. The staff goes out of their way to make sure even the little ones are having a great time. Our family would highly recommend this resort to families and adults alike.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: cleanliness is an issue

The public washrooms were not clean, and rarely had soap or toilet paper. Also, the dishes and drinking glasses in the dining halls were often dirty and/or chipped. The staff were often lazy and unhelpful. Bottled water was a scarcity. The rooms were outdated and had stained sheets and/or curtains. Honestly, the most positive things that can be said are that the pools and beach are nice and well-kept.

Melia Las Dunas: Melia Las Dunas

Beach is amazing! There were a lot of food choices and restaurants, however there is room for improvement on the food. The rooms for the most part were nice, however cleanliness needs improvement. I had to request clean towels everyday as they were hanging them on the balcony to dry from the day before with stains and marks. This is not a 4 star hotel! Entertainment was great, fun for both adults and children.

Memories Paraiso: lost alot from last year

Not the same as last year, it went downhill big time. The food was bad compared to last year where it was incredible. Our room was beat up and nothing worked right, we told the concierge but nothing was fixed.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: STAR FISH

I'll keep this short and sweet. The resort was good the food as well and the most amazing beach Ive ever seen.Not trying to sell this place short i had a good time 4/5 just minor gripes. The main problem thou were beach towels i didn't a clean one the entire week.Every time id go to the sports club within the hours nobody was there EVER to exchange my towel! If your someone who wants to go into a real town to shop this isn't the place as your in the middle of nowhere and about an hr away from an [... read more]y real towns although they do have a tourist center close. Finally I ran into a quite a few workers who couldn't speak a lick of English a little annoying but didnt ruin the trip in anyway..BRING your own towels and you'll have a good time

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: beautiful beach holiday

the grounds are well kept by the friendly Cuban staff . customer service desk responded promptly to any concerns or inquiries we had . A relaxing resort with the options to party if you like or just kick back

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: Pretty Decent

Rooms were good, grounds were pretty nice. The beaches were very nice as far as water and sand go. We went with low expectations of the food however we were able to find enough to eat. I would say food is average but can make due. I would say we were very satisfied overall considering we only paid $1050 and had direct flights.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Staff were great, management and housekeeping not!

I am writing this review on the last day of our week here. The bed, on which I am sitting still shows the small ballpoint Xs that I placed on the sheets and pillows 3 days ago, proof that linens had not been changed, testament to the sloppy and indifferent housekeeping standards of hotel management. One linen change per week is well below the standards I would expect from any hotel claiming to be a 4 star. Ditto the towel situation and the pool towel situation which barely allowed 2 changes dur [... read more]ing the entire week Overall, the hotel itself rates physically as one of the better ones I have seen in 12 visits to Cuba. The only minor complaint would be that some of the access routes to the beach are not for the physically impaired. Wait staff at bars and restaurants are friendly and accomodating and seem to treat tippers and non tippers with the same degree of courtesy. Our tour coordinator lauded the place for it's food quality compared to other resorts in the area, citing the input of 3 "top" Dominican chefs. Based on my experiences, they must have been on sabbatical. First of all, there is no chance at all of you burning your mouth on any of the food served. Lukewarm was the hottest I ever encountered. Cold was closer to the norm. The made to order stations are poorly placed, with lines blocking access to the pre-made buffet items. While breakfast service was efficient and pleasant (if you didn't want toast) the same cant be said for the often clumsy efforts of staff at the seafood station at lunch and supper. While some knew what they were doing several did not, rendering a finished product that was either over or under done. While the buffet offered an extensive selection of choices the overall quality was sadly lacking. Perhaps management should consider reducing the number of selections and concentrate on improving the quality. They might also consider investing in a couple of decent toasters too since the current single relic in use had all the browning power of a "magic oven" The a la cartes were about average- nothing to really complain, or write home about. Ditto for the snack bars. Would I return to this resort? Only if management did their job. The staff are doing their best but until management fixes the issues I addressed in this review, they will probably start to slip from their #3 position. I fully expect at best a cookie cutter response to this review from management but I seriously doubt that anything will really change. Luckily my job allows me to interact with hundreds of people every week, many of whom value my insights into where and where not to stay when travelling overseas. Having stayed at other resorts in this area, I do have some better options to recommend.

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: Beautiful resort, beach and pools were amazing.

I travelled with my sister and my cousin and we had a wonderful time at this resort. The room was clean, modern-there was no problem getting clean beach towels, mini bar was well stocked daily. I really don't understand people's negative comments about this resort. Maybe home is where you should have your next vacation! Food was ok-always found something good to eat. I would go back to this beautiful resort tomorrow. The beach keeper at small beach was super nice and so was the bartender at the  [... read more]small beach. He made us a special drink and called it "Cocco Loco". When he saw us coming he had this huge smile on his face and yelled out "Hey Cocco Loco". We have missed this beautiful place since the day we came back. That's all we talk about. Hopefully we can return some day.

Melia Las Dunas: Overall good resort for first time to an all incl

Rooms were ok, had a smell of mould every time you walked in. Grounds were kept very well, pools were well maintained. Weather was not cooperative, would have been nice to know ahead of time that February is Cuba's coolest month of the year.

Melia Cayo Santa Maria: Nice quiet resort with great beach

The resort was well kept with friendly staff, and what we liked was it was small and quiet. Just what we were looking for. There were some small issues with shower pressure and lack of hot water at times. Food was typical Cuban and, as expressed by many reviewers, not the best, but there was always something to eat. The beach and water was the best part of this area of Cuba and was the reason we picked this location and we were not disappointed. The Air Transat reps were extremely helpful.

Valentin Perla Blanca: STAY AWAY

Resort layout and the beach were great but the food was horrible, the ala cartes being worse than the buffet choices...I have been to Cuba a few times before and knew what to expect from the food but this was much worse, we lived off of sandwiches and ice cream and could not wait to get home...Having stayed at the Valentin in Mexico we expected more from this place, so this will be our last visit to a Valentin Resort and quite possibly Cuba...Note: The upgrade was not worth it, no lobster, rum,  [... read more]robes etc. as advertised...If you have not booked this resort yet...RUN...If you did, the beach is great just get there real early...

Melia Las Dunas: good resort

food was good but repetitive resort looks nice but big lots of walking very nice beaches friendly staff not much to do around because it's on a island....we would go back....and recomanded to other people...

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: nice beach, great people

The overriding feeling I have as we bus our way back to the airport in Santa Clara is that Cuba is "close". It is close to becoming a first choice destination instead of the fallback position for travellers who have abandoned Mexico because of perceived violence, and the"B" islands (Barbados, Bermuda, Bahamas) for price. Cuba offers a sense of safety that Jamaica and Mexico would die for( I couldn't resist) and beaches that are truly world class. The airport staff, bus drivers, tour guides, clea [... read more]ners, gardeners, serving staff, and bartenders, are overwhelmingly courteous, friendly, and well-trained. That is no small accomplishment in a world where travellers are increasingly made to feel like unwanted house guests at many holiday destinations. So...what needs to change? 1. Get rid of the nearly 2-hour bus ride to and from the airport. It turns a flight from Ottawa, Montreal, or Toronto into a full day of travel, and there is no need for it. The island of Santa Maria houses many resorts within a couple of kilometres of each other. There is a long landing strip that you pass just after arriving on the island proper. We were told that it was used for excursion flights to Havana. With the money that was spent to build the 48 kilometre causeway linking the island to the mainland it would make sense to do whatever is necessary to beef up the local airport to accommodate tourist charter flights. On the morning home, we got the hotel bus at 7am as ordered, arrived at the airport at 8:40, had cleared immigration by 9:15, and spent the next 3 hours sitting in a cramped departure lounge, with no access to the outdoors and a shameful excuse for a greasy spoon as the only source of food, until or flight left at 12:30. The fact that we spent 2 days of our holiday just getting there and back is enough to make me look elsewhere next time. 2. Buy some new beds. An awful lot is forgiven after a good night's sleep. The reverse however, is also true. This is our second time in Cuba (the first time in Holguin) and the consistency of the stiff mattress with the hump in the middle was surprising. It left me wondering if they had shipped the old mattress from Holguin to Santa Maria when they found out I was coming. 3. Designate a non-smoking area or two. I am not a non-smoking zealot and in fact, continue to enjoy the odd cigar. That being said, we were travelling with children on this trip and it was virtually impossible to find a place in any outdoor restaurant, and in particular the airy hotel lobby, that did not have the pervasive pall of heavy smoke. With most of North America non-smoking in public places, it seems to make business sense to provide some accommodation to that crowd. 4. Food. People always talk about Cuban food. So my experience is Cuba 7 years ago in Holguin, and Cuba today. With the passage of time, it seems to me that there is now a greater variety of food available than ever before. There remains however, a lack of imagination. The buffets evidenced pineapple and coconut, limes and local fruit, garlic and ginger, an endless variety of meat and fish. I found it difficult to understand why these ingredients seldom, if ever, bumped into each other in a sauce. An occasional visit from an experienced chef would do wonders for the cuisine and provide some variety to the menu. Yes, as is often said, I could always find something to eat, but that's not really the object of the exercise. I would have preferred to find something that I wanted to eat. 5. Upscale the hotels. This comment may be restricted to the Hotel Playa where we stayed, but the square pools, surrounded by the square buildings with the cookie-cutter square rooms, compare poorly to the average accommodation on the Mayan or in Dominican Republic. The accommodations are Spartan but functional. I do admit to laughing out loud when I was on the balcony trying to get the screen door back into its track for the third or fourth time, and looked out to see no less than 3 other hotel guests on their balconies doing the same thing. Ultimately, as the week progressed, guests gave up and just began leaving the screens leaning against balcony railings. So overall the people and the beach are 5-star. The food, the accommodation, and the travel are something less. There have certainly been a lot of improvements since I was there last, but It is likely to be another 10 years or so before, "I can't wait to get home", becomes "I can't wait to go back."