Memories Paraiso: Poor resort

we were told this resort had been renovated and was a 4 - 4.5 it most definitely was not renovated nor was it any where near a 4*. My husband and I have travelled extensively throughout the Carribean , DR x 4, Cuba x 4, Mexico x 4 and other destinations, my point being we completely understand the "star" system. Our first room was disgusting smelling of urine and mold, the light fixtures were hanging off the walls, the fan paddles were facing the floor, the toilet seat broken, and the room had v [... read more]arious stains everywhere. The next room we were given was only slightly better. If this had been my first time to Cuba I would NEVER go back.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Relaxing - Better than anticipated !!

We stayed for 2 weeks Jan 29-Feb 12/15.Left ++ snow at Halifax airport @ 6:30am & on beach @ 3:15pm same day !! Can't beat that!! Room was fine . Bed a bit hard . Flat pillows . No water for @ 2 hours only once - all water is pumped over to island. Overall - great time -- wonderful beach - lots of shade / lounging chairs , food at buffet was fine , A la Cartes were quite good . Great Brazilian coffee !! Very good value

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Clean but not a 5 star.

Grounds were beautiful, the beaches breathtaking and the people were polite and hardworking. This was our 6th time to Cuba. We've stayed at the Iberostar Laguna Azul in Varadero which is considered 4.5 star and it is far superior to the Iberostar Ensenachos which is considered a 5 star. We were totally let down. The rooms were clean, however, it seemed that the minibar soft drinks were limited to "cola", only after the first day. We would have liked the sprite and orange as we are not cola drin [... read more]kers; but the gentleman that came every day would only say no, only cola. The food was the major disappointment. Starting off with the lack of labeling of what is on display. If you can't identify it visually, no way of knowing what was in that platter. The food was not cooked fully when you went through the grill. It takes more than 5 minutes to cook a piece of chicken, way undercooked. The food that was in the containers were never warm. We are not fussy eaters and have always found something to eat. That was not the case here. Bacon should not be served gray. It was never cooked properly. Also, I have never seen food that dripped with so much oil and grease that it made it almost un-edible. Sadly we will not be returning.

Valentin Perla Blanca: Beautiful resort but poor service

The resort being new is beautiful with that said the rest is to be desired. The service is very very poor. It is next to impossible to get any kind of service in the dining room and by that I mean getting a simple glass of water never mind anything else. The food was lacking in taste and choice. They were out of ketchup and very little salt and pepper available. Our tables weren't cleared of dirty dishes through out our meals. Coffee or orange juice were not available unless we asked for it and  [... read more]then had to wait 15 mnts or more to get it. Coffee in the evening was available only on one side of the 2 sides of dining room but we often had to use glasses for the coffees as no clean cups were available. For the bars they are not very fast and often would not know how to make the drinks and often made them differently. Very hard to enjoy a drink when you never knew which one you were getting. The beach : out of out group of 10 not one of us had our beach towels replace for the entire week. There is not enough chair available on the beach or the pool. We had to spread our towels on the sand everytime so after a couple of days our towels were super heavy , very stinky so after a whole week of using the same one it is very discusting. They do pay more attention to the privilege customers. I do think that they are understaffed but most importantly the lack organization. Based on our previous vacation in Cuba (Iberostar Mojito) which is only rated 3 1/2 star is to me far more better in everything to food service and flriendliness. Valentin has a long way to go and a lot of work to do to make it an enjoyable stay.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Good time!

The room was very nice and clean. The staff was friendly. The Ensenaches beach was beautiful and we spent a lot of time in the water. My favourite thing was the gardens that lined all of the walks. They are well cared for and gave a sense of tranquility to the resort. I enjoyed their omelets, soups, freshly prepared meats and fresh fruit. I would give the hotel 4 in some areas and 3 in others.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: 5 star hospitality

Immaculately clean, friendly, generous, efficient, with endless entertainment and options.an exceptional experience to relax and enjoy leisure time. Bring books and games to fill in the times when weather is not conducive to bathing and sunning. Expect some amazing foods and an abundance, much of which is bland and overcooked. We found there was plenty of food that was delicious and satisfying.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Great resort

We stayed at Starfish Santa Maria resort last week with our 11 months old baby and we had a great time. The rooms were clean and spacious, the food was pretty good , especially the fresh grilled fish and fruits we had everyday. I would highly recommend this resort. It is family and kid friendly.

Memories Paraiso: clean and good food

grounds kept good,beach wasn,t far,good things going on at pool and nighly entertainment at theater good food never went to l la cartes once lol.market was within walking everything within minutes,just restocking mini fridge could have been earlier

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: Good choice

My husband and I enjoyed our stay after a delightful ride from the airport to the resort. Our room had a great view of the ocean and the mangrove from a third floor balcony. The room was lovely and our daily cleaning was exceptional. The beach was amazing water colours so beautiful . The three tired swimming pools offered great views of the ocean. We were concerned about food options and we had various experiences . A la carte two were excellent and two were terrible . Our favorites were the Med [... read more]iterranean and gourmet . The BBQ was not fit to eat the table beside us shared their birthday cake and it was yummy. The buffet was a hit for my husband as every day he would order his choice of fresh fish and they would cook that up for him at lunch and or supper. I appreciated the omelettes served up every morning by the friendly chef he helped me further my spanish language . Papaya is a favorite of ours and there was plenty every day. Overall I think their buffet was good for a Cuban resort. The lobby was lovely with great coffee and mocha chinos served daily At times a bit too smokey for our enjoyment. We only attended one show which was the valentines romantica and the dancing was very professional. Other nights we retired early as we layed in the sun every day either on the beach or by the pool . My husband loved the swims in the oceans and I loved the swims in the pool so it was good that they were close to each other. Overall a great time and would return again if the opportunity presented itself but we like to try new resorts .

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Not really what I expected

The hotel did not meet my expectations. The exchange rate is high and the Canadian $ is worth LESS than their Peso (CUC) . The food was not what I expected...and very bland..no real flavor. I didn't expect much but would not go back again.

Melia Las Dunas: Needs a few upgrades

My wife and I just got back from a 12 day stay at Melia las Dunas. It was our 7th trip to Cuba and our 2nd stay at this resort. I only gave this resort a 4 star rating because the accommodations were in dire need of upgrades. The resort was built around 2005, and the rooms have the same furniture, same beds, same 20" TV, same drapes that were falling apart. But, I still think it is one the best resorts in Cuba. The beach is huge, with soft sand and plenty of lounge chairs that did not make it ne [... read more]cessary to reserve a spot at 7am. The pools, one family and one adult only are beautiful with poolside bars as well as a place to have lunch. There are 6 a la carte restaurants, 2 night time buffet restaurants, a pizza parlor as well as a 24 hour beer garden for drinks and food. At lunch there are a few more places to eat. The lobby of this resort is at least the size of a football field. It has a lobbypiano bar that most evenings host hundreds of people. At 6pm the piano starts playing traditional North American classic songs. Often the piano is accompanied by drums, guitar or a saxophone. This music is followed by a traditional cuban band that plays for another hour or so. And believe me they are well worth listening to. This is followed by a DJ with assistants encouraging dancing. If you still want more entertainment, you can watch the nightly show. The food is good, but you are in Cuba so don't expect 5 star restaurant quality. You often hear that the buffet serves the same food all the time. The problem is they serve pasta, fish and all the different meats every night so it is hard to vary. We did make one trip. It was to Trinidad. It was OK, but it was 3 1/2 hours each way so I did not like that. Last time we took the trip to Santa Clara and it was a shorter trip and the same quality. That's it, a fabulous resort who, with a few room upgrades, would be 2nd to none in Cuba.

Melia Las Dunas: Absolute amazing resort

I went on this trip by myself and it was very relaxing chill resort. I will definitely be going back. I was looking to get away and relax and I got exactly that at this resort. I also enjoyed the night life they offered.

Royalton Cayo Santa Maria: Beach and service top notch

Beautiful landscaping,pools and amazing beach! The staff are wonderful and very friendly. They could use some more activities and music would be nice at one of the pools. After a couple of days it became boring. The food was good but once again after a couple of days everything seemed the same. If you want peace and quiet with nothing but laying around it's wonderful! If you need more activity it's not the place for you. A beautiful place with wonderful staff...just too quiet for us.

Melia Las Dunas: nice and clean resort

great resort, a bit to large for our liking, food was good, always something to eat, burgers pizza and a la carte restaurants were delicious as well. Staff was helpful and friendly, room alittle dated but clean

Memories Paraiso: Wonderful Resort!

We travelled as a group for 2 weeks to this resort in Jan/Feb 2015 & just loved it! Our travel agent was Jenn Black from tripcentral.ca & she was terrific. I was anxious about planning for a larger group of 22 (ages 6-51), but in the end Jenn had it all under control & everything worked out great! We flew out of Vancouver & even got to sit together on the plane. It was our 25th anniversary celebration, so we travelled with all our kids & their spouses + additional family. Claudia & Daily were ou [... read more]r Memories Resort wedding/vow renewal planners. They were superb in making sure our special event was perfect, from our room accommodations to the ceremony, including the dinner reception & cake, -even the photographer was terrific! Thank you :) The beach is unbelievable at this resort! We walked for 5km & Memories had the best beach: large beach with white powdery sand & clear turquoise ocean. Lots of palapas & chairs. It was shallow with no seaweed or rocks. We had both calm waters for relaxing & waves on windy days for body surfing. Not the best for snorkelling, but the kids did see some fish. If you walked to the left of the resort, all the way to the bigger rocks you could see like 20 different types of fish. We also used the peddle boats, kayaks, & Hobie Cats. We stayed on the Paraiso side in bungalow 34 and thought it was perfect, even though they had limited King beds w/ocean view on the 3rd floor. After seeing our spectacular ocean view we decided to push our beds together rather than move to another room. (Beds were surprisingly comfortable.) One side had ocean view & the other side had pool view. The beach & beach bar were steps away & we were right next to the Grill/Cuban Restaurant & 24hr snack bar. Two Beautiful pools & a pool bar were conveniently located there too. We were also near the tennis court & entrance to the Pueblo (marketplace). In the evenings we enjoyed visiting the Bolero for 10-pin bowling with the family for $3.50 CUC/game -no bowling shoes required. The theater at La Parranda in the center of the resort, offered entertainment every night (the Michael Jackson Show was the best). Great live music (Cuban, Latin, 50's, Rock -Guns 'n Roses, AC-DC, etc...), was available to enjoy throughout the resort from the lobby, La Parranda to the Pueblo. All of the staff was exceptional, from front desk, dinner reservations, house keeping, to the servers, bar tenders, animation team & workers on the beach, grounds & pool. I couldn't begin to remember everyone's names! We miss you all!!! There was always lots of variety at the buffets. Our favorites were the cooking stations, where food was prepared fresh before you: omelets, eggs-to-order, waffles & crepes, fish & meat grills, fried rice, & fried bananas. Lots of fresh fruit: guavas, papayas, bananas, pineapple, & watermelon. We also really enjoyed the Cuban beans & rice when it was offered. There was always plenty of delicious hot peppers available to spice up your food too. And for that midnight snack at the grill, nothing beat the fries, burgers & grilled cheese! ...there was always ketchup, barbeque sauce or hot sauce available! The a-la-cartes were good as well. We enjoyed a lot of variety & ate at the Cuban, Italian, Mediterranean, International (lobster!), Mexican, & Italian (in the Pueblo). It was a great trip & I can't wait to go back!!! Highly recommend tripcentral.ca & Memories Paraiso Azul Resort :)

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Good resort for Cuba

Average hotel - great value for the money. We traveled with our 2 children and returned on Feb. 16. Nice Cuban resort. Food was not very good by our standards but ok for Cuba (no one got sick). Rooms were ok. Service was ok. Beach was gorgeous but ocean was rough. If you are looking for a nice, cheap place to relax, this would be a good choice.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Beautiful Beach!

We travelled with our 3 year old and 5 month baby! The beach was just gorgeous and the hotel was clean and nice. The downside for us was the food! My hubby got sick one night and I pretty much ate bread and pasta....not the place to go for food, but apparently that is what Cuba is known for. So if you want a nice resort and beautiful beach, the price is right. Bring along a few familiar snacks for the kids...this was helpful!! :) Also, the bus ride from the airport was about 1 hour and 45 minute [... read more]s...yikes! Makes for a super long travel day! The pool was beautiful..but VERY cold! Too cold for me!! We brought towels, as we read that on a review before we left, but honestly that wasn't a problem at all.

Melia Las Dunas: Average to Good

Overall a nice resort, pretty modern and new by most Cuban standards. Clean rooms, no major issues with mine, just don’t expect a fresh towel every day. A pretty huge resort, takes a long time to get anywhere. However, being so large no spot in particular was ridiculously crowded. Although during certain times of the day, pool or beach chairs were tricky to find if you are with a group people. Service from resort staff was highly variable, from good to absolutely dismal. You quickly learn wher [... read more]e or who to go to for drinks/food. Food was probably some of the best I've had in Cuba, late night 24 hr food was by far the best and easiest to access compared to other places I've stayed. Did not enjoy the beach as much as Cayo Guillermo or Varadero. It was narrow, and water gets deep quick. Often big waves, which are fun at times but they eliminate the possibility of lounging half in the water with a cocktail. If you’re looking to kitesurf, don’t bother coming here go to Cayo Guillermo instead. It’s possible but far more hassle than its worth, especially with such a crowded, narrow beach. However, could be amazing with the large shore break and a surfboard if there wasn’t a carpet of humans on the beach. Night life is ok, the lobby bar area quickly clears out around 1. By 3am expect to be one of the few if not only one up. Highly recommend the bowling alley in the off resort "market area". We went twice late at night with friends, cant believe nobody else goes there. Drinks cost money there unless you bring your own in. Overall if you’re looking to party and have some off resort adventures go to Varadero instead. I'd say the Melia Las Dunas is a good couples resort, good it you want to enjoy Cuba but have better food and rooms than the rest of Cuba, or for people who don't care to explore off resort too much.

Melia Las Dunas: Resort with a past greatness.

All grounds and public areas are well maintained but everything is getting old and worn-down (maybe except the pools). Rooms are clean but bathrooms look very old and worn. Food is very good with a great choice of fish and seafood. Barbecues are great. Restaurants comparable to other resorts. Plan of the resort similar to Playa Pesquero in Holguin.

Melia Las Dunas: good resort

Check in: fast and easy Grounds: beautifull and well kept. Pools were too cold. Outstanding beach and really enjoyed swimming in the ocean Food: lots of choice but not too appealing, breakfast was the best, at lunch time we really enjoyed the pizzeria a la carte restaurant, dinner we went to the buffet which was fine. We didn't try any à-la-carte restaurants. Drinks: way too diluted although the mojitos were good Weather: nice during the day, cool in the evening Rooms: cleaned but stained towel [... read more]s and sheets